“Nice work,” Lara said to Adam, pointing to the bullet holes and broken glass that used to be the rear window of the Audi.
The two of them climbed into the car, the engine already alive with a soft German hum. Adam rode shotgun, and Lara hopped in the back, tossing her gear ahead of her onto the empty seat.
“Sorry it took—” Adam stopped in mid-sentence. Elliot sat straight and stiff, his leg bouncing like a jackhammer. He was gripping the Browning tightly in his lap. The weapon was cocked and ready to fire. “Elliot, what happened?”
Elliot was unable to speak for a moment, finally blurting, “They were down here.”
“Who?” Lara asked from the back seat.
“I don’t know who!” He hit the steering wheel with an open palm.
Adam slowly reached over and closed his hand over the Browning. He put the flesh of his thumb and forefinger between the hammer and strike plate as he gently took the gun from his brother. “Take it slow. Tell us what happened.”
Lara was now leaning forward listening intently.
“Two guys in a white minivan. They were down here in the garage. I was just getting back to the car when they rushed me. If it hadn’t been for the gun …” Elliot’s voice broke.
He swallowed hard and continued, “The pistol was here on the seat. I managed to pull it on them just as they were getting to me. The sight of the gun stopped them, but they didn’t retreat. I think they were trying to decide if I really had the nerve to shoot.”
“Did you?” Lara asked from over his shoulder.
“That’s just it. I did. I pointed the gun at them and pulled the trigger. Can you believe they didn’t even have a weapon out? I was just so damned afraid.”
“You shot them?” Adam glanced out his window for any signs of blood.
“No. Nothing happened. I squeezed the trigger hard, but it wouldn’t fire. That’s when I remembered what you said about having to cock the hammer for the first shot. They didn’t even know I was trying to shoot them. Isn’t that downright hysterical? These men stood there glaring at me, completely unaware that I was trying to kill them.”
Elliot seemed dangerously close to an emotional breakdown. Adam put a hand on his shoulder.
“What did you do?” Lara asked.
Elliot took a deep breath, and with it seemed to find a measure of control. “Realizing what I was doing wrong, I cocked the gun. By then, I had collected myself a little. I told them to leave us alone. I couldn’t think of anything else to say. In retrospect, I realize I could have asked them where Maria was, or what they wanted, or how they’d found us, or a dozen other useful things. But at that moment, I couldn’t think.”
Adam squeezed his shoulder. “It’s okay, bro. You’re in one piece, and that’s what matters. What happened next?”
“They backed away. I told them to stop, thinking I could hold them at gunpoint until you arrived. But they just kept backing up. They were looking me right in the eyes, and I didn’t have the nerve to shoot anymore.”
“So they left?” Adam asked, once again looking around the parking garage.
“Yes. They just climbed back in their van and drove out. I swear one of them even winked at me as they pulled away. I … I couldn’t stop them.”
“You handled it fine,” Adam offered, generally meaning it.
“If the gun hadn’t been within reach …” Elliot fell silent, staring at the cement wall in front of the car. “I might be dead right now. Dead.”
“You’re all right,” Adam said. “Do you think you can get us out of here before Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum return with reinforcements?”
“Yeah, okay.” Elliot’s hands were trembling as he put the car in reverse. “What took you so long? I thought you might have run into trouble, too. I wasn’t sure if I should come up after you or what exactly.” His voice trailed off with exhaustion.
“Sorry,” Adam said. “Lara needed to get a few things together.” His words only hinted at the truth. It had taken a few minutes for Lara to pack a bag with fresh clothes, cosmetics, and other items she deemed important, but that definitely wasn’t why they were late.
Adam felt a bit of shame come over him and glanced up into the rear-view mirror to see Lara looking directly at him. He didn’t see embarrassment in her eyes but perhaps a little worry. He wondered if she feared betrayal, that perhaps he would reveal their intimacy. He hoped that wasn’t the case. Adam had always been able to keep a secret. If she didn’t know it now, she would eventually come to appreciate it.
“Where to?” Elliot asked, sounding a bit more like the man he’d been an hour earlier.
“Get us to a hotel,” Adam answered. “Preferably near a mall.”
“A mall? What do you mean? Like a shopping mall?” Elliot asked. “Yes. You and I are going to need a few changes of clothing, and we can’t chance going back to either of our places.”
“I do love to shop,” Lara chimed in.
“What do you mean we can’t go back?” Elliot asked, obviously not pleased with what he was hearing.
