“If you think like my father? What is that supposed to mean?” Andrew said.
Marcus shook his head. Finish what you begin … Some unfinished business? Something from his childhood? His mind was overloaded. He couldn’t concentrate. He needed to clear his thoughts. “I don’t know yet, but I’m going to figure it out. And let’s not forget that we have more than Ackerman to worry about. We need a place to think this thing through. Figure out our next move.”
Andrew nodded in agreement. “I know a place. Hotel in the next town to the east. I know the owner real well. We can trust him. We can hide there, rest for a couple of hours, get patched up, and come at it again with fresh minds.”
The idea seemed to be a consensus.
They decided Andrew’s Escalade was too conspicuous, so they took Alexei’s car and left Asherton behind. When they arrived at the hotel, Andrew went in and spoke with his friend. He returned in a few moments with three room keys and a first-aid kit. “We’ll meet up in four hours and figure out where we go next.”
Andrew entered his room and shut the door behind him.
Marcus put the key in his door, but Maggie halted him when she said, “Marcus, why don’t you come to my room.”
He looked deep into her eyes. He knew exactly what she wanted. She had questions that had to be answered before her mind could rest.
He stepped into her room and sat down on the bed. She locked the door behind them. She hesitated a moment, as if what she was going to ask would change everything between them. Her teeth found her lower lip. She seemed to contemplate whether they could possibly move forward without the words being spoken.
They couldn’t.
He knew that as much as she did.
The fact that she had asked him to her room alone to discuss the matter showed him that—even after hearing and seeing what he was capable of—she wasn’t afraid of him. Maybe they could still find a way to be together? He prayed that they could. He prayed she would understand.
After a long silence, she looked deep into his eyes, as if to let him know that a smartass comment wasn’t going to deflect the question. “Why aren’t you a cop anymore?”