He paused for a moment, waiting for one of them to say something. When neither did, Nick said, “Believe what you want.”
George laughed. “Oh, I like that. The strong, silent type. Very noble.” He turned to the group. “But here’s what I believe. I believe that come morning, when the road is passable, some of you are going to have second thoughts about keeping quiet. Maybe not all of you, but some.”
“We won’t,” Kelsey said.
“You might not. You’ve got the most to lose if this comes out.” George’s gaze moved to the others. “But what about the rest of them? What about Gina here, with her medical oath and her superior sense of right and wrong? You think she’s going to be able to live with herself knowing about stolen client files and corporate espionage?”
Gina’s face went pale, and Nick could see George had hit his mark.
“Or Joe,” George continued, “a journalist who’s stumbled onto a story that could make his career, something that will earn him the kind of accolades he’s always dreamed of. You think he’s going to pass up that opportunity?”
“I wouldn’t—” Joe started.
“Wouldn’t you? You’ve been struggling to make it in a small town, picking up freelance work, trying to pay the bills. This story could change everything for you.”
Nick watched Joe’s face and saw the conflict there. The guy may not have considered the story angle until George mentioned it, but now Nick could see him thinking about it.
“And Brooke,” George said. “What happens to her little coffee shop when word gets out that the running group that she is so passionate about was being used for criminal activities? How many customers is she going to lose?”
“That’s not fair,” Brooke said. “I didn’t know anything about this.”
“Fair doesn’t matter. Perception does.” George was enjoying this, systematically destroying whatever trust remained in the group. “Small towns love their gossip. Your business could be ruined.”
Nick could see the psychological manipulation working. George was isolating each person, giving them reasons to turn on each other, making cooperation seem impossible.
“The point is, I can’t count on any of you to keep quiet. Which means I need to find another solution, like making sure none of you are in a position to talk.”
The threat hung in the air, and Nick felt his muscles tense. They were running out of time, and Nick needed to be ready to act.
But looking around the group, he realized how alone they all were. Kelsey was consumed with guilt and fear. Joe wasthinking about his own survival. Brooke was worried about her reputation and business.
And Gina was keeping her distance, especially from him.
Maybe that was for the best. If things went bad, if George decided to act on his threats, the last thing Nick wanted was for Gina to be caught in the middle because she was trying to help him.
She’d been right to pull back. He was a guy with nothing to offer, no stability, no security. Someone who attracted trouble wherever he went. The smart thing for her to do was to keep her distance.
Even if it meant facing whatever came next alone.
“So, what’s it going to be?” George asked, his hand resting casually on the grip of his gun. “Are we going to have a problem, or are we going to find a solution that works for everyone?”
Nick looked at Gina one more time, memorizing her face, then turned his attention back to George. Whatever happened next, he’d make sure she got through it safely.
Even if she never trusted him again.
Chapter 13
Gina
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” George announced when none of the others spoke. “We’re going to make sure everyone stays put while I figure out the best way to handle this situation.” He stood and pulled a length of thin rope from his fanny pack.
Gina took a step back. “You’re going to tie us up?”
“Just a precaution. Can’t have anyone getting heroic ideas.” George tossed the rope to Kelsey, who made no move to take it. It hit the old wooden floor with a clunk. “Make yourself useful.”
Kelsey stared at the rope as if it were a snake. “I can’t. I won’t.”
“You will, or I’ll assume you’ve decided to switch sides.” George’s hand moved to his gun. “And that would be very unfortunate for everyone.”
