Chapter Five
Damn it! Why had she called Marshal Lambert? Sally’s skin prickled with a case of nerves, making it nearly impossible to sit still. She was scared and confused…and irritated with herself for being that way. Luke knew she was lying. What must he think? Lying was so unlike her, and she hated the person she’d become to protect herself and Jen. Luke was trying to help. What if he decided to dump her at the lodge and get as far away as he could? She wouldn’t blame him. Sally caught herself biting on one of her fingernails and quickly brought her hand down, slipping it beneath her leg. She had to get a grip. Anxiety had made a mess of her calm-cool-collected veneer…and that only made her angrier.
Hell, she deserved to be angry. Her house and everything she’d owned was gone. Her security was shattered, and if Marshal Greg Lambert had anything to say about it, what was left of Jen’s peaceful existence would soon be a thing of the past as well. Even thinking about what that would do to her baby sent shards of pain through her chest. But she couldn’t lose it now. She had to hold it together for Jen. Drawing on the inner strength she’d developed out of necessity over the past ten years, Sally went back to chewing her fingernail and forced her thoughts elsewhere.
Luke. That subject was no better. Why had he picked now to reappear? Was it too much of a coincidence that he’d walked back into her life and saved her twice in one night? She glanced from beneath lowered lashes at the daunting figure behind the steering wheel. He’d cooled his questions—the ones she couldn’t answer—and wasn’t paying any attention to her, so she took the opportunity to study his profile.
He was a couple of inches taller than his brother, which made him somewhere around six foot three. Still a strong man, despite his months of captivity, his chest was broad and muscular, his arms and thighs thick and powerful. His size dwarfed her decidedly unmuscular five-foot-four-inch frame. Light brown hair, considerably longer than it had been a year ago, scraped his collar. His square jaw gave him the appearance of stubbornness, but if Sally were able to see his face, she had no doubt there’d be kindness in his rich brown eyes…and mischief. He’d always been smiling or laughing, saying something silly to get her to laugh too. Apparently, his sense of humor had failed him this time.
As Sally watched, Luke reached to adjust the rearview mirror, then glanced toward her side of the truck. Her eyes flew wide as she took in the rock-hard line of his jaw, his furrowed brow and the intensity in his gaze that clearly said he wasn’t happy about something.
She tensed, instantly on guard. Twisting around as far as she could without disturbing Jen, she barely caught the lights of a vehicle behind them. “What is it? Who is that?”
Luke gazed at her expectantly. “There are two of them. I was hoping you’d tell me who they were. In fact, now would be an excellent time.”
Jen stirred and tried to sit up, but Luke pressed her down gently. They turned a corner and the road straightened in front of them.
He stepped on the gas, and the pickup accelerated smoothly. “Hold on.” Luke placed one hand on Jen, and Sally wrapped her arms around her tightly—just in time.
She heard the roar of a vehicle behind and to the left of them a heartbeat before something slammed into the side panel of Luke’s truck bed. Jen whimpered as the pickup swerved one way and then the other, and they were tossed side-to-side in the cab. Regaining control, he floored the gas pedal, and the vehicle on their tail hit them again.
Luke must have been ready for it this time and brought the pickup out of its swerve effortlessly, accelerated and momentarily left the pursuing vehicles behind. His familiarity with this stretch of road, a result of the many trips he’d made from his family’s lodge to see her, no doubt gave him the edge. In her side mirror, Sally could now see the two sets of headlights, and it was apparent, whoever the drivers were, they weren’t giving up.
Was it Clive? Who else could it be? She turned toward Luke, ready to tell him her sordid life’s story if it would save Jen’s life, but the regret in his eyes as he met her gaze stopped her cold.
“We can’t outrun them. This old truck wasn’t built for mountain races.” His eyes darted to the mirror.
