Down to the Wire

“Tess? Is everything okay?” he called.

For several long seconds there was no response, and he had taken several steps toward her bedroom when she emerged carrying a small suitcase.

“Why wouldn’t everything be okay?” she asked, stopping short when she saw him standing there.

Declan felt stupid for worrying. What was wrong with him? Hadn’t he already checked the house and deemed it safe at least in the short term?

“I’ll take your suitcase for you,” he offered.

She handed it over and then brushed past him to precede him down the stairs. “I want to leave a note on the door for Bobby, because I’m sure he’ll come looking for me.”

“All right.” He followed her back down to the main level, setting the suitcase beside the door while she disappeared into the kitchen to write her brother a note.

He couldn’t help smiling when she chose a neon-green sheet of paper for her message, taping it to the front door where it could be easily seen from the driveway.

Isaac crossed over to meet them. “We’ll be clearing both your vehicle and hers next, Deck. I’ll let you know as soon as we’re finished.”

“Thanks.” He clapped Isaac on the back and watched as the rest of his team made their way back to their vehicles. Then he turned to Tess. “All set?” he asked, taking the suitcase over to his car. He glanced over his shoulder, half expecting to see Allan Gray peering at them through his window.

“I guess,” Tess murmured, in a less than enthusiastic tone. “I really hope Bobby contacts me soon.”

He nodded, hoping for her sake that her brother would get in touch with her. The fact that they hadn’t found anything at her house reassured him that the kid had probably skipped school on his own, rather than being a target for the bomber.

“Can I borrow your phone again?” Tess asked. “I’d like to send Bobby a text message.”

“Sure.” He handed over his phone, keeping his attention on the road. “We could stop and pick you up a new phone.”

“Really?” The spark of hope in her eyes made him feel like a jerk for not thinking of this option sooner. “That would be a huge relief.”

“No problem.”

It didn’t take long to stop at her wireless carrier store and upgrade her current phone to a new one. When they exchanged phone numbers, he was relieved to have a way of getting in touch with her.

“So, where are we going?” she asked once they were settled back in his vehicle.

“There’s a small hotel called the Forty Winks, not far from where I live. Their rates are very reasonable, and the place is clean.” He remembered the location from a while ago when Caleb had been on the run, trying to clear his name. Caleb, Noelle and his daughter, Kaitlin, had stayed there for a night, and he figured if it was good enough for Noelle, it should be okay for Tess.

“As long as it’s not too far from my house, then I’m fine,” she said.

Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up in front of the hotel and shut off the engine. Tess slid out of her seat, heading inside the lobby, but he stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“Tess, I think it’s best if I pay for the room.”

She scowled and shook her head. “I’d rather pay my own way.”

“It’s not about paying your way, it’s about keeping you safe,” he said, unable to contain his exasperation. “Please don’t argue about this. Don’t you understand that I don’t want anyone to know where you are?”

Her gaze clashed with his for several long seconds. “Fine,” she grumbled. “But I think you’re being overly cautious.”

“Thank you.” He pulled her suitcase out of the back and then followed her into the lobby. The woman behind the counter agreed to take cash for the room, probably because of his cop uniform, but insisted on having a credit card on file in case there was any damage.

Tess’s room was on the second floor. When she used her key to open the door, he was glad the place didn’t smell old and musty. “Thanks, Declan,” she said, when he swung her suitcase onto the bed.

“Stay safe, Tess. I’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible.”

“I’ll be fine,” she reiterated.

He hesitated, not liking the thought of leaving her here alone. If it wasn’t for the fact that his boss was waiting for him to report back, he’d take her out to lunch.

His phone rang, and he suppressed a sigh when he saw that Griff was calling. “I’m on my way,” he said in lieu of a greeting.

“You better be,” his boss said in a gruff tone. “The FBI is here and they want to talk to you.”

He couldn’t hide his surprise. “We’ve been keeping them updated on the investigation, and they’ve admitted they don’t think the bombs are related to terrorism. Have they changed their mind?”

“Not that I know of, but apparently they want to talk to you. So get back here, now.”

“I’ll be there in ten,” Declan promised. He disconnected from the call and glanced at Tess. “I have to go, but you need to know that the FBI has been involved in this since we discovered the first bomb, and they may want to interview you.”

She nodded grimly. “All right, let me know.”

Declan had the insane urge to give her a reassuring hug, so he stepped back toward the door. “Remember, don’t open for anyone but me.”

“Or Bobby,” she added.

“Call me if you need anything.” He told himself to stop procrastinating and to leave already. After all, his boss and the FBI were waiting.

But leaving Tess wasn’t easy, and he silently promised to return as soon as he’d fulfilled his SWAT duties.

* * *

Tess stared at the door, long after Declan had left her alone in the hotel room. Ridiculous to miss him when he’d been gone all of two minutes.

She gave herself a mental shake and quickly unpacked her small suitcase. She found a small bottle of over-the-counter painkillers and took a few, hoping that her headache would start to feel better. Then she sat on the edge of the bed, feeling as if she should be doing something to find Bobby.

But what could she do without a car? She could call for a taxi, that’s what. Actually she’d rather rent a car, but that wouldn’t work until she had her driver’s license back. She made a mental note to make sure Declan returned her personal items from the school, before she used her brand-new smartphone to search for taxi services.

Twenty minutes later, she left her hotel room and went down to wait for the taxi to arrive. She was glad to have found her spare stash of cash back at the house, or she’d be totally dependent on Declan for everything.

“Where to?” the cabbie asked in a thick New York accent. She wondered why he’d moved to Wisconsin from New York.

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