in their suite. He grabbed them and handed them to the other man. “I’ve been reading over them. Looking for something that explained what he was after. That notebook there has my notes on everything I’ve read so far.”
“You didn’t bother to tell anyone?” Jake demanded.
Allen wasn’t exactly easily intimidated.
“Look, the only thing I care about is keeping Izzie safe. Either we can work together to do that, or I can tell you to go take a flying—” Allen found the man more abrasive than he ever had before. Allen didn’t have the patience for that—or the time. There were more important things than Jake MacNamara.
Elliot interrupted before Allen could finish that thought. “Did you find anything at all?”
“Just mentions of a woman whose name started with C. She is a nurse at County, I think. He tells of his affair with her, and trying to end it. He mentions a woman from years ago. He referred to her as M. He…had a string of affairs. All women just identified with initials. Or initials and a number.”
“A nurse with the name starting with C. Who worked at County.” Elliot sent Jake a significant look. “Well, time to start digging.”
“No kidding. Things just got a bit more interesting.”
“What do you mean?” Allen asked.
“A case Jake is working involving a murdered nurse from County.”
“Could that be the case that got Izzie attacked in the first place?” Allen asked. “It’s not exactly a secret who she is, in regards to her uncle. They’ve both been on the news because of Henedy. If he’s already involved in this nurse’s disappearance, it is a pretty short jump to going after Izzie to stop her uncle. Kills two birds with one stone.”
“Possibly. I know that if Henedy has anything to do with it, this whole thing got even more complicated,” Elliot said. “And, Jake—you’re sitting this one out from here on. Your only focus is going to be on keeping Izzie as safe as possible. Until we find that answer.”
86
They were leaving in the morning. Both Allen and Izzie had confirmed that the man Callum had arrested was the one who had shot at them in Brownsville.
Through that identification had come two more.
The other two attackers were found at local haunts in Finley Creek. It was a matter of time until Callum and Evers got at least one of them to start talking.
What was terrifying was that all had some sort of tie to the TSP.
It was as close to over as it could be, but they would all be careful with Izzie’s safety for a while yet. Until they knew for certain that everything was finished.
He didn’t feel much like celebrating, to be honest.
Returning to Finley Creek wasn’t something he wanted to do yet.
Allen wasn’t ready for this to end. He wanted to keep Izzie to himself, out in the world, exploring—indefinitely.
The escape from reality had been good for him. For the first time since he’d been in college, he’d been able to relax a little. To enjoy every minute for what it was.
To enjoy her.
Izzie was what concerned him the most. Izzie would start getting cold feet once they made it back to Finley Creek and people started gossip about the two of them together. He was going to have one more night with her before Jake took them both back to Finley Creek. He needed that.
He made himself a vow. No matter how busy their lives got back in Finley Creek, he was going to make sure they had time alone together to just explore. Her uncle wasn’t going to get in their way either.
He wasn’t about to let her get away from him now.
No woman had ever mattered to him more. He wasn’t about to let her go.
She answered his knock on the bathroom door quietly. “I—”
“Don’t talk. Not yet.” He swooped down and scooped her close. He needed to feel her against him. To pretend everything wasn’t changing in the morning.
To pretend she wasn’t being taken away from him by that horse’s ass uncle of hers.
He kissed her, probably more roughly than he should have. It didn’t matter.
Izzie kissed him back just as fiercely. Her hands burrowed into his hair, and she held him close. He’d gotten so used to the feel of her cast on the back of his neck, it just felt normal. He wanted to feel her.
When he pulled back to breathe, he looked into her eyes again.
Izzie’s eyes always told him everything he needed to know. Her