Witness Protection

by Morgan, Paris

  The woman who answered the door had on a state police uniform. Her petite frame belied the fact that her body language dared anyone to mess with her.

  Once inside, Stone set the luggage down on one of the beds.

  “Sally, Allie, this is Karen Boxe. She’s being loaned to us temporarily from the state police department so that you can have a woman staying with you.” He nodded to Karen, “I’m going to head back with the ambulance. We’ll see you ladies in a couple of days.”

  “It’s good to meet you both.” Karen held a hand to Sally first.

  “How is this going to work?” I took the firm grip she offered.

  “We’re going to be ‘sisters’ according to the hotel. Since we’re close enough to the city, they’ve permitted me to take you guys out tomorrow so we’re not stuck in the hotel all weekend.” She smiled, “How does the zoo sound? They also have a butterfly garden.”

  Sally eyed her distrustfully but gave a small nod when the zoo was mentioned.

  “Oh, I also picked up a few groceries for us to eat. Most of it microwavable, but it will keep us from having to go out in public this close to your hometown, so you won’t be spotted.” She waved to the small refrigerator and microwave in the room.

  “We’re going to be just fine Karen. Thank you for thinking ahead.” I might just get a few new friends out of this situation.

  “If we can keep our sense of humor then we should be good.”

  While we’d been talking, Sally had explored every nook and cranny in the small room.

  “Miss Allie, there are some snacks in this cabinet can I have one?”

  “Sure, just pick one thing for now. You’ll have to brush your teeth and get into your PJs afterward, okay?”

  With a sigh, Sally took out just one dessert package.

  I hated being the one to enforce the rules, but someone had to be the adult. It wasn’t a fun job for sure.

  “When you’re finished with your snack, I’ll set up the DVD player and you can watch a short cartoon before bedtime.”

  “Okay.” Her one-word answer made me smile.

  “I got you a new pair of PJs,” Karen mentioned to Sally hoping that would help get her excited.

  Sally looked around the room with suspicion.

  “There weren’t any when I looked around.”

  “That’s because they’re in the next room where I’ll be sleeping.” Karen pointed to the door between the adjoining rooms. “You probably won’t like them though. They have princesses on them.”

  “Yeah, I could try them on I guess.” Sally’s shrug was non-committal, but she eyed the door with curiosity.

  Karen gave me a knowing look and opened the door.

  “Let me go get them.”

  Sally’s body almost fell off the bed as she tried to see into the other room.

  “You can go check out the other room.” I offered.

  Her feet hit the floor before the words were completely out of my mouth.

  Karen had laid them out on the bed and was taking other things out of the sacks to be put up so we could use the beds later.

  “Can I take a shower now?”

  “Of course, honey.” Remembering her instance that she was big enough, I still followed her into the bathroom to turn on the shower. “I’ll get the shampoo and soap from Karen while you get undress.”

  Once I’d gotten her set up, I joined Karen in the other room keeping an eye on the bathroom in case Sally needed something.

  “We’ve got the police department on the lookout for any suspicious activity. My boss at the made the call so the Turner Junction officers don’t know who is being protected. It should help keep anything from happening for the moment.”

  “I hope so.” It was the only answer I had before Sally called for help drying her hair.

  The movie had all three of us ready for bed and we chose to call it an early night.

  Karen slept in the other room leaving a bed for me and one for Sally in this room.

  It wasn’t home, but I felt safer knowing there was protection only a room away.

  Saturday meant that we didn’t have to get up as early for Sally to be at school.

  I should have known that the idea of sleeping in was foreign to a seven-year-old.

  Her eyes were boring holes at me until I moaned alerting her that I was awake.

  “When are we going to the zoo?” She bounced on the bed next to me.

  “Um, Karen and I will have to have coffee. Then we’ll see about breakfast, but it’s still a few hours until it opens. You might have to start working that puzzle they got you.”

  “All right.” Sally went over to the small table to look at the box. “Aren’t the animals awake already? If they’re up, then why can’t we see them now?”

  “They have to eat their breakfast and do the rest of their morning routine. We don’t want to make them nervous if we get there too early.” Karen explained as she pulled out a box of cereal and the milk.

  As she got the food set up, I started the coffee pot so that the adults would be as awake as the small child in our care.

  “How on earth can she be so chipper this early?” I groaned collecting clothes for a quick shower.

  “Kids are just built that way to wear the adults in their lives out. Then they become teens and all their motivation dies.”

  “Haha good to know.”

  “If we can keep her occupied this weekend, it will be a miracle.” Karen took the first sip of coffee letting out a happy sigh.

  “That is so true.”

  Two hours later just when I thought Sally was going to combust with energy, Karen winked at me.

  “Watch this.”

  “Sally, are ready to leave? You’re going to need shoes.”

  “What!” She shrieked. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

  Dropping the puzzle piece she’d been concentrating on, she raced to the closet to get her shoes on.

  “Ready.” She jumped up moments later.

  “Wow! She’s so fast. Do you think she could win a marathon?” I teased as holding out the hairbrush for her.

