by Theresa Hall
She smiled. “Thank you, Jackson. I’m sure whatever it is, I can take that as a compliment.” Her heart fought to regain its normal rhythm.
Jackson’s eyes darkened as he studied her face. His eyes drilled into hers. It wasn’t anger that she saw, but something else. Confusion. Maybe even fear. Whatever it was, it faded into another gentle smile.
“You’re the kindest person I’ve met in a long time.”
“Thank you. I wish I could say the same, but...”
His laughter filled the car. “Touché.”
The ringing of his cell phone broke the mood. He was all business again.
Headlights beamed over the hill and into the creek bed.
“Hey.”
In the night’s silence, Allison could hear the voice on the other end.
“Those headlights are mine. That’s your car down there, right?”
“Yeah, it’s us.”
He disconnected the call and turned to Allison. “Wait here. It’s Devon. I need to talk to him.” He turned on the car ignition and switched up the heat. “Stay warm.”
* * *
He shut the car door and walked around to lean on the trunk. Devon pulled up and climbed out of his unmarked patrol car, rubbing his chin and shaking his head. “I have a bad feeling. This is all making me sick in the stomach.”
Jackson had the same revolting impression. It was obvious his friend wasn’t telling him something. He knew Devon had been keeping secrets from him since this whole thing started. Way back when they’d found out the identification of the DEA agent in the truck, Devon had been acting aloof. Jackson knew his friend well enough to know when he was being evasive. Since Devon was the detective, it wasn’t like he had to tell Jackson everything, but their friendship usually trumped protocol.
“Come on, Devon. What’s going on? I’ve got a woman in my car who’s scared to death and running for her life. How do these guys know she’s with me? How do they keep finding me? Tell me the truth, man.”
“All right. But you’re not going to like it.”
Jackson stared into Devon’s eyes. He sensed more than just bad news.
“We don’t have time to stand here talking, Jackson. They want you to bring her in.”
“They?”
“FBI. They want her brought in.”
Jackson shoved a hand into his hair and spun around. His stomach knotted. He leaned against the car. “Something big is going on.”
“Yeah. The DEA and FBI, they’re all part of this now. We’re on the sidelines watching. I have no idea what’s going on or what’s going to happen next. They’re not telling me much.”
Jackson shot him a look. Devon always knew the details about every murder case that went through the department.
“I’m not lying to you. We’re getting information on a need-to-know basis. Which I’m assuming we don’t need to know, because they aren’t talking to us about anything. All I’ve learned is that the DEA has been on a case here in Stonewater for a while. They’re not saying more than that. This is huge, Jackson. Feds are crawling all over our station. That woman in your car woke up a rattlesnake den when she flipped that truck.”
“Why the FBI?” Jackson kicked a rock into a tree. “If the agent was DEA, who brought in the FBI? Why not the Texas Rangers?”
“Beats me.” Devon shrugged both shoulders.
“Do the feds know she can ID the man in the truck?”
“Yeah, they know. They told us they’re taking over the case and we’re only here to assist.”
Jackson turned and looked through the back window of the cruiser. “What do they know about her? I’m sure they’ve been digging deep into her background.”
“She’s got one sister, no kids, no husband. She was engaged once. She works for that Houston restaurant tycoon, Avery Guerrero at Paradigm Enterprises. She’s his personal assistant. She’s a member of a church in Houston where she was a Sunday school teacher for a couple years. She adopted two cats from a no-kill animal shelter and has always paid her taxes on time. The perfect girl, if you ask me.”
Jackson shot him a look. “Perfect for what?”
Devon raised an eyebrow. “You sure are edgy.”
“Yeah, well, she’s no good to anyone in a body bag. Let’s get her back to the station. We can figure out the rest once we get there.”
“There is no we, Jackson. As soon as you get her to the station, you’re off this case.”
Jackson looked back at her through the window. He didn’t know why handing her over to the feds bothered him so much. This was his job. He knew the rules. It shouldn’t be making him feel like this. “I promised her I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”
“And it won’t. You’re making good on your promise. The DEA will take care of her. Now, let’s get her out of here. She can ride with me to the station. We’ll try to throw them off as much as we can. The cartel has eyes everywhere, and I don’t know who in our department is on their payroll. Probably don’t want to know, but I have an idea.”
Jackson bristled. “Who are you thinking of?”
He rubbed his chin with a thumb and shook his head. “I don’t want to say any names, but someone is tipping them off. Someone at the top. But let me make it clear—it’s not the chief.”
He knew it wasn’t their chief. Jackson had never met a more honest man in his life. But it was somebody. Dealing with a dirty cop was worse than dealing with a criminal. They knew the system and how to play it. The betrayal was close to that of a cheating spouse. The signs were always there, but you just didn’t want to believe it because the truth hurt too much.
“All right, Detective. You’re calling the shots now. I’ll go tell her.” Jackson opened the car door. “Hey, time to go. Devon is going to drive you back to the station.”
“Why?” Her eyes pleaded with him, sending his insides sliding south.
