Chapter Twelve
“We didn’t have any visitors,”Hugh answered. “The rain is starting to let up a little.”
I sat up and wiped the sleep from my eyes. A blanket of deep blue had settled outside. “The sun is going down.”
“That’s what happens when your sleep schedule of days and nights are mixed up,” he said, sitting up next to me. “I guess in our case, it’s good that you’re more awake at night, since it’s probably the best time to go to the storage locker with less chance of being seen.”
“Right,” I answered, shoving to my feet. I turned in place, reacquainting myself with the provisions and moving to the window. My sister hadn’t shown up. The only reason she wouldn’t have is if she were in some kind of trouble or if she wasn’t physically capable.
Even on high ground, the water on the property had collected enough so that it melded and merged like one big puddle over the lawn. The pool had crested the concrete, and the wind was blowing some of the water down into the drainage anchor that had been installed for just this purpose.
“I don’t suppose there’s a car on the property that still runs?” he asked, rising from behind me and securing a blanket around his waist.
“No. The car was totaled in the accident,” I answered, walking to the light switch. I flicked it once and then a second time, a little more impatiently.
“The power never came back on,” he said, answering my unasked question.
“Perfect,” I said, walking to the linen closet. I grabbed the weather radio and used the hand crank to get it going. It didn’t work. No matter what I tried.
“You said your grandmother lives next door?” he asked.
“Sort of. Her house is next door, but she lives in the retirement home.”
“But does she have a car?” he asked. Moving to the window he stared outside while shoving his gun into the back of his jeans.
“Yeah.”
He grinned and glanced over his shoulder. “Can you get access?”
“Of course. I just need to knock on the door.”
He raised a brow. “She still maintains a staff?”
“She has a live-in groundskeeper who looks after things.”
“Great. We should go.” Hugh sounded excited by the prospect.
“I should wait for my sisters,” I said.
“The more time we waste, the closer Victor’s thugs will get. We should go now. Leave your sister a note or do whatever you have to, but we should leave.”
“I’m not wearing this robe out in public and you certainly aren’t going out dressed like that. We need to dry our clothes first.”
“And then we leave,” he said.
The clothes were nice, dry, and warm as I dressed. The thought of getting wet again send an expectant shiver down my spine.
I left Mercy a quick note telling her where she could find me and explaining my need to give Hugh the ledger just to get him to go away. She probably wouldn’t agree with my decision, but I was slowly running out of options, and the more time I spent with Hugh, the harder it was going to be to convince myself that I didn’t need him in my life. I not only didn’t trust him, but I didn’t trust myself around him. Any relationship would be a train wreck in the making.
I grabbed the umbrella and a coat from the closet and slid into it. Hugh wasn’t as lucky. I didn’t have any of Teddy’s things here. I’d never brought him here. My parents’ house was something I hadn’t shared with anyone outside of my sisters. It was sacred like that. Well, it had been sacred.
I walked out and flicked the umbrella open. Hugh took it and held it higher over our heads as I guided him through the connecting side gate and into my grandmother’s yard.
He took my hand and slipped his fingers through mine. I glanced up at him and frowned.
“If the groundskeeper thinks we’re together, that should keep him from asking too many questions.”
I stopped walking and turned to face him, slipping my hand free. “You're wrong.” I sighed. “Marcus would have a hell of a lot more questions if I brought a guy home. Especially when I shouldn’t be here at all.” I gestured to his arm. “I’m going to tell him you’re hurt, my place is flooded, and we need the car to get you to a hospital.”
