by Laura Scott
“There’s no evidence the girl was running away.” He glanced off in the distance. “In fact, the techs are thinking her body may have been dumped there.”
Her stomach lurched. “But you don’t know for sure, right?”
“Nothing has been confirmed.”
“Then what’s the harm in going over there? I just want to see the area for myself.”
“I don’t think it will help,” he warned.
“Please, Sawyer.” She held his gaze, willing him to go along with her plan. “I need to do something. It’s too early to sit in the motel room for the rest of the night.”
He blew out a frustrated breath. “Okay, fine. I’ll take you there. But don’t blame me if you have nightmares.”
“My nightmares are centered on being run off the road and kidnapped.” And of Kate being held captive, but she decided against mentioning that.
He winced and rested his hand in the small of her back. “I’m sorry, I know how traumatic that must have been. I’ve had nightmares about the time we spent with the Preacher too. Trust me when I say they get less frequent over time.”
“Nightmares about the Preacher?” She frowned. “Was he abusive in some way?”
“A bit.” He quickly changed the subject. “Okay, I’ll take you past the crime scene, but we’re not going close. We’ll take my SUV, it’s parked at the motel.”
She wanted to press for more but let it go. “Thanks.” She walked toward a gray SUV. “What happened to the squad?”
“Left it at the precinct. My personal vehicle will give us more anonymity.”
She understood he was talking about the way the intruder had found them at his cabin. His private space, which should have been a safe haven rather than a place where he’d been shot at. “I hate knowing you’ve been dragged into this with me.”
“I volunteered to be a part of this to help you, Naomi. And I’d do it again.” Pulling the key fob from his pocket, he unlocked the vehicle.
She slid into the passenger seat, knowing God had sent Sawyer to help her.
Hopefully, she could help Sawyer in return.
At least she understood now why he didn’t have a relationship with God. Maybe that was part of her purpose here.
Along with helping to find Kate.
As Sawyer navigated the city streets, she searched for any sign of the black Buick, the driver, and leering man. A horrible thought hit, and she turned toward him. “What if the news of the girl’s body being found here causes the kidnappers to leave the state?”
“That’s a possibility,” he agreed. “Although I doubt the media knows many details about the situation. Especially since law enforcement doesn’t know very much, including the girl’s identity.”
“But if the kidnappers knew they’d dumped a body there, wouldn’t they be running scared?” She swept her gaze over the area, taking note of how remote the location was from the residential part of town. “They could be long gone, which means we’ll never catch them.”
“Try not to think the worst,” Sawyer said reassuringly. “These guys haven’t acted logically since kidnapping you. They should have left right away once you escaped, but they didn’t. They recklessly took a shot at you, then came to my cabin to do the same.”
She wasn’t convinced. “You mentioned this seemed personal.” Another terrible thought struck her. “What if Kate’s father, Garret Ivy, didn’t try to reconnect with her? What if he took her someplace? What if you were right and he really is somehow involved in this?”
“He took off when Kate was only five, right?” Sawyer glanced at her. “What would make him come back after all this time?”
“Maybe he knew our mother passed away. And that was enough to make him return to reunite with Kate. Only she didn’t want to go, so he forced her.”
“If that’s the case, there’s no reason to hurt her.”
“I don’t know about that.” Her memory of Kate’s father was that of a drunk with grease-stained fingers. “Garret never had enough money, except he managed to drink to excess more often than not.”
She forced herself to consider the possibility that Garret Ivy could have gotten involved with criminals over the past eleven years. She hadn’t been creeped out by him when she was young, but things could change. Maybe now he was teamed up with a group of men who preyed on young women?
What if Garret helped drag his own daughter into a sex-trafficking ring?
And was determined to silence Naomi because she would be able to recognize him?
Naomi had gone pale, and it didn’t take much effort on his part to realize she was once more thinking the worst.
“We don’t have any evidence that the kidnappers have connections with Garret Ivy,” he said, voicing her obvious concern.
“You were the one who mentioned these attempts on me seemed personal,” Naomi pointed out. “And you mentioned Garret being a suspect earlier.”
“I know.” He had to admit that despite the lack of proof, the possible connection made sense. Catching a glimpse of yellow crime scene tape up ahead, he slowed down and searched for a place to pull over.
“Is that it?” She peered through the windshield. “I thought she was found closer to the road.”
“No, twenty yards off the road, in the woods.” Why had he given in to her wish to come here? It was a bad idea.
“Can we walk over there?”
“No. For many reasons, as I said, we can’t contaminate the crime scene. Besides, the officers who responded to the scene did a sweep of the area without finding anything significant. There’s nothing out there for you to see.”
“It’s relatively close to East Ridge.”
“But not within the city limits.”
She shot him a frustrated look. “I saw the black Buick in East Ridge, which means they’re familiar with the area. And they could also be staying in the area. Maybe we should walk around outside the yellow tape area, see if we can find something?”
Find something? He suppressed a sigh. “Naomi, all the officers on patrol are looking for Melvin Curtis and the leering man, they have the sketch you helped create. If they’re hanging out here, we’ll find them.”
