The District (20 page)

Joel clapped. “There. That’s settled.”

Looked like the menfolk thought explanation time was over. She disagreed. “Let’s go back to my question. Why are you really here? And skip the sat phone talk this time.”

“Your father sent me to look for you.” That smile widened. “Now it’s my turn to ask a question.”

“Did you really answer mine?”

Cam laughed. “She has you there, man.”

Joel nodded in the direction of her hand. “Is there a reason you’re carrying a knife, or is the plan to stab the helicopter?”

She glanced down, then back at Joel. “Are you worried it’s meant for you?”

“I take it you two know each other pretty well,” Cam said.

The conversation kept jumping around. She’d only remembered the knife when Joel mentioned it. The burning from where it pressed into her palm suddenly hit her.

Then Cam’s comment grabbed her attention.

“Joel didn’t tell you who I was to him?” She wanted not to care, but the hurt swallowed up her indifference.

Cam looked from her to Joel and back again. “Let’s just say I’m thinking he left out some important pieces about your joint past.”

“Hope.” Joel snapped his fingers and brought the focus back to him. “The knife?”

She stared at it in her hands. “What about it?”

“Why are you holding it as if you’re ready to attack?”

She couldn’t come up with a reason to stall and certainly had no reason to lie. Not about this. Not to him. “Someone was following me.”

Both men leaned in closer, all amusement gone from their faces. Cam’s mouth opened, but Joel was the one who barked out a question. “What?”

Now that she had their attention, she decided to spill it all. “And I think one of my executives might be dead.”

Copyright © 2014 by HelenKay Dimon

ISBN-13: 9781460331842

THE DISTRICT

Copyright © 2014 by Carol Ericson

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