“True.” He looked so disheartened it made her ache.
“Hey, don’t worry about it. You can pay me back when all this is over. Let’s see, I had grocery money before I went to the ATM and I took out the max.” She did a quick estimate in her head and cited the total. It didn’t improve his mood.
“Okay, forget the gun. It’s too expensive. We need other things more, like camping supplies.”
“And shoes for you,” Kaitlin said. “You can’t go tromping around in hospital booties.”
“You think?”
“Well, they do match your shorts, but those are pretty messy, too. Put down your sizes and I’ll see what I can do.”
“Get the cheapest things they have,” Daniel warned, “or we’ll be broke before we know it.”
“There may be another ATM inside.”
“Don’t chance it.”
“Why not? They already know where we are.”
“One faction does,” he said soberly. “I wish I could be sure those guys are the only ones after the bounty.”
“Bounty?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “When I told you there were guys after me I meant lots of them, not just the gang I was involved with. They put a price on my head. I’m worth more dead than alive.”
She blinked rapidly as he took her hand, holding it fast between both of his. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get through this. And as soon as I’m back on my feet I’d like to take you out for dinner.”
Kaitlin hoped he was half as enthused about spending time together as she was. What they needed was quality time when they weren’t forced into close proximity for their mutual benefit. What would it be like to relax and just get acquainted without having to keep looking over their shoulders?
To her surprise, that wasn’t merely a random thought. She really wanted to find out.
* * *
A nagging little voice in Daniel’s head kept insisting he had no right to invite any woman into his life in any capacity. Not until he’d stopped having the flashbacks and panic attacks that had caused his chief to place him on extended leave in the first place. So far he had been able to mask his symptoms around Kaitlin, but the cause remained, ready to emerge without warning, rendering him useless at best and perhaps dangerous at worst.
“Hey,” he said, forcing a smile when he thought he saw hesitancy on her part. “It’s just dinner. I figure I owe you.”
Kaitlin rolled her eyes and said, “It better be a doozy of a meal if you expect it to make up for all of this.”
“You haven’t been bored, have you?”
“Noooo. I can’t say I have.”
“There. You see? I know how to show a girl a good time.”
She huffed. “And you accused me of having a warped sense of humor.”
“You do. We both do. I told you before, it’s a coping mechanism for cops and firefighters and other first responders. We may not seem normal to civilians but we’re run-of-the-mill to folks in our kinds of stressful jobs.”
“Agreed.”
The way she was studying him was a little unsettling to say the least. He scowled. “What? Why are you looking at me that way?”
“Truth?”
“Always.”
“I’m worried about you. About us. Sometimes you act as if you don’t take any of this seriously. That scares me almost as much as the gang that’s been coming after us.”
When she paused he considered volunteering more information. The problem was, he didn’t know how much was fact and how much supposition.
Finally, when Kaitlin said, “Tell me more? Please? I feel like I’m tilting at windmills like Don Quixote.”
“Interesting analogy,” Daniel said. “Look, I’m only guessing about some things. We pretty much decided Letty has to be in on it because she was able to recognize the killers and pretend to warn me. Other than that, I really don’t have names and faces for all my enemies. It’s my suspicion that others in the St. Louis underworld have it in for me. Maybe a few cops do, too. I just can’t be sure. That’s the problem. If the good guys wore white hats the way heroes used to in old Western movies it would be a lot easier to tell them from the killers.”
“No gang colors?”
He shook his head. “No. These guys are too smart for that. They dress and act just like everybody else so they don’t stand out in a crowd. The only way to ID them is to get to know each man. And woman, like Letty.”
“She didn’t give you any clues about her loyalties before?”
“You mean while I was engaged to her?” Daniel knew there was rancor in his tone but he couldn’t help it. “No. Either she’s a very good actress or she changed sides after Levi was murdered. I tend to lean toward the latter. What I don’t understand is why she was so angry. She’s the one who dumped me for him and set him up by letting him move in with her.”
Kaitlin was slowly shaking her head and staring, glassy-eyed, through the windshield at nothing in particular. He hated himself for failing to give her the assurances she’d sought. Revealing his emotional scars wasn’t going to help, he insisted. If he’d felt strong enough he’d have told her to point her truck northeast and deliver him back to his chief. Maybe that was what he should do, anyway, sick or well. It would get him off Kaitlin’s hands.
“All right,” he said with a poignant sigh. “Drive me up to St. Louis. I’ll be able to recruit other help once we get there.”
She rolled her eyes and made a face at him. “Oh, sure. And hope you make it alive? It would go over great with your police chief boss if you died of sepsis on the way. Or if we were ambushed before we got there.”
“That is a concern.”
“Well, duh.” She reached for the key and started the engine. “How far to the store you want me to use?”
“Two or three blocks. It fronts on Sunshine. Prices would be lower at one of those common box stores scattered all over the state, but we’ll be able to lose a tail better by sticking to the largest crowd. They don’t get any bigger or busier than this specialty sportsman’s complex.”
