“Thank you.” Gloria bent her head to her son’s head. She whispered something in Spanish, then looked up and nodded. “I am ready.”
Givens was reaching for the door when Michael hurried up behind them. “Wait,” he whispered, his voice an urgent rasp in the darkness. “What’s going on?”
Ellie and Givens turned around, their faces pale in the watery light. Ellie took an instinctive step toward him, then stopped. “Where have you been? Are you all right?” she asked, her voice quavering.
“I’m fine,” he said, peering at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She looked away and surreptitiously wiped her face. “We were just worried about you.”
She’d been crying over him? He reached for her, but Givens broke in, his voice brusque.
“Put it on hold, Reilly. We don’t have time for this. We’ve got to get out of here.”
Michael dropped his hand, ashamed and horrified that he’d been distracted by his need for Ellie. “You’re right.” He refused to look at her, afraid she’d distract him again. “What’s going on? Is there someone out there?”
“I haven’t seen a thing. And that worries me. There’s someone at the front door.”
“I saw him. Let me take a look out here.”
He took Givens’s place at the tiny crack in the door and peered out into the watery dawn light. Nothing moved. The air was still and heavy, as if the particles of oxygen were suspended in a thick soup.
He watched and waited, his heart racing. Suddenly he heard a faint shout from the upper floor of the warehouse. He turned to Givens.
“We don’t have a choice now. They’ve found Hobart,” he said, his voice hard. “We can’t wait. We have to get out of here.”
The FBI agent nodded, then before Michael could move, he opened the door and stepped outside.
The guy had guts, Michael thought, impressed. If someone had been waiting for them, the agent would have made a perfect target. Michael pulled the gun from his waistband and stepped out beside him, bracing himself for a volley of bullets. But the dawn remained silent.
Michael reached back inside and drew out Ellie and Gloria. “Stay behind us,” he said in an urgent whisper. “And for God’s sake, do exactly what we tell you.”
Gloria had her face buried in her son’s hair, but she nodded. Ellie took a deep, shuddering breath and wrapped her arm around the other woman’s waist.
They hadn’t taken three steps forward when a Chicago police officer stood up from behind a Dumpster. “Stop right there. Drop the gun and put your hands in the air.”
Michael slowly laid his weapon on the ground, then raised his hands. Givens did the same. Michael didn’t dare look behind him to see what Ellie and Gloria were doing. He hoped like hell they were staying behind him and the FBI agent as he’d instructed them.
“We’re law enforcement officers,” he called, careful not to make any sudden moves.
“Yeah, that’s what we heard.”
Michael noted the disgust in the Chicago officer’s voice and closed his eyes. How ironic. They’d been rescued, but their rescuers thought he and Givens were the bad guys.
“We’re not the ones you want,” he called. “They’re still inside the warehouse.”
“Thanks for the tip, pal.” The Chicago officer’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “We’ll be sure and check it out.” The man moved closer, his weapon steady in his hands, nothing but scorn in his eyes.
Michael stood completely still. From the look on the Chicago cop’s face, it wouldn’t take much for him to start shooting.
“He’s right,” a familiar voice said from behind the Chicago cops. “They’re not the ones you want.”
“Charles,” Michael said, staring at his friend but careful to keep his hands above his head. “What are you doing here?”
“When I found out that Gorman was on vacation, I figured I’d better head up here. There was too much potential for a screw-up.”
“You know this guy?” The Chicago cop glanced at Charles, his face full of suspicion.
“I do. And if I’m not mistaken, the other one is an FBI agent.” Charles nodded at Givens.
“That right?” The cop looked over at him.
“ID’s in my pocket.” Givens spoke without moving his hands.
The cop grunted, then motioned for them to lower their arms. Pulling a radio out of his pocket, he spoke a few terse words. Moments later, three men came running around the building wearing black jackets with FBI stenciled in large yellow letters. All of them held guns in their hands.
“Meet the cavalry,” Givens muttered. He stepped forward. “About time you guys showed up.”
Michael hurried over to the agents. “The information you need is in a room on the second floor. The one with the window overlooking the main floor.” His mouth tightened. “If the Midland cops inside haven’t already found it.”
“They haven’t.” He heard Ellie’s voice as she moved up behind him.
He turned and watched her approach. She slipped the backpack off her shoulders as she did so. “This is what you want.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
“I CAN’T BELIEVE you went back to get that backpack,” Michael raged at her as they walked out of police headquarters after hours of answering questions.
