The Escape

by Lisa Harris

  “Did you get ahold of her?”

  A shadow crossed her face. “Not yet. But I know Michaels would tell me if something was wrong. Still, it’s hard not to be there.”

  He couldn’t blame her for worrying. Having someone you love threatened or hurt was always personal. He’d learned that firsthand with Felicia.

  “Michaels will make sure they’re okay until we can figure out what’s going on,” he said, not sure his reassurances were enough. “And in the meantime, you’ll just have to leave it in God’s hands.”

  “I know.”

  He took another sip of his coffee, then added a second spoonful of sugar, hoping it would mask the taste. “I could order you to take the next flight back to Seattle.”

  “You could, but I need to stay here. If Barrick is the one behind this, they won’t be safe until he’s behind bars.”

  Officer Carter walked in with a couple drinks and held one out to each deputy. “First thing I learned working here was never drink the coffee. This is how coffee should taste.”

  Jonas took Madison’s tea and dumped both their Styrofoam cups into the trash before accepting Carter’s offering. “You’re a lifesaver! We definitely owe you one for this.”

  Carter laughed. “I’ll remember that if I ever need a favor from the US Marshals.”

  Jonas’s phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket and moved aside to answer it.

  “I’m calling for Deputy US Marshal Jonas Quinn.”

  “This is he.”

  “This is Blake Peters calling from the US Marshal offices in Salt Lake City. Your partner called me about a person of interest in our jurisdiction.”

  “Chris Matthews?” Jonas asked.

  “Yes. He turned out to be a dead end. He’s currently in New York, but I think we might have found your man.”

  “Great. What have you got?” Jonas asked.

  “I’m sending you security footage now. It’s a possible sighting of Barrick at the Amtrak station in Salt Lake City about three hours ago. He managed to miss all the cameras except for one. Check your email.”

  Jonas signaled for Madison, then headed to the computer he was borrowing from the sheriff’s office. He opened up the email. “It’s downloading now,” he said, putting the phone on speaker. He turned to Madison. “One of the marshals from Salt Lake is sending us some security footage. They think they might have seen Barrick at an Amtrak station. They want us to see if we can identify him.”

  “I still can’t see him taking Amtrak.”

  “Go to the two-minute mark,” Peters said.

  Jonas ran the video forward, paused the frame, then set the footage to full screen. Dozens of passengers strolled through the busy station, hurrying along the crowded walkways.

  “I was wrong,” Madison said, pointing to a man with a visible scar on his chin. “That’s definitely him.”

  Barrick had managed to change his appearance somewhat with glasses, a baseball cap, and some baggy clothes that made him look ten pounds heavier, but there was no hiding that scar.

  “Can you tell where he’s heading?” Jonas asked the marshal on the phone.

  “It’s a cross-country Amtrak train, the California Zephyr, that runs from San Francisco Bay to Chicago and back.”

  “Which direction was he going?”

  “East. There’s a train that left at three in the morning in the direction of Denver.”

  “He had to have stolen an ID. Can you track what name he’s using?”

  “We believe he used the ID of a man named Eugene Cahill,” said Peters. “We’ve got a local address on him. I’m sending officers now to check on him.”

  Madison took a step back. “You have to be right. He’s heading to Denver.”

  “I thought he was smarter, but they always head for the familiar.” Jonas stared at the video then turned back to the phone. “Do we have any way to verify that he’s on the train and not just throwing us off again?”

  “I’m trying to get ahold of a passenger list,” Peters said. “I’ll also see if any other tickets were bought under that name.”

  “Keep us updated,” Jonas said, then ended the call.

  “So how do we want this to play out?” she asked. “Do we want to have local LEOs pick him up at one of the stops?”

  “I think we need to be there to coordinate. We can’t let this go south. He’s an armed fugitive, so we’ll have to handle things carefully.”

  Madison nodded. “I agree.”

  He pulled the information Peters had sent about the train along with the video. There were seven stops between Salt Lake City and Denver. Provo, Helper, and Green River in Utah, then Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Granby, and Fraser-Winter Park in Colorado.

  He took a long drink of the coffee the deputy had brought him. “Once he gets to Denver he’ll disappear. What are our options?”

  Madison drummed her fingers on the desk. “We could evacuate the train. Stop at one of the stations and have everyone get off. Arrest him as he exits.”

  “Too risky,” Jonas said. “He’d know something was up. We have to avoid turning this into a hostage situation. If we start marching people off the train, he’ll get spooked.”

  Deputy Nelson walked back over to their station.

  Madison took a sip of her drink. “It’s normal to have officers walk through the trains, and delays are inevitable, which could play to our advantage.”

  “Agreed, but boarding the train will be just as risky. We’ll have to search every compartment with passengers on board. If he sees a bunch of officers—”

  “We go in undercover,” she said. “No uniforms. Just as passengers. We identify him, then we just keep our eye on him until he gets off the train.”

  “It might work,” Deputy Nelson said. “But I thought the two of you were in the transport plane with him. He’ll recognize you both.”