Adam didn’t really blame him. The evening had started with a simple late-night call for help. Elliot had probably thought they would soon be sipping warm cognac in front of his fireplace while talking about their next investigative move. Unfortunately, things weren’t going in the direction of an armchair investigation. Life was about to change for all of them.
Adam took a breath and tried to give his brother the straight scoop in as comforting a tone as he could manage. “Look, they were watching us. All of us. That’s how they found me in the amusement park. That’s how they found us in your car on Federal Street. And that’s how they found you here. They know who we are, where we live, where we work, and what establishments we’re likely to frequent. Hell, they probably know how many times we hit the head each day. If we go back to anything they know, we’re dead or grabbed for sure. Our only reasonable move is to go underground for a bit. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
* * *
* * *
“It’s going to be a busy day,” Adam said, sipping a steaming cup of hot coffee.
The three had spent what was left of the night at a motel not far from the Westland Crossing shopping mall. After a quick stop at a bustling donut shop, they stopped the Audi in an empty supermarket parking lot and began enjoying hot drinks and breakfast sweets.
Adam was pleased to see the group in good spirits, considering they’d managed to get only a few hours of sleep. “Elliot, I’d advise you to get in touch with your firm. Let them know you’ll be out for a while. We don’t want anyone calling the police thinking something’s happened to you.”
“Right. Any idea how long all this is going to take?” he asked, rifling through the open box of donuts.
“Better tell them a couple of weeks in case this thing takes on new twists. Given what little we know now, I can’t imagine how it won’t.”
“Fine. I’m due a vacation anyway.”
“Just so we know the rules,” Adam said, turning to look at both Elliot and Lara. “All calls from now on should be made only from a landline in a busy location. They should be kept short, and once they’re done, you should immediately leave the vicinity. Also, Elliot, we’re going to need to get you to a branch of your bank for some serious cash. We won’t be able to use credit cards because of traceability concerns.”
“We’re getting awfully cloak-and-dagger about all this,” his brother remarked.
“I know. But given that I’m still fishing broken glass from my pants pockets, I’d say caution is in order.”
“How much money?” Elliot asked, his voice betraying wariness in trusting anyone, even his own brother, with his wealth.
“Let’s say twenty thousand,” Adam said, knowing it was going to get a reaction.
Elliot looked up sharply from the donut box, a particularly large, coconut donut dangling in his fingers like from a crab’s claw that wouldn’t let go. “Twenty thousand dollars? You want me to get twenty thousand dollars cash?” His voice was loud to everyone in the car.
Lara turned away from them, busying herself by slurping the cream off a large cup of foaming hot cocoa.
“Yes, but don’t worry, we probably won’t spend even half of it. It’s just this may be your only chance to get cash for a while. Better get enough.”
“What are you talking about? They can’t take my money.”
Adam shrugged. “I wouldn’t be so sure. If the bozos chasing us really are CIA, they can freeze your funds. I have no idea if they would, but they could if they wanted to. It’s the government, and they can dick you just about any way they choose.” Adam stopped to let his words sink in. “So, get the twenty thousand while you still have a chance. Hell, get more if you want to.”
“How do you know I can still get to my accounts?” Elliot asked. “Maybe first thing this morning they’re freezing my money and issuing orders for anyone trying to access the funds to be detained.”
“Truth is, I don’t know,” Adam answered. “I’m guessing they wouldn’t be able to move that fast. Everything went down late last night, and decisions would have to be made. Important people make those decisions, and important people don’t generally work at three in the morning. I think you’ll be okay getting the money first thing this morning. But like I said, there are no guarantees.”
“A risk I’m going to have to take,” Elliot said with a smirk. Not getting a reaction, he took a deep breath and resumed his donut scavenger hunt.
“After the bank, the three of us will need to go on a shopping spree,” Adam said, looking first to Lara then to Elliot. “We’re going to need several outfits—socks, underwear, belts, the whole works. Also, the car needs a new rear windshield and a little Bondo patched over the bullet holes. I can just see the state trooper’s face now, should we happen to get pulled over.”
“That’s a lot to do,” Elliot said.
“Yep,” he agreed. “All this works on my assumption that you don’t mind footing the bill for this adventure.”
Adam had given a great deal of thought about having his brother pay for all the necessary expenses. Elliot had always treasured his treasure. His reluctance or willingness to part with it would serve as a decent measure of his dedication to finding Maria. If he balked about the expenditures, Adam was prepared to walk away from the whole affair and catch the next flight home.
