Witness Pursuit

by Wadsworth, Joanne

  Regardless, he was on his feet. “Whatever was just said in this office, Doc.” He squeezed the device as he raced for the door. “Remains between us.”

  At the elevator, he punched in the button for the ground floor.

  Brigs heaved in a breath as he chased him. “Ben told me if the opportunity arose, to help you find her, not that Gilchrist can know.”

  Tyler slapped his shoulder. “Great. I appreciate the support, more than you can know. And this gift better be from her. She could be anywhere in the world, but Blenheim?” Yeah, if she was there, she’d been placed close.

  The doors opened on the lower floor and he was off. Only one place in the world called his name, and if his woman was there, he’d find her. He wouldn’t accept any other outcome.

  * * * *

  “Hey, it’s Red.” Drake leapt up the porch steps and bumped into Lydia where she leaned against the waist-high railing trying to swallow down a late lunch. She’d made a sandwich, but it was the most unappetizing one on the planet. “You look a bit green around the cheeks, Red.”

  “The gills,” she mumbled around her mouthful, and then spat it back onto her plate. “Yuck. I want to be sick.” She set her plate down on the steps. “Okay, so it’s your turn to check on me, huh?”

  Ronson had gone down country for the day to the cattle sale yards and had left her on her own for the first time. He’d been a touch worried, and told everyone to visit her in turns. He took the whole family thing right to heart, not that she minded. She could use the company.

  “Yeah, but I also had to come back to grab a rifle from the locked cupboard in the mudroom.”

  “What’s happened? Why do you need a gun?” Her heartbeat raced.

  “One of the yearlings tried to cut across the river at the low point and went down. The poor thing got tangled in the bushes on the edge. Colt and me heaved her out, but the girl’s leg is twisted and likely broke. The vet’s been called, but Colt wants the gun. She’s in pain.” He rubbed his arms, rucking up his short sleeves. As he did, his bicep tattoo, one of a hyena peeked out.

  She tugged the sleeve higher, exposing the hyena’s sharp-toothed snarl. Ah, this was where she’d seen that tattoo. “What does this mean?”

  Turning his arm to the side, he eyed it. “My last name’s Hyena and this is a family tat, only one I don’t care to associate with since I’m better off without them. I told you I had a crappy family. My dad, who’s an ugly son of a coot and actually looks like a hyena by the way, thought he’d take me to the Tat Club on my sixteenth. That’s where I had this ink done. But this is no gift. This is a mark from hell.” He dug in his pocket and drew out a cigarette and lighter.

  “Nice family.”

  “Yep. Why’d ya ask what the tat meant?” He shoved the unlit cigarette between his lips.

  “I saw a man downtown yesterday with one, or almost the same one, right after we were at the gas station. His hyena had a raised claw though, but other than that they’re alike.”

  “Dad’s tat doesn’t have a raised claw, but my uncle’s does.” His gaze narrowed as he lit his cigarette and took a deep drag until the tip glowed red and hot. “You stay away from Ladd if you see him. He’s the worst, as bad as Dad. I ended up in juvie because of both of them.”

  “What happened?”

  “It was right after I’d had this ink done at Wellington’s Tat Club. My dad and Ladd took me with them to what should have been a business meeting, only it was anything but. The back alley at the club was dark and I was told to wait outside while they disappeared inside. A few minutes later gunshots rang out and a window broke over my head. When I looked up, a body came at me at warp speed from three floors up. I ducked but the dead dude landed on top of me and broke one of my legs. I blacked out, and after I came to, the boys in blue were there. Dad and Ladd had dumped me and left.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  He snorted. “It’s fine. I was used to the cloak and dagger stuff. After the doctors fixed me up, I was tossed into juvie until Ronson came along and organized counsel to clear me. Ronson was retiring, and my case was the last one to cross his desk. He took an interest in me when no one else did.”

  “Why didn’t they go to jail?” Clearly his uncle wasn’t in the slammer since she’d seen him.

  “Neither of them did. I’ve been told they had alibis for the night, and they said I was just a stupid kid. I didn’t even see who made the shot, so nothin’ I said counted.” His tone was bitter, and she totally understood why. Crappy was not a strong enough word for his family.

