Slowly, she stood, testing her legs to see if they’d hold her weight. When they did without buckling, she pretended to stumble, reaching for the chair to steady herself.
“Sorry,” she said. “Just trying to get up enough strength to walk.” And then she grabbed hold of the chair and swung it with all of her might, aiming for the middle of his body, specifically his groin.
* * *
Driving as fast as he could—which turned out to be pretty darn fast due to the way every other vehicle on the road pulled over at his approach—Eric kept the lights and sirens on. He had no doubt that the local police would soon be made aware of the theft of an ambulance, so he figured he’d make full use of the vehicle as long as he had it.
Speeding south on Route 75, as he approached the exits for Sherman he kept his eyes out for a white van. The pain in his side had grown worse and he found himself gripping the wheel and perspiring heavily. Still, he kept his focus on the road and tried to ignore the persistent ache in his side. He figured he might have broken a couple ribs—most likely nothing serious, but damn, it hurt.
Again he fiddled with the knob on the radio. Most ambulances had the ability to listen in on police broadcasts and he hoped this one had that capability. If the US Marshals were trailing the white van with a chopper, once they broadcast the location, he hoped he could get there before them.
One thing was for damn sure—if he succeeded in getting Kara out, no way did he intend on letting the marshals have her back. Not now, not ever. He’d transport her to the trial himself if he had to.
“White van spotted on service road near Howe,” the radio crackled. “Units responding.”
The next exit sign loomed ahead. His heart sank as he realized it wasn’t the right one. Stomping on the accelerator, he barreled forward, slowing as he finally approached the correct exit, a quarter mile away.
Ahead, on the service road, two police cruisers, lights and sirens on, had pulled over a white van in a restaurant parking lot.
Eric took the exit and pulled in behind the police cars. Since ambulances were common at accident scenes, no one paid him any attention. The uniformed officers were approaching the van with their weapons drawn. When the driver’s-side door opened, Eric watched in disbelief as a short and chubby white-haired woman got out with her hands up and her expression confused and frightened.
Wrong white van. Not waiting, aware he couldn’t afford to waste another second, Eric swung the ambulance around and headed back toward the freeway.
Now what? Though the local police hadn’t paid any attention to the ambulance, he figured it would only be a matter of time.
His cell phone rang. Now what? Fishing it from his pocket—next to Shelton Smith’s phone—he answered.
“Eric?” Kara’s voice, hoarse and pitched low. “I stole Gray’s cell, since the one you gave me is dead.”
Alive. And with Gray. Heart pounding, he took a deep breath. “Where are you?”
“I’m in a Walmart parking lot. Beyond that, I don’t know.” She sounded worried, yet exhilarated. “I hit Gray—he captured me—with a chair. Hard. First in the groin, then when he was doubled over, I hit him again. In the head. I knocked him out and took his gun.”
“What?” So relieved a wave of dizziness made him blink, he gripped the phone. “You are amazing, you know that?”
“I did what I had to do.” She took a deep breath, and continued. “Before I left, I called 911. Then I took the keys to his van, and drove it down the street to this store. I’m parked, but worried. I’m thinking I need a different vehicle. Also, he has an accomplice out there in a different car or truck. I don’t know what kind. He was gone when I escaped.”
Astounded, he gripped his cell phone. The other US marshal—Shelton—had been right. Kara was an extremely strong and resourceful woman. His heart swelled with both love and pride.
“Stay right there,” he told her. “I stole an ambulance. I’m driving down the service road right now. I’ll find the nearest Walmart and come get you.”
“You stole what?” To his shock, he realized her voice hovered on the edge of laughter. God, how he loved this woman.
Loved.
This realization so stunned him, he couldn’t speak for a second.
“Never mind,” she said, clearly taking his silence for reticence to explain. “You can tell me all about it later.”
Either the stars were in alignment that afternoon, or he’d simply lucked out, but ahead he saw the familiar Walmart sign.
Once he’d pulled into the parking lot, he called Kara back. “Do you see the ambulance? I’ve got the lights flashing and I can hit the siren if need be.”
“Yes.” Voice relieved, she laughed. “I do see you. Park that thing and let’s use the van. It’ll be much less conspicuous.”
He did exactly that, killing the lights before he parked. He pulled Shelton’s cell from his pocket and dropped it on the passenger seat. Ahead, he saw her standing behind a battered white panel van, waving frantically.
Pulling into a spot a row away, he threw the ambulance into Park, pushed open the door and tried to sprint. One step and the pain nixed that idea, so instead he hobbled over to her as fast as he could.
“Eric.” Launching herself at him, she wrapped her arms around him. The pain nearly made him pass out.
“Hey, hey,” he told her, gently extricating himself. “Easy now. I’m guessing I might have a couple of bruised ribs.”
She apologized profusely. “What now?”
“I think we need to call Ryan and let him handle this for now. I want to make sure I’m not facing charges for stealing that ambulance.”
