by Marion Myles
“Hey, you okay?” his voice was laced with concern. “You’re trembling.”
She shook her head. “I’m fine. A little rattled, I guess. I want to take this slow, okay?”
“Of course it’s okay. As long as we’re together, the rest is just details. I feel good about us. We’re going to figure this out.”
She wished it were true. Wished she could imagine a future with Roman. “I’m sure you’re right. I need time to settle. Get used to the idea. I still want to get the cameras.”
“They’re a good idea. Especially out here. I can hold down the fort while you’re gone.”
Instead of driving over to the security firm, though, Mia headed into Dalton, her mind calculating. If Roman had known about her false identity for all this time, he wasn’t going to move on anything in the next few days. She had some time yet.
Her first stop was to the container store. She needed boxes. She wouldn’t take everything with her, but certainly all her jewelry stuff. Hit with a sudden realization, she grasped at a section of shelving to steady herself. She couldn’t keep doing her jewelry business even under a new name. It would be way too easy for Roman to track her down.
Okay. Fine. She could still sell the inventory somewhere on the road. She already knew she’d likely be walking away from her house, so this would at least give her a quick infusion of cash along the way.
Once she’d loaded up on storage bins, she stopped at the bank and withdrew eight grand. It was a risky move since the teller immediately tsked when Mia admitted she hadn’t called ahead to arrange the funds.
“Sorry,” she said. “It’s a last minute thing, and I thought I’d take the chance you had enough on hand.”
In the end, she had to speak to the branch manager and go through a lengthy process to get the cash. She knew that while they wouldn’t immediately go out on the streets of the town spreading the word that Mia Reeves was pulling funds, she was darned sure it would come to light once she’d disappeared.
She also planned to hit up the instant teller machines if she was in town over the next day or so. She needed as much untraceable cash as she could get her hands on. Still, it wouldn’t point them in any particular direction since she, herself, hadn’t yet decided where she was going.
At the grocery store, she stocked up on road supplies—dog food, and other odds and ends—so she wouldn’t have to buy them once she was on the run. It was important she didn’t change her normal habits with Roman. While she was out, she bought fixings for a nice dinner. She knew he’d be watching her closely in these next few days. She’d have to behave as normally as possible.
Slipping everything into the back of her Escape, she thanked goodness for the tinted windows. It was unlikely Roman would notice the supplies crammed on the floor. Next, she opened her travel toolbox and chose a screwdriver and a mini can of WD-40.
The parking lot was about a third full, maybe fifteen cars or so. She’d chosen a spot in the far corner and had parked especially close to the Nissan Sentra beside her. Pulling out her cell phone, she pretended to take a call. She leaned against her SUV before pacing back and forth behind the vehicle and scanning the area as she moved. No stock boys collecting shopping carts. No other patrons coming out of the store. This was as good a time as any.
Mia dropped to her knees, quickly sprayed the screws and slipped the screwdriver out of her back pocket, efficiently removing the license plate. She took another at the bowling alley and finally a third in the communal parking lot behind the Pizza Hut, the tanning salon, a hairdresser, and a Michaels craft store.
It would likely be blamed on teenagers messing around. For Mia, it was additional cover during the first few days. Especially if she ended up taking any toll roads. She might even steal a couple more if she managed to get back into town again.
Satisfied with these preliminary steps, she drove back to her house. For the first time since she’d bought the place, she didn’t allow her gaze to linger on the log house or the gardens or the way the fields spread out beyond the driveway.
It was no longer hers.
Chapter Twenty-three
Mia got through the dinner and the rest of the night without panicking. Every time she felt something for Roman, a yearning, a tug of affection, she told herself she had to treat him like a mark. He couldn’t mean anything to her. Although she wasn’t actually stealing from him, she was scamming him all the same and needed to stay true to her part just like she’d done in the past with other men.
She couldn’t do the sex though. When he suggested as much, she claimed exhaustion, which wasn’t completely untrue, and took herself and the dogs into her bedroom for an early night.
