Yuletide Fugitive Threat

The pounding increased, and he stormed across the living room floor and jerked the front door open. “Adam, what do you mean...”

His words died in his throat, and all he could do was stare in surprise at Mia Fletcher standing in front of him. He shook his head. No, Mia Lockhart. That had become her name after she’d walked out on him for the man her daddy had picked for her.

He grabbed the side of the door and hung on so that he didn’t collapse right in front of her. What was she doing standing on his porch at six o’clock in the morning?

His gaze swept her, and he swallowed the tiny glimmer of pleasure at seeing her. She was just as beautiful as ever. Even though she wore no makeup and her long blond hair was pulled up in a practical ponytail, she had that fresh-scrubbed look he’d always liked. What he didn’t like was the hint of fear in her blue eyes. She stared at him apprehensively, as if to say she had no idea how he would react at her sudden appearance.

He wouldn’t allow himself to be glad to see her. Couldn’t allow it. It had taken too long to get over her, and he wasn’t about to revisit those old memories and the scars they had left deep inside of him. He should slam the door in her face and forget she’d ever come here. He started to do that, but she spoke before he could.

“Lucas, please, I need to talk to you.”

His hand tightened on the door. “We have nothing to talk about, Mia.”

She glanced over her shoulder, as if checking to see who might be behind her, and turned back to face him. Tears stood in her eyes. “I’m in trouble, Lucas, and I have no one to turn to. Just give me five minutes of your time. After that, if you won’t help me, I’ll go away and never bother you again. Five minutes. That’s all I’m asking.”

She shivered and clutched her jacket tighter around her. For the first time he noticed the chill in the air. The temperature had to be in the thirties, and she looked as if she was chilled to the bone. Against his better judgment, he stepped aside and nodded.

“All right. Five minutes. I’ll give you that.”

She brushed past him, and the scent of the fruity shampoo she’d always used filled his nostrils. The memory of that smell had kept him awake many nights when he was still a navy SEAL, but he’d never thought he’d experience it firsthand again.

He closed the door behind them and turned the thermostat up before ushering her into the living room. “Have a seat.”

She sank down on the sofa and rubbed her hands together before she offered him a weak smile. “It feels good in here. I must have stood on your porch for fifteen minutes trying to get up my nerve to knock. It was colder than I thought.”

He pressed his lips together and didn’t say anything, but his gaze drifted down to her hands, which she was still rubbing together. No sign of a wedding ring.

She shivered again, and he refocused his thoughts. A good host would offer her a cup of coffee, but he was in no mood to make this any easier. The quicker he could get Mia out of here, the better off he’d be.

He took a deep breath. “Five minutes, you said. So, what has brought you to my door so early in the morning?” He paused for a moment and frowned. “Wait a minute. I haven’t seen or heard from you in seven years. How did you know where I live? I bought this house after I got out of the navy. You’ve never been here before.”

Her cheeks flushed even more. “I was going to come to your office, but I decided I couldn’t wait that long to see you. I had to leave home quickly in the middle of the night, and I’ve spent the last three hours in an all-night diner. I used my phone to look up your address online.”

For the first time he noticed her red-streaked eyes and the dark circles underneath on her skin. “Have you been up all night?”

She nodded.

Lucas sat down in a chair facing the sofa and placed his hands on his knees. “Okay. I can see you’re upset about something. So tell me about it.”

Mia rubbed her hand across her eyes and sighed. “I hardly know where to start.” After a moment she took a deep breath. “Did you know that Kyle was murdered?”

Lucas exhaled a deep breath. “Yes. It’s been covered enough by the local media. ‘Kyle Lockhart, respected antiques authority and honored young leader in the local arts community, found brutally murdered in an apparent burglary of his office at Shackleford’s Imports,’ I believe is how the newscasters on TV stated it.” He regretted his mocking words when he saw her eyes fill again. He swallowed and spoke in a gentler tone. “I’m sorry, Mia. You have my condolences.”

She looked up at him, and he recoiled from the anger that lined her face. “I don’t need your pity, Lucas. Not now. I need help to find his killer. That’s what I want you to do.”

He shook his head and stood up. “The paper said the police had arrested somebody. If it’s true that they have enough evidence for a conviction, then the case is closed. The killer will be found guilty, and you can move on, living the life of a rich widow.”

