Free Fugitive Heart by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon Page B

everywhere. Not impossible, but not simple.”
    She gasped. He sounded so casual. Four million might not be a lot to him, but she suspected it was more than she’d earn in her lifetime.
    He went on. “No one came knocking at my door after that first guy, but Bert Esposito let me know that if I could track down the money and evidence, I’d have a better chance at survival. That was a few weeks ago.”
    “Survival? They’d kill you?”
    He hesitated, then nodded. “Elliot’s in trouble. I’m in trouble, and now, dammit, so are you. I told Bert to give me some time, and he agreed. But after that I dropped my name and life. I saw what Cesar did to my dad and if I didn’t succeed… They’ll be after me. I probably have hours to find the rest of that ledger or whatever it is, and the money. Delivering Elliot to them would be a bonus, but that’s not going to happen.” His teeth worried his bottom lip. “Bert’s probably using his own guys on this job. A contractor may show up too.”
    “Contractor?”
    “Hired killer.” He sounded as casual as he had when talking about the four million bucks. “I hope Bert or someone from New York comes west, which they will after your little chat with Sandy. I can talk to someone from the outfit—if I find them before they find me.”
    All of a sudden, Ames was very glad she’d hardly eaten anything at the restaurant. “Pull over.”
    He glanced at her. “Huh?”
    “Pull over now !” She clapped a hand to her mouth and urged her roiling stomach to hold on to its contents just a little longer.
    Nick swerved to the berm, tires catching on loose gravel so the car fishtailed a little. Ames was out of her door and crouched over before the vehicle completely stopped. As she retched, she stared at a clump of clover and wondered if she’d see one with four leaves. She could use the luck right about now.
    She glanced at Nick’s legs as they approached. He hovered near her. She wished he wouldn’t stand there watching.
    Her queasiness subsided, but fear and horror remained lodged in her gut like a rock.
    “You okay?” he asked.
    She glared up at him and started to rise, but then her foot slipped on the gravel, and she nearly tumbled down the slope into the ditch. Nick grabbed her arm and hauled her up and around the front of the car to solid ground.
    Ames pulled away. “Of course I’m not okay. You tell me my brother’s mixed up with mobsters and a hit man is coming to Arnesdale, and you think I could possibly be okay?”
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring this to your doorstep, but I had to try to find Elliot or what he hid—if it’s even in Arnesdale.”
    “My brother’s a lot of things—careless, impetuous, lazy and likely to take the easiest way—but he’s not a bad man. He’s not a criminal.” Ames was shouting into Nick’s face, slamming her hands into his chest hard enough to knock him backward, step by step with each denial. Even as she refuted what he’d told her, she had the sinking feeling Elliot was exactly that—a criminal. Worse, so much worse, he might even be dead.
    Fantastic. Now tears stung her eyes. The possibility that Elliot had been killed had lingered in her mind for weeks, but she couldn’t consider that yet. Not on top of Mom and Dad. No one should have to lose their entire family within the space of a year. Now, it seemed he wasn’t dead but on the run and likely to be killed sooner rather than later.
    “He’s not,” she repeated. The words became a sob, and suddenly her legs buckled, causing Nick to catch her once more. They slid to the ground.
    “Ames, I wish you hadn’t been dragged into this.” He spoke so softly she probably wasn’t supposed to hear. She did, though, and that small, whispered remark convinced her. He hadn’t lied about any of it.

Chapter Eight
    This was Nick’s worst nightmare. He had his hands full keeping himself a few steps in front of the Espositos. Now his hands were literally full of Ames.