The small café nestled in the corner offered a bit of privacy if they could grab the last booth on the right. “Do you see a television anywhere?”
She glanced around. “No. Let’s just hope no one’s watching the news on their laptops.”
He slid in the seat opposite her and pulled his baseball cap lower. He slipped on the low-powered reading glasses. At Ian’s signal, Gus took up residence under the table and placed his head on his paws. Ian looked at her over the top of the glasses. “You want some coffee?”
“No, I need some coffee.” She set her back to the wall and gazed out over the store, processing it from the distance, formulating a plan. “And make it a double.”
“Where are they?” Gunter shouted, then spewed obscenities as he realized they’d slipped away.
Nick glared. “They don’t have a car, it’s freezing cold out here. Where are they going to go?”
“To a hotel, where else?” Hector said. “Or maybe friends who would take them in and not call the cops on them.”
“Right. To a hotel. Or friends.” Gunter snorted. “That’s what you idiots would do. Obviously they’re smarter than you two.”
Victor Stroebel stared at the men who worked for him. They’d failed him and he should shoot them all, leaving their carcasses for the rats that foraged behind the small gas station. He lit his cigarette and flicked the lighter closed. “Shut up.” Though his words were quiet, they had greater effect than if he’d shouted. The other three men froze and slowly turned to look at him. If he hadn’t been so irritated at the fact that Lockwood was still alive, he might have laughed at the fear he could instill by just being in their presence. They weren’t used to seeing him, as he usually called the shots from behind the scenes. But this was too important. And as soon as they’d outlived their usefulness, they would die, but for now, he needed them—and their fear-induced loyalty.
He drew in a deep breath. “Priority number one. Find out everything you can about Ian Lockwood and his pretty companion, Jackie Sellers. I want to know every single teeny tiny detail about their lives. I want family names and numbers, co-workers, friends, everything. And then find me something I can use to lure them out into the open.”
“Uh … like what, boss?” Gunter asked.
Victor simply looked at the man. “Like a kid or a relative we can snatch and hold for ransom. Or in this case, a trade. Only it won’t be a trade, they all have to die.”
“Right, right. I got it. Okay. We’ll get right on it.” The man paused and anxiety had him nearly twitching.
“What is it, Gunter?” Vic asked as though he had all the patience in the world.
“Um … well, should we keep looking for them?”
Idiot. Victor lifted his gun, thankful he’d already placed the suppressor on the end, and shot the man in the forehead.
The other two gaped, backing away in terror.
Victor shoved the weapon into the back of his waistband. “Where are you going?” They froze. “Get in the car.” They scrambled to obey. Victor climbed in the back. “Now what have you learned tonight, boys?” Neither man volunteered an answer. “I’m waiting.”
“I’ll tell you what I learned, boss,” Hector said, his voice not quite steady.
“What’s that, son?”
“Don’t ask stupid questions.”
Victor smiled.
4
10:30 P.M.
Jackie walked over to Ian, who stood in line to order. “I’ll be right back.”
His gaze bored into hers. “Where are you going?”
“The ladies’ room.” She handed him the phone still in the package. “While I’m there, could you get this thing working and charging? There’s a plug right near the table.”
“Okay.”
“But don’t make any calls yet, all right?”
Confusion knit his brows together. She could see the protest hovering on his lips.
“Just please? You’re asking an awful lot of me by not going to the cops and telling them what’s going on, so humor me, okay?”
He gave her a long stare. She shifted, but didn’t look away. Finally he nodded and lowered his voice. “You’re not going to turn me in?”
“Ian, if I was going to do that, we wouldn’t be here right now.” But she didn’t want him making any calls until she had a plan. And while one was in the process of forming, it wasn’t fully developed yet.
He sighed. “All right.”
“Just don’t sit where someone looking in can see you.”
“Right.”
She pulled her gaze away from him and took note of the layout of the store as she made her way to the ladies’ room. Once inside, she kept her eyes down and head averted. One other person stood at the sink washing her hands. Jackie slipped into the nearest stall and hung the backpack on a hook. She took the baseball cap from her head and pulled her hair up into a ponytail, then threaded the mass through the opening of the ball cap.
She heard the other occupant leave. After finishing her business, she stepped out of the stall, washed her hands, then exited the restroom. With a glance around to make sure no one was watching her with any real interest, she strolled down the aisle and slipped into position near the Employees Only door. With careful deliberation, she perused the books on the nearby shelf.
It cost her about a ten-minute wait, but her patience finally paid off. She just hoped Ian was still waiting on her and hadn’t decided she’d turned him in. She got the information she needed and made her way back to the booth, pulling off the backpack and sliding in opposite Ian, where he had two cups of coffee and two pizzas waiting. “Okay, I know you want to call your brother, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
He stiffened. “Why not?”
“Think about it. The first people law enforcement are going to contact are your relatives, checking anyone who’d be willing to harbor a fugitive.”
He went quiet and shoved his wallet back into his pocket, picked up one of the two cups of coffee he’d placed on the table, and took a sip. Jackie took note of the phone charging just like she’d asked.
She reached for the coffee. “Thanks.”
“Sure.”
