by Lori Ryan
“Red?” Laura asked, unsure why the dog had turned on her that way. Had she done something to frighten her? And, then she felt it. She wasn’t alone in the barn. Laura didn’t know if it was a slight noise she’d heard or just a thickening of the air around her somehow, but she knew clear as day someone was with her. Red hadn’t turned on Laura. She’d turned on whoever had intruded into the sanctuary of the stables.
“Hello, Laura.”
She spun when she heard the voice behind her, then panicked as she realized Alec Hall stood in the center aisle of the barn. How on earth had he found her? Why was he here? Was he coming after the baby or was he here because of whatever mess Patrick had gotten himself into before he died? It suddenly dawned on Laura, maybe it had been Alec who had put that look of fear on Patrick’s face. Maybe whatever was on the USB drive hidden in her kitchen had something to do with her husband’s former business partner.
“I’m not going back,” she said, her back pressed against the door to the tack room.
Alec gave a wry smile. “I have no intention of letting you go back. In fact, I plan to make sure you don’t ever go back. But first, I need to know what Patrick gave you before he died. Where are you hiding the evidence, Laura?”
That answered that question. Laura tried to think but she was frozen. She had to figure out a way to convince Alec she didn’t know what he meant. She needed to delay so she could get to safety. Laura silently cursed herself for not telling Cade about the USB drive. She should have told him. Together, they could have figured out how to handle it. Maybe they could have gone to Sheriff Davies and had him contact the local police to get the drive from her house in Connecticut. But should haves and could haves weren’t going to help her now.
“What evidence, Alec? What do you want from me?” Laura looked around her as she spoke and tried to figure out if there was anything she could use as a weapon. Anything she could hit him with or throw at him. She had no delusions that she could really hurt him. He was much stronger and larger than she was. But she might be able to throw him off balance long enough to run. If she could get up the stairs to Cade’s apartment over the stables, she could lock the door and call for help.
The Jeep. Get to the Jeep, Laura. She could almost hear Cade’s voice in her ear as she remembered the running plan he and Shane had set up for her. She had begun to think she would never have to use it, and she certainly never thought she would have to run because Alec Hall came looking for something he thought she had.
“Don’t even think about running, Laura,” Alec said, pulling a gun from behind his back. “I’ve got people waiting outside if you try to run. Now, let’s talk about that evidence.”
Laura knew if she told him the truth—that Patrick would never have confided in her—she would be useless to Alec alive. She needed to find a way to string him along until help arrived or she figured out a way to escape.
“Let me tell you how this is going to go. You’re going to give me what I want, every damn piece of evidence that idiot husband of yours ever collected. Do that, and I let you go. If you don’t, I’ll tell everyone I walked in here to try to talk you into seeing Justin to talk about the baby. You pulled a gun on me, we struggled, and the gun went off.” He shook his head. “I tried to save you. Did my best, with the baby and all, you know. But, I couldn’t save you.”
Before Laura could answer, she heard footsteps approaching. She didn’t process right away that it was Justin Kensington.
“What the hell are you doing, Alec? What is this?” Justin asked from behind Alec, his voice filled with accusation, making it clear he’d heard what Alec said to Laura.
The next few seconds moved in slow motion. As Laura watched in horror, Alec spun and shot Justin. She didn’t stop to think, didn’t worry about the fact that this was one of the people she’d been running from. Her only instinct was to see if she could help him. She ran to Justin where he fell and tried to stop the bleeding.
She thought she might be screaming, but she wasn’t even sure.
“Get up. Laura. I don’t have time to screw around now,” Alec said. “That shot’s going to bring people running.”
The horses were out in their pastures, but Laura could hear Red barking and growling from inside the tack room. She tried to remember if May and Josh were home to call for help. Surely they would have heard the gunshot….
But no, they had gone out earlier this morning. They wouldn’t be home for a few hours. Cade was out on the ranch, possibly miles away. He’d left on Cayenne and hadn’t said when he’d be back. Laura was alone.
