Out of Character by Diana Miller

Author:Diana Miller [Miller, Diana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781616505929
Google: IxRjBgAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1616505923
Goodreads: 23432940
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2014-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

“What the hell are you doing here?” Paul lowered his gun and stared at the last person he’d expected to see coming through the back door.

Ryan Seaton gestured with the cardboard box in his arms. “I’m your delivery boy.”

“Why didn’t Harry or Mac tell me you were here?”

Ryan put the box on the butcher-block table. “I told them I wanted to surprise you.”

“The surprise would have been on you if I’d shot you,” Paul said dryly.

“I assumed you’d check the window and see me drive up.”

“Well, I didn’t. I thought you were stuck in Texas.” He’d approached Ryan about accompanying him to Keystone, but Ryan had been in the middle of an assignment he couldn’t leave. Which was too bad, since Ryan would never have let him involve Jillian in this mess.

“We wrapped things up sooner than expected,” Ryan said. “Martin told me about the sniper on the slopes and asked me to go to Colorado to help out. I was on my way when the safe house blew, and you headed here. So my assignment changed to delivery service.” He looked around. “Where’s the woman I’ve heard so much about?”

“In the utility closet.”

“You hid her in a closet?” Ryan snorted. “Pretty clichéd, isn’t it?”

“I didn’t have time for creativity.”

“True. Well, let’s liberate poor Jillian from the closet.”

* * * *

Jillian had huddled for what seemed hours in the back of the sweltering, dark closet behind a vacuum cleaner, clutching her knees to her chest and trying not to move, sneeze, or even breathe more than necessary. The initial silence had been frightening, but then she’d heard voices, so muffled she couldn’t tell the number of speakers or even whether one was Paul. She’d made herself even smaller and braced herself for whatever happened.

Nothing did, and the muffled voices continued. Undoubtedly Tony had returned, and Paul was so busy talking he’d forgotten her, leaving her inhaling Pledge and vacuum cleaner dust while sweat dripped into her eyes. Or more likely, Paul had decided to try a little overheated solitary confinement to make her more cooperative, since using sex hadn’t worked.

She moved around the vacuum cleaner then crawled to the front of the closet. She’d just reached for the knob when Paul opened the door.

“Finally.” She got to her feet, ignoring his outstretched hand. “What happened? What did you hear?” She stepped into a living room that felt thirty degrees cooler than the closet.

“It was nothing,” Paul said.

“Now I’m nothing?” The man asking the question was about Paul’s age and build, but had sun-bleached brown hair, brilliant blue eyes, and a killer smile. “I’m Ryan Seaton, and I’m delighted to meet you, Jillian.” He extended his hand. “I assume you’re Jillian Rodgers, although Billy’s enthusiastic description didn’t do you justice.”

Jillian wiped her sweaty palm on her T-shirt then shook Ryan’s hand. Her relief at seeing a friendly-looking face instead of the killers she’d feared made her responsive smile especially warm.

“When did you see Billy?” Paul asked.

“I’m an FBI special agent, and I brought out your clothes and supplies.

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