“Yeah, except it’s already been two days without anything.” She turned away from him to look out at the crime scene. “I don’t know, Sawyer. It feels like the location of this poor girl’s body should be significant.”
“I hear you.” He understood her frustration. “And once we have the men in custody, we’ll know more.” At least, he certainly hoped so.
He merged back into traffic, looking for a spot to get off the highway to turn around. Being in East Ridge bothered him, although there was no logical reason for him to feel that way.
Yet his priority was to keep Naomi safe, and that meant getting her back to the motel.
“Would you mind stopping at the gas station up ahead?” Naomi glanced at him, her expression embarrassed. “I’m sorry, but I need to use the restroom.”
“Sure.” It wouldn’t hurt to add fuel to his tank as there was less than a quarter remaining. The gas station she’d pointed out was as good a place as any. He frowned when he noticed a small sign indicating they were entering East Ridge.
The gas station and convenience store wasn’t anywhere close to the one where Naomi had seen Melvin Curtis. Still, he kept a sharp eye out for anything unusual as he drove into the small lot and pulled up in front of the closest fuel pump.
“Thanks again,” she said, pushing her door open. As he pumped gas, Naomi disappeared inside the building. He fought the urge to call her back, insisting she wait for him.
A flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by the rolling sound of thunder. Glancing up at the swirling clouds overhead, he suspected a deluge of rain wasn’t far behind.
The dark storm clouds masked the descent of the sun over the western ridge of the Smoky Mountains, making the hour seem later than it was. He turned to watch the doorway for Naomi, frowning when he didn’t see her.
Was she still in the bathroom? Or was she shopping for something she’d forgotten to pack? He told himself there was no reason to be concerned, he’d just go inside to meet up with her. When he finished topping off his tank, he replaced the pump and stuck the receipt in his pocket.
Before he could head inside, his phone rang. Glancing at the screen, his frown cleared when he saw Naomi’s number. “What’s up? You get lost in the store?”
No response.
Had she pocket dialed him? No, it wouldn’t be easy to do that with a disposable phone.
His blood ran cold, and every one of his senses flashed in warning.
Something was wrong.
He swept his gaze over the area, but it wasn’t easy to see in the dim light. Had someone grabbed her? Melvin Curtis? Or leering man?
He slid his phone into his pocket, then removed his weapon from his belt holster. Holding his gun at the ready, he edged along his SUV, looking toward the rear of the gas station.
There was a cluster of trees along the back of the gas station. The wind picked up, causing the branches to sway back and forth.
But then he caught a glimpse of pale skin between the rustling leaves.
Naomi!
Without hesitating, he ran silently toward the cluster of trees. He wasn’t wearing his uniform, so he couldn’t radio for backup. And he wasn’t willing to use his phone, breaking the only connection he might have to her.
Pressing his back up against the side of the building, he paused and waited for more movement. The seconds went by with excruciating slowness, until he thought he’d go crazy if he had to wait much longer.
There! A tree branch snapped into place, and he thought he heard a muffled thud.
He eased into the brush, his gaze pinned on the area where he’d seen movement. Quickening his pace, he burst through the foliage and stumbled into the other side of the cluster of trees, horrified to find Naomi being held at gunpoint by a burly man who resembled the grainy driver’s license photo of Melvin Curtis.
“Police!” Sawyer shouted loudly, hoping someone nearby would call 911. “Drop your weapon and put your hands where I can see them!”
Melvin didn’t move. Another flash of lightning brightened the sky, revealing the burly man’s evil eyes. For a moment he could have sworn Melvin was the Preacher.
“Stay back or I’ll kill her.”
On the heels of Melvin’s threat came more rolling thunder. Sawyer kept his gun trained on Melvin when Naomi abruptly broke free, diving toward the ground to her left.
Incensed, Melvin moved the barrel of his gun toward her. Without hesitation, Sawyer shot twice, hitting the guy in the upper part of his chest. Melvin’s eyes widened in shock as he stumbled backward from the impact of the bullets.
The clouds overhead opened up, dumping a barrage of rain. Visibility was awful, and he lost sight of Naomi.
“Naomi!” His shout was muffled by the rain.
“Here! I’m here.” She lunged to her feet and came rushing toward him.
“Get behind me,” he ordered. He stared at Melvin Curtis lying on the ground. The idiot still had his gun in hand. “Melvin Curtis, drop your weapon!”
The man didn’t let go of the gun.
Sawyer feared the guy would die before they had a chance to question him. “Drop the gun!”
The weapon finally fell from Melvin’s lifeless fingers. Sawyer rushed forward but instinctively knew it was too late. His aim had been true.
Melvin Curtis was dead.
Chapter Twelve
Naomi wrapped her arms around her body, shivering in the rain as Sawyer knelt beside Melvin Curtis. The sound of sirens filled the air, and she could see the flash of red lights in the distance.
The temperatures weren’t bad, in the midseventies, but she couldn’t seem to stop shaking. She’d stepped out of the bathroom straight into the driver of the Buick. By the time she’d recognized him, he’d jammed his gun into her side.
