Marked for Revenge

by Valerie Hansen

  “You don’t look so good,” Kaitlin remarked.

  “Really?” His teeth chattered. “I feel wonderful.”

  Noting the truck slowing, he pushed himself higher in the seat. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m going to get you a blanket out of the back.”

  “I’m fine. Keep driving.”

  “There hasn’t been any sign we were followed,” she argued. “I’m getting the blanket. It’ll only take a second. And I want something to eat. You should eat, too.”

  “Did you bring a nice, medium-well steak dinner?” In truth he had no appetite but he wanted to keep up their semi-normal banter so she wouldn’t worry more.

  “Not exactly. I do have freeze-dried meals. We can cook those as soon as we camp.”

  “And in the meantime?”

  “Trail mix and protein bars. Easy to eat and full of vitamins.”

  “That’s not food. It’s hardly an appetizer.”

  “It’ll have to do.” She cast him a disparaging look. “You’re awfully fussy for a guy whose well-being depends on me.”

  The truth of that comment set him back. He nodded and reached for her hand. Slim fingers wove between his and he had to admit her touch felt reassuring. “I know. I’m sorry if you didn’t realize I was teasing,” he said softly. “If I let myself dwell on the fix I’m in it’ll...” He stopped himself before he said too much. Before he embarrassed himself. Yes, his emotional problem was more common than most laymen thought. And, yes, he had been through real torture. But as far as he was concerned, that wasn’t an excuse. He should have been stronger. He should be now. Yet he wasn’t, was he? And that failure ate at him like a ravenous beast.

  Feeling Kaitlin’s grip tighten on his hand he shook off his self-criticism and forced a smile. “My dad was a cop. Did I ever tell you that?”

  “I don’t remember hearing it before. Is he retired?”

  “He was, until he accidentally interrupted a robbery at a convenience store and tried to stop it all by himself.” Hoping she’d get the idea without a detailed retelling, Daniel was relieved to see her nod.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah, me, too.”

  “What about your mom?”

  “She’s adjusting, I guess.” And ranting about her foolish decision to marry a cop in the first place. “She has a lot of friends in the retirement community in Florida where she lives. They take trips together, throw parties for homeless people, make quilts for nursing homes. You know.”

  “Not really,” Kaitlin said. “My parents travel, too, but their altruism is confined to writing checks to charities occasionally. I’m not saying that’s wrong, it’s just so distanced from the actual needs.”

  Daniel smiled at her. “I’m glad you’re not like that, even though you did fund this adventure we’re on. I’ll pay you back, you know. I promise.”

  “Then I’d better keep you alive so I can collect,” she said, returning his grin.

  “That’s the idea.”

  When she pulled her hand away, opened the door and stepped out he was disappointed but had to admit her timing was perfect. Treating their association as if they were on a lark was best for both of them.

  Kaitlin returned and chose snacks from a plastic shopping bag while Daniel unwrapped the blanket. A few minutes of holding her hand had made him forget how chilled he was and how ill he felt. Now that their special moment had passed he was more than aware of his rising fever.

  The thought of food almost turned his stomach when she offered him an energy bar. “No. Thanks.”

  “You should eat,” she said.

  “Haven’t you heard the old saying, feed a cold and starve a fever?”

  “This is no head cold we’re dealing with,” Kaitlin reminded him. “This is a lot more serious.”

  “So is sitting here parked where anybody driving by can check us out,” Daniel countered. He’d put the cooler on the floor between his feet. He bent and lifted the lid. “I will drink something. What can I get you?”

  “A get out of jail free card?”

  “Sorry. Fresh out of those,” he said with a telling sigh.

  “That’s okay,” she said, smiling gently. “I’ll take a bottle of water instead.”

  Daniel was so touched by her empathy he had to look away to hide his raw emotions. If he were in the market for a permanent relationship with any woman he’d certainly put Kaitlin North at the top of his list.

  Remembering his mother’s angry raving after his father’s needless, untimely death, he steeled his nerve. Marriage was out. An extraordinary woman like Kaitlin deserved no less than total commitment and a promise of forever. Therefore, he reasoned, he should pray for the right man to come along to make her happy.

  That concept was almost ludicrous. If he wasn’t good enough for her, who would be? Certainly not any of his cop buddies, assuming he had any friends left on the force. Maybe a doctor? A paramedic?

  Each idea made him sadder. Each vision of her as the wife of another man brought deeper despair. To his astonishment, he hated picturing Kaitlin as anyone’s wife. Except maybe his own.

  “Impossible,” he whispered.

  “What is?”

  “Life,” Daniel snapped back. “Just plain life.”

  Surprisingly, she laughed. “Are you just now figuring that out? I thought you were a lot smarter.”

  He had to chuckle. “I used to think so, too, until a gang of crooks put a price on my head.”

  Eyebrows arching she said, “Yeah, there is that.”

  TEN

  Kaitlin could tell her patient was losing his fight against the infection. He could insist over and over that he was fine, but one look at his feverish face told a different story. His eyes had been closed for the last thirty minutes or so. She hoped he was dozing. He needed rest almost as much as they needed to find a place to hole up before dark.

