“There’s nothing to think through.” She picked up the bag and pushed past him. “He’d kill you to get to me.”
He waited in the hall while she pulled her toiletries from the bathroom medicine cabinet. “I’ll take that chance before I let you walk out of here alone.”
“I’m not giving you that option.” She stuffed each of the items into the side pouch and jerked the zipper closed. “I’m not giving Andy and Joan that option, either. I need you guys to take care of Callie for me.”
He followed her into the living room and put a hand on her arm. “Hang loose until I call Hunter. You need to tell the police what you know. Once Louie is behind bars, you’ll be safe. In the meantime, the authorities will protect you.”
She picked up her purse but didn’t head for the door. Maybe he was starting to get through to her.
Joan stepped up beside him. “Tyler’s right.”
Several more seconds passed. Finally Nicki released a long sigh. “All right. Call Hunter.”
A ringtone sounded, but it wasn’t his. Joan waved a hand. “That would be my weekly call from my sister. I’ll call her back later.”
Nicki gave her a weak smile. “Go ahead. I’m all right now. I promise I won’t run.”
Joan paused, then dashed to the kitchen for her phone. When she headed down the hall toward the master bedroom, Sasha trotted along behind her, with Callie in the rear. Nicki sank onto the couch, and Tyler redialed Hunter.
He answered on the first ring. “I was getting ready to call you back. I have some disturbing news. I did some checking, and Louie has disappeared from Jacksonville. So there’s a distinct possibility he’s the one who was asking about Nicki.”
The knot of worry in Tyler’s gut grew to boulder size. “That’s what I was afraid of. But there’s more than what I told you before. Nicki was there the night her mother was murdered, and Louie is the killer. She remembered everything.”
Hunter let out a low whistle. “We’ll get a couple of units out right away. We need to get a report and make contact with the detectives who are investigating the other murder. Until Louie is picked up, Nicki is going to need around-the-clock protection. We’ll call Levy County in.”
Tyler breathed a sigh of relief. Between the two agencies, someone would be watching her every moment of the day or night. He didn’t intend to let her out of his sight, either.
When he finished the call, he laid the phone back on the coffee table and filled Nicki in on what Hunter had said. Finally she nodded and rose from the couch.
“All right. I’ll stay here.” She gave him a small smile. “I guess I need to unpack.”
Instead of heading down the hall, she veered into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, then sat down at the table. “I’ll stay for now, but if I even think you guys might be in any danger, I’m out of here.”
“Just trust the professionals. They know what they’re doing.”
He circled around to the other side of her. As he pulled the chair away from the table, he looked past her to the living room. A shadow passed in front of the oval inset of the front door.
He tensed, all senses going on high alert. It was too soon for the police to have arrived, and Andy’s meeting would still be going strong.
The doorknob moved a fraction of a turn and back again. Then the other direction. Someone was trying the door.
“Nicki.”
Though he’d whispered her name, she’d apparently picked up on the urgency in his voice. She sprang to her feet, eyes wide. He grabbed her hand and pulled her further into the kitchen, putting a wall between them and the front door. A boom split the silence—the thud of a foot hitting the door, accompanied by the sound of splintering wood. A fraction of a second later, the door crashed into the hall tree next to it.
Nicki gasped but didn’t scream. As quietly as possible, Tyler turned the lock and swung open the back door. If they could make it out before Louie discovered where they were, they might have a chance at escape. He hoped Joan would have the presence of mind to stay hidden in the back.
With Nicki’s hand still in his, he darted across the backyard toward the woods. As they reached the tree line, a series of shots sounded, and bark splintered, spraying him in the face.
Explosions sounded around him, a volley of mortar rounds. Then small arms fire. He spun and dropped to one knee, reaching for his weapon. It wasn’t there. Why didn’t he have his weapon?
Hands clamped down on his shoulders, then shook him hard. Someone said his name in a harsh whisper.
Nicki.
He pressed his palms to the sides of his head. He wasn’t in Afghanistan. He was in Cedar Key. And if he and Nicki had any hope of making it through the night alive, he had to hold it together.
Heavy footsteps pounded in the distance, moving closer. He sprang to his feet.
“Run,” he hissed. “I’m right behind you.”
Louie was much too close. It was only a few seconds, but Tyler had lost them precious time. Thankfully, Nicki had brought him back. Again.
No matter what happened, Nicki would always bring him back.
Renewed determination surged through him. He’d sworn to protect his men. And he’d failed every last one of them. Now he had another vow to keep. The night he’d seen Nicki standing in her drive, shaken over her break-in, he’d sworn to protect her. She meant too much to him to do otherwise.
She was the best friend he’d ever had. But what he felt for her went much deeper than that. He’d loved her then, and he loved her now. Through all their years apart, he’d never stopped.
Whatever it took, tonight he would save Nicki’s life.
Even if he had to sacrifice his own.
* * *
Nicki ran like she’d never run before, one hand stretched forward in the darkness, the other shielding her eyes against the branches slapping her in the face. Her breath came in heavy gasps, as much from fear as exertion. She didn’t dare slow down. Heavy footsteps pounded behind her. She hoped they belonged to Tyler rather than Louie.