Reeling from his words and what they meant, Sally pushed her daughter toward Luke. “This is my fault. Stop the truck—let me out.” Luke will keep Jen safe. She reached for the door handle as Luke maneuvered through the next set of turns. Her whole body shook with the adrenaline that pumped through her veins.
Luke grabbed her arm. “No one’s getting out yet. I’m not giving up either one of you. Just tell me one thing: Are these the scumbags that blew up your house?”
Sally nodded unevenly. “I…I think so.”
Jen threw her arms around Sally’s neck, and the girl’s heart drummed against her. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” Sally whispered in her ear, knowing it wasn’t.
“Okay. You can tell me the rest later. Right now, we’ll assume they’re probably not in a negotiating mood. We already know we can’t outrun them, so our only option is to hide until they give up.” Luke accelerated again on a straight stretch, and the lights of the other vehicles dropped back as the drivers slowed in the treacherous curves.
That didn’t leave them any options. “If we can’t outrun them, how are we going to hide?” Sally’s breath was coming too fast, and her fear was threatening to swamp her.
Jen squirmed into a sitting position between them, and Sally quickly buckled her in the seat belt. “Like they did in that movie, Run for the Border.” Jen’s small voice garnered their attention. She looked excitedly between Luke and her mother, then rolled her eyes, apparently disgusted by the blank stares she received. “On the way to the lodge, there’s a big drop-off. Remember, Luke? You have to be real careful because the road’s so narrow.”
“I remember. It’s a dangerous spot.” Luke gave Jen a curious glance, and his gaze swept over her head to meet Sally’s.
“In the movie, some men were being chased. They got far enough ahead that the bad guys didn’t see them jump out of their car, and then they let it go over the edge. The bad men shot at the wrecked car until it exploded. It was okay, though, because the good guys were hiding in the trees.” Jen’s words tumbled out in a rush and she threw her hands in the air at the climax of her story.
Sally would have chuckled if their situation hadn’t been so dire. “Honey, we can’t expect Luke to run his pickup over a cliff.”
“Wait a minute. She might have something. We’re not far from the spot she’s talking about. If we can get ahead of these characters before we get there, I could let you two out, head for the cliff and jump out at the last minute. We could meet on Elk Mountain. They’d never find us up there.” Luke actually sounded as though the plan he and Jen presented was a viable solution.
Has the world gone mad? Sally forced her mouth closed rather than say something that might hurt her daughter’s feelings. But holy hell… “Luke, there has to be another way.”
He eyed her over her daughter’s head. “I wish we didn’t have to do this in front of Jen, but we don’t have a choice. If these are the same people who planted a bomb in your house, can we assume they’re following us now to finish the job?”
Jen squeezed Sally’s fingers in a gentle grip, and Sally was blown away by the fact that her nine-year-old daughter seemed to be dealing with all this better than she was. “Yes.” Her voice was just above a whisper.
“They’re not going to leave any witnesses, Sally.”
A cold chill wound around her heart as she jerked her gaze to meet Luke’s. He means Jen! Her baby would die too. Oh my God!
“Do you have a better idea?” His question was softly spoken and filled with understanding.
The seriousness of their position stole her voice momentarily. Her position…yet Luke and Jen would suffer equally in her fate if Clive’s men managed to run them off the road. She grimaced and shook her head. “No, I don’t. I guess I’d better get behind Jen’s idea.” She forced a lightness into her voice she didn’t feel for her daughter’s benefit.
“It’ll work, Mom. Right, Luke?”
Sally met Luke’s eyes again and read the deep regret in his piercing gaze. And she knew—Jen’s plan was all they had. Luke wouldn’t say the words so Jen wouldn’t lose hope, but Sally saw it there in his bleak expression. If the vehicles got close enough to ram them again, now that the drivers knew what to expect from the curvy mountain road, Luke, Jen and she would be toast.
“We’re going to give it the old college try.” He glanced in the mirror. “That last hairpin turn must have gotten their attention. They slowed a bit. We’ve got some distance on them.” Luke ruffled Jen’s hair. “You ready?”
