Her Guardian

by Sharon Dunn

  EIGHTEEN

  After breakfast the next morning, Julia found Gavin in the study. “We’ve got time for you to make that phone call to Joshua before the Flemings come to do the trial prep.”

  Gavin set the magazine he’d been flipping through on a side table. He massaged the back of his neck where his muscles had instantly knotted up at the thought of talking to his childhood friend. “Guess I’ve put it off long enough.”

  She nodded. “I’ll stay with you if you like.”

  He scooted over on the couch and pulled his phone out. Julia sat beside him. She had shown such courage with way more than a difficult phone call. He studied the phone for a moment.

  “What are you thinking?”

  He leaned toward her so their shoulders touched. “I was just thinking that you inspire me to face the hard things in life.”

  She pressed her lips together. “Thank you.”

  He dialed the number and waited. He heard Joshua’s greeting on the other end of the line and braced himself by saying a quick prayer. Julia slipped her hand into his.

  He swallowed. “Hey, Joshua.”

  “Gavin? What took you so long, man?”

  “I know I should have gotten in touch sooner.” The warm reception from his friend was encouraging. “I just…I had a hard time seeing you in that hospital bed. Guess I ran away.”

  Joshua didn’t answer immediately. When he did talk, something about his tone changed. “I had a hard time seeing me in that hospital bed.”

  As the tension spread through him, Gavin pressed the phone harder against his ear. “I know it wasn’t easy. I kept replaying that moment in my mind. If only I had registered that guy’s face faster. If only I had pushed you out of the way faster. If only I had pushed you in a different direction.”

  “Hey, man, you did what you knew to do. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

  Joshua’s words seemed genuine. He didn’t blame Gavin. Why, then, did he detect an undercurrent of anger.

  Gavin closed his eyes and tilted his head. “I’m so sorry you can’t race anymore.”

  “I won’t lie to you. The adjustment was hard, and I was angry at everyone for a while. So in a way, it’s better that you didn’t stick around. I would have said things I regretted, but I’m doing okay. I’m a dad now.” Again, Joshua paused. “You want to know what I’m really mad about?”

  Gavin took in a sharp breath. “Yeah. Tell me.”

  Julia squeezed his hand a little tighter.

  “I understand you had to leave and sort through things. I know that’s how you are. I’m glad you did. I needed time, too.”

  “Are you still angry?” Gavin prepared himself for the answer, whatever it might be.

  “I’m not angry about the shooting anymore. I’m mad that it took you so long to call. I missed you.”

  Gavin let out a sigh of relief as affection for his friend welled up. “Well, I suppose I’ll just have to come down to Florida and whip you into shape.”

  “We’re coming up there sooner or later. Why don’t you make a plan to come over to Dad’s place, and then you can whip me into shape.”

  “I can do that.” The two men said their goodbyes and Gavin hung up. He wrapped his arms around Julia and held her tight as joy burst through him. “Thank you.”

  She rested her head on his shoulder.

  He buried his face in her hair, enjoying the softness of it. “We’re almost there, aren’t we?”

  “Almost,” she said. “This trial isn’t going to be easy. I can’t lie to you. When I think about facing Elijah in the courtroom, I’m afraid.”

  He placed his hand on her neck. “I’ll be there with you.”

  Julia’s fears were not misplaced. This last hurdle, facing Elijah, was the biggest. He had concerns, too, that the followers might try to get at Julia while she was en route to the courtroom, or even once the trial began. The followers weren’t going to give up easily.

  Julia stood in front of the large windows of the house looking out toward the dock. The Flemings were late. Anxiety coiled through her stomach. She’d awakened this morning ready to face the final step in getting ready for this trial.

  She checked her watch for the tenth time.

  Gavin stepped into the room. “Are they here yet?” she asked.

  He shook his head.

  Gavin then placed his hands on his hips. His open jacket revealed the gun he had borrowed from Larry. He had relaxed some since they had come here, and Elijah could no longer give orders from his jail cell, but Gavin never totally let his guard down.

