Expired Getaway (Last Chance County #7) - Lisa Phillips Page 0,28

together got the door open.

Knowing what’d happened the last time she’d come in the back door of a building made her hesitate. Even as much as she didn’t want to react like that, or at all, she was still wary. Yet another thing she had to work through.

Bridget pulled her gun out, just in case. Wary and smart. She let herself in, then took off her cap and waved at the security camera. When Tate saw it, he would know it was her and hopefully not worry.

She made her way down the hall to the office he used just as another text came through. The passcode for his computer so she could log on.

A rustle of movement stalled her forward motion.

Bridget froze, the gun held out in front of her. Angled toward the ground.

She listened. Who could it be? Not only was the private investigator on vacation, but she’d had to use a code to get in.

Considering it would be relatively easy for Clarke to figure out that Millie had a family connection to this local business, she figured he was the culprit.

She crept on toward the office and peered around the door.

She was right. It was Clarke.

Satisfaction was elusive as she watched him bang the keys on the keyboard in frustration. Okay, maybe not so elusive. She had the code. Bridget felt her lips curl into a smile.

“Knock knock!” The call came from the front of the building, but inside. “Are you here, Tate? Your door is open.” She knew that voice. Aiden. “I need a favor from you.”

The rustle in the office grew louder, and she heard Clarke move toward her. Bridget froze in the hallway. Pretty soon the man who’d killed her father would find her here. And the man she never wanted to see again would block her escape.

Bridget was trapped.

Ten

Aiden unclipped Butch’s leash and let the dog go. He shut the door so Butch could roam freely without escaping outside.

The door met the frame and opened again. The lock was busted. Guess that’s why the door was open. Someone had broken in the front and somehow disabled Tate’s security system.

But the intruder didn’t need to know that Aiden knew that.

Aiden unclipped the snap on his off-duty gun but didn’t draw. “Tate, you here? The front door was open.”

He thought he’d heard Tate was on vacation, but with an open door, he’d figured maybe he was wrong. Now Aiden’s instincts were going haywire. Instead of a chat with the private investigator about how to find Bridget, he’d walked into yet another situation. At least this time he didn’t have his car, so he couldn’t maim some unsuspecting person.

He pulled out his cell phone and sent a text to the duty officer asking for backup. A second later, there was a reply.

Before he could read it, Aiden heard a woman cry out. Then a thud. The cry cut off and someone grunted.

He read the text. Two officers would be here within two minutes.

Aiden stowed his phone and headed in. Butch sniffed along the ground, caught a scent, and chased it across the room. Having spent the last twelve hours with the animal, he figured someone must’ve dropped bacon. Sydney had given Butch most of her rashers this morning, then clapped with delight as Butch lapped up each one and then came back to sniff for more.

Aiden was just grateful they weren’t keeping the dog long term. What a nightmare to combat all the bad habits that would no doubt develop.

“Tate? You here?” He moved in slow, measured steps across the open storefront. Whoever broke in could be in the office. The back hall. They could’ve run out the rear exit already, except that he’d heard a fight.

Butch headed down the hall first.

Aiden waited. Listened. A dent in the wall about the height of his shoulder was the only evidence of the altercation he’d just heard, but he knew there was more than one person here, and he knew Tate wasn’t one of them.

Which meant whoever was here certainly wasn’t supposed to be.

The dog padded to the open door of the office, took a look in, and immediately braced. He barked.

A grunt sounded. With the next bark, the dog’s front paws lifted off the floor. Aiden marveled at the massiveness of the animal. Considering the way his fur rose on his back, he was alerting to something serious.

Aiden moved down the hall toward the noise. A struggle. Someone in there was fighting—or continuing their fight. He hustled to