“You risked your life, more than once, to get that information this far. And Rueben died for it. How could I leave it behind for the Midland cops to find?”
Michael stopped and ran his fingers through his hair, his movements jerky and agitated. Judging by the way it looked, he’d done the same thing more than once during the long hours they’d been kept separate and questioned.
“What was Givens thinking? Jeez! I started to have some respect for the guy after the way he acted back there. Now I’m going to have to revise my opinion of him.”
“He tried to stop me, but I didn’t pay any attention to him.”
“Now there’s a surprise.”
Ignoring his growl, she stopped and turned to face him. “Going back for the information was the right thing to do, Michael,” she said gently. “It’s what you would have done.”
“Everybody knows I’m a damn fool,” he snapped. “I’d hoped you were smarter than that.”
“Fine,” she said, feeling the edges of her temper starting to fray. She’d been frantic, wondering what was happening to him. And now, when they were finally reunited, when all she wanted was for him to wrap his arms around her and never let go, all he could do was yell at her. “I’m a damn fool, too. All right? Is that what you wanted to hear?”
He shoved his hand through his hair again, leaving it sticking straight up. She wanted to reach up and smooth it back into place, but curled her fingers into a fist instead. If she touched him, she was afraid she would start to cry. And she would never forgive herself if she broke down in front of him now. She didn’t want him reaching for her out of pity. She couldn’t bear it.
“You could have gotten hurt, Ellie. Or worse.” His voice was almost a whisper. “I couldn’t bear that.”
“But I didn’t.” She turned to face him again, hope suddenly rekindled. “I’m fine and so are you. And I’d really rather not fight with you.”
“Now there’s a first,” he said, and his expression changed into the teasing mask he’d worn so often. The mask he used to disguise his real feelings, she realized with a spasm of pain.
She needed a signal from him, some kind of clue about what he wanted. She knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted Michael. And she wasn’t interested in settling for a superficial affair. She wanted it all—the husband, the family with two point nine children, the house and the white picket fence. She wanted happily ever after.
She had no idea what Michael wanted. Finally, afraid to ask but desperate to know, she said, “What happens next?”
He shoved his hands into his pockets and started walking down the street. “It’s going to take time to round up everyone in Midland who was part of the corruption. App
arently Ruiz is singing like a canary, but they have to verify his information and interrogate the others they caught at the warehouse. The FBI wants me to keep a low profile for a few weeks.”
That wasn’t what she’d meant. “In Midland?”
“No. They’re keeping me in a safe house up here.”
“What about me? Do I go back to Midland?”
“No. It’s too dangerous right now.”
Her heart began to soar. Now was when he was supposed to tell her that he wanted her in the safe house with him.
He walked on, not looking at her. “I’ve arranged with Charles for you to stay with him and Betty. He can protect you until it’s safe for you to go back to Midland.”
Her hopes crashed to the ground at his carefully neutral words. “Maybe I should stay with you in the safe house.”
God, she was pathetic. She was practically throwing herself at him.
“No!” He swallowed and shook his head. “That’s not a good idea. Both witnesses shouldn’t be in the same place. Too dangerous.”
Her heart shriveled in her chest as she stopped and faced him. Pain and anger raced through her, tumbling over each other and swelling to fill her until there was no room left for anything else.
“So you’re walking away.” She turned her head so he wouldn’t see the devastation in her eyes. “At least be honest about it.”
“Hey, I would have given you a call when I got back to Midland. We would have gotten together sometime.”
She glanced at him and saw the truth on his face. “No, you wouldn’t have, Michael. You wouldn’t have come within a mile of me.”
“I’m no good for you,” he said, and she saw the desperation on his face. “You don’t need someone like me in your life. You need someone who’ll be there for you. Someone who can give you those kids you want. Someone who can build a life with you.”
“Who said I wanted kids?”
“You didn’t have to say it. I saw your face when Gloria asked you to take Rueben. You’ll make a great mother,” he said gruffly.
“But you won’t make a great father?”
“No.” His voice was flat and final. “I don’t know a thing about raising kids.”
“You know a lot about raising kids. You know exactly what not to do.”
“That’s not the same as knowing how to do it right.”
The ache was throbbing and growing inside her, and suddenly all she wanted was to be alone. She didn’t want to face Michael, to let him see the pain of loss in her eyes. She didn’t want anyone to see her, not when she was so naked with grief and despair.
She stumbled as she turned around, and Michael caught her elbow to steady her. Wrenching away from him, she tried to hurry off.