Sleep was fitful at best. During the waking times, she thought and planned and tried not to become emotional. Still, she rose with a heavy heart early in the morning to start the day.
Roman beat her to the kitchen. She’d heard him moving around in the night so knew he didn’t get much more sleep than she had.
“Good morning,” she said brightly.
He stood dumping tablespoons of coffee into the coffee maker. “Not yet,” he grumbled.
She puttered about, feeding the dogs, watching over them in the dog run, watering her indoor plants. What will happen to them after I’m gone, she wondered, then quickly closed her eyes and pushed the thought away. When she turned to walk back to the kitchen, she caught Roman studying her.
“Something wrong?” she asked.
“Not with me. I’d say you’re still feeling unsettled after yesterday. Don’t worry so much. It’s not going to be as hard as you think.”
If only that were true. “I know. It’s going to take some getting used to, that’s all.”
His face broke into a wide smile. “Hey, I just thought of something. Looks like I won the bet. You owe me a hundred big ones.”
Pretending to ponder the idea, she tipped her head. “How so?”
“You, the supposed ice queen of romance, weren’t able to keep things casual. Who got jealous of Ashley? Yeah, that’s right. It was you. I told you I’m totally irresistible.”
“You’ll have to wait until I have a chance to hit the bank unless you’ll take a check?”
“I can wait. Hey, do you want to do something today? If it’s quiet at the station, I could get one of the uniforms to watch the place, and we could maybe go into town for lunch then come back here and watch a movie.”
She looked into his happy, hopeful eyes and her heart broke. “That sounds nice, but I have a lot—”
When his cell signaled, he groaned and fished it out of his pocket. “Hold that thought.” He brought the phone to his ear. “Mancini. Yeah. Okay. Where again? I vaguely know it. Meet you at the station. I’m leaving now. Could be…it’s our first real break…yeah, exactly.”
“Well?” she asked.
He was already shoving his phone away and gathering up the laptop. “I’m not sure. Someone from Brighton found Anita’s wallet and heart bracelet. Or at least I think it’ll be her bracelet. I gotta go.”
“Okay. Wow. This is huge, right? How far is Brighton?”
“It’s the other side of Walkerton. About forty-five, give or take.”
He jogged upstairs and returned moments later, his weapon harness in place, and his badge clipped to the waistband of his jeans. “We’ll have to rain check lunch and a movie.”
“I wish I could go with you. Please let me know what happens.”
“I will. I need to figure out the lay of the land with the FBI. Plus, we have to see if it’s genuinely her stuff. I’ll be in touch.”
This is good, Mia thought once he’d left. If the police finally had a solid lead to Anita’s killer, Roman would be plenty occupied over the next few days. It would give her more time to plan and prepare. If they caught the guy, there’d be the added benefit of having her guard duty stand down, which would make it even easier to steal away before anyone realized she was leaving.
Should she just go now?
> No, more time would be better. This way she’d be able to organize and pack more of her belongings. That would make starting over a little bit easier. Anyway, a part of her couldn’t help wanting to see this through. Roman might need her help fine-tuning details of the killer or his location. Since she was planning to walk out on him with no explanation, no goodbye, the least she could do was ensure he got justice for his sister.
She left the dogs inside, retrieved the plastic bins from her SUV and brought them into the house, locking the door behind her. She couldn’t pack everything without tipping him off, but clothes and general toiletries seemed like a safe bet. It took very little time to fill a few of the containers and return them to the Escape. She stacked and stowed the empty ones in the back of her closet.
After checking her watch, Mia figured Roman and Kevin should be almost to Walkerton by now. She wished she knew what was going on. Please let this bring a resolution to the case. Anxiety strummed through her. She paced around the front room, unsure what to do with herself. Picking up on the stress, the dogs stayed with her.
