Fugitive at Large

by Sandra Robbins

  Tucker was on the kitchen floor, grasping his injured arm, his face scrunched in pain.

  “Jessica,” Ryan said, “call 911.” He nodded when he saw that she already had her phone out and was speaking with Dispatch.

  “They’ll be right here,” she said as she disconnected the call and turned to Ryan. “Why did you come back?”

  His face grew warm, and he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m just glad I did.”

  “I am, too.”

  Lee Tucker glared at them. “You won’t be after I get through with you. You’ll both wish you’d never messed with me.”

  Ryan shook his head. “Save it, Tucker. You’re on your way to jail, and I think you’re going to be there for a long time.”

  Lee shivered and grasped his arm tighter. He turned a look of pure hatred on Jessica. “You’re going to pay for breaking my arm. I’ll see you dead before this is all over.”

  Jessica arched an eyebrow as she glared down at him. “Oh, that reminds me. You hinted that you killed Kenny Macey earlier. I suppose we better let the police know that, too. Another murder ought to put you away for a long time.”

  The wail of a siren split the air, and Ryan glanced out the open back door as a police cruiser entered the parking lot and came to a stop next to his car. The same officers, Jimmy Austin and his partner, who had answered the call to the convenience-store robbery a few days ago, jumped out and ran toward the apartment.

  “In here,” Ryan called out as they approached the back porch.

  Jimmy was the first in the door. In one glance he took in Lee Tucker cringing against the wall and Ryan with a gun trained on him. “What have we got here, Spencer?”

  It took only a few minutes for Jessica and Ryan to explain to Jimmy what had occurred there tonight. They told him that Tucker was a fugitive and was a person of interest in a double murder from a few years back, as well as a suspect in the convenience-store robbery and then the murder of Richard Parker. And there was the possibility he was involved in the murder of Kenny Macey.

  Jimmy shook his head in disbelief and let out a low whistle. “This guy has been real busy, hasn’t he?” He glanced at Lee’s injured arm and then to Jessica. “And you did that?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. I guess I got a little carried away.”

  Jimmy chuckled. “He looks like he’s in a lot of pain, so I’ll leave the cuffs off. I don’t want to be accused of administering additional pain to a prisoner.” He grabbed Lee by his good arm, pulled him up and propelled him to the door. “Come on. Let’s get you down to the station. But first I’ll advise you of your rights.”

  Ryan stood on the back porch and watched as Jimmy and his partner escorted Lee to the squad car. Jimmy finished the Miranda warning just as his partner opened the door and they secured the suspect in the backseat.

  When they drove out of the apartment complex, Ryan walked inside. Jessica, busy pouring water into the coffeemaker, glanced up. She smiled and then returned to her task.

  “I thought we could do with a cup of coffee.” She spooned in the coffee and flipped the switch to begin brewing before she turned around. “Thank you for coming back, Ryan. I—I think he meant to kill me.”

  Ryan wanted to go to her, to wrap his arms around her and tell her how glad he was that she was safe, but his feet wouldn’t move. He simply nodded. “I’m glad I came back, too.”

  She sank down in a chair at the kitchen table, and he sat down across from her. She clasped her hands in front of her, and after a moment, he reached across and wrapped his fingers around her fists. They were cold to the touch and she shivered a bit. “I was so scared. More than I think I’ve ever been.”

  “That’s probably the first time anybody wanted to hurt you specifically.” He grinned. “Unless, of course, you count being forced off a bridge.”

  She laughed at that, and the color began to return to her face. “It’s been quite a day, hasn’t it? We started off at the state prison, nearly died on a bridge and then came face-to-face with an accused murderer who would just as soon kill both of us. I’m glad you finally caught on to what I was trying to tell you about him being behind the door.”

  Ryan shook his head in dismay. “I’m a little slow on the uptake at times. I kept wondering why you were blinking and glancing toward the door, and then when you mentioned the rock concert, it all fell into place. I’m sorry it took me so long.”

  “It’s okay. You came through when I needed you.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short,” he said. “You kept your head and gave me the perfect clue. And you’re the one who broke the guy’s arm. I’m going to be on my best behavior around you from now on. I don’t want to end up the same way as Lee Tucker.”

  The smile on her face froze, and he realized the double meaning of what he’d just said. Did she think he meant he’d been out of line when he kissed her? Before he could say anything, she jumped to her feet.

  “I think the coffee is ready. I’ll get us some.”

  He watched her as she poured the coffee and brought them each a cup to the table. She didn’t look at him again but concentrated on sipping the strong brew. He picked up the spoon she’d laid beside him and stirred the coffee.

  “I guess this is the end of our partnership.”

  She looked up, her eyes wide. “What do you mean?”

  “Lee Tucker’s no longer a fugitive. You’ve finished your job, and Jamie will be home tomorrow night. So there’s no need for us to work together any longer.”

  “I don’t mind helping until you get all the answers about Cal and Susan Harvey’s murders.”

  He shook his head. “That won’t be necessary. We’re both involved in our jobs, and we have different lives now. I don’t see any reason to continue pretending we’re partners again.”