Elliot never looked up from the box of donuts. “I understand my part in this. I’m providing the capital.”
“Great! My very own sugar daddy.” Lara exclaimed from the back seat. “I’ve been needing some new clothes, and maybe a Gucci handbag too!”
Elliot sighed. “I may need more than twenty thousand after all.”
* * *
Elliot opened the car door but didn’t step out. “What if they try to grab me? Should I run for it?”
“No,” Adam said, shaking his head. “If it goes sour, just stay cool. I’ll get you out. Don’t ask how, because I don’t know how. Maybe I’ll call in a bomb scare or maybe I’ll just pull guns and scare the hell out of everyone. No matter what, we won’t leave without you.”
Elliot studied his brother, weighing the magnitude of the promise just made.
Adam really hoped he wasn’t going to get emotional, especially in front of Lara.
He nodded, saying only, “Be right back.” With that, Elliot scrambled out of the car and headed toward the bank. He walked with an uncertain stiffness, like that of a bank robber approaching his first heist.
Adam watched his brother disappear into the bank and offered a silent prayer that Elliot wouldn’t do anything stupid in there. Neither Lara nor Adam spoke for over a minute, both staring at the glass double doors to the bank. Since their intimacy the previous night, there had been no mention or suggestion of how either felt concerning what had happened.
He could see in his peripheral vision when Lara briefly glanced his way then turned back to stare at the bank. “About last night …” she started. “I hope it goes without saying that I don’t normally … you know what I mean, I don’t … it’s not like me. That’s all I’m saying.”
He turned to face her. “I would never take what happened for granted, Lara. It was the most perfect experience I’ve ever had with a woman.”
She turned to him, her eyes searching his face for signs of insincerity. After a moment of indecision, she said, “It was nice. Since our first meeting, I … felt something. Then when you came to save me … Well, that was probably the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me. You just don’t know.”
Adam smiled. “When I got up this morning, it all seemed like a dream. A really good dream, mind you,” he said with a laugh. “Then when I saw you come down from your room this morning, I felt this bond between us. I know that sounds like a line, but I felt it.”
“We shared a lot last night,” Lara offered. “I lost myself with you for a while, and that’s not like me.”
He saw an undeniable intensity in the blue cover of her eyes. There was something exceptional about Lara Sativa, and he was just beginning to see how beautiful and truly unique she was.
“I’m going to show you just how much of a fool I am,” Adam said. “Bare my heart and all that.”
“Go for it,” she said, smiling, her tone turning more playful.
“I want last night to be the start of something.”
“The start of what?”
“The start of more nights like last night.” It was his turn to smile.
She squinted at him, her eyes alive with fire. They looked at each other for a long time, saying nothing.
“Would it be okay if I kissed you?” he asked. “Just for a moment, I promise. I know it’s a bit pathetic, but I want to consummate this, and a handshake just isn’t going to do.”
She answered by placing her hands on both sides of his face and pulling him to her. They kissed with the same passion and ferocity they’d shared the night before.
Finally, she pulled away. “There, sealed with a kiss.”
Adam felt his heart pounding, his face becoming flushed. “There’s something here between us. Something exceptional. I wonder if Elliot and Maria felt the same thing.”
“Maybe,” she said with unmistakable disappointment. “Or maybe they had something different.”
Adam immediately realized that he’d made a terrible mistake. “I’m sorry. I hope you know that isn’t what I meant. Forgive me?”
She sat quiet for a moment, staring at him. “On one condition.”
“Anything.” And he meant it. Whether she called for going a few rounds with Mike Tyson after he hadn’t eaten in three days or scaling MOUNT EVEREST in the nude, he would gladly take up the challenge.
“Promise that you’ll grant me the same forgiveness should I ever need it. I tend to do a lot of stupid things.” Her voice was much softer now.
Adam kissed her on the forehead, grateful that her request didn’t involve losing an ear to a cannibalistic boxer or, even more importantly, extremities to a frigid mountain. “I never give up on those I care about,” he said. “All you’ll ever have to do is ask.”
“Okay, then you’re forgiven.” She leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips.
Both of them turned as they saw Elliot hurrying toward the car. They pulled away from each other but not with a sense of urgency. Adam didn’t care if Elliot knew about their relationship, but he also didn’t see the need to complicate things in a situation that was already complex enough.
