Armed and Fabulous (Lexi Graves Mysteries) (50 page)

"Don't worry," he said, his hand unmoving.

"Easy for you to say."

He shrugged. "We wouldn't move you like this if we didn't think it would be the easiest and safest way."

"You really think it'll throw them?"

"I think they're looking for a pretty blonde
all alone
,
not a brunette going on a date," Solomon replied. "I don't think they're experienced
;
if they were, they
would know we had
already
spotted them by now. So, yes, I think you'll be fine. This is just a precaution.
Maybe they just want to see what you’re going to do,
if
you’re going to do something.
"

I tried not to gulp when he said
“
date
,”
choosing to keep
my face passive.

“Why don’t you just arrest them?” I asked.

“Because we still need the other gang members
to lead us to the money
.
We don’t want to spook them.
”
Solomon checked his watch. "Time to go," he said. "You need anything else?"

"Uh. My cell phone and wallet."

"Leave the phone. It's traceable. And you won't need the wallet."

"I guess I don't need anything then." I stood up, moving toward the light switch. But just as I reached for it,
Solomon's hand closed over mine. I
spun
,
stumbled, and planted my back against the wall for support as he stepped closer. For a moment, all I could feel was my heart
hammer
ing
in my chest.

"Leave the light on. We want it to look like you're
staying
home," said Solomon, his hand still on mine. With his free hand, he reached up and pushed a lock of hair behind my ear,
resting
his hand
for
a moment as my heart
raced
a little faster. His lips were inches from mine,
and
his eyes dark.
At first
, I thought he was going to k
iss me.
I felt my eyelids flutter and I licked my lips. "I like this." He twirled the lock around his fingers and leaned in. "Sexy," he whispered, his breath warm against my cheek.
“I guess I can’t call you ‘
B
londie’ anymore.”

Thank God for small mercies
,
I thought as
he pulled back and moved towards the door.

I took a moment to compose myself
,
then
grabbed my purse
and followed him.

Solomon took my keys and locked the door behind him as we stepped out of my apartment. The lights were on in the living room and kitchen, the curtains drawn, so it looked like I was in for the night. As we went downstairs, Solomon took my hand in his and I was surprised
at
how warm he felt. It was strangely comforting too. At the door, he pulled a cap out of his back pocket and
mounted it on
my head, tweaking the peak so it covered my forehead
,
but not my eyes. Outside, instead of taking my hand, he slung his arm around my shoulder and tucked me into his side, turning off to the right and walking a little way down the street. I nearly jumped when
his
car lights flashed ahead.

"Relax," he said, leaning into me as he guided me towards the SUV, and not the Lexus I expected. "This is my car."

When he deposited me in
to
the passenger seat, I realized my teeth were chattering, not so much from cold
,
but fear. I hadn't seen anyone observing my apartment, even though I'd
stolen
glances here and there.

"Where were they?" I asked Solomon when he slid in and started the engine.

"Don't look back," he said and I had to fight the natural urge to look over my shoulder. "They were parked in a blue sedan three houses down from yours."

"You think they
were onto
us?"

"Let's find out." We slid out into the quiet street and moved off. I saw Solomon glancing in the rearview mirror
,
and after a few minutes, and a couple of turns, he seemed to relax slightly. "No problem," he said,
eyeing
me
as
the corners of his lips turn
ed
upwards into a barely noticeable smile.

The safe house wasn't what I expected.
I was thinking perhaps
it would be an underground bunker
,
surrounded with high security fences and guard dogs
;
but instead
,
it was an average suburban house with a neat lawn, surrounded by a street full of family homes. Solomon pulled onto the driveway and used a key fob to open the automatic garage doors, p
arki
ng the car inside and closing the doors after us. We entered the house through a side door into the kitchen where
Maddox
was waiting for us.

"I got Chinese," he said, indicating the cartons on the eat-in counter. "Figured we'd be hungry. Any problems?"

"None. They didn't notice us leaving," answered Solomon.

Maddox
nodded to me. "How're you holding up?"

"Okay," I said. "Hungry."

Dinner was quiet.
Maddox
poked through the cabinets and pulled out plates and
forks
. W
e shared the food, forking chunks of egg fried rice,
m
u
s
hu
p
ork and
c
hicken
b
lack
b
ean onto our plates.
Maddox
took an egg roll,
and deposited
one on my plate. Digging into the bag, I pulled out fortune cookies and napkins.

"What does yours say?" asked
Maddox
as I snapped the cookie open.

I unpeeled the strip of paper. "It says
,
'The one you love is closer than you think'." I screwed it into a ball and tossed it onto the counter.
Stupid fortune cookie.

Maddox
raised his eyebrows.

"Let's hear yours."

He snapped it open.
"Patience."

"Come on," I prompted.

"No, that's it. It says
,
'Patience'."

"Oh."

Maddox
nodded at Solomon. "How about yours?" he asked as he slid off the stool and moved to the refrigerator.

"A thrilling time is in your immediate future." Solomon met my eyes and smiled. I think my heart skipped a beat.

"Well
,
how about that," said
Maddox
,
but he didn’t sound particularly peeved
as he
uncapp
ed
three beers
,
sliding
them down the counter. I swallowed my bite of egg roll and took a sip. Cool, refreshing
libation
washed down my throat
,
and for a moment
,
I jus
t closed my eyes and enjoyed it
.
I
tried to pretend I was just
having
dinner with friends and not hiding like a big wussy
-
pants.

When I opened them again, Solomon had finished eating and was washing his plate over the sink. I hadn't even heard him move.
Afterward
, he walked back over and tossed his keys to
Maddox
, who caught them in one hand
,
before offering
his own.

"I'm parked a block down the street," said
Maddox
. "The Ford Focus."

"Where are you going?" I asked Solomon.

"Only one of us needs to stay," said Solomon. "I have work to d
o." He shrugged his jacket
on and walked out
of
the kitchen without a backward glance.

"
Adam?
What now?" I asked. I picked up my plate and followed him to the sink, drying after he rinsed.

"Now we wait it out. This safe house is only known to Solomon
and me,
so we're not expecting any activity. The perimeter is wired for movement and sound and the house is alarmed. The house is only partially furnished, so there's not a lot to see. We can watch a DVD on my laptop if you like?"

"Sure."

I followed
Maddox
along a narrow corridor and he pointed out a bedroom. I ducked my head inside and saw a bed
with
a pillow and quilt folded on top. A bag was on the floor at the
foot
of the bed. He beckoned me and I followed him into the living room. Sparse wasn't the word. There were two sofas and a coffee table, with a lamp in one corner. A desk on one wall held
b
oxes
of electronic equipment and the
other
walls still
had
the faded outlines of picture frames.

Maddox's laptop sat on t
he coffee table and was open, showing a four corner split screen
,
each with a different image of the outside of the house. One
quarter showed the garage door;
another the front door and a patch of lawn
; the third showed the rear door
;
while a
fourth monitored the street.

"Our team is also watching these images," he told me.

"Any cameras inside the house?" I asked.

Maddox
shook his head. "No, not necessary."

A thought occurred to me. "Where are you going to sleep?"