Fugitive Trackdown

by Sandra Robbins

  “But still, you could have been hurt.”

  “Well, I’m not,” she said. “Unless you count the fact that you scared about ten years off my life.” She put her hands on her hips and arched an eyebrow. “How did you know I was out here?”

  “When you didn’t come back to the table, I got worried. I waited in the lobby a few minutes and then I asked the hostess if she had seen you. She said she’d seen you leaving through the exit at the end of the hall. When I opened the door, I saw Wes walking from the alley and watched him get in his car. Then I went looking for you and saw you behind the Dumpster. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  She hugged her arms around her waist and shivered. “And I didn’t mean to worry you by taking off like that. I won’t do it again.”

  He leaned toward her until their noses almost touched. “See that you don’t.”

  She smiled. “I won’t. Now, can we go get my coat? I’m freezing out here.”

  He took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. “Wear this until we get inside. Then we’re going to my parents’ home. I think you’ve had enough excitement for tonight.”

  She hugged the jacket around her and stared up at him. “We’re still going to Serenity tomorrow, aren’t we?”

  “Yes. I need to go into the office for a few hours in the morning, but I’ll be back by lunch. I thought we’d leave for Serenity in the early afternoon.”

  They started toward the restaurant, and Claire looked up at him. “Adam, why do you think Wes would owe Peter money?”

  “I have no idea, but I think the answer probably lies at the Serenity Wellness Center. And we need to find out what it is.”

  * * *

  A few hours later Adam sat in the kitchen of his parents’ home as he drank a cup of coffee and replayed the events of the night in his head. Although he’d been concerned when he found out why Claire had left the restaurant, he had to give her credit. When she set her mind to something, she couldn’t be distracted. By following Wes Stratton she’d uncovered a piece of information that might be useful in catching up to Peter Willis. At least they knew he’d be coming to Serenity, and they would be there, too.

  He smiled as he remembered how beautiful Claire had looked tonight at dinner and how good it had felt when she put her arms around him and laid her head on his chest. The truth that he’d tried to deny for six years filled his mind, and he closed his eyes. He’d been in love with Claire for years, but he’d done everything he could to conceal the truth from himself and everybody around him.

  The memory of how he’d hurt her and the anger she’d felt toward him for years returned. He gritted his teeth and struck the table with his fist.

  “No!”

  It would never work out. Even though she said she’d forgiven him, all she wanted from him was friendship. The sooner he accepted that, the better off he’d be.

  “What’s going on in here?”

  Startled at the sound of his mother’s voice, Adam glanced up as she entered the room. He straightened in the chair and picked up his cup. “Nothing. I’m having a cup of coffee before I go to bed.”

  She slid into the chair across from him and frowned as she studied him. “Adam, I’ve always been able to tell when you’re upset about something, and I know you are now. What’s the matter? If there’s a problem with the business, I’m sure your father will be glad...”

  He held up his hand to stop her. “No, Mom. It’s not the business. It’s something else.”

  She crossed her arms on the table in front of her and leaned forward. “Then it must be Claire.”

  He frowned and fidgeted in his chair, then picked up his cup again. “Where did you get that idea?”

  She sighed. “Oh, Adam. Why do you have to make everything so difficult? I see the way you look at her, and I see the way she looks at you. I know you had some problems in the past, but those seem to be resolved. Why are you so afraid to let her know how you feel?”

  He curled his fingers around the coffee cup and stared down at the liquid inside for a moment before he responded. “Claire is a wonderful woman, Mom. But she doesn’t need me. She needs a man who believes like she does. Or, as she would say, a man who has faith that God loves him. I’m not that man.”

  His heart pricked at the tears that pooled in his mother’s eyes, but she blinked them away. “Your father and I would like to see you become that man. We pray every day that you will. You’re never going to be happy until you step out of the way and let God take control of your life.”

  A sad smile pulled at his mouth. “Claire said basically the same thing to me. Have you two been talking?”

  “No. We both want you to recognize what you’re missing in life by your refusal to let God into your heart.” She reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. “But your father and I, and Claire also, can’t do it for you. You have to come to the point where you accept God. We’re all praying you’ll do that.”

  He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Thanks, Mom. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  He pushed his chair back, rose and reached for his cup. “I have a lot to do tomorrow, so I’d better get in bed.”

  “Leave your cup. I think I’ll have a cup, too. Then I’ll clean up. You go on to bed.”

  He walked around the table and kissed her on the cheek. “Night, Mom.”

  “Good night. Sleep well.”

  As he left the kitchen and climbed the staircase, he thought of the things his mother had said to him. Outside Claire’s closed door, he stopped a moment and thought how his mother had echoed her thoughts.

  The angry voice in his head he’d known for so many years whispered that they didn’t know what they were talking about. Then he remembered how Claire had looked when she had offered hope to Jonathan Fields’s wife and how tears had filled his mother’s eyes when she told him how she prayed for him, and his heart pricked.

  They had something in their lives that he didn’t have, and suddenly he wanted it, too. He took a deep breath and strode down the hall. Once inside his bedroom he went straight to the table beside the bed and rummaged through the drawer until he found what he wanted.

