Hunted, A Romantic Suspence Novel (4 page)

Dave laughed. “Luke, with any other cop, he might be interested in the woman and not the case. But you know our brother, strictly by the book.”

“You filed a report on your own, didn’t you?” Jake asked.

“I found the shooter’s hunting blind and processed the area as best I could.” Matt shrugged. “In case the lady changes her mind.”

His brothers and Jake exchanged knowing looks. All three were in law enforcement of one kind or another. They knew the procedures as well as he did. Just like some of his co-workers they believed some rules could be bent just a little on occasion.

But Matt knew different.

Years ago he’d learned that dire consequences came from not following the rules. There wasn’t a day he didn’t regret ignoring rules meant for their safety. He’d sworn on that day to never knowingly put someone in danger by steering off course again. Laws and regulations provided security for people, and he’d chosen to spend his life enforcing them.

The church door opened. His sister Sami waddled out to stand by Jake. Matt never considered a pregnant woman beautiful before, but his sister literally glowed with her happiness. After all she’d endured in her life, if anyone deserved to be so happy, Sami did.

“So, why’re you guys freezing your tails off out here?”

Her husband wrapped his arm around her. “Matt was just telling us about finding his lady again today.”

Damn, just what I need, Sami’s comments on my love life, or lack of one
.

Matt tried not to groan when Sami lifted one eyebrow at him. His dear sister wouldn’t let that comment slide.

“The same girl he couldn’t take his mind off last week?”

“Shouldn’t you be inside? Resting, or whatever pregnant women are supposed to do?” Matt slipped the shell casing into his coat pocket.

“He’s touchy on the subject.” Jake leaned in and nuzzled her ear. “But he’s right. You shouldn’t be outside.”

“The kids are going to start the carols soon. Nicky wants you there.” She pinned each of them with her pointed gaze. “All of you.”

Luke held open the door. “I’d much rather hear the kids sing than Matt moon over some woman he’ll never see again.”

Sami looked at Matt again. “Matt moon over a woman? He doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body.”

The others all laughed with her and went inside, but Matt stood outside for a moment. Maybe they were right. He wasn’t one of those guys in touch with his feelings. Protecting and helping people took way too much of his time for that. He didn’t spend his days writing poetry or making romantic dinners. He’d always believed when the right woman came along, he’d know it.

His fingers touched the shell casing through the plastic bag in his pocket once more.

Had he found the one woman for him?

* * * * *

The nursery evening shift went without a glitch. Katie gave report to the nurse for whom she’d covered half the Christmas Eve shift.

She grabbed her backpacks from her locker. Since she wouldn’t be collecting this paycheck, she didn’t bother to clock out. It wasn’t like she needed the money. With nothing more than her living expenses to pay, she’d squirreled away quite a little nestegg. Earlier in the day she’d visited the bank and emptied her account.

She peeked out the locker room door into the hallway and searched for anyone out of place. The fruity tang of the hospital’s floor cleaner solution drifted toward her. Kenny from housekeeping stood at the opposite end of the hall from the elevator. Mop in hand, he swirled it back and forth in a lazy figure eight across the tiled floor. Katie smiled. As always Kenny had on his headphones and whistled as he mopped, oblivious to everything around him.

She’d miss that. Who was she kidding? She’d miss almost everything about this job, the babies she took care of each night, the other nurses she’d called casual friends, even some of the doctors.

A spurt of anger shot through her.

Why can’t they leave me alone? Why do they destroy everything?

Katie inhaled a deep calming breath. She didn’t have time to wallow in self-pity or anger. She needed to get to the Emergency Room exit and find Marshal Castello. Until he had her in another safe house, her life could end at any moment.

Taking another deep breath, she stepped into the hall and hurried to the elevator. For once it arrived immediately. She took that as a good omen. She rode it to the main floor, then stepped out opposite the Emergency Room.

Adrenaline rushed through her body, sending her heart racing and her nerves into over-drive. To get to safety she had to cross the sea of strangers sitting, standing or milling about in the Emergency Room’s waiting area. Any one of those strangers could be the person trying to kill her. Even though she’d denied it to the highway patrolman this morning, she wouldn’t lie to herself. Every second she remained outside the Marshals’ protection she was a marked target.

