Trained To Defend

Sarah shifted, pulling her arm back into her lap and staring straight ahead at the road. “Loretta? I hardly know what to say. She was…she was esteemed in the medical community. She was a real genius.”

“Did she have enemies?”

“I… I don’t know. I mean, I didn’t work for her that long, so I didn’t get to meet many people who knew her. She was demanding and a perfectionist. I guess that’s why she was good at her job. But she also had ALS. She was in a wheelchair. She didn’t even have a chance to defend herself…” Sarah’s voice broke as tears streamed down her face.

“I’m sorry, Sarah.” Colton’s heart squeezed with compassion. This situation would be a lot for anyone, but for someone as tenderhearted as Sarah it would be devastating.

“I just keep picturing her. I keep seeing her in her room, on the floor, with the man standing over her. It was so horrible, Colton.” She sniffled again and used her sleeve to wipe beneath her eyes.

He reached over and squeezed her knee. Colton hadn’t intended on touching Sarah, but he couldn’t stand to see her looking so alone, especially considering what she’d been through. No one should have to be so isolated in their suffering—not when they had someone right beside them.

“Seeing that would be hard on anyone,” he murmured.

Using her sleeve, Sarah wiped beneath her eyes again. “I’ve always known that there’s danger in the world. But seeing it firsthand… I just can’t stop thinking about it.”

“We’re going to get through this, Sarah.” There Colton went again, promising Sarah things. Promising a future—no matter how potentially long or short. Their paths were intertwined, for now, at least.

Just as he said the words, a black sedan came into view behind him.

Colton pulled his hand back from Sarah’s knee and gripped the steering wheel, his law enforcement training kicking into gear.

“What is it?” Sarah asked, glancing behind them. “Is that the car?”

“I don’t know. But I’m not taking any chances.”

SIX

Sarah gripped the door handle, her lungs frozen as she waited to see what would happen next. Would the driver try to run them of the road? Would he shoot? Try to kill them?

She had no idea. But each possibility made her head pound harder.

How had her life turned into such a nightmare? Things had just seemed to be getting back on track. She finally found a better place to live. Another job. All her mistakes seemed to be haunting her less and less.

And now this?

She glanced over her shoulder again. The sedan was still back there, but it wasn’t close. No, the driver kept a decent distance behind them.

Maybe that was a good sign, an indication they’d be safe for a while longer. But Sarah knew the interlude wouldn’t last for long. If Sarah had to guess, they were still forty-five minutes away from Spokane. The town was almost two hours from Colton’s house, which was just north of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Expertly, Colton began weaving in and out of traffic. The closer they came to Spokane, the more congestion they’d encountered. It was mostly commuters, some logging trucks and a few semis.

“What are we going to do?” Sarah couldn’t seem to stop asking that question.

“We’re going to lose them.” Colton sounded so confident as he said the words. He always had that calm, soothing way about him. While everyone else panicked, he calmly assessed a situation and became the hero.

She gripped the door harder as her thoughts continued to race. “How did he even find us again? He wasn’t back there when we left. I’ve been watching, and I know you have also.”

Colton glanced in the rearview mirror. “He must be tracking you somehow. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“How in the world would he track me?”

“I only have one guess. Your phone.”

“My phone…?” It made sense, Sarah supposed. The man had her number—he’d called her using Loretta’s cell. The device had a GPS locater that he could have somehow tapped into, if he had the right skills or knowledge. “What should I do? Throw it out the window?”

“No, I have another idea. I don’t think he knows for sure that we’re in this truck.” He eased into another lane.

“Why do you say that?”

Colton glanced in the rearview mirror again and pressed the accelerator harder. “It’s just a hunch. He seems to be keeping his options open and staying behind several vehicles. I’m going to play a little game with him so I can know for sure.”

Sarah nodded, her throat tight. She was going to have to trust Colton on this one because she had other ideas about what they should be doing.

As the road curved up ahead, Colton hit the accelerator and sped just out of sight. He turned at a large gas station and parked beside a semitruck. Moving quickly, he took Sarah’s phone, instructed her to stay in the car, and then rushed out.

As Colton walked past the back of the semitruck, he nestled the phone in the back bumper of the vehicle. Based on the snug fit, it should stay there for a while.

He glanced around.

No one looked his way.

Moving quickly, Colton headed back to his car, jumped into the driver’s seat and sped around to the back of the building to wait.

“Why are we staying here?” Sarah’s voice sounded breathless with fear.

“I need to see what happens.” The semi was just in his line of sight. He had to keep a careful eye on it. Otherwise, his plan would be all for nothing.

“If your guess is wrong, then we’re sitting ducks,” Sarah whispered.

Her words were a somber reminder. She was right. The stakes were high right now—it could cost them their lives. But he had to rely on his gut instinct at the moment. It was all he had.

“You’re right,” Colton said. “So let’s hope I’m not wrong.”

“Comforting.” Sarah crossed her arms and slunk down lower.

Though Colton was just out of sight, he could still see the truck where he’d planted Sarah’s phone. He watched carefully, waiting for the black sedan to appear.

His breath caught when he saw the car slowly creep into the parking lot and pull into a space.

Part of Colton wanted to get out and confront the driver right here. But he couldn’t do that. The man could be dangerous—could have a gun and put other people at risk. No, Colton had other ideas right now—ideas that required patience.

“Colton?”

He raised a finger, asking for silence. “Just a minute.”

He could feel the tension—the fear—in the car. Even Buzz seemed to notice. The dog stuck his nose into the front seat and sniffled, like he smelled danger was near.

A minute later, the semitrailer pulled out of the lot. Colton waited, watching to see what would happen next.

The sedan pulled out after it.

Sarah gasped. “Wait…”

“Someone was tracking the phone.”

After giving the driver a good head start, Colton followed as he headed down the road. He wanted to follow this car. See who was inside.

Because the driver had some answers—answers they needed.

But there was also more than one way to figure out who was behind that wheel.

With his eyes on the car, he pulled out his phone and called a friend, Jim Larsen, with the highway patrol.

“Colton, what can I do for you?”

“Hey, Jim. I need you to run some plates for me for a case I’m working,” Colton said. “Would you mind?”

“Not at all. What do you have?”

Colton rattled off the license plate.

“I’ll do it right now. One second.”

Colton waited, anxious to hear what Jim found out.

A moment later, his friend came back on the line. “Car belongs to a Randolph Stephens in Spokane.”

“Randolph Stephens?” Colton repeated, glancing at Sarah.

She shrugged, indicating the name wasn’t familiar.

“Anything else on this guy?” Colton asked.

“I don’t see any priors. Not even a parking ticket.”

“That’s great. Thank you, Jim.”

Colton ended the call. At least it was something. He’d take whatever information he could get right now.

Randolph Stephens?

Sarah turned the name over in her head as they continued down the highway.

Had Loretta ever said the name?

Sarah didn’t think so. She’d probably remember a name like Randolph. It was unique enough that she didn’t hear it often.

Colton handed her his phone. “Do me a favor. Do an internet search for me for this Randolph Stephens guy. Tell me if anything comes up or if he looks familiar.”

Sarah took the device from him and stared at the screen a moment. “I need your code.”

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