Free Tall, Dark and Lethal by Dana Marton Page A

storm brewing in her eyes, even if the thunderbolts were aimed at him.
    “No,” she said too quickly.
    Scared her, had he? Everything he’d done so far, he’d done to keep them safe and free. But if she was scared of him, that was good. Really, just fine. It meant she would keep her distance, which was excellent, because he wasn’t sure he could keep his. Their situation was already messed up beyond all repair. They didn’t need any further complications.
    He glanced at the futon and then away from it. Definitely not.
    He walked to the window and scanned the lane and the rows of fishing cabins. The rain was still blowing around outside, the weather showing no sign of abating. “We’ll eat, rest some, and then go take care of business.”
    “What business?” Her eyes narrowed with suspicion as she looked back at him from the hot plate.
    She hadn’t lied. She really did not trust him. Smart woman.
    Smart and gorgeous. Tough, too. She’d handled the day pretty well so far. He resented the grudging admiration that was taking hold of him. He couldn’t start liking her now. Lusting after her was bad enough. He was a professional. He needed to find that professional distance—fast.
    “I have a bad feeling about whatever plan you’re hatching.” She dumped some dry noodles into the boiling water. “We could just lay low until the authorities figure out what’s really going on. I don’t think we should go out and do our own investigation. Don’t you think that’s too dangerous? Let’s just appreciate that we survived the day so far.”
    The very voice of reason. He bit back a smile. “I’m not a wait-and-see type of person.”
    She rolled her blue-violet eyes. “No. Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
    The moment to disclose some further information had arrived. He needed to tell her his plan and get her on board because he couldn’t leave her here. She might take off and get herself into more trouble than she could handle or worse—the people who were after them could catch up with her while he was gone.
    “I need a partner.” Maybe getting her involved in the mission would help her work up some enthusiasm for it.
    “Partner in crime,” she mumbled.
    “Things would probably go easier and faster if we worked together.”
    She held up a hand, palm out, as if to separate herself from him. “We are not a team. I did not steal any cars. I take no responsibility for whatever felony you’re plotting next.”
    “Glad I have your full confidence.”
    “Confidence has to be earned.” She glared. “You jumped off a balcony with me!”
    “Did you get hurt?”
    She pressed her lips together. “You took me out on the lake in the middle of a storm, knowing I can’t swim. Without a life preserver.”
    “Did you drown?”
    “Do other people often fall for this the-end-justifies-the-means bullshit of yours?”
    “First, the end rarely justifies the means. Second, when it does, I sure as hell don’t stop to ask permission.” Part of his job was to make judgment calls. Sometimes he had to choose between a terrible option and outright tragedy.
    She waited a full minute, searching his face before she spoke again, her tone a tad more reasonable this time. “If it gets us out of this insanity—” she weighed her words “—maybe. Reluctant partners.” She drew a deep breath that pressed her breasts against her shirt in a way that was most distracting. “So what’s your latest brilliant idea?”
    He resented the tone of her voice. But he didn’t have time to worry about what she thought of him. It was bad enough that on some level he actually cared. Don’t go there.
    Okay, Bailey, here it comes.
    “We are going to borrow another car, then break into the FBI’s local office,” he said as fast as he could, hoping she might miss the stickiest parts of the sentence.
    Judging by the way her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, she hadn’t missed a thing.

Chapter Five
    Bailey