Olivia nodded. She stepped up to him; her head only met his shoulder. She reached higher to press a kiss to his lips. “Ready. Where are we headed? I thought we were going to stay in Laramie for a while.”
“No, I figure it’s probably wise to keep moving. Let’s head north to Montana. I hear it’s beautiful up there.”
She eyed him with a thoughtful expression as she pulled on her coat. Paul knew she picked up the undercurrents of his tension but thankfully didn’t let it worry her. He was happy to bear the burden of his edginess until he knew what caused it. Maybe it was nothing. He rubbed the back of his neck where the muscles coiled tightly. It would be the first time his “six sense” failed him but he would be glad if it turned out to be nothing.
He threw open the hotel door and hustled her out. He couldn’t get Olivia into the car fast enough. He tucked her into the passenger seat then locked the door before shutting it. He jogged to the driver’s side, slid behind the wheel and started the car. His gaze bounced everywhere, looking for something or someone out of place. He quickly pulled from the parking lot and got on the highway. For some reason he knew he needed to get Olivia out of Laramie and as far away as possible. He didn’t think they’d been located yet but he wasn’t going to linger a second longer than necessary. He didn’t bother stopping at two stop signs – totally out of character for him, but the edginess was turning into full blown stress. Silence stretched as he pushed the car as fast as the snowy conditions would allow.
“What is it, Paul?” Olivia’s voice sounded nervous and her earlier happiness was gone. When he threw her a look he saw she was biting her lip with worry as she huddled low in her seat.
“It’s nothing, honey. I’m just being cautious; don’t worry. You’re safe.” But the feeling in his gut told him he was lying. He would do whatever it took to keep her out of harm’s way. He only hoped he could hold his promise.
“You keep saying that but I feel afraid. What is it?” She touched his arm. “Did you see something? Were Ethan’s men at the hotel?”
“No, it’s just a feeling I’ve learned to never ignore. That’s why I wanted to get on the road.”
“I’m sorry I took so long at the hotel. You were trying to get me out of there faster and I was pretending I was on vacation without a care in the world. Pretty stupid.”
“Let’s not worry about it. So far we’re alone out here and no one’s following. Maybe my hunch is nothing.” He glanced at her and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. “We’ll grab something quick for breakfast in the next town. It’ll be awhile. Why don’t you tip your seat back and try to get some sleep?”
“Okay. I am really tired. I had a hard time staying asleep in the night.” Olivia did as he asked. She settled back in her seat but kept her face turned toward him. She also kept her hand on his sleeve. “We’ll go to Montana and find a cabin in the mountains?” she asked around a yawn.
Paul threw her a reassuring smile. “Sure, honey. I’ll hunt for moose and you can make us stew over an open fire.”
“Sounds – dreadful,” she answered with a sleepy laugh as her eyes slipped closed.
Paul continued to drive along the back snowy highway. It had been plowed but snow kept falling, making the road slippery. He pushed the speed as much as he dared, wanting to put distance between them and Laramie. The edgy feeling hadn’t dissipated no matter how many times he checked the empty scenery in his rearview mirror.
After two hours and nearly eighty miles on the lonely two lane road, Paul forced himself to relax. He’d gripped the wheel so tight his hands ached. He glanced at the passenger seat. Olivia had slept the entire time. She looked cramped and uncomfortable but her brow was smooth and she wore a serene expression. At least her dreams weren’t troubled.
Paul glanced in the mirror again and watched an old battered pickup pull onto the highway behind him. He didn’t think much about it until the truck started closing on him. The roads were icy and the driver seemed reckless to go so fast. “The fool,” Paul muttered under his breath. If the other driver wasn’t careful he’d end up in the ditch. Paul continued to keep an eye on the vehicle. Every second brought him closer. As he entered the oncoming lane to pass, Paul slowed down. He expected the fool to go blazing past. He didn’t expect the truck’s occupant to pull out a gun and aim for his face. The sound of a bullet pinged against his fender.
