Shiver

with Danny’s. “When do we get to go home?”
    There really wasn’t any truthful answer to that, so Danny gave her a semiapologetic grimace.
    “Soon as possible?” he tried.
    “More crap.”
    “Best answer you’re going to get,” Sanders put in. Unwisely, in Danny’s opinion, but at least it got Sam’s attention off him.
    The Lortab was really kicking in, he realized just then. Jerking his eyes up from where they had landed during their latest accidental downward slide, Danny focused on something, anything else—her eyes—instead. They now blazed at Sanders—thank Jesus—who, with his back turned, was oblivious. Danny was only glad that her ire was directed toward Sanders and not at him. From the way the other men subtly adjusted their positions so that none of them was looking in Sam’s direction any longer, Danny got the feeling that he was not the only one glad not to be in the line of fire.
    “I want to know where you’re taking us.” Sam’s tone was even sharper than before. “I have a right to know.”
    Through the rearview mirror Danny saw Sanders’s eyes narrow, and surmised a reply was in the offing that would piss its target royally off.
    “We’re in Nevada,” he intervened, before Sanders could respond with something that would just make life more difficultfor all of them. “Going north.” Glancing toward the mountains in the distance, making a quick calculation, he added, “I’m guessing we’re heading toward Idaho.”
    Sanders’s through-the-mirror frown told him that he was correct.
    “Where in Idaho?” Those big blue eyes turned on Danny. They were not filled with sweetness and light. Damn, he should have stayed out of it.
    “Don’t know,” he had to admit. She glared at him.
    “Where in Idaho?” Sam addressed the back of Sanders’s head.
    Sanders threw the reply over his shoulder. “That’s on a need-to-know basis.”
    “So I need to know.”
    “I was told to keep our destination a secret until we get there,” Sanders said grimly. “And that’s what I mean to do. It’s for your safety, Ms. Jones. All of our safety.”
    Watching Sam’s lips tighten—and, as an adjunct, her chest swell—Danny forced his eyes forward again even as he braced himself for a blast of indignation.
    “Are the bad men still looking for us?” Tyler piped up, his voice sounding small and strained. He sidled a little closer to Danny’s side as he spoke, prompting Danny to glance down at him. On Danny’s other side, Sam made an inarticulate but pained sound. Her eyes had darkened and she was giving Tyler a worried look.
    Before she could say anything else, or Sanders could come out with something that might be even more kid-fear-inducing, Danny said lightly to Tyler: “Your mom scared all the bad menoff. Think about it: would you go anywhere near her if you thought she had a gun?”
    That made Tyler chuckle. He shook his head. “No.”
    “Me neither.” Danny grinned at him.
    “We’re fine, baby. You don’t have to worry.” Sam’s voice had lost its edge as she sought to soothe her son.
    “I know, Mom. We’re safe now that we’re with Trey.”
    From Sam’s expression, Danny could tell she didn’t exactly buy into that. He also knew she wasn’t going to argue. Then Danny felt a small hand sliding into the crook of his elbow. Glancing down, he saw that Tyler was hugging his arm. Apparently feeling Danny’s gaze on him, the kid looked up and smiled at him. He had black-lashed blue eyes that were exactly like his mom’s—except Tyler’s shone with trust. In him. Bandaged finger or no, Danny shifted so that his arm was draped around the kid’s shoulders. Tyler snuggled closer against his side.
    The small action touched something deep inside Danny that he hadn’t even known was there.
    Whatever happens, I’m keeping this kid—and his mother—safe.
    Sam gave him a look that he found impossible to read. He was pretty sure that it didn’t translate into thanks for being nice to my son, however.
    He smiled at her. She scowled at him.
    For a while they rode in silence except for the hum of the pavement beneath the wheels. The sun rose, and the day got hotter. Danny knew, because even inside the SUV it was starting to get warm. At least, it was getting warm in the backseat,where the air-conditioning apparently didn’t altogether reach. With both Tyler and Sam leaning against him, drowsing, Danny felt himself starting to sweat. Plus, his leg was starting to hurt,