Elliot fumbled frantically with the door handle, jerking the car door open like he was trying to start an industrial lawnmower. He stumbled into the Audi, nearly cracking his head on the doorframe. Even though it wasn’t quite seventy degrees outside, he was covered in sweat.
“Got it,” he said, placing a large white bank envelope on the seat beside him. He stabbed the key in the ignition and immediately started the car.
As they pulled out of the parking lot, Adam asked, “Everything go okay in there?”
“Fine,” Elliot replied, rapidly tapping the steering wheel with his fingers. “I just got nervous, that’s all. It’s not like people don’t notice when you take out that kind of cash. Trust me. They notice.”
* * *
The day was filled with frenzied shopping. The three worked from store to store in Westland Crossing, one of Colorado’s largest upscale shopping malls. Adam found it interesting how each had distinctive tastes, even under the immediate threat of being on the lamb.
For Adam, his new wardrobe consisted of two pairs of blue jeans, a pair of khaki Dockers, four identical knit golf shirts in various colors, a heavy gray wool sweater, matching white-and-black turtlenecks, a thin belt that could be worn with just about anything, a pair of comfortable black Timberline walking shoes, and all the necessary undergarments.
In contrast, Elliot bought several pairs of wool trousers, a full suit in navy—which he insisted needed tailoring, a handful of white pima cotton French cuff dress shirts, two belts, a pair of Bostonian dress shoes, three remarkably similar red ties, and enough underwear to last him through the next millennium.
Having brought some things from home, Lara didn’t need as much. What she picked up tended to be casual, including a pair of stretch pants, a striking dark green jumpsuit, a couple cotton blouses, a sweater, a pair of lightweight running shoes, and a few undergarments.
Adam also purchased several boxes of ammunition from a sporting goods store for both his and Elliot’s handguns, since they were now unable to retrieve the rounds bought earlier from the pawnshop. He didn’t ask if Lara had brought the firearm she’d brandished the previous night. He suspected that she had, although she made no mention of needing to buy ammunition.
By two in the afternoon, the shopping was complete, the freshly repaired Audi stocked from floorboard to ceiling. Adam offered to take the wheel, and Elliot gratefully accepted.
Adam recalled that for many years his brother hadn’t particularly enjoyed driving. He believed it stemmed from a couple of bad accidents on icy roads that Elliot had been involved in as a teenager. To this day, Adam thought he detected a bit of trepidation each time Elliot sat behind the wheel. He wasn’t sure how the previous night’s high-speed chase might have affected his brother’s already-shaky automotive confidence.
As they pulled out of the shopping mall’s parking lot, Adam saw Elliot staring blankly out the window. “You okay?”
Elliot groaned. “I’m just bemoaning our situation. We’re on the run from people willing to kill us for a road map. Worse yet, we’ve come to think that they work for our very own government. I was just thinking that perhaps we should stop planning our next move and start thinking about how this thing is going to end.”
Adam considered his words. Elliot was right. He’d been so busy working to outmaneuver the bad guys that he hadn’t given much thought as to how to actually resolve the situation.
“You’re right, big brother. I tell you what. I’ll try to keep us out of the clutches of our enemies. You figure out how we can end this mess.”
Elliot turned to him, excitement in his eyes. He’d obviously been waiting for the invitation. “I have a friend who’s fairly high up in the FBI. I could contact him. Let him know what’s happened. I’m sure he’d help. At the very least, it might put us back on the right side of the law.”
“Absolutely not,” Lara exclaimed from the back seat. “I don’t trust the FBI any more than the CIA.”
“Come on. What’s wrong with the FBI?” Elliot asked.
“You ever heard of Malcolm X?” she asked.
“Don’t tell me,” Elliot said, closing his eyes in disbelief. “The FBI killed Malcolm X?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, they sure set the stage for his untimely demise.” Lara looked to see if either Adam or Elliot was interested in her claim.
“Oh, please go on,” Elliot said, shaking his head.
“When Malcolm X separated from Elijah Muhammad’s group, it was under less than friendly terms. He was subsequently poisoned and his house fire-bombed. The police did nothing to protect him, despite his pleas.”
“More likely a sign of the racially charged times than any sort of conspiracy,” Elliot muttered.
Lara never broke step. “Later when Malcolm was scheduled to speak at New York’s Audubon Ballroom, every one of his guest speakers unexpectedly canceled. The normally heavy police presence was inexplicably reduced to two officers. While he was speaking, a mock scuffle broke out near the stage. When he attempted to quell the minor disturbance, he was gunned down by a total of sixteen shots from at least five different assassins.”
