Second Chances(105)

Paige wanted to laugh. There were very few people out on the beach, but she was sure anyone who went by them would surely give them more than just a simple glance.

"Got it."

Nathan stood up and brushed the sand from his clothes. In his hand was a ziplock baggie with a piece of paper in it. He opened the bag and found another phone number.

They walked slowly back to the car, both of them looking to see if they were being followed or watched. Nathan frowned at the cars in the parking lot. Were there more or less of them now?

"Does it look the same to you?"

Paige shrugged.

"Exactly," he said. "Neither of us is cut out for this cloak and dagger crap."

He opened the car and then reached into his bag and retrieved another phone. He checked the reception and saw it was strong, then dialed the number.

"So far, so good?"

"Yes."

"Being followed?"

"Not that I can tell."

"But you are looking now, right?"

"Yes," he snapped. He hated being patronized.

"Good, just checking. Here is what you do next."

"Swansea Mall?" Nathan asked Paige as he closed the phone, stomped on it and then tossed the pieces into the sand dunes.

She nodded and came around to his side of the car. She took the keys from him and slipped in behind the wheel. He walked around to the other side of the car and stood there with his hand on the door handle, looking once more around the parking area.

Paige pushed a button and the passenger window rolled down.

"What is it?"

Nathan leaned over and stuck his head in the car.

"I'm not sure. I...I think she might be here."

"Here? As in here at the beach?"

"Maybe. I...the phone call. I thought I heard the sound of the ocean coming over the phone. I mean, yes I could already hear the ocean since we are only a couple hundred feet or so from it, but it also sounded like maybe it was coming through the phone as well. Or maybe I just imagined it."

"Do you want to search the beach?"

Nathan shook his head no, opened the door and got into the car.

"We wouldn't have a clue who the heck we'd be looking for. I'm afraid we'll just have to play her game." He looked past her and out the window at the cars in the parking lot. Was it possible the woman from the phone was in one of them?

"Maybe she is here and is trying to see if we are being followed."

"Anything is possible. More than likely I am just being paranoid."

Paige laughed. "Well, then it's catchy, because I swear I feel like there are a million eyes on us."

"I know what you mean."

"Well then, let's see if I can find out if we are being followed and if so, let's give them the slip."

"Oh, do you have some James Bondesque skills I don't know about?"

She didn't say a word, only winked at him and started the car.



Chapter Seventy-Seven





CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT



"They are definitely being more watchful," Cameron said.

Linda nodded in agreement, her eyes locked on Paige and Nathan. She watched as the two of them talked while standing outside of their car. She wished she could hear them. She had to resist ducking down when Nathan turned and scanned the parking area again. Cameron had insisted that the car's windows were too tinted and they were parked too far away for them to tell there was anyone in the car.

He reached over and placed a hand on her leg. "Remain calm. Don't rock the car."

Remain calm? With his hand on her leg? Was he serious?

"Look," he said, his hand still on her leg.

She tried to focus on what he was saying and looked back across the parking lot. Paige had taken the keys and was sliding into the driver's seat.

"Must mean they are driving somewhere she knows well."

Linda opened her mouth to agree, but her throat was dry and no sound came out. She looked away from the car and down at his hand. She felt the warmth of it on her leg. It seemed to radiate through her entire body. She felt beads of sweat forming on her brow.

"Let's give them a few seconds before we follow."

A second, a minute. As far as she was concerned, they could stay there all day. She shivered when he removed his hand. He looked her way, but she quickly turned away so he wouldn't see the flush in her face and wiped at her brow.

"Okay, let's go," he said as he turned the engine over and put the car in gear. He pulled out and turned right. As he followed the natural curve of the road he began to get worried. Where had they gone? Then he spotted them in the distance. Paige must have gunned the engine and raced down the road. He sped up a little, trying to keep them in sight. He knew where the road led and it wouldn't be that long before they hit a large residential area where there were so many roads that it would be easy to lose sight of them.