by Laura Scott
She told herself to be grateful for what she had. At least he wasn’t turning her over to some strange cop. And he was probably just as tired and sore, too. No doubt his wound was bleeding again. Maybe after they both got some rest, things would look better.
When they finally saw the neon sign for the motel, she wanted to weep with relief. She couldn’t imagine sleeping outside with the bugs.
Jonah opened the door for her and then followed her inside. The desk clerk was an older, unshaven man with gray-streaked, greasy hair who leered at them as he chewed on the end of an unlit cigar. Jonah greeted him politely. “Good evening, my sister and I would like two connecting rooms, please.”
“Your sister?” Cigar guy smirked, raking a rude gaze over her. “Yeah, sure. That’ll cost you a hundred bucks.”
Jonah smiled, as if he wasn’t the least bit offended by the cigar guy’s leering expression. “We’d like to spread the good word of God to all His people. Maybe you’ll grant us a few minutes of your time?”
Cigar guy took a step back as if Jonah carried some sort of contagious disease. “Fine—ninety bucks, and don’t bother trying to convert me, Preacher Man. Leave me alone. Got it?”
“Thanks for your kind generosity.” Jonah handed over the cash and picked up the two room keys. “God be with you, sir.”
The clerk’s terse “Good night” ended the conversation.
She waited until they were safely outside. “I can’t believe you said that, Jonah. He almost refused to give us our rooms.”
“It’s a good cover, Mallory, and besides, I couldn’t stand the way he was looking at you.”
For a moment she was stunned speechless. She was dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans—why would the cigar guy notice her? Jonah’s anger on her behalf humbled her. When was the last time a man had stood up for her honor?
Never.
When they found their rooms, Jonah unlocked her door and flipped on the light. She flashed him a warm smile. “Thanks, Jonah, for everything.”
He stared into her eyes, and for a tense second, she thought he was about to kiss her, but he abruptly turned away. “Make sure your side of the connecting door is unlocked, okay?”
She tried to hide the deep stab of disappointment. She should be glad Jonah hadn’t tried to kiss her. “Okay.”
“Good night, Mallory.” Jonah unlocked his room and disappeared inside, closing the door quickly behind him before she could say anything.
* * *
Mallory took advantage of the facilities, enjoying the hot water against her sore muscles. But when she finally crawled into bed, she stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep.
She should be exhausted after running from a fire, jumping on a train, jumping off a train and walking for what seemed like miles. But her mind continued to race.
Should she try to pray? She closed her eyes and murmured the childhood prayer her parents had taught her, but saying the words as an adult felt silly, so she simply recited the Lord’s Prayer.
Sleep continued to elude her. Her stomach was painfully empty and she sat up, reaching for her purse. She had a couple dollars, and she remembered there’d been a vending machine just outside the small office.
Jonah wouldn’t like knowing she’d left the room, but the vending machine wasn’t that far and she’d never get any sleep if she didn’t eat something.
She pulled on her clothes, grabbed her room key and her money, and eased out the door. The area was only partially lit, as a few of the bulbs in the overhead lights were burned out.
She padded silently down the sidewalk and stood in front of the vending machine, trying to decide between the chocolate-chip cookies or the peanut-butter crackers. Finally, she bought both, smoothing the wrinkles from her dollar bills before feeding them into the slot of the machine.
“Well, now, looky here,” a deep, nasally voice drawled. She froze as the cigar-chewing desk clerk came up close, invading her personal space so that she shrank back against the vending machine, the unyielding metal frame hard against her back. “If it isn’t the pretty little preacher’s sister.”
The cigar stench lacing his breath made her gag and for a moment she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move as horrible memories of her past crowded into her mind. She opened her mouth but couldn’t seem to make a sound.
“Let’s say we have a little fun, huh?” He reached out to grab her and a flash of anger helped fuel her fighting instincts.
She swept her arm up to block his hand, knocking his arm upward as she kicked the lower part of his stomach, her aim true.
Stunned by her attack, he doubled over, his eyes bulging and grunts of pain gurgling from his lips. When he didn’t move, she grabbed her cookies and crackers from the bin of the vending machine and ran straight to her room.
There were several long seconds as she struggled to fit the key into the lock, but she managed to slip inside, locking the door securely behind her before she sank against the door frame, her whole body shaking with fear.
The entire incident had taken place with hardly any noise, since she hadn’t managed to yell the way her Tae Kwon Do instructor had trained her to do. But at least she’d gotten away.
She couldn’t believe cigar guy had come after her like that. She’d done nothing, nothing to provoke him.
For the first time in years, she was forced to consider the possibility that maybe she hadn’t done anything to provoke the sexual assault she’d suffered back when she was seventeen, either. After he’d assaulted her, Garrett Mason, the captain of the football team, had accused her of flirting with him. Of coming on to him. He’d told her that everything was her fault. And that no one would believe otherwise.
But now she wasn’t so sure. Maybe some men, like Garrett and cigar man, were just evil, no matter how a woman looked or acted.
Right now, she was grateful she’d escaped. She closed her eyes and prayed. Thank You, Lord, for keeping me safe.
