Street.” The moment the words were out of her mouth, she realized how stupid it was to let him know where she lived. But the town was so small, if he wanted to find out, he would anyway.
“See you later, then.” Ross rose from his stool and faced her across the counter. His eyes locked with hers, and his lips parted as if he were going to add something…or maybe lean across the counter and kiss her. Then the moment passed. He nodded, turned and strode toward the door with that gliding grace.
Ames tore her gaze away from the back of his jeans and went to get Mary Bates’s order of pecan pancakes.
Sick, sick puppy, Ames. Even though the man with too many names and mysteries spelled big trouble, the way her heartbeat quickened in his presence wasn’t just about fear.
Nick had searched every nook of the house and dug up every damn place he could think of in the basement. He’d dug in the clearing in the woods, revealing nothing but tree roots, which, it turned out, were a bitch to chop through. The chances of Elliot having hidden something there receded by the minute. The documents and currency Nick expected to find might be ruined by moisture no matter how carefully Elliot packaged them before burying them. Stupid idea to come here. Everything was probably back in New York or maybe with Elliot himself—wherever he was. He’d followed a hunch that just wasn’t panning out. But he’d been so certain Elliot would flee to a place he considered “safe”, a place beyond the usual reach of the Espositos.
Nick jammed the shovel into the earth and rested his forearms against the handle. At this moment, he’d honestly like to kill Elliot himself. If it weren’t for that weasel, he’d be having a normal, unassuming day at the museum, probably writing fund-raising letters. Occasionally dull, that existence, but infinitely preferable to this mess. His friendship with Elliot had dragged him back into a world he’d carefully cut all ties with. Bloodlines kept the Rossis connected to the Espositos for life. A crime family was something Nick had been born into, never chosen. And now he was back on the Espositos’ radar, reliving the nightmare he’d seen play out with his father after he tried to leave.
He lifted his face from where it rested against his crossed arms and looked around the silent clearing. He still hadn’t grown used to the absence of humans and the presence of every other sort of other damn animal. Insects buzzed, birds called, leaves and sticks rustled as small creatures scampered through the woods. How easy it would be for someone to sneak up on him here as he blithely dug away and eliminate him. He’d even given wannabe murderers a nice head start on his own grave.
Sweat trickled down his spine. He cursed Elliot’s name and pulled the shovel from the earth. It was nearly time for his date with Ames. Time to go back to the house—her house, as he thought of it now—and stand under the weak stream of water in the shower, wash away the grime and sweat of his labors. He’d question her again, find out any details about Elliot that might open a new line of exploration. If he felt guilty about using Ames, he’d bury that guilt deep, maybe in one of the trenches he’d dug out in the woods or down in the basement.
Later, as he picked out a shirt to wear with his jeans, Nick was annoyed to realize he was taking his time choosing, considering his appearance and how he’d look to Ames. That was date thinking, and this didn’t count as a real date any more than last night had been. He sought out this woman for one reason only—to learn more about her brother.
That was what he kept telling himself right up to the moment when he rang the buzzer of her apartment and she appeared moments later in the doorway. Then the pretense collapsed.
He couldn’t suppress the goofy grin on his face even if he wanted to. He was that happy to see her again—as if he hadn’t just talked to her in the diner a handful of hours before. Her sunny presence made him feel more buoyant than he’d felt in a long time—including before this Esposito mess began.
“Hi. How was work?” he asked.
“Oh, you know, work-like.” She locked the door behind her and followed him down the steps on the