“Oh no you don’t!” Paul ground out through clenched teeth. Before they could take him out he stepped on the gas to charge past the truck. The road was icy and his tires slipped on the surface. He fought the wheel to maintain control. Another shot rang out.
Olivia stirred in the passenger seat and became instantly alert. “Paul? What’s wrong?”
When she tried to sit up Paul pushed her back. “Keep down; they’ve got a gun.”
“Who does?” she asked fearfully. She struggled to sit but Paul held her in place with one arm.
“Stay put, honey. I need both hands on the wheel to drive these roads and I don’t want you getting shot. Keep down.”
“Shot?”
Paul continued to mutter grimly under his breath. His sedan was no match for the big engine in the old pickup. And he didn’t know these roads well enough to out-manoeuver the truck. The best he could do was hold his position until a new opportunity came along. “Get the cell phone and call nine-one-one. I’ll give you instructions when you get them on the line.”
As she dug in the bag for the phone the pickup rammed into the back of their car. Olivia let out a startled cry. Paul fought to keep the car on the road as it fishtailed violently. “Dammit!” he hissed. The truck pulled into the oncoming lane again and tried to side-swipe Paul. He was ready for them. “Hang on, Liv honey!” he shouted as he jerked the wheel. There was a loud crunch and scrape as the two vehicles met side to side. Overhead they heard the sound of an incoming helicopter. “Please say that’s the cavalry coming to our rescue.”
Olivia turned in her seat. “I don’t think so, Paul. It’s black with no sheriff markings. I think we’re in trouble.”
Paul hated the fear and resignation he heard in her voice. He knew she would fight Ethan with every last breath but he didn’t want her to face that monster again. “I’ll die before they get their hands on you. Hold on!” He stomped on the gas again as he drove the car into the front fender of the pickup. The pickup swerved and started to spin out of control. As the truck flew toward the ditch on the opposite side, the passenger aimed a shot at Paul. Another shot rang out, this one from the helicopter. Olivia screamed when the rear window shattered. The rear tire blew as well - at those speeds and on an icy road there was no way for Paul to maintain control. He fought the wheel but the car flipped. Olivia screamed again as the car rolled, then all went black.
TWELVE
Paul slowly regained consciousness to find himself strapped to a board in a moving vehicle. He couldn’t move his arms and there were bands across his chest and thighs making him completely immobile. Paul’s eyes snapped open. “What the hell is this?” He didn’t like being restrained. When he fought to be free, someone pressed a hand to his chest. He glared at the paramedic, realizing he was in an ambulance. “Get me out of these restraints, now!”
“Easy, buddy, we have to strap you in. It’s protocol. As soon as we get to the hospital they’ll determine the extent of your injuries, but it looks like you have a mild concussion along with some contusions. Nothing’s broken and no internal trauma from what we can tell but they’ll run more tests to be sure. You’re going to be just fine. After seeing the rollover and the condition of your car, you should feel lucky.”
Lucky? He didn’t have time for this nonsense! “Where’s Olivia? Is she okay?” He glanced frantically around the back of the ambulance but there was only him and the paramedic. “Where is she?” He fought against his restraints again as panic took hold. He had to get to Olivia! He didn’t need a hospital. “Tell me where she is!” he demanded when the paramedic gave him a perplexed look.
“Who? You were the only one in the vehicle. There was no passenger. Who’s missing?”
“Olivia Tellerman,” Paul bit out with frustration. He felt like he was talking to a kindergartner. “The woman in the car with me. What happened to her? Did you see her? Is she okay?” Paul would have reached for the guy to shake the answers out of him but his wrists were still restrained. He fisted his hands and glared at the attendant. The guy was useless. “Stop the ambulance. I need to get out of here. Can’t you see I’m fine? She’s in trouble and we’re wasting time!” When the paramedic blandly stared at him Paul tried bucking against his restraints again even though he knew it was pointless. “Come on, pal! Every second you sit there staring at me is giving them the advantage. She’s in danger, you fool!”
The attendant shook his head but he looked a little disconcerted. “It’s normal to have a strong emotional reaction to traumatic events. I understand you feel disoriented and upset. Try to breathe evenly. If you want, I can give you a mild sedative to make you feel relaxed.”
