Conner’s heart began to pound, and his palms grew clammy against the steering wheel. Had someone hurt Darci? Did it have anything to do with his tip about the bulldozer? If so, he would never forgive himself.
He pulled into an empty parking spot several spaces away and looked around. Where was Darci? Maybe she was holed up in her office, unaware of the excitement happening a few yards from the break room door.
Or maybe someone had attacked her, and she was unable to make it out of the building.
No, if anyone had been hurt, an ambulance would have arrived by now. The thought took the edge off the fear but didn’t banish it. He wouldn’t breathe easy until he saw her with his own eyes.
The deputy who had just arrived with the dog approached Wiggins and the other two deputies. One handed him a black sweater, and he bent to let the dog sniff it.
A solid knot of worry formed in Conner’s gut. The sweater looked just like one he’d seen Darci wear. Had someone kidnapped her? Dear God, please protect her. He frowned. Lately, he’d taken to praying quite a bit. But most of his prayers had been requests for help. He was too new at this whole God thing to know how He felt about that.
Conner got out of the truck and began walking toward the two men. He would volunteer to assist in any way possible. Maybe he could help organize a search party. The thought of Darci alone out there with a possible killer almost made him crazy.
He had nearly reached Darci’s car when Wiggins turned and saw him. His eyes narrowed, but Conner kept his head high, his gait confident. Wiggins could bellow and bluster all he wanted. Darci was in danger, and he wasn’t going to stand idly by.
One of the deputies addressed Wiggins. “Did anybody see the suspect leave?”
Conner hesitated, the sense that he’d misinterpreted something niggling at the back of his mind. Wiggins’s next words confirmed it.
“No. She just walked out without saying anything to anybody.”
Conner continued his path toward the break room door, relief warring with worry. No one had kidnapped her.
Darci wasn’t the victim. She was the suspect.
As he reached for the doorknob, he kept his back to the other men. If Wiggins thought he had any interest in what happened to Darci, Conner would be unemployed before five o’clock.
He twisted the knob, ears straining to pick up Wiggins’s words.
“I’ve suspected her of embezzling, so I’ve been watching her. I’m the one who called you guys. I think she knows I was onto her and was making plans to disappear. But when Deputy Bronson here showed up, it threw a monkey wrench in everything.”
Conner swung open the door and stepped inside. Delaying any longer would rouse Wiggins’s suspicions. He eased the door shut slowly, determined to gather every last bit of information he could. Wiggins was still talking.
“I’d love to know where that bag of money came from. My guess is Tucker’s working with an accomplice. That cell phone might give you some leads.”
Cell phone? A vise clamped down on his heart. Darci had run into the woods without her phone. In another three hours, she would be alone in the dark with no way to call out. And Wiggins and the police would have access to his and Darci’s texts and a log of their phone calls. His days at P. T. were numbered.
He pulled the metal door shut, blocking out all sounds of the outside. His ringtone sounded, and he swiped left to reject the call. It had come from Darci’s number. She had probably saved him as a contact, but he wasn’t going to make it easy for Wiggins by answering.
After finishing his break, he returned to the field to complete work on the dump truck. Hopefully, it would run when he got it back together, because his mind was somewhere else. So was his heart.
What he really wanted to do was follow Darci into the woods and keep searching until he found her. But that was exactly what the deputies with the dogs were doing. If they didn’t find her, his own chances were nil.
And he hoped with everything in him that they wouldn’t find her. Jail was no place for someone as sweet and innocent as Darci.
But something seemed off about the whole situation. Why would Wiggins call in the law? Was he really confident that he’d covered all of his tracks so well that nothing would point to him?
Conner’s ringtone sounded again, and he glanced at the screen. Another call from Darci’s phone. Someone was awfully determined. He waited then played back his messages. A sweet female voice flowed through his phone, and his heart leaped. It was Darci. How was that possible? Wiggins had said she left her phone in her car.
He tensed as her words poured out.
“Conner, I’m in trouble.” She sounded winded, as if she’d been running. Fear laced every word. “Wiggins has set me up. Please call me.”
The second message was much the same as the first, except with a little more desperation. And he kicked himself for not taking each call when it came. Apparently, the phone left in her car wasn’t hers.
When he redialed her, she picked up halfway through the first ring.
“Conner.” The single word was heavy with relief.
“Where are you?”
“Splashing through a small creek, hoping and praying the dogs won’t be able to pick up my scent.”
“How can I find you?” He had to help her. He didn’t know how, but he would find a way.
“You can’t. You’d probably be followed. I don’t even dare use my phone after this, because they’ll be watching the activity. I’ve already called my mom and told her I won’t be able to talk to her for the next few days.” She sounded as if she was running. Quick gasps broke up her sentences. “But please call Hunter. Help him figure out a way to get me out of this.”
His heart twisted. “I can’t leave you alone out there.”
“You have no choice. Hey, I’ll be okay. I grew up camping with the children’s group, then the teen group at church.” She injected a touch of humor into her voice. “I’m great at roughing it.”