After a big sip that burned all the way down, she placed her cup on the table and reached for one of the pizzas. “Smart.”
“What?”
“Getting food while we can.”
“Oh. I was just hungry and didn’t want to eat in front of you.”
She nodded to his pizza box. “Didn’t want to share either, I take it.”
He finished off his second piece in just about as many seconds. “No way.”
“You always were stingy when it came to your food.”
He snickered, but his mirth didn’t reach his eyes. “And you were always a mooch. I learned my lesson early on to get you your own food.”
Jackie finished half the pizza and pushed the box away from her. He looked at the remaining half.
“You going to eat that?”
“Now who’s the mooch?” she teased. She slid the food in front of him.
He got started on her half and she got up to throw the other box away. All the while, her eyes never rested. She let them slide over the faces of the people nearest her. Then back to Ian.
He had his attention focused on the window while he chewed. His forehead creased and she couldn’t help wonder if he was seeing anything other than his internal thoughts.
Standing near the trash can, Jackie stuck her hand into the pocket of her sweatshirt and wrapped her fingers around her personal cell phone. She debated. A quick call or a short text would bring help.
And probably the people tracking them. If her face was already on the evening news, she had no doubt they had the ability to ping her phone.
But that might not be a bad thing, right? Get them out in the open, have backup waiting on them, and grab them. Then again, their actions screamed power. Did she want to blatantly mess with that? Or perhaps be a bit more subtle?
/> Jackie tugged at the brim of her own cap and bit her lip while she studied Ian. Subtle wasn’t exactly her forte. She was trained to help people, trained to fight for the underdog. Was he the underdog? Or was he playing her? Her childhood friend wouldn’t, but what about the man he’d become? The man she hadn’t seen in fifteen years?
While she pondered those questions, she made a slow three-sixty, thinking, watching, planning.
An idea in mind, she turned to go back to the table when she saw Ian on the phone. Her blood pressure shot up and she marched over to him. “What are you doing?” she hissed.
He turned his back to her and the others in the area and spoke in a low voice. One so low, she almost couldn’t hear him. She slid back into the booth and leaned closer.
“Hey man, I know you’ve seen the news. I’ve got to keep this short. Basically, I need your car. Can you bring it to me?” He tilted his head and lifted his eyes to meet Jackie’s. She saw a guilty apology there with a hint of defiance. “I know it looks bad, but if I turn myself in, I’m toast.” More listening. “People are trying to kill me and the cops are trying to arrest me. I need your help.” The person on the other end said something else. Ian squeezed his eyes shut and she could see his effort to keep his impatience and frustration in check. “Yes, I think I know why they’re trying to kill me, I just haven’t had a chance to do anything about it yet. Running for my life has kind of brought everything else to a screeching halt.” He paused, then snorted. “No one’s going to fight for me, but me.” His eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened. “It’s been that way all my life, Terry. Why would you think it’s going to change now?”
Terry. Ian’s brother. She wanted to groan. Instead, she pressed her lips together. He was right. She remembered the skinny, pimply-faced teenager he’d been. He’d definitely had no sense of fashion and he’d been awkward, clumsy, and shy. The bullies had honed in on him like ants on cake at a picnic. And his parents hadn’t done much about it that she recalled.
He nodded. “Great. Great. Thanks.” He paused and listened and Jackie felt the tension in her belly grow. “I don’t want to give the address over the phone, but you remember where we used to go after working out? That’s where we are.” He sucked in a breath. “Thanks, Terry. And make sure no one follows you, okay?”
“He’s coming?” she asked.
“He’ll be here in ten.”
She had a really bad feeling about this. She leaned forward. “Why did you call him without clearing that with me?”
His jaw tensed. “You’re not in charge here, Jackie. You broke into my house, remember? I’m sorry you got caught in the middle, but it’s time for us to part ways.”
“I don’t think you get it, Ian,” she murmured. “Whatever this is, it’s bigger than you. You won’t beat it on your own.”
He groaned. “I understand this is what you do for a living—help people. But I feel awful you’re involved. I want you to go to the cops and tell them everything.”
“But, Ian, you’re—”
He held up a hand. “I’m serious.” He swallowed hard. “I have a feeling this isn’t going to end very well and I don’t want to take you down with me. Terry’s going to bring me his car and I’m going to leave. I’m assuming you’ll call someone to pick you up. If you would make sure Terry gets home safe too, I’d appreciate it.”
She stared at him, mouth open, disbelief rendering her speechless. Did he really believe it was going to go down like that? She leaned forward. Be nice, Jackie. Don’t say something you’ll regret. This isn’t his line of work. He doesn’t do this every day. Guard your tongue—“Don’t start being stupid,” she snapped.
He blinked, then anger glinted. “I’m not being stu—”
“Or a martyr then. There’s no playing nice in this game.” She slapped a hand to the table and tried to loosen the muscles around her jaw when she saw people stop mid-bite to stare at them. She took a deep breath and leaned back. “These people have messed with me now too. Even if I go to the cops at this point, there’s no guarantee they’ll believe me. I’m in this for the long haul. This thing won’t end well if you don’t have some help. Now let me tell you how this is going to work.” She reached for the backpack. “We’re leaving. Now.”
