I sat down, trying to calm the patter of my heart. My knee bumped up and down.
Another frantic howl echoed through the station, startling me.
“What is that?” I demanded, looking to the front desk guy. He was behind a tall counter, computer beside him. The American and Colorado flags were in a stand off to the side.
He shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Some nut job they picked up. He’s been howling like a wolf for the last twenty minutes. Maybe he thinks it will get him out or something. Or sent for a psych hold.”
Minutes ticked by, and my knee kept bobbing. Another wolf howl made my scalp prickle.
Finally, Mark emerged from the back, escorting Roy.
I leaped up from my seat and ran toward them. “Roy!”
But then my leaping heart tumbled because he looked terrible. White-faced. Sweaty. Eyes haunted. He was shivering like it was freezing inside the station.
My stride broke at the shock of it. Oh no! Oh God. His claustrophobia! It probably killed him being in a jail cell again.
Relief crossed Roy’s face when he spotted me, and he opened his arms wide, sweeping me into a giant bear hug without stopping his long strides that carried us straight out the doors.
I heard him suck in several deep breaths outside as he held me in a death grip. I straddled his waist and wrapped my arms around his neck, holding on to him like a koala. “Are you okay?” I murmured, kissing his sweaty neck. “That must’ve been so hard for you.”
He didn’t answer. His breath rasped in my ear in heavy pants. I placed another kiss on his temple. “It’s okay. You’re out now,” I murmured.
“The charges have been dropped. He’s free to go.”
Thank God. Tears smarted my eyes.
Roy didn’t put me down until we’d moved away from the building.
“How?”
Mark shrugged. “I met with the police chief and got it all squared away. He’s been helping the DEA with this, so once I told him it was all part of the investigation, he let him go.”
I sighed in relief.
“I’m gonna give you directions and the key code to my cabin, so you can get out of town and let things calm down while I get a warrant to pick up Lazano,” he continued. “You’ll also be safe up there. No more men coming after you.”
That sounded like a great idea–not being shot at.
“Roy might need to run around a bit to work off some of his energy,” he added.
“Okay–here’s the thumb drive. I put the accounting spreadsheet on there with the wire details.” I handed it to Mark. He’d gotten Roy out, so this was my end of the deal. “Wait, your… cabin?”
Mark nodded. “It’s up in the foothills about forty-five minutes from here. Better than that hotel suite.”
He was probably right. Roy definitely didn’t need to go near an elevator again.
I smiled at Mark’s consideration. “Thanks.”
“You need me to drive you?” Mark asked Roy.
Roy didn’t answer, only held me tightly with his nose buried in my hair.
“You need to get to my cabin, Roy. You can run out there. Okay? Lots of good places, too. Let’s get you out of the city. You hear me?”
I didn’t know why he was talking to him like he was dense. Or a child. And run? It wasn’t gym class.
But Roy grunted and slowly released his grip on me, lowering me to the ground. He held my waist as I settled. “Yeah. I need to run,” he agreed then ran a hand over his face.