Opening her eyes, she was startled to feel a sense of peace. And she couldn’t help but wonder if God had brought Jonah into her life to prove there were good men out there.
SIX
Jonah didn’t sleep well, mostly because he kept thinking about Finley’s betrayal. There was no doubt in his mind that his boss was working with Anthony Caruso. Why hadn’t he figured it out sooner? No doubt Finley’s plan all along was to send Jonah to find Mallory, and then once he had, send someone else to kill them both.
A plan that had almost succeeded.
The only issue was the timing of the ski-mask guy’s arrival on the scene. Ski-mask guy had shown up at the cabin before Jonah had arrived so how could Finley have known where Mallory was hiding? Jonah thought back, piecing together a timeline of events. He’d stopped for dinner at Rose’s Café in town and had casually asked about Mallory’s uncle’s place. Josie, the chatty woman behind the counter, had clued him in on where to find it. Was it possible Caruso’s guy was there in the café, too? Had ski-mask guy overheard Josie giving him directions? It was the only way he could have beaten Jonah out there.
He tried to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. The only scenario that made sense was that the guy in the ski mask had planned to kill Mallory first, and then to hunker down and wait for Jonah to arrive. Luckily, ski-mask guy had underestimated Mallory’s intelligence, strength and determination, just like Kent Wasserman had.
Jonah was more thankful than ever that he’d arrived just before Mallory burst out from the woods.
The minute the sun lightened the sky, he showered and headed over to the small lobby. The cigar-chewing clerk was just coming on duty, and when he caught sight of Jonah, he scowled.
“Checkout time is 11:00,” he growled in his deep nasal tone.
“Thanks for letting me know,” Jonah said graciously. “But we’re thinking of staying another day.”
“We don’t got any rooms for you, Preacher Man.”
“Really?” Jonah wasn’t sure what this guy’s problem was, but he wasn’t about t
o get into the fight cigar guy was trying to start. He was glad he had his gun tucked in the back of his waistband, just in case. “That’s interesting, because the sign outside says there’s a vacancy.”
The clerk reached out and flipped a switch on the wall next to him. Instantly the NO VACANCY light flashed on. “Not anymore.”
Jonah hid a flash of anger. This guy was lying through his teeth, obviously willing to give up two paying customers to get rid of them. But why? Just because he’d claimed they were here to spread the word of God? He forced a smile. “I see. Well, then, my sister and I will make sure we’re checked out by eleven. God be with you, sir.”
The clerk only grunted in response and focused his attention on the small TV behind the counter. Jonah took several bagels from the continental breakfast buffet along with small packages of cream cheese and plastic knives, and went back to his room. He tentatively knocked on the connecting door. “Mallory? Are you awake? I have bagels for breakfast.”
After a long minute, she unlocked the door. “Good morning, Jonah,” she greeted him. Her hair was damp and curly from her recent shower.
The way she swept her gaze over the room, avoiding looking directly at him, caused him to frown. “Is there something wrong, Mallory?”
“No. Why do you ask?” Her gaze went up and to the right, a sure sign she wasn’t being entirely truthful. In all his years of police work, he was amazed at how often people looked up and to the right when they were lying.
In a way, he didn’t blame her for not trusting him. After all, he’d almost let his boss kill her in the motel fire. “Are you hungry?” he asked, gesturing to the food he’d brought from the lobby. “Please, help yourself. And if you’re thirsty, there’s orange juice, too. I’m happy to go back.”
She crossed over and picked up a bagel, spreading a thin layer of cream cheese before taking a healthy bite. “I wouldn’t mind some orange juice. Um—is that same desk clerk from last night working?” she asked.
He stared at her, dead certain her idle question was anything but casual. “Mallory, what happened?”
She flashed him a quick glance, full of guilt. “I don’t know what you mean,” she hedged.
Ignoring the bagel and his grumbling stomach, he crossed over to her, gently taking her slim shoulders in his hands. “Mallory, look at me. I can tell something is wrong. Why won’t you tell me what happened?”
After a long pause, she reluctantly met his gaze. “Last night, I went out to get something to eat at the vending machine, and cigar guy tried to grab me, so I kicked him in the stomach.” She flushed and looked away. “I’m not up to seeing him again, that’s for sure.”
Jonah tightened his grip on her shoulders, raking his gaze over her as if searching for signs of injury. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I was quick enough that he didn’t touch me.” She twisted out of his grasp and took a step back.
A red haze covered his eyes and he was tempted to march back to confront cigar guy himself. No wonder he’d wanted them out—he knew Mallory could press assault charges against him. When Mallory sank into a chair, he struggled to remain calm as he faced her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She stared at her half-eaten bagel. “There was no reason to bother you, Jonah. I told you, I can take care of myself. When he doubled over in pain, I ran back to my room. End of story.”
Jonah knelt down beside her, forcing her to look at him. “The clerks have master keys to these rooms, Mallory. He might have come back to hurt you, or worse.”
“I know,” she said softly. “I actually thought of that, but he knew we had connecting rooms, remember? So after about an hour, I figured he was smart enough not to pursue anything further.”