She crouched next to Justin and felt for a pulse. It wasn’t strong, but it was still there. Justin was still alive. Laura thought quickly and turned to stand, putting her body between his prone form and Alec. If she could let him think Justin was dead, maybe he wouldn’t shoot him again and Justin would have a shot at surviving this.
“You killed him.”
“No, I didn’t, Laura. You did. You pulled a gun and shot him when he tried to talk you into coming home.”
Laura felt sick to her stomach. Her mind whirred as she tried to come up with a way out of this, to get help for Justin before he bled out—and help for herself. Before she could think of what to say, she saw something move out of the corner of her eye.
The blurred form was so fast, Laura didn’t know what it was at first. But then it hit her. Red. Red had jumped the tack room door and was on top of Alec, teeth clamped on his arm as the man screamed in pain. The gun fell from his hand and skidded to a stop at Laura’s feet.
She froze for a split second, watching the way Red pinned Alec. But then she heard Cade’s instructions in her head. Get to the Jeep and run. She picked up the gun and headed for the Jeep, running flat out for safety.
“Red, come! Red!” she called out as she ran. Laura made it to the Jeep, grabbed the keys from under the seat and gunned the engine as Red jumped into the passenger seat. Dust rose behind them, and she started for the dirt road leading away from her ranch, away from the first place she’d ever wanted to call home.
*
Cade had Cayenne running flat out when he heard the shot, but somehow the horse dug deeper and gave him more. It didn’t hurt to have a racehorse under you when you needed one, and apparently, the hock had healed well enough for Cayenne to race when Cade needed him to. As the barn came into view, he could see the Jeep tearing down the dirt driveway, kicking up a cloud of dust. Another car was headed up the drive, trying to block her way.
Cade cursed and was tempted to close his eyes as Laura veered off into one of the white rail fences that lined the drive. She must have kept her foot on the floor though, because she blew right through the fence and crossed the field, then came out onto the road on the other side, blowing through the fence there too.
Laura turned the Jeep right, away from town and out toward the highway. As Cade watched, the car that had tried to intercept Laura turned and tried to head across the field after her. Cade turned Cayenne and reached behind him for the rifle he always kept strapped to his saddle when he was out on the ranch. It wasn’t unheard of to run into a wild animal and Cade never rode without his rifle.
He hadn’t worked with Cayenne on loud noises at all, and had no idea how the horse would react to Cade firing a gun from his back. Racehorses heard a lot of loud noises, so it was possible Cayenne would be all right with this. Then again, he might not. Cade sank into his seat as Cayenne charged after the two cars. The horse drew parallel to the cars along the road, the vehicle following Laura gaining on her with every passing yard. Cade said a quick prayer, raised the gun, and fired.
Cayenne held steady on the first shot, but it went wide. The second found its mark, taking out the back wheel of the car, and it careened to a stop.
Laura kept driving, just as Cade knew she had to. She needed to get to safety. He wanted to pull her back, though. Back where he could protect her from whatever was happening. But, he couldn’t. Laura was gone.
Chapter Th
irty-Two
Cade hadn’t been surprised to see Shane pull in behind the sheriff and the ambulance, and he couldn’t say he was sorry to see him. It wouldn’t hurt to have his brother with him through all of this. A man identifying himself as Alec Hall, Laura’s husband’s former business partner, claimed he and Justin arrived to try to talk to Laura and she pulled a gun on them. He said she shot Justin, told Red to attack him, and then took off in the Jeep.
Cade could barely control the rage building in him as he listened to the story. Justin Kensington was being airlifted to the closest hospital. He was unconscious, so questioning him about what had happened was out of the question. Cade hadn’t missed the surprised look on Alec Hall’s face when the paramedics rolled Justin out on a stretcher.
