“I said I was sorry, Shelbs!” He rubs his hands over his face nervously. “God, this has all gotten so out of hand. I thought, since we were separated, it would be safe with you.”
“Whatwould be safe with me?”
He doesn’t answer. “They were never supposed to come after you.”
“What aren’t you telling me, Paul? What the hell did you steal from Petrov? And what does it have to do with me?”
He sighs. “I’m going to sort it out, okay? I’ll tell them you had nothing to do with this. I’ll convince them you don’t have it.”
It?
His voice is almost manic. “Once they’re gone, we’ll have enough money to run away. Anywhere you want — spin the globe and pick a spot, Shelby. Sky’s the limit.” He takes a step toward me, brown eyes shining in the dark. “But first, I need you to tell me where it is. I swear, I’ve looked everywhere. Searched this house top to bottom.”
“Wherewhatis?” I ask, genuinely confused.
“Now is not the time to play dumb, Shelby!”
My heart kicks into higher gear as I stare at the man I married. He’s not making sense and, to be perfectly honest, he’s starting to scare me. “First of all, don’t call me dumb. Secondly, I’m not going anywhere with you. And thirdly, I don’t have theslightest fucking cluewhat you’re talking about.”
He unleashes a frustrated groan and runs his hands through his hair. It’s longer than I’ve ever seen it — as though he hasn’t had a haircut in quite some time. In fact, now that I’m taking the time to really examine him, I notice he doesn’t look so good. Certainly not like the snappy dresser I remember from our years together. His clothes are rumpled, as though he’s been wearing them for more than a single day, and there are deep shadows under his eyes.
My sleep-dulled brain finally catches up with my body and several thoughts occur to me in rapid succession.
“How did you even get in here, Paul?” I ask, narrowing my eyes on him. “There are a dozen FBI agents watching the house. Not to mention the one sleeping on the couch downstairs. I highly doubt you slipped in without a single one of them noticing.”
“Wait. They’reFBI?” Paul groans. “God, Shelby, I can’t believe you did this.”
“I didn’t do a damn thing, you monumental jerk!”
“Bringing the feds into this is only going to fuck me over more thoroughly!”
“And whose fault is that?”
He sighs sulkily.
“You didn’t answer my question,” I prompt, growing impatient. “How the hell did you get in here undetected?”
He suddenly looks a bit embarrassed. “I’ve… kind of been…”
I arch my brows.
“Crashing in the attic,” he finishes, avoiding my eyes.
“WHAT?!”
“Keep it down!”
“Keep it down?KEEP IT DOWN?You just said you’ve been sleeping in our attic! Without my knowledge! After I threw you out of the house!”
“Relax, will you? It was only a few nights last month, when these two scary guys started tailing me home from my office… ”
“Oh my god! IknewI heard scuffling! I thought I had a raccoon living in the chimney!” My eyes shoot daggers at him. “I hired someone to come put a cap on it and everything!”
“Yeah…surprise,” he says weakly. “That was me, moving around up there.”
I’m too pissed to speak.
“Silver lining? You don’t have a raccoon problem.”