Distorted by Christy Barritt

Author:Christy Barritt [Barritt, Christy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781503942868
Publisher: Waterfall Press
Published: 2017-06-20T03:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

Hiding Mallory away was exactly what Tennyson wanted to do.

But Mallory wouldn’t go for it. I won’t let him silence me again. That’s what she’d told him after finding the note. Hiding isn’t the answer.

But the threat was real, and it was becoming more real by the moment. How was he supposed to get through to her?

Until he could, he had to up his game plan. He and Kori had met earlier and discussed ways to increase security and limit risks.

The note in particular had left Tennyson unsettled. The only time someone could have left it was when he was chasing Sanchez, and Kori and Grant had pulled Mallory away.

That meant there was more than one person involved in this. Bringing a third guard on wasn’t a bad idea. So was canceling this whole tour, but Mallory wasn’t ready to do that yet. She had too much at stake. She wouldn’t let people threaten her into retreating.

Just like now. Despite everything that had happened during the day, and after finding the note, she’d still insisted on going out to eat. In public. Not in the safety of their hotel room. He sat with her, while Kori had been stationed at the restaurant’s entrance.

Tennyson glanced at Mallory as they sat across from each other at dinner. At her pensive expression. At her quiet dignity. Just what was going through her head? He wanted to grab her hand as it rested on the table.

But he couldn’t let himself do that.

“Grant texted me,” Tennyson started. “He thinks one of the reporters who’d been at Hope House took that video. He’s trying to get in contact with him now about taking it down.”

“That’s good to know.” She played absently with her fork, her eyes still troubled. “What do you think the note means?”

“It sounds like someone feels these acts against you are out of his control.”

“So he’s psychotic?”

Tennyson let out a soft breath, contemplating how much to say. “Possibly. He’s oddly concerned yet admitting he could harm you. I’m not sure what to think about that, honestly. I called Agent Turner and let him know about it.”

She stared at him another moment, her gaze penetrating and deep. He waited for her to say whatever was on her mind.

“I keep thinking about Dante still being alive,” Mallory finally said.

Tennyson blanched, startled. “You do?”

She shrugged. “Humor me a moment. What if he really did somehow survive?”

Tennyson didn’t say anything for a moment.

“In a way, it makes sense,” Mallory continued.

Tennyson squinted. “What does?”

“That he could be alive.”

“What are you saying, Mallory?”

She nibbled on her bottom lip before saying, “I’ve been afraid of how people would perceive me if I ever voiced my thoughts aloud. I didn’t want to be taken off tour because it would mean going back to being alone with my thoughts. But . . .”

“What are you thinking?”

She pulled her eyes up to meet his. “It’s always struck me as strange that Dante set himself on fire. Why would he do that?”

Mallory had never wanted to release the thought into the open.

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