On shaky feet she started through the waiting room, willing herself to walk, not run, to the exit. As she neared the door, a huge explosion racked the parking lot. The waiting room shook, and the panes of glass rattled from the force of the blast. Screams rent the air. Pandemonium broke out. Along with half the room, Katie rushed to the windows.

Flames, bright as the sun against the dark, starless night, shot up in the distance. More than anyone in the room, she knew exactly where they came from. Three rows back in the rear employee parking lot, two slots to the left, exactly where she’d left her car.

Realization settled over her like a shroud. She hadn’t registered her car with the hospital. No hospital employee could identify it as hers. The Marshals had secured her plate number with the local police. No one, but no one knew this was her car. Except the U.S. Marshals.

She went cold inside.

Someone who was supposed to protect her had set her up to be killed.

Coming here was supposed to keep her safe tonight.

Oh, God. Someone could’ve been killed!

She needed to get away from people. Hide. She’d promised herself years ago that no one else would die because of her or something she’d done.

While the hospital security personnel and several male orderlies ran out with fire extinguishers, Katie stepped slowly away from the crowd at the window. Her pulse pounded in her ears, and the acrid smell of burning fuel assailed her every time the exit door opened.

As she retreated, she searched the faces surrounding her for some sign of recognition. Everyone appeared focused on the confusion. She forced herself to walk slowly away from the scene.

Desperation filled every cell in her body. She needed to think. The Marshals were no longer a viable plan. Somehow she had to get to safety, to hide.

Katie turned the corner behind the ER. No one lurked in the hall. She ran as fast as she could to the women’s restroom at the end of the corridor. Inside, with her back pressed against the door, she gasped for breath and tried to stop her uncontrollable shaking.

What do I do now?

Think. There had to be a way out of this. Someone inside the Marshals had given her new identity to someone in the Family. She knew that, as certainly as she knew the sun rose in the east.

I need someone to help me.

The image of Matt, the tall, handsome, serious Highway Patrolman who’d come to her rescue twice appeared in her mind. He’d given her his card and told her to call him if she needed help. Well, she needed help now. She opened her smaller duffel bag and searched for his card.

Please let it be here. Oh, God, I hope I didn’t leave it in the car.

At the bottom, stuck to the side of her cell phone was his card. She took a deep breath and dialed his number.

Matt walked down the steps from his parents’ home with his brother Luke.

“What time are you going to be here tomorrow?” Luke asked as he rounded his car.

“Probably about noon. Most of the package-ripping frenzy by the kids should be finished by then. I’m house-sitting for my friends, Craig and Nancy, watching their dogs while they’re gone for the holidays.”

Luke laughed. “Remember how great Christmas morning was when we were kids? Tons of presents littered the floor.”

“Remember the year we all got new bikes, except Sami?” Matt laughed. “She stayed pissed off for six months.”

“She was too little for a two-wheeler, but that didn’t stop her from trying all of ours until Mom and Dad had to buy her one with training wheels.”

“Our sister is one tough cookie. She always was.”

The sound of The Lone Ranger theme broke into the night. Matt’s family and friends gave him grief about his cell phone song. But The Lone Ranger had been his hero as long as he could remember.

“A little late for calls, bro. Thought you weren’t on call tonight.” Luke paused with his car door open.

Matt fished his cell phone out of his pocket. “I’m not.” He glanced at the caller ID. No name. He flipped it open. “This better be important.”

“Officer Edgars? Matt Edgars?”

The hesitant voice on the other end threw him for a moment. “Katie?”

“Yes. Um, you told me to call if I needed help.”

“What happened? Are you okay?” Every predatory instinct Matt had jumped to alert.

“I’m okay. Just scared.” Her voice broke over the last statement. “Could you come get me?”

Real fear laced her voice. “Where are you?”

“At work, at my hospital.”

“Which hospital, Katie?”

Luke closed his car door and leaned against the top of his car. “She’s in the hospital?”

