She eased against the side of a patrol car at the curb. They needed this vehicle as proof of one of the attacks on Daniel, if not more, so she had to ensure that it wasn’t stolen. Climbing out, she locked the doors behind her, hooked the keys through her belt and ran up the stairs into police headquarters.
The lobby was busier than the street had been. Casting around for signage, she was accosted by an old man who reminded her of Barney, the surprising helper from Mags’s clinic.
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Kaitlin forced a smile. “Hi. Can you tell me how to find Chief Broderhaven?”
He cackled. “Oh, they’ll find you if they want you, sweetheart. What’d you do? Sell fake Girl Scout cookies?”
Kaitlin dodged him and waded into the crowd. Surely one of these people knew his or her way around the station well enough to give directions. All she had to do was pick out a friendly face and ask before Daniel arrived and stopped her.
She’d spent her adult life teaching herself not to judge people by the way they dressed or acted but now she had to set that aside. One by one she scanned the gathered crowd. Some seemed agitated, others surprisingly calm. Her gaze paused on a sensibly dressed, middle-aged woman who was seated in one of the chairs along a wall. Her hair was short but not spiked, her slacks and top a matching sea green. A tote bag sat at her feet. Yellow yarn led from the bag to the knitting in her lap.
Kaitlin had made her choice. She approached and would have sat next to the woman if there had been an empty chair. “Excuse me. I wonder if you can help me.”
The woman looked up, not at all startled, and smiled. “Certainly. If I can.”
“Thanks.” Kaitlin licked her lips and kept her hand pressed to her side, subconsciously guarding the note she carried. “I need to find my way to the chief’s office. Chief Broderhaven?”
“I’m sure that’s upstairs, dear.” The woman pointed with a knitting needle. “Elevators are over there.”
“What floor?”
“Oh, dear. I have no idea.” She elbowed the scruffy-looking youth seated next to her. “Do you know?”
“Yeah, sure. I can show her.” He pushed to his feet.
“That’s not necessary. I can find it myself.” Kaitlin was nervous for good reason. She was out of her element and floundering. Unfortunately, when she looked back to the knitter for moral support, she saw the same kind of predatory expression the youth had. “Um, thanks, anyway.”
His thin fingers made a grab for her wrist. She shook him off just as she had the old man. That created a fuss that brought a uniformed officer to her side.
He stepped between Kaitlin and the unruly youth. “Okay, everybody settle down.”
She thought she was safe until the officer turned and saw her face. He seemed surprised, as if he recognized her, except that was impossible, wasn’t it? He blinked twice. Took her by the elbow and tried to lead her away.
Panicky, Kaitlin whipped away from him. “Let go of me. I didn’t do anything wrong. I was just asking for directions.”
The uniformed man paused to study her. “Where did you want to go, ma’am?”
“I need to see the chief. It’s important. Really.” She was beginning to think she had convinced him when he nodded and started to guide her away again. Her sense of accomplishment vanished as they reached a side hallway and another man fell into place directly behind her.
They had her boxed in. Trapped. Still, there was an outside chance they were escorting her to Broderhaven. She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and tried to appear composed.
That worked until the man following her said, “Welcome to St. Louis, Ms. North. We’ve been expecting you.”
* * *
Daniel reached the station’s front steps and managed to climb them without too much discomfort. Once he had realized what Kaitlin was up to and had done his best to run, endorphins had kicked in and helped dull his pain.
He pulled open the front door and prepared to enter just in time to see Kaitlin being escorted away. Had she succeeded? Was she being taken to Broderhaven? He wished he knew.
What Daniel wanted to do was knock aside every person in his way and grab her. Stop her. Take her place. Logically, his chances of doing that were less than zero. A quick scan of the crowd lowered those chances even more. Several of the men loitering in the lobby were familiar to him. If they spotted him there his life would end immediately and bystanders would likely pay a high price, too.
He ducked his head, masking his face with the brim of his baseball cap, and let the door close as he backed away. His heart was torn. A dead man wasn’t any good to Kaitlin. Staying alive came first. Then he’d do whatever was needed, even if it meant trading himself for her and going to Glory that way. At least it would be noble.
In his mind he imagined Kaitlin grinning at him and telling him it would also be stupid. She’d say that for sure. And he agreed, up to a point. If it came down to his life or hers, however, she was going to survive. No matter what he had to do.
The height and depth and strength of his convictions told Daniel far more than he’d expected. No wonder she had acted upset when he’d suggested that their relationship was that of mere friends. Somehow, in the space of a few hectic days, he had fallen in love with her and she with him. This was no childish crush, either. Their extensive time together had led to a closeness he had not experienced with any other woman.
“And I haven’t even kissed her,” Daniel muttered, more than a little put out with himself, yet thankful he hadn’t spoiled his chances for loving expressions of affection later, when the time was right.
Holding remembrances of Kaitlin close he made his way toward the jail next door. That building also faced the street with a wide alley between it and police headquarters. By stationing himself at that junction he’d be able to watch both the front door of the station and most of the activity to the rear.
