Page 43 of The Deputy's Secret Double

The hallway stretched the length of the building, only turning right into the rest of the paths and rooms in the convention center. Straight ahead, the hallway dead-ended into a window that stretched from floor to the two-story-high ceiling.

Was there another event happening deeper inside?

Or were they taking the exit to the outdoor area?

Maybe they were going to the bathrooms instead?

JJ slipped her hand into Price’s, pulling his attention enough to include her in it.

Her voice was a whisper next to his shoulder.

“Marty is panicking. Look at his shoulders.”

Price had been so focused on Marty’s walk that he hadn’t taken in the set of his shoulders.

She was right. They were stiff as a board, held high and rigid.

Not the look of someone who had had too many drinks and was being helped to the bathroom.

Then the first turn into a hallway happened. The men turned but had to step around an elderly couple walking in the opposite direction. It gave the man in the suit enough space to cut his gaze their way.

JJ’s hand disappeared from Price’s grasp.

“He can’t see me,” she said urgently.

Price didn’t think she had to worry about that.

The man in the suit made eye contact with Price and Price alone.

And they both held the gaze longer than they should have.

“Don’t follow us,” Price ordered, body already tensing in anticipation.

“What?”

Price undid the button holding his suit jacket closed.

“We’ve got a runner.”

JJ repeated the question, but the man proved Price right.

He ran, disappearing completely from view.

Price was right behind him.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Marty Goldman slid into JJ’s view as Price disappeared from it.

JJ ran to the man she could see, stopping next to Marty with her hands flitting around the air above him in worry.

“Are you okay?” she yelled at him.

Marty looked the part. Sure, he was disheveled and seemed panicked, but there were no obvious signs of trauma or blood.

He confirmed with a nod.

“Yeah, I’m—”