  She squeezed his arm. “You’ve left your past behind. You should be proud of where you’re at now.”

  “Yeah, and everyone here is my family, only I don’t like that you’ve seen Ladd. He’s got no business being in Blenheim.”

  Chills raced down her spine. “Ah, I overheard him on a pay phone saying he’d seen the brat at the pumps, and no one ignores Kern. He called her lady, told her it was about time she came through for him, that he’d been searching for her kid for six months. I think I got that right. Does any of that make sense?”

  Puffing on his cigarette, he slanted his head. “Kern is my father. He came to me in juvie, saying he was sick. He looked it too, something about kidney failure. He wanted one of mine, and I got tested. I was a match, but I was never gonna give it to him. It was just sweet to have something over him for a change.”

  “So, the lady would be your mother?”

  “My stuck-up mother’s never wanted me on the scene, abandoned me at birth. She married a white collar, like she is. I’ve only ever seen her a handful of times, when Dad had her come by, but if anyone could find me here, she could. She’s into computers and all.”

  “Why would your mother help your dad and Ladd try to find you?”

  His mouth turned down. “Dad’s got something over her. He always did since I’m her dirty little secret. He makes her do stuff, you know with the computer when he needs it. I stay out of the way.”

  “I still don’t feel right about any of this. You should talk to Colt since Ronson’s away and let him know what’s going on. Your uncle sounded like he meant business. He did say he’d already seen you by the pumps.”

  That had to have been when Drake had filled her tank up, maybe ten minutes before she’d seen his uncle at the phone booth. She shivered. Yuck.

  “I guess I was watching you too much. Still, I got nothin’ to fear anyway, not when I got a kidney Dad wants. Ladd does what Dad says. There’s a pecking order in my family, if ya get my meaning.”

  “Hey, Drake.”

  Slade jogged around the corner, holding his Stetson on his head with one hand.

  “Yo, here.”

  “Bro.” Slade came to a stop in front of them. “You’ve taken so long. Colt needs that rifle down at the crossing.” He flapped a hand through the air, dispersing Drake’s cigarette smoke. “And you’ve gotta stop smoking. Marianne will throw a fit if she sees you doing that anywhere near her kids. Get a hurry on. We have work to do.”

  Drake grinned and leaned a hand against the wide rail “Red here was lonely and whistled out for a little company.”

  Smart Drake was back in full form.

  Slade rolled his eyes and turned back the way he’d come. “Come on, get your butt moving. I’ll grab the gun.”

  Drake plucked the cigarette from his mouth and dropped the butt to the porch, and then used the heel of his boot to extinguish it. “Later, Red. It seems they can’t work without me around here.”

  She liked Drake. He was a good kid, and second chances counted, something he’d been given, and so had she. Yeah, she was already indebted to Ronson for all he’d done for her, but now she had an even greater appreciation of the man who was ex-Force. In her eyes, he was a hero for taking on a kid who needed to escape his own family.

  With the boys gone, she walked inside and set her plate on the kitchen counter. She strolled into the living room and navigated around the couches.

  She
tugged up her jeans at the knees, knelt and reached for yesterday’s newspaper Ronson had tossed between his favorite recliner and the coffee table. Crumbs from his sandwich slid off the paper and onto the floor. Drat.

  After she dropped the paper onto the stack at the back door, she opened the hall cupboard and rummaged inside for the vacuum cleaner. She hauled the artifact out, unraveled the cord then plugged it into the living room’s mains.

  She flicked the switch and the motor rumbled to life, only the rumble whirred quickly into a high-pitched squeal. She clamped her hands to her ears as the motor shrieked. Black dust billowed from the back of the machine along with a snakelike hiss.

  Not good. At all.

  She dived for the power switch, snapped it off and heaved the cord free. Air. She needed fresh air. With a hand over her mouth, she stumbled and ran for the back door.

  On the porch, she sucked in long drafts of air. “Now, that would be just my–”

  A gunshot blasted somewhere down in the valley, and she jerked upright.

