The cop had stood in the living room with his hat in his hand for another fifteen minutes, but Liz hadn’t been aware of anything other than her world fracturing around her. The two sisters had sat on the living room floor and clung to each other as they shared their grief. All the while, Paul had been there to watch over them, doing what he could to comfort them.
And he’d been there for all three sisters as they learned how to pick up the pieces of their family. Paul was a second father, a favorite uncle, and a mentor all rolled into one. There was no way he was involved in what happened at the garage.
Liz stumbled over a tree root and fell to her knees. Alex paused. “Do you need me to slow down?”
“No, I’m fine. I’m just not paying enough attention to where I’m going.”
“Okay, but let me know if you can’t keep up.”
His comment made her bristle, even knowing he hadn’t meant it as an insult. “I will.” She took a moment to wish memories were as easy to brush off as pine needles before renewing her efforts to watch the trail. Her mind returned to her previous train of thought. If it wasn’t Paul, then the only way this could have happened is if Josh had somehow managed to doctor the evidence to further implicate her. Liz felt a sense of relief. That must have been what happened. It couldn’t be Paul.
She came to this conclusion just as they reached the side of a road. Alex stopped in the shadow of the trees and looked out over the open expanse of asphalt. Beyond was a parking lot and the back of a strip mall. He knew the gas station would be on the other side.
“This is it.” He looked at Liz as she pulled up beside him. “How are your feet?”
“In serious need of a pedicure and some pampering.”
His laughter startled her. He shook his head. “For some reason, I never considered you to be the pedicure type.”
Liz slanted him a look. “What does that mean?”
He shrugged. “No offense, but you’ve always seemed more of a badass than that.”
She wasn’t quite sure how to feel about his assessment of her. Or the fact that he had thought about it at all. “I can be a badass and still like pedicures.”
Alex turned, catching her with his gaze. “Clearly.”
Liz felt her pulse spike at his undivided attention. It was ridiculous how much he could affect her with just a look.
Shaking her head, she took a step back and reminded herself she couldn’t let Alex get too close. She still wasn’t even sure she could trust him. “So, how are we going to get what we need? Should we just run over there?”
The sudden change of subject had Alex looking back out over the road. Liz thought there had been a glimmer of disappointment before he’d turned away. “No, I think running would make us more obvious. We’d do better just acting like we belong. Let’s cut across and then skirt around to the back. I see some more trees over there. It’ll be a good spot for you to stay out of sight.”
Staying as close to the perimeter as possible without looking like they were sneaking, Liz felt self-conscious about her lack of shoes. It was nearly twenty minutes before Alex found a good location, slightly in the woods. At that point, all she wanted to do was sit down for a week.
“We have a decent view of that gas station from here. Why don’t you sit on this rock while I go pick up a few supplies?”
“Are you sure you’re okay to do this?” Liz asked. Now that the time had come, she was surprised to find she was nervous.
Alex stepped up to her. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this. Just promise me you’ll stay here until I come back.”
Liz raised her arms and looked around. “Where would I go? According to Mason, I’m a wanted fugitive with the whole police force out looking for me.”
He sent her a commiserating look. “Just rest here for a while. Once we have a few supplies, we can figure out the next stage of the plan, okay?”
It felt strange not being the one in charge, but for once, Liz was happy to let someone else take over. “Be careful. Your involvement may not have been reported this morning, but that was over two hours ago. Anything could have changed during that time and we wouldn’t know.”
Alex nodded and headed towards the building, but then turned and walked back. Liz had just gotten herself as comfortable as she could on the rock. She looked up. “What?” He bent over, his lips capturing hers in a firm, quick kiss. It was over before she’d even had a chance to respond.
Looking down, he stroked a finger along her jawline and smiled. “For luck.”
He left her with her lips tingling and her eyes glued to his back as he walked away.
Chapter Fifteen
Alex chuckled at the thought of Liz’s stunned face when he’d planted that kiss on her, but then he pushed the thought away, knowing he’d need to pay attention for this next step. His long strides quickly got him across the field, his pulse racing with tightly leashed adrenalin. Slowing, he approached the back of the building and did one more scan to see if anyone was watching.
So far, the only thing he could see was the door to the bathroom and a spot for garbage. A bell chimed overhead as he went through the door. Alex nodded at the clerk, but noticed he was too caught up in his program to acknowledge him.
His stomach growled as he wandered down the aisle, and he suspected Liz was probably just as hungry as he was. The bag of chips they’d had for breakfast was long gone, but with only a hundred dollars, Alex knew he was going to have to prioritize.
Skipping the food aisles for the moment, he made his way to the side of the store where they kept cheesy tourist gifts and seasonal items like sunglasses and lip balm. Perfect. Just as he’d hoped, there was a bin of cheap plastic flip flops kept in the back corner.
He should have asked what size shoe she wore. Hazarding a guess, he found a bright orange pair in size 7. After another moment of looking, and coming up with another pair in equally offensive lime green, he decided the orange ones were the best option.