  He hadn’t seen it in years, not since he was a child, but he remembered the Christmas his grandmother had given it to him. He held the Bible in his hands and stared at it, not knowing where to open it. It had been so long, and he remembered very little about the words inside.

  Then he smiled as a childhood memory of him reciting a verse for his family drifted into his head, and he opened it close to the middle and flipped through the pages until he found the chapter he was searching for.

  He sat down on the side of the bed and began to read. “‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.’”

  TEN

  Ever since she’d overheard Wes Stratton’s conversation last night, she’d been unable to think of anything except that she and Adam finally had a lead on Peter Willis. If what he’d said was correct, Wes would arrive at Serenity sometime tomorrow. That gave her and Adam about twenty-four hours to scout out the place and determine if anything illegal was going on there.

  She stared out the window as the car sped along the highway on their way to Serenity. This was her favorite time of year. The leaves on the trees that lined the four-lane road had changed from their summer green to the rich, bold colors of autumn. Soon they’d litter the ground, but for now they provided a perfect backdrop for the surrounding scenery.

  Had Adam noticed the vibrant colors on the trees? He’d seemed lost in thought since they left Memphis, and she hadn’t wanted to distract him from driving, but suddenly she could no longer stand the silence. She turned her head and stared at him.

  “Aren’t the leaves beautiful this year?”

  His hand on the steering wheel jer
ked as if she’d startled him, and he darted a glance her way. “What did you say?”

  “I asked if you’d noticed the leaves. I don’t suppose you have, though. You haven’t said two words since you picked me up after lunch. Is something wrong?”

  He shook his head. “No. I’m just a bit preoccupied today.”

  “Is there a problem at the office?”

  “No. I guess I’m just tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  She frowned and stared at him. “Were you ill?”

  “No. Just had a lot on my mind.”

  He didn’t say anything else, and she turned to stare back out the window. Her mind raced as she thought back to how upset he’d been when he first found her by the Dumpster. Maybe he’d still been concerned about her impetuously following Wes Stratton.

  She took a deep breath and swiveled in her seat. “Were you unable to sleep because you were angry with me?”

  “No! What made you think I was angry with you?” He jerked his head around to stare at her, and for the first time Claire saw the red streaks in his eyes. She’d never seen him look so tired.

  She shrugged. “Because I left the restaurant to follow Wes. I’m sorry I did that. I won’t run off again without telling you where I’m going.”

  “Good,” he said. “But that wasn’t what kept me awake.”

  “Then what was it.”

  The muscle in his jaw flexed, and he inhaled. “If you must know, I was reading the Bible.”

  Her mouth dropped open in surprise. Of all the things he might have said, that was the last one she would ever have suspected. “The Bible? But that’s wonderful. What made you do that?”

  He cocked an eyebrow and shook his head. “As if you don’t know. All that talk about how much God loves me made me curious. I thought I’d see if I could find any answers to the questions I have.”

  A dim hope began to curl in the bottom of her heart. “And did you find them?” She could barely speak because her chest was so tight.

  “I’m not sure. I only meant to read one chapter, but then I read another. And before I knew it, I’d read into the wee hours of the morning. It was like I couldn’t get my fill.” He glanced at her. “Does that make sense?”

  “It does.” She reached over and touched his arm. “You’ll find your answers, Adam. I know you will. That’s what I’m praying for.”

  “Thanks, Claire.” She thought he was going to say more, but at that moment a sign signaling the turnoff for Serenity Wellness Center came into view. Adam pointed to it. “This is where we leave the main highway.”

  They drove for several miles down a paved road that was lined with towering trees and passed through the gated entrance to the center. As they pulled into the circle drive in front of the spa, Claire’s mouth dropped open in awe. Whoever had designed and built this center must have wanted to impress customers before they ever entered the building.

  The three-story white brick structure could have served as a plantation home in bygone years. With its six columns across the front porch and the two-story wings that jutted out on either side, it reminded Claire of a restored Louisiana plantation big house she’d visited with her parents when they’d been on vacation the summer she was twelve years old.

  “What a beautiful building,” she whispered as she stared, mesmerized by its beauty.

  “Yeah,” Adam said. “But remember outside appearances can be deceiving. We’re here to find out what Serenity is really like on the inside. Are you ready for that?”

  The question reminded her of why they had come to Serenity. According to Wes Stratton’s conversation, Peter Willis would be here tomorrow. That meant this facility was connected in some way to a killer. Whether or not the staff here realized it still had to be determined. But she and Adam intended to find the answer before they left.

  She nodded, took a deep breath and reached for the door handle. “To paraphrase your great-grandfather, it’s time for Peter Willis to answer for the crimes laid against him.”

  * * *

  Adam set their luggage down at the reception desk in the lobby of the wellness center and smiled at the young woman behind the counter. “I have reservations for two rooms. One in the name of Claire Walker and one for Adam Knight.”