“Okay. Pacing around and wasting a morning will only make me feel worse. There’s nothing I can do to either help or pack. Therefore, I should work,” she said to the dogs.
Although she’d be shutting down the Healing Crystal storefront once she left town, she could still sell products to stores and fairs while she was on the road. The more finished pieces she had, the better the return on investment.
Mia cued up her New Age music mix and set it to play in the background. With a freshly brewed pot of chamomile tea on her work table and a lavender diffuser scenting the air, she went through her inventory and decided earrings were the right choice for today. They were more intricate than necklaces and would, therefore, keep her mind suitably focused. Blue lace agate earrings to be exact. The stone emitted a calming and soothing vibration which was exactly what the doctor ordered.
She’d be calmed and soothed and not look at her watch until she finished the earrings.
That lasted all of twenty-two minutes. Roman should be well into investigating the site by now. Please let it be the big break everyone’s praying for. This guy needed to be caught before he killed again.
She let out a yelp when her driveway monitor pinged in the kitchen. No way it was Roman. Too early for his return. Rushing to the window, she recognized Tony bolting across the lawn toward her front steps. She met him in the sun porch.
“Oh, Mia. Thank God. Roman’s been shot. I don’t know all the details. We have to go.”
“What? No. That can’t be right. Someone from the station tagged him. They found some items that may have been Anita’s in…” she rubbed the palm of her hand hard against her temple. “Not Walkerton. Shit. I can’t remember the name of the town.”
“Brighton. I know. He called us on route less than an hour ago. I guess the guy was there. Hiding. Roman and Kevin were hit. Kevin’s okay, but Roman’s being prepped for surgery. I knew you’d want to come. I need you with me. I’m losing my mind.”
She shook her head trying to make sense of what he was saying. It couldn’t be real. “Yes, of course. I’m coming.”
Tony grabbed her elbow and hustled her through the screen door. “My aunt and uncle are already on the road. Lina was at the airport heading home, but I think she’s going to get an Uber or something. At least they got the guy. Alive too, which is good. I want the bastard to spend the rest of his life rotting in a cage.”
“Wait. I didn’t even lock the door. I need my purse,” Mia said when they reached the car.
“They got him, Mia. Nobody’s after you anymore. We have to be there for Roman.”
She nodded quickly. “You’re right. Okay.”
Tony put the car in reverse and spun around, spurting up gravel.
When they got to the road, Mia turned to him. “Where was he hit? He would have had his vest on, right?”
“I assume so. He is usually pretty careful about wearing it,” Tony said. “I don’t have all the details. I think maybe his neck and face. Aunt Molly promised to call when she gets there.”
They drove on in silence with Tony pushing the speed hard and zipping through turns. Mia’s heart clutched, and for an awful moment, she thought she might actually be sick. Loosening her seatbelt, she put her head down between her knees. The car slowed, and she realized he was pulling over.
“Hey, what’s happening? Are you all right?” Tony asked.
“It’s okay. Keep driving. I don’t think I’m gonna throw up, but I’ll maybe stay down here until it passes.”
He put the car in park, and she heard the click of his seatbelt. A gentle hand rubbed her back. “Oh, Mia, you make this so easy for me,” he whispered.
The warning screeched through Mia’s mind. By the time her head snapped up, it was already too late. Tony pressed something hard to the side of her neck, and her body erupted in shocking, explosive pain with every muscle contracting in full-blown spasm. The air was forced from her lungs, and a part of her mind registered the gasping screams she heard were coming from her.
When at last it stopped, she was left completely incapacitated. So weak she couldn’t even bat Tony away when he kissed her cheek. He took a Kleenex from the box on the dash and carefully wiped the drool from her mouth. Sometime later she realized he’d popped the trunk.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked stupidly, her words slurred and barely comprehensible.
“Because I must,” he said, a lilt in his tone. He opened the car door and got out.
Run. Move. Go. Do something.
