by Maggie Thom
He started it and then raced out of the parkade, not sure where the guy was hiding nor where he might pop out. Shooting out on to 101 Street, Guy headed north. Grabbing his cell phone, he dialed the cab company. The guy was nice enough to tell him that no, he couldn’t give him the location of his friend. Frustrated at being unable to convey the seriousness of the situation, he jammed his phone into his pants pocket, then thumped his fist on the dash.
“Temper, temper.”
Jerking in surprise, the vehicle swerved as his hands tightened on the wheel and his foot slammed on the brakes. Horns honked and several people flipped him the bird as they maneuvered around him. As he looked in his rearview mirror, a pair of black eyes stared back at him above the barrel of a gun.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“Drive.” The words were softly spoken but there was no denying the steel woven within his tone.
Easing forward, Guy drove to the end of the block. He stared up at the CN Tower which loomed over him.
“Don’t even think of ramming that building. It’ll be the last thing you ever do.” The muzzle of the gun was jammed into Guy’s head right behind his right ear. “I want the girl.”
He was tempted to say ‘what girl?’ but didn’t think the guy had too much patience left, not considering his dark, angry expression. Breathing deeply to calm himself, he flipped on the signal and turned left onto 104th Ave. Acting like he had some place specific to go, he maneuvered through the downtown traffic.
“What do you want with her?”
“Come now, Mr. Turner. You’re the one who found the woman. If it hadn’t been for you, I would have continued to believe that she’d died in that plane crash with my sister.”
“I’m curious how you know my name.”
“You’d be amazed what I know about you. You’d be amazed by what I know, period.”
Guy’s mind was on rapid-fire. The guy did have good connections. Thoughts were swirling like a tornado, the vortex ripping apart all the flickering recollections he was trying so desperately to pull together into something that made sense.
“Your sister died?”
“A long time ago. And now I can tie up the final loose end so she can rest in peace.”
“So your sister’s the one who stole Bailey.” He glanced into the rearview mirror, locking onto the hard black glint of his eyes. They were akin to looking into a coal mine. The message was clear. His days were numbered.
The man snapped forward, clamping his hand onto Guy’s shoulder. “She was doing right by that baby. My sister was a good woman.” He emphasized his last statement by squeezing with the force of a vice.
Guy tried not to wince but struggled with it when his fingers tingled and then went numb.
“I have more strength in this hand than you do in your entire body. Care to test that?”
The man looked like he’d just stepped out of a body-building gym. Though the gray locks tinting his black hair belied his age, he was definitely in much better shape than most men half his age. Gritting his teeth, Guy stiffly shook his head.
The man chuckled and leaned back, though he kept the gun pointed at Guy’s head. “We found a loving couple who would have been good to her.”
“And they paid you a lot of money.”
He laughed maniacally like it was the best joke he’d ever heard and causing a shiver to run up Guy’s spine. “Ah, but that was the whole point of it. To get rich.”
Guy turned right onto 109th St. He still had no clear destination but a few ideas were beginning to surface. Go where it’s busy.
“So, how many infants did you borrow?”
“Borrow, I like that. Funny man. Funny.” He leaned forward. “We had something good going until that baby messed up everything. Too much publicity. Had to sit tight for a long time. Then when we do move the squalling infant, the damn plane crashes. Go figure. We should have held her for ransom.”
“Where was she going?”
“What?”
“Where would you have sent Bailey? Where was the family she was supposed to go to?”
“Diamonds. A girl’s best friend you know. Let’s just say she’d love surfing and have a nice tan now.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’re not meant to. Enough with the nice chat. You know all you’re gonna know. Where is she?”
Guy stopped at a red light. He glanced toward a large mall situated off to his right. There was something there but he just couldn’t figure out how it would help him. The tip of the gun was shoved into soft tissue of his neck. He lifted his hands in surrender.
“I’m headed there. Just hold on a minute.”
He eased forward as the light changed to green. His eyes darted from left to right and back again, desperately searching for a way to escape. Approaching the north end of 109th, he realized it ended in a T intersection and he would have to turn. This may be his only chance. He slowed making sure there was no one ahead of him at the intersection. Then he slammed the gas pedal. They surged forward, throwing them both back against the seats and then just as quickly he hit the brakes. He floored the vehicle once more as he opened the door, hit the lock button and jumped out. It all happened in the blink of an eye. He tucked as he flew out of the SUV and landed hard on his shoulder. He flipped onto his back into the screeching oncoming traffic. Even though his first instinct was to nurse his injuries, there was no time; instead, he leapt to his feet and trotted with a limp and a dangling right arm across the street of honking vehicles and astonished drivers toward Kingsway Mall.
Too concerned that 911 would trace him, he dialed 411 instead for the non-emergency number at the Edmonton Police Department, where he left a brief message about the accident. Then he hit speed dial.
“Graham. Graham.”
“You’ve reached the man. Leave me a message.”
