Expired Cache

by Lisa Phillips

  The look on Ellie’s face said differently. She watched Jessica leave, and even after the car had disappeared around a turn, and didn’t look at him.

  “She’s right, you know.”

  Ellie whipped around to face him.

  “We should get somewhere safe.”

  “Fine.” Ellie headed first to the car with that backpack still on her shoulders. Head high.

  Dean followed, scanning the area. “I’ll need to know everything about the phone call you told your sister about.” Back when it had been fresh in her mind.

  “I’ll forward it to you.” She turned, standing by the door.

  He opened it. “I’ll give you my cell number.”

  “Fine.” She didn’t move to get in the car.

  He smiled. “Fine.”

  She didn’t want to tell him what the problem was. Nor did she want to talk about how it made her feel. That might come, when or if she decided to trust him. But right now he appreciated realizing that she avoided it with banter. Ellie was determined to be strong, and that meant not giving in when she’d been blindsided.

  About a mention of Ed Summers and his uncle.

  “That’s why you didn’t want to come back to Last Chance. Because something happened to you here.”

  She glanced away, not meeting his gaze.

  Both men were dead now. And yet the fear was still as real for her as it had been when they were alive. Whatever it was had been serious.

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  She slid into the car, looking relieved. Dean shut the door then circled the hood. There was no way to find out what had happened to her without invading her privacy, which meant he had to wait until she was ready to tell him what happened.

  A tow truck headed up the highway toward him. They were close to town, but it had come from the other direction. Another job. Or where the driver lived. Dean pointed in the direction of the wrecked car the police had cleared off the road.

  The passing semi ahead of it ruffled Dean’s hair. He huddled against the driver’s door as it passed, going full speed.

  He decided to wait until the tow truck did the same before getting into his vehicle, as the police had rolled the wrecked car to a spot in front of him on the shoulder. Then he would get in and drive Ellie to safety.

  So far she hadn’t been targeted at her home. But that could change at any time. This guy—whoever he was, warning her to stay away—had found her in three different locations. He could even be tracking her. After all, he had her number.

  Did he need a safe house situation? No cell phone. No internet. Just around the clock protection from a team of highly-trained security experts.

  Something to think about, at least. Worth sending an email so when the team reconnected after their op, they would see he needed help. Hopefully it wouldn’t drag into weeks, and months, and Dean could get back up.

  Unlike the semi, the tow truck slowed, and the driver lifted a hand to wave. Dean returned it. The side had huge red letters. Larry’s Towing.

  If he hadn’t read the words, he’d never have seen the boom start to swing in his direction. It took a second to realize it was about to hit him.

  Dean ducked to a crouch. The hook for the winch on the back of the tow truck slammed into the roof of his car. Metal screeched as it tore. Ellie screamed.

  Dean felt the impact as it slammed into the back of his shoulder.

  He hit the ground and everything started to spin.

  Thirteen

  Ellie flung the car door open. “Dean!”

  She’d heard that awful crunch, and had seen him go down. Was he hurt? The second she caught sight of him, Ellie cried out. “No!”

  He lay on his side but she could see his back shoulder from where she was because he was partially rolled to his front. There wasn’t any blood.

  “Dean?”

  Here he was, suited up for battle with layers and a protective vest and it still hadn’t prevented him from being hurt. Though, it may have saved his life.

  “Dean.” She touched his shoulder but dared not roll him to his back. Her voice whimpered as tears worked their way up her throat. Kneeling on the street wailing wasn’t going to get him help.

  “Is he okay?” The man approaching was younger than her, and she’d seen him before. He wore cargo pants, running shoes, and tank-style T-shirt that showed off huge shoulders and biceps. “The whole winch arm came loose. It should have been secure.”

  Ellie went cold with fear. He’d hurt Dean. Was he going to hurt her too? This might be the person from the phone call. Or on the street.

  The man moved to her and then reached out with his hand. As though he intended to touch her.

