“I have to hurry and change before the next ensemble number,” I said.
He led the way down the stairs, back behind the stage to the closet-like room I shared with Albina. He faced the wall as I changed into the green costume that had been left on a hook on the front of my dressing room door by the costuming department.
I stared at the hulking shoulders of his back.
“You can turn around,” I said. I’d crept impossibly close so when he did. We were just inches away, my hands tucking the tutu down flat, so it lifted high in the back.
“Kiss me,” I pleaded.
How many moments did we have left together?
His lips were soft, his tongue softer as it caressed mine, asking for more. He shifted the angle of my body against his so we were as close as we could get. Over the speaker system, I could hear the movement was in coda and knew I’d have to get going.
It was all happening much too fast.
Then, I was in my last costume, finishing the final movement in Santiago’s arms. He'd been a great partner, and I would miss him terribly. Had I ever told him how excited I’d been when Ifound out we had been paired together? Was there still time for it?
During final bows, I spotted Shawn through the glare of the lights, sitting three rows back from the front, a pleased smile on his face. I’d be seeing him again soon, wouldn’t I?
Two women waited for us beside the door to my dressing room. There was a frown fixed on Caroline’s face, but I couldn’t tell if the cause was our situation, or Beth Garrity’s presence. Jason didn’t seem too happy about it either.
“So much for that idea.” Caroline couldn’t have sounded more disappointed if she’d tried. “Fucker didn’t show.” Her gaze drilled into him. “What’s the plan now?”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said.
When both women scowled, he ignored them. He stuck his head in my dressing room, was satisfied it was empty, and ushered me inside. But he didn’t lead me in or follow, because he couldn’t. Bill’s death seemed to have put Caroline in charge, and he wouldn’t want anyone to become suspicious of his feelings about the woman he’d been tasked with protecting.
“You’re safe,” he said to me through the open doorway. “Get changed, and then we’ve got to go.”
36
JASON
Although it wasthe last thing I wanted to do, I put a closed door between me and Laurel. I should probably start getting used to her not being around. By this time tomorrow, the Atlantic would be between us.
I turned my focus to Beth. “What are you doing here?”
“She’s the price you had to pay to make tonight happen,” Caroline interjected. “And since drawing him out didn’t work, that means WITSEC is our next step.”
“No,” I said.
Indignation filled Beth’s voice. “You don’t get to decide that.”
“I’m just telling you, you’re wasting everyone’s time. She won’t do it and her mind’s made.”
“You understand I need to hear that from her, right?” she snapped.
I stifled back a sigh. At least this would give me a chance to speak to Caroline alone. I gestured to Laurel’s dressing room door. “Okay. Have at it.”
She lifted a hand, rapped her knuckles on the wood, and disappeared inside as soon as Laurel told her to come in.
The door had barely shut before Caroline leaned in, impatient. “You want to fill me in?”
“No.”
She didnotlike that. “What the hell, Dunn?”
I wasn’t sure if I could trust her, but my gut said so. In the moments before the show began, she’d spouted off a rage-filled tirade, reminding us that the man we were searching for was responsible for the death of two federal judges and at least two marshals, probably three.
