Chapter 7
Not again! Please, Lord Jesus, not again!
For the third time in less than twenty-four hours, Bryn ran from the sound of gunfire.
Her breath sawed from her lungs as she dashed across the backyard of the rental property, following Micah’s lead.
She wanted to clap her hands over her ears to avoid the sound of shots being fired, but she couldn’t with her hands clasping the computer tightly against her chest.
The socks on her feet were no protection from the stones and twigs scattered on the ground.
She swallowed hard against the sharp pain as her feet found every single one.
Maybe wearing the uncomfortable dress shoes would have been better, but it was too late to go back to change now.
The damp grass due to the recent rain and melted snow soaked her feet.
How had the gunman found them? Her phone?
Had they tracked her device to this location?
She hadn’t used the phone until today, having kept the phone powered off to preserve the battery.
Her only goal was to get information on the company’s recent clients and whether they were related to Damien’s disappearance.
A plan that had backfired in a big way.
Micah didn’t take a direct path, moving instead from one house to the next, staying off the roads as much as possible. She didn’t argue; he was the expert. Yet she was falling farther behind as she stepped on yet another rock.
As if sensing her distress, Micah turned and looked at her. Then he spun around to come to her side. “Lean on me,” he whispered. “Just a little farther.”
She nodded, her breath coming in pants that made it impossible to speak. She trusted his instincts more than her own. Reassured by his solid presence beside her, she found the strength to push herself forward.
They continued through one more backyard, then another, until Micah finally stopped near a house that appeared to be empty. He stood watching for a long moment, then pulled her to the ground when the sound of a car engine reached them.
She knelt on the wet ground, her heart thundering so fast she was surprised he couldn’t hear it. Maybe he could. A steel-gray SUV rolled past. She bit her lip to keep from crying out in alarm.
When the vehicle was out of sight, she glanced up at Micah. “Are we safe?”
“Not yet.” His expression was grim. “I caught the license plate, though, so that’s helpful. We’re going to stay put for a few more minutes, okay?”
She nodded, shivering a bit as the cold seeped through her wet socks. Not running was nice, but she wondered what they’d do if the steel-gray SUV returned.
The minutes slipped past slowly. After what seemed like eons, but was likely only five minutes or so, Micah straightened. “Okay, we’re going to head through a couple more backyards.”
Again, she didn’t see a reason to argue.
She straightened, shifted the computer in her grip, then followed him across the street to the next yard.
She was surprised, really, that none of the people inside the houses around them seemed to notice them moving through their property.
If they did, she knew a call to the police wouldn’t be the worst thing.
They still needed to meet with the lieutenant to provide their statements.
After crossing two more streets, Micah stopped. She leaned weakly against him, watching as he pulled out his phone. When he pulled up a rideshare app, she sighed in relief to know the running was over.
At least for now.
“Our ride will be here in a few minutes.” His voice was low and husky. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” There was no point in complaining. “I can’t believe they found us at the rental house.”
“I know.” He slipped his arm around her waist, giving her a brief hug as he scanned the area, every muscle in his body tense as if on high alert. “I’m sure they tracked your phone. I should have told you to ditch it before now.”
Since that was what she’d already assumed, she nodded in agreement.
“So that means someone at the company is involved. Likely Richard.” A chill snaked down her spine.
“He must have realized I was on the company system, called Deon to cut off my access, then sent the gunman after me.” The more she thought about Richard being involved, the more she was convinced he was responsible.
“Richard or maybe someone else.” He nodded toward the silver car heading toward them. “This is our ride.”
She pushed away from Micah, pulling herself together with an effort. He released her, tucked his weapon back into its holster, then stepped forward to greet the driver. He opened the back door of the vehicle and gestured for her to get in.
“You’re heading to the airport?” the driver asked as he pulled away from the curb. His gaze met theirs in the rearview mirror. “I didn’t see any luggage.”
“Yes, we’re heading for the airport. This is a last-minute trip. We’ll buy what we need once we’re there,” Micah said, as if that was something he did every day.
Their destination surprised her, although it made sense.
