Adam’s eyes narrowed as he studied the man they’d first seen inside the bank. He still seemed as jumpy as he had when they’d gotten off the elevator together. As Adam and Claire approached, he kept looking over his shoulder as if he expected someone to come out the back door of the bank at any minute.
They stopped in front of him, and Adam stared into his eyes. “You wanted to speak with us?”
He nodded, and a drop of perspiration trickled down the side of his face. “I didn’t want anyone inside to see me talking to you. That’s why I asked you to meet me here.”
“Who are you?” Adam asked.
“My name is Jonathan Fields. I’ve worked as a loan officer at this bank for five years now.”
“And you said you knew Peter Willis?”
Jonathan glanced over his shoulder again before he stepped closer. “Look, I don’t want to cause any trouble for the bank. I like my job here, and Mr. Kendall has been very good to me. But I always thought there was something strange about Willis.”
“Like what?”
“He was supposed to be a loan officer, but he acted more like a public-relations person. He was always representing the bank at community functions such as golf tournaments or business openings. He didn’t keep the same hours that the rest of us did and wasn’t in the office much. The rumor was that he had family connections inside the bank, and he could pretty much do as he chose.”
“But his job was to work with loans, wasn’t it?”
“That’s what his job title was, but as far as I could tell, he only had one client. But it was the largest one the bank had, a company named Serenity Wellness Centers. They have three spas across the state, some in Arkansas, and a few in Georgia.”
“That’s interesting,” Adam said. He let the conversation in Arthur Kendall’s office run through his mind again before he spoke. “What about Lance Morgan? Did you know him?”
“I did. He was a good guy. Married to his high school sweetheart. As I understand it, Mr. Kendall has been very kind to her and has helped her a lot since her husband’s death.”
“Did you ever suspect there was any trouble between Peter and Lance?”
Jonathan shook his head. “Not when they first began working together. But the day Lance was killed I had overheard him having an argument with Peter.”
Adam inched closer. “What did they say?”
Jonathan glanced over his shoulder once more before lowering his voice. “I went to the break room to get a cup of coffee, but there was none left. I went into the storage room that’s behind the break area to get a new package of coffee, and I had just started to go back when the break room door slammed. Then I heard angry voices. I didn’t want to get in the middle of an argument, so I eased the storage room door until it was almost closed. But I could still hear what was being said.”
“Was it Peter and Lance?” Claire asked.
“Yes. At first Peter was yelling at Lance saying he didn’t have anything on him and that he couldn’t prove anything. Then Lance said, ‘I’ve suspected things weren’t right for a long time. You’ve been lucky so far, but it won’t be long before the auditors catch on to you.’”
“Something was wrong with Peter’s books?” Adam asked.
“So Lance seemed to think. Peter told him he didn’t know what he was talking about, and that the auditors wouldn’t find anything because there was nothing to find. Then Lance said, ‘We’ll see what Mr. Kendall has to say when I go to him with my suspicions.’”
“How did Peter react to that?”
“I heard what sounded like a struggle, and I peeked through the door crack to see what was going on. Peter had his hands around Lance’s neck and had him pushed up against the wall. He got right down in his face and muttered, ‘You go to Mr. Kendall, and it’ll be the last thing you’ll ever do.’ That night Lance was killed when he stopped his car in the driveway at his home.”
Adam heard Claire suck in her breath, and he glanced around at her. “Have you told anybody else what you heard?” she asked.
“The next day when I heard Lance had been killed, I went to the police and told them what I’d heard. A few days later they came to the bank and arrested Peter on suspicion of murder. He hired a lawyer and was out of jail in no time. Now you say he’s jumped bail.”
Adam cocked his head to one side and studied Jonathan. “Why are you telling us all this?”
Jonathan’s lips quivered and Adam could see fear in his eyes. “Because I’m scared. I’m convinced Peter killed Lance because he was about to go to Mr. Kendall. I don’t know what it was, but I’m sure it got Lance killed. Now that I know he’s jumped bail, I’m afraid he’ll come after me if he finds out I’ve talked to the police. I want to help you find him.”
Adam nodded. “I hope we can.” He pulled out his card and handed it to Jonathan. “Call me if you think of anything else or if you see Peter.”
Jonathan took the card and stuck it in his pocket. “I will, and I hope you catch him soon. I’ll sleep a lot better when he’s back in jail.”
He turned to leave, but Adam called out to him. “One more thing.”
Jonathan turned back toward them. “What?”
“Do you know James Lester?”
He pursed his lips and thought for a moment before he shook his head. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that name. Sorry.”
“That’s okay. Take care of yourself.”
Jonathan nodded. “I will.”
Adam and Claire watched as he turned and hurried back into the bank. When he had disappeared inside, Adam faced Claire. “I think we need to visit the Serenity Wellness Center.”
“Do you want to go now?”
Adam looked at his watch. “It’s almost lunchtime. Why don’t we grab a bite to eat and go out there this afternoon?”