“Rich widow? Is that what you think of me?” she screamed as she jumped to her feet. “I would love to get on with my life, but, unfortunately, I can’t. Tony Chapman, who was arrested for killing Kyle, was able to make bail, after which he ran. As far as the authorities are concerned, he’s disappeared. But he hasn’t. He’s terrorizing me and making my life miserable.”

Her outburst stunned Lucas, and he frowned. “What do you mean he’s terrorizing you?”

She sank back to the couch and closed her eyes for a moment. “A few days after Tony jumped bail, I began getting phone calls from him demanding to know where Kyle had hidden it. I told him I had no idea what he was talking about, but he didn’t believe me. The phone calls have gotten worse, and tonight he came to my house and attacked me. I only got away because I had a canister of pepper spray on my key ring.”

Lucas stared at Mia and tried to process what she’d just told him. “Mia, I don’t know what to say.”

She scooted to the edge of the sofa and stared at him, her eyes pleading with him for help. “I need help, Lucas. I want to hire you to find him. He’s a fugitive, and you’re a bounty hunter. If you can bring him in, then maybe I can put this whole crazy ordeal behind me.”

Work for her? She wanted that after everything that had happened between them? He pushed to his feet, walked over to the window and stared outside. He couldn’t help her. It would stir up too many memories that he had safely stored away, and he didn’t need to be reminded. But he had to admit, she needed help.

Finally he turned back to her and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mia. I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to work for you. But I’m sure Adam would be glad to do it.”

Her eyebrows arched. “Adam?”

“Yes. You remember my older brother. He takes cases like this all the time. Why don’t you come by our office later today...?” A sudden thought hit him, and he shook his head. “No, he won’t be in today. We’re going to Nashville. Maybe you could come tomorrow.”

She stared at him for a moment before she slowly rose to her feet. “No. I can’t wait that long.”

“Then what about Jessica? She’s going to be in the office today. I’m sure she would be glad to help you.”

She shook her head. “That’s all right, Lucas. If you won’t help me, I’ll have to figure out another way to get through this.”

The words, spoken without any emotion, hit Lucas as if his heart was being ripped from his body. He watched as she took a step to leave, but he felt powerless to stop her. She had almost reached the front door into the entryway when her cell phone rang. She stopped and pulled it from her pocket. Her eyes grew wide, and she began to shake.

“He’s calling again!” she moaned. “Why won’t he leave me alone?”

Lucas was at her side in two strides and jerked the phone from her hand. “Hello! Who is this?” he yelled into the phone.

There was a short pause before a soft chuckle sounded. “Hello. Mr. Knight, I assume. Tell Mia that running to you isn’t going to help her any. You can’t be with her every minute, and the next time I get my hands on her, I’ll gladly cut her throat without hesitation.”

“You’ll what?” But there was no answer. The man had already disconnected the call. Lucas handed the phone back to Mia. “He’ll cut your throat? What’s that about? You didn’t say anything about a knife.”

Her forehead wrinkled. “I didn’t? That was when he caught me trying to get in my car. He was holding a knife to my throat when I sprayed him with the pepper spray.”

Lucas’s mouth dropped open. “Do you realize that his reflex action could have left you stabbed and bleeding to death?”

She nodded. “I did. But doing nothing would have been worse. I knew I couldn’t be his victim.” She clenched her fists and pounded them against the sides of her legs. “I don’t want to be anybody’s victim anymore.”

Something in the way she said it sent warning signals flashing in his mind. Maybe there was more to Mia’s situation than she was telling. If so, he wanted to find out what it was. He stuck his hands in his jeans pockets and rocked back on his heels.

“Are you hungry, Mia?”

“Yeah, a little. I think I drank about five cups of coffee while I was in that diner, but I couldn’t eat anything.”

He smiled. “Would you like some breakfast? I still know my way around the kitchen.”

Her body relaxed, and she smiled the first real smile he’d seen since she arrived. “You always were the best cook I’d ever known.”

His skin warmed, and he couldn’t help but grin at the compliment. “It was one of my many talents,” he joked. “If I’m going to take your case, I need to find out all the details, and I always work better on a full stomach. Go on in the kitchen. I need to call Adam and leave a message for him. Then I’ll see what I can rustle up for us to eat.”