Fugitive Pursuit

  Zack’s insides turned to stone. “How do I know you haven’t killed her already?” Silence raised the tension within him.

  Timmins mumbled, “Say something to your brother.”

  “Don’t turn them over!” Lily demanded.

  A thwack grabbed a yelp from his sister. All Zack wanted was to rip something apart. Or someone.

  The crooked sheriff continued, “If you don’t do as I say, little Miss Lily will die.”

  His vision blurred. Blood thumped through him fast enough for him to hear it. “Timmins, don’t you dare—”

  “You’ve got one hour.” The phone line went dead.

  NINE

  Jamie’s brother-in-law had stolen Zack’s sister. Oh, this was so not good.

  “This is my worst nightmare.” Zack pressed his palms to his temples. “He wants me to turn you and Charlotte over to get her back.”

  Jamie’s stomach clenched. “You’re not giving him Charlotte.” She shook her head.

  “Of course I’m not,” Zack snapped.

  She nodded. “But I’ll go.” Zack’s sister had helped them before. Jamie couldn’t allow an innocent woman to be sacrificed for her.

  “No, you won’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I won’t let you, that’s why.” He narrowed his gaze as though she’d offered a stupid option.

  “Zack, I can’t let your sister suffer for my choices.”

  “If you go, your brother-in-law will torture you until you give up Charlotte and then he’ll kill you. I care about you too much to let that happen.”

  He what?

  The heavy metal crunch of the back door rushed down the hall. Zack stepped in front of Jamie.

  “Doughnuts for everybody!” a woman’s cheery voice announced before she stepped into the room. Jessa. Jamie recognized her from the back of the SUV when she and Zack’s brothers picked them up in Champlain Park.

  “And hot coffee.” Parker stepped to Jessa’s side. Their smiles disappeared. “What’s wrong?”

  “Timmins has Lil.”

  “Whoa.” Jessa placed the bags on the desk.

  Parker almost dropped the cardboard containers of coffees. “What?” He set the drinks next to the doughnuts.

  God, please take care of our sister.

  Zack nodded. “He took her from here.”

  Jamie wrung her hands. “He wants your brother to turn me and my niece over to him.”

  “Well, you’re not going to.” Jessa crossed her arms. “We have to come up with something better.”

  “Well, we better do it fast.” Zack scanned the time on his phone. “We have an hour.”

  “Jamie and Jessa will take care of Charlotte, then Zack and I will handle Timmins and get Lily back,” Parker explained.

  “No,” Jessa said at the same time as Jamie and Zack.

  “I’m not going to fight about this.” Parker glared at his brother. “Zack, I’m staying with you.”

  “No, you’re not.” Zack stuffed his phone in his pocket. “This guy wants Jamie for Lily. She has to go.”

  “Lil’s my sister, too.” Parker set his hands on his hips.

  “Kyle’s bringing Logan. Between them and us, we’ll get Lily back safe and sound.”

  “Kyle and Logan aren’t here to back you up.” The brothers tried to stare each other down. Time ticked by.

  Jamie clasped her fingers together. “Parker, please. I need you with Jessa to make sure my niece is safe. With my sister gone, Charlotte is all I have and the more protection I can get for her, the better.”

  “Jess can protect Charlotte. You guys need someone to watch your backs.”

  Zack glanced at her, then back to his brother. “I’ve got Jamie and she has me.”

  “I don’t like it.” Parker shifted, his gaze drifting from her to Zack to Jessa.

  Whimpers floated from the other side of the room as Charlotte began to stir. The painful moans of the child nearly broke Jamie’s heart. No little one should be forced to deal with so much torment.

  “Let me go check on her.” And plan how to get them all out of this...disaster.

  As Jamie wandered across the room, hushed voices clashed behind her. She sat at the end of the couch. “Shh, baby. You’re all right.” She brushed Charlotte’s hair from her face.