“Ellie, wait.”
She turned slowly to face him. He spread his hands in a helpless gesture. “How about if I give you a call when I get back to Midland? We’ll get together and see how it goes.”
She studied his face and felt ice harden around her heart. She saw his request with perfect clarity. He was trying to put some distance between them while he regained his emotional balance. When he’d recovered enough to be certain he could keep her at a distance, he’d call her.
Slowly she shook her head. “No, Michael. You can’t call me. I’m not going to sit and wait for you to make up your mind. I let my mother take my life away from me for over twenty years, and I’m not going to let anyone else do it.” She drew in a deep, shaking breath. “Good luck with your case against the Midland cops. But I know you won’t need it. You’re a good detective.”
She didn’t want to look away. It was the last sight of Michael she’d have, and she wanted to drink it in. Because she was studying him so carefully, she saw the first tiny flare of panic in his eyes.
“You’re leaving me?”
She swallowed the taste of pain and regret. “No, you’re leaving me, Michael.”
“I said I’d call you. You’re the one who’s walking away.”
She shook her head. Then she drew in another deep breath. If she meant what she said about changing her life, about taking chances and taking risks, now was the time to begin.
“I love you, Michael. I would do almost anything for you. But I won’t let you wander in and out of my life whenever you like. I deserve better than that. If you want to see me again, you have to choose. Love me like I love you. Commit to making a life with me, to sharing children with me. And if you can’t do that, turn around and walk away.”
She waited endless moments, watched fear and need war with each other on his face. His eyes were haunted as he said, “Ellie, I’m all wrong for you.”
“I think you’re exactly right for me. But if you don’t see that, then I guess we don’t belong together.”
He didn’t answer, and despair engulfed her. Turning again, she began walking blindly down the street. She had taken a chance, risked rejection, and she had lost.
“Ellie, wait.”
She stopped, hope struggling to raise its head as she heard the desperation in his voice. He hurried after her, but stopped just out of reach. Swiveling her head, she saw the fear on his face, but there was resolve there also. She held her breath.
“Ellie, I—I…”
She waited, forcing herself not to go to him.
He shut his eyes and said in a rush, “I love you, Ellie.” He opened them again and took a step closer, but still didn’t touch her. “I think I fell in love with you when you ran away from me in the warehouse and fell into that hole.” He drew in a deep, trembling breath.
“But I’m not good enough for you,” he continued. “You deserve someone who can give you everything you need. And that’s not me. I’m no good at this emotional stuff. I’ll never be able to tell you how I feel, to do all that touchy-feely crap.”
A laugh tore through her pain, scattering it to the winds. “You’re exactly who I need, Michael. We fit together perfectly. And I don’t just mean in bed. I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else but you.” She reached out and touched his face. “You’re my mate, Michael,” she whispered. “The one person in the world who was created for me.”
She drew her hand back. She needed to touch him too badly, needed to feel his arms around her too much. And she needed to get the words out. “You said you didn’t know how to tell me how you feel, but you just did.” A small grin curved her mouth. “And as for that touchy-feely stuff, I’ve never been too good at it, either. We can learn together.”
“Ellie,” he whispered, and finally reached out and swept her into his arms. He buried his face in her neck and she felt moisture on her skin. “You’d better be very sure that this is what you want. Because I’ll never let you go. You’re everything I thought I could never have. And everything I’ve ever dreamed about.”
He lifted his head and all the shadows were gone from his eyes. She saw only love shining there, hot and pure. “When will you marry me, Ellie?”
“Don’t you think you should ask if I’ll marry you first?” Her heart was ready to explode with happiness.
His arms tightened around her. “Hey, it’s okay with me if you just want to live in sin. But our kids might be embarrassed.”
He bent his head to kiss her. The fear and stress of the last few days, the despair she’d been feeling just moments ago, all fell away. Nothing existed but Michael, kissing her with all the passion and love she’d known was hiding inside him. Nothing mattered but the miracle of loving him, a miracle brought to life from the ugliness of the last few days.
Finally he lifted his head and looked down at her, all the shadows gone from his eyes, replaced by the promise of a bright future. “I guess you knew what you were talking about all along, Ms. Librarian.” He nuzzled her neck, then grinned down at her. “Maybe I should start reading those books of yours. It looks like I believe in happy endings, after all.”
ISBN: 978-1-4592-3211-2
TWO ON THE RUN
Copyright © 2004 by Margaret Watson.
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