After clearing the Internet browsing history on the computer, Aubree picked up her notebook. She walked over, picked up Scarlett, and kissed her cheek. She put a trembling hand on Wyatt’s arm. “I’m ready.”
He grasped her hand and gave her a concerned look. “Okay. We’ll talk in the truck.”
They hurried outside, and Aubree buckled Scarlett into her car seat. “I’ve been looking at this all wrong the whole time.” She locked the door and looked over her shoulder again as Wyatt pulled onto the road.
“Aubree, there’s no way someone could know where you are right now. Relax.”
“But I can’t! I just found out the reason my life is in so much danger. It’s because of one word—one word, Wyatt!” Aubree pushed her fingers through her hair. “Someone is trying to kill me, not because I heard a voice and could maybe recognize it, but because I heard a word that would identify him.”
“What’s the word?”
“It’s an acronym, and the FBI doesn’t even know about it.”
“Are you sure? Maybe they’ve solved the case by now,” Wyatt said.
“They never heard the word because I messed up. I thought I remembered what the killer said. “By the time they find him, we’ll be in the money. The intruder will clear the way,” is what I reported.”
“Well, that shouldn’t matter—”
“But it does, because he never said ‘money.’ ” Aubree glanced at Wyatt and shook her head. “He said ‘GREANE.’ ”
“Green, like the color?” Wyatt asked.
“No, it’s an acronym. GREANE stands for Government Regulated Ethanol: Agriculture for New Energy. It’s a new program being developed to create fuel with a higher percentage of ethanol that will be used for a military grade fuel.” Aubree pushed the hair back behind her ears and kept talking. “Those areas allowed to participate in the GREANE program will be able to build new ethanol plants to support the demand and bolster the economy of their state.
“The entire administration was for it, but the secretary of defense was talking about putting a cap on the number of ethanol plants built. He was pushing for only one state at a time to run a pilot of the new program to see if it would work.”
Wyatt glanced at her with raised eyebrows. “And so you think someone killed the secretary of defense because of this program?”
“I don’t know, but I do know that it’s more than coincidence that I first heard GREANE from someone who sounded a lot like Governor Ferrin and that his state was awarded a GREANE deal shortly after Robert Walden was assassinated.”
She tapped her finger on the dashboard. “I found something on the GREANE program and then I found a post from a blog. It was some blogger spouting off about our corrupt government, and the post wasn’t recent.
“At the time, the article said the engineers were continuing to run tests in order to persuade the secretary of defense to reconsider his decision.” She glanced at Wyatt, who listened closely as he drove. “I tried to search more on the subject and only came up with a few fragments here and there. The recurring fragment was that Governor Ferrin allegedly bribed someone to award Nebraska the pilot program GREANE. That decision was probably worth a chunk of change to the state of Nebraska and its governor, don’t you think?”
Wyatt breathed out a low whistle. “Now you’re starting to make me nervous.” His face twitched, and he furrowed his brow. “People will do anything for money. But do you really think the governor of Nebraska had something to do with it?”
“From what I could find on him—at least from those who aren’t members of his fan club—he’s newly elected because he owns some of the ethanol plants in Nebraska and had plenty of campaign money to spare. He wanted to be governor so he could push forward with ethanol production using the excuse that the tax revenue was good for the state, which it was, but he was also lining his pockets. He needed the GREANE deal to pass to further his business. He’s the governor, but first he’s the owner of several ethanol plants.
“I’m just not sure if the San Diego chief of police is really involved,” Aubree murmured.
“The chief? Who’s he?”
The breeze blowing through Wyatt’s window ruffled the hair near his forehead, and Aubree could smell the scent of pine and charcoal briquettes as they passed an RV camping site. She inhaled and then shook off the fear of speaking the name that might be connected to her case.
“Jared Ferrin. His brother is the governor of Nebraska, and I’m willing to bet my life they sound very alike on the phone.” Aubree watched the road in her side view mirror. “I never dreamed of how this would end, but I think I have an idea now.”
