He craved more—of her time, her attention, her—but he knew that wouldn’t be wise for either of them.

How had he let her get under his skin so quickly?

Maybe that wasn’t too odd. Even Wallace found her attractive. He’d mentioned how pretty she was before they’d met her at the library, had joked about wanting to get in her pants. He’d obviously thought talking so crudely was the best way to relate to an ex-con, but Virgil hadn’t been impressed.

The phone rang.

Hoping it was his sister, or Wallace calling with an update, he grabbed the handset. “Hello?”

“Is Hal Geribaldi there?”

“Who?”

“Hal.”

Virgil racked his brain, trying to figure out if he recognized the voice. He didn’t, but that brought little relief. “How did you get this number?”

“Isn’t this the Redwood Inn? Room fourteen?”

“No.”

“Sorry, man.”

Virgil disconnected, then sat staring at the phone. Was it really a wrong number? Or had someone used it to confirm that he was in the room?

He pictured the caller standing next to Pointblank Thompson, a man who’d gotten his nickname by shooting a cop at close range, or Pretty Boy McCready, who’d gotten the name from his good looks. Imagined this stranger, whoever he was, holding the phone so they could hear his voice. Imagined Pretty Boy, a former cell mate, nodding once to signify that they’d found him. And wondered if someone from The Crew would be knocking on his door.

Were they coming for him? Already?

It was possible. He’d been out five days and hadn’t made contact. They had to assume trouble, had to have started searching; they’d grown nervous way back when his exoneration was only a possibility. That was when they’d begun tailing Laurel, just in case he decided to break away. They were afraid a “lifeboat,” as they called an exoneration, might lure him into a legal life. They were also afraid of what he knew and what he’d tell.

But they didn’t need to worry about what he’d say. So far Virgil had refused to snitch on anyone. He understood all the arguments for ratting out those he’d once considered friends. Because of their criminal activities, he’d be doing society a favor, et cetera. He didn’t care. The authorities would have to find someone else to inform on The Crew. Although his former brothers would do their damnedest to take him out, his personal code of ethics wouldn’t allow him to turn traitor.

He’d soon be providing intel on the Hells Fury, but he didn’t view that in the same light. He hadn’t made them any promises. Perhaps the distinction was a bit blurry, but as crazy as his rationale sometimes sounded, even to him, this was the only way he could save Laurel, get out of The Crew and be able to live with himself when it was all over.

If The Crew hurt Laurel, however, he’d forget about the delicate balance he was trying to achieve. Redemption wouldn’t matter. Starting over wouldn’t matter. His future wouldn’t matter. He’d scrap all his good intentions and make their destruction his final mission.

His life had been a tug-of-war from the beginning, hadn’t it? Thanks to his mother and uncle. Maybe he was never meant to escape what they’d done. Maybe, in the end, he’d become what other people had, for all these years, believed him to be. And maybe his actions would lead him straight back to prison, if he didn’t get killed along the way. But at least if he went to prison a second time, he’d deserve to be locked up.

Climbing off the bed, he went to his duffel bag, pulled a slip of paper from the zippered pouch on one side and studied the phone number scrawled across it. Pretty Boy’s number since he’d gotten out of prison. Virgil was tempted to call him, to tell him that as long as Laurel was okay he wouldn’t nark on anyone. He could get Pretty Boy to buy it. But even if Pretty Boy managed to convince Horse and Shady, the man who was really calling the shots, the gang couldn’t allow him to disrespect them by walking off unscathed.

Just in case they were scrambling and hadn’t yet decided how to react to his sudden disappearance, Virgil dared not call. Doing so might make them move on Laurel more quickly than they otherwise would. He wanted to give Wallace as much time as possible to get her to a safe place.

With a sigh, he tossed the number on the desk and stepped over to the window, where he held the drapes so he could peer out.

Fog made it difficult to see the parking lot, but a car idled in front of the lobby, its headlights boring holes in the mist. That car seemed suspect. But everything seemed suspect. He’d been living without trust for too long, had lost the ability to feel safe.

The phone rang again. Still leery, he stood to one side of the window as he answered. “’Lo?”

“Virgil?”

It was Peyton. Letting go of his breath, he sank onto the bed. “Yes?”

“You okay?”

He pictured that car, wondered if he had any reason to worry. “Fine, why?”

“I thought you’d be sleeping.”

“You were trying to wake me up?”

“Since we’ve become friends, I knew you wouldn’t care.”

She was teasing, and now that she was at a safe distance, he welcomed the distraction. It relieved the tension inside him and gave him a chance to reassure himself that The Crew wasn’t outside waiting. “Am I to assume you regret your earlier decision?” he asked.

“What earlier decision?”

“To take me back to the motel?”

“That was your decision. I would’ve been happy to feed you.”

“I was more interested in dessert.”

She ignored that comment. “I just spoke to Wallace.”

His hand tightened on the phone. “Is Laurel okay?”

“He was getting on a plane and didn’t mention Laurel. Should he have?”

“He’s supposed to be taking care of her.”

“Then that’s where he’s going. Trust me, he doesn’t want to screw up. He has big plans for his future.”

The comments Wallace had made about Peyton rose in his mind again. Wait till you see her. She is so hot. What I wouldn’t give for a piece of that. “In more ways than one.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Nothing.”

“You don’t like Wallace?”

“Not particularly.” He got up to check the window, saw the same car sitting in the parking lot. Surely it didn’t take more than a few minutes to rent a room…. “Why not?”

“A lot of reasons. But I don’t care who or what he is as long as he keeps his word. He will keep his word, won’t he?”

She hesitated. “He…should.”

“You don’t sound too certain.”

“I can’t promise what’s out of my control, Virgil.”

“That’s one of the reasons you’re worried about this operation, isn’t it? You know they don’t expect me to come out of it alive.” No response.

“It’s a pretty smart plan, really. If I get killed, they won’t have to pay me the money they owe me. Easy way to save a large sum without risking one of their own people.”

“I’m positive that’s not true. No one’s thinking any such thing. And even if they are, you’ll get the money.”

In other words, he’d live to see the day. He could tell she planned to ensure it. But he wasn’t convinced she’d be able to make much of a difference. What went down in prison tended to happen very fast and not right under the nose of the warden or the chief deputy warden, either.

But he didn’t say that. It felt good to have someone on his side. Somehow, he believed Peyton cared about his well-being, that she was sincere even though it would serve her better to look out for her own interests.

“I told Wallace, by the way,” she said.

“Told him what?”

“That I’m aware of who you really are.”

He checked the window again. Car still there. “Why’d you do that?”

“I wanted more information.”

“On…?”

“You.”

“Did you get it?”

“I think so.”

“And now you know all my darkest secrets.”

“I know the basics.”

“Why are you telling me?”