Chapter Eleven
Andrew watched with a heavy heart as his wife walked away from him, crying. Telling her to leave had been beyond difficult for him. He hated doing it. On her way to the end of the pew, he struggled not to rush up to her and hold her in his arms. He wanted to take all her fears and worries so she could be happy again. But to do that, he had to lure Steven away from her and confront the man.
Matt caught up with her. She gave him the key to the Jeep. Good for her. She wasn’t in the right state of mind to drive. Together they walked out of the church.
Andrew’s anger took root and blossomed like a wildflower in the spring as he strode toward the exit. He searched the remaining men in the back of the church. He couldn’t find Steven, which led him to believe the enforcer was waiting outside. If Steven tried to follow his wife, Andrew would change his plans and go after Steven. But Andrew had a feeling he wouldn’t need to.
The cold hit him hard when he stepped outside. A few people stood around chatting. Down the sidewalk, he saw Emily walking next to Matt and heading to the stoplight. The former Marine would protect her well.
Strolling down the steps, Andrew scanned across the street. The businesses were dark and closed for the night. He didn’t see anyone suspicious. Traffic on the road moved at a steady pace. The remaining people out and about seemed to be walking on the church side.
Andrew stopped on the sidewalk and gazed in the opposite direction. Holiday lights decorated the trees planted on the outside of the brick sidewalk. A couple headed to the end of the block. Although Andrew couldn’t see Steven, he sensed the enforcer was nearby, watching and waiting.
He shifted his gaze to the cars coming up the street. Exhaust from engines drifted from the vehicles. The cabs were easy to find as several had small signs attached to the roof. Andrew stepped closer to the curb and raised his arm as he spotted an empty taxi. The driver flashed his lights. Andrew jogged toward the vehicle. Finding it empty in the back, he quickly got in.
“Merry Christmas,” the African American driver said. He wore a knit hat over his head and a dark leather jacket. “Where are you heading?”
“Uh, a nearby hotel,” Andrew said.
“A hotel?” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Any hotel?”
“A nice one.” Andrew scanned out the windows, hoping to catch Steven.
“How long are you staying in the city?”
“Just tonight. I head out in the morning.”
“Do you have family in town?”
Andrew took a deep breath. His only family was leaving town. Although he’d only left his wife less than ten minutes ago, he missed her so much his heart ached. If he hurt this much now, he couldn’t imagine how painful he would feel in heaven without her.
“Are you okay?” the driver asked, staring in the rearview mirror.
Andrew swallowed down the grief trying to spill from him. “Sorry. Long night. I need a few hours to recharge.”
“No problem. I know of a nice hotel a few blocks from here. It’ll probably be pricey, but I’m willing to bet they have a few rooms available.”
“That’s fine. Take me there.”
Andrew continued to gaze out the windows. He hoped Steven was following him, but he couldn’t be certain. Fearing he made a miscalculation, he withdrew his phone. He typed a text message to Emily. After he sent the message, he held the cell in his hand.
A message arrived from her as the taxi pulled up to the entrance of the hotel. A small canopy extended from the doors to the street. Andrew delayed responding to her text so he could pay the cabbie.
“Thank you and Merry Christmas.” He gave the man a nice tip.
The driver looked at the large bills. “Sir, are you sure about this?”
Andrew exited the vehicle. He stopped in front of the open door. “If you’re not doing anything, would you mind coming back in an hour? I may need another ride. I can pay you more. But if you have a family to go home to, please do.”
The driver smiled and pointed straight ahead. “There’s a lot behind the building. I will wait for an hour. If I don’t see you, I’ll go home.”
Andrew grinned. “Fair enough. Thank you.” He shut the door and then headed to the hotel.
The bright lights and holiday decorations were plentiful. Poinsettias were set near the door and on a marble table in the center of the room. The social area on the right contained several cushioned chairs and a fireplace. Andrew headed for one of the seats closest to the burning logs. He sat in a settee facing the windows overlooking the street.
Holding his phone up, he checked the message from Emily. She said she was fine, but worried sick about him. Instead of replying, he hit the button to call her. He held the cell to his ear while the call connected.
“Hey,” she answered. “Where are you?”
“I’m in a hotel. Did he follow you?”
“No, and Matt took a detour too to get to the interstate. Neither one of us have noticed anyone following. Did he follow you?”
“I don’t know. I couldn’t see him.”
“If he’s not following us or you—”
“Stick to the plan.” Andrew had a gut feeling Steven would show up. The enforcer had told them he enjoyed his job. Andrew couldn’t see the man turning away now that he’d found Andrew. “Get everything out of the suite. I don’t know that it’s safe to stay in Rockville any longer, so head to Baltimore. Remember that hotel we stayed at for one night?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s meet there.”
“How are you going to get there? It’s an hour from DC.”
“I can get a taxi. I have money.”
“Andrew, maybe he’s not going to make any kind of move tonight. Maybe your name isn’t on his arm.”
“He wouldn’t show up at the same church as us on Christmas Eve unless he had a purpose.” Andrew didn’t believe in coincidences. He’d delayed going after the demon in Texas, so it seemed logical Steven would look for Andrew to force him to fulfill the terms of his sentence. How Steven found him was a question he longed to ask.
She sighed. “Okay, but if he hasn’t shown up … maybe he won’t. We should regroup and figure out our next steps. Where are you at? We can turn around and get you.”
Andrew spotted a man on a motorcycle pulling in front of the hotel. The biker had a black helmet on his head.
“No. It’s too soon. Go to Baltimore and I will meet you there,” Andrew said.
“It’s Christmas Eve. Tell me where you are.”
The tone of her voice indicated her frustration. He understood she was worried, but he loved her too much to risk her life or the baby’s. No, he refused to tell her where he was, because once he did, she would show up.
“Get our stuff and go to Baltimore, Em. I’ll call you in a little bit.”
The man on the motorcycle removed his helmet. He had short dark hair and wore a leather jacket. Leaving his helmet on the bike, he strode toward the hotel’s entrance.
“Andrew, please. If he hasn’t shown up—”
“He just did. I’ll talk to you later.”
Andrew lowered the phone and tapped the icon to end the call. Steven paused several feet past the entrance. He turned his gaze on Andrew. Removing the gloves from his hands, the enforcer headed toward Andrew.