He’d covered it quickly by saying he had thought his friend was dead and he was relieved to hear he wasn’t, but Cade saw through that. Whatever this man was up to, he wasn’t happy to know Justin Kensington might live. Hall had been spouting about cash and a fake identity he’d found hidden back in Connecticut. He was ranting about Laura not being what she seemed. Cade had been able to explain the cash and ID to the sheriff, but that didn’t help matters much.
Cade and Shane now stood with Sheriff John Davies, who had finished questioning everyone present. “My hands are tied, guys. Their statements all match. I can’t hold them without anything more. If you had seen what happened, Cade, it’d be a different story, but until we either find Laura, or Justin Kensington wakes up and tells us what happened, I’ve got nothing to hold these guys on. I can take them down to the station to get their statements, but I can’t keep them there long.”
Cade cursed under his breath.
“I have to put out an ATL alert on Laura,” John went on quietly.
Shane looked at Cade and translated. “Attempt-to-Locate.”
“I’ll make sure it’s clear she’s just a potential witness to an incident. I just don’t have a choice right now, Cade. This is an attempted-murder investigation now, and if Justin Kensington doesn’t make it, we’re looking at manslaughter, at best.”
Cade couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He wanted to haul off and hit his friend, but he also knew this wasn’t John’s fault. John didn’t have a choice. Cade just knew he needed to get to Laura before Alec Hall tracked her down again. He hoped she would be at the first meeting spot on the list he and Shane had made for her in two days. After the way they left things, he wasn’t entirely confident Laura would show up. And that… Hell, that would just about kill him.
*
Cade watched the front door of Baird Diner in Searcy, Arkansas from the window of his motel room across the street. He’d gotten into town the night before and slept a few hours, but most of the time he’d been in the window watching for any sign of Laura. He wondered if she’d been holed up in the motel like him or if she could be sleeping in the Jeep. He assumed Red was with her since no one had seen the dog since Alec and Justin had shown up on the ranch, so she might be camping out in the car with his dog. He hoped like hell Red was keeping her safe.
At ten minutes to noon, Cade grabbed his duffel bag and left the motel. He tossed his bag in the back seat and pulled his car over to the diner, careful to park off to one side. He had no idea how he’d even begin to look for Laura if she didn’t show up here or at the other locations on the list. He guessed he’d have to find his own investigators if she didn’t show up at any of the meeting points as planned. But tracking her down wouldn’t be easy at this point.
After ten of the longest minutes of his life, Cade saw the Jeep come down the street. Laura slowed a little ways down from the diner as if she were watching to see if anyone waited for her. She pulled into the lot and parked, then got out of the Jeep. Red sat waiting in the passenger seat, scanning the lot with the vigilance of a sentry assigned to watch duty.
Cade opened his car door and whistled. Red’s head came up and she and Laura both turned his way. The relief Cade felt when he saw the look on Laura’s face couldn’t have been greater. She smiled at him, and his heart damn near exploded in his chest. She was here and she looked happy to see him. He closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms.
“I was so afraid you wouldn’t be here,” he said, the words coming out muffled as he buried his face in her hair, nuzzling as he took a deep breath, reveling in her scent, the feel of her safe in his arms. Red leapt out of the truck and circled them, then stood with her body pressed against their legs. Cade wanted to get Laura out of there, but he needed just a minute more before they moved. Moving meant pulling his arms away from her, and he wasn’t ready to let her go again.
Laura clung to him as though she needed him as much as he needed her. “Alec shot Justin,” she said into Cade’s chest. “Red saved me. She jumped the door to the tack room and saved me.”
“I know, honey. Justin’s in critical condition. He’s still unconscious. They operated but he’s in a coma. It’s a waiting game right now to see if he’ll come out of it,” Cade said.
She pulled back and looked up into his eyes. He could almost see the internal struggle going on. She rose slowly on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, and that was all the permission he needed. Cade pulled her tight and took over the kiss, delving into her mouth to taste what he’d thought he’d never have again. She tasted of sweetness and honey and all things good and innocent in the world. He lost himself in the feel of her, in the knowledge that maybe they’d have a future together after all. That maybe she’d let him in.