  Her heart bumped out of rhythm, the shot drumming in her ears, pounding against her temples. She lifted her hands and Tyler’s blood coated them, dripping from her fingers, pooling on the ground.

  “No!” It was just an illusion, and she shook her head, so hard her teeth rattled.

  This wasn’t real. There was no blood. The cow had been shot. That was all.

  She slammed her eyelids shut.

  “Get it together. Tyler’s safe.” Sweat trickled down her back. She had to get out of here and find somewhere else to breathe, even if only for a little while. Town. Even the long drive would help. It always did.

  She snatched the keys from the mudroom and jumped into the truck. She clawed the steering wheel as she revved the engine and busted down the drive.

  Tyler. She was here for him and for Saria, to make sure she never placed either of their lives in danger again, and by the time she made it into town, that mantra had gone through her head and was once again set firm.

  She wiped her forehead as she pulled into the parking lot in front of the Mega Store. Removing her glasses with one hand, she squeezed the bridge of her nose with the other. She could do this. She was strong.

  Plunking the glasses back on, she stared at the store in front of her. Yeah, life moved on, and it seemed she had a new vacuum cleaner to buy.

  * * * *

  Tyler had driven overnight down country to Wellington with Brigs in the passenger seat, and they’d boarded the morning ferry across the Cook Strait to the South Island. From there, Blenheim had been a short drive. He surveyed the length and breadth of Blenheim’s Main Street from where he’d parked the SUV.

  The town was home to thirty-thousand, and he had the job of finding one small woman, and no solid place to start. No, that wasn’t right.

  He frowned at Brigs who rested his butt on the front grill. “Can you believe we’ve come all this way, and we’re going to start looking for wrapping paper?”

  “With sailing boats, mate.” Brigs grinned. “Such is the life of a bodyguard. I never would have guessed I’d have signed up for this.”

  “Huh. I’d laugh, but that’s just not funny.” He was desperate to get Lydia back. He wanted her with him. And for her to reach out and send Nico a gift meant she was hurting. That was something he couldn’t allow.

  “We’ll find her.”

  “We better.”

  “Then let’s get ourselves into gear.” Brig’s pushed off the front grill and slapped dust from his wrinkled pants. “First we need clothes and supplies since neither of us took the time to pack anything.”

  Keeping a lookout, Tyler set out along the pavement. “I don’t care about clothes. What do you think she’ll look like?” Surely he’d know her, no matter any disguise she’d been given.

  “It’s anyone’s guess. Gilchrist would’ve had her completely made over.” Brigs pointed to the Mega Store. “That place has everything, including clothes and wrapping paper. We’ll need a suitcase too.”

  “If we find the same paper stocked here, we’ll request video surveillance and go through it.” Eager to move on this, he strode through the parking lot. Automatic doors swished open for him, and for every reason, he couldn’t enter fast enough.

  * * * *

  Crouching in front of the vacuum cleaners, Lydia ran her hand over a compact model she could easily carry upstairs and maneuver around the rooms.

  Perfect, and only two-hundred and ninety nine.

  She heaved it from the shelf and set it into her trolley.

  She dusted off her hands and adjusted her Stetson.

  She froze.

  No way! She swore under her breath.

  She whipped off her glasses and scrubbed her eyes. Two very familiar looking men had just passed her aisle.

  Im-poss-i-ble.

  Jamming her glasses back on, she focused. It wasn’t as if they’d be in her neck of the woods by chance. Nooo. Tyler and Brigs had tracked her down. She scooped up her long hair and shoved it underneath the brim of her Stetson.

  She tiptoed to the end of the aisle then peeked around the corner.

  Oh boy. Tyler wore a pair of black pants low on his hips, his blue dress shirt crumpled as if he’d slept in it. He turned down the far aisle at the end of the store.

  She shrunk back against the shelves. A mountain of thoughts dumped into her mind making her dizzy. She’d gone through re-identification to keep him safe, yet still he’d found her. Well, almost found her. Heck, if he’d found her, could the killer too?

  Adrenaline surged through her veins and her stomach rolled. Fear for his safety shot through her. Only a heartbeat later, her desperate need to see him overruled. She wanted to step out of hiding and go to him.

