Holiday On The Run

“Yes, I’m sure he could. And I think he must have other cops who are willing to bend the rules, too. Otherwise, how would they have got away with stashing drugs in my bedroom?”

Nate could see her point. “Did you find them? Is that why you left?”

Melissa bit her lower lip, another sign of nervousness. “No, I didn’t find the drugs. I was too afraid to go home. I ran away and hid until morning, catching a bus when the early route started.”

“I don’t understand why you didn’t come to me for help.” Nate knew it was ridiculous to be wounded by actions she’d taken twelve years ago, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. “Especially when you knew I was planning to major in criminal justice.”

“I didn’t want to drag you down with me,” she murmured. “I found out from my father that the police showed up on our doorstep first thing in the morning, demanding to speak with me about a stabbing victim found outside the restaurant. My dad thought I was in my room, so he let them in.”

“Without a warrant?” Nate asked in dismay.

She nodded. “My dad was shocked to realize I wasn’t home. And when the police searched my room and found the drugs, he wasn’t sure what was going on. Don’t you see? They would have tried to discredit you, too.”

“Maybe, or maybe I would have been a credible witness on your behalf,” he said grimly.

“I wasn’t going to take that chance,” she said firmly.

Nate didn’t agree with her decision, but there was nothing he could do now to change the past. If he’d paid more attention back then he might have connected the stabbing victim with Melissa’s disappearance. But he hadn’t. For now, he needed to stay focused on the present. “You must know at least one of the men’s names,” he said. “You told me you waited on their table. Surely you noticed a name on a credit or debit card?”

“No credit cards. They always paid in cash.”

Nate couldn’t believe Melissa didn’t have a clue to the identity of at least one of the men. “There must be something you remember about these guys. Did they have any scars? Tattoos? Any distinguishing features at all?”

Melissa shook her head, spreading her hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing that stands out in my memory.”

Nate stared up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to push back the wave of helplessness. “Okay, so you’ve told me what happened all those years ago, but what about today? How was it that these two guys found you?”

“I noticed the tail as soon as I left the hospital,” Melissa said in a low tone.

“Hospital? What were you doing there?”

She blinked rapidly, and Nate was disconcerted to realize she was on the verge of tears. “Visiting my father. His dying wish was to see his granddaughter in person.”

The anger he’d felt toward Melissa’s father for keeping them apart instantly evaporated. “I’m so sorry,” he said huskily.

Melissa sniffed and wiped at her eyes. “Me, too. I honestly didn’t think coming home after all this time was that much of a risk. Especially since my father and I faked my death.”

“Why did you wait four years to do that?” Nate asked.

“Because they found me in California. So I conveniently died and moved all the way across the country to a new location, with another new name.”

Nate couldn’t help sympathizing with her. He’d hated the idea that she’d been forced to go on the run, not just once but twice. “Go on. So, you left the hospital and noticed what?”

“I was being followed, so I headed into the mall, hoping to lose them in the crowd.”

“Carrying Hailey beneath your winter coat was a smart move,” Nate told her.

A slight smile tipped the corner of her mouth. “Thanks. Anyway, from there you know the rest.”

Yeah, he knew the rest. The men with guns had shot at him, and he’d shot at them in self-defense. Then he’d left the scene of the crime.

Too bad he didn’t have a clue what their next steps should be. He wanted to keep Melissa and Hailey out of harm’s way, but right now, he didn’t even know who the bad guys were.

“Excuse me. I need to check on Hailey.” Melissa rose to her feet and quickly made her way into the other room.

Nate hovered in the doorway between their connecting rooms, listening as she coaxed Hailey into brushing her teeth and putting on her pajamas.

Then the little girl insisted on saying her nighttime prayers.

“God bless Daddy up in Heaven, and Mommy, and Mr. Nate, who saved us today. Amen.”

“Amen,” Melissa echoed. “Sleep tight, Hailey. I’ll be right here if you need anything.”

“Okay, Mommy,” the little girl murmured sleepily.

Nate was touched by the fact that Hailey had included him in her nighttime prayers.