  Ellie slid Dean’s gun from the holster on his hip. The one he’d brought to protect her. She thumbed off the safety and pointed it at the man. “Back off.”

  This weapon was going to be used to protect him now.

  The man reared back, lost balance, and landed on the seat of his cargoes on the asphalt. “Whoa, lady. I’m only trying to help.”

  “Don’t come near me. Or him.” Her grip on the gun wavered, and it shook in the air. But Ellie locked her elbows and held it up. No way would she allow weakness to fail her now.

  The younger man stared at her, wide eyed. She’d seen him before.

  Ellie said, “Don’t come near us.”

  “Yeah, you already said that.” The man shook his head. “Don’t shoot me.”

  “Then back off.”

  He lifted both hands and scooted back, then hopped to his feet. “I’m gonna get on my radio. Call this in.”

  He moved away from her.

  Ellie didn’t lower her gun but aimed it at him, just in case he planned to do something.

  When he moved around to the driver’s side of his tow truck and out of her view, she looked around. No one was here, and it was fully dark now. She shivered. Anyone could sneak up on her, so she had to be vigilant.

  She got her phone out and saw a text from Jess. A repeat of her parting words. Instead of calling her back, Ellie moved to dial 911.

  No.

  If the guy who’d called to threaten her somehow had access to her phone, he could listen in. He would know Dean was hurt, and she was vulnerable. Ellie had to protect both of them single-handedly since he couldn’t help her right now. She tossed her phone on the ground and rummaged through Dean’s pockets for his.

  “Sorry. Excuse me.”

  He moaned.

  “I’m sorry.” A tear rolled down her face. “This is my fault. You got caught in the middle trying to protect me.”

  There was no way this wasn’t by design. She didn’t believe in accidents. Happy, or little, or whatever. No way did she think Dean had been hurt randomly. That man had warned her that the people around her would be hurt, and this had to be a direct retaliation because she hadn’t backed off. She’d left the car and waded right into the situation.

  “Please wake up.” She whispered the words to him, wanting desperately to get out of there. But she had to call 911. It seemed like forever before someone picked up.

  “Last Chance Emergency. This is Bill.”

  “Dean is hurt.”

  On the ground, he moaned and shifted his legs.

  “Don’t try to move. I’m getting help.” Into the phone, she said, “I need an ambulance. And more cops. They were just here, so you can just tell them to turn around and come back.”

  “Why are you using Dean’s phone?” The man sounded older. And suspicious.

  “Because he’s hurt!” She practically wailed the words, subconsciously drawing on the fact that if you pretended to be helpless, men would want to rescue you. Every woman knew that. “Dean was hit by the tow truck winch thing. We need help!”

  “Ellie.” Dean shifted.

  She touched his hair. “Don’t move. I’m okay, but you’re not.” To Bill, she said, “We need help. Dean needs help.”

  “Put him on the phone.”

  “He’s
barely conscious. He can’t talk to you.”

  The young man said, “Dispatch is calling it in.” Tow truck driver trotted back around the front end of the truck this time.

  She lifted the gun.

  “Whoa, lady. Don’t shoot me.”

  Dean shifted. “Ellie.”

  “Try to not move.” She patted his hair, trying to reassure him.

  On the phone, Bill said, “Ellie. It is Ellie, right?”

  “What?” She realized what he’d said. “Yes.”

  “Put Dean on the phone.”

  “He’s in no condition to—”

  Dean lifted his hand. “Give me the phone.”

  She handed it to him.

  “Yeah?” He took a breath. She could see how much it hurt for him to breathe in the way he moved as his back expanded and then contracted. In the dim light of the tow truck lights, she could see his face pale. “Uh-huh. Yes.”

  She needed to do something, but he wasn’t bleeding and she had no idea about medical treatment. When he shivered, Ellie unzipped her jacket and pulled it off. She shifted the gun as she moved. The tow truck driver must’ve thought she was distracted because he reached for it.

