27. Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Melanie
“Yes, why do you ask?” My nerves suddenly jangle. The mere thought of confrontation makes my throat constrict. “I can't just walk up to Michael and challenge him face to face. I can't.” Real panic edges into my voice.
“No, dear, nothing like that.” Evelyn's tone is soothing, but there's steel underneath. “What we need is a professional. Someone who knows how to handle men like Michael. Someone who can bring them to justice and make them pay. Someone with experience in this world.”
“A professional? Who are you talking about?”
“I mean someone who specializes in dealing with the worst kind of criminals. We need Law-”
“No!” I jump up, scattering papers as terror grips me. “I can't go to the police! They'll question him, he'll know it was me, and then...” My hands shake as I try to gather the evidence. “This was a mistake. I shouldn't have told you. Please, please just forget everything.” I frantically shove papers into the folder.
Strong hands grip my wrists. Through my tears, I see Evelyn's determined face.
“Melanie! Enough, now get hold of yourself. These fits of panic aren't helping.” Her mom-voice cuts through my hysteria. “If you'd let me finish, you'd know I'm not talking about the police. Now sit down and listen.”
I sink back into my chair, forcing myself to breathe normally. The papers remain scattered across the table like evidence of my shattered life.
“I'm sorry,” I whisper. “Please continue.”
“Listen to me carefully. You. Are. Not. Alone. Anymore. Whether things work out with Cameron or not, I'm here. I will never leave you to face this by yourself, and I would never suggest confronting Michael without proper protection. Do you understand?”
I nod, still trembling slightly. “I understand. It's just hard.”
“I know, but you have to learn to be strong. Like you said, we can't find out what we need to know. We have to bring someone else in. But you must control these panic attacks and see that to win, we need a team. Now, Law is the man I want us to meet. He grew up here in Whispering Pines, graduated with Carson's class. He moved to New York years ago and built quite a reputation for hunting down men like Michael. He owns Bear's Bonds and Bounty now. In fact,” her eyes twinkle, “he's the one who helped me find you. Do you know Miss Cora?”
“Yes, I believe so. She has short pixie white hair, always dresses in bright colors, lots of spunk?”
“That sums up Cora perfectly. Yes, that's her. Law is her son.”
“She named her son Law?”
“Wallace - that's his given name, but he hated it. Started going by law when he moved east. Fitting, really, given his line of work.”
“And you think he'll help? Why would someone in New York care about what's happening here to me?”
“Firstly, because Law is a trained bounty hunter. He gets government contracts, so he has access to resources we don't even know we need. Second, he's from here. And with a man like Michael doing what he's doing in Whispering Pines. That will be cause enough for him to get involved.” Her voice hardens. “Law is exactly the kind of protector we need. He lives to take down horrible men, especially ones who prey on women. He didn't hesitate for a second when I called about finding you.”
She picks up her phone, already dialing. “Ready?”
“We can't use your phone. It's bugged, remember.” I reach over to the counter and set my phone on the table. “You really believe this is the best course of action we can take?”
“Yes, I do. Until the wedding, we had no idea who this,” she picks up papers from the folder, “who this Michael really is. Had someone told us, we would have defended him. I don't know how to deal with this, Michael. Neither do you.”
After a moment of consideration, I nod and hand her my phone. “Call him.” I hope this is the solution we need, though I'm skeptical he'll have the computer knowledge to uncover the truth about Michael.
Evelyn dials, putting the phone on speaker. After two rings, a bright female voice answers: “Bear's Bonds and Bounty, how can I help you?”
“Mrs. Evelyn Whitaker for Law, please.”
“Certainly, Mrs. Whitaker, one moment please.”
The next voice that comes through seems to fill the room, deep and resonant: “Mrs. Whitaker. Two calls in one week. I'm certain this must be my lucky week.”
Something about the power and control in his voice, clear alpha authority tempered with kindness, makes me feel safer than I have in weeks. I can only imagine the man who owns that voice.
“Oh stop,” Evelyn laughs. “I need a favor. We need to meet in your office.”
“We? As in, you found Melanie?”
“Yes, and I'm with her now. You're on speaker phone. There is so much more to this story, Wal- Law. We're dealing with someone outside our ability to handle. I'm pretty sure this is even outside of Sheriff Trenton's experience.” She glances at me. “This requires your particular expertise.”
“Outside of Tobias even? I won't lie that has me intrigued. Tobias is a sharp cookie.” His tone sharpens. “Is Melanie in trouble?”
“Yes, and so are others. We have reason to believe this person is kidnapping women, running some kind of operation. We need your help to shut him down.”
A moment of silence. When Law speaks again, there's deadly focus in his voice. “You can come here, or I can come there. Your choice.”
“We'll come to you. Melanie will feel safer there. When can you see us?”
“For this? I'll make time whenever you arrive.”
“I'll call you right back.” Evelyn hangs up, then looks up another number on my phone. She makes arrangements for a private plane as casually as ordering takeout. “Finally, I need this to be total silence,” she says into the phone. After a pause: “Great, we'll be there.”
“When?” I ask, not knowing what she's planned.
“Tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I stare at her. “From where? Won't someone recognize me at the airport?”
“Dear, we're not flying commercial. There's a hangar on old Thompson's farm that unless you know where to look, you'd never spot it. The plane will be ready at five AM. I'll pick you up at three.”
“But how? Where?” My head spins. “Isn't that expensive?”
“Don't worry about that.” She waves away my concern. “Pack everything you have on Michael. Your laptop too - bring everything. Law's team will need it.”
She calls Law back to confirm our travel plans. He promises to have someone meet us at the airport.
When she hangs up, I ask, “How will you explain being gone? Won't someone question you?”
A mischievous smile plays across her face. “I'm just a retired nurse who does charity work. No one notices when I slip away for a,” she makes air quotes, “women's retreat. Plus, Charlie's on nights this week so all he will care about is the food in the fridge and his pillow.”
Moses pads over, sensing the shift in mood. He jumps into Evelyn's lap, purring.
“And what about him?” she asks, scratching his ears.
“He'll be fine for a day. If we're gone longer, I'll have my neighbor check on him. Her son loves him.” I look at the ceiling. “Thank you. For believing me. For looking for me. For everything.”
“Oh sweetheart, I've missed you. And no matter what happens with Cameron, you're still part of my family. Speaking of which, I want you checking in every hour until bedtime. Text when you wake up too.”
“I can't. - your phone is bugged.”
“Oh, damn it. Alright, I'm going right now to get a new phone.”
“No, don't. He'll want to know why you changed phones. Tomorrow, accidentally forget to bring it. If there's an emergency, we can use mine and I'll get a new one.”
“Good idea.” Evelyn stands and makes her way to the door. “You've learned to think of details. Tomorrow, I'll call Charlie and tell him I forgot my phone - that way Michael can hear it too. I'm sure we'll only be gone a day. Charlie won't care as long as I'm with someone who has a phone. And Michael couldn't care less about my church charity work.”
I smile and engulf her in a hug. We stand like that for a while before she kisses my cheek and releases me.
“Be ready at the back door at three. We'll load and go.”
“I'll be ready.” I close the door behind her, then sink onto the couch. Moses immediately climbs into my lap. “What do you think, boy? Even if Cameron never forgives me...” I stroke his fur. “At least we might stop Michael from hurting anyone else.”
For the first time in weeks, I feel like maybe there's a chance.