There were so many things that were different about the woman Melissa was today compared with the girl he’d loved years ago. Yes, she was a mother now, but that wasn’t the only thing that had changed.

She was raising her daughter as a Christian. Because of Hailey’s father? Did she love him still, even though he’d passed away?

Not that Melissa’s feelings were any of his business. He wouldn’t risk getting emotionally involved. And not just because he sensed she was still holding something back from him.

She’d left him without a word, breaking his young heart.

No way was he willing to risk another heartbreak.

* * *

Melissa took her time getting ready for bed, admittedly as a way to avoid spending more time with Nate.

She’d already told him far more than she’d intended. Anything else would only hurt him.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she mourned what they’d lost. Their young love, so pure, so sweet. They’d never done anything more than kiss, but even twelve years later, she could still remember the sweetness they’d shared. For several weeks after she’d left, she’d find herself looking for him, wishing he was still there for her to lean on.

Why hadn’t her father mentioned the letters Nate had written? Surely he hadn’t thrown them away. Why not pass them along, especially after she’d been forced to fake her death? They’d both thought she was relatively safe from that point forward.

And where were Nate’s letters now? Hidden somewhere in her father’s house?

For a moment, she actually considered going back to the house where she grew up to search for them. But of course, she couldn’t take the risk. For one thing, she was pretty sure her dad’s house was being watched, the same way the hospital had been. How else had they found her? Besides, heading there was probably exactly what they’d expect her to do.

No, going to her childhood home wasn’t an option. Besides, whatever Nate had written hardly mattered now. She’d been married all too briefly before losing her husband to a rare infection that had settled in his lungs. Jeremy had helped her find God and had given her Hailey, the two greatest gifts of all. No reason to go back and attempt to recapture the past.

Far more important to plan the next steps of her mission to keep Hailey safe.

By the time Melissa emerged from the bathroom, Nate’s room was dark except for the blue glow of the television. Relieved that she didn’t have to talk to him anymore, she slid into the bed next to Hailey. Wearing her jeans and sweater wasn’t exactly comfortable, but she didn’t plan on sleeping.

Once Nate fell asleep, she’d take Hailey and slip away. Hopefully he wouldn’t notice they were gone until morning.

Yet, in spite of herself, Melissa dozed, jerking awake a few hours later. She took a moment to orient herself before sliding out of bed.

Moving silently, she eased toward the doorway between their connecting rooms. The television was off now, and she stood for what seemed like endless moments listening to Nate’s deep, rhythmic breathing.

It was tempting to venture into his room to search for his car keys, but she didn’t want to risk waking him. No, her best chance to escape was to slip away without making any noise.

She gently closed the door on her side of the room, hoping to muffle any errant sounds. She packed the few meager belongings they had back into the suitcase and then took out her mobile phone.

Only twenty percent of battery left, but enough juice to enable her to call for a taxi once she was far enough away from the motel.

After setting the suitcase near the door, she went over to the bed to wake Hailey. This would be the most difficult part of sneaking away. If Hailey cried or made any noise at all, she knew Nate would be up in a flash to see what was wrong.

Thankfully, the little girl was so sleepy, she simply curled up against Melissa’s chest, snuggling into the hollow of her shoulder.

Since the hallway outside their rooms was heated, she decided to wait until they were safely away before putting Hailey’s coat, hat and boots on. Carrying everything with her wasn’t easy, but she managed to open the door, wincing when it creaked a bit.

Moving as quickly and silently as possible, she stepped out and then closed the door behind her. The hallway was brightly lit, making it easy to navigate as she headed toward the stairs on the far side of the building, opposite from the lobby.

Inside the stairwell, she paused to get Hailey into her winter gear. She was still half-asleep, so Melissa couldn’t exactly make her stand to get dressed. Somehow she slipped her daughter’s arms into the coat sleeves. Getting her hat on was no problem, although the boots were difficult. She hoped they wouldn’t fall off.

She carried Hailey and the suitcase down the stairs, and when she reached the bottom, she paused to catch her breath.

