by Marla Monroe
“Easy, man. I’m not moving in.” Jethro let go of her and stepped back.
“Amanda, wait for Tyler to check the room,” Morgan said.
Tyler slipped between Jethro and Amanda to check out the room.
“All clear,” he called from next door.
Amanda looked up at Morgan, and when he nodded, she hurried into the other room. She didn’t want to come between the men. She needed them to keep her safe, and they were Morgan’s friends. She wouldn’t come between them. She’d leave first.
* * * *
“Might as well get ready to go to breakfast now,” Jethro said, easing around Morgan heading toward the bathroom.
Morgan heaved out a sigh. He looked over at Justin to find the other man grinning like an idiot.
“What’s your problem?” he said with a growl in his voice.
“Nothing. Just watching the show. Did you find anything out there other than the tools?”
“Nope, not a fucking thing.”
“We’ll catch them. They can’t hide forever. They need to catch her pretty quick, or their boss is going to get antsy,” Justin said.
“Yeah, but we can’t hide forever either.”
He walked next door to find Tyler dressed and the bathroom door closed. He looked over at Tyler, but his friend only shrugged his shoulders. Morgan walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door.
“Amanda, are you okay in there?”
She opened the door and gave him a tentative smile. “I’m fine. Just finished getting dressed.”
“We need to get on the road, baby. How’s the baby holding up?” He realized it was the first time he’d actually asked about it.
“I think we’re both doing fine,” she said, not looking at him.
“Okay, let’s go.” He looked over at Tyler. “You ready?”
“Packed and ready. Let’s do it,” Tyler said.
Tyler walked out first and looked around. Justin and Jethro were both standing by the bikes with their hands out by their sides, ready in case they needed to get to their guns. Morgan watched all of them get into place. Then he brought Amanda out. He climbed onto the bike, and Tyler helped her onto the back before getting on his own bike. The twins loaded up in the truck, and they all headed to the diner. Morgan didn’t think they would try anything in a public place.
They filed into the little diner and took up two tables. The waitress didn’t seem worried about them and waited on them without a fuss. Morgan was glad they didn’t have to worry with nervous employees.
As soon as they finished eating, they followed the same procedure going out as they had at the hotel. No one bothered them. It was a relief to Morgan, but also put him on edge. Not knowing when or where they would make their move worried him. There were too many possibilities as long as they were on the road. They had a good five hours of road time left till they made it to Stillwater. He was sure Amanda would need to stop before then.
A little over three hours later, she tapped him on the shoulder. “Morgan, I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.”
“No problem. We’ll pull off at the next exit that has a service station or restaurant,” he said.
As it was, they hit the jackpot and found a small town with several fast-food chains. They picked one that looked easy to get in and out of. Tyler and Justin both went with her inside, while Jethro and Morgan stood watch outside.
“This may be it,” Jethro said.
“I thought of that.” Morgan didn’t need Jethro to point it out. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
Every car that drove by, either parking or going through the drive-through, put him on edge. Each was a potential problem.
Tyler opened the door and called out to them that they were coming out. He saw Amanda sandwiched between Justin and Tyler and held her helmet ready for her to put on. No sooner had she stepped out than two cars pulled up behind the truck and the bikes and four men came running up to snatch Amanda. Morgan jumped off the bike even as Jethro pulled his gun.
“Don’t try it,” one of the men said.
The one holding Amanda held a gun to her head as he backed up toward the car. Tyler managed to stand up from where one of the men had hit him, knocking him to the ground. Justin wasn’t moving from where he’d hit his head on the curb when he’d been hit.
Morgan held his hands out by his side. “She isn’t going to cause Guy any trouble. Just let her go, and we’re going to disappear. He’ll never hear from her again.”
“We’re going to make sure of that,” the first man said.
The one holding Amanda continued to back them toward one of the cars. She stared at Morgan with terror in her eyes. He had to do something, but what? All he could see was the gun pointed at her head.
Suddenly Amanda cried out and moaned, then slumped forward. The man was at a loss as how to grab her, and the gun faltered from her head. A loud gunshot rang through the air, and the man holding Amanda dropped her and fell backward.
The other three men pulled guns, but Jethro had risen and grabbed one of the men, holding the gun to his head.
“Lay your weapons down nice and easy on the ground, then put your hands on the car.”
When they hesitated, he cocked the gun. Morgan used their focus on Jethro to slip the gun out of Justin’s pants and aim it at one of the men. Tyler was up and quickly walked to where Amanda lay on the ground, not moving. He covered her with his body. Morgan was grateful for that. He needed to focus on the men in front of him and not worry about her right then, but that was easier said than done, though.
Sirens in the distance spurred the other men to action, and they dropped their guns to the ground and leaned against the car.
“Put Justin’s gun back in his pants before the cops get here,” Jethro told him.
Morgan complied, then immediately went over to where Tyler was getting off of Amanda.
“I’ve got her. Check on Justin. He’s out cold,” Morgan said.
Tyler nodded and raced over to where Justin lay motionless.
