Jessica Andersen - Under the Microscope

“That’s the plan.”

Sure enough, when they got to the train station, which was just opening at 5:00 a.m., he bought two tickets to Boston on his credit card. Then he pocketed the tickets and took her arm. “Come on. There’s a car rental place down the street.”

There, he rented a high-end sedan using a fake ID and matching credit card, both in the name Mike Walsh. He talked loudly about seeing the Connecticut beaches, asked for directions to the Mystic Seaport, and cuddled close to Raine when the desk clerk was watching.

She remained virtually unresponsive, but inside, the numbness was giving way to a quiet burn of anger.

“Come on, pumpkin. I promised you breakfast by the water, didn’t I?” He took her hand and laced his fingers through hers, giving them a squeeze for the benefit of their audience.

She batted her eyelashes and faked a simper, but her voice held an edge when she said, “You certainly did, honey bear. Let’s hit the road.”

The moment they were on I-95 south, headed for Philadelphia, she turned to him.

Before she could speak, he held up a hand. “I owe you some explanations.”

“Yes, you do. And we’ll get to them in a minute. But before that, I have something to say.” Raine took a deep breath, wanting to get this right. “I’m not a victim, Max, and I’m not a damsel in distress. I’m a grown-up and a businesswoman. Maybe when you first got to know me I was someone else, someone I’m not very proud of anymore, but that’s not who I really am.”

He gave the rearview mirror a long look before he glanced at her. “Let me guess. Ike told you about my Damsel In Distress Syndrome. Did she also tell you about Charlotte?”

“She mentioned the name,” Raine said. “But you don’t have to talk about her. She doesn’t really have anything to do with the two of us.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Hear me out.” Max glanced at her, then returned his eyes to the road. “Charlotte reminded me of you in some ways. She was divorced and childless, and had a good job until the company was bought out and they cut her loose with nothing. The job market was tough, so she picked up a few shifts at the hospital gift shop and tried to make it work. That’s where I met her.” He shrugged. “I noticed the resemblance, but she was completely different from you in other ways. For one, she wanted a husband and kids.”

“In other words, she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom.” Raine braced herself when he made another high-speed lane change. She wasn’t sure whether he was trying to outrun pursuit or something else. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I respect the choice. It’s just not what I’m looking for and we both know it.” She let her hand drop to her belly, where Rory’s child had once grown. “And it’s not that I don’t want kids ever. It’s just that…” She blew out a breath, frustrated. “How did this get to be about me?”

“It isn’t. I was telling you about Charlotte and why I don’t do rescues anymore.” He paused, then continued, “She moved in with me pretty quickly, maybe too fast, but sometimes these things happen quickly. I helped get her into a nursing program, found her part-time work at the hospital. She was getting on her feet, getting stronger, and…” He shrugged. “It stopped working.”

Raine tightened her fingers on the door handle as she remembered what Ike had said. “She didn’t need you anymore.”

She expected an argument. Instead, he inclined his head. “Maybe. It’s taken me a while to admit, but yeah, that’s probably part of it. Once her gratitude wore off, we weren’t a very good fit. I came home one day and she was gone without a word.” He grimaced. “Felt familiar.”

“Except that I didn’t take off with your furniture. I didn’t take anything of yours.”

“She took things. You took something else.”

Unwilling-maybe even unable-to go farther down that path, Raine said, “I didn’t mean to. I don’t know what I meant to do, but regardless, I didn’t handle it well.”

“It’s over,” he said firmly. “And probably for the best. Once your life got itself back on track, you and I would’ve been a worse fit than Charlotte and I turned out to be. You’ve already got yourself a family. Rainey Days.”

“That’s right.” But was it, really? Jeff wasn’t who she’d thought he was. Tori was a friend, true, but her other employees were acquaintances at best.

Raine was reminded of the melancholy she’d felt while watching the Thriller ad and seeing the love on-screen. Silence stretched thin between them, tense with the things that had been said, with the things that were left yet unsaid. Then Max yanked the wheel, sending the car hurtling out of the high-speed lane without warning.

Raine squeaked and hung on to the door handle as they flew into a rest area going way too fast, by passed the gas pumps and returned to the highway without stopping.

Max glanced over at her. “Sorry. Just checking for a tail.”

“See one?”

“No.”

Raine pinched the bridge of her nose where a tension headache had taken up permanent residence four days earlier. “Then don’t you think it’s time you told me what the hell happened back at the hotel? Why were those men shooting at us? And who is Charlie?”

He took one hand off the wheel and patted her knee. “Don’t worry about it. You’re safe with me.”

She picked up his hand with her thumb and forefinger, returned it to his side of the car and dropped it in his lap to make the point. “In case you missed the first half of our conversation, we agreed that I’m not a damsel in distress. I’m every bit as much of a functional, capable woman as your Einstein, and I’d appreciate it if you’d treat me as such. You can start by briefing me on my case. Got it?”

That earned her a long, measured look followed by a short nod. “Okay. If you insist.” He paused, then said, “Have you ever heard of The Nine?”

“Like from The Lord of the Rings ?”

“Not quite. Or maybe that’s where they got the name, but not the premise. It’s a myth.” He blew out a breath and contradicted himself. “At least I thought it was a myth. But then my very reliable informant tells me he has evidence that The Nine are behind the Thriller deaths and the attacks on you and me.”

A chill skittered through Raine, a sizzle of mingled excitement and dread. Excitement at the thought of identifying a foe. Dread that the case seemed to be growing bigger and more dangerous than either of them had imagined it might. “Tell me more.”

He eased up on the gas as they flew past a speed trap, then put the hammer back down when the cop didn’t pursue. “Supposedly,” he said, “The Nine is a group of very powerful doctors and scientists-exclusively men-who have taken it upon themselves to regulate the progress of the biotech industries. Their resources are rumored to be nearly unlimited.”

“That’s like something out of a B-rated movie.” Raine looked at him, waiting for the punch line. When it didn’t come, she said, “It’s impossible, right?”

“It should be. But what if it isn’t? It never seemed logical that a single enemy could be powerful enough to simultaneously engineer the four Thriller deaths while attempting to frame you, then blowing up the office when it seemed like the frame might not be working.”

Raine shivered, though Max had cranked the vehicle’s heater up to the highest setting. She was quiet for a moment before she said, “According to Ike, Jeff’s sick brother got his transplant last month, paid for by a private benefactor.”

Max nodded grimly. “That’s consistent with this crazy theory of Charlie’s.”

“Did he have any proof?” Raine couldn’t believe she was even considering this as a valid possibility. That they were considering it.