“Dammit. I need you to get Detective Bean. He can catch the guy at the corner of 109th St. and Queen Elizabeth Ave. He’s locked in a smashed SUV with another car sticking out of it. Call me.”
He entered a store that in turn led into the mall, cutting through clothing racks, dodging around the perfume counter, coughing as he did so and finally shot into the main part of the busy building. The odd looks he was getting piqued his curiosity but it was the throbbing in his hand that forced him to stop long enough to look down. Blood dripped off the tip of his index finger. The trail behind him was a perfect dotted path leading right to him.
Crap. Nothing like giving him a map to follow.
Zipping into a pharmacy, he lifted a box of bandages and quickly wrapped the scrapes on his wrist and hands as he continued to race through the long building through a serpentine hallway. A large department store would have hidden him better but would also have slowed him and right now he wanted distance between them. He glanced over his shoulder to spot anyone in pursuit but the crowds were thick and as swiftly as he parted the way, it closed up behind him. He rocketed out a side entrance. Hardly believing his luck, he spied a row of taxis. He jumped into the first one.
“Westin Hotel.”
“All right sir.” The driver flipped his meter, adjusted his mirror and cautiously pulled out.
“I’m in a hurry.” Guy looked out both side windows and then the one behind him, the sound of sirens growing in the distance. The cabbie pulled into an intersection, signaling to turn left. Guy leaned forward as the sound grew louder and more insistent. An ambulance flew past with lights flashing.
He sat back, turning to the side. The cab meandered down the street, keeping up with traffic.
“What will it cost me for you to floor it? I need to get there now!” He pulled out his wallet and leaned forward, showing him two twenties. The driver sped up a bit. Guy took out another twenty. He was slammed back against the seat as the cabbie hit the gas, swerving in and out of traffic.
“Without getting a ticket.” The cabbie slowed marginally but Guy couldn’t complain when they pulled up outside his hotel in record time.
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Paying him and then adding a twenty to get him to wait, Guy climbed out and carefully took full stock of the area. There didn’t seem to be any strangers interested in him. Not sticking around, he raced into the hotel, up the escalator and took the elevator to the 20th floor. He shoved the card in the lock and flew into the room, slamming the door behind him. He’d barely gotten it closed when he found himself spun around, punched in the gut and flattened on the floor. Flipping quickly, he was ready to retaliate when he realized who his assailant was at the same time she did.
Her eyes wide, her breathing hard, she had her fist in a position to give him a short but quick and he was very sure, effective punch to his nose or throat. Rolling away from her he jumped to his feet. “Hi, honey, couldn’t find anyone else to kick the crap out of?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Bailey spun on her heel and grabbed a backpack she’d picked up to hold her meager belongings. “By the way, thanks for the clothes.” She didn’t bother to look at the torn knee and filthy pants. They looked nothing like the new duds he’d bought her less than ten hours before.
“I forgot to say that this morning. I appreciate what you did for me.” She couldn’t believe he’d not only bought her jeans and shirts, but that he’d bought clothing that had fit her—and had purchased not one set but two. Since she’d just returned to the room after a terrifying escape through the downtown core, she hadn’t had a chance to change. Actually, she’d planned to be gone before he came back. Some ugly people knew her mom and believed she owed them, even twenty years later. Unfortunately, one woman named Anna Marie that Bailey had hoped to find was gone had either moved or was deceased; her neighbors had never heard of her. Bailey stuffed her things into the backpack before slinging it over her shoulder.
As she reached for the door, she was snapped back to the present when his hand grabbed on to her forearm.
“Where are you going?”
“Where I need to.” She tried to grasp the door handle but stopped when she realized he hadn’t let go. Facing him, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, I appreciate what you’ve done.” A frown marred her brow as she considered that. If he hadn’t found her, she wouldn’t be in the mess she was now in. She gave him a half-hearted smile. “I need to do this on my own. I’ll figure out what’s going on. When the time is right, I’ll get hold of you and we’ll see about meeting the relatives. That really was what your job was supposed to be, right?”
She’d had plenty of time over the last six hours to think about this crazy relationship. The guy was in over his head. Yes, he’d been helpful in getting them vehicles and places to hide but he really hadn’t signed on for the kind of life she was used to. Besides, she was a pro at disappearing. If she didn’t want someone to find her they wouldn’t; it was but one of the many useful skills her mother had taught her.
“Don’t start giving me a lecture about what my role is or isn’t. I’m in this with you. You think it’s my fault that we’re being chased, right?”
It was her turn to feel the heat crawl up her face.
“Well, I do too. If I’d left you alone, you wouldn’t have guys trying to kill you.”
With what she’d learned that day, she couldn’t let him take the sole blame. “I’m sure at some point someone would have come looking for me. My mother was not exactly a person who endeared herself to people. She used them, spit them out and left. I found several of those people today and since they can’t retaliate against her, it appears I’m the substitute.”