  He placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. “I spoke to them less than forty-five minutes ago. They will be here. They’re renting a boat and coming from a dock that is nowhere near where Larry picked us up.”

  His touch caused a surge of heat through her. She turned away. Looking into his eyes only made her want another kiss from him. The sooner the trial was over, the sooner they could talk to her father. Getting through the trial prep was one more thing she could check off her list in the steps toward freedom…and maybe being able to be with Gavin.

  She rubbed her arms. A chill had come into the house since she’d let the fire die out. “Who were you talking to on the phone?”

  “Elizabeth called. Lydia turned herself in.”

  A sense of elation spread through her. “That’s good news.”

  “Police will probably want to charge her for helping Elijah’s men. She’s underage, so it shouldn’t be too bad.”

  She caught herself, not wanting to ask the next question. “Did she want to go back to the compound?”

  “Elizabeth said she seemed open to the idea of some sort of protective custody. She’ll get the psychological help she needs.”

  “I hope things work out for her.” Maybe somewhere down the road, she could see Lydia again and help her with adjusting to life outside the cult.

  Gavin’s phone rang again, and he stepped to one side. A smile spread across his face. “Joshua, what’s up?”

  Since Gavin had made the first phone call to Joshua, the relationship seemed to be mending. They were talking quite a bit.

  Julia stepped away from the window. Staring out it wasn’t going to make them come any sooner. She sat down on a couch and clicked on the television, tapping her fingers on the arm of the sofa.

  She watched the end of a mindless sitcom while Gavin joked with his friend. Gavin stepped into the hallway to continue his conversation above the sound of the television.

  “I can turn it off,” Julia offered.

  He covered the phone. “It’s okay. Watch it if it gets your mind off waiting.”

  She noticed that he stood at an angle so he could still see her. His vigilance never subsided. A teaser for the local news came on after the sitcom credits ran.

  Julia glanced out the window. A boat neared the dock. Gavin was still engrossed in his conversation. Filled with anticipation, she jumped up, grabbed her coat and headed out the door just as the local news came on.

  Gavin heard the door slam shut.

  “Hang on, Julia. I’m right behind you.” He spoke into the phone. “Joshua, I gotta go.”

  He slipped his phone into a coat pocket. The voice of the female reporter on the television caught his attention.

  The world seemed to move in slow motion as the dark-haired reporter looked into the camera and said, “Our lead story tonight is that there has been a jail break in Thornburg, Montana. The cult leader who calls himself Elijah True escaped. Guards didn’t realize Mr. True was gone until evening check-in. Mr. True may have had help from the outside, since initial investigation indicates that he did not flee on foot. He may be armed and is considered dangerous.”

  Gavin turned toward the window. Adrenaline pumped through his system. Julia stood on the edge of the dock. The boat neared the shore. Her enthusiastic waving stopped. A man burst out from beneath a tarp.

  Gavin pushed through the door and ran down the stone walkway.

  El
ijah had grabbed Julia and shoved Victoria Fleming out of the boat. Gavin moved down the stone steps at a breakneck pace as he pulled his weapon and shouted. “Don’t you dare take her!” He raised his gun and aimed.

  Elijah shoved Julia into the boat and sped off.

  Victoria Fleming stumbled to her feet, stepping into the line of fire. Gavin lowered his gun and raced to the shore as the boat drew farther away from the shore.

  “Where is your husband?”

  “Back at the dock.” Victoria was out of breath. She touched her palm to her chest and shook her head, as though she could not accept the violence that had just occurred. “He knocked Roy unconscious. We took precautions like you said. The followers must have been watching our office for days, just waiting.”

  Gavin jumped into Larry’s boat and yanked on the pull cord. “Notify the police.” The boat revved to life, and he steered it clear of the dock.

