going to go to a small used-car lot I passed on the way here that sells older models. Once there, I’ll need you to make the clerk think the cash I offer him is enough to cover the cost of whatever car looks the best and is least likely to have any kind of built-in GPS tracker. I feel bad about screwing the dealer over, but we don’t really have a choice.” Her brow furrowed as she studied him. “Do you think you can still do that—make him see what you want him to? Your nose bled a lot before you passed out. So I’m worried that maybe—”
“I can do it.” He would do whatever was necessary to keep her safe.
“Okay.” She bit her lip. “I wish I could think of another way to—”
He rested a hand on her knee. “It’s all right, Lisa. I can do it.”
After a moment, she nodded. “Okay. So once we buy the car, we’ll head out of town. I paid for my purchases with the credit card, so hopefully nobody’s noticed it’s missing. Once we get the car, I’d like to stop at another store and buy more food and water, because I couldn’t get cash back without knowing the PIN and there wasn’t much cash.”
He glanced at the bags in back. “What did you purchase?”
“The basics. A couple of changes of clothes for both of us. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other toiletries. A golf bag to hide the rifle in. Some first aid stuff that I hope will help with your wounds. Bottled water. Soda in case I need a jolt of caffeine to make the trip. And enough food to get us to North Carolina and last several more days afterward since we need to save the cash for fuel and motel stays. I don’t want to use the credit card again once we leave Austin. If we do, the guys in black will be able to trace us and extend their search.”
He stared at her.
“What?”
“I am so attracted to you.”
Her eyebrows rose and the corners of her full lips turned up. “What?”
“It appears you’ve thought of everything.” He shook his head. “And I find your intelligence as immensely appealing as your beauty.”
Pink flooded her cheeks. “Flatterer.”
He grinned. “What’s that saying you Earthlings have? I’m just calling it as I see it?”
She laughed. Reaching back, she grabbed one of the other bags and plunked it in his lap. “Change your shirt while I make the call. Then we’ll go sit at one of those picnic tables they’re showcasing over near the garden department. That way the Forward Mover driver won’t associate us with the black SUV.”
There were two shirts in the bag, one black and one gray. Taelon turned away slightly when he removed his shirt and donned the black one. He didn’t want her to see the angry red infusing the incision that ran down his middle. The new shirt was wonderfully soft and fit looser than the other, so it irritated his wound less.
As soon as she made the call, Lisa handed him the phone to tuck in one of his many pants pockets. “Your pockets are bigger than mine.”
He tucked the rifle and some of the other goods in the golf bag and zipped it closed while she pulled a plastic container from one of her bags. Peeling open the top, she pulled a damp white cloth from it and began to wipe all the surfaces inside the car. “What are you doing?” he asked as he watched.
“Removing my fingerprints. Yours aren’t in the system. But mine are. And if they find one and trace it to a woman who has supposedly been dead for seven months, I’m guessing it would make them search for us even harder.”
Taelon drew another damp cloth from the container and helped her. Leaning his seat back, he wiped down the surfaces in the back as well. “What about the motel room?”
“I did a half-hearted wipe down before we left. But that place wasn’t very clean. It’s probably covered in prints. And mine wouldn’t raise as many red flags there as they would in one of their own vehicles.”
They used the cloths to open the door and exit the SUV, then surreptitiously wiped down the outer door handles as well. Once they made their way to the picnic table with the bags, they sat down across from each other.
Minutes ticked past.
“Your chest wound is worse,” Lisa commented softly, her gaze surveying the parking lot behind