  “Don’t!” She may have yelled it a little too loudly, bringing the gun up again.

  The tow truck driver yelped and skittered back.

  She hadn’t thought he could move that fast.

  Ellie gritted her teeth. “Just give me some space, okay?”

  “Yes, it’s right. Same place.” Dean paused. “Copy that.” He set the phone on the asphalt and lifted to sit up, the call on the screen still connected.

  He didn’t even sway, though she saw a flash of teeth as he righted himself. “Give me the gun, Ellie.”

  “You’re hurt. I don’t think you should be sitting up.”

  “Ellie.”

  “He tried to…” She didn’t know what, but that wasn’t the point. She wanted to explain. “I don’t know him, and he’s acting weird. Which means I don’t trust him.”

  He held out his palm. “Pass me the gun, please.”

  She did it right away, giving Dean control of the weapon while Ellie swiped up the phone and held it to her ear. “You’re sending someone, right?” If he sent a lot of someone’s, that would be fine with her.

  “This is unprecedented.”

  “Because Dean got hurt?”

  “Help is on the way.” Bill, the dispatcher, sounded taken aback.

  “Any idea when they plan on being here?” She could tell Dean was pushing himself. Determined to protect her when he was the one that was hurt.

  He shifted toward her. “Ellie.”

  She had no idea why he felt that he had to move right now. But it looked like it hurt when he moved, so she knew it wasn’t a good idea. No matter what he wanted to say. “You should lie back down.”

  “This is Bill,” the caller said. “Stay on the phone, so I know everything is all right.”

  “The vest took most of the force.”

  She didn’t look at him. If she did, she would lose it even more. Ellie was about to snap. And if she did, she’d either be wailing for the sky like she was already tempted to do, or she would start ordering everyone around.

  Dean grunted.

  She laid a hand on his arm. “Maybe you should lie down.” Why did she have to keep repeating herself?

  “I’m okay, El. I’ve been hurt worse than this.”

  “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

  “El.” He did it again.

  She squeezed her eyes shut, one hand still on his forearm. She could feel his strength under her fingers. With the other hand, she held the phone. Dean had been hurt because of her. She wasn’t about to run off on her own, half-cocked, trying to do the right thing. Things would only end up turning out worse than this if she put herself in even more danger.

  “Hang in there, girlie.”

  She shifted the phone and said, “I don’t need your help, Bill. I’m fine.”

  “Sure you are. Thought we wouldn’t protect you? Jess’s big sister. The chief’s granddaughter. Probably thought I didn’t remember, neither. I was on duty the night they raided that party.” He barely paused before saying, “I’ll never forget it. He lost his mind finding you there.”

  Ellie hung up on him.

  “Hey—”

  She cut off Dean before he could ask what that was about, lifted her face, and tried to smile. “They’re on their way.”

  “I know.” He glanced at the tow truck driver. “Mark. Hey.”

  Ellie said, “You guys know each other?”

  “Mark is the reception guy at the gym we were at the other night.”

  “Oh.” That had to be where she’d seen him before.

  “Don’t go anywhere,” Dean said. “The police are going to want an explanation.”

  The guy looked Dean over. “What are you, some kind of undercover commando or something?”

  “He was a Navy SEAL.”

  Dean winced. She didn’t know why.

  Mark said, “So how’d you get saddled with the crazy chick?”

  Ellie gasped. Dean’s chest shook. Was he laughing at her? If he thought Mark was funny, then she was looking forward to him getting help…all the way to the hospital.

  While she looked for approaching police cars and wondered how many more hours she’d have to sit on the side of this highway he said, “She needed help. That’s why I’m with her.”

  Ouch. If Ellie cared what either of them thought, she might’ve been offended by that. But it was true, wasn’t it? Dean was only here to keep her safe.

  Too bad he hadn’t been able to keep her safe.

  “Huh.” Mark eyed her. “Guess that’s probably true. I still don’t know what happened to the winch.”