Lara had been rattling off the information as if she was afraid they wouldn’t let her finish. She paused to take a breath and then continued with a bit more control. “Malcolm’s bodyguard, along with the crowd, caught two of the killers. Even though his bodyguard was later revealed to be an undercover cop, not a single officer came to his aid during the apprehension or his subsequent attempt to resuscitate Malcolm X.”
“Even if what you’re saying is true, the worst you’ve described is police complicity,” Elliot said. “I don’t see a tie to the FBI.”
Lara held up a single finger. “Coming to that. You’d think with two of the killers in hand, the authorities would easily have broken the case wide open. The odd thing was that one of the shooters mysteriously disappeared after being mentioned only in the initial press release. The other one candidly confessed to shooting Malcolm and stated that he’d been hired by FBI agents, not rival Muslims as the agency asserted.
“Not long after that, one of Malcolm’s followers claimed to possess evidence that could prove his killers were government operatives. Like so many before him, once he opened his mouth, he had to be quieted.”
“Dead?” Elliot asked, playing along.
“The very next morning. Officials declared it to be an epileptic fit, even though recent medical exams had explicitly stated he was in excellent health. Probably most damning of all was the public disclosure that J. Edgar Hoover had in fact told Lyndon Johnson that the best way to get rid of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. was to capitalize on existing conflicts between competing black nationalist organizations.”
Elliot started to interrupt, but Lara held up her hand to stop him.
“Maybe the FBI didn’t pull the trigger,” she continued, “but from what I’ve read, they got all the parties together and maybe even provided a little financial incentive to get the job done.”
“Really, Lara,” Elliot scoffed. “To hear you tell it, our entire government is filled with unscrupulous thieves and murderers.”
“You said it, not me,” she countered. “You’re living in a world found only in the minds of Hollywood moviemakers or overly imaginative authors,” Elliot said.
“Maybe,” Lara said, “but I don’t trust the government. Period.”
“Look, we have to trust someone. I know this guy. He’s a friend, and besides, it’s becoming pretty clear we could use some help. I don’t see how we have much choice.”
“No FBI,” Lara repeated.
He sighed, exasperated. “Fine, but when we end up in jail, you just remember I was the voice of reason.”
“Don’t worry,” she said in a consoling tone. “We’re not going to end up in jail. We might end up dissolving in a bathtub filled with hydrochloric acid, but we won’t go to jail.”
Elliot shook his head. “Girl, you need some professional help.”
“All right, you two,” Adam interjected, hoping to keep a real fight from flaring up. “Given Lara’s objection to the FBI, what else do you have up your sleeve?”
“Not a freaking rabbit,” Elliot said, stewing from the rejection. After a moment he said, “It comes down to one question.”
“And that is?” Adam asked.
“How do we best spend our time?”
“Car bingo?” Lara said, picking at him.
Elliot emitted an exasperated snort.
“The way I see it, we have two choices,” Adam said. “We can remain here in Denver and try to get the attention of those after us, or we can go to the locations on the map and see what develops.”
“Staying here sounds dangerous, but going anywhere else sounds futile,” Elliot said. “We don’t know what we’re looking for.”
“Sure we do,” Lara said. “We’re looking for my sister.”
“That much I know,” he admitted. “But we don’t have any specifics. What to do. Where to go. Who to talk to. Little stuff like that matters.”
“You’d rather stay here then?” Adam prompted.
“No,” Elliot said simply. “Even though I think it’s very likely a wild goose chase, I’d still vote for leaving town. I don’t like getting shot at. Plus, we can get John to handle the information gathering here. That way we’d be working this thing from both ends.”
“You could have him start with auto repair shops close to the amusement park,” Adam suggested. “Those boys had to fix that radiator somewhere. We might get a name out of that.”
“Good idea,” Elliot said.
“Then it’s unanimous?” Adam asked. “We follow the map?”
“We follow the map,” Elliot agreed.
They both looked to Lara. She nodded. “Road trip.”
“Anyone know the quickest route to Dallas?” Adam asked.
“Quickest route?” Elliot seemed confused. “Just head east to the airport. Surely you’re not suggesting we drive.”
“Believe me, it’s not that I like planting my butt on a car seat for countless hours,” Adam said. “But the way I see it, the airport is too risky. If the CIA is looking for us, they’ll be monitoring DIA flights for our names. Unfortunately, with identification requirements at the airports, we couldn’t fly under aliases without lengthy preparations.”