“Plans have changed a little. We’re taking every precaution we can to keep you safe, so we’re putting you in a different car.”
Her eyes searched his face for answers. He wasn’t about to give her any, not yet.
“I want to stay with you, Jackson.”
She couldn’t have shocked him more if she’d slapped him. His entire body felt a yearning that he’d thought he was no longer capable of. He took in the sight of her looking up at him with soft, pleading eyes. She was giving him her trust, but she was taking his heart in return.
That thought snapped him back to reality. She was trying to lay claim to a heart that was stone cold. And always would be. She was too good for him. Allison Moore deserved better than a jaded cop with an attitude.
“Come out so we can get you to the station.” He turned his head, refusing to look at her. He couldn’t bear to see the hurt in her eyes. “Devon will take care of you.”
As he slammed the car door, he was glad Devon was taking over. The more space he could put between them, the better. He didn’t want a woman in his life messing with his head. Or his heart.
Devon stared at him with a scowl on his face.
Jackson bristled. “What is it now?”
“Nothing. I don’t even feel like arguing with you.” Devon shook his head in obvious disapproval.
“Good, because I can’t wait to get home and put this whole mess behind me. The feds can have this case. And her, too.”
NINE
Allison picked up her cell phone and let her finger hover over her parents’ number. They needed to know what was going on, but would she be putting their lives in danger, too? She shoved her phone back into her purse. Her resolve was crumbling, and she didn’t know how much longer she was going to be able to hold it together.
Devon opened the car door and peered inside. “Hey, Ms. Moore. You’re coming with me to the station.”
Allison nodded and slid out of the car. She walked past
Jackson and glanced up at him. Just when she thought she was out of his reach, he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. She stopped and turned to face him.
“Allison, I promise you’ll be safe.”
She looked into his green eyes. They were softer than they’d been a few seconds ago, but there was still a coldness in them that told her he was giving her all the compassion he could muster. She knew in her heart that he was a good man who was capable of love once, but now? She honestly didn’t know.
“It’s a good thing you don’t have to worry about me anymore.”
He stared at her with the furrowed brow that she’d become accustomed to. Without giving him a chance to reply, she walked around the car and got in, hoping to hide her face from him. Hot tears burned her eyes. She didn’t know why it mattered so much to her that he was handing her over to someone else. It wasn’t like they meant anything to each other. She knew he was only following orders, but it still hurt that he seemed angry and irritated with her. She closed her eyes, fighting to hide the fresh tears that threatened to spill down her face.
Dear God, I don’t always pray for others like I should, but please hear me now. Please protect me...and please heal Jackson Archer from his grief. Amen.
Devon climbed into the car. “He means well.”
“Maybe so, but it sure is hard figuring him out. I never know if I’ve offended him or not.”
Devon laughed. “No one does.”
“I feel sorry for him.”
“Well, don’t let him hear you say that. He’s got a lot of pride. The last thing Jackson Archer wants is to be pitied. He’s had a rough five years, but he’s way better now than he was in the beginning.”
Allison wondered if focusing on her feelings for Jackson was her way of keeping her mind off someone trying to kill her. She had a bad habit of ignoring the big things and focusing on something irrelevant when things got serious. When dealing with her ex-fiancé, she’d thrown herself into her job, her church and working out. She tried everything from cake-baking lessons to tae kwon do classes, but nothing hid the pain.
What if she cared about Jackson more than she wanted to admit? Even if she did, her sister was right about him having a lot of issues. She wondered what really happened to his family. Something inside her had to know the truth.
“Can you tell me what happened? To his family, I mean?”
“Someone ran them off the road. It was horrific. I still can’t believe the driver didn’t stop to render aid.”
Allison gasped. “It was a hit and run?”
“Yes. No one could identify the car that hit them. No one saw it happen. I’ve never stopped working the case, but all I’ve ended up with are more questions.”
“Not knowing who killed his family must be agonizing for him.”
“I don’t even pretend to know what he’s gone through. He’s a good man, but he’s never been one to show his soft side. His dad was an army colonel. Their home was like a mini boot camp. He always told stories about how strict his dad was when they were growing up. Hope brought out a side of him that no one else could. Now that she’s gone, he’s back to being salty on a daily basis.”
“He’s definitely that, all right.”
“Don’t let him get to you. He’s a good cop, and he’s focused on keeping you safe.”
He was a good cop, she knew that much about him, but it sure seemed like he took the first opportunity to get rid of her. So much for his promises.
“Then why’d he let you take me in?”
“My idea.”
“Why?”
“He didn’t tell you? The DEA and FBI are taking over the case. We were trying to get you to a safe house, but things keep changing on us. I wish I could tell you everything, but there’s a lot going on that I can’t discuss with you. They pulled us off the case. Now that other agencies are taking over, we’re only assisting. We’re still going to look out for you, though. We’ll protect you, no matter what.”
Lights up the road caught her attention. “Devon, are those federal agents?” Allison pointed toward the lights.
Devon threw the car door open and yelled. “Jackson!”