After having a good laugh at Eric’s expense, Ryan promised to send someone from the local police to collect them. Though Eric made it clear he had absolutely no intention of letting Kara go back into the Witness Security Program, Ryan informed him he might not have a choice. He ordered them to wait there in the Walmart parking lot until a marked police cruiser showed up to collect them.
“He wants us to wait? To hell with that,” Kara said, once Eric told her. “I don’t feel safe with them. And we can’t go back to your family’s ranch. The guy that captured me knew about that.”
She was right. In fact, she’d echoed his own gut reaction. Just like that, he reached an instant decision. “I have five hundred in cash,” he told her. “That won’t last long, but at least it will be enough to buy us some time. If I hit the ATM before we leave town, I can get a few hundred more.”
“What are you thinking?” She leaned close, excitement lighting up her eyes. “Going on the run?”
The rational, logical part of him thought he ought to tell her not to be so dramatic. But in a way, if they disregarded Ryan’s instructions, that would be exactly what they were doing. And if the fight—or flight—exhilarated her, so much the better. She needed to be sharp and on her toes in order to stay alive.
“Yes.” He finally gave the simplest answer. “Though we can’t use the ambulance or the white van—they’re looking for them. We’re probably going to have to steal a car.”
“No. Let’s find out how far the bus station is from here. Maybe we can walk.”
Checking on his cell phone, he learned the Greyhound station was 4.3 miles south on 75.
“Yikes.” She winced. “That’s too far to walk.”
“Yes, it is. We’ll borrow a car to get closer, how about that? Not all the way there, or maybe a little past it. If we leave the car parked in a safe, public place, it’s sure to be found and returned to its owner.”
Finally, she nodded. “Fine. Just pick one that’s sure to have insurance. I want to cause as little inconvenience as possible.”
In the end, they decided on a nondescript Chrysler 300. While big, the eight-cylinder engine would provide enough power, and that
type of car usually wouldn’t garner a second glance. He made sure it wasn’t a newer model, since he wasn’t sure he could get past the electronic keys.
He managed to hot-wire the thing in under thirty seconds. “This proves there are some things you never forget,” he told Kara, motioning for her to get in.
“When did you learn how to do that?” she asked as she buckled her seat belt.
He waited until he’d pulled out of the parking lot before answering. “Dad taught me. He showed all of us boys, just in case keys got lost or someone needed to start one of the ranch trucks in an emergency. I swear that’s a skill I haven’t used since I left the ranch.”
“Well, it sure came in handy today.”
They picked up the service road again, still heading south. He stopped at a red light, resisting the urge to glance around and see if anyone was watching them. No one appeared to be. Once they found the Greyhound station, they’d need to make a quick decision. Eric didn’t have any idea where they were going to go, other than far away from here, but he felt confident he’d eventually figure something out.
His cell phone chimed, indicating a text message from Ryan. He glanced at it quickly. It said simply, Call me as soon as you can.
Eric exhaled and dropped the phone into the drink holder in the console. He had a pretty good idea what his brother would have to say. The light changed to green and they began to go. Ahead, he spied the Shell gas station with the small blue-and-white Greyhound sign.
“What is it?” Kara asked, her tone worried, glancing sideways at the phone.
“Ryan’s texting me, asking me to call him.”
“Why didn’t he just call you?”
“I’m not sure. But I’m sure he’s not happy with me right now since I told him I’d wait for his guys to collect me. I’m guessing he thinks we’re in hiding or something.” He shrugged. “Or maybe he’s worried I’m speeding around in another stolen vehicle. He knows I won’t usually check a text if I’m driving, though I would try and answer the phone.”
“Oh, I see.” Her light blue gaze touched on his. “Are you going to call him back?”
“Eventually,” he said. “Though I’m not really in the mood for a tongue-lashing.”
The amusement in her expression made him smile. “I think you should just go ahead and get it over with. Who knows, he might have learned something important.”
Because he knew she was right, he sighed. “Here,” he said, handing her the phone while he drove. “If you touch the phone icon at the top of the text message, it’ll call him.”
Once she’d done that, she handed the cell back to him.
When Ryan answered, the exhaustion coming through in his voice worried Eric. “Are you all right?”
Ryan snorted. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”
“Don’t start. I did what I had to do to save Kara. I made a choice. I couldn’t wait. Right now, neither of us trusts anyone.”
Silence while Ryan digested Eric’s words.
“Other than you, that is,” Eric elaborated. “What’s up? I assume you have news?”
“Yeah. That’s actually why I’m calling. Not to chew you out for vehicular theft or failing to do something you said you would.” Sarcasm rang in his voice. “Anyway, we got the guy who impersonated a US marshal, Gray. The one Kara apparently knocked out. She must have called 911 from his house before she escaped.”
“She did.” Eric smiled at Kara. “She’s not only smart, but resourceful, too.”
“I agree.” Ryan paused. “I’d say she’s a keeper, brother. You need to hang on to her.”
“I intend to. Oh, and she said there’s another one out there. An accomplice. He’s the one who drove the van and picked Gray and Kara up after the accident.”
“We figured that. Here’s the thing, though. This guy refuses to say much, except for one thing. This is actually why I’m calling. He wanted me to pass a message along for Kara. It’s important.”