“Care to tell me where you went and what you did?” He looked pointedly at her torn and dirty clothes.
She shook her head. She was tempted to consider the day as a total flop, albeit a frightening one, but that wasn’t totally accurate. She’d found people who remembered her and her mother; people ready to take revenge for her mother tipping off the police on a myriad of illegal activities, including drug trafficking and felony theft. A few had tried to exact payback they had wanted to bestow upon her mother. Today Bailey could have added to their long list of crimes—assault, threats and attempted kidnapping. Her eyes widened as she realized that was the flavor of her life. She almost laughed sardonically at the idea she could have been stolen again. Fearing that she wouldn’t be able to control her hysteria, she pushed it away. “I need to go.”
“Not by yourself. I picked up our friend again. Or he picked me up. He wants us both dead, and I’m not sure he’s acting alone.” He grabbed the doorknob. “We need to go. I’ll go first but stick with me. Got it?”
He turned suddenly. She stopped but not quickly enough. The width of her hand was all that separated their faces. She didn’t even have time to form a coherent thought before his lips pressed down on hers. It lasted no more than a heartbeat and was over before she could blink but the power of the magnetism behind it was going to take a while to forget.
He shot out the door. “Come on.”
It was time to move. There was no need to discuss what had just occurred between them because it was not going to develop into anything further. She wasn’t a virgin but she also had been selective about whom she’d slept with—selective enough to get out without getting scorched and she was sure Guy would leave a blackened, burnt-out mess when he left.
Running fast, she caught up to him on the stairs. So far, she agreed with his precautions but she wasn’t confident he really knew what he was doing. She wasn’t one to put all her trust in anyone else but as long as her instincts agreed, she’d go along with him.
It wasn’t until they were in a cab heading across the river valley that the change in transportation hit her. Then she noticed his appearance.
“What happened to you?”
Looking her over, he replied, “Not much different than I’m thinking happened to you. Care to share your story?”
The city scenery was a blur as she stared out the cab window. Anna Marie, her last hope, seemed to have vanished and several even thought she was dead. Bailey struggled with a profound sadness. Anna Marie was the first person that had been like a mother to her. She’d dried Bailey’s tears when she’d fallen, talked to her about life and let her know in so many ways that she didn’t belong in that world. Ironically, she’d been the reason Bailey had become an interior decorator. People would have laughed at that. Anna Marie had lived under a stairwell in a dilapidated building. Grimy, tattered drapes were both her protective veil and her doorway to the world. A shredded blue duvet, no doubt pulled from a dumpster, covered her concrete bed. An eclectic hodgepodge of beads was strung together to form a gateway to the world and her decorations. The colors, the fabrics, the minutiae that Anna Marie had assembled had made her feel like she had a home. She’d been a remarkable woman living in an impossible place yet she seemed invincible. She’d lived each day with love and laughter.
Bailey tried to shake the melancholy that washed over her. Whatever opening she might once have had to her past appeared to slam shut like a steel metal door; a prison door locked from the outside and now no one seemed to have the key. Anyone who might have had answers wasn’t talking or had disappeared. Guy seemed to be the only one with a link to her past. But what if trusting him cost her everything? Huddled against the door, she stared at the scenery. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the Edmonton International Airport. Vehicles were maneuvering three deep in the drop off zone as they struggled to exit the cab amidst the turmoil.
She was transfixed by the chaos. A beautiful woman with long blonde hair climbed out of a sleek sports car. A gentle breeze caught her hair, fluttering it across her face. Chuckling, she leaned into the car, her short skirt displaying a considerable amount of leg, stopping just shy of flashing all that was hidden beneath it. The woman straightened, had a porter fetch her bag from the open trunk and proceeded to follow him on stiletto heels into the airport.
The woman reminded her that she’d had that vision of herself when she was fifteen. Her knight would arrive to save her, taking her away from her reality; then
she’d awakened with the realization that knights didn’t exist in the real world—at least not hers.
“Any time you need a taxi, call me.”
Bailey pulled herself back to the present. Guy accepted the driver’s card and shook the hand of a very happy man. After seeing the amount of money he was stashing in his pocket, she could understand why. Once in the airport, they checked out the departures.
“There’s one to Toronto, leaves in two hours. Perfect.” Guy hustled off toward the ticket counter.
Bailey watched him leave and then perused the list again. She headed in the opposite direction. She hadn’t gone far though when a familiar hand clamped onto her. She barely reacted, like she knew who it was, like she knew she was safe. That frightened her and angered her.
“Where the hell are you going?”
“Why thank you so much for asking. That’s so sweet that you give a damn what I want.”
Yanking away from him, she continued on her way.
He ran in front of her but instead of stopping her, he ran backward, facing her. “Okay, I made an assumption we’re going east. We’re not?”
She shook her head emphatically and moved to get in line.
“We’re going to your place, aren’t we?”