And he’d also blend in, he realized as he studied the relatives and friends awaiting either release of or information about incarcerated loved ones.
Daniel’s polite nod to a poorly dressed, deeply tanned older man wearing overalls and a hat like his was returned with a smile. “Name’s Jim, Jimbo if you was to ask my mama.” He stuck out a gnarled hand.
They shook. “I’m Dan.”
“Pleasure. Is yours comin’ or goin’?”
“Pardon?” Daniel saw Jim raise a brow and nod toward the jail to clarify. “Ah. Neither. She’s in the police station. It’s a long story.”
“Ain’t they all?” Jim chuckled noisily.
Although he didn’t take his eyes off the alley, Daniel was greatly relieved to have someone to talk to. “Yeah. Only mine’s innocent.”
Another low chuckle. “Like I said...”
Daniel had to smile. “I know what you mean. But Kaitlin really is innocent. She got sucked into trouble by helping me out after I got hurt.”
“Your leg?”
“Yeah.”
“Reminds me of Desert Storm. I was sure a mess after goin’ through that, I’ll tell you. Thought I’d never get a good night’s sleep again.” He lowered his voice to speak more privately. “Some of my buddies never did recover.”
“I’ve heard. I’m sorry.”
Jim shrugged. “Hey, what is, is. Can’t go back and change anything.” Hesitating, he looked at Daniel so steadily it unnerved him enough to grab his attention. “You right with Jesus, son?”
Although he’d never heard it asked quite that way, Daniel nodded. “Yes. I’m a believer. So is Kaitlin.”
“Good to hear. I couldn’t have made it without God in my corner.”
“I know what you mean,” Daniel told him. “I just hope He’s looking after her now.”
“Course He is.”
“She’s in a pretty tough spot.”
“You either trust Him or you don’
t,” Jim said. “If she’s in the police station you got nothin’ to worry about.”
Daniel rolled his eyes. “You have no idea.”
Leaning against the brick wall and producing a smile that crinkled his already lined face, Jim nodded. “I’m a good listener if you feel like talkin’ about it.”
Refocusing on the rear of the station to keep watching for Kaitlin, Daniel began to relate the complicated story. By the time he was finished his new buddy was patting him on the shoulder in commiseration.
“That’s a doozy of a tale, son.”
“It’s all true.”
“Too bad. What’s your next move?”
“Don’t know. I can’t storm the station and get her out, and unless I can talk to my chief, I’m stuck.”
“Maybe I can get in to see him. Tell him you’re waitin’ out here. And see about the girl.”
“You’d do that?”
“It’d be kinda like helpin’ my boy.” He jerked his chin toward the jail. “He’s in there so often he’s probably got a room named after him.”
Daniel gave a monstrous sigh. “All right. We need to find a pencil and paper so I can write a note to prove I sent you.”
“I got a bail bondsman’s card right here. Will that do?”
“Sure. See if you can borrow a pen.” As he turned back to the alley Daniel gasped and shouted, “No!”
“What’s up?”
“There.” Daniel pointed. “That’s Kaitlin. They’re putting her in a patrol car.”
“Want me to stand in the way and stop em?”
“No. They’ll run you down.” Staring at the double-parked SUV he saw a traffic officer working to gain access. “We could take that if I hadn’t told her to lock the doors.”
“I got a truck,” Jim said. “She ain’t much but she’ll do unless they hit the highway. She blows blue smoke if I push her too hard.”
Daniel felt as if he were hanging on to his self-control by a fraying thread. “Where is it?”
“’Round the corner. You wait here. I’ll can make better time if you don’t try to keep up with that bum leg.”
The roar of a powerful engine echoed down the alley. Daniel had to take a step back to keep the white patrol car from sideswiping him. Two officers shared the front seat.
Wild-eyed and more frightened than he’d ever seen her, Kaitlin stared out at him through a rear window. Her lips were moving. It actually looked as if she was saying, I love you.
Daniel was lost. Hopeless. Destroyed by the thought he might never have a chance to tell her he loved her, too.
TWENTY
Kaitlin couldn’t believe she’d fallen into this trap so easily. Taught to trust men in uniform, she’d failed to act soon enough, to raise a fuss in public when she’d had the chance. Doing that might not have helped but it was better than simply letting herself be led away, meek as a lamb.
Still, she refused to believe Daniel had been wrong about her intelligence and courage. Maybe she’d been relying too heavily on his expertise in law enforcement and not enough on her own wits. Whatever had led her to this moment, this predicament, she knew there had to be a way out. There had to be. She was not spending the last moments of her life in the presence of men like these.
“So,” she said, managing to sound a lot more nonchalant than she was, “what’s plan B?”
Neither answered.
“Oh, come on, guys. I figured it wasn’t good when you grabbed me back there but we can work something out.”
The man in the passenger seat turned his head slightly. “You have no idea what kind of trouble you’re in, do you?”
“Sure. I stole a car. Big deal. The owner of that SUV wrecked my truck. Did you expect me to walk home?”
