Holiday On The Run

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 (#ulink_c2dfe226-8439-594e-b706-737ea824e4db)

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.”