Chapter 43
Lauren
Asiren was blaring, but Lauren was tucked deeply into the trenches of sleep. She was wrapped in a warm cocoon, and there was no way she was leaving the perfection of this spot.
Zach’s heavy arm lifted from her, taking its warmth with it as he rolled over to turn off the alarm.
Oh, right. She’d slept next to Zach last night, and the peace she was wrapped in was his arms. Her back was cold where his chest had been keeping her toasty for hours.
It was all shockingly domestic until the events of last night came rushing at her like a freight train.
They were in Eric Cross’s house, and they were spying for the police and other government agencies.
Zach stretched beside her. She’d never slept this close to a man before, and the intimacy had her cheeks warming. She rolled onto her back and rubbed her sleepy eyes.
“Good morning, angel,” Zach whispered.
“Good morning.” Goodness. Her whole body warmed at his lazy smile.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead and swung his legs off the side of the bed. “We need to be downstairs in thirty minutes. Do you want the bathroom first?”
She pulled the covers up under her chin. “You go ahead.”
When the bathroom door closed behind Zach, she closed her eyes and prayed. Then, she gave herself the pep talk of the century.
They were going to successfully navigate the day with Eric.
They were going to gather tons of information for the authorities.
They were going to make it home safely.
At least, those were her hopes.
Twenty-five minutes later, she held tight to Zach’s arm as they descended the stairs.
The outfit she’d packed for today wasn’t quite as revealing as the one she’d worn last night, but it was still way out of her comfort zone with a plunging neckline that left little to the imagination.
The small knife she’d been issued was tucked into the waistband of her skintight pants, and there were tracking devices in her belt and top.
The microphone was tied to her bra strap and conveniently covered by her loose hair.
Eric and Zoe stood at the island in the grand kitchen at the bottom of the stairs. Lauren had a few seconds to watch them interact. Eric was clearly comfortable around her. There wasn’t a tense bone in his body as he plucked a grape from a bowl and popped it into his mouth.
Zoe, on the other hand, moved a serving bowl from the counter to the island before turning back around in a rush to check something in the oven. She wore tight black pants, and a baggy beige sweater that hung off one shoulder.
Eric spotted them and wiped his hand on a dish towel before heading to meet them. “Good morning. How was your night?”
Zach reached out a hand as they stepped into the bright kitchen. “Wonderful. Thanks for letting us stay here.”
Eric met Zach with a hearty handshake and a smile. “You’re welcome here any time.”
Any time seemed like a stretch, but Eric was showing a very friendly side of himself this morning. Maybe he was a different person in the light of day.
Eric turned and waved Zoe over. “Excuse me. Where are my manners? This is Zoe, my lovely girlfriend.”
Lauren swallowed the surprise that threatened to choke her. Zoe was clearly half his age.
Zach hid his reaction well as he slid an arm behind Lauren, pulling her to his side. “It’s nice to meet you, Zoe. This is Nina.”
Cheese and crackers. She’d almost forgotten about her new name. Thankfully, Zach was cool, calm, and collected enough for the both of them. She offered a hand to Eric. “It’s nice to meet you. I met Zoe last night at the party.”
Eric’s large hand wrapped around hers, pressing just enough to let her know he could crush every bone if he wished. “I heard. She also mentioned a run-in you had with another man.”
Zach shook Zoe’s hand. “Thanks for letting me know about Nick.”
Zoe gave a slight nod and kept her chin down. “You’re welcome.”
Eric cleared his throat and picked up a tall glass of what looked like orange juice. “Nick isn’t known for his tact. I knew that quick temper would get him into trouble.”
That’s what Eric had to say about it? Nick had locked her in a bathroom and beat her, and this guy was acting like he’d cheated on a test. She glanced at Zach who wore the same stone-cold expression as he had at the party.
Zoe pulled a tray of quiches out of the oven and rested them on the counter. “Everything is ready. You can make yourself comfortable in the sunroom.”
Lauren stepped further into the kitchen, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. “I’ll help.”