Claire shrugged. “Sounds good to me. Where do you want to go?”
“There’s a new place down the street from our office. Since it’s on the way to Serenity, we can eat there.”
“All right.”
She turned and walked toward the car. He watched her for a moment before he followed. She’d been quiet ever since they’d left her house earlier this morning. It had to be hard for her being back in her father’s house and surrounded by all the pictures of the people she’d loved.
As she strode across the parking lot, he noticed how straight her back was and how she had her fists clenched at her side. His heart pricked at the thought that with her father gone, she was really alone in the world. He couldn’t imagine how that must feel. He still had his parents and his brother and sister. Now she had no one.
But that really wasn’t true. She might not realize it, but she still had friends. She had Jessica, and although she might not want to admit it, she had him. And he would do anything he could to help during this painful time.
The thought had no sooner flashed in his mind than he heard the roar of a car engine. He looked toward the back of the bank, and a black car with tinted windows careened around the corner of the building. The driver didn’t slow but accelerated the car. As it barreled forward, Adam realized that Claire had just stepped into a lane between two rows of cars, and the car was headed straight for her.
“Claire!” he yelled at the top of his voice. “Watch out!”
She stopped and stared at the approaching car but seemed frozen in place. “Claire!” he yelled again.
She didn’t move.
Without taking time to think, Adam lunged forward. He grabbed Claire and wrapped his arms around her waist. Before he could get them clear of the vehicle’s path, he felt the impact of the car against his leg. His last conscious thought was that he hadn’t been quick enough.
* * *
Claire lay on the ground with her body wedged under the bumper of Adam’s car. For a m
oment she couldn’t remember what had happened. Then it all rushed back into her mind. A speeding car. Adam shouting her name. And then the sensation of being thrown across the parking lot.
She tried to move but couldn’t. Something held her down.
She turned her head to peer over her shoulder and gasped. Adam lay on top of her. Blood trickled from a cut on his forehead, and his eyes were closed.
Fear welled up in her. Was he alive? If he had been killed trying to protect her, how could she ever forgive herself? And how could she face Jessica and the Knight family?
She took a deep breath. “Adam!” she screamed. “Please wake up!”
When he didn’t move, she tried to wriggle free, but it was no use. She couldn’t move his still form. She lay motionless for another moment and then pushed against him again. Still no movement.
Then she heard a man’s voice. “Miss, are you all right?”
She turned her head so that she could barely see past Adam’s body. All she could make out was a pair of tennis shoes. “Don’t move. I’ve called 911,” the man said. “Just lie still until they get here. I don’t want to pull your friend free and take a chance on injuring him.”
“I-is h-he br-breathing?” She could barely make herself voice the question.
“He is,” the man answered. “Don’t worry about him. The paramedics will be here in no time, and they will take care of both of you.”
“Thank you.” She lay still for a moment. “Who are you?”
“My name is Jordan. I’m a student at the University of Memphis, and I was on my way to the bank when I saw a car hit the two of you.”
“Did the driver stop?”
“No,” Jordan said. “It just kept going. Your friend was mighty brave the way he charged across the parking lot and protected you.”
Another tear trickled down her face. “Yes, he is quite brave. I owe him my life. I hope it hasn’t cost him his.”
“I don’t think...” But his words were cut short by the squeal of tires and the blare of sirens. “The paramedics are here—and the police. I’ll get out of the way and let them do their job.”
She heard running footsteps and then a voice. “We’re EMTs, and we’re going to get you out of here, miss. But first we need to check this man before we move him.”
“Yes, please see if you can help him. I think I’m all right.”
Within minutes the EMTs had done a quick check of Adam and lifted him off her. Then they reached down and gently pulled her out from under the car’s bumper. When she was free, she tried to sit up, but everything around her appeared to be moving.
“Take it easy,” one of the EMTs said. “Let me check you over.”
A few minutes later he’d completed his initial examination. “Everything looks good so far. You’re very lucky. From what I can tell your friend’s body cushioned you from the blow of the car’s impact.”
Guilt filled her heart, and she wished she could take back all the hateful things she’d said or thought about Adam in the past few years. He had promised her he would protect her, and he had done that. She hoped she would have the chance to thank him.
A gurney sat next to the ambulance with its back doors open, and she could see Adam lying on it. A uniformed police officer stood beside him while he wrote something on a notepad. “Adam? Is he okay?” she asked.
The EMT helped her into a sitting position, completed his check for broken bones and smiled at her. “I’m sure they’ll let us know how he is in a moment, but I need to make sure you’re not injured.”
She shook her head. “Really I’m fine. I need to go check on him, though.”
Claire tried to push to her feet, but the EMT put a restraining hand on her shoulder. “Wait a minute. I’ll go check on your friend for you.”
He was gone for few minutes before he returned. “How is he?” she asked.
The EMT grinned. “He’s awake and insisting he needs to get back to work. My partner thinks he needs to get checked out at the hospital, but he says he doesn’t want to go.”
