Explosive Attraction - By Lena Diaz Page 0,46

moment, she couldn’t step out that door. She hated to manipulate her friend, but she didn’t want to get into a long conversation, either, and tell her everything that had happened in the past week, or why she was so edgy.

So, instead, she lied.

“An old boyfriend. He’s been following me today. I really don’t want to face him.”

“Do you want George to have a talk with your young man? I guarantee George can put the fear into him and make him leave you alone.”

Darby glanced past Pam to the far end of the long, narrow restaurant. George stood several feet above Pam, and was the tallest man in the kitchen, visible through the cut-through. If anyone could put “the fear” into someone, she imagined George could.

“Would you mind terribly if I just sneak out the back door?”

Pam wrapped her arm around Darby’s shoulders and pulled her toward the kitchen. “Of course not, honey. You go ahead and grab one of those fresh, hot cinnamon rolls George just pulled out of the oven before you go. And if you change your mind and want George’s help, just say the word.”

A few minutes later, with another cinnamon roll bagged and tucked into her purse, Darby was out the back door and in a tiny parking lot that serviced several of the shops. She made her way through the line of cars, emerging between two buildings that faced onto the busy road that funneled tourists through the historic part of town.

Castillo de San Marcos squatted on the green off to her left, guarding the mouth of the Matanzas River just as it had hundreds of years ago when the fort had first been built. Darby hadn’t been to the fort in years, and suddenly the idea had tremendous appeal. Losing herself in a bit of history was just what she needed to take her mind off recent history.

She hurried down the sidewalk, taking advantage of traffic slowing down for a horse and buggy loaded with tourists, so she could cross the busy street.

When she reached the wooden drawbridge over the moat, a wave of people jostled past her, their footsteps making loud, hollow sounds. They made their way inside the fort and Darby followed behind them. But when the others stopped to look at the glass cases of models and read the historical summaries mounted on the walls, Darby passed through to the open grass courtyard that formed the middle of the fort.

Pausing at the edge of the grass-and-gravel courtyard, she looked left and right, deciding which way to go first. To the right was the stone staircase that hugged the wall, ready to take her to the battlements where she could look out at the river. She decided to save that awesome view as her treat when she finished her tour. For now, she’d head to the left and explore the labyrinth of stone-walled cells where prisoners had been kept, and the rooms where the soldiers had been housed.

The first cell she entered was so low she had to duck her head. A feeling of unease swept through her because it was dark and close, but she forced herself not to give in to her fear. The interior was cool, a welcome contrast to the muggy heat outside. And there weren’t any tourists here, which was a big plus in her book.

“Finally, we’re alone.”

Darby whirled around. If she hadn’t recognized the voice, she wouldn’t have known who the man was, blocking the entrance, because she couldn’t see his face. The sun was behind him.

Just like it had been at the figurine shop.

“You’ve been following me.” She tried to keep her fear from her voice. But this was the same man who’d hunted her and Rafe in the hospital. Her instincts told her to run. But that was crazy, right? Jake was a cop. There was no reason not to trust him.

So why was she shaking?

“Yes, I followed you. We need to talk.” He took a step toward her.

She glanced at the doorway off to the left. Did it lead outside, or to another cell?

Jake took another step toward her, then another, his face no longer in the shadows.

Darby moved a step closer to the door, keeping to Jake’s right.

His eyes narrowed. “Are you afraid of me?”

“Should I be?” She took another step. “You did say you’d followed me. That doesn’t strike me as the behavior of someone I shouldn’t be afraid of.”

A buzzing noise sounded.

Jake swore and dug his cell phone out