The words screamed inside her, but in reality, she could barely turn her head. At least the fog in her brain was lifting some. Shifting her eyes, she remembered they were on a country road. Tony had taken some back route that was apparently faster, and now she knew why. They were surrounded by woods. No traffic. The closest house was barely visible at the end of a long, narrow driveway, and probably no one was home anyway.
Tony pulled the passenger door open, and she managed to push herself back against the seat. She locked eyes with him. “Please don’t,” she begged.
Reaching down, he freed her from the seatbelt then pulled her out of the car. She struggled as best she could, but he was a fit man who probably had sixty or seventy pounds on her, and she was as weak as a kitten. He produced zip ties from his back pocket.
“Okay, let’s turn you around and put these on.”
She fell to her knees when he spun her. It didn’t seem to slow him down, and before she knew it, her hands were secured behind her back. The plastic dug into her wrist when he pulled her to her feet.
“They’re too tight,” she gasped.
“Oh, no. That’s terrible. I bet they really hurt,” he said in a happy voice. “You know, it might be best if you don’t talk for a while.”
His hands came up on either side of her face, and he wrenched her mouth open and pushed in something soft. She tried to spit it out, but it was impossible. From a backpack on the ground, he produced a roll of duct tape and ripped off a section. When she shook her head, he held her still and pulled the tape across her mouth.
“There you go. Quiet as a mouse. Let’s put you in the trunk.”
Some strength was returning to her muscles, and with a chaser of surging adrenaline, she managed to kick at him and stomp on his foot.
“You stupid bitch,” he snapped, pushing her against the car. “You’re just making it worse for yourself.”
When he turned away and reached into the trunk, she ran. She’d barely gone ten steps before stumbling and going down on one knee. With her hands bound behind her and her body still off-kilter, she couldn’t get up again. In the next second, he grabbed her shoulder and waved a Taser in her face.
“You want this again? I don’t mind giving you another good zap if that’s what it takes. Yeah, I didn’t think so. Now you’re going to get up.” He yanked her hair and pulled her to her feet. “And you’re going to walk back to the car and cli
mb in the trunk.”
She’d thought her heart was already at maximum velocity, but it found a whole other gear and filled her head with the frantic sound of its beating. Her mind remained locked in a loop of panic where the only thing it seemed capable of suggesting was to run. If she got in the trunk, it was game over. Mia knew it, but short of a meteor crashing down on Tony, she couldn’t see any way out.
Chapter Twenty-four
Roman called Mia for the fourth time in the past half hour. When she failed to answer yet again, his blood went to ice. He’d been watching her closely since yesterday morning when he’d dropped his guard and revealed he knew Mia Reeves was an alias. Although she put on a good show, he knew damned well she was rattled. Surely she wouldn’t run, at least not so soon?
Then another thought hit him, making his heart lurch in his chest. What if this psycho serial killer had her? Getting he and Kevin all the way out to Walkerton was a great ruse and made it pitifully easy to swoop in and snatch her. And dammit all to hell, today was July sixth.
Without a second’s hesitation, he rang through to the station and had a black and white sent out to her place to ascertain her whereabouts. He told them to go in hot. There wasn’t anything else he could do from his current location.
He turned his attention back to Kevin. They were in the bowels of a dingy bus station where the techs were dusting a row of lockers for fingerprints.
“It’s gonna take friggin forever to run all these prints,” Kevin grumbled.
“Yeah. And chances are our guy isn’t in the system anyway. We should head back. Our crime scene crew knows what they’re doing, and we’ve bagged everything we can find. Why did the son of a bitch call this in? It had to have been the killer. Seems like he’s playing with us, and now I can’t get hold of Mia.”
Kevin whirled around. “What?”
“I sent a uniform out to her place, but my gut is seriously having a fit.”
“Hey, calm down. We’re heading back there now anyway, and I’ll bet they find Mia having a nap or something. She’s too smart to go outside, and she’d never let anyone in. Plus, she has like a zillion dogs.”