“Baby, can you hear me? Are you hurt?” Morgan smoothed the hair from her eyes.
“I’m okay, I think. I need to sit up.”
“Easy, there. Do you hurt anywhere?” Morgan asked.
“Just my hands and my knees, I think. I scraped them on the concrete,” she said, raising her hands to look at them.
“We’ll get them cleaned up.”
“What am I going to do, Morgan? It will be all over the papers now, and Guy will get pissed and try to take my baby away from me.” Tears trailed down her cheeks.
“Easy, Amanda. Don’t worry. Dodge has something up his sleeve. Everything will be okay, I promise.” Morgan prayed he didn’t break that promise.
The police arrived and ordered everyone on the ground facedown. Jethro laid his gun down and told them he had a permit and ID in his back pocket.
“She can’t lay facedown. She’s pregnant,” Morgan told them.
“You’re not. Facedown. Now!” the officer said.
An ambulance drove up behind the two police cars. They waited for them to get the okay before climbing out with their stretcher and cases. They took in the scene and went straight to Tyler when the policeman told them the other man was dead.
Another police car pulled up, lights flashing, but without the siren. The man who got out looked older than the other two officers. He demanded to know what was going on from one of the men.
“Sir, all we know right now is that we have one dead, GSW to the head, one down with a head injury of some kind, a pregnant woman, and three guys with guns at their feet,” the young officer told him.
“Who wants to talk first?”
Morgan raised his hand. “I will.”
“Okay, come over here and tell me what the fuck went down here,” the older man said.
Morgan got up and slowly walked over to the police car, where he leaned and was carefully and thoroughly frisked.
The older man turned him around.
“Now start talking.”
“Those men pulled up behind us and assaulted us. The dead man grabbed Amanda, the pregnant woman, and put a gun to her head. She pretended to pass out, and he lost his grip. Jethro, the man with the license to carry a gun, shot him before he could recover and shoot Amanda.”
“Okay, let’s say you’re telling the truth. Why?” he asked.
“She’s the ex-girlfriend of Guy Winthroup of Memphis, Tennessee. She’s carrying his baby, and the son of a bitch tried to make her have an abortion because he’s actually engaged to someone else. He’s also running for mayor of Memphis.”
“Holy hell,” the man said. “Just what I need. A freaking three-ring circus. The media will eat this up.”
“We don’t want the media if that’s any consolation to you. She’s scared he’ll sue her for custody of the baby when she has it. He’ll win, too. He has the money and who knows how many judges in his pocket,” Morgan said.
“Can’t do a damn thing about that. Go on back over to where the others are. We’ll bring you all in for questioning. You can ride your bikes and follow us. Don’t have enough room for them and you all both, but the lady comes with us. That should assure you show up. I’ll charge her with accessory to murder if you don’t show up.”
“We’ll be there,” Morgan assured him.
He walked back over to where a paramedic was fighting to keep Justin on the stretcher.
“I’m not going to the hospital. Just give me whatever papers you need me to sign, and I’ll sign them,” he said.
“How are you feeling?” Morgan asked.
“Fine. I’ve got a hell of a headache, but I’ve had worse.”
Justin grabbed the clipboard and pen. He signed the paper and shoved it back into the paramedic’s hands before climbing off the stretcher. He weaved a bit, but caught his balance and walked over to where Jethro was leaning against the truck, being questioned.
Morgan walked over to the police car where the other paramedic was treating Amanda’s hands. He squatted down and looked up at her. “How you doing?” he asked.
“I’m okay. My hands sting, but that’s all.”
“What about the baby?” He directed the question to the paramedic.
“Heartbeat sounds fine. I don’t know if she’s spotting or not since we can’t strip her down here.”
“Does she need to go to the hospital?” Morgan asked, worried now.
“It wouldn’t hurt.”
“Amanda, you go on, and I’ll come get you as soon as they finish questioning me. I’m going to make sure the police send someone with you.”
“I don’t want to leave you, Morgan. I know you’ll keep me safe,” she said, wringing her hands.
“I know, baby, but there’s nothing we can do. The police won’t let us leave without statements.”
“Is Justin okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, he’s got a hell of a bump and a headache, but he’s fine,” Morgan told her.
She nodded and let the paramedic lead her to the ambulance. Morgan followed her and made sure she was comfortable, then walked back over to the apparent leader.
“She’s got to go to the hospital. She needs a policeman with her at all times until we can be with her,” Morgan told him.
“Hell, is she okay? I thought she just had some scrapes,” the leader fussed.
“She landed on her stomach, so they want to have her checked for bleeding and all.”
“Okay, I’ll send one of the officers from the office up there. He can take her statement while he’s there.” He reached into his cruiser and pulled out his mike.
Morgan watched the ambulance pull away with a sick feeling in his stomach. He didn’t like her being out of his sight. He didn’t like her being anywhere but with him. That bit of knowledge worried him.