“Let me talk to him. Maybe I can convince him to go.”
The man helped Claire to her feet, and she held on to his arm and waited for the dizziness to pass before she walked toward the gurney. Adam looked up at her and smiled when she stopped beside him.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I am, thanks to you. What’s this I’m hearing about you refusing to go to the hospital?”
He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the gurney. “I’m okay. I had worse happen to me in combat.”
“But this is different. You may have internal injuries that you aren’t aware of.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. “Look, Claire, we need to get after these guys. I can’t do that if I’m laid up in a hospital.”
“But, Adam, I’m only thinking of what’s best for you.”
“Then let me decide what I need to do. Okay?”
She hesitated a moment, but the look in his eyes told her she was going to get nowhere in convincing him to go to the hospital. She exhaled a deep breath. “Okay, but on one condition. You let me take you to your parents’ home and you stay there tonight so your mom can keep an eye on you. We can get back to work tomorrow.”
He shook his head. “I won’t agree to that.”
She stepped closer to him, clenched her fists at her sides and frowned. “Yes you will if you know what’s good for you. I’ve seen your mother angry and she’ll be furious with you if I tell her what’s happened, and that you are refusing any kind of help.”
He looked at her for a moment, and then he grinned. “Yes, ma’am. I’d forgotten how ferocious you can be when somebody crosses you. I’ll go to my parents’ house.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Good.”
One of the EMTs stepped up as Adam climbed down from the gurney. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Adam stumbled a bit when his feet hit the ground, and Claire reached out and grabbed his arm. “Mr. Knight really doesn’t want to go to the hospital. I’ll take him home and have his mother watch him tonight. If she sees any problems, she’ll have him to the ER in no time.”
Adam’s face flushed at the amused look that spread across the paramedic’s face. “His mother, huh?”
Claire nodded. “She’s a nurse. So I’m sure she’s qualified.”
The man sighed. “Okay, if that’s the way he wants it. There don’t seem to be any life-threatening injuries, but take it easy tonight.”
“I will,” Adam said. “And thank you.”
The policeman spoke up before they could walk away. “Mr. Knight has told me all he can remember, but I need to get your story, too.”
Claire shook her head. “I don’t remember anything except seeing this black car bearing down on me and then Adam pushing me out of the way. When I woke up, the car was gone.”
The policeman pursed his lips and nodded. “That’s about all Mr. Knight remembers. Lucky for you that college student was in the parking lot. He got the license plate number. They’re running it for me now.”
A dispatcher’s voice crackled on the officer’s lapel mic. “10-43.”
He pulled the mic closer to his mouth. “Go ahead.”
A woman’s voice spoke from the mic. “The car is registered to James Lester. At present there are arrest warrants on him for aggravated assault and fleeing custody.”
“10-4.” The policeman looked at Adam. “Do you know a James Lester?”
For the next few minutes Adam filled the officer in on the events of the past few days.
When he’d finished, the policeman completed the comments he had written in his notepad and nodded. “Okay. We’ll stay in touch and let you know if we find him.”
“Thanks,” Adam said
as he turned to Claire. “Now let’s get out of here.”
“I’m ready,” she said and took him by the arm.
Together they walked to the car, and Claire opened the passenger door for him. She was just about to close it when Arthur Kendall and Whitney Hamilton ran into the parking lot toward their car. They skidded to a stop next to Claire. “Someone just came into my office and told me what happened out here. Are you two all right?” Whitney asked.
Claire closed the car door and smiled at them. “Thanks for checking on us but we are going to be fine.”
Mr. Kendall glanced around at the gathered bystanders. “With this many people in the parking lot, surely someone was able to get a description of the car.”
Claire pointed to the college student who was talking with the police officer. “That young man was on his way into the bank and saw the whole thing. He not only got a description of the car but also the license number.”
Arthur Kendall breathed a sigh of relief. “Good for him. Maybe the police can catch whoever did this. Our bank has had enough bad publicity without two people being run down in our parking lot. I’m so relieved that both of you are okay. If there’s an ambulance bill, tell the hospital that our insurance will cover it since the accident happened on our property.”
“Thank you.”
Claire walked around the car and climbed in behind the steering wheel. Adam glanced at her. “What did they want?”
“They wanted to make sure we were okay and said that the bank’s insurance would cover the cost of the ambulance since the accident happened on their property.”
Adam’s eyebrows arched. “Accident? That was no accident. It was deliberate attempt to kill both of us.”
“I know.”
Claire turned the ignition and glanced at Arthur Kendall and Whitney Hamilton, who were talking with police officers, before she pulled out into the afternoon traffic. Twenty minutes later she pulled into the East Memphis home of Adam’s parents. She turned off the ignition and swiveled in the seat to face Adam. “Do you need me to help you into the house?”
“No, like you always say, I can do it on my own.”
She grinned. “Yeah, I guess I do. In that case I’ll take your car if you don’t mind and return for you in the morning.”
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