Zach gave her a quick glance before following Eric through the house. They wouldn’t be separated for long, and Lauren had a feeling Eric wanted the women out of the way.
Zoe grabbed two pitchers, and Lauren picked up a bowl of biscuits.
She followed her hostess to a large, sunlit room on the eastern side of the house.
Tall windows showcased beautiful rolling hills and about a dozen cattle roaming the grassy areas.
It was truly beautiful, but how could the man enjoy it knowing he’d made his money illegally?
Once Lauren and Zoe had moved the food and drinks into the sunroom, Eric gestured to the spread of food that could have fed a high school football team. “Enjoy.”
Zach and Lauren had each choked down a protein bar before coming downstairs, and she wasn’t too eager to eat Eric’s food.
She made a show of putting a quiche and some bacon onto her plate, but she wouldn’t be eating it.
Same went for the drinks. Cocktails for breakfast?
She didn’t trust Zoe or Eric to make food without slipping something into it.
Eric jumped into a conversation about politics, and Lauren listened intently as she broke apart the food on her plate and mashed it up. Zoe wasn’t exactly a fountain of information. The poor girl sat quietly unless Eric addressed her.
Lauren’s main mission was to observe Eric, but she wanted to talk to Zoe privately. How had a young girl like her ended up here with Eric?
Eric wiped his mouth and tossed his napkin onto the table. “Come on. I have something I want to show you.”
Oh no. They were being split up again. She’d expected to be separated at some point, but she wasn’t ready to do this on her own. Plus, Zach was the one going off into private quarters with a man who’d allegedly done horrible things to people.
Zach stood, giving Lauren only a glance before following Eric out of the room.
As soon as the men were gone, Lauren turned to Zoe. “Where are they going?”
Zoe stood, keeping her gaze down. “That’s not for us to know.”
Lauren was on her feet, following Zoe as she carried the bowl of biscuits to the kitchen. “But you know.”
“I don’t know. Eric’s business is private.” She finally looked up at Lauren with a sobering expression. “It’s best if you keep busy. Help me get the food from the sunroom.”
So, they’d barely eaten this outrageous spread of food, and now they were supposed to clean up and pretend like the men in the other room weren’t talking about breaking a dozen laws.
She wasn’t doing a very good job of fitting into this alternate lifestyle, but Zoe was a veteran. Why was her forehead sweating?
When she’d wiped off the kitchen counters, Zoe turned to Lauren as if just remembering she was still there. “We should sit in the den. Can I offer you a drink?”
Lauren couldn’t think about drinking when her brain was working overtime worrying about Zach, but she remembered how awkward she’d been at the party without a drink in her hands. “Sure. I’d like some water.”
Zoe pulled a bottle of water out of the massive refrigerator and handed it straight to her. The seal cracked open when Lauren twisted the cap off. She took a small sip before putting the lid back on. “Thank you.”
Lauren followed Zoe to the den. This was one of the rooms that was shorter than the blueprints noted. There had to be an extra room on the other side of the wall, but what was it and where was the entrance?
Zoe fidgeted with a blanket before offering it to Lauren. The young girl wrung her hands in her lap as she sat by the fireplace and looked all around the room, avoiding eye contact with Lauren.
“What are they doing?” Lauren asked.
“I don’t know.” Zoe’s agitation had hit a new level. Her breaths were quicker, and she bit her lip.
Lauren sat forward, leaning closer to Zoe and using every bit of authority she could muster. “Tell me what they’re doing.”
Zoe finally looked at her, but fear kept her mouth shut. Her jaw tensed, and the muscles in her neck tightened.
Looking Zoe in the eyes now, Lauren slowly repeated, “Tell me.”
A muffled pop came from the other side of the house, and they both got to their feet. A small sob escaped Zoe’s throat just before she covered her mouth with both hands.
“I just heard a gunshot coming from the western side of the house,” Lauren said for whoever was listening to her mic. “Send help.”
Lauren grabbed Zoe’s hand. “Show me where they are.”