Mountain Secrets by Elizabeth Goddard (good books to read for teens txt) 📕

back in the seat and chuckled. “You play this right, and it could be the start of a great partnership.” He kissed her cheek. “In so many ways.”

“Yes, indeed.”

He patted her hand. “You’re looking forward to it, aren’t you, Blondie?”

She cringed. She hated being called Blondie. “Of course I am, Nick. You and me, just like old times.”

“You have an in with Sun and Ski, so no more having to fish out the entry codes.”

At least now she knew her boss wasn’t involved. “What do you mean fish out the entry codes?”

Any information she could garner would be helpful.

“What do you care?” Suspicion clouded his words, and she feared she’d overplayed her hand.

Nick kept the gun pointed at her as she came to the edge of town and made several turns to get to the Sun and Ski office.

As they approached the building, Nick sat up straighter. He looked from side to side, homing in on the dark cars parked on the street. He waved the gun in the air. “Go past. Keep driving.”

The Bureau probably was watching the office and her home.

She checked the rearview mirror by raising her eyes but not moving her head. Just as she turned onto another street, headlights came on at the end of the street opposite the Sun and Ski office.

Nick instructed her where to turn until they came to a trailer park on the outskirts of town. They pulled up to one of the trailers where the lights were still on and a television glowed through the window. She’d been here before when she dated Nick.

“Go in and get a pair of black pants and a shirt from Aunt Phoebe’s closet. Hurry.” He lifted the gun slightly. “Don’t try anything.”

She met his gaze. “You know I wouldn’t, Nick.” Her voice had sounded a little too forceful. She remembered Aunt Phoebe from when she had dated Nick all those years ago. Chances were she was passed out on the couch with her two cats.

Isabel stepped inside the dimly lit trailer.

True to form, Aunt Phoebe snored away in an easy chair. There was only one cat resting on her lap, though.

Isabel saw no landline or cell anywhere in the living room. She hurried down the hallway to where the bedroom was. As she grabbed a black shirt and pants from a drawer, she glanced around, searching for a cell phone.

She spied it on the bureau beside Aunt Phoebe’s bed. She slipped into the shirt and zipped up the pants. Phoebe was maybe a size bigger than Isabel. She’d stepped toward the bureau when Nick’s voice pelted her back.

“You’ll need a coat too.” He held up a ratty-looking dark blue ski jacket, then stepped toward her and kissed her on the lips.

Everything in her wanted to push him away, but she planted her feet and let him kiss her as she went cold as a stone on the inside. She stepped back. “We better hurry, don’t you think?”

Nick squeezed her upper arm. “Let’s do this, baby.”

He made her drive up to the cabin. She focused on the tiny bit of road illuminated by the headlights. Now was her opportunity to try to get as much information as she could.

“Why does the guy in charge pick these vacation homes for the drop-off and pickup? There has to be an easier way to do the smuggling.”

Nick chuckled. “I think he likes the game of it. Breaking into rich people’s fancy digs. He likes the idea of people coming into their homes and feeling like something is off but not being able to say why.”

The guy behind this was a little twisted psychologically. She drove on in silence for a few more minutes. She had to choose her words carefully to not give herself away. She knew from experience that Nick could spin out of control if he felt betrayed. “He told you that?”

“Yeah. One night when we’d had too much to drink.” Nick shook his head.

So Nick hadn’t been bragging about being close to the top in this whole operation.

“I gotta hand it to you, Nick. I’m impressed. Word on the street is that millions in merchandise changes hands.”

The flattery changed Nick’s whole demeanor. He sat back in his seat, lowered the gun and tilted his head toward the ceiling. “I’m telling you, Isabel, this is the big time. I think I might be able to take over this whole operation.”

Nick had always had an overblown view of his criminal skills.

She had a hundred other questions she wanted to ask him, but she needed to bide her time.

The road curved around several more times.

Nick sat up straight and peered out his window, suddenly alert.

Her heart squeezed tight. “What is it?”

She hadn’t seen any headlights behind her since they’d left town. She couldn’t assume Jason had made it to safety and been able to alert the agents, though she prayed that was the case.

Nick twisted from side to side, clearly nervous. Now she remembered how mercurial his moods could be. When she was with him as a teenager, it was like the ground was always shifting beneath her feet. “What’s that helicopter doing out here?”

Was it possible the FBI had decided a helicopter was a better choice in tracking them on this remote road? “The resort does rides, remember?”

“Yeah, but at night?” He curled his hands into fists and pounded one against the other.

“Maybe. I don’t know,” she said.

Nick slammed the back of his head against the seat and stared at the ceiling.

“It’s probably just a private citizen. Lots of people own helicopters around here.” She struggled to keep her voice neutral. His volcanic personality affected her even now. “I think we should go forward with the plan. You don’t want your boss upset with you, right?”

Tension invaded the car like a lead blanket.

Nick continued to stare at the ceiling. He let out a heavy breath. “Are you ordering me around, Is...a...bel?” He dragged out her name as his voice filled with accusation.

Sweat trickled down the back of