“No. But…” Tears filled her eyes. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Neither did he. But at this point, he was starting to think that was inevitable. He leaned forward again and clasped her hand again. Her palm was smaller than his, but her fingers were the same length, the same shape, and there was a familiarity in her grip. A bond of family that would never be broken. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
“How do you know that?”
How? Because he had to believe it. Otherwise…he didn’t know what he’d do.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. Drawing it out, he glanced at the screen and felt his adrenaline surge. “I have to take this.”
He pushed out of his chair and wove out of the kitchen so his sister couldn’t hear him. When he reached the den, he hit Answer.
“Mathews,” he said into the phone.
“They agreed.”
Relief was swift and overwhelming.
“They’re giving you three days,” Chris went on. “It’s a microchip containing sensitive information. All you need to know is that Graham stole it before he disappeared in witness protection, and the organization wants it back. If you can get it for them, you have your deal.”
Three days. Mitch’s chest vibrated with excitement and hope. And a sharp shot of fear. “Three days isn’t a lot of time.”
“If you can’t find it in three days, it means she got rid of it. And if that’s the case, then all bets are off, because she knows what it is.”
Mitch tried to recall what Simone had told him she’d done during those weeks after her husband had died—which, admittedly, hadn’t been much. She had to have stored his things somewhere. She was a lawyer. She’d know not to get rid of important papers, if for no other reason than to document her time through WITSEC.
The trick now would be getting her to agree to help him look for a microchip he shouldn’t know anything about.
He’d work that out later. Right now, he was just thankful he had a chance. “I’ll take it.”
Chris sighed. “I think you’re stupid. But then you already know that.” His voice sharpened. “No one from the organization will bother you for three days. I’ll be your contact. Call me when you have news. And Mitch?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t fuck with me on this. I went out on a limb here for you. If you’re planning to somehow double-cross the society, it’ll backfire.”
“I understand.”
The phone went dead in his ear. He lowered it and stared at the blank screen. Three days. Three days to finish this once and for all.
Nerves humming, he tugged off the knit cap and raked a hand through his hair, already contemplating what he was going to say to Simone when she awoke. His only hope was to convince her Steve had squirreled something away as a backup plan before he’d gone into witness protection, which he obviously had. She didn’t need to know what it was or that he was involved. All he had to do was make her think looking through Steve’s things was her idea.
When he walked back into the kitchen, Kate was pouring herself more coffee. She looked up from the carafe, her green eyes clouded with confusion and even more worry. “What’s going on?”
Keep your cool. Don’t do anything to make the situation worse.
He fixed a carefree look on his face. “Nothing. That was just my boss. I had to let him know I was taking a little more time off.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you sure that’s all that was? You seemed…anxious when you took that call.”
He was. But she didn’t need to be worrying any more than she already was. He crossed the kitchen, slung an arm over her shoulder, and told himself he might not be able to ease his sister’s worries in the long run, but he could give her some kind of peace of mind right now. And maybe he could even get her to help him.
“Everything’s fine.” He steered her toward the refrigerator. “Though I think it might be a bit better if you made a batch of those famous pancakes of yours. Since we’re both up, I mean.”
Her eyes narrowed even more, but this time it wasn’t with concern, it was with speculation and a hint of mischief. “Something tells me you’re trying to pull a fast one on me. And that you’ve done it before.”
She might not be able to remember the years they spent growing up together, but she knew him better than she realized. “Who? Me?” He feigned shock. “I would never do something like that.”
He pulled the fridge open and handed her a carton of eggs, then smiled his most charming grin, the one he used to distract women and get them to do what he wanted. “I like blueberries in my pancakes. In case you forgot.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Sunlight filtered through the windows, warming Simone’s face, rousing her from a deep sleep. Considering everything that had happened the night before, she hadn’t expected to sleep at all and was surprised when she opened her eyes to find the sun was already well above the mountains.
Reality threatened to push in, but she didn’t want it to. At least not yet. Rolling away from the light, she slid her arm across the mattress, searching for Mitch. Her hand met cold, empty sheets.
She sat up. Blinked several times. Looked around the room only to realize she was alone. “Mitch?”
Silence met her ears. She glanced toward the open bathroom door and darkness beyond. Nothing moved.
A shot of unease filtered through her, followed by the same damn insecurities she’d had last night.
Climbing off the bed, she told herself she was reading way too much into his not being here this morning. It didn’t mean he regretted anything. Maybe it just meant he hadn’t been able to sleep.
She tugged on her clothes and fluffed her hair as best she could in case she ran into anyone on the way back to her room. What she needed was a shower and a chance to get in control of her crazy emotions. But when she stepped out into the hallway and smelled fresh coffee, sizzling bacon, and heard laughter coming from downstairs, her stomach rumbled, and her need to find out just where Mitch had gone pushed her feet toward the stairs instead of toward her room.
Warmth from the fire someone had built encircled her the moment she stepped off the last step. She rounded the corner toward the great room, and a sense of family encompassed her when she saw the group busily making breakfast in the adjoining kitchen. Ryan stood at the counter, flipping strips of bacon on the griddle, razzing Kendrick about something related to his music. Kendrick was leaning against the counter, a coffee cup in hand, scowling at Ryan like a petulant child. Kate sat at the kitchen table, one leg tucked under her as she flipped screens on a laptop, shaking her head, and Mitch stood on the far side of the kitchen, pouring a fresh cup of coffee, smirking at the ongoing the conversation.
If you didn’t know why there were really all gathered together, you’d think it was nothing more than a family ski vacation at the lake. But Simone knew differently, and as she glanced from face to face, finally settling on Mitch’s profile, a profound feeling of loss swept over her.
She’d be giving all this up when she disappeared with Shannon. The first sense of family she’d had in…forever. And though that fact hurt her heart, what caused it intense pain was not knowing what Mitch planned to do or if there was any chance of her talking some kind of sense into him before it was too late.
Kate’s fingers stilled on the laptop, and she glanced toward the archway that led to the stairs, her eyes brightening when she saw Simone. “Hey. You’re awake.”