  “She probably could.” Karen agreed collecting a few things before we could walk out the door.

  Mike wasn’t mentioned or thought of by the child in our care, but both of us were alert as we spent the day out in public.

  I’d had to be careful before and it wasn’t a fun feeling to always be looking over my shoulder as if the boogie man was just behind the next bush.

  Her excitement and happiness were more than enough of a reason to be cautious. She deserved to have fun while being a child.

  I would do anything in my power to make sure she was safe while doing it.

  Chapter 8

  The weekend was long and exhausting, but we were all happy to get a ride back to the hospital to see Megan on Monday.

  She looked much better. Her voice was still a little raspy as she spoke.

  “How was your weekend, honey?”

  That was all it took for Sally to spend the next hour explaining all the details of our trip to the zoo.

  When Sally finally ran out of steam, I got her settled in the empty bed space next to us with cartoons.

  We decided that it was safer for everyone if she didn’t go to school for the week. As one of the smartest ones in her class, the teachers had sent home a workbook to keep her busy.

  “Do we have a plan for this week?” I knew that I would need to make some deliveries at some point and then on the weekend I would be needed at the bar.

  “The doctor said if I continue to improve, he’ll let me out on Friday. Until then, Sally’s going to stay here with me, and whichever officer is on duty.” Megan tried to sit up but couldn’t brace herself with both arms in splints.

  I hurried to help fix the pillows so she could scoot up.

  “There’s only my Nova stuff until Friday. Then I’ll have to work at the bar since I didn’t this weekend. I can’t leave Trevor short-handed two weekends in a
row.”

  “Julie mentioned that you might have to work. They are working on a plan to keep you safe in between work and the hotel.” A grimace crossed her face as she worked to get comfortable.

  “I don’t want your business to suffer because of this stuff with Mike. While I do hate the fact that we’ve made you change your plans, I do appreciate you doing all that for us.” Even with her voice not quite back to normal, she was eager to talk after a weekend without company.

  “I’m afraid if we try to disappear, it will make him more upset. He’s going to find us when the protection detail ends.” Her voice was filled with sadness.

  It felt like she’d had too much time to think about things while no one had been there to keep her grounded.

  “We’re at an extended stay hotel. When you get out, we can make sure you’re comfortable. Mike won’t be able to hide for long with the entire country looking for him. I’m sure you’re ready to relax with Sally.” I knew it was hard on them to be separated when they’d always been together.

  Officer Stone had been the one to bring us to the hospital again and he’d been silent while we’d talked, but now he spoke up.

  “Things should be wrapped up in the next two weeks or so. Patience is not Mike’s strong suit. He’ll make a mistake and we’ll be able to take him into custody. There is a chance that he’ll try to escalate things while he was laying low this weekend. Just please be careful.”

  “When Officer Grayson updated me, she mentioned that you would need some protection on Friday while you’re at work. The detail can follow you home and make sure that you are secure for the night.”

  Not sure if I was comfortable with staying in my home alone, it wasn’t as if I wanted to lead Mike to them by driving to the hotel each night. It was probably the best solution, but I didn’t like it.

  “Guess, we can make it work.” I pasted a smile on my face. “While I do love Sally, it will be nice to have a few moments of quiet. Instant mommy has been a little hectic.”

  Megan let out a laugh. “You’re probably sick of princess movies already.”

  “Honestly, I had no idea that my knowledge was so lacking. Also, the amount of questions that a child can ask in a single hour is absolutely astounding.” I gave Sally a loving glance as she sat curled up watching cartoons.

  “She treated us to a small taste of that on the drive over to the hotel. I don’t envy Karen that part of the protection detail. Sally can definitely talk.” He chuckled.

  “You start getting used to hearing her talk after a while.” As I spoke, I realized how true the words were. I was going to miss her while I was away for the weekend.

  “That girl is precious. I haven’t had a lot in my life that needed to be protected as she does.” I squeezed Megan’s leg, “You’ve done an amazing job on teaching her manners and how to love.”

  Megan teared up at my words. “Thank you, Allie. That means a lot.”

  “I’ll go ahead and sort things out at home. I should be back before this evening. You going to be, okay?”

  “Yeah, I’ve got Sally to look after me. Isn’t that right, Sally?”

  She mumbled and kept watching tv.

  “Hey, there. Is that the way to respond to your mother?” I nudged her on my way out.

  “No, ma’am.” She looked at me with a huff. “I’ll keep an eye out for mom.”

  Instantly focused on the cartoon again as if we didn’t exist, I shrugged and headed for the door.

  “I’ll be back later,” I called as I left passing the lawyer on his way in.

  The alarm was still set on my apartment, and it looked the same as I’d left it on Friday.

  Feeling a little better, I reset the alarm and sat down to check my emails.

  There were a few things I would need to check on that afternoon. A couple of ladies were interested in becoming Nova Ladies and I didn’t want to neglect my job just because there was a manic somewhere out there.

  It was so nice to be able to work without a child to worry about. I felt almost lazy without her around.