For a moment he closed his eyes, wishing he had the right to take Mallory into his arms, hold her close and never let go. But she was a key witness in his case, and he needed to remember that. Emotions had a way of clouding good judgment.
Besides, maybe she didn’t want him holding her in his arms. Hadn’t she faced cigar guy herself, without saying a word about it? If he hadn’t pushed her for information, he still wouldn’t have known what happened.
Which begged the question, what else hadn’t Mallory told him?
* * *
Mallory looked down at Jonah’s bowed head and resisted the urge to reach out and touch him. Last night, after she’d lain awake for over an hour, waiting for cigar man to come back, she’d wanted so badly to wake Jonah, seeking comfort. But she’d talked herself out of it.
She set her unfinished bagel aside, feeling slightly sick when she remembered what had transpired out at the vending machine. She felt bad Jonah was so upset about what had happened, but wasn’t sure how to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault.
“What can I do to earn your trust, Mallory?”
His question caught her off guard. “What do you mean? I trust you, Jonah. You’re probably the only man in the world, aside from Gage, that I do trust.”
He was slowly shaking his head. “No, you say that, Mallory, but deep down, you don’t trust me. Be
honest—you weren’t going to say a word about what happened last night, were you? If I hadn’t pushed the issue, you wouldn’t have told me anything.”
She let out a small sigh. “But that’s not because I don’t trust you, Jonah. I just didn’t want to burden you with my problems. Especially when they aren’t significant to solving our case.”
“Listen carefully, Mallory. Everything that happens to you is important to me. Everything. I want you to promise me that you’ll come to me no matter how insignificant you think your problem is. Promise?”
His obvious concern for her well-being warmed her heart. Looking into his chocolate-brown eyes, she couldn’t refuse his request. “I promise.”
“Good,” he murmured, his gaze never wavering from hers. Once again, she had the sense he wanted to kiss her, but in an instant, the moment was gone. He rocked back on his heels and rose to his feet. He walked over to the small plate of bagels. “After we’re finished with breakfast, we’ll have to find some sort of transportation out of here.”
“We’re leaving?” She was surprised Jonah didn’t want to stay another day.
Jonah swallowed his food before answering. “Cigar guy has no intention of renting us rooms for another night. After what you told me, there’s no way I’d agree to stay anyway.”
“But what sort of transportation are we going to find here, in a small town?”
“I don’t know, but I’m convinced we’ll find something.”
* * *
That something ended up being a small motorcycle that was propped near the street with a crudely written for-sale sign taped to it. Mallory watched as Jonah spoke to the guy selling the bike, and then started it up, to make sure the thing worked.
“Are you crazy?” she said under her breath. “We’re going to run out of cash.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll ask Gage to wire us some. Besides, this is a great deal.” The broad grin on his face made her want to roll her eyes.
What was that saying? Something about men and their toys? Honestly, he looked like a little kid on Christmas morning, grinning from ear to ear as he straddled the bike and plunked a helmet on his head. “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
His idea of fun was very different from hers, but she took the second helmet and put it on her head, tucking in her hair. When she was ready, she climbed on the small seat behind him. “Are you sure you know how to drive this thing?”
“Ye of little faith,” he scoffed. “Hang on!” Jonah revved the motor and then took off down the street. She gasped when she slipped backward in the seat, and clung tightly to his waist.
As they sped out of town, she was reminded of how he’d held her in his arms as they had ridden the train.
This was just as nice, she decided, as she leaned against Jonah’s strong back and lifted her face to the wind. For a short while, she could pretend they were simply out for a ride,
enjoying being together as the miles flew by.
* * *
Jonah took several different highways, heading toward Chicago. He hadn’t ridden a motorcycle since he and Gage were in high school, and he couldn’t deny he was having fun.
And he was far too aware of Mallory’s arms wrapped tightly around his waist.
Every two hours they had to stop for gas to fill the motorcycle’s small fuel tank. But they soon crossed the state line into Illinois.
At the gas station, he broke a twenty to use for the tolls. When Mallory groaned under her breath as she climbed on the back of the bike, he decided he’d find a place to stay outside of Chicago.
“Just another hour,” he promised.
This time, he chose a nicer motel, one that boasted a small business center, which meant they’d have some computer access. He was glad there wasn’t a sleazy motel clerk behind the counter this time, as he asked for two connecting rooms.
“Is there a fee for using the internet on the lobby computer?” he asked as he signed in as Jonah Adams and paid cash for the two rooms.
“Nope, but I’ll kick you off if I catch you surfing anything inappropriate,” the clerk said.
“No problem,” he said quickly. “I just want to catch up on the latest news, that’s all.”
“Would you mind if I buy a T-shirt from the mini-mart across the street?” Mallory asked. “I’ve been wearing this same sweatshirt for two days.”
Jonah hesitated, not liking the thought of letting her out of his sight, even for an hour of shopping. But no one knew where they were, not even Gage. He decided to take the risk.
Jonah took out his wallet. “Here, buy some stuff for both of us and we’ll wash these clothes in the laundry facilities. Get some more gauze and tape, too. And a disposable cell phone.”
“Anything else?” she asked drily.
“No, that should cover it.” He handed her the cash he had and was glad she didn’t argue about taking it.