Micah’s car was still in the garage of the rental property, the one that had been pelted by gunfire.
The rental car she’d used was still at the restaurant down in Beloit.
Micah had sent her to the airport to get a rental car, and it seemed as if he was about to do the same thing again now.
“Which airline are you flying?” the rideshare driver asked.
“Delta,” Micah answered without hesitation.
Micah seemed a little too comfortable fabricating stories on the fly, although maybe that was part of being a private investigator. She took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart. They were safe now.
But for how long? The question nagged at her, although she tried not to dwell on things she couldn’t change.
The trip to the airport didn’t take long. She hoped their driver didn’t notice she was wearing nothing but socks on her feet.
“Thanks,” Micah said, tapping his phone screen to leave a tip. Then he ushered Bryn into the main airport terminal.
“The rental cars are that way.” She gestured toward the sign. “I hope they don’t remember me from yesterday, or they might wonder where my car is.”
“I’ll have you wait for me.” The corner of Micah’s mouth turned up in a wry grin. “We’ll figure out how to return the other rental car later.”
They found the rental car counter without difficulty. Bryn sat in one of the chairs that lined the wall as Micah stepped forward to obtain a car. She tried to relax; there was no way the driver of the steel-gray SUV could know where they were.
Unless Richard or whoever was driving decided this was the most logical place for them to get another car?
Swallowing against a lump of panic, she did her best to remain calm. They were safe. They’d get a new car and be out of there very soon.
And then what? She wasn’t sure if Micah intended for them to head straight to the police department or if he wanted to find another place to stay first?
They needed a plan. Running around was getting old.
“Bryn?” She glanced up when Micah called her name. He gestured for her to join him, so she stood and padded over, leaving damp marks on the linoleum in her wake.
“We’re all set.” He smiled encouragingly as he took the laptop from her grip. “Next stop, a store to buy you shoes and clothes.”
“Thank you.” She followed him through the rear door to the parking lot where dozens of cars were parked.
He led the way to a black SUV. Clicking the key fob, he unlocked the vehicle.
She slid into the passenger seat as he set the laptop on the floor in the back.
Then he took a few minutes to connect his phone to the car so he could make calls while driving.
Yet she couldn’t fully relax until they were out on the highway, putting distance between them and the airport. She twisted in her seat to glance behind them.
“It’s okay, we’re fine.” Micah’s voice was calm and steady. “There’s a store not far from here, although it’s nothing fancy.”
“Sounds good. I’m not picky.” She didn’t mind shopping at a discount store. Anything there was better than what she was wearing now.
“I’ll take you shopping for real once this is over.”
His offer was sweet, but replacing her lost items wasn’t his responsibility.
Her insurance company would cover the cost. But that thought made her realize she needed to call her agent to report the fire.
Was there a time frame for that? She glanced at him.
“I’ll need to contact my insurance company soon to file a claim. ”
“We’ll get you a replacement phone at the store too. Do you know the number for your insurance agent?”
She shook her head, feeling foolish. “No, but I’ll be able to find it using the computer.”
He pulled into the parking lot and found a place to park. Thankfully, the store wasn’t crowded at this hour of the morning.
“Grab what you need,” Micah said. “Don’t worry about the cost. I’m going to find a new phone.”
“Thanks.” Her first stop was the shoe department.
Finding running shoes that fit wasn’t difficult.
She carried them to the women’s clothing department.
The styles were basic, but again, she couldn’t afford to be picky.
Besides, looking nice for Micah wasn’t as important as comfort.
After wearing her dress clothes for more than twenty-four hours, she was relieved to find a pair of jeans and a sweater that fit.
Adding new underwear to the pile, she stopped to buy a hairbrush and basic toiletries. She hoped the cost wasn’t too much. Turning, she noticed Micah heading toward her. He nodded in approval at the items she held in her arms.
“Ready to check out?”
“Yes, please.” She followed him to the only register manned by a clerk. Five minutes later, she carried her bag of new clothes into the restroom to change.
When she came out to meet Micah, she smiled gratefully. “I can’t tell you how nice it is to have warm feet.”