Paul wanted to shout with frustration but he settled for a glare instead. If he let his temper get out of hand the EMT would pump him full of drugs and he’d be useless to Olivia – even more than he already was. “Don’t give me any sedatives and you can skip your textbook responses. I was a cop for twelve years so I know you’re just doing your job. Now tell me what you know about the woman I was traveling with.”
The EMT shook his head. “I told you, there was no woman. There were two rolled vehicles. The pickup was abandoned. You were the only person found at the scene.”
Paul froze at the guy’s words. “The other driver was gone? And his passenger?” The paramedic nodded, oblivious to Paul’s growing panic. “How long was I out? Any idea how long it took for you guys to respond to the scene?”
“There’s no way to know for sure. I’d say twenty to forty-five minutes. You were found along a lesser-used stretch of highway, and on a day like this there’s even less traffic than usual.”
The EMT’s answer wasn’t what Paul needed to hear. “You gathered my personal effects, my cell phone?”
“Of course.”
“Then I’m going to need you to break protocol just this once. I have to make a couple of urgent calls. Olivia’s life is at risk and I can’t keep her safe by sitting here and twiddling my thumbs.” The paramedic started to protest but Paul held up his hand – sort of - to forestall the excuses. “You’ll turn me over to the hospital staff and they’ll lock away my phone until they release me. Come on, buddy, from one professional to another, it’s my job to keep people safe. Someone kidnapped the passenger I was transporting. Let me make the call.”
He wasn’t sure the paramedic would relent, especially when his expression remained unyielding. This was a by-the-book kind of guy. Paul forced himself to remain calm – as much as possible under the circumstances. Seconds ticked by. Finally the EMT reached for the container holding Paul’s belongings. “Don’t tell anyone about this.” He unfastened the straps tying Paul to the gurney.
Paul nodded absently. He was already dialing Dylan Beck who would then get him in touch with his FBI contact. He only hoped it wasn’t too late. He could imagine what Olivia was feeling. He’d sworn to keep her safe and once again he failed, just as he failed Jodee. He tried to push memories of the teen from his mind. Jodee refused to listen to him. But this was about Olivia and she would do whatever she had to in order to survive. And soon she would have the right people helping her – if he could get through to them. If no one listened then he’d fly to California and release her himself – and hopefully wouldn’t be killed in the process. He refused to let that bastard win.
Dylan picked up on the second ring and Paul jumped in before his friend could utter a word. “They got her, Dyl, about an hour ago fifty miles north of Cheyenne. They swooped down in a helicopter. She may have sustained injuries. They drove us into the ditch before taking her. Can you get in touch with Jeffries? Yeah, the FBI guy. He’ll know what to do. And can you get me out of this ambulance? I don’t care who you have to call but I need to be released. I can’t waste a day being poked and prodded by doctors while she’s in danger – I need to get to California. Call it a hunch; he won’t keep her around here. I know I don’t have any jurisdiction anymore! You don’t have to remind me I’m not a cop. Yeah, yeah, just do it, Dylan. We’ll talk about my reinstatement after she’s safe. Thanks buddy, I owe you one.”
Paul leaned his head back against the gurney and closed his eyes. He pictured Olivia, her face pinched with fear as she faced her greatest nightmare. He could imagine her anger and her terror. He prayed the psychopath would keep his hands off her long enough for Paul to do something. He didn’t know what he could do, but he had no intention of sitting idle while the FBI toyed with the best way to proceed. It could take weeks to get approval and Paul wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near the action as a civilian. He was willing to work with the authorities but he wouldn’t let them hold him back. He’d made a promise to Olivia and he intended to keep it.
“Hang in there, baby,” he murmured under his breath. His chest burned with anger and frustration. He felt helpless being here while she needed him someplace else. She couldn’t give in to Moore; she couldn’t let him beat her down. “Stay strong, honey. Somehow I’m going to find you, and then we’ll grind that bastard into the ground together. He won’t get away with this.”
