The Sniper. Kimberly Van Meter

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СКАЧАТЬ smarter than that.”

      “Well, that remains to be seen,” she muttered. “Besides, if someone was trying to kill me why did they kill Sonia instead?”

      “She was a witness. No loose ends. If you recall, you were seconds away from sharing the same fate as your friend.”

      He hated to be so blunt but he didn’t see the value in sugarcoating the truth, as much as he could tell her, anyway. “Have you been dating?” he asked, steeling himself for her answer. It was important information, he told himself, not for personal reasons but because he needed to eliminate suspects. Well, it was a plausible justification, but when Jaci shrugged and admitted to a few dates his blood percolated. “Who? I need names.”

      She shot him a dark look. “No one serious. I wasn’t interested in getting in a serious relationship after what’d happened with you and me. But Sonia convinced me that I couldn’t live like a hermit and I thought the best way to get over you would be to see other people.”

      “Did it work?” Why the hell did he ask that? “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked. It doesn’t matter. Tell me about your dates. I need to run them through a background check.”

      She scowled. “They were normal people. Bankers, a doctor, I think a lawyer or two, I don’t know. But they sure as hell weren’t spies. And none of them worked for the government in any capacity.”

      “Jaci, people lie. And you are a very trusting person so your doctors and lawyers, unless you do a full background check on them, may not have been who they said they were. I told you I worked for the FBI. You never thought to look any deeper.”

      He detested to throw in her face how he’d duped her but the pain was necessary to get through her head that people were unscrupulous at best, and dangerous at their worst. Jaci looked away and remained quiet for a long moment. Finally she said, “I met them through an online dating service. If I can get to a computer I can log on to my site and show you who I was matched up with. Would that help?”

      Nathan did a double take. “An online dating service? Why would you go through one of those sites? It’s not like you couldn’t find a date on your own. Don’t you know those places are ripe for liars? Why would you take such a risk?”

      “You don’t get to criticize how I lead my life after you left me. For your information, online dating is something that everybody does. It’s not just for the sad, lonely, pathetic losers that you’re making it sound like. Most people have careers and don’t have time to hang out in bars to meet someone. And frankly, why would I want to meet someone to build a life with in a bar?” She didn’t have to remind him that they’d met in a bar. He remembered quite clearly. He also caught her subtle dig. “Besides, I wasn’t looking for Mr. Right. I was just looking for someone to spend a little time with.”

      “So you were just taking home random guys for sex?”

      Jaci lifted her chin. “Yes, that’s right. I have needs, too. Are you saying that when we broke up you became celibate?”

      How did they end up talking about their sex lives? He hated knowing that Jaci had been with other men after their breakup, but what had he expected? Hell, he’d tried to tell himself that letting her go was a noble gesture on his part so that she could meet someone normal and get married and have a family. He couldn’t have it both ways—let her go, plus expect her to live like a nun.

      “Of course not,” he said, answering her question. “I saw other people,” he lied. Nathan didn’t want to admit to her that when he’d become accustomed to steak, the prospect of hamburger simply hadn’t appealed. “My point is, there’s a possibility that someone you dated may be trying to kill you. I can’t discount the possibility. And as uncomfortable as it may be for the both of us to talk about the people who came after us I can’t simply ignore the possible lead just because it hurts to talk about it.”

      “Why would it hurt you? You were the one who left me, remember?”

      “Yes, Jaci, I remember.” He gritted his teeth, pausing a moment to withstand the surge of defensive anger that followed her pointed reminder. “Very clearly. And leaving you hurt like a son of a bitch.”

      “I don’t believe you,” she shot back heatedly. “You can’t rewrite history just because you suddenly don’t like the part you played. I was in love with you. I wanted to get married and have kids and build a life together. I thought we were on the same page but you corrected my assumptions, didn’t you? So, no, I don’t believe you when you say that it hurt you to leave me. And I find it insulting that you would even try to make me believe that lie.”

      What could he say? He understood where she was coming from. If the shoe had been on the other foot—if she had done to him what he had done to her—there was nothing that she would’ve been able to say to change his mind. Would it help if he tried to apologize? She deserved at least that but he didn’t know how to formulate the words. “Jaci...I—” he began, but she shut him down quickly.

      “Don’t. Whatever you have to say, I don’t want to hear. I just want to put all of this behind me and forget I ever met you. I was close to having closure when you burst back into my life. I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want to cry, I don’t want to wonder, I don’t want to think of what might’ve been. I just want to be free of you.”

      Oh, God, that hurt. Nathan’s jaw tightened as he willed the pain away. She’d said her piece and he had to respect her for it. He understood her need for closure. And if that’s what she wanted from him, he’d give it to her. As soon as he knew she was safe, he would walk away and never bother her again. But until then, until he knew there was no one who wanted her dead, he would stick to her like glue. Anyone who wanted to hurt Jaci would have to go through him first. And he was one hell of a moving target with an even deadlier aim.

      * * *

      Damn him. How dare he try to rewrite history as if he hadn’t set in motion everything that had taken place. He wasn’t allowed to be hurt or express pain over their breakup because he was the one who had shattered her heart into a million pieces. He didn’t get the option of sharing his regret. And if that seemed unfair, so be it. She didn’t care.

      She blinked back tears. No, she wouldn’t cry. She refused to be that weak, weeping woman who fell apart at the slightest sign of a crisis. She was stronger than that. At least she wanted to be. She had to be strong for Sonia. Her best friend had died for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. If Nathan thought he could figure out who was after her, then she had to let him try. But first, she needed a few things. “We need to stop by my apartment. I’m not going on the run wearing nothing but club clothes that smell like stale cigarettes and alcohol.” Not to mention blood splatter, Jaci thought, fighting the rise of nausea and grief. “And I want to know what happened to my friend. I don’t care who you have to call or what you have to do but I need answers. I need to know that my best friend is being taken care of.” Tears stung her eyes. “Do you understand? I need to know that Sonia was properly put to rest.”

      Nathan didn’t look happy with her request but he seemed to understand her need for closure. “If you promise to stick to my side, as in no running off doing anything crazy or reckless, I’ll tell you what I know of what happened after we left the scene.”

      She made a face. “You’re negotiating?”

      “I’m securing your cooperation. Make your choice.”

      She crossed her arms. “Fine. I agree to stick to your side like glue СКАЧАТЬ