Now for food. Bright, colorful wrappers filled the shelves. Too bad there wasn’t a great selection of actual sustenance available. Doing the best he could, he grabbed a bag of beef jerky, trail mix, a couple of granola bars, and some water. Checking the amount left in his wallet, he tossed in a cheap first-aid kit and some bandages he found in another aisle. As he walked up to the counter, he noticed the TV had cut to a breaking news story.
Glancing at the pile on the counter, the clerk asked, “Did you find everything okay?”
“Yeah, thanks. Hey, can you turn that up for a minute?”
The guy grabbed a remote and raised the volume. “Crazy, huh?”
“What happened?”
The guy looked at him, eager to be the one to pass on juicy news. “I guess there was a break-in at the garage downtown and they found some drugs. There was also a police officer injured before she made her escape. You think that broad has been dealing drugs out of her garage this whole time?”
“There’s probably more to the story. Are they saying she’s a suspect?”
“Well, technically they’re calling her a ‘person of interest,’ – here he punctuated the term with air quotes – but it’s easy to read between the lines.” The clerk shook his head again. “Can you believe it? I used to take my car there for oil changes.”
Alex wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “So, what are they doing?”
His new friend shrugged. “They’re looking for her now. I guess they think she was the head of some big drug ring.”
“And they think she did this all by herself?” Alex hadn’t really believed he’d been left out of the news cycle, but the proof was right there. What the hell was going on? Why would they not be gunning for him, too?”
“She’s the only one they’re talking about. But, who knows how she could have done something like that, y’know?”
Alex agreed with the guy and paid for his goods. “Well, thanks for the info.”
“Yeah, no problem.” The clerk turned back to the set, shaking his hea
d.
Alex stepped out of the store and took a moment to adjust his purchases before making his way to the back of the building. Just as he was about to round the corner, the clerk opened the door. “Hey, Mister!”
His heart jumped and he tightened his hand on the bag’s handle. How long would it take him to run across the field and back into the woods?
Instead, he turned around slowly. “Yeah?”
“You forgot your water.”
Relief flooded over him as he took a step closer and accepted the water. “Thanks.” He struggled to get his pulse rate back down to normal. Deciding not to take any more chances, he picked up his pace and jogged across the field.
Alex made it into the shadow of the trees and paused to catch his breath. A hushed quiet surrounded him and filled the air. The blanket of pine needles muted his footsteps, and he could see little patches of wildflowers pushing their way up in the dappled light. It would have been idyllic if they weren’t currently running for their lives.
Where was she? Did he somehow get turned around?
He walked further into the stand of trees, trying to get his bearings. No, there was the clearing with the big rock he’d left her sitting on.
Afraid to make too much noise, he whispered loudly. “Liz?” When there was no response, he scanned the area. “Liz?” he called a little louder. Shit, where could she be?
He checked the dirt for any signs of a struggle. If anything had happened to her…Alex shut down that train of thought.
A flash of color caught his eye. Bending down, he found a scrap of cloth that had gotten snagged. The small seed of fear in his stomach blossomed into full-fledged panic. Alex frantically circled the clearing, hoping to find any other clues. He’d just doubled back to the rock when he heard someone approaching from behind him.
Crouching down in the shadow of the rock, Alex waited.
Chapter Sixteen
Liz gingerly picked her way through the trees. The pine needles were easier to walk on than other things she’d stepped on today, but they weren’t exactly comfortable.
It was quiet. Quieter than it had been all day. Liz hadn’t noticed how silent the woods had become until she reached the edge of the clearing. Then, it dawned on her what was missing.
All the birds had stopped singing.
Fear draped across her shoulders. The back of her neck prickled in warning. Squinting, she could just make out the shape of a man in the shadow of the rock. “Alex? Is that you?”
Instantly, he jumped up. Oh, thank goodness. If it hadn’t been him…
“Where the hell did you go?” His harsh voice had her backing up. She crossed her arms. Maybe it wasn’t so good to see him after all.
“You had me worried!” He reached for her, but thought better of it at the last minute. She still didn’t budge. “Didn’t we agree you were to stay put?” He brandished a scrap of her shirt. “I thought someone may have found you.”
Damn. Hadn’t she just been thinking the same thing? She took a step towards him, but her voice remained cool. “I was sitting here waiting for you and got to thinking. How are we going to get to the next location? I figured I could find some way to help, so I found us a car.”
“Found a car?”
She shrugged. “Maybe temporarily liberated would be a better way to put it.”
“Liz, don’t you think stealing a vehicle is an unnecessary risk?”
The exasperation in his voice irritated her all over again. “Look, I’m not just some damsel in distress who is going to sit around and wait to be rescued. I’m perfectly capable of contributing to our way out of this mess.”
“Not if it means risking your safety.”
“You did it.”
Alex protested. “That’s not the same thing!”
“Why? Because it was you instead of me?”
“Well, actually, yeah. Your face has been shown on all the news stations. The entire police force isn’t looking for me.”
“And WHY is that again?”
Liz nearly winced as she watched her question hit home. Alex raised a hand and rubbed his chest, almost as if he could feel the pain of her words in his heart. The hurt and anger she saw in his eyes bothered her, but it was the resignation that had her apologizing.
