Perhaps it wasn’t a friend after all who put her in this situation.
“How many enemies do you have, Roni Spencer? I’m going to need the list.”
“The only thing you’ll be getting from me is my dust. And a slammer in your face. And you can tell your so-called friends the same thing. You’re all going down. Believe me when I tell you that you’re going to wish you let Guerra kill me.”
“Shall I call him upstairs?”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“You’re right, I wouldn’t, but I need you to listen to me if I’m going to get you out of here and someplace safe.”
“And why would I let you take me anywhere else after you already brought me to such a horrid place? Do you know there are people kept here against their will? I’m not the only one.”
“Yes, I know, but right now my only concern is getting you out of here.”
“Why?”
Because I’m a federal agent who got you into this place, and now I feel responsible.
Blowing his cover wasn’t an option. There had to be another way to gain Roni’s trust. But how, when honesty was the best policy for such a thing?
But honesty is what nearly got his last civilian killed when he allowed her to play a role in his work. The less Roni knew the better for her safety. Let her fear him if it kept her alive...and in line.
Ethan leaned in. “I’m in the business of stealing cars, not murder. I’m not about to go down for yours. I meant what I said before. Someone you know paid Guerra to kill you. Someone who feels you have wronged them in some way, enough to want you to pay with your life. If you want to live into your golden years, you better start trusting me with a list of all the people you have aggrieved in some way.”
Roni tilted her head, her mouth still pursed in rebellion. “Would that be on or off the track?”
Great. Just what he thought. He wasn’t looking at one list. He was looking at multiples.
* * *
Roni’s ambivalent face in the three-way vanity mirrors proved her indecision from all sides. Her lips curled in distaste that she would even consider Gunn’s offer to help her as legit.
She averted her gaze to the other face reflected behind her. To the man, himself, who should be paying for all the atrocities inflicted on her.
Not earning her trust.
His baby blues stared at her, waiting for her compliance. She searched for clues to any real innocence in them. An innocent criminal. Yeah, right. The idea was absurd. Insane. Crazier than racing without a pit crew.
Ah, and there was the clincher. She knew a racer was only as good as her crew. And she was as good as dead without a team to get her out of here alive.
But to trust a criminal?
“Clock’s ticking, Roni.” Gunn urged her to make up her mind. “If I didn’t care about your life, I wouldn’t have interrupted Guerra’s handiwork at your garage.”
“My school,” she mumbled. Would her dream ever come true now? Would anyone but her care if it didn’t? Definitely not Uncle Clay.
“What school?” the criminal asked.
Roni hesitated sharing anything with this man, but made the decision to test the waters. She’d find out soon enough if she dipped too far. She also hoped she’d uncover a little information about the identity of Gunn. “You can put Clay Spencer on the top of the list.”
“Your uncle?” he replied quickly.
She folded her arms. “Interesting you should know that. Are you working with him? Did he give you and Guerra access to my track?”
“If I knew that I wouldn’t be asking you for a list of your enemies. As for knowing he’s your uncle, I like to check out the places we’re setting up shop. Like who’s running the joint and who might come after me.”
“So that’s how you knew I owned Spencer Speedway? You had me checked out?” Roni’s hand went to her throat. “What else did you learn about me?”
“That’s a topic for another day. Right now, I need to know why you think your uncle would want to harm you. Has he in the past?”
She hesitated. “No, but let’s just say he’s never been very supportive of me.” She dropped her arm and moved to the edge of the bed, resting a hand on the bedpost. “For years I’ve wanted to open a racing school at the track, but he’s stood in my way. Even tried to marry me off so I would walk away from the business.”
“Marry you off?” Ethan huffed. “Who got the door prize at that bazaar?”
A laugh bubbled up Roni’s throat and slipped out before she could stop it. She couldn’t help herself, even if the joke was on her. “That is totally something I would say. You’re a funny man, Gunn.”
“Ethan.”
She sobered. Too intimate. “We’ll see, Gunn.”
He gave her his striking profile as he peered down the hall. “That’s fine. Back to the list. Who did your uncle want you to marry?” He faced her again, and she hated that she liked that view too.
“Jared Finlay.”
“The racer?”
“Only because of me. I taught him everything he knows and sponsored him all the way.”
“And?” Ethan asked.
“And what?”
“And should I add him to the list?”
Roni dropped her gaze to the floor, giving a reluctant half nod after a few moments, questioning how much more information to give Gunn. She would surely regret trusting him. Just as she regretted ever trusting Jared Finlay. Gunn should know how she worked, just in case he got any ideas.
Roni lifted her chin to the criminal before her. “You should know Jared’s days of racing are over. No sponsor will touch him. I made sure of it.”
“So you ruined him. Is that what you’re saying?”
“I’m saying I know how to make people who cross me wish they never did. I’m trusting you as you asked. Don’t make me regret it.”
Voices drifted down the hall, followed by a deep voice bellowing, “Where’s her guard?”
The Boss was back.
“Everyone was called to look for Gunn,” someone else spoke quickly.
Ethan reached a hand out and twisted Roni’s arm behind her, catching her off guard.
“What are you doing? Let me go!” she yelled.
“You think you’re going to break out of here? Not on my watch.” Ethan spoke so loud she ducked her rattling ear away.
The door pushed open wide, exposing the Boss and Guerra with more guards in suits. “What’s going on? Why are you in here, Gunn?” Guerra bellowed.
“Caught her sneaking around the place. I was bringing her back to lock her up.”
The Boss sent a scathing look her way, but it didn’t even come close to the one she sent Ethan Gunn’s way. If this was how he would repay her for trusting him, it would never happen again.
“See what I mean?” Guerra said to the Boss. “He’s like a chameleon, but he always delivers.”
The sleazy owner of this place turned his gaze onto Gunn. “You’ve bought yourself another day on this earth, Gunn. Miss Spencer, I’ll expect you at my breakfast table, and you better have a good explanation for leaving this room. You can