“What do you mean?” Wyatt gripped the steering wheel. “We can call someone and get this over with. They can get their guy.”
“It won’t be that easy, or it would’ve been done already,” Aubree said. “If the chief of police is really involved, I’m sure he’s covered everything well.” She bit the end of her fingernail. “I’m not going to wait for the FBI to figure this out. I think it’s time for Scarlett to visit her Grandma.”
“But I thought you said they knew where your mom lives,” Wyatt said.
Aubree glanced back at Scarlett snug in her car seat. “They do, but my mom is going to take a much-needed vacation.”
“I don’t think I like where this idea is headed.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll help me think it through.” Aubree reached over and squeezed his arm. “It’s time for me to stop running.”
Wyatt was extra cautious when they picked up their supplies at the grocery store and hurried up and down the aisles. He kept glancing over his shoulder. Once Aubree poked him, and he jumped.
“Just who do you think you’re going to see?” Aubree teased. “A guy with a ski mask and a gun?”
Wyatt frowned. “I think I’m starting to understand how you feel, and I don’t like it. Let’s hurry.”
“Well, we should be pretty safe,” Aubree said. “No one knows we’re here . . . yet. But let’s talk about this later. How about after dinner?”
“Hmm. What’s for dinner?”
Aubree held up a box of macaroni and cheese and a package of hot dogs. “My specialty.”
“Then I’ll bring my specialty.” Wyatt picked up a can of green beans and chuckled.
After the groceries were tucked away in the trailer and they had consumed their gourmet meal, Aubree tucked Scarlett into bed. Then she pulled out a mixing bowl and a whisk. She ripped the tab off a box, and Wyatt looked up. “What are you doing?”
“Making brownies,” Aubree said. “I love brownies, and I never make them.”
“How come you never make them, then?”
“Because I would eat them.”
“What’s the downside?”
“The downside could become the upside.” Aubree pulled at the waistband of her jeans and giggled. Wyatt rolled his eyes and reached his arm around her waist.
“Fat chance of that happening. You’re beautiful.”
Aubree laughed so hard that she slumped back into the ugly vinyl seats around the kitchen table.
“What?” Wyatt held up his hands.
“Shh.” Aubree pointed to Scarlett and then covered her mouth as another giggle burst forth. “Fat chance.” She wiped a tear from her eye and kept laughing. Wyatt slumped down beside her and muffled his laugh.
“It is a fat chance. Now let’s get these brownies in the oven.” Wyatt tried to help her mix up the brownies, but they both ended up doing more laughing than stirring. Finally, when the dessert was baking, Aubree sat next to Wyatt. “It feels good to laugh. It’s been too long.”
Wyatt put his arm around her and pulled her close. “It feels good to kiss too. Let’s give it a go.” He kissed her, but Aubree giggled.
“I’m sorry. Here, let me try again.” Looking into his eyes, she leaned closer and blew softly in his ear. Wyatt squirmed and then grabbed her and tickled her until she shrieked.
“Shh, you’re going to wake
up Scarlett. Let me cover your mouth.” He kissed her until she stopped laughing and relaxed against him. He breathed softly on her neck and left a line of kisses reaching up to her forehead and then back down to her mouth. Aubree ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him until the smell of brownies brought a smile to her lips. “What are the chances we’ll eat that whole pan of brownies tonight?”
She felt his mouth smile against hers, and he mumbled, “I think the chances are pretty good—er—fat, I guess.”
A few minutes later, Aubree told Wyatt her plan over a pint of Ben and Jerry’s vanilla bean ice cream and hot fudge brownies. “I need to report what I’ve found about GREANE to the FBI, but I’m still afraid there’s a leak somewhere, and I can’t trust anyone. When I reported recognizing Governor Ferrin’s voice, I only talked to Jason via his cell phone, and they found me within a week.”
“Do you trust Jason?”
“I’ve been asking myself the same question.” Aubree hesitated. “I think so.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “I have to trust him— there’s no one else, and it doesn’t make sense not to.”