She nodded, and the force of Luke’s gaze drilled into Sally. “When we get through the next set of curves, if we’re in the clear, I’ll stop. Everything depends on you getting out as fast as possible and finding a place to hide before they come around the corner.” He glanced back to the road, stepping on the gas until the pickup surged forward. “After their vehicles go by and disappear, you and Jen cross the road. Head uphill toward the lodge. Ready?”
Sally felt his gaze on her again as the headlights revealed the curves ahead. For a moment, she thought she would choke on the fear in her throat. No, I’m not ready! I’ll never be ready. Mechanically, she released Jen’s seat belt. “What about you?”
He had the nerve to laugh. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve got the easy part.” He nodded toward the front, the tension in his voice belying his humor. “Almost there.” He focused on the mirror as they entered the tight curves. A few seconds later, they caught a straight stretch again. “Let’s do it.”
The trees created a curtain, shielding them from the lights behind. Sally threw open the door as Luke slid to a stop. She practically fell onto the shoulder of the road, regaining her balance just in time to steady Jen as she leaped from the seat.
Luke leaned over and caught the door, ready to swing it shut behind them. “Get going. Remember, head uphill. I’ll find you.” His voice wasn’t nearly as confident as it had been a moment ago.
Jen tugged at her hand, and Sally tore her gaze from Luke’s. Without looking back, they sprinted for the tree line. She heard the pickup’s door close and the truck’s engine revved. Tires spun. Then he was racing away in one direction and she and Jen in another. The trees reared up in front of them, looking like skinny, twisted giants in the moonlight. Sally spotted a downed log and pulled Jen toward it, dropping down on the other side just as the first vehicle’s lights rounded the corner.
Sally hugged her daughter’s small body close, holding her breath as the two cars sped after Luke’s pickup. She waited a minute, and then another, before she peeked over the log. The road was empty and dark as far as she could see. Even the sound of Luke’s loud mufflers had been drowned out by the quiet of the forest.
“They’re gone. Luke said to cross the road. Ready, sweetie?” Sally brushed the hair from Jen’s face, spreading some moisture in the process. Tears. Her baby must be so scared and confused. Sally’s heart ached for her.
“Mom, who were those people? Why are they trying to hurt us?” Jen’s expression was sadder than Sally had ever seen.
“It’s a long story, honey. It started way before you were born. It’s time I told you, but not now. We have to do what Luke said and get someplace safe. Let’s go.”
“Okay.” She got to her feet. “Luke will be all right, you know.”
Sally smiled. She didn’t want to admit, even to herself, how concerned she was about Luke.
She held Jen’s hand as they stepped over the log and approached the roadway. After listening for a moment for any indication the vehicles might be returning, they jogged across the pavement, up the bank and into the cover of the trees.
After they’d walked uphill silently for a few minutes, Jen suddenly stopped. “Mom, there’s a GPS in your phone. We can find the lodge easy with that.”
Sally pressed a hand to her throat, experiencing a moment of panic when she remembered where her phone was. “I left it in my purse…in the pickup.” Damn it! What a monumentally dumb move. Her phone, her money, her driver’s license—everything was in that purse, which was probably at the bottom of a canyon if things went as Luke had planned. God, please let Luke be all right.
Her emotions barely in check, Sally kept placing one foot in front of the other as they forged uphill. She grasped Jen’s hand close to her side, even though it made walking cumbersome, unwilling to take the chance of being separated from her daughter too.
A few more minutes of walking and she pulled herself up short. They’d traveled a zigzag course up the north side of Elk Mountain for at least thirty minutes. She’d go right by the lodge if they stayed on that course. Time to level off and head northeast. She might not have a GPS, but she could see the moon. Rachel’s friend, Jonathan, had taught both of them the basics of finding their way by the moon’s position.
