“Are you hungry? Want some lunch? We can eat at my parents’ house.” Stomach in knots, she couldn’t eat if someone forced her, but politeness made her ask.
“Sounds good. That cup of coffee at Jarrett’s barely did it.” He cocked his head at her. “Your parents still employ Lucy, the cook? She always made a terrific Spanish omelet. I’ve a hankering. Much better than diner food.”
“Yes. She’s been with the family forever.” Kara was impressed Jace still remembered Lucy. A brief smile touched her face. “Extra peppers, right?”
“You got it, babe.” He winked.
Kara hesitated. Once he’d called her that as a term of endearment. They were no longer together, and it stung.
“Please don’t call me that, Jace, especially in front of my parents. I...don’t want them to think we’re together again.”
His gaze was long and steady. “Sorry. I slipped. My bad. Fell back into old habits.”
Once she’d wished they both could fall back into what they had shared. But the pain of their breakup still radiated deep in her bones.
She gestured to the bike. “I wish I could just call an Uber. It’s not too late for me to try, and you could meet me at my parents’ house.”
He gave her a scrutinizing look. “Was it really that bad, Kara?”
Instinctively, she knew he was talking about them, not the bike.
“No, it wasn’t. But there was simply too much to overcome, Jace,” she said so quietly she wasn’t certain he heard her.
Her cell rang. Kara’s heart raced as she saw caller ID.
Dylan.
Thank heavens he’s alive. “Jace, I have a call. I’ll be right back.”
Kara walked over to the side of the garage as Jace climbed onto the motorcycle and started it. For the first time, she was glad of the motorcycle’s coughing roar. Jace couldn’t hear her conversation.
“Where are you?” Kara tried to keep her voice calm. “Dylan, your mom and I are worried about you. I just spoke to her.”
“I know. She texted me and told me to call you.”
“Please, tell me where you are and I’ll come get you.”
“No! I’m okay, Kara. I took the jewelry from the gang. Had to. I’m so sorry I had to steal from you, Kara!”
He sounded scared and lost, like the little boy who came to Conner’s funeral, wondering why his best friend had died. Kara swallowed hard.
“The jewelry doesn’t matter. You do. Jewelry can be replaced. You can’t. Please, Dylan, I’m so worried about you.”
“I didn’t want to steal, Kara. But Lance threatened me. I had no choice.” He paused. “He promised me at least two thousand for the job, and when I asked Big Mike about the money, all I got was a line of crap. They had no intention of paying me. You’re the nicest person I know and you didn’t deserve this. So I took from them what they took from you.”
Something inside her eased. Kara peered around the garage. Jace still sat on his bike.
“I want to return it to you, Kara. I can hide it and you can get it. I’ll find a place and let you know where it is.”
“Dylan, tell me where you are.”
“I can’t, Kara. I saw something.” His voice broke. “I’m in big trouble. They’ll kill me if they find me.”
She drew in a breath. “Like the others?”
“I saw who killed them.”
Her stomach roiled. “Oh, dear heavens.”
“I saw them, Kara. I was in the garage, taking Royce’s bike, and heard two big hogs pull up. Two guys... Big Mike, and he called the other guy Marcus. I went to the clubhouse and peeked through the windows. I saw who killed them. There was so much blood, I was so scared I wheeled my bike out to where they couldn’t hear me and then I just took off and I’ve been hiding ever since.”
Nausea rose in her throat.
“Did they see you, Dylan? Did they?”
Because if the bikers knew Dylan witnessed the murders, he was as good as dead.
“No. I’m sure they didn’t. I was careful, got away from the clubhouse before they came out. Unless they checked the security cameras.”
“Jace disabled the receiver before he left. Long story.”
Kara gripped her cell so hard it was sure to leave imprints on her palm. “Stay where you are. Stay there and I’ll come and get you. The police will go easy on you, Dylan, if I vouch for you.”
“No. I can’t risk it. I’m sorry, Kara, but I can’t.”
“Please, Dylan. If you truly are sorry, you’ll let me help you.”
Silence for a moment and then he finally said, “Okay. Not now. It’s too risky, I’m in a place where I’m too visible. Tomorrow, I’ll call you at five in the afternoon and give you details where you can find the jewelry. Not in Florida. Marcus has spies all over Florida.”