  A few seconds passed before Charlotte woke up. Reddened eyes sparkling with tears glanced at Jamie. She tapped her thighs. “Come on.” The child scrambled to sit in her lap and latched her hands behind Jamie’s neck. So much trust her niece had. And it was automatic, nothing she had to think about. How wonderful it must be to still have that innocence. Jamie had lost that too many years ago.

  One could argue she was on her way to giving Zack her complete trust that quickly.

  Several seconds later, Zack wandered over and sat beside her. Parker and Jessa remained by the front desk. It sounded like they were still arguing. As if it was the most natural thing in the world, Zack brushed his hand over Charlotte’s head then down her back.

  Jamie kissed the top of the girl’s head. “Do we have a plan yet?”

  “We’re getting there.” He shifted to his signature pose, with each forearm leaning on his knees and his hands clasped. “Parker and Jessa are taking Charlotte out of here. They’ll take good care of her and keep her safe until we know the police won’t give her back to Timmins.”

  “Makes sense.” She nodded.

  “Hey, Charlotte.” Zack pushed the girl’s hair off her shoulder. “You’re going away for a little longer.” As he spoke, Jessa walked toward them and Parker pulled out his cell phone.

  “Again?”

  “Yeah. It’s so we can solve the problems with your father so you don’t have to be afraid anymore.” As he explained their decision to a six-year-old, Jamie ran her fingers through her niece’s fine dark hair. “I promise we’ll get Auntie Jamie back to you as soon as possible.”

  Charlotte lifted her pain-filled gaze to Jamie. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I’m scared.”

  So was Jamie.

  “Sweet pea, I promise you’ll be safe. My friend Jessa’s going to stay with you until we can all be together again,” Zack promised. Parker continued some conversation by the desk.

  Jessa waved. “Hi, Charlotte. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Hi.”

  “Are you hungry? Because I’m hungry for breakfast. I want some eggs and hash browns.”

  Charlotte kept her cheek on Jamie’s shoulder. “Pancakes?”

  “Sure. Then we’ll watch some cartoons and before you know it, your aunt will be back.” She leaned down. “Plus, I hear you like to color so we’ll stop on the way and get you some new crayons and coloring books.”

  Charlotte perked up, with wide eyes. “Okay.”

  “Time to go, sweet pea.” Zack picked up Jamie’s niece and set her on her own two feet.

  Jessa held out her hand. “Ready, kiddo?”

  Charlotte slid her fingers inside Jessa’s but kept her gaze on Jamie. “Auntie Jamie, who’s gonna keep you safe?”

  “That’s my job.” Zack playfully tweaked her nose. “Don’t worry, sweet pea, I’ve got it covered.”

  “We better get going.” Jessa pretended to remember something. “Oh, we do have to take one more person with us.”

  “Who?” Charlotte asked.

  As he moved to Jessa’s side, Parker kept his hands in his pockets and smiled. “Me.” At six foot four, Parker could probably be intimidating to grown men, never mind a six-year-old.

  Charlotte glanced over her head. “Whoa.” Her tiny lips remained in an O shape. “You’re really tall.” She inched backward until she bumped into Jamie’s legs, the shabby elephant clutched in her hands.

  Jessa playfully smacked Parker in the chest. “Yeah, but don’
t worry about him. He’s a big softy.”

  Zack stood and urged them all to the back door. “You should go.”

  “I still don’t like this plan, but Kyle and Logan agreed with you.”

  Jessa slapped Parker on the back. “Come on, big guy.”

  “Wait. There’s one more thing.” Zack walked to the nearby lounge chair. Once he pulled Beth’s cell phone from the backpack, he handed it to his brother. “Here’s the proof of Timmins admitting to killing his housekeeper and planning to kill his wife. It’s safer in your hands than in the office.”

  Parker tapped the phone in his palm. “Call me the second you have any news.”

  “You know it.”

  After she and Zack hugged Charlotte, Jamie watched Jessa and Parker walk out the back door with her niece, the most important person in her life. “Where are they taking her?” she asked. Zack remained silent beside her. The back door slammed shut with a loud boom. She turned to him. “Zack, where are they going?”