Suddenly, the thud of muffled gunfire jerked her attention to the east, as though she’d be able to see the ribbon of asphalt Luke had followed. Jen wrapped her arms around Sally’s waist and buried her head in Luke’s overlarge T-shirt.
Sally backed into a small thicket of young pine trees and lowered herself carefully to the ground along with her precious cargo. “Luke’s going to be okay, remember?”
Her daughter cried softly.
“You’ll see, sweetheart. He’ll catch up to us any minute and he’ll be like ‘what took you so long.’” Sally mimicked Luke’s teasing banter.
Jen giggled reluctantly, followed by a sniffle. “I’m really glad he’s here, Mom. Aren’t you?”
The question she’d dreaded…and Sally still didn’t know how to answer. One thing was for sure: After tonight, her daughter had proven that she could handle the truth, so the truth was what she would get.
“I am,” Sally said, not really surprised by how easy the admission came. “But I don’t think he’ll be staying, honey. I know you like him a lot and I hope you won’t be too disappointed when he leaves.”
“Why, Mom? I thought he liked us.” Tears glowed in Jen’s eyes again. “Is it because of me?”
“Of course it’s not, baby. Don’t ever think that. It’s just that Luke is from California. That’s where he lives—where his friends are. He comes here once in a while to visit his Aunt Peg and his brother, Garrett…and to see you. It’s just like when we went to the Grand Canyon last year. We met some people there, but our lives were back here in Idaho. So, when our vacation was over, we went home…and so will Luke. But I bet he’d let you e-mail him if you asked. Then you could keep in touch all the time.” Sally was grasping for a positive way to spin the ultimate good-bye, but it was hard to be upbeat for Jen when Sally couldn’t get a grasp on her own feelings.
Jen sat up straight and wiped her eyes. “Maybe that would be all right…but it won’t keep you from missing him.”
Sally pushed Jen’s curly locks behind her ears, then pulled her closer for a kiss on the head. “When did you get so grown up anyway, Ms. Duncan? Don’t you know that you’re all I need?”
Jen rolled her eyes in the typical preteen answer to everything and pushed to her feet. “Whatever.”
Sally snorted and Jen snickered, and immediately the tears and gunshots were pushed to the back of their minds. This time Jen fell in behind her as Sally set a quick pace—as quick as they could manage across the rough terrain of Elk Mountain.
Twenty minutes later, they stumbled onto a little-used forest service road. It wasn’t much, but enough that Sally wanted to sing a couple of choruses of “Hallelujah.” One look at Jen changed her mind. “Let’s rest for a bit, honey.” Sally sat against a tree trunk and patted her lap.
Jen didn’t waste any time snuggling against her, trembling from the chill night air and her exertion.
Sally brushed Jen’s hair as she spoke soothingly. “We’re almost there. I remember this road from hiking with Rachel. It meets the lodge road not too far from here and then it’s just a short walk.”
“What about Luke?” Jen’s face was pale and etched with fatigue.
“He’ll be okay, honey. He’ll find us. Or maybe he’s waiting at the lodge.” Luke had to be all right. Sally couldn’t give any thought to anything else—not after everything he’d done for them tonight.
Suddenly, Jen sat up straight. “Mom, I saw a light through the trees…there.” She raised her arm and pointed across the overgrown road, her voice low and urgent.
Sally’s heart hammered erratically as she searched the area Jen had indicated. After a few seconds, the flickering light appeared, bouncing up and down as though someone carried it and then disappeared again.
“Quick. Follow me.” Sally pushed Jen to her feet and clutched her hand as they moved off the open roadway into the shadow of the trees.
“What if it’s Luke?” Jen whispered.
“Even if it’s Luke, we need to stay out of sight until we know for sure.” As soon as they were within cover of the trees, Sally kept Jen moving, stopping only when she found a close grouping of young pines with needles scraping the ground. She pushed her way through the supple fronds and dropped to her knees, pulling her daughter down beside her. Silently, she placed one finger in front of Jen’s lips, then positioned herself so she had a view of the road. It was so dark within the forest, the only way she’d see anything was if it moved or carried a flashlight, but she settled down to wait. The only sound in their enclosure was the wind rustling the pine needles and Jen’s soft breaths, both of which calmed her frazzled nerves.
