Page 40 of Five

“Do you know this man?”

The man is without identity as he stands. I can’t see his face or anything about him that I could point out as familiar. I study him closely, searching for something, anything that would help me recognize him. He’s of average height and dressed in jeans and a hoodie, even though it was in the low eighties yesterday. There’s a hint of a beard in the car window’s reflection, but it’s unclear.

I shake my head. “I don’t. He may be the same one who went after Henry, but that’s just an impression of height and build… nothing concrete.” I twist my fingers in my lap. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay.” His gaze flickers over my hands. “We’ll get him, Neve; it’s okay.”

I nod, as much to convince myself of that as him. “Okay, yeah.”

“You about ready to go?”

“Me? I’ve been ready.”

Fresh-baked lies, but that’s all right.

Oz grabs a briefcase and shoves several papers into it, and then picks up Jamie Fraser’s carrier. “Okay, then. Let’s go.”

We head out to the parking lot, and he hands me into his car, then sets Jamie Fraser carefully down in the footwell. Already, he knows I like to have the cat close to me.

He settles himself in the driver’s seat next to me, closes the door behind him, and looks over at me before pushing the ignition button. Nerves hover between us, and the smile I give him is hesitant.

Alone at last. Just him and me.

Eight

Neve

Mood:IknowbutI don’t know…

The slamming of Oscar’s door has an instant finality about it. It’s the start of a song whose verses throb with anxiety and whose main chorus is ‘too late now.’

This isn’t a dream. I’m in a car, headed toward an undefined vacation on a remote, private island with a total stranger.

I shake my head a little at myself.

Maybe not a TOTAL stranger. I have known him for two entire days, now, after all. And Oliver will be there. He seems nice, if a tiny bit secretive. I met Remi, already, if a few minutes count. First at the bookstore and then on that one call. I’m looking forward to getting to know him, especially since it seems he’s the one cooking all of those amazing meals Oliver was eating. I met Cope for a few minutes at the same bookstore, and he just seems like a big, fun flirt, so he’ll likely be a good distraction. I think the only one I haven’t met yet is the mysterious Jesse.

Everyone seems nice enough.

But isn’t that what a killer would want his victim to think? And isn’t there a rule about a secondary location?

As in—don’t climb willingly into a vehicle and go there?

I groan softly and feel, rather than see, Oscar turn his head to look at me.

No, Oz is a cop.

It could be an inside job. He is the perfect villain—the one no one thinks to check out because… hello… he’s already doing the investigating. Kind of like Dexter.

No, that’s stupid. Caroline approved of the idea.

Of course, Caroline needs an app to remind her to brush her teeth.

Jamie Fraser utters a plaintive meow from his carrier, and I lean forward to slip my hand inside and stroke him.

I don’t think I’m as nervous about the potential for these guys being bad guys as I am the uncertainty about what will happen once I get on the island. I found Oliver on an app for polyamorous relationships, after all. What if I get there, and they’re just expecting us to start this weird, new relationship right away? What if I’m attracted to two or three, but not the others? What happens then?

Although… I know I’m attracted to Oscar; I love Oliver, even though I only know his online version; and Remi and Cope were pretty darn appealing in that bookstore. That’s probably not something I need to worry about.