“Tears aren’t manly.”
“Marly, don’t be mad at Sam.” Jerome squirmed a bit on the seat, finally pulling something from his pocket and leaning forward to look at Emma. “Should I give it to her now?”
At Emma’s nod, he handed something to Marly.
“What’s that?” Sam asked.
“The petty cash from the household fund,” Marly said in a quiet voice. “Emma—”
The older woman’s hand came out and closed over Marly’s in a gesture of comfort.
“Smart thinking, Emma,” Sam told her. “Money’s important when you’re on the run. Does my boss know I was working there?”
Emma nodded.
“Is he that mean guy who said he was your friend?” Jerome asked.
Sam’s lips twitched. The captain had a gruff manner of speaking, even when he wasn’t upset.
“He said they were gonna throw a book at you. And he yelled at Emma,” Jerome added, highly incensed.
Sam grimaced. It had only been a matter of time before someone identified him. George might be a friend, but he was still the captain and he played by the rules. Bill’s murder and Sam’s proximity to it would be enough to make George start wondering about Sam’s innocence. On the plus side, George was a good cop. He’d really probe into Bill’s background now, and once he heard Chris’s name, he’d know the boy needed protection. That was all to the good.
“What are we going to do once we reach the Metro?” Marly wanted to know.
“Are all the boys from D.C.?”
“Yes.”
“Well, first we have to get them home, and we can’t deliver them in this truck. The police will have an APB out on it any time now. Heck, we’ll be lucky to make it to the Metro station without being stopped, with the boys riding in the back this way. It isn’t safe.”
“Uh, Sam…I don’t think the subway stops in the areas where most of the boys live. I’m not even sure you can get a cab to go into some of their neighborhoods.”
He found he could still smile. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
It didn’t take long to reach the Metro stop at Shady Grove Road. Since it was a Saturday, Sam even found a parking space. Outside, he gathered the boys around him and wrote down their home addresses and telephone numbers on a pad Emma took from the glove compartment.
“But we don’t want to go home,” Donald protested. “We want to stay with you and Marly.” The others agreed.
“Unfortunately, if you stay with us, it will make it easier for the cops to find us. That’s why we have to spread out.” This was something they understood. “How many of you have ever been to the zoo?”
“Sam!” Marly’s expression clearly stated that he, too, had lost his mind. “We don’t have time for that.”
“Sure we do. We’ll go there first and have lunch.”
Over excited cheers, they started walking toward the Metrorail, Emma silent at their side.
“Are you insane?” Marly hissed at him.
“No question about it,” he told her cheerfully. Then, more quietly, he added, “We need to get them safely home, and I need to buy us some time until I can figure out how to do it. I’d rather take them into D.C., someplace like the air and space museum, but I’d never get the gun past the metal detectors. The zoo’s close to D.C. and doesn’t have that kind of security.”
Marly muttered something that sounded like a plea for strength.
“Don’t worry. If worse comes to worst, we’ll send the boys to the security office at the zoo with a story about being lost. The park police will see to it the kids don’t come to any harm until they can be returned to their parents.”
“Uh-huh. Who’s going to protect the zoo from them?”
Sam chuckled and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
“Aren’t we taking a big risk getting on the subway, Sam?” she asked.
“Wasn’t it you who told me life’s a risk?”
She slid her hand in his. “Point taken. Let’s go look at the animals, fool.”
They had the Metrorail car to themselves when they first boarded, but before they reached the Woodley Park station the car was packed with people. Sam felt the irritated stares of some passengers, mostly directed toward the noisy children, who were chattering excitedly. The boys were having a great time. For them, this was all one big adventure.
They took the escalator up to street level and began walking toward the zoo. The kids tumbled about like puppies, chattering, pushing, and generally behaving like the eleven-year-olds they were. Only Marly looked as tense as Sam felt. Her face was pinched with nerves, and she kept looking around as they walked down the street.
“Relax,” he whispered.
“Easy for you to say. I keep waiting for someone to shout, ‘Stop, police.’“
“Well, if they do, just remember, I forced you at gunpoint.”
“I’ll say no such thing.”
“You will unless you want to go to jail,” he said quietly. “This is a game for the boys, but you and Emma and I know it isn’t. Come on, there’s a hot dog stand over there.”
“You’re not seriously going to eat one of those things, are you?”
“Anybody want a hot dog?” Sam called out.
Hot dogs, sodas and ice cream later, they finally made it inside the zoo itself. The park was crowded with families and kids of all ages. Sam worried that one of the boys might get separated from them, but Emma seemed to have a sixth sense about that, herding them together when they were tempted to stray.
A park policeman gave the group a hard look. Sam suspected it was because Hector was hanging on the fence, debating the merits of climbing over.
“Hector, stay off the fence,” he scolded.
“If even one of these boys throws up, you’re on cleanup detail,” Marly threatened loudly, while the boys stared at a disinterested antelope. “I told you not to feed them all that junk food.”
The policeman relaxed, and Sam grinned, wishing he could hug her. She had wonderful instincts. “Hey, they were hungry. Would you have preferred we take them to a public restaurant?”