Several minutes passed before the bobbing light came into her line of sight. Sally studied the figure who held it. Hope plummeted at first glance. It wasn’t Luke. This man was taller and broader across the chest and shoulders. Was it one of Clive’s men? How had they found her? The federal witness protection program was supposed to be secure, if nothing else. Marshal Lambert would have to explain this before she’d agree to anything more…providing she survived the night.
The big man stopped when he reached the spot in the road where Sally and Jen had rested. Slowly, he turned in a circle until he faced back the way he’d come. “Do you smell that?”
Startled, Sally realized he was talking to someone who was following—someone she couldn’t see. Her gaze darted back to the man with the flashlight. Something about his voice…or was it just wishful thinking?
“I don’t smell anything. What is it?” The breeze carried the second man’s words to her, distorted by the sudden stomping sounds of deer or some other four-legged creatures obviously made unhappy by the proximity of humans in their territory.
The first man turned slowly again, stopping when he faced directly toward her. Sally ducked down as though it might be possible for him to see them through the thin moonlight and the tree branches.
The man looked back toward his companion. “Perfume. I smell perfume. I think we’re close.” The echo hadn’t died from his last words when frenzied barking broke out. “See. Cowboy smells it too.” He turned back and cupped hands around his mouth. “Sally! Jen!”
“It’s Jonathan and Cowboy!”
Sally still whispered, despite her relief, and hot tears welled in her eyes. Determined not to let them fall, she pushed Jen through the pine boughs, then took a moment to compose herself. Jonathan worked for Luke’s Aunt Peg at the lodge. Besides Rachel, he was Sally’s only close friend. What was he doing out here looking for them? Was he with Luke? Eager to know Luke was all right, Sally stepped out of the trees just as Cowboy, the former military K-9 Luke’s brother had brought back from Afghanistan after they both were wounded, bounded to Jen and danced around her excitedly. Jonathan laughed warmly as he scooped her daughter into a bear hug.
He stopped when he saw her just standing there. “Sally? Are you okay?”
“Almost.” She strode toward him, suddenly self-conscious of Luke’s T-shirt and her disheveled hair. “I didn’t expect to see you out here.”
Jonathan grinned. “Well, I didn’t really expect to be out here looking for you either.”
“Is Luke with you?” From the corner of her eye, she caught a movement and turned, expecting to see him smiling at her. The smile was familiar, but it was worn by Luke’s brother, Garrett, as he covered the last few feet to join them.
He placed his cell phone to his ear. “We got ’em…yeah…see you in a few…yep, here she is.” Garrett extended the phone to Sally, and he didn’t have to tell her who it was.
Knowing Luke was alive turned her knees to rubber, and it was all she could do to force herself to take the phone. Somehow, she rasped out Luke’s name.
“Are you and Jen all right?” He sounded exhilarated and relieved at the same time.
“We’re fine, Luke. Are you okay? Where are you? What happened? We heard gunshots.”
“Slow down. We’ll catch up later. I’m not far from you. I called Garrett as soon as I crashed my ride. He and Jonathan came to help me find you.” He paused, and Sally got the feeling he was listening to her erratic breathing. When he spoke, he was dead serious. “I told you I’d find you, babe.”
Sally nodded but didn’t know what to say to that. “Is your truck history?”
Luke snorted. “That gutless piece of shit? It’s time I bought a new one anyway.”
They laughed together and, for the first moment in a very long time, Sally felt whole. Was it possible to go back? Recapture something that had died such a resounding death? Sally shook her head and squeezed her eyes closed. She’d never know unless she opened herself up to the possibility, but the thought of trying and failing again scared her to death.