  Camping? Her? Except for the experience of living with a group of wild kids in her teens she had zero experience roughing it. Well, so what? She could read directions on the packages to prepare their meals, and until Daniel grew hungry she figured to exist on trail mix and protein bars. She’d done it before. And providing she was careful to limit her own consumption of their supplies, she figured they’d have enough to last a week or more.

  And then what? Kaitlin asked herself. Possibilities kept popping into her head, each more dire than the one before, and the weather only served to accentuate her dilemma. Gathering clouds had cloaked what little daylight remained, she had no idea where they were because the GPS on her phone insisted they were off the charted grid and the supplies she’d bought did not include anything waterproof—except maybe the silvered blanketlike covers she’d added to save money.

  At the first hint of rain she was going to have to bring all their gear out of the back of the truck and cram it into the cab with them, so she decided to pull off the road and do it right away. If she didn’t find proper shelter soon they were going to have to spend the whole night that way.

  Nothing about this situation was funny, though Kaitlin did wish it were. Whoever had cast her as the heroine in this current drama had apparently failed to realize she was not a born country girl. Her instinct for survival might be strong but her preparation for this particular trial was nil.

  A flash of lightning made her gasp. Immediately penitent she glanced at the sky. “Oops. Sorry, Father. I don’t mean to complain but could You show me where to go? Where to turn? Where to hide?”

  Daniel stirred. Opening his eyes he peered into the dusk while he rubbed his neck. “Why did we stop? Where are we?”

  “I was just asking God the same question.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yes and no. GPS is out. I could use some guidance.”

  “I have an idea where we are,” he said. “I’m just surprised
you drove way up here.”

  “Up where?”

  “Lake of the Ozarks. See that sign?”

  A weathered billboard advertising a defunct fisherman’s resort stood halfway between the road and encroaching forest. Kaitlin nodded. “Do you think that place is still standing?”

  “Parts of it are,” he said.

  Noting the tension in his body and the way his jaw muscles were clenching, she was more than wary. “You’re sure?”

  “Yeah. Last I heard it was abandoned but I knew some of the guys who hung out there from time to time.”

  “I take it this wasn’t a police department retreat we’re talking about.”

  “No. It was a hideout for anybody who wanted to dodge the law.” He pointed. “Drive on. I’ll tell you where to turn. The road we want is just around the next bend.”

  “How far from there on? I was going to bring the rest of our gear in so it stayed dry.”

  “It’s not raining yet. Keep going. We’re safer there than we are out in the open like this.”

  Although she followed his orders she did so with keen misgivings. Once they were off the two-lane paved road and away from what little traffic there was, Kaitlin stopped her truck again. “I’m going to need a lot more information before I go driving into an armed camp.”

  “I’ve only been here once,” he told her. “I imagine they quit using the place after they figured out who I was. I assume they thought I’d identified it to law enforcement and it was no longer safe.”

  “Are they that smart?”

  “Some of them are,” Daniel countered, wincing as he shifted position and moved his injured leg. “The point is, we need temporary shelter and I know where we can find it.”

  “What do we do if somebody else is already there?”

  “Depends who it is.” He grimaced. “All I know is we can’t go on like this. You’ll give out and I’m already useless. It’s worth taking the chance.”

  Kaitlin pushed in the clutch and dropped the old truck into low gear. When she accelerated this time the engine growled like an angry bear about to go on a rampage.

  “Well, they’ll hear us coming for sure,” Daniel said. He rolled his eyes.

  Picking on her was one thing. Disparaging her beloved old truck was another. “You can always get out and walk.”

  “I’ll ride, thanks.”

  “Thought so.”

  “Sorry.”

  “For what?”

  He huffed, causing her to glance his way. “For being critical when I know you’re doing all you can to get us out of trouble.”

  That was better. “Apology accepted. Will this trail take us all the way or should I be looking for more signs?”

  “This entrance is a straight shot, but it’s pretty rough. If your four-wheel drive works you may want to use it.”

  Instead of responding directly, Kaitlin reached up and engaged all four wheels, then patted the dashboard. “It’s okay, baby. He didn’t mean it. You’re doing a great job.”

  “You talk to your truck?” She could hear a muted chuckle in his tone.

  “If course. We’re buds. And if you don’t stop picking on her she might just quit.” It was amusing to watch him puzzling out her comments and deciding whether or not she was serious. Finally, she said, “Relax. She loves me. She’ll keep going in spite of your rotten attitude.”

  “Good to know.”

  “Speaking of knowing,” Kaitlin began, “what can I expect at this so-called resort?”

  “A roof over your head, if nothing has changed for the worse. I know it won’t have improved.” He shifted, grimaced and continued. “The cabins and most of the lodge are uninhabitable by anything except wild animals and insects. The main room, however, had a working fireplace and fairly decent furniture the time I was here. You can build us a fire and we’ll be warm enough.”

  Kaitlin didn’t like the task he’d picked for her. “It’s not that cold out.”

  Daniel shivered beneath the blanket he’d pulled around himself. “Feels like it to me.”

