by Beverly Long
“I know. And when they are back, I’m going to take care of it. I’m going to do the right thing.”
Right now she was doing the wrong thing for the right reasons.
He looked up at the sky. “Did you happen to check the weather before driving from Tennessee?”
She shook her head. There’d been no time for that.
“Are you familiar with Colorado weather?”
Again, a shake.
“Winter can come early. Almost every year, we’ll get an early snow in late October. Sometimes it’s just a couple inches and sometimes, like what we’re expecting now, it snows a couple feet.”
“Feet?” she repeated.
“Supposed to roll in within the next few hours. Trust me on this—you’re not going to want to be on the road.”
“We’re staying here for a couple days,” she said. “We’ll be fine.”
“You got a stove and refrigerator in your room?” he asked.
“No. But there’s a restaurant close by.”
“If they’re open. It’s going to be blizzard conditions. Not great for taking out a child. Not that I’m trying to scare you or anything, but I wouldn’t want you to be caught unaware.”
Well, she’d stepped in a pile of it, as her dad would have said. And then he’d have helped her find a solution. But he and Mom weren’t here anymore. Robbed, absolutely robbed of their lives, by a drunk. And she’d lost not just her parents; their deaths had been the divide that had separated her and her brother for so many years.
Hannah didn’t have boots or a winter coat. She had a fall jacket, but that likely wasn’t going to cut it. She needed to find a store, get the right clothes for both of them and get some food in case they couldn’t leave the room.
The idea of staying in that hotel room was a bleak one, but it beat being on the road. The mountain passes were scary enough on dry roads on a clear day.
“I appreciate the heads-up,” she said. “And...and I’m hoping that you don’t feel compelled to report me to the police. I know you don’t have any reason to feel kindly toward me. After all, I shouldn’t have slept at your cabin. I should have immediately told you the truth. But I did leave as soon as I could. I intended to get and stay out of your hair.”
“I’m not interested in turning you in. There’s no reward, right?”
It took her a minute to realize that he was teasing. “I’m pretty sure there isn’t. But thank you. Again.” It seemed she’d stumbled upon a really nice guy. “Do you happen to know this town? Is there an area where I can find a few stores?”
“You passed them on the way in,” he said.
She felt her face heat up. “Great.” She stood. “I should get back up to the room. It was a...pleasure to meet you, Rico.” It was true. Bad circumstances and all, but he’d been very decent.
She got about two steps before he said, “I think you should come back to the cabin.”
She turned. “What?”
“It’s going to be a hell of a storm with heavy snow and high winds. Very possible that the hotel will lose electricity. If that happens at the cabin, I’ve got a backup generator and a big fireplace.”
It sounded...safe. But what was he getting out of the deal? Just because he seemed decent, it didn’t mean he wasn’t a serial killer. But wouldn’t he have killed them the first night?
Ridiculous question. Ridiculous idea to go back. ‘I can see where that might be a good deal for me, but I’m unclear as to why you’d make the offer.”
He shrugged. “Like I said earlier, I like doing things for people when they need a hand. And with my ankle, I’m not all that crazy about being at the cabin by myself in this kind of storm. If something happens, it would be good to have another adult there, somebody who could carry wood inside, shovel snow, scrape ice off windows or any number of things that might be hard for me to do in bad weather.”
It made sense. After she’d injured her elbow, she’d been terrified that she’d do something to reinjure it before it was fully healed. It had been such an unexpected reaction. But good came out of most things, and she’d come out of the injury with a better understanding of why some patients were reluctant to push themselves in therapy. Had realized that it wasn’t laziness but rather fear.
“How long are you going to be staying at the cabin?” she asked.
“Couple weeks.”
That would be so wonderful. Time to pull together a plan. “I could pay you something,” she said.
“No need. You can buy a few groceries if it makes you feel better.”
She’d be saving all the money that she’d spend on the hotel. “May I borrow your phone?” she asked.
If he was surprised by the request, he didn’t show it. Simply handed it to her. She opened the browser. Typed in Wingman Security. Quickly read the home page. Personal and property security. Discreet. Trusted. Recommended. All the keywords jumped out at her. She went to the bio tab.
There he was. Rico Metez. Former air force communications specialist.
He was what he’d said he was. He’d been polite, helpful, and he had a valid reason to be offering up a room in his cabin. She was going to have to take the chance.
“I’d really love to,” she said. But it was going to be impossible to continue the subterfuge about Hannah being a boy. “I have another confession,” she said. “I think I should tell you now so that you don’t think I keep springing these things on you. Hannah, that’s her name, isn’t a little boy. She’s a girl.”
He didn’t look too surprised.
“You knew?” she asked.
“I thought,” he clarified.
“I was worried that once you found out that we were in the cabin without permission, that you might call the police. You’d have sent them looking for a woman with a little boy, not a little girl. That would have given me a small advantage.”
“I could have easily described your car,” he said. “It’s unusual.”