Yep, that undying optimism. It came right through the phone. Except in Darci’s case, it probably had more to do with faith than optimism. “You have food and water?”
“I’ve got a protein bar and a small bottle of water to get me through the night. And I have about forty dollars cash on me.”
He still didn’t like it. But she was right. He couldn’t go to her. It would be too risky. He needed to come up with a plan.
“You can’t live in the woods indefinitely. Let me work on finding you a place to stay.” He’d lived in Levy County all his life. Surely he could come up with someone who would be willing to put her up. “Can you get to a pay phone tomorrow or somewhere you can borrow a phone?”
“I’ll have to find my way to civilization. I’m going to be really hungry come morning.”
He released a relieved sigh. Tomorrow she would be around people. Of course, there was still tonight to get through—twelve or thirteen hours alone and unprotected in the darkness.
He tried to push the worry aside. He needed to focus. “I’m going to give you a friend’s number. Call me on that at nine tomorrow.” Hopefully, he could get ahold of Mike and he would be available then.
She stopped long enough to jot down the number, then resumed running, judging from the rustling and other noise coming through the phone.
He should probably get back to work before someone saw him goofing off on company time. But he didn’t want to let her go. “How did you know to run? What tipped you off?”
“Wiggins fired me. I gathered up my stuff, and when I got out to my car, someone had left a present—a duffel bag full of cash and a cell phone. I was still trying to figure out what to do when Wiggins walked out with a Levy County Sheriff’s deputy.”
“He told the cops that you left without talking to anyone, that you’d probably figured out that he was onto
you and made plans to disappear.”
“That’s a lie.”
“Of course it’s a lie. That’s what Wiggins does best. But the cops don’t have any reason not to believe him.”
“I need you to find that reason, Conner.”
“I’m going to try my best. Give me Hunter’s number.”
She did, then continued, “The rubber around my window was a little messed up, as if someone had used a Slim Jim to get in. But I can’t prove it wasn’t already like that.”
“I’ll give the information to Hunter. We’ll get you out of this.”
“Thank you.”
There was a catch in her voice, and it tore him up. “Be careful.”
“I will.”
After hanging up, he placed a call to Mrs. Peggart. He was going to need a ride home. Then he would visit his friend Mike. Meanwhile, he needed to come up with a temporary home for Darci.
Throughout the afternoon, he mentally crossed off one name after another. He knew lots of people, most of whom would be happy to do almost anything for him. But they would all draw the line at harboring a fugitive.
Except one—Nicki Jackson.
And that was the last person that he wanted to connect with Darci.
Nicki was a brief fling from his college days, and they had had infrequent contact since. The picture that she could paint of the twenty-year-old Conner Stevenson—wild, carefree and dating half the women on campus—was one he’d rather Darci not see.
But no matter how many other names crossed his mind, he kept coming back to Nicki. She was tough, but with a good heart. And she had just enough of a rebellious streak to have no qualms about going up against authority to see justice done. If she still lived in the same house as the last time he’d talked to her, she even had a small cottage out back that Darci could use. The setup was perfect.
He just couldn’t shake the image of the two women sitting together into the wee hours of the morning, Nicki regaling Darci with every Conner Stevenson shenanigan she could remember.
It shouldn’t matter so much. But it did, because he cared about what Darci thought of him. He admired and respected her. He enjoyed every minute he spent with her.
If he wasn’t careful, he was going to find himself head over heels in love.
* * *
A truck turned off US 19 into the parking area next to Hershel’s Quick Stop in Otter Creek. Its headlights cast the area in virtual daylight. Darci crept forward, remaining in the shadows. She wouldn’t announce her presence until she’d identified the truck and driver beyond a doubt.
Last night, Conner had put together a plan and had filled her in on the details during their 9:00 a.m. phone conversation. She was to meet a woman with shoulder-length red hair who would be driving a silver Dodge Ram. If everything went as planned, she would sleep in a real bed tonight. After her ordeal of the past thirty-two hours, a hot shower and good night’s sleep were worth a million bucks.
She’d kept her path in the creek until almost dusk, unwilling to risk getting out and leaving a scent the dogs could follow. Then she’d put her shoes back on and headed in what she’d hoped was the direction of the road. Once dusk gave way to night, she used the torch app on her phone to find her way. Fortunately, it had an almost full charge, because beyond the reaches of the beam, creatures moved through the darkness.
When she’d finally reached the road, she moved more quickly, but by the time she arrived in Otter Creek, it was almost 4:00 a.m. Taking a nap had been out of the question. Not only was she terrified that someone would sneak up on her, she also had to keep moving to stay warm.
The short-sleeved silk blouse and dress pants had been great attire for the office. So had the shoes with the two-inch wedge heels. But with temperatures dipping into the mid-fifties, she’d longed for her sweater several times. And the shoes had rubbed blisters on both feet before she had even reached the road.
Darci stopped to peer around the back corner of the building. The truck was gray or silver. And it was definitely a Dodge Ram. But she couldn’t see into the darkened cab. She hesitated, trying to decide on a course of action. Then the driver’s side window cranked down, and someone called her name in a hoarse whisper.
A breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding spilled out in a relieved sigh. She half ran, half limped from her hiding place and climbed up into the passenger seat. The driver held out her hand.
“I’m Nicki, Conner’s friend from college. He told me about your situation. You can stay in the cottage. It’s small, basically one room, but it’s warm and comfortable.”
“You can’t imagine how wonderful that sounds.” She let her head fall back against the seat.
According to Conner, Nicki could be trusted. But putting her life in the hands of a stranger set off all kinds of alarms. One simple phone call tipping off the police, and her life would be over.
But if she was going to survive, as well as stay out of jail, she was going to have to depend on someone other than herself.
Nicki backed out of the parking area, then headed south on US 19. Darci hadn’t thought to ask Conner where Nicki lived. At this point, she didn’t care. For the first time since yesterday afternoon, she was safe. She released a long sigh and let the tension drain away. Fatigue overtook her, and her eyes drifted shut.
“So how long have you and Conner been together?”
Nicki’s question hung in the air for several seconds before penetrating the fog that engulfed Darci’s brain.
“Together?” She lifted her head from the seat. “Oh, it’s not like that. We work together. That’s all.”
“Hearing Conner talk, I thought there was something more. But it doesn’t surprise me. No one’s been able to lasso his heart. Lots of women have tried. Conner just isn’t one to be caged. About the time you think he’s yours, you find out you’ve been personalizing what was nothing more than Stevenson charm.”
Darci turned to look at her in the dim glow of the dashboard lights. Wistfulness seemed to have settled over her. Nicki wasn’t just relating what she knew from observation. She was speaking from experience. She was an ex-girlfriend. Apparently one of many. And for some reason, that bothered Darci.
She shrugged it off. She was overly fatigued. That was all. How many women Conner dated—past, present and future—was no concern of hers.
But no matter how much she tried to tell herself that it didn’t matter, the fact was, it did. She’d fallen victim to that Stevenson charm. And although there were all kinds of reasons not to, she was gradually falling in love with him.
She laid her head back against the seat and let her eyes close.
A hand on her shoulder some time later startled her into wakefulness, and she looked around, unsure where she was.
“We’re here.”
Darci swiped the cobwebs from her brain, and it all came back to her. She was in Nicki’s truck. Apparently she’d slept all the way to...
“Where are we?”
“Crystal River.”
She put her purse over her shoulder and reached for the door handle. “Sorry. I didn’t sleep last night.”
“I figured as much.”
Darci slid from the truck and looked around. Nicki lived in a rural area. There were no streetlights, no neighbors that she could see. On a dark night, it would be pitch-black, but tonight, a three-quarter moon bathed everything in its soft glow. Ahead of her was a small concrete blockhouse. Woods lay to the left, a pasture to the right.
“You’re out in the boonies.”
“I am. If you want to hide out and not be seen, this is the perfect place to do it.”
Nicki led her past the house to an even smaller concrete block cottage, then unlocked and opened the door. When she flipped a switch, stark white light filled the tiny space.
D
arci stepped inside and tilted her head downward. She’d now been in the same clothes for over forty hours. Mud stained the bottom of her pants. The knees and several places on her blouse were soiled from her fall. Over the tops of her shoes, her feet were filthy, and the wind had whipped her hair into a veritable bird’s nest that would give the little travel brush she carried a major workout.
Nicki made a striking contrast in her scoop-necked T-shirt and designer jeans tucked into high-heeled boots. Her hair shone in the light, a shade of auburn that was much too bright to be natural. But it fit her well—bold, striking and beautiful.
So that was the kind of woman Conner dated. Nicki was unforgettable, one who would stand out in a crowd. Not only was she gorgeous, but her whole bearing exuded confidence. Actually, it was more than confidence. More like she knew her path and wasn’t going to let anyone deter her from it.
But her smile was warm as she ushered Darci inside. She pointed to a closed door on the left.
“There are clean towels and washcloths on the counter in the bathroom. The TV works and is hooked up to cable, and the kitchen is furnished with all the eating utensils.”
Darci followed Nicki through the one-room cottage. A living room occupied the front portion, with a couch, coffee table and TV. The kitchen in the rear left corner was just large enough for the needed appliances and bare minimum of cabinetry and held a two-person metal table. But most appealing of all was the daybed sitting in the right rear corner of the room.
Nicki opened a cabinet door. “I picked up some groceries. There’s stuff in the fridge, too. Make a list, and I’ll get anything else you need on my way home from work tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” Nicki had gone above and beyond. “Let me know what I owe you.”
“Conner already took care of it.”
“He met up with you?” Her heart began to pound. What had he been thinking? He could have been followed.
“No, he made an online transfer into my bank account. He’s being super careful.” She closed the cabinet door and leaned against the counter. “He bought a TracFone and has been using it to talk to me. He has one for you, too, but we’ve got to figure out how to get it here. Meanwhile, he’ll talk to you on my phone.”
Mistletoe Justice Page 12