Melissa hated the thought of leaving Nate for a second time without saying goodbye, but she forced herself to go anyway. The cold winter air stole her breath as she went outside, and Hailey instantly started crying.

“Shh, it’s okay. We’re going to be fine.”

“It’s cold,” her daughter sobbed.

“I know, sweetie. We’ll get someplace warm soon.” Hailey wasn’t used to northern winters, having spent her entire life in South Carolina. And the idea of snow was more fun than the cold reality of it.

Melissa stayed alongside the shelter of the building as long as possible before making her way toward the sidewalk. There was a gas station on the other side of the street, but the windows were dark, indicating the place was closed.

Headlights cut through the darkness, heading in her direction. For a moment she froze, fearing she’d been found. But she sighed in relief as the vehicle kept going.

She carefully walked across the slippery surface of the gas station parking lot, wondering if venturing out like this was such a good idea. Would she manage to find a taxi this late? She fumbled for her phone, intending to search for a local car service.

Another pair of headlights approached, only this time, they abruptly turned into the gas station rather than driving past. Melissa froze in the center of the bright lights, her heart lodging in her throat as the car came to an abrupt stop. The driver’s side door opened, and a tall figure stepped out.

Survival instincts kicked in, and she dropped the suitcase and turned to run. But she quickly lost her footing on the slippery, snow-covered pavement. She felt herself falling and twisted as much as possible, landing on her shoulder in an attempt to avoid landing on her daughter.

She tried to scramble to her feet, but the driver of the car was on her too quickly, preventing her escape. In the dim recesses of her mind she realized Hailey was crying, but her gaze was focused on the man looming over her.

“Now I’ve got you,” he said with savage satisfaction. He reached down and roughly grabbed her arm as if to yank her to her feet.

No! Melissa kicked at the stranger, screaming for help. She tried to jerk from his grasp, but he held on tight. She let go of Hailey. “Run, Hailey! Run!”

Something hard hit her in the face and she bit back a cry of pain, tears springing to her eyes. At the moment all she cared about was giving Hailey time to get away.

Desperate, she kicked at her captor again.

Out of nowhere, a second figure came out of the darkness, grabbing the man around the throat and dragging him off her. At first she didn’t understand what was happening, but then she recognized Nate.

She pushed herself to her feet, taking off after Hailey, scooping her daughter into her arms. Still slipping and sliding, she made her way behind the shelter of the gas station building. As much as she wanted to help Nate take down the guy who’d grabbed her, she knew her priority had to be keeping Hailey away from harm.

Resting against the building, breathing heavily, she closed her eyes and thanked God for sparing them.

“Melissa?” Nate’s deep voice cut through the darkness.

“Here,” she managed in a low tone.

“Are you all right?” he asked, coming over to where she was huddled with Hailey.

Her cheek throbbed with pain, but she nodded. “We’re fine,” she whispered.

“Come on. We need to get out of here,” Nate said grimly.

She shifted Hailey in her arms and made her way toward Nate. He put his hand on the small of her back, guiding her back toward the motel. He paused just long enough to pick up the suitcase she’d dropped and brought it along with them.

She didn’t want to go anywhere near the man who’d hit her, but forced herself to trust Nate. They passed the black car, and she couldn’t help glancing over in that direction.

All she could see was the vehicle listing to one side. It took a minute for her to realize the driver’s side tires were flat.

Had Nate done that to prevent the man from following them? And where was the driver?

She shivered, her stomach clenching with dread. She hadn’t heard the sound of gunfire, but she had to believe Nate had neutralized him somehow. She was deeply thankful he’d noticed she was gone and had come after her.

But how had the driver of the black car found her in the first place?

They must have known she was with Nate. What had he said back at the mall? He’d called for backup? Anyone with a scanner could have heard that information.

Including the dirty cop who’d tried to frame her as a drug addict.

Nate opened the back passenger door of his car and she quickly put Hailey into her booster seat. When Melissa was about to crawl in beside her daughter, Nate stopped her with a firm hand on her arm.

