“Good idea. I hate to say it, but we should also probably drop this car off before we get too close to our location. Eventually someone is going to come looking for it.”
Alex reached for his own seatbelt. “Don’t worry. I already have a plan for hiding it. Now all we have to do is hope we don’t get caught on the way there.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Clark! Get in here!”
Mason raised his eyebrows. Chief Hamilton was on the warpath; he hadn’t even managed to make it to his desk. “Yeah, Chief?”
“Shut the door, Mason.” After the door was closed, he continued. “I want you to meet Matt Hagen. He’s with the MDEA and will be working on the Liz Harper case. I’m assuming you heard what happened last night.”
The man who stood up to shake his hand towered over the chief. Then again, Chief Hamilton looked like the human equivalent of a bulldog, one that was a bit stodgy and unkempt. Mason had yet to form a solid opinion of him. His clothes might be shabby, but he had the reputation of being punctilious when it came to reports. He was also said to be tenacious when he caught the scent of a case. At the moment, he seemed too busy fawning over the new arrival for Mason’s comfort. He only hoped that he’d wait for all the facts to come to light before judging Liz guilty.
Matt Hagen, on the other hand, was tall and had a lantern jaw. There was a darkness about him that had Mason feeling like he’d just stepped out of Sleepy Hollow. His handshake was firm and perfunctory. He didn’t bother to smile. “Detective Clark.”
“Agent Hagen.”
“I understand you are in a relationship with Liz’s sister, Olivia.”
“I am.”
“I hope you understand that for the integrity of this case, you’re going to need to steer clear of this investigation. That being said, I’m going to be asking you a few questions about Ms. Harper. In fact, I’ll be interviewing her whole family.”
It’s not that it was unexpected. Mason would have been surprised if they let him work the case, but that didn’t stop him from feeling the sting. “I’m familiar with the concept of conflict of interest. I’ll do what I can to help. Although, I have to tell you, if you think Liz Harper has anything to do with those drugs you found, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
The other man seemed to weigh Mason’s words before continuing. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind. That will be all for now.”
Mason shot Chief Hamilton a look and headed towards the door.
“Oh, one more thing…”
Mason paused before stepping over the threshold. “Do you know where Liz Harper is right now?”
He turned to face the agent, thankful that he’d stopped Liz from divulging exactly that information on the phone call earlier. Mason made sure to maintain eye contact while answering. “No, I don’t.”
“And you’d tell us if you did?”
Agent Hagen might be a few years younger, but Mason could already tell he was a force to be reckoned with. He gritted his teeth, reminding himself that it would not pay to get on this guy’s bad side. “I would, yes.”
“Good.”
Mason paused for a moment, making sure there was nothing more before he let himself out of the office. Helping Liz was going to be harder than he’d thought.
Chapter Eighteen
Alex directed Liz to pull up to the curb in front of a modest lakeside cottage. “There’s an old garage in the back. We can park the car in there once I return from grocery shopping.”
This was one of the few furnished properties his father usually rented out during the summer. With his father’s illness, Alex decided to keep it off the market this year for sentimental reasons. For the rest of the year it sat empty. Although the location felt secluded, he knew there were three separate exits from the immediate vicinity, and it was fairly close to two different highways.
He watched as Liz quietly assessed the place through the windshield. “It looks nice.”
“When my mom was alive, we used to spend a couple of weeks here every summer. I haven’t been back since she passed away.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” It touched him that she would ask, given the strain of their situation. He noticed her shoulders drooping from exhaustion.
“Yeah. Come on.”
“Wait. Before we go inside, I want to check the car. There may be something we can use.”
“Well, I guess it won’t do any harm, considering we’ve already stolen their car.”
Liz shot him a resigned look before rummaging through the glove box. Reluctantly, Alex started checking the console.
“Got a flashlight here.”
“There’s nearly five dollars in change in this little container.”
“That’ll help. Although I’ve always hated paying for things with change.”
Alex shoved the coins into his pocket. “Well, beggars can’t be choosers.”
Liz got out of the car. “Can you pop the trunk for me?”
After his search produced three stale French fries and a grand opening pamphlet for a local hair salon, Alex got out to join her. “Find anything good?”
Liz’s response was muffled since her head was still in the trunk. “Well, I don’t know if I would call it good, exactly.” She stood up and showed him the sweatshirt she’d found, its front proudly sporting three wolves and a moon.
“Wow. It certainly makes a fashion statement, I’ll give it that.”
Sighing, Liz shook her head and slammed the trunk shut. “There’s also a pair of jumper cables and a spare tire back there, but I don’t think we need to take them out. As much as I hate to say it, this sweatshirt is probably the warmest thing I have right now.”
Alex bit the inside of his cheek. “At least it will go well with the orange flip-flops.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, yuk it up while you can. We both know I’ve never been into fashion. Let’s just call this an extreme case.”
Alex let them in the front door, locking it behind them. Glancing around, he was relieved to find the place in fairly good condition. Maybe the other property had been a fluke.