  “If that’s what you want.” Her lips quivered, and she took another drink from her cup.

  For the next few minutes they sat in silence, glancing at each other from time to time. Darting glances here and there and then letting them settle on each other. The silence wasn’t awkward, their glances weren’t furtive, and Ryan realized he felt comfortable sitting there across from her. He wondered what it would be like to pass evenings like this with someone he cared about. Someone like Jessica.

  No, he corrected himself. Not someone like her, but Jessica herself.

  He remembered how he’d once asked his father how he would know when he found the right woman. His father had smiled and said not to worry about it. He’d know.

  The truth was, though, he’d known when he met Jessica that she was the one, but he’d fought against it. At the time, he’d had so many problems in his life he didn’t want to involve her in them. Now those problems had resolved themselves, but he thought it was too late for them. Even if she did feel something for him, the time he’d spent with her brother this afternoon let him know her family would never accept him. And he knew from firsthand experience what that was like.

  As a child he’d wondered why he never got to visit his mother’s family, why they never sent Christmas presents or birthday cards. It wasn’t until he was older that he discovered the truth. His mother’s family didn’t approve of his father, and they had written her out of their lives when she married him.

  His parents had loved each other, but he remembered times when he’d find his mother crying as she looked at a picture of her parents. She’d chosen the man she loved, but it had cost her dearly. He would never put Jessica in the position of having to choose between him or her family. It would be better for her if she found someone her family approved of.

  It was time for him to walk away. While he still could. Every minute he spent with her made him want her that much more.

  He took a deep breath so that he could try to put in words how he’d enjoyed being with her again, but how it was now
time to sever their connection. “Jessica,” he said. “It’s been—”

  Before he could finish the sentence, his cell phone rang, and he pulled it from his pocket. He frowned at Mac’s number on the caller ID.

  Jessica leaned forward and stared at the phone. “Who is it?”

  “It’s Mac.” He connected the call and pressed the phone to his ear. “Hi, Mac. What’s up?”

  He listened but couldn’t believe what his partner was saying. By the time he had finished, Ryan felt as if he’d been punched in the stomach repeatedly and left to die on the side of the road. “Th-thank you for calling,” he managed to say. “I’ll talk with you later.”

  His hands shook so badly that he could hardly disconnect the call. Then he sat there staring at his phone. Rage replaced disbelief and he threw the phone to the floor, closed his eyes and pounded his fists against the table. “No!”

  Jessica jumped to her feet and ran around the table to his side. Fear distorted her features, and she grabbed his hands. “Ryan, what’s the matter?”

  He pushed to his feet and kicked the chair backward. “It’s not fair,” he yelled.

  She grabbed his arms and dug her fingernails into his flesh. “You’re scaring me. What’s not fair?”

  “Jimmy and his partner,” he groaned. “They’re dead. Their squad car was hijacked on the way to the station, and Lee Tucker has escaped.”

  NINE

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Jessica fumed for perhaps the fifth time. “Why do I have to go to Lucas’s apartment? Why can’t I just stay home?”

  Ryan’s answer was the same as it had been every other time she’d asked the question. “Because Lee Tucker is at large again, and he wants to kill you. You shouldn’t be alone tonight. Adam and Claire are still out of town, and Lucas insisted you come to his apartment. And that’s where I’m taking you.”

  She crossed her arms and snorted in disgust. “At least you could have let me drive my own car. I feel like a helpless female who has to be protected by a strong member of the opposite sex, and I don’t like it a bit.”

  “I know you don’t, but it’s for your own good.”

  “My own good? My own good?” Her voice rose at least an octave as she repeated the words. “As I’ve told Lucas and you, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

  Ryan gritted his teeth and darted an angry glance at her. “Jessica!” he snarled. “Will you please just give it up? Why can’t you put that stubborn streak aside for one time in your life and let the people who care about you help you? Lucas loves you and only wants what’s best for you. It’s obvious that he doesn’t hold me in very high esteem, and I can only imagine what he’d do to me if Lee Tucker came back to finish what he started.”

  Jessica’s eyes grew wide and she stared in surprise at Ryan. “What’s the matter with you? I’ve never heard you raise your voice like that. And I don’t like it.”

  “Well, maybe that’s the only way I can get your attention.” He raked his hand through his hair and groaned. “When I think how close Lee Tucker came to hurting you today, I can hardly stand it.”

  Remorse filled her at the stricken look on his face. All Ryan wanted, as did Lucas, was to help her. But she had fought for her independence for so long, it was difficult to give in even when she knew she was in the wrong. After a moment, she sighed and settled back in her seat.

  “I’m sorry for being so much trouble, Ryan. I know you’re only looking out for my own good. I’ll try to do better.”

  “See that you do.” He glanced at her, but the look in his eyes told her she hadn’t convinced him she was sincere.

  Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, and then she ventured a glance in his direction. “What you said earlier—”

  “I said a lot of things earlier,” he interrupted. “Which one are you talking about?”

  “About our not being partners anymore.”

  “Oh, yeah. I did say that, and I meant it.”