“In front, with me.”

She swallowed hard and nodded, shutting the door and then climbing into the passenger seat. Nate slid in behind the wheel, and soon they were back on the road, heading west, leaving the lights of the city behind.

Silence hung heavy between them.

“What happened to the driver?” she finally asked.

“He’s unconscious, but he’ll be fine,” Nate said in a cold, clipped tone. “Do you mind telling me what you were thinking when you left like that in the middle of the night?”

Protecting you, she thought, but she held her tongue.

“What? No snappy comeback? Do you realize how cold it is outside? What about your daughter?” He was starting to raise his volume, and Hailey whimpered, making him lower his voice. “Where were you going to go without a car?”

She swallowed hard. “I planned to call for a taxi.”

“And go where?” he pressed.

“The bus station.” She looked away from him, staring out at the darkness through the passenger-side window. Several houses were decorated with brightly colored Christmas lights, reminding her of home.

Not her apartment in South Carolina, but the home where she’d grown up. Where she’d lived with her father. Gone to school. Dated Nate. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the cool glass. She’d been so happy back then. How had everything gone so wrong?

“I shouldn’t be surprised you tried to leave without telling me. After all, that’s your usual response.”

The bitter note to his voice made her feel terrible. She forced herself to turn and look at him. “I’m sorry, Nate. I’m sorry I hurt you all those years ago, and I’m sorry I hurt you now. Obviously I’ve put you in danger, too. They must know you’re with me. Otherwise they never would have found us.”

“Yeah, and frankly that’s what’s bothering me the most,” Nate said. “Maybe you should try being honest with me for once. Before we all end up dead.”

She sucked in a harsh breath as the reality of what he was saying struck home. He was absolutely right. Her attempt to protect him had backfired in a big way.

If there had been two men instead of one, this situation could have ended much differently.

They all might have been killed. Murdered in cold blood.

“You know the identity of the five men you saw that night, don’t you?” Nate asked.

“Not all of them, but yes, I knew one of them besides the cop,” she admitted.

“Who?”

She licked her dry lips. “A man with an important job.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

She forced the words past her constricted throat. “Like the mayor of Brookmont, Tom McAllister.”

“Uncle Tom?” Nate repeated hoarsely. “My uncle Tom?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, Nate.” Melissa knew she should have felt better now that the secret was out, but she didn’t.

Because she wasn’t at all sure Nate would believe her. Why would he take her side over his uncle’s? This was exactly the reason she’d left without saying anything to him all those years ago.

She shivered again with fear that chilled her to the bone. These were men who’d tried to discredit her as a drug addict. When that hadn’t worked, they’d set out to kill her. If Nate decided to haul her in to be questioned, there was no telling what might happen. They’d lied before, why not try to frame her again?

Or worse, set up some sort of scheme to have her killed in jail?

A sense of desperate hopelessness pierced her heart. She absolutely needed to find a way to make Nate believe her.

Or risk losing Hailey, forever.

FOUR

Nate didn’t want to believe Melissa’s claim. Ridiculous to think his uncle Tom was part of some big cover-up. Especially something as serious as murder. Tom McAllister was the mayor of Brookmont. Why on earth would he get involved in something criminal?

But there was no denying Melissa was in trouble. He’d been livid when he’d seen the guy slap her across the face. It was clear the guy’s intent was to take Melissa with him, and there was no telling what might have happened if Nate hadn’t got there in time. Thank goodness he’d heard her door shutting behind her when she’d left the motel. It had taken him a few minutes to verify that she was gone.

A few minutes that could have cost her life.

But was it really possible that his uncle Tom was involved?

Nate shook his head helplessly. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and considered his options. Taking Melissa and Hailey straight to his boss was top on his list. Griff was a good, honest cop, and Nate could trust his boss to get to the bottom of whatever was going on.

Or he could take Melissa somewhere safe and begin investigating this on his own.

As much as he’d rather do the latter, he knew that it was a better option to take her to his boss. But it was one o’clock in the morning. There wouldn’t be anyone at the sheriff’s department headquarters other than the single dispatcher who manned the graveyard shift.