Yes, she really wished Clovis Trane drove a tan Chevy. But that likely wouldn’t have been in storage and immediately available. Everything was a trade-off. “You’re right. I didn’t think of that. I guess I’m not all that skilled at this.”
He looked at his watch. “I hate to wake Hannah in the middle of her nap, but we should probably get going if we’re going to stop at the store first and then head back.”
“She’ll go back to sleep once we’re in the car,” she said. “It will take me just a minute to pack and then I need to stop by the hotel office.” She’d paid for three nights plus the security deposit. The woman could legitimately charge her for one night, since the room would have to be cleaned after them, but that still meant that she was due a healthy refund. A refund she was likely to need down the road. “Be right back.”
Chapter 5
Rico had no idea how much of what she had said was true. But he was fairly confident that she wasn’t a danger to the child or to him. Neither of those things was proof that she had a legitimate right to have Hannah. That and the possibility that she might be in a very bad situation overrode any hesitation to simply wash his hands of them.
He sat in his SUV, watching over the hotel as she went back upstairs and once again came out with their meager belongings. She put those in her car. Then it was into the office. That took less than five minutes. Then it was back upstairs and when she came out this time, she was carrying Hannah.
He cursed his ankle. He wanted to get out and help, to carry the child. But because of the stairs, the little girl—thank goodness that had been cleared up, he’d thought he could tell the difference—was undoubtedly safer in Laura’s arms. Laura who? He had still not asked for her last name, and she had still not offered.
He started his vehicle and pulled up next to her. “For now, I’ll lead the way to the store. We can get whatever you need as well as stock up on some
groceries.”
She nodded and got in the Mustang. They drove, with her staying close on his tail, as if she was afraid she’d lose him. When they got to the small shopping area and he got out, he saw that Hannah had already fallen back asleep. The alternative to waking her up again was for him to stay in the car with her and he knew Laura wasn’t going to go for that. Or Laura could stay while he shopped, but he really had no idea what she wanted or needed.
“We keep interrupting her nap,” he said, as he stood by the car, waiting while Laura got Hannah out of the car seat.
“I know. She’s a good sport about it, though,” she said. “She’s a really great kid.”
He heard something in her voice. Pride. Love. He was more confident than ever that she wasn’t a danger to Hannah.
Keeping up the pretense that his ankle was much weaker than it was, he reached for his crutches. When they went into Bratt’s Mercantile, which was Moreville’s answer to the looming presence of the superstores that were sixty miles away, in that it offered a hodgepodge of items, ranging from clothing to car batteries to sheets to fresh fruit, she reached for a cart.
“I’ll push,” she said. “We’ll try to keep things separated to make it easier to figure out who pays for what at the checkout.” She put Hannah in the up-front portion of the cart.
The selection was broad but not deep, and when she got to the children’s aisle, there were just a few snow pants and coats to choose from. Hannah, however, seemed delighted when Laura picked out size five snow pants and a matching winter coat. Purple with pink trim.
“For me?” the little girl asked, sounding very excited.
“Yes. It’s going to get cold and snow,” Laura said. “You’ll need these.”
“Snow?” repeated Hannah, as if it was something quite magical.
He understood. She’d probably seen snow on television but if she’d been in Tennessee her whole life, she had absolutely no idea of what was coming.
“We’ll build a snowman,” Laura promised. She moved over to the mittens and hats, then to the children’s boots. The cart was starting to fill up. After she added a couple pairs of pants and more socks, she looked up. “That should be good. We can get groceries.”
“What about winter clothes for you?” he asked.
He could see the indecision cross her face. “I suppose,” she said.
And when they got to the women’s aisle, she quickly found some black snow boots and a lined brown barn jacket. Here she checked prices before she put the items in her cart. As if she hadn’t cared so much what she was spending if it was for Hannah, but for herself, she was going to watch her pennies.
Mother bear. Putting her cub first.
She grabbed gloves and a scarf. “Okay,” she said.
“I need a couple things,” he said, pointing toward the men’s aisle. In minutes, he’d picked up insulated underwear and a hooded sweatshirt. All in a size much too small for him but he didn’t think she noticed. She likely had no idea how bitingly cold a Colorado wind could be, and he did not want her to be caught unprepared.
Then it was to the automotive area where he picked up a snow brush and an ice scraper. “You’re going to need these,” he said.
She nodded and put them in the cart. At the end of the aisle was a display of shovels. He put one in the cart. He had several at his cabin but she could take this one with her. Winter was just starting; she’d have plenty of opportunity to use it if she stayed in Colorado.
When they got to the grocery aisle, he turned to her. “I don’t want to have to think about who bought what before I eat it. So I’m happy to get the groceries.”
“I can pay for our share,” she said. It appeared she didn’t want to be in his debt.
“We’ll figure that out later,” he said. “Let’s just get what we need. I want to get home before the snow starts.”
The grocery section of the store was busier, as if other people had the same idea. Bread, eggs and milk were flying off the shelves. He got some of each, as well as some packages of chicken and ground turkey, before heading toward the fruits and vegetables. He took some of most everything before moving on.