“Is there another way you can communicate with Jason?” Wyatt asked. “Maybe you could make sure his supervisor gets the message too.”
Aubree cupped her chin in her hand. “That’s a good idea, but I can’t take any chances with Scarlett. I want her to be with my mom in case something happens.”
“Are you still talking about making a phone call or something else now?” Wyatt put his arm around her. “I don’t think you should take any chances with yourself either.”
“But that’s what I’m doing right now,” Aubree said. “I don’t even know what’s going on with my case because I’m on the run.” She put her head in her hands and thought for a second. “Help me figure out how to get Scarlett to my mom without alerting whoever is watching her house. I have to make contact with Jason.”
She shook her head when Wyatt tried to interrupt. “I’ll be using myself as bait, but the people who are hunting me down will only be able to find me through Jason and never in a remote campground like Paris Springs.”
“You can’t use yourself as bait unless you’re going to be making the calls from the police station in Logan—Wait, I have an idea.” Wyatt snapped his fingers. “Do you trust me?”
His hazel eyes sparkled, and Aubree looked directly into them and nodded.
“Good, I know how we can keep Scarlett and your mom safe.” He looked over his shoulder at the sleeping bundle on the bed. “We can take her to Logan to stay with my parents and have your mom come after you’ve made the call to the FBI.”
“But how can we be sure that’s safe? I don’t want to put your family in danger too.” Aubree stood and put their dishes in the sink. Then she paced the small space in front of the table. Wyatt reached out and grabbed her hand.
“You know it’s the best chance we have. If you’re certain there’s a leak connected with your agent, then maybe after you make the call, they’ll back off your mom.” Wyatt squeezed her hand. “She wouldn’t even have to come right away. My parents could take care of Scarlett until you think it’s safe.”
Aubree leaned into Wyatt and blinked back tears. “I’m scared. This is too big. What if it doesn’t work?”
“It’ll work. We’ll take Scarlett to my parents’ house. Then we’ll come back to Bear Lake and make the call. We can arrange to meet Jason at Bear Lake, and we’ll be safe here in the meantime.”
She took a deep breath. “I don’t know if it’ll work, but I feel like this is my only chance.” She spread her fingers on the tabletop. “If I can sound convincing enough, like I have solid evidence of my attackers—maybe it’ll flush them out.”
“I don’t think it will be difficult to sound convincing.” He leaned over and kissed her temple. “I can’t believe how you figured out GREANE.”
“It’s like it was waiting there for me. My freedom is encapsulated in those letters and what they stand for.” Aubree closed her eyes and tried to imagine how it would feel to be free again—to live in peace instead of having her heart hammer constantly like a hunted animal. She breathed in and out slowly and opened her eyes.
Wyatt watched her and pulled her close. He kissed her softly and murmured, “I love you, Aubree.”
She kissed him back, but she couldn’t say those words yet. They were lodged in her throat, stuck up against the memory of the life she’d left behind a year ago, and buried in the circumstances that haunted her. Her mind swirled with the thoughts that it was her fault Devin had died and that she was on the run with a baby who would never know her father. She didn’t want to think about it, but it came unbidden to her mind. It wasn’t fair, but it had happened anyway. She pulled back and looked at Wyatt. “Can we go to Logan tomorrow?”
TWENTY-THREE
THE FBI HAD ALLOTTED as much man power as they could spare for a solid three weeks, and they still hadn’t found Aubree. The possible routes, as well as the number of gas stations and campgrounds, made the task equal to searching for a needle in a haystack. Given enough time, they’d find her, but Jason was having a difficult time convincing Agent Napierski of that. He explained the information they had on Aubree again and expressed how close they were to finding her as he sat in Napierski’s office.
“I can’t give you any more men, Edwards.”
“But it may be too late if you don’t,” Jason said.
Napierski frowned. “Maybe it already is. Concentrate your efforts on the latest activity we’ve seen. We can solve this case without Aubree Stewart.”