He reached for his phone and handed it over to Melissa. “Do me a favor and take the battery out of the back so I can’t be traced. And you need to ditch your phone, too.”

She grimaced but did as he asked, dropping both the device and the battery back into the cup holders located in the center console. Then she opened her window and tossed the disposable phone she’d been using.

“Nate, please, you have to believe me,” Melissa said in a low, desperate tone, as if reading his turbulent thoughts. “You asked me why I didn’t come to you after I witnessed the murder. Well, this is the reason. I was afraid your uncle would turn you against me.”

He clenched his jaw so tight his temple ached. “Why would my uncle be involved in covering up a murder?”

“I don’t know,” Melissa insisted, frustration edging her voice. “I wish I had answers for you, but I don’t.”

“Yeah, and isn’t that convenient?” He felt his anger rising and did his best to lower his tone so he wouldn’t disturb Hailey. “You’ve been keeping secrets from me since I saw you on the escalator. Give me one good reason why I should believe you now.”

“Because unfortunately, you were right,” she whispered. “Now that you’ve helped me, I’m afraid you’re in as much danger as I am.”

“Maybe, but I think it’s time I listen to my instincts, which are telling me to hand you over to my boss right now.”

Her eyes widened with fear. “If you do that, they’ll find a way to kill me.” The grim certainty in her tone nagged at him. “Tell me one thing, Nate. How did they find us at that hotel? You said yourself it’s a cop-friendly place. How many cops would know to look for your vehicle there?”

Good question—one that had bothered him from the moment the guy in the black car had grabbed and hit Melissa. It couldn’t be a coincidence that they’d been found so quickly. “I don’t know,” he admitted.

“Please don’t take me in. Not when there are dirty policemen involved who obviously won’t stop until I’m dead.”

He couldn’t deny the fact that she was in danger. And if corrupt cops were in on this, keeping her safe would be even more difficult. He let out a heavy sigh and continued driving through the night.

Melissa was right. He couldn’t take her in. Not yet.

Not until he knew what they were dealing with.

“Okay, fine,” he agreed in a resigned tone. “But no more lies, Melissa. No more escape attempts, either. We work together from this point forward. Understand?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I dragged you into this mess. I know this wasn’t at all what you bargained for.”

“It’s not your fault,” he said. In all fairness, she hadn’t dragged him into anything. He was the one who’d recognized her on the escalator. And he was the one who’d followed her through the mall. Shooting and wounding two men hadn’t been part of the initial plan, but he knew that given the same set of circumstances, he’d do it all again without hesitation.

“Maybe not entirely my fault, but I’m concerned that your reputation will suffer if you continue to help me,” she said in a resigned tone.

He didn’t bother pointing out that his reputation had already taken a hit the moment he’d decided to leave the crime scene at the mall.

The way she truly seemed to care about his fate helped ease his anger and frustration at waking up and discovering she’d sneaked away during the night.

“I can’t worry about my reputation,” he said, even though being a cop was important to him. “Hopefully I’ll be able to salvage it once we get to the bottom of this mess.”

“I hope so,” she whispered, resting her head back against the seat. “I truly hope so.”

Nate reached over to give her hand a reassuring squeeze, a bit surprised when she responded by tightening her fingers around his and flashing a tentative smile.

They would uncover the truth of the murder Melissa had witnessed twelve years ago.

Because the alternative was too painful to contemplate.

* * *

Melissa stared down at their joined hands for a long moment, humbled by Nate’s forgiveness. He had every right to be angry, but at least he wasn’t taking her to his boss.

She was sorry that she’d inadvertently involved Nate, but she was relieved that she and Hailey weren’t alone. If Nate truly believed her, then maybe they could get to the bottom of this by working together.

The warmth of the car caused her eyelids to droop heavily, but she forced them open. She was going to be Nate’s partner in this, and she needed to stay awake and alert.

Glancing into the backseat, she was glad to see Hailey had fallen asleep.