Reunion on the Run Page 8

  Claire doubted that. She had to assume Xavier had been striving to keep up appearances.

  “I understand that it would be difficult,” Alex said, “but I wish you would reconsider going to the police with this information. It really could help Claire.”

  Ruth lifted a trembling hand to her mouth. “I’ve suspected Xavier played a part in Jared’s death. I’m right, aren’t I?”

  “Yes.” Alex’s answer was blunt.

  “We think so, too,” Claire agreed.

  Ruth nodded as she gazed across the pond. “The thought has crossed my mind, but I wanted to be wrong. If it’s true, then Xavier is a very dangerous man. Jared’s death has troubled me from the start. It’s the reason I moved into a secure apartment building. If I went to the police—” she shook her head helplessly “—and he found out, there could be trouble for me. I have grandkids who stay with me on the weekends. I can’t risk having him come after me, or worse, my family.”

  “I understand,” Claire said. “I’m grateful that you met with us today. Your information might prove to be invaluable.”

  “You were always so kind to me. You always took the time to chat. Not like that unfriendly woman Xavier is married to,” Ruth said. “I’ve been keeping you in my prayers.” She twisted her fingers around Claire’s hand once more. “I’ll continue to pray for you until justice is served.”

  * * *

  “I’m not positive,” Alex said as he studied the rearview mirror, “but I think we’re being followed.”

  He veered to the right, without the courtesy of a blinker, and took the exit. The vehicle followed. As it angled onto the exit, Claire got a good look at it.

  “It’s a dark sedan, either black or navy blue. There are at least two people in it.” She glanced at Alex. “How long have they been following us?”

  “I spotted them a few blocks from the park. But there were a lot of people coming and going,” he said. “It wasn’t until this last turnoff that I knew for sure. I’d guess Xavier has had someone following Ruth. Maybe he knew about her phone call. Or maybe she was acting guilty before she resigned. They probably followed her to the park and have been biding their time.”

  They’d known from the start that meeting with Ruth was a huge risk. But with her being the only potential lead, and with her being so stubborn, it was a risk they’d been forced to take. The information she’d shared could prove to be priceless.

  If only they had the opportunity to pursue what they’d learned.

  It seemed Xavier’s resources were endless.

  Claire released a growl of frustration. “They couldn’t go after us in the park. There were too many people. And—”

  “And it wouldn’t fit into the scenario Xavier has built around you being the murderer if someone took you out in such a public place,” Alex said, finishing her thought. “It would look too suspicious.”

  Claire winced. If Xavier got to her, if he killed her, he would make sure there were no witnesses.

  “We’re certainly not in a public place now.” Claire eyed the empty road ahead with trepidation.

  “Here they come,” Alex said under his breath. He reached for his Glock. He drove with his left hand while holding the gun in the right. “Hold on tight,” he said to Claire. “We’re going for a ride.”

  Claire gripped the dash when she realized what Alex was about to do. A fenced-in cow pasture was to their left. A harvested field to their right. He whipped the Jeep to the right. As he did, a bullet tore through the back side window. If he’d continued straight, the bullet likely would’ve hit him or Claire.

  Claire took the gun from Alex’s hand as he drove down the ditch and up into the harvested field. When Alex pivoted the Jeep around so they were headed in the opposite direction, Claire propped her elbows in the window frame and fired off several shots. At least one bullet hit its target. A tire exploded, sending the car fishtailing wildly. It careened into the ditch, where it skidded up the side and into the field.

  Retaliation shots were fired, but they missed their mark.

  Without slowing, Alex maneuvered the Jeep onto the road and sped back toward the highway. Claire twisted around to check out the car. It wobbled back and forth, as if the driver was trying to reverse it but the vehicle wouldn’t cooperate.

  “You’re a great shot,” Alex said, his voice rising in surprise.

  “Of course I am,” Claire replied, her body now buzzing with adrenaline. “I had a great teacher.”

  When they’d been together, Alex had never liked that Claire lived alone. Early in their relationship he’d insisted she get a handgun.

  And learn to shoot it.

  They’d spent countless hours at the local shooting range.

  Alex glanced over his shoulder to assess the damage in the back seat. “We’ll have to take the top off before we go back to the campground.”

  The bullet had gone in through the back passenger-side window and exited out the other side.

  Claire dropped down in her seat. Her adrenaline rush evaporating as reality sank in.

  The thick plastic that comprised the windows of the soft-top Jeep cover flapped in the wind. Gaping holes existed where the windows should’ve been.

  “They could’ve killed us,” Claire said, her voice tight with emotion.

  “Yeah,” Alex said with a hard edge to his tone. “I’m pretty sure that was the plan.”

  SIX

  They had driven around at length the night before to be sure they weren’t followed by another car. Eventually, Alex pulled over on a deserted road to remove the damaged canvas top. He’d stuffed it under the back seat so as not to raise suspicion at the campground.

  Claire thought they might raise suspicion regardless. She’d been relieved when they’d reached the cabin, where Roscoe had enthusiastically greeted them.

  In the morning, dark clouds threatened rain. It made no sense to take the top off today, of all days.