Jackson opened the passenger door of Devon’s car and grabbed Allison by the arm. “Come on. We need to get you out of here.”
Everything went into fast-forward. Jackson held her hand as they ran toward the creek bed. Devon followed behind them.
The cold air numbed her nose and ears. She winced as the stitches in her knee pulled. Her breath clouded around her as she ran. The familiar ping of something hitting metal echoed through the darkness. “Are they shooting the car?”
“Get down!” Devon yelled. The three of them dove behind a large pile of rocks and tree branches left behind from a recent flood.
“What’s happening?” Her voice shook as her teeth chattered against the cold air.
“Just stay down,” Jackson said.
“Jackson, what if they find us?”
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. “They won’t.”
* * *
Jackson’s heart was heavy as he watched her. He knew Devon could handle himself in any situation, but knowing Allison was in the middle of this was making him uneasy. He wanted to have confidence in her, but even a trained police officer didn’t want to be put in a gunfight.
Whatever it was that she’d uncovered, these thugs weren’t going to stop until she was either dead or in their possession. And he wasn’t going to let either of those happen.
The rapid fire of a gun jolted him. Jackson grabbed Allison and placed a hand over her mouth to stifle the scream he’d anticipated. Bullets hitting metal filled the night air. Their patrol cars were being riddled with holes.
Allison trembled under his arms. He put a finger up to his lips to signal her to be quiet. He knew it was hard for her to stay calm because his own heart pounded in his chest like a drum.
“Jackson, take her. I’m going to see if I can get a look at their faces. We need to figure out who these people are. Radio for backup and get her to safety.”
“Devon, no,” she whispered. “You can’t stay here. What if they find you?”
Devon ignored her and kept his focus on Jackson. “Richard Maber has a place about a mile up the hill. He’s out of town. He asked me to feed his cat for him while he’s gone. There’s a key under the rock by the front door.”
“The only way to that hill is through the creek.” Allison shook her head in disagreement.
“Right.” Devon patted her on the back. “You can do it.”
Jackson frowned at the suggestion. He wasn’t worried about himself, but he couldn’t put Allison into another life-threatening situation. “It’s got to be close to freezing out here again tonight.”
“If y’all have a better idea, let’s hear it. Otherwise, get moving. It’s only a matter of minutes before they realize we’re not in those cars.”
Jackson grabbed Devon’s shoulder. “Meet us there when the coast is clear.”
“I will. Now get moving.”
Jackson bent down and pulled his backup revolver from his ankle holster. “Here.” He thrust his gun into her hand. “Carry this for me.” He pulled his service pistol from its holster and tucked it under the shoulder of his bulletproof vest. The last thing he needed was a waterlogged gun.
Allison stared down at the weapon.
Without saying a word, Jackson took it from her hand and emptied the chambers. He dumped the bullets into his pocket, then handed it back.
Without waiting for her to reply, Jackson grabbed Allison’s hand and pulled her toward the water. Parts of the creek were shallow, but after the recent flooding, the water was still a little higher than usual. He hoped he could find a place to cross that wasn’t over her head.
“Can you swim?”
“Yes, but...”
&n
bsp; He didn’t give her time to finish. Grabbing her hand, he led her to the frigid water. “Try not to get your arms and head in the water. Keep as much of your body dry as you possibly can.”
“Okay,” she said, her voice no more than a whisper.
He knew it terrified her. As much as he tried to hide it, he was as scared as she was. Not for himself, but for her.
“Walk slowly.” He stepped in first. “You’re going to suck in a deep breath when your chest hits the cold water. Cover your mouth if you think you’ll make a noise. We don’t want them to hear us.”
She followed him biting her lip as she anticipated the jolt of the frigid water.
Jackson braved the shock of the cold creek as it surrounded him. His boots filled up, making his steps heavier. The water temperature was close to freezing even though he didn’t see any ice. He eased his feet across the slick rocks as he anticipated a sudden drop off.
Memories of swimming in this same creek with Hope and her friends flashed in his mind. He was familiar with the creek’s different depths. He knew parts of it were shallow enough to walk through, but the darkness made it too hard to tell whether or not they’d found a good crossing.
Jackson glanced back at her and noticed the anguish in her face. The cold was painful, and he worried she wouldn’t make it across.
In the shadows, he could make out the tree line less than forty yards ahead. The water was only at his waist and he hoped it stayed that way. Jackson felt Allison’s hand grip his tighter.
“Hang in there. Do you think you can make it a few more minutes?” He fought to get the words out. The freezing air in his lungs tightened his chest. His teeth chattered, cutting off any words he wanted to say.
“Y-y-yes,” she stuttered.
Her arm drooped and she struggled to hold it up. Jackson pulled her hand into the air to keep it from falling into the water.
“You’re doing great. We’re almost there.”
When they made it more than halfway across, he felt a sense of relief. Jackson took another small step to feel for the rocks beneath his boot. His next step plunged him deeper, putting him in chest-deep water. Panic set in as he sucked in a sharp breath. Allison was at least six inches shorter. He couldn’t let her go under.
