Grave Secrets (Manhunters 1)

“It’s me.” Everly’s voice touched his ear before she peeked around the doorjamb. “Don’t shoot my head off.”

Ian lowered his weapon and exhaled. “Girl, don’t do that. I told you to cover—”

Everly stepped into the room with someone behind her. Ian registered the person as male and wearing a uniform, an

d Ian’s gun was already up and aiming at his forehead before his face came into focus. It was Rosen.

“What are they doing here?” Savannah asked, her voice tight and terrified.

“Hank called me,” Rosen told Ian. “His cell pinged with a warning that his home alarm had been tripped. Asked me to check it out.”

“Oh my God.”

“It’s okay.” Ian put his weapon away and turned toward her. “Is that everything?”

She kept backing up, arms tight around her treasure, eyes darting between everyone. “What are they doing here?” she asked again, confused and frightened. “How did you know I was here? What’s happening?”

“I’m going to call Hank, tell him everything’s fine.” Rosen pulled his phone from his pocket. “You all need to finish up and get out of here.”

He turned and exited through the back door.

“Come on,” Ian said. “We need to go.”

Everly moved to the safe and rummaged through the remaining contents. “She’s got all the important stuff. We need to shut off her phones so he doesn’t track them.”

Savannah’s confusion deepened, increasing her fear. “Would someone tell me what the hell is going on?”

“Later,” Everly said, her tone brisk and businesslike. She closed the safe and replaced the picture. “Unless you’d like us to explain everything in front of Hank or Lyle, whoever shows up first.” She held her hand out. “I need your phones. Both of them.”

“What? No. I need them.”

“I have fresh disposables in my car. I’ll give you one of those.”

Ian wrapped a restrictive arm around her shoulders and guided her toward the door. “I’ll explain once we’re out of here.”

“Don’t.” She shook his arm off and sidestepped out of reach while moving toward the door. “Just…don’t.”

Ian’s heart took a hard hit. He’d known it was coming. Knew it was absolutely reasonable for her to respond this way, but that didn’t take the sting out of her rejection.

Outside, Rosen confirmed that Hank was still at the board meeting.

“Go pick up Jamison, would you?” Ian asked him.

“What? Why?” Savannah said. “Stop giving everyone orders involving my life.”

Ian patted her down, then dug her cell from the pocket of her jacket and tossed it to Everly. “The other one must be at the house.”

“Hey…stop…Ian.”

Everly darted a this-ought-to-be-fun smirk at Ian before she hustled to her Jeep parked nearby.

“I’m sorry.” Ian wrenched the contents of the safe out of Savannah’s arms, then muscled her into her car. “We need to hurry.”

Her eyes flashed with fury as he stood over her, one hand on the roof over the driver’s door.

“Go home, Savannah. Do you hear me? Straight home. When Corwin finds out you’re not at work, he’ll go to your house and report that you’re there. Rosen’s cleared the break-in with Hank, and Corwin will report you’re home alone, as usual. Hank won’t check the safe until he gets home, which gives us time to pick up Jamison from Bailey’s and make a plan.”

When she opened her mouth to yell at him—he could see it in her eyes—Ian slipped his hand around the back of her neck and lowered his forehead to hers. “Stop fighting me. I know you’re confused and angry, but you have to trust me here. This is all going to work out. You’re going to get what you want in the end, but you really have to do it our way.”