“But … but …” Elliot stammered.
“The other drawback to flying is that we couldn’t ship our ammunition. They’d allow us check the handguns as long as we had locked cases and proper tags, but the ammo would have to remain behind. That could put us in jeopardy for a time in Dallas.”
“I agree,” Lara piped in. “We’re sure to be arrested if we show up at an airport. It’s much safer to stick to the road.”
“Fine,” Elliot acquiesced, “but Dallas is about twelve hours from here. If we’re going to drive, we should at least try to make ourselves comfortable. Do me a favor and pull into the parking deck up ahead so I can run into the bookstore.” He pointed to a multilevel deck across the street from the mall. “Coffee and a couple of newspapers will make the trip survivable.”
“I could use another hit of caffeine too,” Lara said.
“It’s a miracle,” Adam said, laughing.
Both looked to him, puzzled.
“The two of you agree on something. A miracle, I’d say.”
Lara popped him on the back of the head.
Elliot just rolled his eyes.
Adam navigated his way through the parking deck and pulled the car into a short-term parking spot just outside the doors of the Stitch in Time bookstore. He could see from the clientele moving in and out that the store catered to a college crowd.
Thoughts of navigating the book bonanza in search of a yuppie-style coffee bar didn’t excite Adam. Unlike his well-read brother, he wasn’t born with an innate desire to rummage through old books in search of two-hundred-year-old chronicles of Thomas Jefferson’s womanizing. The occasional Dean Koontz or Stephen King bestseller usually sufficed. Adam wouldn’t admit it for fear of being labeled an uneducated bumpkin, but he’d just as soon catch a movie than spend a week plowing through a lengthy novel.
As Lara and Elliot opened their doors to get out, Adam said, “I’ll wait here. That super-espresso whipped mocha java whatever the heck it was I had this morning was as much caffeine as I need for the day.”
They both laughed and headed into the bookstore.
* * *
| Toxin: | You rang? |
| Pecos Bill: | I’ve got some roping for you. |
| Toxin: | Who’s the target? |
| Pecos Bill: | A strapping hombre, so best watch yourself on this one. There’s a package at the usual drop with all the goodies inside. |
| Toxin: | How soon is this going down? |
| Pecos Bill: | Real soon. Take some advice from your old friend. Do this one quick and skedaddle. |
| Toxin: | Why? What don’t I know? |
| Pecos Bill: | Bulls-eye’s roping on this here rodeo, too. |
| Toxin: | Shit and double shit. |
| Pecos Bill: | I’d say that about sums it up. |
Adam watched as Lara and Elliot exited the bookstore carrying large green cups of steaming drinks and armfuls of newspapers. As they pushed their way through the set of double doors, a teenage mother approached from the parking lot. The young woman held an infant with one hand and pulled a reluctant toddler with the other.
After Lara exited, Elliot stepped aside holding the door and motioning for the young mother to enter. She offered a thankful smile and squeezed her way through the open doorway. As they passed, the little boy suddenly tugged at his mother, causing her to accidentally bump into Elliot. The cup of hot coffee he carried was inadvertently knocked from his hand, falling directly toward the toddler.
Incredibly, as the cup fell through the air, Elliot simultaneously released the newspapers and sliced both hands downward, successfully snatching the falling cup with only a small splash spilling across his hand.
The mother didn’t apologize or even notice the near disaster. Instead, she continued her haphazard march into the bookstore, dragging the most fortunate tot behind her.
When Elliot climbed back in the car, Adam said, “Wow. That was one great save.”
Elliot’s hands were shaking. “It’s amazing what people can do when working purely on reflexes. Even a paper pusher like me.”
“All I can say is that somewhere Jackie Chan is green with envy.” That the catch was made at all was surprising. That it was made by a brother he’d always considered physically inept was just as he’d suggested … amazing.
“You sure you don’t mind driving?” Elliot asked, unfolding a copy of the Wall Street Journal.
“Not a bit,” Adam said.
Adam glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Lara sipping coffee and casually studying the front page of the only nationwide newspaper left in print, USA Today. She didn’t seem to notice his admiring eyes.
He wondered what the future held for them. In a way, it was the not knowing that was so exciting. At this very moment, anything was possible. It was as if he were being whisked away to Neverland, his future now in the hands of hungry crocodiles and dancing faeries. There was no way a mere mortal could ever guess what magic lay ahead.