  “We could do something to change our appearances,” Madison said. “He’ll try to blend in. We have to as well. And I think it’s worth the risk. We can recognize him faster than someone who only saw a photograph.”

  “You’re right. Our best bet may be to get to one of the stops before the train arrives with a few undercover officers. Then we can keep our eye on him until he gets off.”

  Madison glanced at the map. “The train goes through Glenwood Springs just after twelve. That would give us time to plan and get everything in place.”

  Jonas nodded. “We’ll coordinate with the Amtrak police as well as local police. We need to make sure that we don’t spook him. Nelson, we’re going to need detailed schematics of the entire train. Sleeping cars, restrooms, showers, luggage compartments, café—everything. Could you get that for us?”

  “I’m on it.”

  Jonas glanced at his watch. “I’ll get us a flight out, and in the meantime, we’ll work out the details.”

  Because one wrong move and he’d disappear for good.

  Twenty-One

  Madison studied the timetable they’d come up with, wanting to ensure they hadn’t missed anything. The frustration that Barrick had managed to evade them this long had yet to dissipate, but even more frustrating was the fact that her family had been threatened. Putting her life in danger was one thing, but her family? No, that wasn’t acceptable. And even though she trusted Michaels with their safety, until Barrick was back behind bars, she wasn’t going to be able to rest.

  Jonas walked up to the desk where she was sitting and set down a to-go bag. “Michaels is arranging our flight. Said we can be out of here within the hour. In the meantime, I grabbed us breakfast from one of the local cafés. You need to eat. We both do.”

  She opened up the bag and breathed in the smell of bacon and sausage. She’d always told her sister she could be a vegetarian if it weren’t for bacon and sausage.

  “They’re breakfast burritos,” Jonas said. “Something I remember you liking from our training. There’s also orange juice. I hope that’s okay.”

  “It’s perfect.�
�� She pulled out one of the burritos, handed it to him, then pulled out a second one for herself. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was, but this smells delicious.”

  He sat down across from her, hesitating before unwrapping his. “You’ve been quiet since we decided to go. Are you okay with the plan?”

  “Considering the circumstances, yes. I think this will work. It has to.”

  “I’ve said it before, but if you want to fly back to Seattle to be with your family instead, no one would question your decision.”

  “No.” She took a sip of her orange juice. She’d been tempted to tell him she had to leave, but she didn’t feel at peace about that decision. And if she stayed, she needed to be one hundred percent on board. “The best thing I can do for my sister is find Barrick and stop him. And that’s what I plan to do. Michaels will make sure they’re safe until then.”

  “Okay, I just wanted to make sure you’re good with how things are moving forward, because I know this is tough. I know you’re worried about your family.”

  “I am.”

  She’d always known she’d end up working in law enforcement. Between her grandfather’s and father’s examples of serving their country, it had always seemed inevitable. But up until this point, she’d always been able to keep her work and family separate. This time, things were hitting far too close to home.

  “Madison?”

  “Sorry. You’re right though. It’s hard not to want to be in both places at the same time. Because my sister just had a baby, she tends to be overly emotional, though I can’t blame her. She has every reason to be worried, but my dad’s going to be the biggest struggle. He hates anything out of his schedule. Danielle will definitely have her hands full with all of them cooped up together.”

  “I know this is hard, but your sister will be with him, and she won’t be alone. He’ll be okay. Especially if he’s as stubborn and feisty as his daughter.”

  “Funny.”

  She glanced up at him and caught his goofy smile as he looked back at her. Something unexpected flipped inside her. Surely he wasn’t flirting with her. She shoved away the thought as quickly as it surfaced. That was ridiculous. Jonas had made it very clear that he was not looking for a relationship, and she certainly wasn’t. She liked him. As a friend. Respected him even more as a colleague, but anything beyond that couldn’t be in the picture.

  It had to be the fact that she needed a good night’s sleep in her own bed without the heaviness of the case keeping her up. But until she got that . . . just because she’d let herself become vulnerable with him didn’t mean anything.

  “Consider that a compliment,” he said, before biting into his burrito. “We make a good team.”

  She couldn’t deny that. “Yes, we do.”

  “Why don’t you take a few minutes to call your sister before we leave and make sure she’s okay. We’ll head for the airstrip in about thirty minutes.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  She finished her breakfast then, deciding that the noisy sheriff’s office wasn’t the place to make a call, and headed outside. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, hesitating before placing the call. The sun felt good on her face. She’d been so cold since that night in the forest. She took in the view of the picturesque Wyoming wilderness. Mountains rose up in the distance, and the air felt invigorating. After living in Seattle for so long, she felt drawn to the rugged yet small-town feel. And being here was almost as if she’d stepped back into another century.

  The US Marshals had been established over two hundred years ago by George Washington and were known for their posses and manhunts on the frontier. It had been different back then when men like Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson worked to keep law and order where there was no local government. They had taken down infamous gangs and arrested criminals, becoming heroes during a lawless time in the country’s history. And now she was a part of that history by apprehending fugitives and transporting prisoners. It had always been something she was proud to be a part of. But this situation had thrown her.