  The clerk smiled and pulled some papers from a box in front of her. “Welcome to Serenity, Mr. Knight and Miss Walker. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay with us and leave feeling rejuvenated and healthier than when you arrived.”

  Adam glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Claire had wandered over to a glass-enclosed case hanging on the wall and appeared engrossed in reading Serenity’s services for their guests. He turned back to the woman at the counter. “Both my friend and I have had a lot of stress in our lives lately. I hope you’re right about our stay.”

  “If you’d like, I’m sure Mr. Morrison, the director, would be happy to talk with you. He can help you both design the program you’d like to follow while you’re here.”

  “That sounds great. Where can we find him?”

  She scooted some papers toward him. “If you’ll sign this and let me make a copy of the credit card you reserved the rooms with, I’ll have one of our bellmen take your bags to your rooms. I’ll get someone to show you to Mr. Morrison’s office.”

  Adam slid his credit card across the counter and nodded. “I’d appreciate meeting him.”

  She focused her gaze on somebody across the lobby, and Adam glanced over his shoulder at the man entering the room from an office near the front door. She raised her hand and waved at him. “Mr. Holt, could I see you for a minute?”

  From the muscular build to the dark suit to the short haircut, Adam had no trouble identifying this man as part of the security team at Serenity. He strode across the room and stopped at the front desk.

  “Is there something I can do for you, Miss Edwards?”

  She nodded toward Adam. “This is Mr. Knight. He and his friend Miss Walker would like to talk with Mr. Morrison. Would you show them to his office?”

  The man turned to Adam and stuck out his hand. “I’m Bryce Holt, part of the security department here at Serenity. We’re glad to have you as guests.”

  As Bryce extended his hand, his coat sleeve slipped up and revealed a red-and-black tattoo of a spiderweb that started at his wrist and spread up his arm. Adam tried to determine how far the design extended up Bryce’s arm, but he couldn’t because it was covered by his jacket. Adam pulled his gaze away from the colorful tattoo and shook the man’s hand. “We’re looking forward to our visit.”

  “Then follow me. I’ll show you right to Mr. Morrison’s office.”

  Adam motioned for Claire to join them, and they followed Bryce Holt down a hallway to the left of the lobby. The door to one of the offices about halfway down the hall stood open, and he led them into a room where a young woman sat behind a desk.

  Bryce motioned for them to step up to the desk. “Hailey, these guests would like to speak with Mr. Morrison. Is he busy right now?”

  She smiled. “He’s never too busy to speak with a guest. Trudy’s with him, but they should be about finished with their meeting.”

  She rose and opened a door that led into another office. “Mr. Morrison, I have some guests who would like to meet with you.”

  A male voice boomed from inside. “Show them in.” Adam and Claire stepped around the secretary and into Brian Morrison’s office. He came around his desk as they entered, his hand extended. “Welcome to Serenity.”

  Adam shook his hand. “Thanks for seeing us. I’m Adam Knight, and this is my friend Claire Walker.”

  He inclined his head in the direction of the young woman beside him. “This is Trudy Jacobsen. She’s my right hand here at Serenity. She’s the program director and oversees all of our activities. I don’t know what I’d do w
ithout her.”

  Trudy laughed. “Mr. Morrison’s just trying to make me feel good. He’d do quite well without me because he has made sure Serenity offers only the best services to its customers.”

  “That’s good to hear,” Claire said. “I’m looking forward to being pampered for a few days.”

  Mr. Morrison chuckled and indicated the two chairs in front of his desk. When they had taken their seats and Trudy had sat back down in her chair, he dropped down into his desk chair, propped his elbows on the chair arms and steepled his fingers.

  “Now, what can I help you with today?”

  Adam leaned forward in his chair. “We looked at your website, and we saw what is posted there. But I guess we just want to know more about what’s involved in each of the classes and how we can schedule our time to get the most out of our visit.”

  Trudy spoke up. “I’ll be the one who’ll help you organize your stay. You let me know which activities you’re most interested in, and I’ll help get the maximum number of classes scheduled. All of our activities are designed to help you leave here feeling more energetic and stimulated. We offer spa treatments, which I think you’ll really like, Miss Walker. There are exercise classes for both men and women, nutrition classes, massages and saunas.”

  Claire closed her eyes and sighed. “That sounds wonderful. I can hardly wait to start.”

  Adam looked at his watch and frowned. “It won’t be long until dinnertime. I think both Claire and I could use a nap. Why don’t we get started in the morning? I’d like to do one of the exercise classes for men.”

  “And I’d like to have a massage and maybe a manicure and pedicure,” Claire said.

  Trudy laughed and stood up. “I’ll get you scheduled for that. Now go and rest for a while. Our chef is preparing a delicious dinner tonight. It’s going to be a cool evening, but you might want to take a walk down to our lake.”

  “Where is that?” Adam asked.

  Brian Morrison stood up. “Go out the front walk and take the path to your right. It leads down to the lake. It’s well lit, and there are benches down there. It’s many of our guests’ favorite spot. Just remember to stay on the lit paths. Security patrols the grounds at night, but they’ll know you’re guests if you don’t wander off the main trails.”