She cast a quick glance over her shoulder but couldn’t see who was there. Beneath the trees, the darkness was complete. Her sense of direction wasn’t the greatest, but if she wasn’t too far off, she was probably paralleling 166th Court. Eventually she’d reach the water and have nowhere else to go.
Hopelessness washed through her. Tyler’s phone had been lying on the coffee table when they’d run from the house, and hers was in her purse. And Tyler didn’t carry a gun. Lord, please protect us.
The woods disappeared, and a distant streetlight cast a soft glow over the area. Tyler bounded up beside her. He was stumbling forward, slightly bent at the waist, struggling to take in quick gasps of air. She slowed her pace and cast a frantic glance around, trying to get her bearings. She knew this place. It was the Cedar Key Museum State Park. And it was much too open.
Pulling Tyler with her, she dove under one of the trees separating the parking lot from the museum grounds. If they could make it across to the area north of the buildings, they’d once again have cover.
Tyler put a hand on her shoulder. “Listen.”
Other than the gentle rustle of the branches overhead, the dark night was quiet. She shook her head. “I don’t hear anything. Maybe we lost him.” Now they might have the opportunity to call for help. If they could find someone home. A lot of people headed north for the summer. And for the year-round residents, August was a popular vacation month.
After gesturing for Tyler to follow, she darted through the parking lot toward 121st Lane. The street came off at a sharp backward angle and, though well-shaded, was more densely populated than 166th. But the first several houses were dark.
Staying under cover as much as possible, she jogged through the front yards, Tyler next to her.
In t
he distance, a motor roared to life. She cast him a sharp glance. Based on the alertness in his eyes, his thoughts were following the same path as hers. If they could reach the boat before its captain headed out, maybe they could get some help.
He held out a hand. “Come on.”
She let him lead her between two houses at a full run. Away from the streetlights, the darkness was thicker but not complete. Though the crescent moon she’d seen early that morning wouldn’t appear for another several hours, the night sky was awash with stars, their minimal light trickling over the landscape. In front of them, the ground sloped downward to where the yard grasses gave way to marsh. A dock stretched out over the water, a boat tied to it. This one was empty and quiet.
Tyler made a left and ran toward the roar of the motor, pulling her with him. A few houses down, they located it. As they approached, the driver of the boat looked up. Her breath escaped in a rush. It was Wade Tanner.
He froze midway through untying the rear dock line and scanned the landscape behind them. “You guys look like you’re running from something.”
“We need to call for help.” She’d explain later. “Do you have your phone?”
He stood and pulled it from his pocket. Tyler stepped onto the dock to reach for it at the same time a shot rang out. Ten feet away, the ground erupted in a brief fan-shaped spray.
Her heart leaped into her throat. Louie had found them. He was too far away to aim accurately, but he’d have that remedied in moments.
Wade tossed his fishing pole and tackle box onto the dock. “Get in, quick.”
Tyler jumped in as Wade shifted into forward. The boat was already starting to move when she stepped in. Tyler grabbed her around the waist to keep her from toppling over the side, and she landed in his lap.
He pushed her to the floor. “Stay down.”
She twisted in time to see Wade give the throttle a sharp turn. Instead of rising in volume and pitch, the motor sputtered and fell silent.
Another shot rang out, this one hitting the dock. Wood splinters sprayed into the boat, wrenching a startled scream from her throat. Wade gave the rope two sharp yanks. His efforts were met with the turning of gears, then silence. Louie fired a third shot.
“In the water, quick.” Tyler stood, pulling her to her feet and throwing her overboard in one smooth motion. Her knees and feet met the sandy bottom at the same time her head plunged beneath the surface. The water was warm, only about three feet deep even though it was high tide.
The surface wasn’t more than six inches below the deck boards of the dock. The frame came down even further. She slipped beneath, and moments later, Tyler, then Wade surfaced beside her.
For what seemed like forever, she crouched in the water, hardly daring to breathe. A tense silence permeated the air, broken only by the gentle sloshing of the waves against the dock posts.
Then there was a heavy footstep, boot against board. Louie had stepped onto the dock. A second footstep followed, and a third. Her blood turned to ice in her veins.
Sirens sounded in the distance, moving closer. Joan had probably called them. Relief washed through Nicki, but hopelessness doused it immediately. The authorities would never reach them in time.
A shot rang out, accompanied by a splash near the shore. Three more sounded, each splash growing closer. Louie was shooting through the deck boards.
She looked frantically around her, heart pounding out an erratic rhythm. Tyler pressed the side of his face to hers and spoke in the softest whisper. “Duck under and swim. Don’t come up until you absolutely have to.”
She sucked in a huge gulp of air, dropped as close to the sandy bottom as she could and propelled herself through the water with short kicks and wide sweeps of her arms. Would Louie be able to see her movement in the dim starlight? Or would the relative darkness conceal her?
She continued to swim, each stroke taking her farther from danger. The urge to breathe became almost overwhelming. She needed air. Fear pumped through her with every beat of her heart, using up the oxygen even faster. Her lungs burned, and she willed herself to not breathe. Just a little farther.