  He met her gaze. “I’m not telling you.”

  “What?” Had she heard him correctly? “What do you mean you’re not telling me?”

  “We all think it’s best you don’t know.”

  She glanced toward the vacant hallway. “No, we all don’t.” As she narrowed her gaze on him, she continued, “I didn’t get to vote.” The others hadn’t had enough time to get out of the parking lot. Jamie started for the door.

  Halfway down the hallway, Zack reached for her arm but hesitated, especially after their argument last night, but the stakes were too high for her to ruin the plan he and his siblings came up with. He grabbed her wrist. “If you don’t know where she is, you won’t be able to give away her location and put her in danger.”

  “I wouldn’t do that anyway.” She pulled against his hold.

  “If Linden and Timmins get you, they could torture you.”

  There were only precious seconds left to stop them. Again, she tugged her arm. “But I wouldn’t—”

  He cut her off. “You can’t know for sure how you’d react to torture. No one does.”

  “Let me go!” Once she yanked free of his hold, she rushed to the door. Seconds, seconds. When she pushed, the weight of the metal door pressed her backward. A blue Expedition yielded at the end of the lot. “Wait!” she called out, but Zack’s arm curved around her waist and held her in place.

  “Jamie, please.”

  The vehicle made a left turn and disappeared with the only person she loved inside. The only person who still loved Jamie unconditionally. Tears gathered in her eyes and began falling. As she whirled around, she clenched her fists. “How could you?” She reached for his shoulders and pushed him. Of course, he barely moved. “Why? We’ve worked together all this time and now you’ve taken away any control I had.” Again, she shoved him, this time in the chest. “Don’t you understand? You’ve cut my heart out.”

  Zack leaned closer and raised his arms to reach out to her. She smacked his hands away and pounded her fists on him. Her hands ached, but she didn’t care. Anything was better than the hollowness fighting for space inside her. “If anything happens to her...” She’d never forgive herself. She’d failed her sister. The possibility of failing her again by losing Charlotte was too much to bear. Jamie continued to push and shove Zack. “I hate what you’ve done.”

  “I know.”

  She hit him once, twice more.

  Zack wrapped his arms around her, held her close. She succumbed to her worry, her fears, and accepted the comfort he offered. She cried harder but quieter. Her world had turned upside down. Again.

  God, please help me. I need You more than ever. I surrender to You.

  As her tears slowed, a soft breeze washed over her skin. The pain in her heart loosened and peace began to trickle in.

  “Jamie, I promise Charlotte will be safe. The only other person I’d trust with her is Kyle, but he’ll be with us.”

  Somehow, she knew everything would be all right. God hadn’t abandoned her, just like she hadn’t abandoned Charlotte. Jamie had trusted Zack enough and now her niece was safe, even if Jamie didn’t know where the girl was. In her heart, Jamie believed God wanted to welcome her back to Him. Which meant He forgave her for not being there for Erin.

  Maybe it was time Jamie forgave herself and gave herself permission to be happy.

  And maybe saving Zack’s sister was God’s way of helping Jamie believe in herself again. “Thank You,” she mouthed to Him.

  After a few minutes more, she lifted her head. “Let’s pray.” Grabbing Zack’s hands, she bowed her head. “Heavenly Father, Your love and support were never needed so much. Please give Zack and me the strength to protect Lily and bring Drew down so he can pay for the crimes he’s committed. Take away our fears and help us to trust in You. Amen.”

  “Amen.” Zack pulled his hands free and cupped her cheek. “You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear you calling on God.”

  “Throughout my time with you, I’ve learned to trust in Him again. After all, He brought me you, didn’t He?” And she’d be forever grateful.

  Courage gathered inside her and started to shove through the crusted wall of guilt. Jamie was good enough. She would do whatever was necessary to save Lily and bring Drew to justice. And, God willing, she’d be able to pursue a happy life she hadn’t felt she deserved until now.

