Page 6

I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter why she looks at me like that as long as I keep her alive.

Kim giggles next to us as she saunters up, all smiles and relaxed shoulders. She’s a consummate professional, this woman. I know that she’s on high alert, but I think you’d have to have supernatural senses to tell.

“Okay, you two. Save it for the church! Reggie, so good to see you again! You look great. Therese, stop hogging the man candy. You get him for the rest of your life, let me get one hug. Maid of Honor rules.”

I join in the good-natured laughter between the two women, but my mind is racing.

Man candy? Me? I’m not even a man, just man-shaped, wearing my only suit, and I never did find a tie.

Under the jacket and stretched white shirt, cracks and fissures in the clay have formed like scars and lines of muscle.

I suddenly swallow. I’m glad I’m not actually marrying Therese, not actually her husband. If I were, she’d have to see this body.

But Kim said man candy? Is that what “normal” people see? What does Therese see?

And, also, is that really the most pressing matter, Reg? No!

Church? Maid-of-honor? I try not to bark out questions. Over the top of Therese’s head, I meet Jakob’s eyes and notice they’re sliding past me—looking behind. Over Kim’s teasing laughter, I hear two doors shut.

We’re going to be followed.

“Are you ready, honey? Do you need to stop anywhere?” I ask Therese. Should I call her honey? I check her face for signs of annoyance, but there’s only relief and a little crease between her eyes that tells me fear is still lurking.

“I have everything I need in my bags. I’m ready when you are.”

I’M NOT READY. I’M not ready for the way it feels when I hug the “monster,” also known as Reginald Gray, who looks as far from monstrous as possible, minus the skin tone.

He’s wide and solid. Hugging him feels like slipping into a safe haven.

His arms are protective, but his hands are gentlemanly.

That is something I couldn’t say about Matteo or any of the other jocks I dated in high school and college.

I’m not ready to hold his hand and stroll to a shiny Jaguar in the airport parking lot and sit in the backseat beside him, pulling nervously at the summery white dress I’m wearing under my light pink traveling jacket.

“The gray Toyota,” Kim whispers, sitting in the front seat and pulling out her phone.

“I thought so, too,” Minegold murmurs, putting his car in gear. I wonder if Kim will notice that he doesn’t reflect in the rearview mirror or the window. “This place is a madhouse. I will be able to lose them.”

“Good.”

We stay quiet and tense until Jakob pulls the car out onto the highway. All of us keep sneaking glances out the back window, but so far, the small gray Toyota isn’t in sight.

“We’re good. For now.” Reggie leans back in his seat.

Kim holds up one hand for continued silence and then frantically goes back to typing on the phone in her lap. In a few moments, she casually announces, “We’ve finally found the other end of the money trail. A terrorist group. RACAF.”

“What?” I yelp and wince when the sound bounces around the sealed car.

“The Revolutionary Armed Central American Federalists. They’re small but vicious and getting bigger all the time.

Their goal is to destabilize all the individual governments of the Central American countries and create a federalized group of territories under a dictator who rivals Stalin and Castro— Leon Estrada. ”

“Leon Estrada? Uncle Leon?” I whimper. “Matt’s godfather?” Matteo talked about his godfather affectionately all the time, but I never met him.

“Mhm. Delgado was rumored to be Estrada’s godson—not that you would know his connection to this organization.”

“I never even met him. He didn’t come to our wedding, but he sent us a lot of travel vouchers,” I gulp.

Kim doesn’t look up and doesn’t look surprised. “Estrada runs everything from his mobile fortress and never comes ashore if he can help it. The travel vouchers were probably his way of sending Delgado out to complete his hits.”

I sneak a look at Reggie, who stares straight ahead. We know there are other purposes for Matteo’s kills, but it’s just easiest to kill two birds with one stone here.

Ugh. What an ugly metaphor. I shudder, and Reggie pats my hand, his large, cool palm completely covering mine.

“We cannot lead them right to our safe house,” Jakob says.

“Hell, no. Half the fishing boats and shipping freighters in the Panama Canal region are paying protection money to the RACAFs. Whether the men following us are sent by Delgado or Estrada, it’s bad news.”

“Why are they following her?” Reggie’s voice is a low snarl that rivals the engine.

“To see what she knows. Who she talks to. We need to make a little detour, kids.” Kim finally looks up, but her hands are still flying over her phone screen. “Mr. Minegold, you know where the Federal Courthouse is in Binghamton? On Henry Street.”