“Not for money.”
“Sam, come on!” Mickey shouted. “We want to go see the lions.”
“I’m just telling you, if they get sick, you’re in charge,” Marly warned.
Sam caught the guard’s eye and grinned unrepentantly. “Relax. They’re kids. God made ‘em with cast-iron stomachs.”
“And the ability to create chaos out of thin air,” Marly agreed.
The guard chuckled as they strolled past him.
Sam continued the conversation, taking Marly’s hand. “Hey, they’re good kids, they’re fed, and they’re stretching their legs. What more could you ask for?” He lowered his voice. “I need to find a phone booth and check on bus routes.”
“We’re taking them home by bus?” Marly asked quietly.
“My first thought was to send them home in a taxi, but you’re right, I don’t think you can pay enough to get one to drive Donald home.”
Marly squeezed his hand. “They might if we went along and tipped generously.”
He considered that. “How much money do you have?”
“Five hundred,” Emma said, pausing in front of them.
Sam whistled. “That’s some petty cash fund.”
“You never know when there’s going to be an emergency.” Marly’s expression showed no trace of humor.
“Hey, Emma, c’mere and lookit this,” Zeke called. Emma cast them a serene smile and walked over to the group of kids crowded around the elephant enclosure.
Sam slipped an arm around Marly’s shoulders. “Have I mentioned that I like the way your mind works? Among other things.”
Startled out of her pensive mood, she blinked before giving him a slow, provocative smile. “No, but I like the sound of that. Being appreciated for my mind. How novel. It’s also very seductive, Mr. Moore. Later on you’ll have to tell me about those other things you like abo
ut me.”
Only the boys and the crowds surrounding them kept him from pulling her into an embrace. He settled for squeezing her gently. “You confound me, woman.”
“Good. I do try.”
Sam threw back his head and laughed. She was utterly unpredictable, devastating to his senses, and loyal to the core. He’d never met anyone like her.
They decided to let the boys enjoy the animals for a while, content to stroll hand in hand as the kids moved from one exhibit to another. Even Emma seemed to be having a good time. Maybe it was dangerous to steal this moment, but Sam wanted to savor the little time he had left with Marly.
Two hours later, they sat at tables near the refreshment stand, sipping cold drinks. The boys were finally winding down. It was time to bring this sojourn to an end.
“What now?” Marly questioned. “There’s a phone booth over there.”
“Darn. Too bad I’m not a superman.”
Marly rolled her eyes. Sam set his empty cup down on the table. “I’ve decided to use a cab, if we can find one that will take all eight of us,” he said seriously.
“It will be a pretty tight squeeze, won’t it?”
Emma raised her head. “I’ll go.”
“You mean alone?” Marly asked.
“Yes.”
Sam studied the two women. “It’s not necessary, Emma. We can all go.”
She gave a shake of her head, sending her tightly permed curls swaying. “Dangerous.”
He knew she was right. “Emma, the cops could charge you with aiding and abetting.”
“No.” Emma could sure pack a lot of explanations into one word. Her blue eyes sparkled in defiance of the very idea of her arrest. Sam would have protested, but Marly intervened.
“Emma can handle the police, Sam. She’s just taking the boys home.”
“After hot-wiring a truck…”
“It was my truck.”
“…and helping two wanted fugitives escape.”
“As her boss, I ordered her to accompany us and help us see that the boys were returned home safely before we agreed to turn ourselves in.”
“But…”
Marly and Emma had identical looks of determination on their faces. Sam shut up. The two were in obvious agreement.
“Okay, ladies, what do you say we get this show on the road.”
Marly finished her cola and watched Sam explain the plan to the boys. Naturally, they protested their return home, but Sam was wonderful with them, making it an exciting adventure and making each child feel important. She could love this man.
Sam and the boys were several steps in front of the women as they headed out of the zoo. Marly slipped Emma half the cash.
“No,” the older woman protested.
“You’ll need it for cab fare.”
Emma nodded, frowning in concern. In exchange, she produced a credit card.
“What’s this? I have—”
Emma’s eyes willed her to take it. “It’s mine.”
And Marly understood. The card was in Emma’s name. The police wouldn’t be looking for that, if she and Sam needed to charge something. “You’re so smart.” She hugged the woman hard. “And a wonderful friend.”
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
Cabs were plentiful. It didn’t take Sam long to hail a driver who was quite willing to ride all over D.C.—for a price.
The man scanned the list of addresses and looked at Sam assessingly. “We’ve gotta cross zones.”
Sam handed him a twenty. “I’ll tip you up front. Our van was towed,” he explained. “We have to recover it, but first we have to get the social worker’s kids back home before the parents start screamin’ for the cops.”
“Okay. They can climb in.”
Sam waved the boys over, and they began to crowd inside the vehicle. The kids were still pumped and full of chatter. Marly hugged each boy in turn, promising to call them and arrange for their return to the farm to finish their vacation. Jerome slipped his hand inside Sam’s. The two had somehow bonded since their initial meeting in her front yard.
