“Are you willing to stake your life on that?”
Vince curled his hand around her upper arm. “Let’s go,” he said then guided her out.
She didn’t argue. She needed space and fresh air. Anything not tainted by the echo of a brutal man’s memories.
In the hallway, she waited for the door to close before bending forward, a hand braced against the wall, letting the nausea pass.
He stood close, his hand curled around her hip. “Everything okay?”
“No,” she said shakily. “But I will be.”
His brows drew together. “Not exactly reassuring, darlin’.”
His concern, and the drawl that deepened with emotion, almost made her smile. Another time, definitely, but she wasn’t there yet. She laid her hand on his arm, instead. He felt solid, nothing bleeding through except the tension beneath.
“Sorry. I get queasy sometimes, but it passes.” She took another deep breath. “I’m good now.”
“What did you see?”
She sorted through it, filtering out the horror and focusing on what mattered. “I saw a family picture on a nightstand. A wife and two kids.”
He didn’t interrupt.
“He’s sending money home. That’s what he’s protecting. That’s why he’s skimming.”
She hadn’t told Gruzinsky that part.
“I also saw a cabin on a lake.”
“Where?”
She frowned, pulling the fragments together. “Bright blue water. Almost turquoise. The shoreline looked white, glowing almost. There was a sign—Fisherman’s Rest. And a mailbox with faded numbers. 2147.”
“Canyon Lake,” O’Reilly said from the corner, pushing off the wall. “White rock from limestone in the water. What about it?”
“Gruzinsky has a cabin there,” Vince supplied.
O’Reilly looked at Erica. “You got an address and all the rest from touching him?” he asked. No jokes. No smart-ass remarks. Only honest surprise.
“Still think I’m a crackpot?” she asked with a faint, tired smile.
Color crept into his cheeks.
Vince either didn’t notice or didn’t care if his partner was embarrassed. He was already shifting into motion. His hand closed around hers, pulling her with him. “You’re coming,” he called over his shoulder.
O’Reilly fell into step. “Canyon Lake is at least an hour from here. It will be midnight before we get there. Finding it in the dark won’t be easy.”
“You know the area. You’re navigating,” Vince said, pushing open the locked gate and guiding her through.
“I’ve been there twice. Years ago.” He shook his head, still processing. “Let me grab my tablet, and I’ll meet you outside.”
He jogged off, leaving them alone in the hallway.
Vince turned to her the moment he was out of sight and took her into his arms. “You did great in there.”
She let out a soft breath that wasn’t quite a laugh. “I don’t feel great.”
“What do you need? Water? Tylenol? Something to eat?”