  Claire had called Ruth to check on her. She was grateful to hear the woman had made it home safely, probably in large part thanks to crowded streets and her secure parking garage. She warned her that she might be in danger. Her friend had taken the news with a calmness she hadn’t expected. Ruth promised that—despite being new at her job—she would take some time off, sequestering herself in the safety of her apartment. Though her new employer might not be happy about the request, Ruth’s safety was of the utmost importance.

  She knew their lives had been spared by God’s grace. It gave her hope that He wasn’t done with her yet and that He would lead her out of this tribulation. Despite that hope, she had slept more fitfully than usual that night. Not only was she haunted by her usual nightmares, she now suffered from the nagging thought that she was missing something.

  “We need to get back into your house,” Alex said as he finished off his coffee.

  “I went through his office,” Claire reminded him. “I went through his files, one paper at a time. I went through the files on his laptop, through his desk drawers. I even got down on my hands and knees to look under the chairs and to be sure nothing was taped to the bottom of the desk. I looked everywhere I could think of, hoping I would find evidence that Xavier had killed someone prior to Jared. If some sort of insurance policy existed, don’t you think I would’ve run across it?”

  “It’s doubtful he would’ve kept it in his business office,” Alex said. “It would be too easy for Xavier to find it. It’s also doubtful he would’ve put it in a safe-deposit box. Not if it’s something he wanted you to run across.”

  “I’ve thought of all that, as well,” Claire admitted.

  Alex set his mug down, looking grim. “There’s always the possibility that he was bluffing.”

  “I know.” Claire slowly spun her own mug of coffee around on the table. “It’s a possibility, but Jared was a man of action. If the thought crossed
his mind that he needed some sort of insurance—”

  “He would’ve put it in place,” Alex finished.

  Claire nodded.

  “If such a policy exists, he wouldn’t have hidden it so well it couldn’t be found. Otherwise, what would be the point?”

  “But he wouldn’t have wanted it to be found too easily, either.”

  “Of course,” Alex said, “it would sure help if we knew exactly what it was that we were looking for.”

  Roscoe loped up to Alex and nudged his hand. He grinned at the dog. “Hey, boy, you finally want to be my pal again?”

  Claire smiled. She had noticed that Roscoe didn’t favor Alex. He came to her when he wanted attention, and if Alex took over, the dog didn’t mind. He’d even trot over to Alex when called, but he never sought Alex out, until now.

  “I think he’s been holding a grudge,” Alex accused. “He’s pretty mad at me for leaving. Hopefully he’s decided to forgive me.” He turned his attention to the dog and gave him a good rubdown. Without looking at Claire he said, “I sure hope he’s not the only one who’s managed to forgive me.”

  She reached across the table, taking his hand. His eyebrows hoisted ever so slightly in surprise. She squeezed his fingers, wishing things were different. Wishing they’d never lost the closeness they’d once shared. For Mia’s sake, and their own, they needed to find peace with the past.

  “I forgave you a long time ago.” She had forgiven him because that’s what she knew God wanted her to do. Forgiveness hadn’t come quickly, but over time she had realized that holding on to her anger was pointless.

  Alex’s eyes met hers. “I appreciate that.”

  “But that doesn’t mean that you walking out on me doesn’t still hurt,” she admitted. “Just because I’ve forgiven you, that doesn’t mean that I’m okay with what happened.”

  Alex sighed. “I understand.”

  Roscoe let out an aggrieved whine.

  “He’s been cooped up a lot the last few days. I should run up and down the trail with him, let him get some exercise,” Alex suggested as his hand slid from hers.

  “He’d like that.”

  “I won’t go far.”

  Once he was gone Claire went to her bedroom to sort through her belongings. She grabbed the last clean outfit she had along with her toiletry bag. The past few days had been so rushed. She looked forward to luxuriating in a long, hot shower. It felt like it had been years since she’d been afforded such a luxury. The truck stop showers ran on quarters. Though she knew she had plenty of cash, it seemed silly to waste it on water. Her showers had been hurried.

  Ten minutes later, smelling like honeysuckles courtesy of the shampoo she had packed, she emerged feeling refreshed.

  As she was scrubbing off she heard the front door open. She had timed her shower perfectly. She wondered if Alex would be willing to go to the nearest town for dinner. They could run through a drive-through. She was starving, but more than that, she was starting to feel stir-crazy. Maybe they could find a quiet park to eat at.

  She dressed and then wrapped the towel around her head.

  “So I was thinking—” she said as she tugged open the door. She immediately cut herself off when she realized she was looking into the eyes of a stranger.

  Her hand reflexively flew to her neck, searching for the bottle of pepper spray she wore like a security blanket. Fresh out of the shower, she hadn’t put it on yet.

  “I’m so sorry! I knocked,” the middle-aged woman explained. “I didn’t think anyone was here.” She held up a bottle of cleaning fluid. “I was going to spruce the place up a bit.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that.” Claire struggled for calm. “We’re fine without housekeeping services.”

  “But—” The woman—Rhonda, according to her name tag—paused. She narrowed her eyes at Claire.

  “We’re not very messy,” Claire quickly said. “I don’t mind straightening up myself.”

