Chapter Twelve

Evie stepped to the edge of the curb, staring down the street. No one stood out. Nothing. She concentrated, but with the waves of frenzied energy in this part of Quarter, she couldn’t single out anything specific and was amazed that Madam Delphine had.

A sliver of fear snuck past her defenses and found its way under her skin. It was ridiculous to be afraid. No one even knew she was in New Orleans. Besides, the quarter was busy as usual, and she was surrounded by people.

Unfortunately, scanning the random faces of the pedestrians passing by only accentuated how alone she was even in the midst of so many people. Fear tunneled deeper. Maybe not the brightest move on her part not letting anyone know where she was going. The urge to return home was strong, but she couldn’t shake the ticking clock in her head.

Not one to run, she stepped back out of the flow of foot traffic and pulled out her cell phone along with the scrap of paper holding the name and number Madam Delphine had given her. After a brief conversation, she’d managed to get the stubborn man on the other end of the line to agree to at least look at the sketch of the mask, if she emailed it to him. Disgusted, she dropped the cell phone back in her purse and headed down the street.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Reaching up, she wrapped her hand around her necklace. The Malachite crystal helped amplify and transmit energy while stimulating her psychic abilities, and Evie hoped it would help her now to identify the energy of her shadow. Concentrating, she reached out in the direction she’d felt the disturbance. Energy bounced around her. She was close. Her energy heightened, growing stronger, more electrified, and it smacked into her—Nick!

Even with her inability to read him, her energy recognized his. Had from the beginning.

Pulling back, she severed the connection.

How dare he scare the crap out of me like that. And why the hell is he following me?

Keeping her head averted, she crossed the street and headed to Chartres Street. Better known to the locals as Lingerie Lane.

I’m so going to mess with his head.

The little sex shop tucked away amongst the more popular lingerie shops wasn’t far and perfect for what she had in mind. She’d discovered S’Exploration when tailing the wife of a client. Unfortunately for Mr. Anderson, his suspicions had been well founded. More unfortunate for his cheating wife was the prenuptial agreement leaving her without a dime if infidelity was involved. That it had been with another woman hadn’t swayed the judge in the least.

Her footsteps slowed as she neared the shop.

She could do this. Resisting the urge to keep walking, she barreled her way through the front door. Lavender walls greeted her. But it was the shelves displaying a wide array of contraptions and vibrators that sent her mouth dropping open and her eyes bugging out. Snapping her mouth closed, she willed herself to look away. But it was kind of like passing an accident. She couldn’t stop looking.

Her gaze landed on a display of fake penises.

Bon Dieu!

Some of those wouldn’t even fit. It was just…anatomically impossible.

So maybe this hadn’t been the brightest idea ever.

The clerk behind the counter made a beeline in her direction. He wasn’t someone she would have imagined working here. Peering up at her from behind thick, black-rimmed glasses, he looked like he’d be far more at home checking out books in a library than selling sex toys.

“First time here, honey?” he asked kindly. “What can I help you with today?”

“Lingerie?”

“Right this way.” He led the way to a circular rack a few feet away.

She cleared her throat. “Thank you. I think I’m good. I’m just going to browse a little.” Averting her gaze, she began flipping through the garments on the rack.

Still no sign of Nick. He’d held back at Madam Delphine’s, but she didn’t think he’d be able to resist at least a quick look. Hell, she’d just walked into a place called S’Exploration, for cryin’ out loud. How could he resist?

Her arms itched, tingling as her skin pulled tight.

Moving further around the rack, she spotted it. Her stomach quivered. It was perfect for what she had in mind. Pulling it from the hanger, the small hairs on the nape of her neck stood at attention. Knowing who was on the other end of the heated energy directed her way, it was easier to crack the door open and tap into his energy. The intensity of his focus was unmistakable. Her lips twitched, and she smothered the smile threatening to break free. She held the garment higher and leaned back, wanting to give the appearance of debating over the purchase. But really, she just wanted to make sure he got an eyeful.

The little red lace piece in her hand didn’t leave much to the imagination. Nick’s heightened energy sparked and swirled around her, for once giving her a brief glimpse into his emotions. Just the response she was looking for. It was a dangerous game she played, but it served him right after scaring her the way he had.

The other night he’d almost given in to the attraction between them, yet today, when he’d held her close, there’d been nothing from him.

Ugh, maybe she was just frustrated that he had more willpower than she did.

Hell, maybe I’m just frustrated.

The vibes radiating her way went a long way toward restoring her wounded pride. His gaze scorched a pathway down the length of her. Heat thrummed through her.

Damn! This little plan of hers was biting her in the ass.

Pull it together. Doing her best to appear nonchalant, she strolled to the front counter. Following through with the ridiculous plan told her just how off-balance Nick had pushed her.

Clutching the bag in her hand, she made a beeline for the door opening out onto a side street. It would keep her out of Nick’s direct path and put her within steps of her escape route.

While it might have been fun to tease Nick, it had ramped up her own desire, leaving her struggling with fantasies that seemed determined to chase away the last threads of her sanity. The ones screaming at her to stay away from Nick Garrison.

Lucky for her, she knew the manager at a rent-by-the-hour motel just down the way. All she had to do was make sure Nick caught a glimpse of her as she entered the building, then she’d slip out the back. Between the lingerie she’d just bought and the motel, Nick would assume exactly what she wanted him to. And while he waited for her to exit the motel, she would be headed home. Far away from temptation.

