Read Online No Place to Hide by Lynette Eason - Free Book Online Page A

until she listens to my voice mails.” He nearly growled. “Why won’t she answer her phone?”
    “Sounds like we need to find that out ourselves.” He handed her the phone and it vibrated. Ron. “Hey.”
    “I’ve got you bus tickets. You need to be on it first thing this morning. I’ll text you the information.”
    “To New York?”
    “To New York.” Ron paused. She heard the clicks on the keyboard of a computer. “When do we get to bring in the team on this?”
    “I’ll let you know. Thanks, Ron.”
    “Check in with me, Jackie. I’ll keep quiet until you say I can share.”
    A small measure of tension released in her shoulders. She’d made the right decision to call Ron. “I know. Thank you.” She disconnected the call and turned to look at Ian. “We’re going to New York.” Her phone buzzed with the promised travel information from Ron.
    He shivered. “Okay, I think that’s what we need to do. But it’s cold up there.”
    She snorted. “It’s cold here. And if that ‘NY’ in the email stands for New York, then we might find some answers there.”
    “And we can check on Holly and Lucy.”
    “And we can definitely check on Holly and Lucy.”
    “But that ‘NY’ could stand for anything.”
    “True. It could be code for something else entirely. But everything seems to be pointing to New York.” She pursed her lips. “Hopping on a bus may be the best thing we can do. I want to get away from these guys who are accusing you of being a terrorist and trying to kill you.”
    “Us.”
    “What?”
    “They’re accusing—and trying to kill—us.”
    “Okay.” She lifted her head and met his gaze. “When you’re right, you’re right. Us if that makes you feel better.”
    “It does. I’ve never liked being in trouble by myself.” She snorted and he shrugged. “Sorry. When I get scared, I crack stupid jokes.”
    She softened. “Yeah, I seem to remember that about you.” She gave him a small smile. “I suppose that’s better than freaking out.”
    “Don’t worry. I’m doing that on the inside.”

8
    MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23
6:45 A.M.
MOONACHIE, NJ
FLOAT DECORATING WAREHOUSE
    Maria Fox stood on the float platform and ran her hands over the belly of the framed-out and burlap-covered dragon. One of the five first-year clients for Hands Down Parade Company, Manguson’s Toy Factory had chosen a dinosaur toy–themed float for the upcoming parade.
    The fire-breathing dragon attached to the belly stood twelve feet tall. His jaw was permanently open and his jagged teeth were fearsome. She smiled. The kids would love him. Bubbles would spill from his mouth, taking the place of flames. Maria could already envision the children’s delight in popping them as they drifted over their heads. “Looks great.”
    “All that’s left is the painting,” Henry Franklin said. “You’ll work your magic and make it come alive.”
    Maria smiled. She took great pleasure in her job. Painting floats for parades was a dream come true. She’d gotten her degree in portraiture from Pacific Northwest College of Art. She had the responsibility for the details such as carving heads,painting faces, and making signs. Henry was the organizer. He handled the larger aspects of the floats, like overseeing the initial decoration that included covering the structure with burlap and constructing decorative pieces. All of which Maria would paint. “The countdown is on.”
    “It’s going to be long days and nights.”
    A flicker of apprehension darted through her. “I know.”
    “Leo’s been working quite a bit too, hasn’t he?”
    “Yes. A lot.” She frowned. They’d argued about that just a few days ago. She knew she shouldn’t badger him about staying home more, but when poor Lewis constantly nagged her about why his father had to be gone so much, she almost couldn’t help it.
    “You have someone to watch Lewis?”
    Lewis, her five-year-old son. A little boy who needed his parents to be there for him. “My