  “Well, your argument isn’t valid anymore.”

  He jerked his head around to stare at her. “And why not?”

  She batted her eyelashes at him and smiled. “Because Lee Tucker isn’t back in custody. I still have a bounty to collect, and I won’t do it until he’s captured again. I don’t think you can argue with that.”

  “Jessica,” he began and then stopped. After a moment, he chuckled. “What am I going to do with you? You always could make me angrier than anybody I’ve ever known, and then you can charm your way back into my good graces just as fast. You’re really a remarkable woman.”

  “I’m glad you finally noticed.”

  His shoulders relaxed and a smile pulled at his mouth. “Oh, I’ve noticed all right.”

  When he didn’t say anything more, she settled back in her seat. “Ryan, are you sorry you kissed me tonight?”

  He jerked his head around and stared at her, his mouth gaping open. “What a question for a woman to ask a guy. What are you trying to do, make me feel guilty?”

  “No, I just want to know. You came back to my apartment, and I assumed it was because you were sorry and wanted me to know that the kiss didn’t mean anything. Just a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

  They passed a streetlight, and the beam coming through the window lit his face. She could see the muscle in his jaw flexing. “Well, I have to admit I didn’t think before I acted. Maybe I should have, but I’m not sorry. I didn’t mean to step over the line as far as you’re concerned and make you uncomfortable. It’s been great having you back in my life these last few days. I’m afraid I took advantage of you.”

  “You didn’t take advantage. In fact, I liked it, too. A lot.”

  She thought his mouth twitched in a smile, but he didn’t look her way. “I’m glad. Maybe we can have a repeat sometime soon.”

  “Maybe we can. But in the meantime, can I be your partner again? I want to see this case through until the end.”

  “Oh, all right,” Ryan said. “I never could refuse you when you were nice to me.”

  She sat up straighter. “Good. Now, what are we going to do tomorrow? Go to the candidates’ headquarters?”

  He nodded. “I think it’s time we spent some time with Senator Mitchum’s staff as well as Chip Holder’s. Maybe we’ll find out something. At the very least, maybe we’ll decide who we’re going to vote for.” He grinned at her. “But you’re probably going to vote for Chip Holder. It seems all the women have gone crazy over his good looks and winning personality.”

  “Don’t lump me in with ‘all the women.’ I decide who I’ll vote for based on the candidate’s platform not his looks. I’ll be interested in seeing what both of them have to say.” She leaned forward to peer out the windshield and pointed to the house at the end of the street. “That’s where Lucas lives.”

  Ryan pulled to a stop at the curb, got out and reached into the backseat for Jessica’s overnight bag. She waited for him to come around the car, and then they walked up to the house. The front door opened before they reached the porch, and Lucas stepped outside. He walked to the edge of the porch and reached for Jessica’s bag as Ryan started up the steps.

  “I’ll take that. Thanks for bringing my sister over.”

  Ryan handed him the bag and nodded. “Glad to do it. I didn’t think Jessica should be alone tonight.”

  Lucas grunted. “Glad to see you can be sensible about some things.”

  Jessica narrowed her eyes and glared at her brother. “There’s no need to be rude to Ryan. It’s not his fault that Lee Tucker escaped. We’re both upset because two officers we know have been killed. You need to be a bit more understanding of what we’ve been through tonight.”

  Lucas cast a glance in Ryan’s direction and nodded. “Sorry, Spencer. I guess I get a bit overprotective at times. I just don’t
want to see my sister get hurt.”

  Jessica threw up her hands in disgust. “What’s wrong with you? If you can’t be a bit friendlier, I’ll get back in the car and have Ryan drive me home.”

  “No, Jessica,” Ryan said. “I understand where Lucas is coming from. He has your best interests in mind. You need to listen to him.”

  Jessica smiled up at her brother, then looked back at Ryan. “Don’t judge him too harshly, Ryan. He really is a good guy once he warms up to somebody. Maybe he will with you before long.”

  “Maybe so. Now I need to get home. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  She watched Ryan as he hurried back to his car and then drove away. When she turned to enter the house, Lucas stood near the door, staring at her. “Jessica, what are you doing?”

  Her eyebrows arched, and she took a step toward him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He jerked his head in the direction of Ryan’s disappearing taillights. “That guy ripped your heart out a few years ago, and he’ll do it again if you’re not careful.”

  She shook her head. “You’re wrong, Lucas. Ryan and I are just friends. We’re different people now with different lives. There’s just friendship between us.”

  “Tell that to somebody who’ll believe you,” he scoffed. “I saw how you looked at him on the way back from the hospital today, the same way you looked at him when you walked up on my porch tonight.” He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick hug. Then he guided her into his living room. When they sat down on the couch, he took her hand in his and laced his fingers with hers. “All I’m saying is be careful. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  Tears came to her eyes and she blinked to keep Lucas from seeing them. “I don’t want to get hurt either, but I’m lonely, Lucas. I’m not getting any younger, and I haven’t dated anyone since Ryan and I broke up.” He put his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. “Don’t you ever wish you could find the right person?”