He looked at the woman beside him. Despite the terrible outfit, she still managed to look beautiful. It was a coincidence that he had happened upon this terrible situation, but he was thankful he had. Otherwise, he might not have been there to help Liz at the shop.
Suddenly, imagining a world without Liz made him feel very empty inside.
He took her hand. “Let me give you the grand tour.”
The “grand tour” revealed a small, eat-in kitchen, a modest living room boasting a stone fireplace, and one bathroom. There were two bedrooms across the hall from each other, one with two twin beds, and the other barely bigger than the king-size bed. From the kitchen, a back door led to a path, which meandered through some trees to a dock on the lake.
Back in the living room, Alex pulled a dust cover off one of the chairs. “It’s still too early in the season for us to have hired a cleaning service, but it shouldn’t be too bad. At least it means we’ll have some privacy to plan our next move.”
“Do you think there’s a towel I could use to freshen up?” Liz pulled a second cover off the couch, folding it before tossing it into the coat closet.
“Absolutely, help yourself. I wish I had a change of clothes for you, but I’m afraid you’re stuck with what you have. The sweatshirt is ugly, but at least it will help you stay warm.”
Liz gave the offending garment a glance and shot him the first genuine smile he’d seen from her all day. “Hey, you never know. This sweatshirt might be good luck.”
Silence filled the room between them. Up until that moment, they’d been so preoccupied with getting somewhere safe that it had been easy to set aside what was actually going on. He watched as her expression popped like a soap bubble and the gravity of their situation reasserted itself.
Sensing she would rather be alone to break down, Alex pulled a key off his ring. “This is to the house, just in case.”
“Keep the door locked while I’m away, okay? Is there anything else you need before I take off?”
She glanced around the room as if lost. “I don’t think so.”
Satisfied she’d be safe for the time being, Alex turned towards the door. “Remember to lock up behind me.”
“Alex.” The quiet way she said his name had him turning. She circled her arms around his neck and leaned in, her body flush against his. His arms wrapped around her waist as she stood on her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips. She lingered for just a breath, keeping the exchange sweet and simple, before stepping away. “Be careful.”
He wished he could pull her back and explore the moment more fully, but knew it wasn’t the time. Instead, Alex forced himself to go through the door. He waited to hear the click of the lock before walking towards the car.
Chapter Nineteen
Liz watched the car pull away and looked at the orange flip flops and sweatshirt again. It was hard to reconcile his thoughtful gestures with the man Mason had cautioned her against trusting. If Alex wasn’t trustworthy, would he be so worried about taking care of her?
Besides, who was Mason to talk about trust? Despite him practically being her brother-in-law, he’d never once let on that they were investigating her garage for drug activity. Not even a single hint! How was that for loyalty?
Logically, she understood that it was his duty as a police officer that had kept him quiet, but knowing that didn’t help her emotionally. She wasn’t sure whether she was more hurt or angry by his omission.
Then it struck her. Had Olivia known about any of this? She and Mason were so close, it was hard to imagine him keeping it from her. Then again, Olivia was her sister. They’d been a team since long before Mason had come around. No, she would have said something if she’d known.
Liz spun around in the room, plagued by doubt. A few months ago, had someone asked if she could trust her sister, she would have laughed in their face. Now…?
Liz hated having doubts about her family like this! No. She had to believe Mason kept it from Olivia the same as he had from her. In fact, it appeared that the only one in this situation who’d been completely up front with her was Alex.
She was beginning to trust him, despite Mason’s warnings otherwise.
With the weight of her doubt starting to lift, Liz felt lighter than she had in a long time, regardless of recent events. Gradually, she became aware of her surroundings.
The silence of the house had settled around her. It felt strange and foreign after spending the whole day hiking through woods, sneaking through parking lots, stealing cars, and running from the cops. She suspected the momentary peace was like smoke and could dissipate any moment.
Deciding to take advantage of the opportunity, Liz picked up the plastic bag and headed towards the bathroom. The moment got better after she rummaged through the linen closet and found shampoo and conditioner.
Her feet stung when they first came into contact with the hot water and reminded her of the scene earlier that day. Even then, after she’d just questioned his integrity, he’d been determined to take care of her.
Why was she so stubborn when it came to him?
Liz ducked her head back and let the warm spray of the shower comfort her. She thought about her hesitation with Alex. It was more than the fact that he’d just happened to be at the garage during the robbery. Why hadn’t Josh included him in his report? It didn’t make sense. Liz couldn’t think of a single good reason why he would be omitted. But even that wasn’t the real reason she was struggling to trust Alex. Liz knew it was greater than the entire situation she found herself embroiled in at the moment.
If she was being honest with herself, she could admit that it had more to do with her own personal insecurities, from being the brunt of everybody’s jokes back in high school. Could someone like Alex Weston truly be interested in her?