…

When Nick set out to catch up with Evie, he’d had every intention of making his presence known and hauling her ass back to Barfleur. She wouldn’t be parading around New Orleans like this if she had a clue about the story in today’s paper. By the time he caught up to her, she was disappearing into a house on Royal Street. A quick search on his phone told him everything he needed to know about Delphine Dubois.

Evie had been safe enough, but the situation had roused his curiosity, so he’d held back when she exited the house, wanting to see where she went next.

Not the greatest idea he’d ever had. Nick couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Had she really just disappeared into some flea-infested rent-by-the-hour rat trap?

Fuck. He couldn’t have read her that wrong.

Not five minutes ago, she’d bought the sexiest little bit of nothing he’d seen in a good long time. Hell, he was still trying to control the hard-on he’d gotten when he spotted her holding it. The image of her wearing it burned itself into his brain, and the idea of her putting it on for someone else sent his temple throbbing.

It wasn’t until his teeth gnashed together that he realized how tightly wound he’d become. Every muscle in his body tensed, poised to react. Taking a deep breath, he made a conscious effort to relax his jaw.

Not my business.

The image of Evie standing in a crappy little room with some faceless man lying on a bed watching her shot to his brain.

Fucking hell.

Using more force than necessary, he slammed open the door she’d disappeared behind. A quick scan of the closet-sized lobby confirmed his initial impression of the place. The rooms upstairs were revolving bedrooms, the occupants changing hourly, or less, depending upon how quickly a man got off.

Could his impression of her have been that far off? Hell, half his job involved profiling. No way in hell could she have affected his judgment to that degree. Something else was going on here. Still, she was nowhere in sight, so where the fuck was she?

An empty chair sat against the wall, looking like it would collapse if someone were desperate enough to take a seat there. Nick stepped toward the counter, staring down at the crown of gray bristly hair. Like a turtle poking its head out of its shell sensing danger, the man behind the counter raised his head. His ebony face twisted into a grimace. His expression gave the game away. Beyond the wizened wrinkles, Nick caught a gleam sparkling in the depths of the clerk’s eyes.

“Can I help ya with something? Sure don’t look like ya belong here.”

Not fooled for a minute, Nick arched a brow and sent him his standard don’t-give-me-shit stare. He’d perfected the look the last few years in the FBI. The old man in front of him didn’t so much as blink.

“I’m looking for the woman who just came in here. Tall, dark hair, sexy as hell. Where is she?” he growled.

“Sorry, can’t be tellin’ ya that.” He shook his head. “People come here for the privacy, if ya know what I mean?”

Pulse-pounding anger shot adrenaline to his brain. He clenched his fists, vowing when he found Evie that he would either ring her neck or kiss her until neither of them could remember why it was a bad idea.

He leaned forward, getting as close to the man as the bars allowed. “If you don’t tell me where she is, right now, no one in here is going to have any of that privacy you’re talking about. I’m not leaving here without her, and if I have to go through this whole damn place until I find her, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Your choice.”

The clerk’s jaw slid to the side as if debating whether to take the threat seriously or not. He’d eventually cave, but the images of Evie upstairs with someone grew more graphic with each second that passed. He didn’t have time for this shit.

“Ten seconds. That’s all you’ve got, old man,” he ground out. “You’ve already used five.”

“Tell me why you’re lookin’ for her. Then I’ll be deciding whether I’ll be telling ya.”

Nick bit back a scathing retort. It would take longer to search the place than to pacify the stubborn old man. “She’s put herself in danger, and I’m trying to find her before anything happens to her.”

That was true. Though she might be in more danger from him.

He nodded and eased up from his chair. “Yeah, that sounds like Evangeline, all right. She’s an impulsive one, her. Come on over here.” He gestured to a darkened hallway running back behind the stairs. “She hustled in here like her tail was on fire and scooted on out the back.” He led the way to a door at the back of the hallway. “This leads to an alley and eventually leads out onto Chartres Street.”

He’d been had, and the fact that he’d fallen for it sent his blood pressure skyrocketing once more.

“You know Evie?” The old man being on a first name basis set his nerves on edge.

“Not like you’re thinkin’.” He gave him a knowing look. “Evangeline’s done some work here in the past for that private investigating thing she does. You know, catching the husbands or, lately, more like the wives. I don’ know how she talked me into it. But her and I have an understanding, and when she comes a-lookin’ for someone, I look the other way.”

Nick almost felt sorry for the man. He looked genuinely confused as to how the arrangement happened. Nick, on the other hand, had no doubts. Most men young or old would probably give her whatever she asked for. Not Nick. He might be lusting after her, but no way in hell was she going to charm her way past his anger.

“You go on and find her. I don’ want nothin’ bad happin’ to dat girl.” He unlocked the door and practically pushed Nick through it.

“Fuck!” he swore upon finding himself in an alley behind the motel. The alley reeked of old urine and garbage. Picking up his pace, he kept his ears cocked for any sound other than the echo of his own steps as they hit the cobbled stone.

He’d been in more alleys than he could count, but since getting pinned down in one in Afghanistan, he hated like hell every time he had to step foot in one. Something else he could lay at Evie’s door. He took a big gulp of air upon exiting the alley and strode purposefully toward his car. He had an appointment to keep with a smart-ass, dark-haired little witch.