Robin Perini - Cowboy In The Crossfire

“I know. You’re one of the few people who can understand what I’m facing now.” She studied the strain behind his eyes, the tightness of his mouth. “Help me disappear. It’s what Vince would’ve wanted.”

Blake stiffened and removed her hand from his arm. “Don’t mention his name, Amanda.”

Fool. Why had she said that? She had to make him appreciate what was at stake. Amanda closed her eyes. Should she tell him? Was it the only way to make him understand? The only way to convince him to help her vanish?

She drew in a slow, deep breath and lifted her chin, praying for courage, hoping she was doing the right thing. “You have to listen to me, Blake.”

He shot her a skeptical look. She could tell he was ready to turn away.

“Vince was devastated when we heard the news about Kathy and Joey,” she rushed. “You didn’t see what it did to him. He changed. He avoided me and Ethan. I didn’t know why.”

“Showing his true colors.” Blake bit out the words through clenched teeth.

“He loved Ethan. I spent eighteen hours in that car trying to figure out why Vince acted the way he did. And why he was murdered. I realized ever since Joey was killed, Vince has been hiding something. From me, from you, from everyone.”

“The fact that he was a cop on the take?”

“No! When I was forced to move in with him because of the debts Carl had racked up, Vince was furious, even though he’d made the offer the year before. He wanted me out of the house fast, but he also made me take self-defense classes. He taught me escape routes. I thought he wanted me safe from Carl. Now I recognize Vince knew it was dangerous for us to be with him. Not because of my ex, but because of the men you suspected.”

“At least he had some sense of honor and responsibility.”

Amanda ignored the bitterness in Blake’s voice. “Vince said you’d been through enough. That you’d already paid too high a price for being a good cop.” Her eyes burned with compassion. “I don’t think he was talking about losing your job.”

He froze and clasped her by the shoulders. “What are you saying?”

She wrapped her arms around her body. “If you don’t let Ethan and me go, I’m certain we’ll have an ‘accident,’ too.” Amanda paused. “Like Kathy and Joey.”

Blake’s expression turned deadly, his eyes narrowed and cold. “Are you telling me Kathy and Joey’s car wreck wasn’t an accident?”

“I don’t have proof, but I can’t take the chance. I’m desperate. Ethan saw the killer. He’s gone after us once. We have to leave before anyone else dies.”

His face had gone gray as death. He reeled from her and sank into Joey’s bed, staring up at her. “They were murdered?”

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