Liz shook her head and stepped out of the shower. She looked at her blurry reflection in the fogged mirror. It seemed ludicrous to be thinking about such frivolous things, considering the life and death stakes she found herself in.
Yet, despite how desperate things were right now, Liz couldn’t help but have faith it would sort itself out. She was innocent, after all. She knew it, and had to believe the system would eventually catch up to the truth, especially if she helped it along.
It was that last bit that got her back on track. So far, all she’d been doing was reacting to someone else’s moves. Her life had become some invisible puppeteer’s play thing. It was time to change the rules.
And that started with figuring out who was in charge.
The problem was she didn’t have much to go on, other than the one phone number. How was she supposed to hunt this person down?
Liz changed into her new ugly sweatshirt, grateful that it was large and nearly came to her knees. She went through the house and found a washing machine and dryer in the basement. Her yoga pants, tank top, and cardigan had seen better days, but since they were her only clothes, it was worth taking the time to wash them.
As she climbed up the stairs and back into the kitchen, a wave of fatigue washed over her. It would probably be a few more hours before Alex would be back, so she decided to take a nap.
Within minutes, Liz had slipped into a dark, dreamless sleep.
*
Night had fallen by the time Alex got back to the cottage. He let himself in and stood just inside the doorway, listening for any movement that didn’t belong. None of the lights were on in the house and everything was silent.
Carefully avoiding the lumps of shadowy furniture, Alex made his way into the kitchen and set a few grocery bags down on the counter. Other than a water glass by the sink, there was no evidence of Liz anywhere in the room.
He could smell the shampoo she had used in the shower earlier as he passed the bathroom. Alex poked his head into the master bedroom and found the bed still made. Nothing had been changed.
He knew she’d been struggling to trust him, but when she’d kissed him, he’d taken it as a sign they’d turned a corner in their relationship. Had she left him, after all? A deep sense of disappointment began to form in the pit of his stomach at the thought.
He crossed the hallway and slowly cracked open the door to the second room. Relief flooded him as he spotted a figure beneath the covers. Stepping closer, he looked down at the peaceful expression on her face. His eyes roved over every contour, detailing the way her lips were slightly parted and her lashes looked like lace against her cheek.
She was so tough that it was easy to overlook her fine, delicate features. Her high cheekbones, the arch of her brow, the way her bottom lip was slightly fuller than her top lip…
Gradually, he became aware of the fact that he’d been watching her for a few minutes and reluctantly took a step back from the bed. If she truly had begun to trust him, then the last thing he needed was to have her wake up and find him looming over her like a creep.
Shaking the moment off, Alex left the room and retraced his steps to the kitchen. Making dinner would be a much more endearing and productive use of his time.
Chapter Twenty
Liz woke to the smell of something delicious. Her stomach growled in response, and she wondered what Olivia was making. Shadows crouched in darkened corners and stretched across the room. Pulling the covers up further on her shoulder, she turned and almost fell off the bed.
What?
Startled, Liz looked around the unfamiliar room. It took a few moments to remember everything that had happened.
Not Olivia, then. Alex must be cooking.
At the thought, Liz immediately sprang from the bed, cursing the moment her feet hit the floor. Owww. She’d forgotten the state of her feet. Using a little more caution, she gingerly made her way down the hallway. “I must have passed out. How long have you been back?”
“Only about fort
y minutes.”
“Did you run into any problems?”
“Nope. Just a typical trip to the grocery store, although I’ve never bought a burner phone before. You should have seen the dirty look the clerk gave me when I pulled out all that change.”
Liz laughed. “I can imagine.”
“I hope you like spaghetti.”
“I love it.”
“Great. There’s also garlic bread in the oven and I managed to find a bottle of wine left in the pantry. Can you open it? I think there’s a corkscrew in the drawer over there.”
Happy to have something to do, Liz got the tool and set to work. After looking in a few cupboards, she found the wine glasses and poured them both generous servings.
“Thanks.” Alex turned and let his gaze roam over her. Liz felt her heart stutter in response. She became painfully aware of the fact that all she wore was a sweatshirt, even if it was longer than most dresses.
She stepped back. “It’s after six. Do you think it’s safe enough for me to call Mason?”
“I don’t know. I know that calling from a disposable phone is supposed to help, but I think they still have ways of tracking them. Just promise to keep it short, okay?”
“I will. I’ll squeeze it in before dinner.”
“Sure. The sauce is fine to simmer for as long as we need. We can hold off on the pasta since it doesn’t take very long to cook.”
She turned and sat on the couch in the living room, knowing it was well within Alex’s hearing. The phone rang three times. She was just about to hang up when there was a response from the other end. “Hello?”
“Olivia?”
“Liz! I’m so happy to hear your voice. Things are crazy around here.” And then, quieter, “Are you okay?”
The lump of tears that welled up in Liz’s throat made it hard to talk. She hadn’t realized just how stressed she was until she heard her sister’s voice. “Yes, I’m okay for now, but we have to keep the call short.”
Secret Need (The Harper Sisters Book 2) Page 10