Page 57 of No More Secrets

Her face drains of color. “What do you mean?”

“You stole her wallet. Where were you when you swiped it? What were you doing?”

“I... uh... It was at the bottom of the steps outside. I ran into her on accident when she was carrying her stuff in, and she dropped her purse. It was open so I took it.”

“Did you pick up her purse or did she?”

“I did. I gave it to her.” She tugs hard on a hoodie string until the other end disappears into the folds of fabric.

“Put the wallet back. She needs to find it.” If they’re lucky, she hasn’t noticed the wallet is missing yet and hasn’t reported the theft. If he’s lucky, she hasn’t notified the police she’s located him. He needs a jump on them, to put some distance between him and this bounty hunter before she has a chance to bring him in.

“How am I supposed to do that? ‘Hi, Zea. Welcome to the neighborhood. Here’s your wallet. Sorry I stole it. Borrowed some cash. Hope you don’t mind.’” She gives him double thumbs-up. “Yeah, no. Don’t think that’ll go over.”

He moves past her to the front room. “Drop it near the bottom of the stairs. She’ll think it fell out when she dropped her purse.” He reaches for the door.

“Wait a second, are you leaving?”

“Heading out,” he says, allowing her to think he’ll be back. If she doesn’t know he’s left for good, she can’t tell anyone he has. They won’t come looking for him. They’ll be waiting here instead.

“You can’t leave me.” She looks around wildly. “Take me with you.”

“I’m going to the tavern,” he lies, but can tell she’s conflicted. She doesn’t know whether to believe him.

“You promised I could stay with you. Wait. I’ll get my stuff.” She runs to her room.

“Sorry, kiddo,” he says to the apartment, adrenaline shooting through him. This is one trip he’s riding solo.

27

Shiloh quickly stuffs her few belongings into the backpack and rushes back to the front room, but Lucas is gone. Outside, she hears his truck, tires spitting gravel. She races to the window and parts the curtain just in time to see him speed off.

He left her.

Just when she was starting to trust him.

Just when she was beginning to lean on him.

The curtain falls back into place, and she retreats from the window, frantically looking around the apartment, her heart clamoring. Nausea boils and bubbles in her stomach, the acidic taste rising into her throat. What is she supposed to do now? Where is she supposed to go? She chews her bottom lip, hoping he was telling the truth and hasn’t left for good.

Please, please, please, don’t be gone.

She can’t stay here by herself. Ivy will call the police, thinking Lucas abandoned her. They’ll send her home.

He did leave you!her inner voice screams.

Someone knocks on the door. Shiloh gasps, clapping a hand over her mouth.

“Shiloh? It’s Zea, your neighbor. We met earlier?”

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.

She’s here for the wallet. Shiloh’s gaze leaps to the counter, the contents of Zea’s billfold spread across the surface.

“We saw Lucas leave. Ivy’s wondering if you’re coming to dinner.”

Shiloh didn’t know anything about dinner. She tiptoes toward the window to peer through the curtain. Zea’s silhouette blends with the other shadows.

“Shiloh, I know you’re in there. I can hear you.”