Matt shook his head and motioned for his brother to shut up as she told him which hospital.

“Where’s your car? What happened?”

“It’s...not working, and I need to get out of here. Please, I know I’m asking a lot on a holiday night, but could you just come and get me?”

“Okay, I’ll meet you at the ER entrance in about fifteen minutes.”

“No! Not the ER. I’ll be around in back, at the service dock. Blink your headlights three times so I’ll know it’s you.” She hesitated again. “Please hurry.”

The phone went silent in Matt’s ear.

The hairs on his neck stood at full attention. Someone was after her.

“What’s up?” Luke hadn’t missed one bit of the conversation.

“Katie needs a ride. Probably nothing more than a dead battery.” He climbed into his truck. “I’ll see you tomorrow at brunch, little brother.”

“Oh, ho. Big brother’s going to the damsel’s rescue.” Luke laughed then climbed into his car.

Matt headed north toward the suburb of Westerville and Katie’s hospital. He couldn’t explain why he made light of the problem to his brother. He didn’t want to involve Luke in something until he knew exactly what the problem was. By the sound of Katie’s voice, he knew she was in trouble.

Katie had called. Katie needed him.

* * * * *

A light snow fell outside the hospital loading dock, covering the dark asphalt in a thin layer of white. Sirens still wailed at the front of the hospital. The nauseating smell of burning fuel and oil filled Katie’s nose with every breath. She hid in the corner just outside the loading dock doors. Through the window she could see anyone approaching from inside.

Headlights flashed to the right as a truck approached.

Please let that be him.

The vehicle slowed and blinked its lights. Once. Twice. Three times.

Thank God. Matt.

She hefted her backpacks and ran down the steps to his truck. She scrambled in beside him.

“What’s going on? What’s the fire out front all about?”

“Go. Get us out of here.”

Matt leaned his back on the driver’s side door. The firm set of his lips announced he’d just become the patient, stubborn patrolman again. “No. Not until you explain...”

“They blew up my car. You’ve got to get us away from here and someplace safe before they find us.”

“Katie, we have to go talk to the cops working the scene. You’ve got to tell them what’s going on and who’s trying to kill you. That’s how the police handle things.” He put the car in park. “I’m not going anywhere until I get some answers.”

Crazy people are trying to kill me, and now probably him for helping me, and he wants to play by the rules?

God forgive her, she hated doing this. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her pistol. Pointing the Glock at him, she used the voice her stepfather had drilled into her over and over. “Drive. Now!”

Matt sat stunned. The Glock’s barrel was less than six inches from his chest. At this distance she couldn’t miss.

White hot anger surged through him. He’d come to her rescue and now she pulled a gun on him? He forced his hands to remain fixed on the steering wheel and not give her a reason to fire.

Desperate people always do desperate things. I knew the woman had bad trouble following her.

His gaze wandered from the barrel tip to her hands. They didn’t shake. She gripped the weapon easily. No rank amateur’s white-knuckle-grip for Katie. He looked at her face. Her lips formed a thin line, and she clenched her jaw tight. Then his gaze centered on her wide eyes filled with fear and desperation.

Whoever meant to kill her had her spooked. She meant business. If he pushed her, she’d shoot. He had no doubt.

“Okay.” He eased the car into drive. “Where are we going?”

“I don’t know. Just get me out of here, before someone sees me with you.” She squeezed her small body beneath the dashboard and the front seat. The gun never wavered.

Matt drove around to the service road, then onto the parking lot’s main exit, avoiding the police, fire crews and reporters swarming around the hospital’s front. He hated not reporting it was Katie’s car in flames.

His gut twisted like a telephone cord. Great gaping holes existed in his database about Katie, her past and the danger she was in. Besides, he didn’t like having a gun pointed at him.

“Where’d you learn to use that thing?” He turned onto the I-270 outer-belt and headed across Columbus’ North side. “I assume you can use it.”

“The nine millimeter Glock-19, triple action safety, magazine capacity of 15, weighs less than two pounds, fires a 9x19 caliber bullet and at this range I can’t miss.”