  Maybe it was simply the timing of everything. The black rose in her bedroom. The threat to her sister. She missed Luke and wished he were here to talk to her and tell her what to do.

  In the five years since his death, she tried dating half a dozen times, but it had never seemed right. Or at least she’d never really connected with any of the men who’d asked her out. Maybe her problem was that she was always comparing her date with Luke. Which wasn’t fair. Luke hadn’t been perfect—even he would have agreed—but with him she became a better person. He helped her grow in her faith and pushed her to do things even she’d never imagined doing.

  Like becoming a US Marshal. He never felt threatened by what she did, and if he were still alive, he would have encouraged her to make the career move. That was what she missed. The trust and companionship. It’s why she wouldn’t compromise even if she did decide to open up her heart again.

  If.

  She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be ready to go there again, and for now she was as content as she could be with life. And it wasn’t as if coming home to an empty house at times wasn’t lonely. She was the one who had to fix the broken washing machine and the leaky faucet in the kitchen. But with work, family, and friends, life was full. She wasn’t sure there was room in her heart even if someone as handsome as Jonas one day decided to try to walk in and win it.

  She shoved the ridiculous thought away and called her sister.

  “Danielle.”

  “Maddie, hey, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. You’re the one I’m worried about.”

  Danielle let out a sharp breath of air. “The baby is crying and Daddy’s upset, but it’s not like we have a choice, I guess. And really, we’re fine here, but I can’t help but wonder if we’re all overreacting.”

  “I’m sorry you have to do this, but we can’t take any chances.”

  “I know. And I feel like I should be a whole lot braver. I mean, you risk your life every day, but this has shaken me up some. I just don’t know how you do this, because honestly, Maddie, I’m spooked.”

  “I know, and I’m sorry. But Michaels will take care of you. I can promise you that. When does Ethan get in?”

  “About seven. We’ve decided to treat it like a vacation. At least with the kids. Not that this is the kind of vacation I would ever want, but we’re fine. I’ve promised them that they can watch as much TV as they want—something that never happens—and Ethan’s dad brought home pizza and popcorn, so they think this is almost as good as Disneyland. One of the deputies even brought a dozen cupcakes for Lilly’s birthday.”

  Madison smiled at the image, feeling better. “It will all be over soon, but in the meantime, you need to be careful. Please. I can’t have anything happen to any of you.”

  “We will, but you’re the one who’s risking your life.”

  “I’ll be careful. We have a lead and are getting ready to fly out of here, but I’ll be in touch as soon as I can. If all goes well, this will all be over in the next twenty-four hours. We’ll find this guy.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Once I’m back home, I’ll keep the kids for a night and let you and Ethan get some real time off.”

  “That would be nice, but right now all I want is everyone home safe.”

  After yet another flight, they were on their way to the train station in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Their plan was simple. They’d already arranged to have local officers waiting at each stop, in case Barrick decided to get off the train at any point on the line, but so far there had been no sign of him. Once the train arrived, they’d have about ten minutes to search their assigned section. Assuming Barrick was on board, they didn’t want to spook him.

  Madison glanced at her watch. The train was due to arrive soon, but an announcement revealed that it would be ten minutes late. She sighed. There had been no sign of Barrick at any of the other stops. Unless he’d somehow slipped past the officers that w
ere in place.

  She’d been here once before, the resort city nestled in the Rocky Mountains and surrounded by the White River National Forest. Mountains hovered behind the brick station with the red tile roof, and a handful of people stood ready to get on the train with their luggage. She could hear the Colorado River running below them and the sound of cars passing behind the station.

  “Ever ridden a train?” she asked, moving next to Jonas.

  “When I was seven, we took a train trip to see my cousins. I just have a few vague memories of miles and miles of cornfields and fighting with my brother.”

  Madison laughed. “We never went on a train but took plenty of long car trips. I’m not sure how my sister and I made it without killing each other.”

  Small talk passed the time, until finally the train pulled into the station. Adrenaline pulsed through her. She was ready to get this over with.

  They boarded the train separately, leaving two plainclothes officers on the platform in case Barrick slipped out. No one paid attention as she stepped onto the train. To the rest of the passengers, she was just another stranger, heading in the same direction. She’d opted to dress down from what she normally wore. To blend in with the other passengers, she’d come up with a pair of jeans, a T-shirt with a jean jacket, a knit cap, and no makeup. A quick glance in the mirror on the plane to Colorado had confirmed that unless Barrick looked closely, he wouldn’t recognize her.

  There were five other undercover officers who’d memorized Barrick’s photo and were now moving through the train that was made up of sections, including three sleepers, three coaches, and a diner and lounge. She’d been assigned to the glass-framed lounge, trying to look like another passenger who’d just gotten on and was looking for a place to sit. A couple was reading in front of the large picture windows lining the car. A family was busy trying to get their children settled in for the ride, and a couple backpackers had already marked their spots.

  She tugged on the strap of the backpack she was carrying. Everything seemed normal. And there was no sign of Barrick.

  A voice came over her earpiece. “Diner’s cleared.”