  The weekend had started out as a vacation of sorts, but between the constant worry of looking over my shoulder and keeping Sally entertained, I’d never felt so exhausted.

  Maybe if I hurried through my appointments, I’d be able to get a quick nap in before I had to be back at the hospital.

  Normally, I would have prepped things on Sunday night, but my week was already going to be a little strange, so it didn’t matter all that much if I did it on Monday morning instead.

  Two hours later, I was all caught up. The brochures were labeled, orders sorted and ready for delivery, and all I had left was to meet my appointment at the only place in town that had access to free wifi–the burger restaurant.

  A woman named Janet was the first appointment and had almost as many questions as Sally did.

  “Isn’t this a pyramid scheme? I’ve heard that you spend a lot of money, but unless you hound your friends then you won’t make any money.” She lowered her voice as if it was a spy meeting and someone might overhear us.

  “Nah,” I chuckled hoping to calm her nerves. “Hard work is the secret ingredient in succeeding. Thinking outside the box helps too so that your friends don’t think you are always trying to sell you something.”

  “Whew! You’ve put my mind at ease.”

  When we were finished, Janet took her new business supplies ready to get started.

  It wasn’t until she’d left that I realized I hadn’t thought about Mike for the entire appointment.

  Helping others make money to support themselves was important to me. I hadn’t been lying when I said it wasn’t a pyramid scheme. Some might buy the kit and never do anything with it which is why being a Nova Lady got such a bad rap. Even if only a few worked their business, then I’d done my job to help them reach their goals.

  Most people were under the misguided premise that you just gave customers a brochure and collected their money. Not that it wouldn’t have been nice, but customer service wasn’t just something to be taken lightly.

  I loved meeting new people. If I didn’t then Megan and I wouldn’t have become friends. A chance encounter had certainly changed my life in just a few short weeks.

  The next appointment was a no-show and didn’t respond to the text messages, so I was able to call it a day early.

  My packages were sitting on the doorstep when I arrived. After living in the small town for over a year now, it still amazed me that nobody worried about their stuff being stolen. Unlike where I’d lived in New York with four locks to keep people out, here everyone looked out for each other.

  Quiet greeted me and I sank onto the couch soaking it in before falling asleep.

  Sally was playing cards with Julie when I arrived breathless from racing to gather things after my unexpected nap.

  “Hey, Miss Allie, I’m beating Officer Julie.”

  “That you are kiddo. It’s a good thing we don’t have any money on this game, or you’d be the one buying my dinner.” Julie teased her.

  The door opened behind me.

  Expecting to have to defend ourselves, it was the lawyer, Mr. Greenley with dinner.

  He’d changed clothes into something a little more casual. Still looking handsome even in his comfy clothes, I quirked an eyebrow in Megan’s direction.

  “Mark’s going to keep me company tonight since I found out he’s a fan of the same reality show I am. He’s taking pity on me. I needed to eat something that wasn’t hospital food.” Megan rushed to explain since I wasn’t going to stop giving her knowing looks.

  “Well, I’m glad that you’re going to be keeping her mind occupied. Nobody should have to sit around and ponder the what-ifs.” I gave her a wink as I gathered Sally’s stuff so we could leave.

  She was going to have some explaining to do in the morning when I returned because while I knew he was a nice guy, she would need to be careful about how much he was becoming invested personally. If Mike caught wind of
it, then that was bound to trigger him.

  There was no other reason for him to come around unless he had a more personal interest to hang out. While Megan was pretty, now she just looked bruised and battered.

  “Ready to take a ride?” I turned to Sally hoping she hadn’t noticed that her mother was paying attention to Mr. Greenley. I wasn’t ready to address him by his given name.

  “Yep,” She put the last of the cards up. “Is it true we’re going to ride in a hearse? That’s what they carry the dead people to the graveyard in right?”

  “Uh, I guess so.” I could only imagine the questions we were about to endure on the ride to the hotel from our new method of transportation. It would keep Mike off guard if he was trying to follow us from the hospital to where we were staying.

  Another uneventful night was in the books, and it was time to take Sally back to the hospital again.

  Sensing that I wanted to talk to Megan without little ears to hear the conversation, Julie volunteered to take Sally to see the new babies in the nursery.

  Officer Stone was in the room standing guard ready to give me an update on where the investigation was headed.

  “The police department, state troopers, and sheriff’s department is still searching for Mike, but we haven’t found him yet.”

  Each officer that changed shifts was eager to give an update to help put Megan’s mind at ease.

  I spoke up, “That’s what worries me. I feel like he’s planning something to get even with us. He could be holed up anywhere. One of his fellow cops could be helping him to avoid being caught.”

  “He didn’t have a best friend. I mean he hung out with the guys from work, but none of them were more special than others.” Megan’s voice was still a little raspy, but she was able to speak in a normal tone today.

  “I told them about all the places where he would go camping. Those weren’t very often, but he did have a poker night with some of the guys each week.” Her body held an air of being defeated as she shrugged.