***
Olivia slowly regained consciousness then wished she hadn’t. The right side of her face throbbed from temple to chin. It took her a moment to remember what happened but then images of the accident and abduction came flooding back. She remembered the car flipping violently then settling in the ditch alongside the highway. The fear of being shot at and then seeing Paul’s still form slumped over the steering wheel still rang in her head. She’d seen his blood. He hadn’t moved when she called his name and shook his shoulder. Had he died? Her heart constricted painfully and it took all her effort to keep from crying out. She knew it was in her best interest to appear unconscious for as long as possible. What happened next? It was hard to remember. Everything seemed fuzzy and she had to concentrate. She remembered seeing Paul then the passenger door was wrenched open.
It was Dirken who grabbed her and tried to drag her from the car. She’d never fought so hard in her life and she knew it surprised him because she was normally so docile. Not anymore. Paul had taught her a few tricks to defend herself. She didn’t get away but she landed a few good blows. Apparently she was more of a handful than Dirken expected because he had to call another man over to help restrain her. She’d seen the other guy a few times – he wasn’t an ally. She knew he would hurt her if given permission to use any force. Thankfully, Ethan wanted her delivered in one piece. Dirken’s aide held her roughly, forcing her hands behind her back while Dirken gave her an injection. They laughed while she grew drowsy and her limbs became awkward and too heavy to move. She wasn’t given the chance to see to Paul, to even know if he was breathing, before she was taken away. It was her fault he was hurt. She cried out in anger when Dirken hefted her over his shoulder, then carried her to the waiting helicopter. She couldn’t kick or move or even scream as he thrust her inside. Thankfully Ethan wasn’t onboard; she didn’t have to face him yet.
“Nighty-night,” Dirken laughed as he climbed into the seat beside her and waved to the pilot to take off. She fought to remain conscious.
“No! Don’t take me to Ethan! I don’t want to go back!” She tried to scream and the thoughts were loud in her mind but no sound left her lips. Unfortunately, her will was no match for the sedation flowing through her bloodstream. Her vision grew cloudy and her eyelids dropped closed. Paul! I’m so sorry…so sorry. I love you! Her last thought was how she didn’t want to live without him. She never should have let him get involved.
Now that she was awake again, she tried to appear unconscious as she took inventory of her surroundings. She knew she was back in Ethan’s LA apartm
ent. The smell was familiar – lemon mixed with some type of cleanser. There were hints of Ethan’s cologne in the room. She hated that smell. She was tied to a desk chair but she wasn’t certain she was in his office. She could feel the plastic cords at her wrists and ankles. The chair rolled slightly when she first woke and swiveled a bit as she fought to control her emotions. She couldn’t panic, not now when she needed to remain clear headed. She strained to hear if anyone else was in the apartment but all was quiet. She wanted to look up and check her surroundings but she might find Ethan sitting in front of her, staring at her until she woke up. She didn’t want to face him yet.
Her neck felt pained after slumping forward in the chair for so long and her muscles screamed for her to move. Just as she was about to take a risk and shift slightly in the seat she heard footsteps outside the room.
“Look at her; she’s still sleeping.” Olivia inwardly flinched at the sound of Ethan’s dreaded voice. Her ears zeroed in on the sound of his quiet steps as he came closer. He stopped just in front of her chair. It took every ounce of effort to remain immobile under his scrutiny.
“How much sedation did you give her? She’s been out for hours,” he demanded.
“Only what you prepared. And I gave it to her exactly as you showed me. There were no problems, sir,” Dirken answered. He sounded like a professional soldier but Olivia knew better. She’d heard him slandering the boss just before she lost consciousness in the helicopter.
She felt Ethan’s cool fingers slide over her neck and rest against her pulse. She knew it beat erratically with fear and there was no disguising it. She sensed Ethan bending closer; felt the caress of his fingers against her neck. And then she felt the sharp stinging slap against her injured cheek. She gasped as her head whipped back. She glared at him with hatred. Her cheek pulsed and burned, but she could do nothing to comfort herself because her hands were bound to the chair.
Keep Me Safe Page 13