Chapter Eight
The sound of the front door opening had Sierra sitting up straighter on the cot in the cell. Beau Dawson strode into view, his black boots creating a dull thud against the hardwood floor as he headed toward Officer Collier.
He didn’t even spare her a glance as he sat beside Collier’s desk, turning his chair to face the glass entry door and windows fronting Main Street.
She crossed her arms and watched the two men conversing in low tones, obviously not wanting her to hear whatever they were saying.
Some of her frustration and anger at being locked up faded as she noted the tension in Beau’s posture.
His handsome brow was drawn into lines of worry.
And his frequent glances toward the door and large plate-glass windows did even more to broadcast his concern.
It seemed safe to assume that the men who’d shot up his cabin had gotten away or they’d have been brought here in handcuffs, just like her. Was that why Beau was so worried? Did he think the gunmen would be bold enough to actually come to the station?
Collier nodded in agreement with whatever Beau had just said.
Then Beau stood and crossed to what had been his office until a handful of hours ago and disappeared inside.
When he came back out a few minutes later, he was wearing a black backpack.
He didn’t stop at Collier’s desk. Instead, he crossed straight to her cell.
His dark eyes were intent, his expression a mixture of worry and determination as he punched a code into the electronic keypad on the wall. A buzzing noise sounded followed by a loud click. Then he slid open the door and motioned for her to come out.
She didn’t hesitate, grateful to be free of her cage. “I was beginning to think I’d never get out of there. Your officer didn’t even give me a phone call to start the bond process.”
“He’s no longer my officer. And he kept you here for your protection. We’re leaving.”
She blinked. “Where are we going? To the courthouse?”
“Mystic Lake doesn’t have a courthouse.”
“Right. Too small. Chattanooga, then? If you’ll let me have that phone call, I can have a lawyer waiting there when we arrive. He’ll bond me out so I don’t get locked up again.”
He arched a brow. “You seem to know a lot about the legal process. Is that from personal experience?”
She put her hands on her hips. “Not the kind you’re thinking. I have, uh, friends who’ve been in a bit of trouble here and there.”
“Friends. Right. We’ll go with that. Officer Collier has graciously agreed to release you into my custody.”
The stinging comeback she was about to deliver in response to his sarcastic tone died unspoken when he mentioned her being released.
When he didn’t elaborate, she said, “You’re the one who encouraged your officer to arrest me, and now you’re circumventing the legal process to get me out?
No, not get me out. Release me into your custody, whatever that means. Why?”
“Just a precaution until Collier and the team perform their investigation.”
“A precaution?”
He glanced at the street again.
She followed his gaze, then stepped in front of him to force his attention back to her. “You actually think they’ll come here looking for you?”
“Or you. Or both of us.” He shrugged. “I can’t imagine them being brazen enough to come here. But I’m being extra cautious.”
She blinked, surprised. “You think they’re after me too?”
“The shootout wasn’t enough to convince you?”
“It was your cabin. They were clearly targeting you.”
“Sierra, the bullets strafed the ground right where you’d been standing before I yanked you into the trees.”
“I was in the way, interfering with them getting you. If they’d realized who I was, they wouldn’t have shot at me.”
“Because they’re afraid of your father?”
“Most people are.”
“Because he’s a simple businessman?” His voice practically dripped with sarcasm.
She glared at him.
He blew out a breath, his frustration obvious. “Look, I’m just trying to make a point here. If you’re right and your brother was murdered, and these men were involved—which seems likely—they’ve already proven they’re not worried about your father’s wrath. What’s one more Covington to them now?”
She blinked, his words chilling her as they sank in.
His conclusions seemed ridiculously obvious and logical.
But she’d lived so long under the umbrella of her father’s protection that it hadn’t dawned on her that she too could be in mortal danger.
She’d foolishly believed all this time that if someone found out she was investigating her brother’s death, the worst that would happen was that they’d leave town before she could finish her investigation. But now she knew the truth.
She was in just as much danger as Beau.
His voice droned on as he continued his explanation.
“—so whatever they’re after, whatever reason they had for…
going after your brother, at a minimum they’ll want to keep you from telling anyone about your suspicions about Esteban’s death.
You said you overheard in town about me reopening your brother’s case.
They could have just as easily heard about you being in town, or at least some Spanish lady who’s been hanging around.
That could have led them to suspect you were the Spanish lady.
They may have been watching you all this time, figuring out what to do about your interference.
Until we know for sure who these men are, the safest thing to assume is that they want to silence you just as badly as they want to silence me. ”
She nodded in reluctant agreement, fear making her clasp her hands to keep them from trembling.
Beau gave her an empathetic look as if realizing that his words had finally gotten through to her. He lightly squeezed her shoulder. “It’s going to be okay. I wasn’t trying to scare you. I just wanted to make sure you understood the situation. We need to get out of here. Now.”
“And go where?” she asked. “My rental house?”
He glanced at Collier, before answering. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We’ll discuss our destination after we leave.”
She arched a brow. “You suddenly don’t trust your own officer?”
“Not telling Collier where we’re going is my way of protecting him. What he doesn’t know can’t put him in danger.”
“Back door?” Collier asked.
“Back door.” Beau took one of Sierra’s hands in his and tugged her across the squad room.
She was so surprised that she didn’t pull away or argue.
Not that she minded him holding her hand.
The man wasn’t exactly hard on the eyes.
And she hadn’t had to fake her attraction to him when she’d shamelessly flirted earlier today.
But letting someone pull her around and force her to do something wasn’t what she’d normally allow.
As he pulled open the back door, she half-expected a gunman to meet them there. Thankfully, the doorway was empty. No gunshots rang out from the woods across the back alley.
He scanned their surroundings. Then he pulled her out with him so Collier could close the door.
“This way,” Beau said, although he didn’t need to tell her that since he was already tugging her along again.
She sighed and followed his lead. For now.
When the alley curved around the last of the buildings, she was surprised to see that they were at the parking lot at the beginning of Main Street.
She’d never noticed an alley entrance when parking there.
The way the trees curved around the buildings back here, they concealed the alley.
She imagined that was by design, most likely by the police. Smart.
“Now that we’re alone you can tell me where we’re going,” she said as he pulled her toward a black four-wheel drive pickup that she guessed was his personal vehicle.
He pressed a key fob, unlocking the doors as he stopped by the passenger side. “Chattanooga.”
She hopped up in the truck. “Chattanooga? That’s an hour away, just to reach the city limits.
Another half hour on top of that, at least, to get downtown if we’re going to the sheriff’s office.
If not, downtown is where all the nicer hotels are located.
Isn’t there somewhere else we can stay and still be safe? Somewhere in Mystic Lake?”
“That’s plan B. I prefer plan A, getting you the heck out of Dodge.”
He shut the door before she could ask about plan B.
Once he was in the driver’s seat with his backpack on the floor behind them, he started the truck and backed out of the parking space.
Soon they were on the narrow road that would wind them through the mountains for over an hour before they’d arrive at what lay on the other side: Chattanooga.
She rubbed her hands across her arms, looking at the thick, dark woods crowding in on the road from either side.
She’d always loved this long, beautiful drive when she’d gone in or out of town.
The glimpses of rock-strewn creeks and the occasional waterfall visible through gaps in the trees were breathtaking, as were the green valleys below when they came into view.
But none of those sights gave her pleasure right now.
Instead, they made her uncomfortably aware of how isolated and empty this road was at this time of day with most people at work.
“Beau?”
“Hmm?”
“If you’re truly worried that the gunmen who attacked us at your house will come after us, then why are we out here all by ourselves on such an isolated road? Aren’t you worried they could follow us and overtake us?”