Page 38 of Fox in Plain Sight

Groaning, Nick pushed himself up to stand and reached for her, pulling her up, looking past her to the other man. “I blame you for that hit, not her. If you hadn’t insisted on locking her into a shed full of gardening tools, that wouldn’t have happened.” Then he looked at her. “Michelle, meet Yankee.” He paused for a moment. “An old colleague of sorts.”

She turned slowly, looking the stranger up and down. His gun was holstered at his side now, and he looked somewhat less scary than earlier. But only just somewhat. “Mr. Yankee.”

The guy chuckled. “Not mister, just Yankee. You know, like Bono.”

Michelle nodded, then glanced over her shoulder at Nick. “You gonna tell me what all this was about?”

“Later. We’ve gotta get out of here first.” He motioned to Yankee. “Lead the way.”

Nick made a motion to follow the guy, but Michelle grabbed his arm. “You’re forgetting something.”

“I told you, I’ll fill you in later.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.” She sighed. “But if I don’t text Smith a recording soon, he’ll know something went down, and he’ll be looking for me. I’ve gotta disappear right now, or he’ll get me.”

Nick froze.

“She’s right,” Yankee said, turning back to them.

The two men exchanged a look, then they both started grinning.

“Well, then let’s give this Smith dude something to keep him busy,” Nick said.

“Always wanted to do a little acting,” Yankee replied. “You want me to do an accent? I can do Colombian real well.”

Nick rolled his eyes, while Yankee pulled Michelle’s cell phone from his pocket and navigated through the menu.

Michelle leaned into Nick, bringing her mouth to his ear. “Can you trust him? He was pointing a gun at your head earlier.”

“Just as I was pointing a gun at yours. Yet you trust me.”

“I didn’t say that.”

He moved his head back to lock eyes with her. “But you do.” He tipped his chin in Yankee’s direction. “I trust him about as much as you trust me right now. That’ll have to do.”

“Hey, if you lovebirds would stop doing whatever you’re doing, we could get this show on the road.”

Michelle stepped away from Nick abruptly, feeling herself blush in the dark. They weren’t lovebirds, far from it. They were… Well, she didn’t really know what they were. No word came to mind.

“I’m ready,” Nick announced and walked up to Yankee.