With one final confirmation that I couldn’t hear anyone nearby, I opened the storeroom door and slipped out. I closed it behind me, barely letting it click, and padded down the hall on light feet. The main room was still eerily empty, and at first glance the garage was too.
I was almost clear when I heard shoes scuffing against the dusty ground.
Fuck.
Placing the duffel on the ground near the small metal door that would lead out into the alley, I put my hand on my holstered handgun. I didn’t draw it.
“I hear you,” I said.
My voice echoed up to the high ceilings.
“Shit.”
Are you kidding me?
I knew that voice, but I didn’t relax until he’d appeared from behind a pickup truck across the garage.
Hawk ran a hand through his hair awkwardly, then shoved both hands in his pockets. His gaze flicked down to where my hand rested on the gun. “Don’t shoot me.”
“I should,” I muttered. “Were you fucking following me?”
“Um, there’s totally another explanation.”
So, that was a yes. Hewasfollowing me, and he could have easily gotten us both caught.
“Get over here. We’re leaving, now.”
He jogged to me. I hauled the bag up and shoved it at him. “And since you decided coming with me was a good idea, you get to carry this. Careful, it’s more precious than your life.”
Hawk grunted under the weight, staring between me and the dusty duffel. “Did you come here for...”
“Information.” I cut him off. The lie was coming in handy earlier than I’d thought. “This stuff was a bonus. Let’s go before we get caught.”
I was out the door before he could ask any more dumb questions, leaving him fumbling to catch up.
Chapter
Eighteen
MERCER
Benji and Willard.
West had left the burner phone he’d picked up from our safe house with me, and we had a text from Gears, sent a little while ago. Only those two names. Who the hell were they?
Talia’s fathers were gone and Conrad and I were back in her nesting room. My packmate was anxious for her to return, but if all had gone according to plan, West was with her right now. He needed time with her the most, so we couldn’t interrupt.
“Gears texted us some names.”
Conrad grunted his acknowledgment.
“Ever heard of a Benji or Willard?”
“No, never.”
I sighed. I doubted West had heard of them before either, so it was best to go straight to the source and get some damn context.
Reclining on the pillows and blankets, I called Gears.