  Elijah’s boat was still in view, but wouldn’t be once he rounded the bend. He couldn’t push the boat to go any faster. He couldn’t see Julia. Elijah must have made her lie down in the boat. Steering the boat with one hand, he aimed his pistol.

  The shot went wild. He had to get closer.

  Elijah’s boat slowed then wove erratically through the water when he reached down and picked up a rifle. Gavin thought he saw Julia’s red head.

  Gavin dove for the deck of the boat as Elijah fired the rifle. Pain seared through him, and he knew he’d been shot.

  NINETEEN

  Elijah shouted at Julia, “Get up and steer this thing!” The venom in his voice made her recoil.

  When she grabbed the steering wheel and looked above the rim of the boat, she saw Gavin following them in the second boat only for a moment before a shot zinged through the air. Gavin gripped his shoulder and fell forward in the boat.

  Invisible weight that made it hard to breathe pressed on her. Gavin was shot.

  Elijah yanked on Julia’s red hair.

  “Now, you and I have some talking to do, angel face.” He pried her hand off the steering wheel.

  Rage as she had never before experienced coursed through her.

  Elijah waggled a finger at her and pulled a small pistol out of a jacket pocket. “Don’t go getting any ideas.”

  She lunged at him. He pushed her to the floor of the boat. The pain in her back immobilized her. He scrambled so he loomed over her, waving the pistol in her face. “You do what I say. You hear me?”

  Though she nodded and feigned surrender, inwardly her heart rebelled.

  No, Elijah, I will not do what you say, not ever again.

  “Now stay down,” Elijah barked. He backed off and returned to steering the boat. He held the pistol in such a way that she knew he would fire it if she moved.

  Julia resisted the desire to sit up to see where Gavin was. She had no way of knowing how badly he’d been shot. All she needed was the right opportunity, and she could get away from this man.

  Diving off the boat into the freezing cold water would mean certain death. Hopefully he intended to take her to dry land before he shot her. She had more of a chance of escape that way.

  She saw the intent to murder in his stone-cold eyes. His mind had become so distorted by the desire for revenge, so unable to process his idea that she had betrayed him, that the consequences of shooting her didn’t even register with him. She was a threat to him, someone who would topple his house of cards. His world where he had all the control. He wanted her dead.

  She knew, too, that trying to reason with him would only make him angry.

  Without moving her head, her gaze traveled to the rifle that lay on the bottom of the boat. Elijah had been a strong man, but months in jail had made him thinner and probably weaker. Did she have the strength to hit him hard enough to land him in the water? Then she could speed away in the boat to help Gavin.

  She thought better of it. If she didn’t succeed, he’d shoot her on the spot. Maybe she could distract him. “How did you get out of jail?”

  “My men set it up on their own since I couldn’t get messages to them anymore.” He looked at her with wild eyes, his voice filled with rage. “Because they are loyal no matter what.” He spat the words out.

  A chill ran down Julia’s back.

  He slowed the boat. She didn’t dare turn around to see if they were approaching land. She lay frozen, watching him. She’d only get one chance for escape. It would have to be the right chance.

  The boat swayed as he killed the engine. He grabbed the rifle and jumped to shore. “Now, come on.” In this light, his eyes looked yellow and they tore through her like a machete.

  She was shaken, afraid even, but something had changed since her last encounter with him when he had killed Marlena. An inner calm lay just beneath her fear.

  He grabbed her shirt at the collar and pulled her close. “I’ll teach you to file charges against me. You and your big mouth have destroyed everything the True Church worked for.”

  He pushed her forward through the trees. “Put your hands on the back of your head.”

  As she stumbled forward, she heard him rack a bullet into the chamber of the rifle. Her heart raced. She scanned the area around her, but found no means of escape. Despair set in. Maybe this was it. She wouldn’t be able to get away. Images of Gavin plagued her. Was he lying bleeding in that boat? Was he alive?

  They came to a clearing with a flat rock in the middle of it.

  “Now sit down,” he said.