“If you take her to a courthouse, those men will open fire.”

“We’re going to go past it. Farther up the block is Christ Episcopal.

Pull into the parking lot there. You two are going to go get ‘married.’ In reality, agents are going to take your statement on camera, Therese.

This is a smart move. It means there’s a chance you won’t have to testify in court in person.

You can get into hiding faster with less chance of having to come out of it. ” Kim shifts in her seat.

Both Minegold and Reggie stiffen. I see them exchange a glance before Reggie nods.

“What else could happen? There is something you’re not telling her.” Reggie demands, his grip tightening on mine.

“Well... Delgado is a wanted killer, and he’s on Estrada’s payroll.

Not to mention, there’s some kind of nepotism and relationship there, as Estrada’s godson.

Estrada is a much bigger fish than your ex, Therese.

I’m afraid... You have to catch the biggest fish you can.

Delgado killed a handful of people. Estrada ordered the deaths of hundreds, not to mention drug running and human trafficking.

If the feds have good evidence that can put Delgado away, they might convince him to plea bargain—or even turn on Estrada. ”

“Estrada would kill him,” Reggie growls.

“Not if he’s in the Federal Witness Relocation Program, too.”

What? Matteo could go free? He could be walking around pretending to be someone else, while I’m walking around pretending to be someone else? What if he walks around right into me?!

“How did you find all of this out?” I ask, head spinning. “And why didn’t you tell me before now?”

“So you wouldn’t back out. Isn’t that right?” Minegold asks sharply, shooting a poisonous look at Kim.

My cool, calm handler doesn’t turn a hair as I look at her with worried eyes. “That’s not all. We finally got positive identification on a third victim. Three with ties to Estrada and RACAFs.”

“So, the target on Therese’s back is much larger, now,” Jakob says in a frosty tone, his lilting accent so incongruous with the harsh words.

“If you guys can’t handle it, I can see what I can do when we get to the church.” Kim’s tone is no longer fun and friendly.

This is a job to her.

I’m a job. She’s not my friend. I’m evidence, like a bloody knife or a fingerprint.

Oh, God. This is more dangerous than I ever imagined.

I look between Jakob and Reggie.

I could get these men killed. Maybe not killed, in the case of a golem, but destroyed.

I know they’re hard to destroy, but it has happened.

What if he’s ruined or broken because of me?

What about Minegold? What happens if they haul him out in daylight?

What right do I have to ask other people to risk their lives for me?

I’m not even paying them anything. Are the Feds?

I don’t know what they’re paying them, but it can’t be enough. “Thank you so much—for picking me up.” I look at Kim, who is frantically texting on her phone in the front seat.

“It’s safe, the car isn’t bugged. Ran a sweep.” She holds up her phone, and I see that she’s not texting, she’s running some sort of program that makes lines of code dance across the screen.

“I could have told you that,” Minegold says, voice still frigid. “This is my personal vehicle.”

“And you were out of it for more than ten seconds. I had to check. Estrada’s men have been known to move incredibly fast. Uncannily fast.”

Hm. Uncannily? Another word for magically? Is that what Matteo was making kills for? To help other criminals be better at their horrible jobs?

Minegold sighs. “The church, then, Therese?”

“I don’t see a lot of options at this point?” I sigh right back at him. “Oh! Oh my gosh, I didn’t even like... introduce myself for real. I’m Therese.” I look at Reggie. Do I shake his hand? Does one do that with golems? Or with the undercover monster-bodyguard I’m supposed to “marry”?

“Therese, I’m Reginald. Call me Reggie if you like.”

He has the very faintest chase of an English accent, just like Grandpa Artie. Admittedly, he died when I was pretty young, but I always loved that accent. “Got it, Reggie. You can call me Teri. Most people do.”

“Teri. You’ve had a crazy few months, I understand.” He nods.

I want to joke that I can tell he was British-made with that gift for understatement, but I don’t know if one jokes with golems. “That's putting it mildly.” I look at Kim again. She nods, meaning I can talk freely. “Want the five-minute story? Or should I skip it? Is this one of those ‘the less you know, the better’ deals? I don’t want to put people at risk. I... I just didn’t know who to ask for help, and my grandmother always said—. ”

“You can tell me anything you want. It won’t change the mission, which is to keep you safe.” Reggie hesitates, then pats my hand.

“Well, I guess the first thing to know is that I didn’t know Matteo was involved in anything shady. Kim knew more than I did.”