  “Sure.” Rhonda reached for the basket that held her cleaning supplies. Her gaze zeroed in on the couch where Alex’s pillow and blanket were, again, neatly stacked. Her brow puckered for a moment before she turned to Claire and gave her a strained smile.

  Was she simply wondering why one of them was sleeping on the couch? Or did her curiosity run deeper than that?

  Dread, slow and nauseating, began to course through Claire’s veins. She turned away from Rhonda, trying to act casual as she reached for the coffee cups that had been left on the table. She wanted the woman gone but wanted to be subtle about it. Desperation could ignite the woman’s suspicion. She had a feeling it might be too late.

  The cabin door swung open. Roscoe trotted in but Alex paused on the threshold. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly when he realized Claire wasn’t alone.

  “Oh, hey, Renee,” he said, intentionally calling her by her middle name, “I didn’t realize you had company. It’s starting to drizzle out, so we decided to cut our walk short.”

  Claire forced a casualness she didn’t feel. “She was just wondering if we needed any housekeeping services.” Her eyes were on Alex. Perhaps she was being paranoid but she felt as if she could feel Rhonda’s eyes roving over her.

  “I think we’re good,” Alex said lightly as he strode into the room. “But thanks.”

  Rhonda hefted her basket onto her hip. “If you’re sure. Just stop by the office if you need anything.”

  “Thank you, we’ll do that,” Claire said.

  The moment the door was closed, Alex spun to face her. “What was that all about?”

  Claire shrugged helplessly. “She came in while I was in the bathroom. She said she knocked, but I didn’t hear her.”

  His jaw clenched as he turned to face the door.

  “Do you think she recognized me?”

  He turned back to study her face. “You’re not in much of a disguise. The towel is covering your hair but other than that, you look like you.” He strummed his hand on his thigh. “On the other hand, she didn’t seem jittery.”

  “I felt like she was staring at me. Studying me or something.”

  “Maybe we should head out,” Alex suggested. “It’s probably time even if she didn’t recognize you. Let’s pack up. We’ll leave within the hour. If we leave right now, it might seem suspicious.”

  Claire returned to the bathroom, where she quickly brushed out her hair. She hung up the towel before repacking her toiletry bag. When she came out of the bathroom, Alex’s duffel bag was packed, sitting by the door.

  Roscoe sat off to the side, watching the commotion with curiosity.

  Thunder rumbled menacingly in the distance, a promise of the storm to come.

  Claire wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to quench the nausea she felt. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay. None of this is your fault.”

  His arms slipped around her waist. She slid hers around his neck as she rested her head against his chest. She wanted to melt into him. She had always felt so safe in Alex’s arms. Reminding herself the situation was temporary, she allowed herself a few moments of bliss. His body felt so strong, so capable. His scent reminded her of days long ago.

  “I should’ve been listening. Or I should’ve waited to shower.” Her words were muffled.

  He gave her a squeeze and she looked up into his familiar brown eyes. “If you want to play that game, I could say I should’ve been watching. Quite frankly, I should’ve been. I just thought it would be good for Roscoe to get a good run in so we went a little farther than we should have.”

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” she murmured.

  “Me, too.”

  Her heart fluttered in a way it had no business fluttering. Alex’s arms around her felt right. She could tell herself she was over him, but she wasn’t. She wasn’t sure she would ever be. But he wasn’t right
for her. She needed a man who could commit. Who could put family before work. Someone who wouldn’t run off when things got tough.

  “Claire?” Alex’s voice was a low rumble, vibrating against her chest as he still held her close.

  She realized she’d been gazing at him, lost in her thoughts, wishing things were different. Wishing he’d never left all those years ago. His deep coffee-colored eyes bore into her, as if struggling to read her mind. She became vividly aware of how intently he was studying her.

  When he lowered his mouth to hers, she enjoyed the sweetness of his kiss just briefly before coming to her senses. She gently put her hands against his chest, putting some space between them.

  “That’s not a good idea,” she said quietly.

  Alex’s jaw clenched for a moment before he gave a sharp nod. “Right. Of course. I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I just got caught up in the moment.”

  Claire tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “We both did.”

  Before she could worry about what else to say, Roscoe let out a low growl. He jumped up and scampered to the door, baring his teeth. The grating sound of his unrest filled the room.

  Alex immediately moved to the window, his body tense. He slid his phone out of his pocket and tapped something across the screen.

  “What’s that about?” Claire asked.

  He nodded toward the parking lot. “We’re about to have company. I figure now is a good time to put that backup plan into motion.”

  “Care to elaborate?”

  “Later. Right now you need to get in the other room,” Alex commanded.

  Claire knew better than to argue. Had the woman recognized her? Had she come this far only to be caught by one careless act? She grabbed Roscoe and moved to the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

  * * *

  Claire disappeared into her bedroom and seconds later a series of knocks erupted on the other side of the front door. Alex peered out the window, not surprised to see Tom, the owner standing there.

  He’d met Tom the night he’d checked in and had seen him puttering around outdoors a few times. He had seemed friendly enough. Alex hoped that if the man was suspicious he could defuse the situation.