She’d managed to call Sawyer with one hand deep in her pocket, but she couldn’t tell him what was happening. And when she’d heard Sawyer shouting at Melvin to drop the gun, she’d feared the guy was going to kill her right then and there.
Her teeth began to chatter uncontrollably, her shaking intensifying. Her feet were glued to the ground. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak.
She’d thought she was going to die.
Thank you, Lord, for sparing me!
The prayer popped into her head, and her trembling eased. She drew in a deep breath and managed to move toward Sawyer and the dead man.
“Are you hurt?” he asked when she approached.
“N-no.” She stared at the unmoving body of Melvin Curtis. “Thank you for saving my life.”
“You were the one who managed to get away from him.” Sawyer stared through the rain at her. “I couldn’t believe it when you went down.”
“I took advantage of the moment you distracted him.” She pushed her sopping wet hair from her face. “But if you hadn’t found us, I’d be dead.”
Another chill rippled down her spine.
Sawyer rose and came over to hug her. They were both drenched, but she clung to him, burying her face in the hollow of his neck.
Sawyer might not believe it, but she knew God had been with them the whole time, keeping them safe.
“I was so scared he’d hurt you, Naomi,” he murmured in her ear. “And I’m not sure how I managed to find you.”
“God was guiding you. And me.” She felt his muscles stiffen for a moment before he relaxed.
“You could be right,” he admitted. “Because it seemed as if I was being pushed toward you.”
That he’d even admitted that much filled her heart with hope. “Trust in Him, Sawyer.”
“I’m trying.” The sirens grew louder, the red lights brighter. Sawyer loosened his grip, and she immediately missed his warmth. “Backup has arrived.”
A bit late, but better now than never. Glancing back over at Melvin, she belatedly realized Sawyer might be in serious trouble over shooting and killing him.
Two officers came toward Sawyer. He held up his badge. “I’m an off-duty cop.”
“Murphy? Is that you?” The larger of the two men squinted through the rain.
“Yeah, it’s me. I shot Melvin Curtis to protect victim Naomi Palmer.”
The cop’s flashlight illuminated her face, before going back to Sawyer. “Okay, you know the drill.”
“I do.” Sawyer carefully handed over his weapon. “You’ll find Curtis’s gun on the ground beside him. He wouldn’t let go of the weapon, making it impossible for me to render first aid.”
“He threatened to kill me.” Naomi wanted the police officers to understand the gravity of the situation. “I—I thought for sure I was going to die.”
“Ma’am? We’re going to need you to come down to the police station to give your statement.” It wasn’t easy to read his name tag through the dark rain, but she thought his last name was Finley. “Why don’t you wait in the back of my squad?”
She hesitated, unwilling to be separated from Sawyer. He’d become her lifeline over the past few days. It probably wasn’t healthy, but she didn’t like being far from him.
“Go on,” Sawyer encouraged. “May as well get out of the rain.”
“I have a blanket,” Finley added. He pointed at the car parked behind them. “This way, please.”
Naomi reluctantly allowed the officer to lead her from the crime scene. The blanket he gave her was nice, but sitting in the back seat of the squad, watching as the officers moved around the area behind the gas station, brought the memories back.
She should have recognized Melvin Curtis sooner. Should have managed to get away from him before he’d dragged her out of the rear door of the gas station.
Before Sawyer had to shoot him.
Now Melvin was dead, and they still didn’t know where Kate was or if he was actually involved in her disappearance.
She�
��d handled things badly. And the people who would suffer the most from her mistakes were Kate, Louisa, and Sawyer.
Her breathing quickly fogged up the windows to the point she couldn’t see anything that was happening. When her door abruptly opened, she reared back in surprise.
“Ms. Palmer?” Officer Finley gave her a look of sympathy. “The EMTs would like to examine you.”
“I’m not hurt.” She’d dove to the ground, rolling away from Melvin Curtis on her own. There had been some gravel in the palms of her hand, but nothing serious. “I don’t need to be examined, thanks.”
“Are you sure?” Officer Finley didn’t look convinced. “You’ve suffered an emotional trauma.”
That was one way to put it. But she didn’t want to be taken to the hospital either. Her headache lingered but was nothing in comparison to nearly being shot to death. “I’m a critical care nurse and can assure you I’m fine.” She forced a smile. “I promise.”
“Okay, but if you change your mind, let me know.” He slammed the car door shut.
She blew out a breath and wondered how Sawyer was holding up. He’d saved her life twice now. She was grateful God had sent Sawyer to help her.
Yet she worried Sawyer wouldn’t be able to shake off the fact that he’d killed a man. Even a lowlife like Melvin Curtis. Even when he’d only shot him to protect her.
She felt terrible about putting him in that situation and couldn’t help but wonder if Sawyer had been forced to shoot someone in self-defense before today.
Not that it would matter. Each time he was forced to use deadly force had to take an emotional toll.
Closing her eyes, she prayed God would bring Sawyer peace and help him through this ordeal.
She sat in the back seat of the squad for what seemed like hours. The rain tapered off, becoming a light drizzle. Officer Finley finally returned, sliding behind the wheel.
“I’ll take you back to our precinct for your statement,” he said as he started the engine. “When we’re finished, I’ll take you home.”