Seeing the two men make eye contact across the patrol car’s equipment console was encouraging. If they believed she was on the same side of the law they were, she’d be in a better position to survive. The hardest part was figuring out what to say without actually lying. A quick but heartfelt, “God, forgive me,” came out sounding like a breathy sigh.
Although handcuffed, Kaitlin was able to swivel enough to peer through the rear window. There was no sign they were being pursued. No hope of help. No sign of Daniel.
If her captors got too far ahead he’d never be able to find her. If only...
Kaitlin stopped herself. Her time for outwitting their adversaries was apparently coming to an end, like it or not.
“Well, I don’t like it,” she said aloud, feeling a tiny surge of courage that she hadn’t realized lingered.
When her captors both laughed they made her angry.
“If I were you I’d be worried,” she said, growing stronger by the second. “You may think Daniel Ryan is done but I assure you, he isn’t. He never will be if anything happens to me. You got that? He’s connected in ways you can’t imagine.”
Her reference was to his Christian faith but when the statement came out sounding threatening in an earthly way she let it stand.
“‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me,’” she quoted in a whisper, claiming it as a promise. “‘Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’”
Recalling the handmade cane Daniel had left behind in her truck made her wish she possessed something similar. There was no way to knock her captors over the head through the protective grill between the front and rear seats, of course, but she’d feel better if she had a weapon to fight back with. Sadly, she didn’t.
Which left the source of power and support she knew was most important to begin with. God. And Prayer. She had seen amazing things happen during the past few days, things for which she had given thanks. No situation was hopeless. She just wished her heavenly Father had let her in on His plans ahead of time.
* * *
Daniel perched on the edge of the torn seat, bracing himself while Jim did his best to speed through the busy streets. The concept of speed and Jim’s truck, however, were incompatible. If this was the best they could do, Kaitlin was doomed. Not only was the engine more sputter than roar, they were leaving a roiling cloud of blue and gray smoke in their wake.
Hang in there, Kaitlin. Don’t give up, he kept thinking, wishing he could say it to her face.
Irony intruded in the person of Jim. “Some rescue squad you and I are, huh, buddy? Do you see her?”
“No. I was hoping this heavy traffic would slow them down. They may have turned off.”
“Want to keep going?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, at least we’re on the right team,” Jim said. He was weaving in and out of traffic, leaving a smoky wake that temporarily obliterated vehicles behind them. “Whoa! Flashing lights up ahead. Looks like a roadblock.”
“See if you can get around it without drawing attention,” Daniel said. “Otherwise we’ll be forced to stop.”
“It’s not lookin’ good, buddy. Sorry. I got no place to go except forward.”
If Daniel had clenched his teeth any harder they’d have cracked. The urge to jump out and try to chase down Kaitlin on foot was strong. It was also foolhardy. His leg was too sore to support him for long, and if he fell he’d attract even more attention, something he must avoid at all costs.
“State troopers,” Jim deduced. “I see their hats.”
The line of waiting cars wasn’t moving. Daniel decided to step out and join several other motorists who had done the same. One of them was monitoring breaking news on a cell phone.
“Do they say what’s up?” Daniel eyed the phone.
“Something about a stolen car and escaped fugitives.” He displayed the screen. Reflections of sunlight distorted the pictures but the audio was clear.
“...along Highway 44, earlier today. The suspects are described as a blond young woman and her male co
mpanion. Both are presumed armed and may be injured. Authorities are withholding their names until positive identifications can be made.”
The search was for him and Kaitlin. Now what? If he was arrested he’d lose any chance of rescuing her before the gang used her as a surrogate to take the punishment meant for him.
Pacing nervously he started back along the line of idle cars, then reversed and rejoined Jim. “It’s me they’re looking for,” he said through the open side window. “Me and Kaitlin.”
“Then maybe they’ll catch and hold her for you. State cops should be okay, right?”
“I guess so.”
As lanes merged, a delivery van pulled into line three spaces ahead. Unable to see past it enough to be certain the roadblock really was a godsend, Daniel started to work his way forward on foot.
As he passed the driver’s side of the van he gasped. Faltered. Almost dropped to his knees.
The patrol car carrying Kaitlin was up there, all right. And inching along. It was almost to the barricade. If the driver used his official status to pass through, Kaitlin was doomed.
Hitching every other step, Daniel began to run, not for his life, for hers.
* * *
How convincing did she need to be to get herself out of this? Kaitlin wondered. One thing was for sure. She needed to speak up as soon as her captors rolled down the window to talk to the officers working the roadblock.
She waited. Poised. Ready. Hardly able to swallow through her cottony throat. She’d only get one shot at this. It had better be good.
The uniformed driver opened his door and stepped out. Kaitlin mustered a scream of “Help! Help me!” before he slammed it behind him and went to converse with the trooper.
The passenger with her laughed. “Save it, lady. You’re not the first prisoner who kept hollering how innocent she was. They’re not gonna pay attention.”
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