“That I would believe.”
He pointed to an exit with a county road sign. “We’re getting off here.”
The road narrowed almost immediately; the landscape changed from traffic and concrete to trees and open land.
I’d seen the sedan spin, but I still watched the mirror, barely breathing until I was sure they weren’t there.
“I think they’re gone.”
“Not gone,” he corrected. “They’re still out there, but we lost them for now.”
The tension bled out of me all at once. My hands started to shake, and I clenched them together, pressing them hard between my knees. My breath hitched, then broke.
Crowe noticed immediately. He slowed the car, just a little.
“Hey,” he said. “Stay with me.”
“I am,” I said, even though my voice wobbled. “I just… okay. I’m okay.”
He nodded once, satisfied, and reached for his phone. “I’m calling Wolfe.”
He put it on speaker and waited.
Wolfe picked up on the second ring. “Crowe.”
“We were followed,” Crowe said without preamble. “Confirmed tail. We shook them about two minutes ago.”
There was a pause. “Are you both safe?”
“Yes,” Crowe said. “No collision. No witnesses.”
“Location?” Wolfe asked.
“We’re rerouting,” Crowe said. “Heading to my cabin. It’s closer, off-grid, and secure.”
Another pause, then, “Good call. I’ll alert Kat and have her watch for renewed activity. You check in once you’re settled.”
“Will do.”
Wolfe hesitated. “Noah?”
I swallowed. “I’m here.”
“You hanging in there?” he asked gently.
“Yeah, I’m okay.”
“Good. Crowe will keep you safe. You do what he says, and we’ll take it from here.”
The line went dead.
Crowe set the phone down and glanced at me. “It won’t be too long.”
I nodded, exhaustion crashing over me now that the danger had loosened its grip. The road ahead narrowed further, winding through trees that blocked out the sky.
I didn’t know what waited at the cabin, but the car behind us was gone, and for the moment, that was enough.
Chapter five