He knew he was right. And, thankfully, Kaitlin wasn’t arguing. He supposed he should be glad she simply accepted his decision but he remained unsettled. Perhaps that was because he was sending her out alone instead of figuring out some way to go with her. To protect her.
Daniel placed his hand lightly over the bandage on his leg and noticed the skin around it was hot. That wasn’t a good sign. Not good at all. Heat indicated infection. The severity of the pain hadn’t changed much, but his thigh hadn’t been burning up earlier. Despite taking medication he was getting sicker, losing his battle with whatever germs had taken up residence in his leg and were starting to throw a party there, with him as their unwilling host.
Telling Kaitlin was a must. However, the timing of that particular confession needed to be handled properly. If she thought he was actually that ill she might drag him to another hospital. As long as he remained conscious, fine, but if he passed out there was no telling what’s she’d decide to do.
“Right at the traffic light,” Daniel said, pointing. “That’ll take you past the main entrance. That’s the one you want.”
“Gotcha.”
It struck Daniel that she was the most capable woman he’d ever had the pleasure to meet. Considering her rough start and the way she’d turned from the temptations of drugs and alcohol to become a good citizen was truly amazing. The more he thought about wanting to keep her in his life, the more he was convinced how unfair that would be. Not to him, to her.
His thoughts were so intrusive, so disquieting, he barely noticed when Kaitlin pulled into a parking lot and chose a spot. There was no reason for him to micromanage her choices. They were as good or better than his would have been, which didn’t mesh well with his pride.
“All right. I’ll travel light,” she said, stuffing cash and
the keys into her pockets. “Give me the list. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
He’d been afraid she’d order him to stay in the truck but she didn’t say a word about it. Constant pain was making him edgy, and above all he didn’t want to lose his temper. They’d been almost strangers when her ambulance had picked him up, yet she’d offered aid when he’d needed it, asking nothing in return. How many other people, men or women, would have been so willing to put themselves out like that? He couldn’t think of a single one.
Keeping an eye on her until she’d joined the crowd entering the enormous sportsman’s complex, he finally gave himself permission to lay his head back and close his eyes, meaning the respite to last only seconds.
That was the last thing he remembered.
EIGHT
More than a little awed, Kaitlin stopped just inside the entrance of the rustic-themed behemoth of a store and stared. She’d heard about this place, of course, but hadn’t imagined its scope and grandeur. Or that so many shoppers would gather under the vaulted ceilings to gawk. No wonder it was billed as Missouri’s number one tourist attraction!
Signage pointed out various departments, true, but she could tell that locating everything on Daniel’s list was going to require a monumental effort. Not to mention a whole lot of walking.
“Maybe they sell roller skates and I can cut down on how long this takes me,” she muttered to herself. So many people. So much noise. Children seemed the most excited about the live fish swimming below a footbridge over an indoor pond. A few of the younger ones had gone into hysterics when they’d seen the lifelike taxidermy of bears, lions and deer, and were being comforted by their parents. According to descriptions she’d heard, there was also a world-class aquarium inside the store somewhere, as well as some kind of wildlife center. The impressive display at the entrance was just to whet visitors’ appetites.
Speaking of which, Kaitlin’s stomach was growling. Passing an aisle display of energy bars she scooped up several boxes. No telling when they’d have a chance to stop for food. Her patient needed good nutrition as well as antibiotics and hydration. They had drinks in that flimsy ice chest but no decent food on board.
Once her mind caught hold of the idea of actually camping out instead of looking for an out-of-the-way motel she had a better idea of what to buy to keep him comfortable while he fought the fever. If she’d had more cash in hand she’d have gone for high-end supplies. Since she didn’t, she improvised with reflective covers that held in heat and a wool blanket instead of a sleeping bag, a rudimentary cooking set and freeze-dried meals.
Finding and choosing Daniel’s clothing was next. Shoes in his size were limited to expensive hiking boots, at least in the section she’d wandered to, so she picked up sandals for him in case she didn’t find anything else suitable.
Kaitlin knew she was nearly at her self-imposed monetary limit. She pushed her shopping cart out of the way and mentally totaled up what she was about to spend. After she topped off her gas tank they’d be nearly broke.
She huffed and made a face. So what else was new? She’d been out of money before and had survived. She’d do it again. Daniel came first.
Thoughts of him brought empathy. Concern. And a renewed sense that she was being watched. In a store the size of this one it was extremely unlikely she would be noticed, she reasoned, hoping to calm herself.
The display next to where she stood held relatively inexpensive T-shirts with the store logo on them. Kaitlin lifted the closest extra-large one and held it up as if checking the printing while she turned slowly and peered past it to scan the crowd.
Fine hairs at the nape of her neck prickled. She shivered. “Get a grip,” she told herself. “You’re imagining things.”
She had to be. Didn’t she? After all, she was an innocent bystander, not anybody’s target. At least she didn’t think Daniel’s troubles had rubbed off on her.
What if they had? She dropped the first shirt into her shopping cart, picked up a second and turned to check the aisles behind her. Nothing looked off or threatening, so why were her hands shaking and her knees so weak all of a sudden?