  “Okay.” She slapped her hands together. “Call Kyle and the detective, then we’ve got to get going.”

  “We need a plan first.” He headed back into the front office.

  “We’ll think of something on the way. We’re running out of time.”

  After he glanced at the wall clock, Zack grabbed his phone from his pocket. “You lock the front door and I’ll make the call.”

  Jamie hurried to complete her task. Behind her, Zack began a conversation with his older brother, filling him in on all that had happened since they first spoke this morning. When she turned back to the room, Zack grabbed his keys from the counter, then disappeared into the office. Thumps filtered out of the room, then she met him in the hallway. In his hand, he held a gun.

  Her stomach clenched. Although she knew he wouldn’t use it unless he had to, she still hated that they needed it at all. He glanced at her, then headed down the hallway to the rear exit.

  They made it to Hampton Waterfront in twenty minutes. Zack pulled off the main road and drove through the loading zones. No eighteen-wheeler interfered with their travel today. Outside the windshield, seagulls drifted through the sky over the water like any ordinary day.

  But it wasn’t a normal day. Life was about to change. No matter what happened, she could not go back to being a fugitive on the run with her bounty hunter. And her time with the man she’d fallen in love with might be coming to an end.

  Wait. She...loved him.

  Her heart squeezed even more. Throughout the days, she’d felt them getting closer, had welcomed the connection. She’d grown to care for him and every moment she spent with him made her wish for many more. Yes, she loved Zack, and she’d do anything she could for him.

  Zack slid the car into one of the parking spaces. Before he even shut the engine off, Jamie opened her door.

  “Hey.” He gripped her arm.

  “I’m due in there.”

  “We are expected.” He shoved his keys into his pocket.

  Jamie nodded. “Right. So, let me go.”

  “I’ve been thinking. I want you to stay in the car and let me do this.”

  She shook her head. “They’re not just going to turn Lily over to you. They want me for the exchange.”

  “I know. I’m still working on that part.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to save your sister.” She hadn’t been able to save her own sister, but she could protect Zack’s family. “
I won’t let you or her down.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek, then rushed out of the vehicle and closed the door.

  * * *

  Zack stared after her. “Wait.” What was she doing? The revelation hit him like a ton of bricks. She intended to sacrifice herself for his sister. “Oh, no, she’s not.” He couldn’t lose her now. He needed her, wanted her in his life and had to have the chance to tell her so.

  He grabbed the handgun from the console and hurried out of the vehicle. Once he closed the door, he slid the weapon into the back waistband of his cargo shorts. His nerves hummed a bit more with each step closer to Jamie.

  So many times, Jamie had kicked in the wall around his heart. With her passion for life, justice, her niece and through the rare glimpses of her just as a beautiful woman, she’d reminded him of the benefits of...feeling. For the past few years, he’d thought he’d be better off not getting romantically involved with another woman. But he’d changed since he allowed his work to interfere with his support of his sick girlfriend. He was responsible, trained and more mature. Yes, it was a risk and a lot could go wrong, but his need for Jamie made him want to take the chance.

  “Hey.” He caught up to her a few feet from the building’s entrance, wrapped his arm around her waist and turned her to face him. He kissed her, deep, demanding and as thoroughly as he could. His lips pressed to hers, as though sealing the two of them together. Partners, there for each other, bringing out the best in each other. Her lips tasted sweet and loving and perfect. She gripped his shirt and kept him close. Through the kiss, he poured all his emotions into her, as though trusting her to cherish all of him as he hoped to get the chance to do with her. Fear, nervousness, hope, caring, need, faith—everything rocked inside him, but it was okay. He had Jamie by his side.

  When he released her, her hazel eyes looked bewildered. Her tongue rubbed along her bottom lip.

  “When we get out of this, you and I are going to have a long talk,” he said.

  She nodded but said nothing.

  Just as well. They had to move.