Chapter Twenty
Amanda trembled the entire time she sat on the stretcher in the emergency room of the local hospital. They’d checked her hands and knees and listened to her baby’s heartbeat. They’d even let her hear it. She’d been in awe. She knew she was pregnant, but until she heard her baby’s heartbeat, it hadn’t really seemed real.
“We’re going to do an ultrasound as well since you haven’t been seen by an ob-gyn yet. I want to make sure everything looks okay. The best thing is that you’re not spotting. Some spotting during pregnancy can be normal, but you should always contact your doctor—which means, young lady, that you need to find a doctor soon to follow you,” the doctor told her.
“I’ll give you a prescription for prenatal vitamins. I know you’re taking the over-the-counter ones, but I’d feel better if you would take these instead.”
“Okay,” she said.
She would do whatever he told her to take care of her baby. It was the most important thing. She hoped Morgan and the others were okay and would be there soon. She didn’t like sitting there with some stranger standing outside her door. Somehow in the short time she’d known him, Morgan had become special to her, no, more than special. She was falling in love with him. It hurt to admit because she knew he would leave once she was settled somewhere.
The ultrasound technician wheeled in a machine and directed her to lie back on the stretcher. She pulled a sheet up to cover her, then pulled her gown up to expose her belly. She spread some cool gel over her abdomen, then used a wand of some kind to press around on her belly.
“There we go. Let’s see if we can figure out the sex for you,” the tech said.
“Can you tell already?” Amanda asked.
“Sometimes, yes. This little butter bean isn’t cooperating, though. He’s turned around. How about a look at him?” the tech asked.
“Can I really?”
“Sure thing.” She turned the machine so that Amanda could see the picture on the monitor. “See the heart beating? There are his hands and feet. Cute little thing, isn’t it?”
“The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Amanda’s eyes teared up.
“I’ll print out a picture for you. Now, be still while I do all the things I need to do for the doctor.”
Amanda held still and waited while the tech finished the test. Then she handed her the printout of the ultrasound picture. She couldn’t stop staring at it. That was what was growing inside of her, a little person. Now it seemed so real.
There was a commotion at the door. She heard Morgan’s voice threaten the officer outside the room.
“Get out of my way. She’s my woman.”
The officer must have said something because Morgan answered him, “Call your superior, then, and get it cleared, because I’m going in whether you like it or not.”
Morgan pushed past the officer and walked into the room. Amanda still had her gown up, rubbing her belly. It felt good to touch and know she was, in essence, rubbing her baby. She watched as he stared at her now slightly rounded belly.
“You’ve got a baby bump,” he said with wonder.
“Look what they gave me,” she said, picking up the sonogram picture.
He obviously knew what it was because he took it and looked closely at it before handing it back to her. “Can’t tell if it is a boy or a girl yet, though.”
“Not yet,” she agreed. “Is everything straightened out?”
“Pretty much. We’ll all have to come back and testify against the others unless they take a plea bargain.”
“What about Tyler and Justin? Are they okay?”
“They’re fine. Justin has a hell of a headache, but he’ll be fine.”
Just then, the doctor walked in. He raised his eyebrows at Morgan.
“You okay with him being in here while we talk?” He flipped through her chart.
“Yes, it’s fine,” Amanda assured him.
“Okay, I’ve got good news and some not-so-good news.”
At this, Amanda’s stomach dropped. Morgan sought out her hand and squeezed it. She didn’t know what she was going to do without him when he was gone. He was her rock in the storm of life.
“I’ll do that,” Amanda assured him.
“Okay, the not-so-great news. You’re not as large and haven’t gained enough weight for how far along you are. You should weigh a good eight to ten pounds more than you do for your height and gestation.”
“What about my baby? Is he okay?”
“The baby is doing fine. The baby will always get what it needs first. You’re the one suffering. Eventually, though, it will affect the baby. You need more rest and to gain some weight,” the doctor said.
“I’ll make sure she gets what she needs,” Morgan assured the doctor.
“All right then, I’m going to write that prescription and your discharge papers, and you’ll be ready to go,” he said.
As soon as the doctor left the room, Morgan wrapped her in his arms and kissed her. She opened to him, and he took advantage by plunging his tongue inside to twist and roll over hers.
Someone cleared her throat. Amanda hid her face in Morgan’s neck when they pulled apart.
“I came to help you get dressed, but I see you have someone who can help you.” A middle-aged nurse smiled at them and shook her head. “I’ll be back in about twenty minutes with your discharge papers and that prescription for you.”
“Oh my God, I’m so embarrassed,” Amanda said.
“Come on, let’s get you dressed before she gets back,” Morgan said with a grin.
Amanda slid off the stretcher with Morgan’s help and shed the gown. He held the jeans while she stepped into them and pulled them up for her. Then he helped her with her bra and blouse. By the time the nurse arrived again, they were both standing by the stretcher waiting on her. She smiled and shook her head.
“Here is your paperwork. Sign here, and this copy is yours.” She indicated where to sign and handed a pen to Amanda.
“So, I can take her now?” Morgan asked.
“She’s free to go.”
* * * *