  She sat on the rock and looked up at Elijah, expecting to see him take aim at her. Instead, the rifle dropped to his thigh, and he turned so she saw him in profile.

  Though she had intended to ask him what he was going to do, she could only let out a gurgle.

  He checked his watch.

  The revelation spread through her slowly. Hope returned. He was waiting for somebody.

  “Why not just kill me now?”

  “And have your blood on my hands? No, thanks. I’ve been in jail enough.” He offered her a grin that sent chills over her skin. “I’ve got plenty of loyal followers who will take care of that for me.”

  “And then what? They’ll still link you to me. You escaped from jail. You will be punished for what you did to Marlena.”

  “You think.” He leaned close. “The True Church has quite a stash of cash. They won’t find me in South America.”

  Through the trees, she heard the hum of a car engine. Elijah must have taken her back to the mainland. She turned in the direction of the noise.

  Elijah put the butt of the rifle against her cheek and pushed. “You don’t need to be looking around.”

  The motor of the car stopped, and she heard the cacophony of men’s voices coming through the trees from down the hill. She could separate out at least two, maybe three male voices.

  “Do they know that you’re going to steal everything from them and abandon them?”

  Elijah’s face turned crimson. “That’s not what I’m doing. I’m their leader, it is important that I be kept alive and free.”

  Three men came into the clearing.

  Julia jumped to her feet. She was outmanned and outgunned. The only hope she had was to turn them on each other. She pointed at Elijah. “He intends to liquidate all the church assets and escape to South America.”

  The men looked from Elijah and then to Julia.

  “You’re a liar,” said one of the men. “Elijah wouldn’t do that.”

  “That’s right.” Elijah stuck his chest out, but his voice gave away his fear. “I’ll set up down in Chile, and the rest of you can meet me there.”

  One of the men adjusted his grip on the knife he held. “You didn’t say anything about setting up in Chile. You just said we needed to start over.”

  It didn’t look as though any of the other men had come with guns.

  “Look, just take the girl and deal with her.” Elijah managed the commanding don’t-argue-with-me voice that she was so familiar with. He pulled the pistol out of his po
cket, ready to hand it to one of them. “Let’s just stick with the plan.”

  The men looked at each other. Julia took advantage of the momentary distraction and doubt when everyone’s guard was down. She lunged forward and grabbed the rifle. She pulled the trigger without aiming. Elijah yelped and doubled over.

  She didn’t stay to see how badly he was hurt. She broke through the trees and ran in the direction she thought the shore was. Behind her, she could hear Elijah screaming. His threats tore through her like bullets.

  No matter what, she was not going to let this man win. She pushed branches out of the way. Elijah’s voice grew closer, angrier.

  The trees thinned. Julia stumbled forward. She fell on the wet sand of the shoreline. Her muscles reverberated from the impact. She heard Elijah roar behind her and then felt a boot on her back, pressing her into the rocky shore. She gasped for air.

  “Back off from her.”

  Gavin’s clear voice broke through her pain and fear. She could see his feet as he made his way up the shoreline. Blood dripped on the sand. She lifted her head. Blood stained his right shoulder.

  “I suppose you’re going to make me!” Elijah shouted.

  Gavin lifted his pistol with his good arm and aimed. “Yeah, I’m going to make you.” Despite his injury, his voice was strong, authoritative.

  The weight of Elijah’s boot on her back vaporized. When Julia flipped over, Elijah was kneeling sideways on the ground. His foot was bleeding where she had shot him.

  One of the followers came through the trees, but stopped short and threw up his arms when he saw Gavin.

  Elijah’s face distorted with pain as he bent over. He made a high-pitched, child-like sound. She saw him for what he was. A small, weak man who was all bluster and no real courage.

  “You all right?” Gavin’s hand brushed over her hair.

  Julia nodded and rose to her feet. With his wounded arm, he pushed her behind him.

  “There are two more men in the trees just off that road.”

  “Victoria has called the police. They should be here any minute. These guys aren’t going anywhere.”