“How long are we in town?”she asked.
He shrugged.“Through the holiday.”
Considering they had Thanksgiving plans, going back and forth made little sense.They could camp out here for now.Though, this time of year, people tended to get rather irritated with their loved ones.Seasonal Affective Disorder was a bitch.
Between the months of October and January were the busiest ones on the calendar for Fink.In 2020, he actually had to turn down contracts because they were too close together.
The fall and the beginning of winter were the best times to be a contract killer.Ironic considering the commercials boasted love and family.That wasn’t his experience either in his youth or in his career.If others found it, he wasn’t about to rain on their parade.Holidays were different for everyone.
As Sydney dragged her feet toward the door, he climbed out of the truck.From the back, he retrieved their two duffels.When they’d packed, he hadn’t planned on staying more than a few days.He hadn’t thought about attending a family function.
Were they formal?In movies and television shows, he’d seen people dress up for those sorts of things.His bag contained comfy casual clothes.They’d have to go shopping before Thanksgiving.
He smirked.Everything about Sydney seemed to be unplanned—up to and including actually being with her.He’d made it a point to overanalyze and plan everything out and include variables.
For once, life threw him a curveball he hadn’t been prepared for.He hadn’t been this caught off guard since he was a kid and still learning just how awful existing could be.
This, though, Sydney, was a delight.
Crossing the threshold and entering the apartment, he snickered seeing her shoes kicked off near the door but not next to each other.Her pants decorated the large ottoman.Her bra dangled from the back of one of the high-top chairs.
Light came through the bottom of the bathroom door, and he assumed she brushed her teeth to get ready for bed.He couldn’t blame her.He felt the same way.There was nothing he wanted more than to cozy up and drift off to sleep beside her.
As he made his way through the space, he caught a glimpse of the stack of mail on the table.Considering her bills had been made paperless, he assumed it all to be junk.That was until the postcard on top caught his eye.
It was a photo of two women, a dog, and three children.The kids ranged in age from small to teen.Was this the family she didn’t talk about?
Unable to stop himself, he reached for it, flipped it over, and read the brief inscription on the back.Yep.It was from the people who had invited her, and now him, to Thanksgiving.No wonder they called.They’d asked her with this card and hadn’t heard from her.
Carefully, he placed it back on the stack of sales flyers and continued on his way into the bedroom.He’d thought she had no one, like him, but that wasn’t the case.Other people might have been jealous, but not him.Fink was relieved.They weren’t identical.She had people she could count on if she needed them.
He wouldn’t wish being alone in the world on anyone.For the first time, because of her, he believed he shouldn’t be either.
45
Sydney
MarcoGarciacould’vewalkedoff the cover of aGQ.His suit was obviously tailored and, without a doubt, designer.If the word “sleek” could be a person, it would be this lawyer.Hopefully, that meant he was good at what he did.
In discussing the deposition, he explained he would do most of the talking.Only when he gave her the okay would she speak.This way, she could be as honest as possible.If answering any question would incriminate her, cause her to lie, she was supposed to flick her hair or tuck it behind her ear, then he would step in.
He didn’t ask her whether she had murdered Mitchell or what her involvement was.Apparently, he didn’t want to know.Quite frankly, she had no interest in telling him.She and Fink would take this secret to their graves.
His job was to keep her uninteresting to the prosecution.Fair enough.She could do that.
Sitting at the conference room table, Sydney did her best to appear as though her anxiety wasn’t making her skin crawl.She pretended her heart wasn’t threatening to explode out of her chest.This was far more intense than she’d imagined.
This was bad.Going on the stand in a courtroom with a judge would be a thousand times worse.She’d have to be sedated to get through it.Though if she pulled this off, she wouldn’t have to.
Lying to the police wasn’t new.She’d done it often in her youth, but this was different.This wasn’t shoplifting from the corner store.She was a murderer chatting with the people in charge of making sure killers were sent behind bars.
“Stop fidgeting,” Marco whispered while they waited.
“Sorry.”She dipped her chin in embarrassment.
“They’re always watching,” he said as he nodded toward the camera nestled high in the room’s corner.
Following his gaze, she spotted it and swallowed hard.