“Yes, sir.” Jason walked down the hall and slammed the door to his own office, throwing Aubree’s file onto the stack of papers on his desk. They had their finger on a number of connections, but without Aubree, the connections would short-circuit. He needed her to flush out whoever was so desperate to cover their tracks.
The chill of the morning air was refreshing, but Aubree’s mind was occupied imagining every possible scenario of the plan, making it impossible to enjoy the drum of the woodpecker or the rush of the creek outside the trailer. Her insides churned as she packed a small bag for Scarlett.
Soft, brown ringlets poked out of a pile of blankets where Scarlett still snuggled in bed. Aubree finished packing and eased onto the bed next to her baby, caressing her cheek. Scarlett had been the only constant of the past year, and Aubree felt grateful to notice the peace that always surrounded her. Her baby girl seemed unaffected so far by the turmoil of events, and Aubree wanted to keep it that way. It would be difficult enough to meet Wyatt’s family, but the thought of leaving her daughter there made her head spin.
The crunch of gravel announced her early morning visitor, and Aubree hurried to open the trailer door before Wyatt could knock. She stepped out with a finger to her lips.
“Oh, you want a kiss?” Wyatt pulled her close and kissed her.
“That wasn’t what I meant, but good morning to you too.” She relaxed her head onto his shoulder.
“Scarlett’s still sleeping, then?”
“She’ll probably wake up any minute.”
Wyatt rubbed Aubree’s arms and smiled at her. “I wanted to come by early because I figured you’d be over here worrying about today.”
“You’re right.” Aubree stepped back and sighed. “Do you think we’re doing the right thing?”
“I do. As soon as you’re ready, I have a couple more campgrounds to check on the way out. I thought we could grab some breakfast in Bear Lake—my treat.” He squeezed her hand and pulled her close to him again. “We can wait to make the call to the Feds until after we’ve dropped Scarlett off, okay?”
“Okay. Let me change Scarlett’s diaper, and then we’ll be ready.” Aubree pulled him into the trailer after her. “Do you want some orange juice while you’re waiting?” Wyatt nodded, and she pulled the quart of orange juice out of the miniature fridge crammed with food from shopping the day before. Scarlett yawned and turned over on the bed. She smiled when
she saw Wyatt and Aubree standing there.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Aubree said and then swallowed a lump in her throat. She pulled Scarlett into a cuddle and blinked several times.
“You okay?” Wyatt asked.
“Yeah, I was thinking how I’ve never been apart from her, ever.”
“You’re an incredible mom, Aubree, but guess what?” Wyatt winked at her. “My mom is, too, and I know Scarlett will love her.”
Aubree swallowed again and gave Wyatt a weak smile. “I hope so.”
“Ma, ma, ma, ma, ma,” Scarlett said and then giggled when Aubree kissed her cheeks.
It was barely eight o’clock by the time they left camp, and Aubree tried to appreciate the quiet of the morning and redirect her thoughts, but her hands clenched with anxiety.
Scarlett acted excited about going somewhere again, and Aubree mentally counted the days they had been at the Paris Springs campground. It had been twenty-two days, and there were only a few weeks left until September. Her time at the campground had to be up soon anyway because the weather wouldn’t allow her to stay much longer. It seemed so long since she’d left Nebraska, but it was barely a month.
The crystal waters of Bear Lake came into view, and Aubree noticed a few sailboats out for an early morning turn on the lake. When Wyatt stopped to check on the campgrounds, Aubree tried to keep herself from thinking how nice it would be to stay in one place without looking over her shoulder. It was impossible not to hope, though.
The information she pieced together about Chief Ferrin and his brother, Governor Ferrin, had to be on the mark. It was the only thing that could explain why the FBI had failed to solve the murders. Then again, maybe they did have more information than the last time she’d been in touch with them, but it wasn’t likely.
Wyatt was quiet on the drive into Bear Lake, and she knew he was brooding over the same things. She wanted to have so much more time with him. She pursed her lips and shook her head. She wouldn’t let Wyatt live this kind of life. If the FBI couldn’t find enough to convict the Ferrin brothers, she would have to go on the run again.
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