They rounded the last corner of the four-aisle section and almost ran into another shopper.
“Rico Metez, is that you?” a woman asked. “And why are you on crutches?”
It took him a minute but he realized it was Maddy Bristol. He’d gone to high school with her. Thin, with long dark hair, she still looked very much the same as she did when she was eighteen. “Maddy, nice to see you. Just a little ankle thing, no big deal.”
“Are you back in the area?” she asked.
“Just visiting,” he said.
She turned to look at Laura. “Hi. I’m Maddy. I went to school with Rico.”
He was just about to jump in when Laura smiled. “Was he a health nut even then?” she asked, waving a hand toward the cart.
“Only if you consider chili fries and chocolate shakes healthy.”
“Basic food groups,” Laura said. “Nice to meet you. Good luck in getting home before the snow starts.” She pushed her cart forward.
“Absolutely.” Maddy pulled a card from her purse and held it out to him. “Keep in touch, all right?”
“Of course.” Rico took the card and followed Laura. Nicely done, he thought. She’d managed to be polite and engaging without giving up any information about herself or Hannah. His partners always teased him about being a smooth talker, but he was pretty sure he might have found his match.
At the checkout, he used a credit card for all the groceries and his items; she paid cash for her and Hannah’s clothes, carefully counting out the one hundred and fifty-nine dollars. So few people paid cash for anything anymore. But if she was on the run from the law, she likely didn’t want anybody to be able to find her by tracing her credit card activity.
And she’d borrowed his cell phone earlier, leading him to believe that she didn’t have one. It was dangerous to be traveling, especially with a child, and not have some way to call for help. But had she dumped that as well because of the risks of being tracked?
They left the store and put everything in his SUV. He got behind the wheel and tossed Maddy’s card onto the console. While they’d been in the store, the wind had changed. It had picked up, was colder, and it looked as if a wall of gray-colored clouds was rolling in from the northwest.
“You grew up around here?” she asked, standing by his still-open door.
“Yes.” He wasn’t inclined to share details. He might be willing to expose himself to whatever threat she posed, but not his parents.
“Colorado seems like a good place to be a kid. Mountains. Lots of sunshine.” She glanced at the sky. “Usually, right?”
“More than three hundred days of sunshine a year,” he said. “Just not today. Do you want anything to eat before we take off?” he asked.
She again looked at the sky. “Hannah and I had something earlier,” she said, sounding nervous. “But if you need to eat...”
“I’m fine,” he said. “This time, you lead and I’ll follow you.”
“Sort of like before,” she said wryly. “Except I didn’t know you were there.”
He liked that she was a little scrappy. “Right. Easier now that I don’t have to stay so far behind you.” He closed his door and rolled his window down a couple inches.
She walked to the Mustang, buckled Hannah into her car seat, then got behind the wheel.
“Do you have a phone in case I need to call you?” he asked before she pulled her door shut.
“Just blink your lights and honk your horn. I’ll pull over.”
If she had a phone, she wasn’t copping to it. And her method wasn’t ideal on mountain roads where the shoulder was oftentimes narrow, but it was unlikely that he was going to have to contact her. “Okay. I’ll see you at
the cabin.”
* * *
I’ll see you at the cabin. She was headed back.
It would be a safe place for Hannah. Out of the storm, out of the public eye.
But was it as safe for her? She doubted that. Rico had already beat her at the game once by seeing her reverse her direction and then deciding to follow her. However, him catching up to her and letting her know that the cop wasn’t interested in her car had been a godsend. Otherwise, who knows how long she’d have wandered the streets with Hannah, afraid to go back for her car.
She knew she’d been frightened before. After all, one couldn’t get to the ripe old age of thirty-three and not have had the pants scared off of them at some point. But rounding that corner and seeing that cop looking into her car had been terrifying. Then minutes later, seeing Rico casually leaning next to his car, her only thought had been to run.
She’d cut through yards and alleys, but he’d trumped her again.
She’d wanted to tell him to go to hell but when she’d seen the cop car coming toward them, she’d had to take the chance. Had intended to get in his vehicle, apologize and be done with him. But then he’d offered her refuge at the cabin. I help people. That’s what he’d said.
And how had she repaid that kindness? By continuing to lie to him. By twisting the real life story of one of her patients about being wanted for narcotics theft and telling him that Hannah’s parents were in Asia.
Both whoppers.
But he’d seemed to accept the explanation. Hadn’t even asked too many clarifying questions. And now, as she negotiated the mountain curves, she had plenty of time to stew on that. Was he not naturally curious, or did he easily just accept things at face value? Or was he playing her in some way?
Hannah had fallen asleep again about ten minutes into the drive. She’d wanted to hold on to her new snow pants and after showing Ja-Ja, she now had them wadded up in a makeshift pillow.
Laura felt pretty damn stupid for not having paid more attention to the weather. It was no excuse that in Tennessee, they never really had to worry about big snowstorms. She wasn’t in Tennessee anymore.