Finally she turned and surfaced as quietly as she could, resisting the urge to burst from the water. She drew in huge gulps of air, her gasps sounding amplified in the quiet night air.
Louie stood in the center of the dock some distance away, little more than a menacing shadow in the semidarkness. With pistol raised, he spun in her direction. As she dipped back beneath the surface, he fired off three more rounds, their muffled sounds reaching her through the water.
She changed the angle of her path. Louie couldn’t see her. Otherwise he’d have hit her by now.
But what about Tyler and Wade? Worry tightened her gut. In the brief moments after she’d surfaced, she hadn’t seen them. If anything happened to either of them, she’d never forgive herself.
No, they had to be swimming, the same as she was. If Louie had shot them, they’d be lying on the beach or floating on the surface of the water. God, please keep them safe. And please let the police get here in time.
She knew they were nearby. She’d heard the sirens. But they’d have gone to Andy and Joan’s. Unless someone else had called to report gunshots.
She surfaced again, and almost immediately, a shot sounded. The resulting splash a foot away sent a surge of adrenaline through her. She ducked back beneath and lunged sideways. Louie fired two more shots, and she swam, praying the panicked half breath she’d taken would somehow last.
When she surfaced the third time, her heart almost stopped. Tyler had stepped onto the dock and crept toward Louie. Wade was in the yard a little further back, moving in their direction. Louie obviously hadn’t seen either of them.
His attention was on her.
He leveled the weapon, and she gasped. But before she could duck beneath the surface, Tyler called out and broke into a full run. Louie spun, pulling the trigger as he turned, and Wade fell to his knees on the grass.
Dear God, no, not Wade. They should never have involved him.
The next second, Tyler plowed into Louie, knocking him to the dock. The gun hit the boards and tumbled to a stop a few feet from the end.
Louie roared, then threw Tyler off him. Tyler hit the boards with a thud and an audible grunt. When Louie rose and lunged for his weapon, Tyler grabbed his ankles and jerked his legs from under him. Louie landed facedown and released a string of curses.
For a brief moment, Tyler looked past Louie. His eyes locked with hers, and she knew what she had to do. She stumbled through the waist-deep water, making her way toward the dock. Tyler would fight with everything in him to protect her. But Louie was a formidable foe. And if Tyler couldn’t keep him from getting his hands on that weapon, he’d gun her down in the water without a moment’s hesitation.
Louie pushed himself to his feet and faced his opponent. He wore the same attire she remembered, cut-off jean shorts and a wifebeater shirt. He stood with clenched fists, muscles rippling beneath the tattoos covering his arms and chest. Although he’d lost some of his girth, everything left was solid steel.
He let out a bellow of rage and swung one meaty fist at Tyler’s face. Tyler twisted to avoid it, then countered with his own punch. It connected with Louie’s nose. Tyler wasn’t as big as Louie, but all those years of military physical training showed. Louie released another bellow, then shook his head. Blood and sweat sprayed from his face in an arc.
Nicki crept closer, moving silently through the water. She approached at an angle, with Tyler facing her more fully than Louie. Unless Louie turned, she might be able to approach the dock undetected.
And get the gun.
Once she got it, she wasn’t sure what she’d do with it. Other than one target practice session with a long-ago ex-boyfriend, she’d never held a gun.
On the dock, Tyler aim
ed a volley of punches at Louie’s face. Louie managed to block half of them. The other half didn’t have nearly the effect they should have had. A lesser man would have been facedown on the deck boards.
When Louie’s next punch connected with Tyler’s jaw, she had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from crying out. The two men exchanged several more punches, until both of their faces were battered and bleeding.
Suddenly Louie slammed into Tyler, knocking him to the dock and landing on top of him. Several moments passed.
Come on, Tyler. Get up.
Instead, he rolled his head side to side as if trying to clear it. With no chance to break his fall, he’d hit it hard.
Fight, Tyler, just a little longer. She reached the end of the dock, then moved along its side. Louie rose to his knees, made a fist and slammed it into Tyler’s temple.
What hitting his head on the dock hadn’t done, that final punch had. Tyler’s eyes closed and his body went limp.
Nicki released a strangled cry. Louie turned, his gaze settling on her, then shifting to the gun. He rose and lunged for it at the same time she grabbed it.
It was heavier than it looked—cold and hard and lethal. And it felt foreign in her hands. She clutched the handle in her right hand, then wrapped her left around it, palm up. If she could at least look like she knew what she was doing, Louie would be less likely to attack her.
She backed away, putting some distance between them. Louie stepped to the edge of the dock.
“You won’t shoot me.”
Confidence oozed from him, the same cockiness she’d observed as a child. He lowered himself to the dock, letting his legs dangle in the water. “You’re not a killer. You don’t have it in you.”
She continued to back up. Louie was right. She wasn’t a killer.
But what if the only choices were to kill or be killed? Could she do it then? Tyler had killed. Numerous times.
Louie slid into the water and moved toward her. Her pulse jumped to double-time, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest. Her hands shook, betraying her fear.
Buried Memories Page 16