  Ellie pressed her lips together. This guy didn’t want a piece of her mind. It wouldn’t make her feel better anyway, and he would only end up referring to her as a “shrew.”

  He eyed her. She didn’t like his stare. It made her want to move closer to Dean, farther away from him.

  Instead of doing that she said, “I’m Eleanor Ridgeman, Professor of Modern History at Furrowbridge College in New York. I’d say it’s nice to meet you, but under the circumstances…” She shrugged.

  “I figured you for a librarian.”

  “Sorry to disabuse you of that notion.”

  He chuckled.

  Dean squeezed her knee. “Basuto is here.”

  The sergeant she’d met after her almost hit-and-run, along with his partner, climbed out of their cars. Then another cop car showed up, and two more officers. Someone called “Tate” introduced himself. Savannah Wilcox, the detective, pulled up in a muscle car. She gave the Tate guy a kiss and then asked Ellie half a million questions about what happened.

  Afterward, Savannah went to Dean and crouched in front of him while the EMT prodded his shoulder and made him wince. She wanted to scream at the guy. No wonder, when everyone needed medical help, they called Dean instead.

  “Hey.”

  She spun around.

  “Whoa.” A young cop stuck his hand out. “Donaldson. You’re Jess’s sister, right?”

  She nodded. “I don’t think I’ve met you. I’m Ellie.”

  “Everything okay? You seem a little on edge.”

  “It’s been a very long day, and I didn’t sleep last night.”

  “My partner and I are just leaving. Did you…want a ride home?”

  The invitation confirmed to Ellie that Jess hadn’t filled him in on the day’s events, otherwise he’d be more about protection detail and less about doing her a favor. Ellie started to shake her head, then saw Dean arguing with the EMT.

  “He’s going to the hospital. Pretty much whether he likes it or not, though that’s only what Tate said. I don’t think he actually would go so far as to hit Dean with his stun gun just to get him to go get an X-ray.”

  Several people shifted, and she lost sight of him. He needed to be seen
by a doctor, and not with her in tow.

  “You can drive me back to Jess’s house?”

  “Sure thing. We’re actually on lunch break in a minute, anyway. You’re not out of our way.”

  Ellie bit her lip. She still had Dean’s phone and the backpack. Her phone was somewhere on the ground. She didn’t even want to know where.

  If they were tracking her with her phone, they wouldn’t know where she’d gone until it was too late. By then Dean would have found her—to get his phone back.

  Ellie would be safe at home in the meantime.

  Getting to the bottom of this mess.

  Fourteen

  A cop car was parked outside the Ridgeman residence. Dean lifted his hand, and the officer inside waved back. When Dean started up the driveway, the car engine turned over and the guy drove away. Before he went inside, Dean installed sensors and cameras like he had at the cabin. No sense being caught unaware.

  Jessica’s house keys were in his pocket. That had been a fun conversation.

  “You’re supposed to be protecting her.”

  He’d nearly leaned against the wall at the reception area in the police station. Bad idea, considering his wound. “Sorry. I had to get an X-ray of my shoulder. I didn’t know she was gonna leave with Donaldson.”

  “Thank goodness he let me know he was taking her home.”

  He’d steered the conversation away from his failure, mostly so he could get her keys and get out of there. So he could get back to protecting Ellie.

  Jess had said, “Go put that obsessively overprotective nature of yours to good use and make sure my sister doesn’t get hurt.”

  Her parting comment had rolled around in his head since. And even more so when his younger brother Ted, the police department’s technical specialist, appeared at the end of the hallway. He’d seen his brother wince. He hadn’t even stuck around to ask if Detective Wilcox was there so he could get an update on the dead biker.

  Dean tried not to move his shoulders too much when he walked. The bruise on the back of his shoulder marked the spot of his cracked shoulder blade, but he’d turned down the offer of a sling. He hadn’t wanted his movement restricted that much. Now he had his gun in its holster on the left side, on his belt. Just because he could move his right arm didn’t mean he planned to.