Sam dropped down to eye level with the boy on the dirty sidewalk. “Thanks, kid. You take care of yourself and stay out of trouble, okay? I’ll come see you when I get clear.”
Jerome nodded silently, his chocolate eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Bye, Sam.” He wrapped his bony arms around Sam’s shoulders and squeezed. Then he turned and clambered inside the cab next to Emma. Sam stood and Marly slipped her hand around his waist. They waved as the cab pulled away.
“You’re a nice guy, Sam Moore.”
“Actually, it’s Joe Walker.”
She tipped her head to study his face. “I’m going to have trouble with that. You’ll always be Sam to me.”
His smile was as warm as the sun on her face. “No problem. It’s my middle name. My family called me Sam when I was a kid, so I’m sort of used to it. Besides, I like the way you call me Sam.”
“Good, because I’m a creature of habit.”
His eyebrows arched. “Oh? Got any other habits I might enjoy?”
“One or two.”
Sam flagged down another cab. “I want details as soon as we get five minutes alone. Union Station,” he told the driver.
“Oh, it will take a lot longer than five minutes,” Marly assured him. She savored the feel of his arm around her shoulders, and they rode in silence to the train station.
“Now what?” she asked as they strolled inside.
Sam gave a small shrug. “The Metro, where else?”
They took the red line to Friendship Heights without speaking, both lost in their own thoughts. Marly let Sam lead her onto the busy street. He obviously had a destination in mind.
“Is it a secret?” she asked.
“What?”
“Where we’re going?”
He smiled contritely. “My partner has an apartment down the street.”
“Is that wise?”
“It’s a good neighborhood.”
“I meant—” Then she saw that he’d been teasing.
He touched the tip of her nose with a finger. “I know what you meant. No, it’s probably not wise to go there, but I’m fresh out of ideas. Besides, I asked him to run down a few leads for me. Maybe he’ll have some information that will help.”
“And maybe the police will be waiting there to arrest you.”
All humor faded. “Lee won’t turn me in.”
“Aren’t you setting him up as an accessory?”
That brought Sam to a complete halt. “Yeah. I am.” He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.
“Why don’t we rent a motel room instead?”
Sam tilted back his hat, searching her face. It took fierce effort to keep her features from showing any emotion.
“Why, Marly, I didn’t know you were that sort of woman.”
“You want to know what sort of woman I am?” she inquired with a syrupy sweetness. “I’m the sort that requires a minimum of six hours of sleep out of every twenty-four. Otherwise I get cranky.” She pushed a finger against the hard muscles of his chest. “Very, very cranky. You don’t want to see me when I’m cranky, Sam. It isn’t pretty.”
The harsh lines on his face relaxed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Heaven forbid. I’m too used to seeing you look beautiful.”
His words surprised her even as his hand came to rest against the small of her back. They ignored the crowds of people around them as they started walking. “There’s a decent hotel down the street, over the Bethesda line. Think you can make it that far?”
In the sexiest voice she could carry off she responded, “Try me, cowboy.”
A new tension was communicated by the pressure of his hand against her back, but he didn’t break stride. “That’s an offer I won’t refuse, you know.”
“I certainly hope not.”
Marly swallowed, amazed at her brazen behavior, but she didn’t regret her words. She wanted to be with Sam. He was wanted
for the murder of her ex-husband, but Sam hadn’t murdered anyone, and she was going to help him prove it. She thought about ways and means. Sam’s regular channels into the police department were closed to him, but maybe there was someone she could call to help. After all, the brotherhood of police usually extended to wives and widows. Maybe ex-wives counted, too.
“I guess we both need some rest,” he said softly. “Right about now, I could use some of that liniment you gave me last night.”
Until he spoke, she hadn’t given much thought to her body’s demands, but now she became aware that Sam was right. She was stiff and sore all over.
They strolled like lovers down the crowded street. As she had been all day, she was extremely conscious of the man at her side and the butterflies wreaking havoc on her nervous system. She hadn’t slept with anyone except her husband, and not even him in the past year and a half, yet she and Sam would do more than just sleep once they got inside that motel room. Their attraction was too intense for it to be otherwise.
Matt had been a polished lover, extremely skilled in pleasing a partner, but when she found out about his first affair, it had killed something in her. A sense of her own power as a woman.
“Marly?”
She realized they had stopped walking. They were standing outside a motel, and Sam was studying her from beneath his battered Stetson with that penetrating gaze of his. His brown eyes were soft with questions emphasized by his words.
“We don’t have to do this. We can go inside, and you can call Keefer or someone to come and get you. The police won’t charge you with anything at this point. They’ll give you a hard time, but—”
She rested a finger on his lips to silence his words. “You’re a good man, Joe-Sam Walker.”
He smiled.
“I think you’d better wait out here and let me register.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m the one with the credit card.”
Sam frowned. “Credit cards can be traced pretty quick.”
“I know. So does Emma.” Marly produced Emma’s card.
His expression was stunned and then amused. “I think I love her.”
“I know the feeling. Come on, cowboy. I can’t hold back the yawns much longer.” A blatant lie. The last thing she was thinking about was sleep, with Sam at her side.
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