Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 122216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
I turn and keep Ariadne behind me.
“I’m here for the data.” He looks at me, his sharp blue eyes without mercy. “But the drives he gave me are empty. Would you know anything about that, Laura?” He cuts his gaze to her.
“Why would I know anything about that?” She inspects her nails.
“Cut the shit, Laura. You broke into my safe and wiped the drives.” I pray to all the Christmas angels overhead that she made a copy before destroying the information.
“I did?” She’s still checking her manicure.
“Look.” Heath leans against the door and crosses his arms over his chest, the black pistol in his holster coming into view. “I don’t care what little holiday drama you three have going. I’m here for the data. And if I don’t get it, I’m here for his life.” He jerks his chin at me. “So, what’s it going to be? I can’t wait here for long. My neighbor has a clumsy streak.” He smiles, a genuine one that reaches his eyes. “And she’s trying to string Christmas lights. I need to keep an eye on her so she doesn’t break her neck.”
“Wait, go back.” Ariadne peeks around me. “Did you just say you’re going to kill Brendan?”
His smile fades. “Yes. The data or his life. Those are the options.”
“Laura.” Ariadne’s voice takes on a harsh note that I’ve never heard before.
“What?” Laura snaps. “He’s a hacker and a liar! He broke your lights. He’s no good, Ariadne.” She shakes her head. “I should’ve killed him already, but you kept telling me to cool it. Well, now Heath is here to handle it, and I say we let him.”
“Laura!” Ariadne steps around me though I keep my arm around her. “You give him that data right this second.”
“I erased it,” she says breezily.
Ice water trickles down my spine. “You didn’t make a copy first?”
Heath reaches for his gun. “I was hoping I could have a clean holiday, but I see that’s shot. Literally.” He points the pistol at me.
Ariadne tries to step in front of me, but I hold her off. “You can’t shoot him. Mrs. Claws, Charlie, attack!”
Neither of them come out of their Christmas house, and I’m almost certain they’re getting busy again.
“I can try and do the hack again.” I hold my hands out. “Just let me try to—”
“Time’s up. Sorry, friend.” He gives me a look that seems sincerely apologetic, but he doesn’t drop the gun. “You know the rules.”
“Laura, if you don’t fix this, we can’t be friends anymore.” Ariadne points at her. “I mean it. No more food from my pantry, no more chats by the fire, and you are not allowed to ever set foot in my house again. I will never speak to you as long as we live, and I mean it.”
“You can’t be serious.” Laura gets to her feet, her hands on her hips. “After all the time we’ve been friends, you’re going to choose him over me?”
“I want both of you, but that scary man is going to kill him because of you! You have to fix this or it’s over between us.”
“Angel, you need to get out of here. Back away. I love you, and I always will, but this is my problem.” I pull her to my side and kiss her. “Go.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” She kicks her chin up. “Because Laura is going to give up the goods to this guy.”
“I erased it.” Laura throws her hands up.
“And you didn’t make a copy?” I ask again. I’m having a hard time concentrating when my eyes are constantly drawn back to the gun barrel pointed at me.
“Of course I did.” Laura makes a pfft sound.
“Give it to the killer guy right now, or we are done.” Ariadne crosses her arms and stares Laura down.
Laura returns Ariadne’s glare for some tense seconds that seem to last forever, then reaches between the couch cushions and pulls out … knitting needles and yarn?
“What?” She tosses those, then reaches in again and pulls out a small hard drive. “It’s all on here. USB and the bigger drive are separated in folders.” Walking to Heath, she drops it in his hand.
“This is great. It really is.” He tucks it in the pocket of his overcoat. “But I have instructions that if Brendan didn’t do the drop at the parade, that I have to take him out.”
“Just tell them he delivered.” Laura doesn’t seem the least bit put off by the gun or the killer.
“They’ll know.” He shakes his head. “You know that.”
“Well, tell them you got the data and as a Christmas miracle, you spared this guy.”
He seems to consider it.
“Please, don’t kill me. I finally got the girl I love, and I really want to spend more time with her.” I swallow hard, my mouth dry.