Eric’s blood went cold. “And that would be?”
“Are you going to tell her?”
“That depends on what the message is.”
Ryan swore. “While I do agree, he is really adamant that she hear this. And I feel it’s something she needs to know. Let me talk to her.”
“No.”
Ryan went silent. “You can’t protect her by keeping the truth from her. She has the right to know what he said.”
“I don’t know about that.” But Eric’s initial determination had begun to fade, especially at the questioning look on Kara’s beautiful face.
“You should,” Ryan argued. “Kara is a fighter. She’s fierce. She deserves to hear what he has to say, no matter how much it might initially frighten her.”
Eric cursed under his breath. “You know I hate it when you’re right. Here, you tell her.” Eric handed Kara the phone. “That guy who captured you gave the authorities a message for you.”
Taking the phone, she nodded. “Thank you,” she said. “Hi, Ryan.”
Eric watched while she listened to whatever his brother had to say. Her expression changed, became determined, though she wasn’t able to hide the flash of fear that came and went from her gaze. Finally, without saying another word, she handed the phone back to him.
“Ryan?” Eric asked. “What did you say to her?’
But no one was there. Ryan had already ended the call.
Concerned, he tried to touch Kara’s arm, but she moved away so fast she might have been dodging him. She scrunched herself into a little ball next to the door frame, her expression remote as she stared out the window.
Fierce protectiveness welled in him. Ryan’s words had hurt her, and Eric knew he’d do anything to make her feel better, to make her feel safe.
But first, he needed to find out what the heck Ryan had told her. Whatever Gray had said, Eric couldn’t fix it if he didn’t know.
Chapter 15
The so-called Greyhound station was actually a tiny office built into the side of a gas station, which was next door to a pawn shop.
Both she and Eric immediately headed for the restroom, aware they needed to clean up as much as possible before purchasing their tickets.
When she caught sight of herself in the cloudy bathroom mirror, she gasped. Luckily, the women’s room had no other occupants, so she grabbed a handful of paper towels and tried to wash as much of the dirt and dried blood out of her shirt as she could.
It rapidly became apparent that she was making things worse.
Slipping into the hall to meet for Eric, she shook her head. “It’s a lost cause,” she muttered.
“They sell souvenir T-shirts,” he told her. “Let me buy a couple and we can change.”
“But what will the clerk think when he sees you?” If anything, he looked worse than her.
Eric shrugged. “I don’t care. It’s not like we have a choice.”
After he selected a couple of T-shirts, she listened as he stood at the counter and purchased them. As she’d expected, the clerk asked about his appearance. To her surprise, Eric made a joke claiming they’d gone “mudding,” whatever that was. Apparently, it was a good answer since the clerk laughed and rang up the shirts.
Back in the ladies’ room, Kara used wet paper towels and hand soap to clean as much of the grime and blood as she could off her skin. After blotting herself dry, she put on the new T-shirt and eyed herself critically in the mirror. Better. But still...
She wished she had a brush but since she didn’t, she combed her fingers through her tangled hair, trying to restore it to something resembling normal. When she’d finished, she still looked a bit disheveled but less so than before.
When she finally emerged, Eric waved two bus tickets at her. “We’re going to Shreveport,” he said, smiling.
/> The name of the city didn’t ring a bell. “Where?”
He gave her a quick kiss. “Louisiana. I’m thinking no one will look for us there. It was only fifty dollars each, though the trip is kind of long.”
“How long?”
“About eight and a half hours.”
Even though sitting on a bus for that long didn’t sound enjoyable, as long as she and Eric were together, she knew it would be all right. Still, as she caught herself constantly watching every person who entered the bus station, she wondered if she’d ever feel safe again.
Eric had cleaned up better than she had, Kara thought. His new black T-shirt accentuated his broad and muscular chest and in some circles, the ripped jeans might have even been a fashion statement. If she’d just met him, she’d never have guessed he was a surgeon. Instead, she might have said country music star or sexy rodeo cowboy.
He put his arm around her shoulders, the possessive gesture sending a thrill through her. “It’s going to be all right,” he promised. For just that instant, she let herself believe him.
When the large bus finally pulled in thirty minutes later, they climbed on board and chose their seats. Once every passenger had gotten on, the inside wasn’t packed, but there were quite a few more people than Kara had expected. She had no idea so many chose to ride the bus as their form of transportation to travel long distances.
She and Eric chose seats near the back. After they’d settled in, he took her hand in his. “We’re going to be fine,” he repeated. His steady gaze and calm voice were designed to help soothe her, she knew.
“I know,” she lied, sighing and resting her head on his biceps and shoulder. She stayed that way until the bus started moving.
Though she’d never say anything to Eric, the cold hard knot in the center of her stomach refused to go away, no matter how many miles they traveled. His concern, rather than soothing her, only made her feel worse.
Because of her, everyone he loved was in danger. Because of her, innocent people would be hurt. The time had come for her to end her involvement with them. Only by doing so could she insure they’d stay safe.
The Temptation of Dr. Colton Page 20