He stared up at her. “Terry will be here shortly.”
“No, Ian.” Weariness hit her. How could she make him understand? “The cops will be here shortly. They probably listened to every word of that conversation you just had with Terry.”
“How? It’s an untraceable phone.”
“But Terry’s isn’t. As soon as you became a person of interest in a terrorist plot, every immediate family member who’s close by—and probably some who aren’t—had their phone tapped. And while you didn’t give the address of the café, all they have to do is follow him.”
He went silent for a brief second, then stood. “I’m an idiot. Let’s go before—”
She looked at him as she slid out of the booth.
Hands curled into fists, he had his eyes on the front door of the store. “Cops,” he said.
She turned her head to see the two uniformed officers stroll in. Their body language shouted their tension. One went left, one started toward the café. “And there are probably more on the way.” She grabbed his hand. “Walk toward the back of the store and lean into me like you’re listening to something I’m saying.”
He grabbed the bags from the floor and Gus’s leash in one hand, then wrapped his free arm around her shoulder to tuck her up next to him. “And here we go again.”
What had he done? He’d been stupid, that’s what. He and Gus stayed right with Jackie as she weaved in and out of book aisles. He’d meant well and wound up putting them all in danger again. Not just he and Jackie, but now he’d dragged his brother into it. Ian tightened his jaw.
Time to stop being stupid.
She stopped and punched the code in for the Employees Only door and shut it behind them.
“You went to the bathroom, huh?”
She gave him a tight smile. “Yes. And on a scouting mission. For every one way in, always have two ways out.”
“Nice.” She was smart. And right. He needed her. He studied her. She didn’t look too much different than when they were in high school. Bouncy blonde curls, blue eyes that could frost over when angry or reach into your soul when empathizing. Right now, they were hard and determined. She led him to a back room. A conference table sat in the center, surrounded by plush chairs. Another door was in the corner of the room that would lead them to the parking lot.
He pulled the phone from his pocket and dialed Terry’s number.
“I didn’t tell them you were here,” his brother blurted after half a ring. “I’m in the parking lot. As soon as I turned in, a cruiser did too.” Ian heard the man swallow. “And now they’re coming toward my car. I’ve got to go. Get out of here if you can. I won’t tell them anything, I promise.”
Again Jackie had been right after all. Why wasn’t he surprised? “No. Tell them everything. Be honest and hold nothing back. It’s the best way to avoid getting in—” Ian realized he was talking to dead air.
He looked at Jackie. “What do you want to do?”
She pinched the bridge of her nose and he felt remorse nearly bring him to his knees.
“You know what?” he said. “I’m going back to my original plan. You shouldn’t even be involved in this.”
She dropped her hand and looked up. “Well, I am and I’m afraid there’s no going back to any original plan. We’re going with the whatever-works-do-it plan as of right now. And I need you to start thinking because I don’t have one of those at the moment.” She moved to the door, opened it, and looked out.
“I’m not a terrorist. I didn’t betray my country. These guys set me up fast and good, but there’s no reason for me to take you down too. I’ll figure something out. I just know I’m not going to jail for something I didn’t do.”
She shut the door. “It’s clea
r for now. Let’s go.”
“No. You just tell them I grabbed you and forced you to go with me. Tell them whatever it takes to stay out of trouble, but I’m not involving you anymore.”
“Ian, stop being—”
“Where do you need to go? I’ll take you.” The soft voice to his right sent his heart pounding. Ian jerked around to see a young woman about eighteen years old. She stared at Gus for a moment, then lifted her eyes to meet his.
Jackie moved toward the exit. “Thank you, but we can’t involve you.” She paused and glanced at the door behind the young woman. “But if you could hold off on telling anyone we were back here, I’d appreciate it.”
The girl stepped in front of Jackie, cutting her off. “I heard what you said. That you were set up. I believe you and I want to help.”
“Why?” Ian whispered.
She gave a wry smile. “Because you didn’t know I was here and I doubt you’d be arguing about it if you were guilty. My dad was accused of something he didn’t do and it was a nightmare. If you want to run, then I’ll help you.” She rummaged in her purse and pulled out her keys. “I was just leaving. Let’s go.” She moved to the exit like it was a done deal.
Ian closed his eyes, then opened them to find Jackie and the girl staring at him.
“We can’t let her be involved,” he said to Jackie.
“I know, but we can’t stay here much longer. They’re probably already searching the store and may even have the back covered at this point. We need her help, but it has to look like she didn’t have a choice,” she whispered. “It’s too late to call my friends and it’s going to be too late to get out of here soon.” To the girl, she said, “You can’t go with us. They’ll arrest you for helping us.”
Indecision flitted across her face. Then her jaw hardened. She dumped her purse on the floor, then tossed the keys onto the pile. “I don’t think I’m ready to leave yet. I’ll just go tell my boss I saw two suspicious people in the ‘Employees Only’ area. I got scared and dropped my purse.”
Jackie snatched the keys. “That’ll work. God bless you, hon.” She headed for the exit, Ian right behind her. She paused, one hand on the door and turned back. “What’s your name?”
No Place to Hide Page 3