  Right. His fever. Of course he’d need added warmth. She’d provide whatever he needed, even if it meant swallowing her pride and asking him how to build the fire. It couldn’t be that hard.

  “What about the smoke? Won’t it be noticeable?”

  Leaning slightly to look up at the sky he shook his head. “Not on a miserable night like this one promises to be.”

  “Sounds like an answer to prayer to me,” Kaitlin said, smiling. “I wanted a good hiding place and here we are.”

  “Wait till you see the lodge before you get too thankful,” Daniel said, sounding gruff. “It’s a dump.”

  “A safe dump?”

  “Relatively.”

  “Then I’m still thankful.” It was easy to tell his pain was increasing, partly because he had no smart-aleck retort and partly because his jaw muscles clenched against each jolt the truck took from the uneven terrain.

  Further thought about the abandoned lodge was reassuring. Even if the roof leaked in a few places, the coming rain was a blessing. It would mask their warming fire as well as wash away any tire tracks they might have left.

  Of course it would also cause them to leave behind ruts when they drove away. Ruts that could be followed as far as the highway. After that they could disappear again.

  Her hands tightened on the wheel. Unless they’ve guessed where we’re going and are waiting for us on the paved road when we try to leave.

  * * *

  It had been Daniel’s goal to describe the lodge as worse than it really was so Kaitlin wouldn’t be shocked when she saw it. As their headlights swept across the front of the building he realized he’d fallen short. It was far more dilapidated than he’d remembered. The only thing good about that was stronger assurance it was no longer in use, even temporarily.

  “Nice,” Kaitlin drawled with more than a hint of sarcasm.

  “So is your truck.”

  “Touché.” She was shaking her head slowly as the headlights illuminated the collapsing porch. “I think my truck comes out on top in this contest.”

  “Yeah. If I remember right there’s a rear entrance. It should be safer than trying to go in this way.”

  “And nobody will spot my beautiful truck.”

  “Right.” To his disgust, large rain drops were beginning to dot the windshield. “Better hurry.”

  “Ya think?”

  “All right, all right. I don’t mean to boss you. It’s just what I’m used to doing at work. A hard habit to break.”

  “I’ll keep reminding you until you get over it.”

  “Thanks loads.” A particularly hard jar made him grab for his leg through the blanket and yell.

  “I did not do that on purpose,” Kaitlin insisted. “Can’t see the ditches under all these leaves.”

  Breathing hard and trying to keep from making any more involuntary outbursts, Daniel said, “That one sneaked up on me, too. Pull up next to the door over there so we can get the supplies inside before they’re soaked.”

  “I’m going to let that order pass,” she said, “because I was wondering where it was best to park.”

  He faced away from her to roll his eyes. The qualities of courage and intelligence that he so admired about Kaitlin were the very ones that set them at odds. Too bad he couldn’t have it both ways, wasn’t it?

  Recalling how she had driven straight at the gun-wielding ex-cop in the parking lot gave Daniel more shivers. Kaitlin wasn’t merely brave, she was crazy brave. That trait had been helpful so far but it wasn’t something he wanted to see continue. He’d saved her once and she’d returned the favor. At that point they’d been even. Now, the score was getting unbalanced and he didn’t like feeling beholden to her or anybody else.

  Opening the door he swung his feet out. The s
oles of his new sandals touched the ground. He let his weight down slowly, hoping the pain would allow him to hobble at least as well as he had during the altercation in Springfield.

  Knives of agony twisted in his nerves and throbbed up his leg into his spine. It was almost severe enough to stop him, but not quite. Pushing through, Daniel rested a moment against the side of the truck, then started for the truck bed where Kaitlin was already grabbing the handles of plastic bags.

  “I’ll get these. See if the door’s unlocked.”

  “Now who’s giving orders?”

  “I am,” she told him flatly. “If you want to stand out here arguing we’re both going to get wet.”

  Daniel figured his leg wouldn’t be good for many trips up the steps to the threshold and into the lodge so he countered. “I’ll grab the blanket and the cooler out of the cab while you bring that stuff.”

  Thankfully, she didn’t snap at him this time. If the pain hadn’t clouded his thinking he would have automatically entered first to check the premises, particularly since he still had Grainger’s gun. Forgetting his police training could get them both killed, he reminded himself. That wouldn’t do. Kaitlin could nurse him when he needed it but he was the cop. The protector. He owed it to her to remain as alert as his condition permitted.

  That was the problem, Daniel reasoned as he hoisted himself up into the lodge, pushing the cooler ahead on the dusty floor once it was through the door. He was sick and getting sicker.

  The next time he had to confront one or more of his enemies he might not be strong or aware enough to win.

  And then what would happen to Kaitlin?

  For the first time in memory, he realized with a start, he had thought only of her welfare. Of her safety. Of her future. He had to make sure she survived, even if the price to pay was his own life.

  * * *

  Kaitlin was appalled. The lodge was more than messy and dirty. It was a dump. Nevertheless, she was determined to hide her feelings and, considering how worn out her patient was, that shouldn’t be difficult.