  Tyler was here, and more than anything in the world, she had to see him.

  Before she knew it, she was at the end of the luggage aisle. Ahead, he snagged a case from the top shelf. His midnight black hair curled around his nape and onto his shoulders, an inch longer and still not cut. Sweet heaven, he looked gorgeous.

  She glanced in either direction, but no one was nearby.

  Tyler passed the case to Brigs.

  “Tyler.” His name shot from her mouth.

  He rocked on his heels. “Brigs, tell me I didn’t just hear my name.”

  “Shoot, you did.”

  Tyler whipped around and faced her. “Hell, Lee?” He stumbled toward her, his eyes rolled until the whites showed, then he slithered to the floor and landed in a heap at her feet.

  Okay, that was not quite the welcome she’d expected.

  Brigs stared at her. “I’d swear right now, but I’m too happy to see you.” He knelt and pressed a finger to Tyler’s pulse. “Mate, this is really the wrong time to flameout again.” Brigs grabbed her hand and tugged her down beside him. “And you, don’t move.”

  12

  “Tyler, wake up.” Brigs propped him against the shelves and slapped both his cheeks. “Nope, he’s completely out of it, Lydia. We’re lucky we’re in the back corner.”

  She crawled between Tyler’s splayed legs. “You said again. How many flameouts has he had before this?”

  “Last time was after you left. We had to wait it out at the hospital on the main island. It took him twenty-four hours to come around.”

  “Twenty-four hours?”

  “Yeah. After he woke, it was with fragmented pieces of memory, but only from the moment he got shot. That’s the one memory which came back.”

  “I didn’t know. Was he in any pain?” Why hadn’t Gilchrist told her about this when they’d spoken? “He didn’t recall anything new?”

  “No.”

  She took Tyler’s hands lying limp at his sides and rubbed them between her own. “C’mon, sleepyhead. Open your eyes for me. I can’t wait twenty-four hours to see you again. It’s been weeks.”

  Brigs cleared his throat. “Keep talking to him. I’ll go keep a lookout and make sure no one comes down here. You’ve gotta wa
ke him up.”

  She leaned in and touched her nose to Tyler’s. “I can’t believe you’re here. I also can’t believe you’re out of it.” No answer, so she touched her lips to his. “I’m sorry about the way I left you.”

  Still nothing, not even a flicker of movement.

  She nibbled at his ear. “I am going to ravish you in the middle of this aisle, and this is your last warning before I do.”

  His legs twitched and he groaned. “Lee?”

  “About time.” She smiled as he rubbed his eyes and looked at her. “It was the word ravish, wasn’t it? I’ll have to use that more often.”

  “That and the fact I don’t have time to lie about when you have a habit of disappearing before I know it.” He gripped her around the waist. “My head’s a little fuzzy with new images, but ravish away.”

  “New images? You mean even more?”

  He knocked off her hat and her hair rippled down, swaying to her bottom. “Damn, the red’s beautiful.” His lips lifted and he removed the wide-rimmed black spectacles from her nose. “After my first flameout I recalled the shooting. Not the most pleasant of memories, but along with it came the emotion I’d felt. We were close right at that time, and I finally had that memory back. Now I have everything, if I can just sort it.”

  “You mean everything, everything?”

  “There’s a scramble of new images, but I’ll get there.” He pushed his hands into her hair and stroked her scalp. “I know our circumstances are difficult, but I’ll always be with you, no matter where you are.”

  Her heart flipped in her chest. “You said that to me in Wellington, a year ago.”

  “I know. I remember, now.”

  Brigs whistled. “Guys, mother with two kids approaching.”

  Tyler moved in a flash. One second she’d been between his legs on the floor, the next on her feet and tucked in behind him. He pressed her hat and glasses into her hands. “Put them on.”

  She set them in place, managing it just as two little girls, one dressed in a pink t-shirt and shorts, the other in a white baby-doll dress, darted around the corner and into their aisle. The girls’ brown ponytails bobbed as they ran, and their mother chased them, calling for them to slow.