“Low blood sugar,” she mumbled to herself, dropping the second shirt atop the first. “I’m getting out of here.”
That, however, was easier said than done. Although dozens of registers were open she still encountered long lines. Having to stand still and wait put her at a distinct disadvantage.
Inching forward, she wished she could somehow become invisible. The longer she stood there, the more uncomfortable she got. “Naturally I chose the slowest line.”
A friendly woman behind her laughed. “You and me both. My kids are going to have my poor husband fit to be tied by the time I get out of here.” She gave Kaitlin a broad grin. “Do you have children?”
“No way.”
“Oh, I thought maybe your family was going camping.”
“I just like to be prepared,” Kaitlin alibied. “You know, in case of a disaster.”
“Have a couple of kids and you won’t have to wait for disaster to happen,” the woman quipped. “They’ll bring it right to you. Still, there’s nothing like a family.”
Kaitlin had to smile. “I don’t plan to have any children.”
“Yeah, well, that’s what I used to say.” The woman laughed again. “Then I fell in love with a guy who was crazy about kids and here I am.”
“I’m sure you’re a great mom.”
“I do my best. My mee-maw used to tell me that was all the good Lord expected.”
The line moved forward, Kaitlin with it. She always gave her utmost to any task so maybe she wouldn’t be that bad at being a mother. Yeah, right. She could model her behavior after that of her stuffy, overly controlling parents and turn out a child who was so afraid of making a mistake she’d turn to rough street kids for approval. That seemed to be the pattern of her life, didn’t it?
Ah, but meeting Daniel back then had helped turn her around, she reminded herself. Thoughts of his kindness warmed her heart and made her smile in spite of continuing uneasiness.
So, so ready for a pleasant daydream, Kaitlin let her mind relax as she stepped up to the checkout counter. She’d forgotten to figure in the sales tax and her bill was higher than she’d imagined, but a two-for-one sale on the shirts that she hadn’t noticed helped balance out the error.
She pushed the brimming cart toward the exit. That was when she finally did spot someone staring at her. He didn’t look at all familiar, yet there was an aura about him that gave her the creeps. He was leaning back, arms folded, one foot propped behind him against a narrow section of unadorned wall.
If she hadn’t looked into the stranger’s eyes she might have overlooked him. Unfortunately, she not only met his gaze, she read it as predatory.
He might be another kind of criminal, she reasoned. Maybe he was simply looking for an easy mark. A woman alone. Someone he could follow to the parking lot and rob. Well, she wasn’t carrying a purse and most of the cash in her pocket had been spent, so if he intended to rob her he was going to be sadly disappointed.
Kaitlin shook her mind loose from its inane ramblings and forced herself to focus on the rest of her surroundings. The guy against the wall wasn’t the only shifty character present. The notion that she was being stalked made many people look menacing. She’d just about pegged another dangerous criminal when a cute little girl and young woman ran up to him and gave him joyful hugs.
Seeing that made Kaitlin question everything. Had she grown so paranoid that she was seeing enemies where there were none? Apparently. A parting glance at the guy leaning against the wall was fruitless. He was gone.
“I’m being ridiculous,” she insisted to herself, having little trouble accepting that criticism. The main door slid open automatically. Kaitlin moved through with a group of other shoppers and made straight for her truck. Whether her sense
s were right or wrong, she needed to rejoin her patient and get him out of town ASAP.
* * *
Having napped enough to renew some of his strength, Daniel had been shocked to spot a familiar face in the parking lot crowd. Was this the answer to his prayer for Kaitlin’s safety? It seemed so. Patrolman Anthony Grainger and he had gone through police academy together. They weren’t best buddies but he had no reason to distrust a man he hadn’t seen for years.
Careful not to jostle his sore leg, Daniel had climbed out of the truck and, using the handmade cane, hobbled over to where Grainger stood.
“Hey, Tony. What brings you here?”
Grainger beamed as if meeting a well-liked old friend and stuck out his hand. Daniel saw the man’s smile fade when he noticed his bandage. “What did you do? Was that line of duty?”
“No. Just an accident. So, are you working in a department down here now?”
“Not exactly.” Tony averted his eyes as he explained. “I’m private security these days. Didn’t cut it on the force.”
“Hey, I’m sorry,” Daniel said, meaning it. What a waste of talent. The Tony he remembered had been a top-notch cop.
“It is what it is.”
“You can say that again.” Although he took pains to appear nonchalant on the outside, Daniel remained alert to possible threats. His initial idea had been to ask Tony for a ride but he was rethinking that. How likely was it that somebody he’d trained with would be loitering here at this particular time? The sportsman’s store was popular, sure, but it made far more sense that someone who had known Daniel in the past had tipped off Tony and sent him there.
“So, no uniform? Are you off duty?” Daniel asked.
“Yeah. Waiting for my girlfriend.”
“Ah. Me, too.”
Grainger chuckled. “Good to hear. I’d worry if I thought you were behind the wheel with a bum leg.” His laugh had started to sound nervous. “Don’t suppose it’d be easy to work the clutch, huh?”
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