Someone nearby cleared their throat and Cade pushed Laura behind him, ready to fight to keep from ever being separated from her again. It was nothing threatening. An older gentleman with laughing eyes watched them as he entered the diner. Cade took Laura by the hand.
“Do you have anything you need to get from the Jeep?” he asked. She was carrying the backpack he’d put in the Jeep for her a week ago. He’d packed her some clothing and a little money to tide her over until she got to the bus station for the money Shane had left her. She shook her head.
“Did you get to the bus station?”
“Yes,” she said and pulled the backpack around to her front and touched the small zipper pocket on the side. “I got the money Shane left. I’ve been staying in a motel in the next town over. The night clerk was a dog lover. She looked the other way while I snuck Red in at night.”
“Good. Come on,” Cade said and pulled her toward his car. “I don’t want to stay here any longer than we need to. We’ll leave the Jeep here and go in my car.”
He realized he was dragging a pregnant woman away from a diner and wondered if she needed to eat. “Have you eaten? Do we need to get you food first?” he asked looking around the lot to be sure Alec Hall or the PIs weren’t closing in, even though he knew they hadn’t followed him. The chances of them tracing her to that location so quickly were slim.
“I ate before I came just in case I had to run again,” Laura said and his heart flipped. He hated the thought of her having to run again—even if he was with her this time.
Cade nodded and opened the door to let Red jump in the back while Laura climbed in front.
“I think we should drive for a few hours before we find a place to stay so we’re nowhere near the first meeting point,” Cade said as he got in and started the car. “We need to lay low for a while. Alec and the two private investigators said you were the one who shot Justin. Right now, John Davies has nothing else to go on since it will only be your word against theirs and they couldn’t find the gun at the scene.”
“I have the gun,” Laura said, looking down at the backpack between her feet. “Can’t they test for gunshot residue or something? You see that all the time on TV.” Laura turned and rubbed Red’s head. Red looked happy to have her people back together again. She lay with her head between the two seats, eyes closed as Laura scratched her between the eyes.
“They did, but his story covered that. He says you pulled the gun and he grabbed for it and w
as wrestling with you when you shot Justin, so he had residue on his hands from that. John’s calling in some favors with a forensic specialist back in New York where he worked before coming here. He’s trying to find out if anything about the pattern of the residue or the amount of residue or anything like that can prove he’s lying, but I have no idea what the answer to that will be. For all I know, they won’t be able to tell.”
Laura didn’t say anything for a long time. “How long do you think I’ll need to hide?”
Cade threaded his fingers through hers. “We need to hide until I can get ahold of John and tell him your side of the story and see if he’s got any new information and what he recommends. He’ll tell us we have to come in, but if it looks as if we’d only be coming in to let him arrest you, I’ll just politely decline his invitation until he finds some evidence to clear you.” Cade lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed the back of them; the relief at having her back safely almost overwhelmed him.
“There’s something else we need to tell John,” Laura said and there was something troubling in the undercurrent to her words. Cade glanced at her and saw fear in her eyes.
“What is it, Laura?” he asked, squeezing her hand.
“It’s my fault Justin got hurt.” She seemed to be fighting to get the words out, and Cade stayed quiet, waiting for her to collect herself.
“Before Patrick died, he hid a USB drive in our kitchen. I’ve never seen him look frightened before, but whatever was on it had him scared. Almost panicked. I didn’t dare touch it while he was still alive. And, then after…I never got a chance to. The press were at the house. But, I should have told you, or called in an anonymous tip or something. I should have told someone there was something else going on. That’s what Alec is after.”
“You couldn’t have known that, Laura. And you can’t take what Patrick did on yourself. That fault lies with him.”
Laura was quiet for a long time, looking out the window as he drove. Cade waited, giving her time. A long while later she turned sideways and rested her head on the headrest, looking at him.