Closure (Partners in Crime Book 5)

Chapter 10

Blake's heart raced. He ducked down and faced the same direction as Nicole. She looked at him, eyes wide, looking vulnerable like she had the other day in the stairwell.

When she saw his look, her face hardened and her mouth formed a straight line. "What?"

"What does the governor's son look like?" He asked quietly.

"Brunette, tall, small mustache, goatee."

Blake paled. "Be careful...but look."

Ever so slightly, Nicole turned and looked. She let out a quiet gasp and turned back to him. "The governor's son?"

Blake nodded grimly, "In the flesh."

He watched her close her eyes quickly, "Is he involved in this?"

"Hopefully not, this would cause too many legal problems. The governor's son..." He trailed off.

"Those boxes." The governor's son said. "What's in them?"

Another voice answered him, "The cargo."

"I'd like to see them."

Nicole looked at Blake, like her life depended on him. Which at this moment, it did. Blake grabbed his gun and handed it to Nicole, "You know how to use this?"

She nodded, her face determined, "Cole taught me."

"Good. When they move the boxes," Blake lowered his voice, "Run."

"What about any evidence?"

He held up his phone, which was recording. "I have evidence."

She nodded again. "When do I run?"

One of the boxes shifted, exposing them. "Now." Blake pushed her and she ran for her life.

Chaos erupted. People shouted and screamed.

Blake single handedly fought off some guys then ran out after Nicole.

His heart stopped when he saw her running away from three men. "Nicole!"

He ran to her as fast as he could. "Throw the gun!"

Nicole chucked the gun at him and he almost dropped it. Blake fired in the general direction of the men and they scrambled like eggs. Nicole had discarded his jacket and he picked it up. He saw her hiding behind a tree, clutching her jacket, breathing heavily.

Blake checked that the coast was clear before running up to her. "Nicole?"

She looked at him, "How do you do this for a living?"

He took her hand and helped her up, "I guess you just get used to it." It was then that he noticed her hand trembling a little.

When she noticed that he noticed, she yanked her hand away, "Can we go now?"

"Yeah, I have my evidence. And the address. And we're both alive. Where did you park?"

"Way down by the toy warehouse."

Blake raised a brow, "Wow, I'll drive you there then."

"Thank you." She looked at his dirty jacket she had dropped, "Sorry about your jacket."

"It's okay." Blake watched her put her jacket on and tighten her ponytail. Such graceful moves.

He stopped. What was he thinking?

"Are they going to come back?"

"I doubt it." He reassured her, "Let's go, my car is over here." He was still shaken up by the past hour but the shock hadn't given him a full blast yet.

Nicole slid into his car quietly. "Thanks for not yelling at me."

"Why would I yell at you?"

"Because I did something I shouldn't." She picked at small leaves on her jacket.

"I would never yell at you."

She whispered something so faint Blake couldn't hear it. At his look she repeated it louder. "Seth yelled at me once."

Blake's jaw flexed. "He yelled at you?"

She nodded, staring hard at him, daring him to say more.

"I'm sorry, but that's rude. What did you ever see in him anyways?"

She gaped at him. "Take me to my car. Right now." Her voice was laced with steel.

At that moment he knew he overstepped. She took it the wrong way and he had messed it up. "Nicole I-"

She glared at him, "Take me to my car."

Blake clamped his mouth shut then dropped her off by her car.

She hopped out and slammed the door behind her.

~~~~~

Nicole drove home, angry. She slammed her car door so see another overly large bouquet sitting on her front doorstep. They were blue roses this time. She smiled, letting them make her feel better. This mystery person seemed to know exactly what she needed and when.

She picked them up gingerly and set them in a vase. She had to search for a little bit to find the note.

Your smile could light up this entire city.

Nicole beamed. She really liked the blue roses. Her doorbell rang and she went to answer it.

When she saw who it was, she sighed, "What do you want Tanner?"

He pulled something out of his pocket, "You forgot your phone in my car."

"Oh." She took it from him.

He looked over her shoulder, "Nice flowers."

"Thank you."

"Who are they from?"

"I don't know. Now go away."

"Listen, I'm sorry."

"I said go away."

Blake took the hint and left.