She drew closer. “Alex, I’m sor-“
He stepped back and shrugged. “Don’t worry about it.” He shook the plastic bag in his hand. “I got some supplies.”
Liz regretted the change of subject and the rift she had caused between them, but didn’t know how to fix it. “Please tell me there are some shoes in there.”
He dug into the sack and handed her the ugliest flip-flops she had ever seen in her entire life. Then again, anything was better than what she was currently wearing. Well, anything other than a pair of stilettos, maybe.
Eager to get moving, she sat on the rock and peeled the wet and muddy slippers off her feet. The big toe on her left foot was crusted over in dried blood from accidentally kicking a tree stump.
“Geez, Liz. Why didn’t you tell me it was this bad?”
“There was nothing either of us could have done about it.” She bent her head down to inspect her feet closer. “They weren’t so bad this morning. This happened while we were running from the cops.”
Alex reached over and touched a particularly sore spot on the sole of her foot. She sucked in her breath. “Sorry, there’s a large and gnarly splinter here. I’m going to try to get it out.”
“With what?”
After digging in the bag for a moment, he proudly brandished the first aid kit. “I thought this would come in handy. Just sit there for a minute and relax. I’ll patch up what I can.”
Despite the sorry state of her feet, this was pushing the bounds of intimacy a bit too much. She pulled back. “You don’t have to do that. I can take care of it.” It was embarrassing to think about Alex so close to her dirty feet.
A tingle of electricity raced up her inner thigh as she felt his fingers wrap around her ankle, warm and sure. He looked up. “Let me do it. I want to help.”
Liz stilled, unsure of how to respond. Alex took out a disinfectant wipe and cleaned her various scrapes and scratches with long soothing strokes. Why had she never known how sensitive the arch of her foot was before?
She fell under the spell of his slow and steady touch, loving the way he traced the bones in her ankle and pads of her toes. Gradually, the pain in her foot was eclipsed by the gentle way Alex tended to her. She’d just started to relax under his ministrations when there was a slight pause. Liz opened her eyes right as she felt a quick tug and sting. “Ouch!”
“Sorry,” he shot her a sheepish grin. “I had to get the splinter out.”
“Maybe give a little warning next time,” she grumbled.
He smiled and turned his attention to her other foot. “Yes, ma’am.”
She shifted uncomfortably, aware of just how much she’d been enjoying his touch. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”
“I know, but it’s easier for me to see where the damage is.” As if sensing her impatience, he quickly cleaned and bandaged her other foot. “Okay, you’re all set.” He handed her the ugly flip-flops. “Hopefully you can walk on them a little better now.”
Liz hurriedly put on her new footwear and stood up, ignoring the way her blood had heated at his touch. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” She watched as he packed up all the bandage wrappers and trash and stuffed them back into the plastic bag, eliminating any evidence that they had ever been there. He turned to her. “So, where is this car you liberated?”
“Not far. Follow me.”
She led Alex through the strip of woods until they reached the back side of a grocery store parking lot. An older model Honda Accord that looked like it had seen better days sat on the far edges of the pavement.
It had been a huge risk leaving it. If the owner discovered it was missing the police could have been called. If they suspected Liz was behind the missing
car, they could already be lying in wait.
She crouched down and scanned the perimeter of the parking lot before stepping out of the trees. Liz caught the expression on Alex’s face as he took in the damaged back window on the passenger side and winced. “Believe it or not, I don’t make it a habit of breaking laws.”
He turned to her. “Where did it come from?”
She gestured towards the grocery store. “I saw them pull into the lot and make their way into the store, but we probably don’t have much time.” Sensing his reluctance, she added, “We’re lucky there was a car old enough. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have worked.”
“Why an old car?”
Liz started walking towards the vehicle and opened the door before answering. She looked over the top of the car and noticed Alex seemed hesitant to get in. “Most of the newer models have anti-theft systems that make them nearly impossible to steal. The older ones can still be hotwired.”
Alex finally opened the passenger door and got in as Liz reached down below the steering column for the exposed wires she’d left hanging there. It only took a few strikes with the starter wire to get the engine running again. With a sigh of relief, Liz sat in the seat and adjusted the mirrors before putting her seatbelt on. “We should probably get out of here before the owners finish their shopping. Which way?”
Alex pointed, then reached for his seatbelt. She quickly pulled out of the parking lot. Liz could feel his gaze on her and wondered what he was thinking.
“Well, I guess if I’m going to be on the run with someone, it might as well be with a car mechanic who can hotwire cars and break out of handcuffs. You really are something, you know that, Liz?”
The tone in his voice made it hard for her to know if he meant it as a compliment or not. “Uh, thanks…?” She glanced quickly towards him when he didn’t reply, eager to change the subject. “So, where are we going, anyway?”
“It’s on the outskirts of town. I figured you could hole up while I go pick up some groceries with the little money we have left. Who knows how long this ordeal is going to last or whether they’ll eventually release my image to the press. It’ll be better if we take advantage of the opportunity while we can.”
Secret Need (The Harper Sisters Book 2) Page 9