She furrowed her brows.“I’ve never heard of it.”
He nodded.“Not surprised,” he said as he merged back into traffic.“It’s only got a few hundred people there.”
“Why…” The question faded from her lips as she asked it.
Wait a minute.
Blinking, she racked her exhausted brain for details.What had he said earlier?Yesterday?Whenever the hell it was.She’d lost track of time and couldn’t tell anyone what day it was, let alone when they’d had a conversation.
“So, Eustis is in the middle of nowhere?”she asked cautiously.
Sydney didn’t want to spook him.Fink didn’t give up information freely.If she pressed, he might do something drastic.They were in close quarters on a huge highway with cars all around him.If he got scared because she got too personal with him, he might drive into oncoming traffic.
He nodded.“Yeah.”
“And it’s not because we have another contract?”she asked.
He shook his head.“I’ll call my handler when we arrive and update him on how things went.”
Keeping her attention straight ahead of her, she did her best not to bounce around in the seat.Her veins popped with excitement.If she were right about her assumption, Fink was about to take her tohiscabin—his sanctuary—his home.He maintained the place private from everyone.
This was intense.He was about to show her a side of him she was willing to bet few, if anyone, got to see.
What an honor.
Swallowing her squeal, she tried to focus on the changing leaves.They were supposed to be beautiful this time of year.At least that was what she’d heard, but her mind raced with the possibilities, so she wasn’t able to truly appreciate the scenery.
Would his place be big?Small?Rugged?Or modern?What was Fink’s style?He seemed like a minimalist kind of guy.She expected a lot of neutral tones and clean lines.
But that wasn’t exactly what came to mind when she considered the word cabin.Maybe he used the term loosely.Who knew?
She was about to find out.
34
Fink
Sydneyhadgoneunusuallyquiet.Fink wasn’t sure whether he should be concerned.In the limited experience he had with her in the car over the past few days, she’d been a Chatty Cathy.Which, surprisingly, hadn’t annoyed him.
In fact, he found her talkative nature enjoyable.Along their journey, she’d peppered him with questions about what they’d do and the hows and whys of their plan.It allowed him to see things from a different perspective and improved their plan based on her insights.She was quite an inquisitive little woman.It was refreshing to share his life’s calling with someone else who seemed to be as enthusiastic about it as he was.
She was one in a million.
Perhaps despite her lengthy nap, she was still tired.Dozing while traveling wasn’t restful.She may have snored, but there was no way she actually got any sort of decent sleep.
Besides, if Fink was sore from being in the truck this long, she had to be achy as hell too.So maybe she wasn’t saying anything because she was hurt.He’d have to make it a point to check his supply of Ibuprofen.They could use it after this drive.
Then again, a few months had gone by since he’d been up this far north.His stock might be expired.He’d need to take inventory once they arrived.They could go shopping for groceries after a shower and a serious nap.
Right now, he had to focus and keep driving.A cozy bed was at the end of this journey.There were only a few more winding side roads before they’d get to the log cabin on the lake where he hid away from the world.
He glanced in her direction as she watched what they passed.
No one had been to this place.He’d been friends with AJ since they were kids, and he’d never brought his handler to this location.It was Fink’s and Fink’s alone.Not a single soul was supposed to go there but him.
Until now.
Were he a rational guy not on the verge of insanity, he’d be anxious.He should wonder how she’d feel about his space.Perhaps there should be worry about Sydney rejecting his need for seclusion—rejecting him.But he’d never been surer about a decision in his life.
