Fugitive at Large

by Sandra Robbins

  She could feel the beat of his heart as he held her in his arms. “Sometimes I do,” he said in a low voice. “Then other times I’m afraid I will find her, if that makes any sense.”

  “Is that why you change girlfriends so often? You’re scared of how your life will change if you do find the right one? Or is it the fact that the woman you loved married somebody else, and you’ve never gotten over her?”

  His face turned a bit red and he shrugged. “Maybe a little of both. But we’re talking about you not me. All I’m saying is be careful before you fall in love with Ryan Spencer. He hurt you once, and he can do it again.”

  “I know,” she said. “But there’s no need to worry. I think Ryan hinted tonight that he’s not interested. At least that’s the way it sounded to me.” She took a deep breath and sat up straight. “Enough of this. I need to go to bed. Ryan and I are going to talk to the candidates running for the Senate tomorrow and I want to be at my best.”

  “You’re going to see Senator Mitchum and Chip Holder both?”

  “Yes, we are.”

  “I wish I could go with you. I really admire Chip Holder and what he suffered at the hands of that terrorist group when he was held prisoner.”

  Jessica pushed to her feet. “You’re not the only one who feels that way. The polls have him in a slight lead over Senator Mitchum at the moment. I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

  Later, as she lay in bed, unable to sleep, she thought back over what Kenny Macey had said earlier in the evening. Lee Tucker was rumored to be working for one of the candidates, and word on the street said that his employer was Senator Mitchum. Also, the car used in the convenience-store robbery had been registered to Senator Mitchum’s campaign.

  All circumstantial evidence, she told herself. But she’d been a police officer long enough to know that you couldn’t ignore any lead. And it certainly looked as if Senator Mitchum might have some explaining to do.

  * * *

  The next morning a little before ten, Ryan, clutching a small bag in his hands, straightened his shoulders and knocked on the door at Lucas’s house. He’d had several hours to practice what he was going to say to Lucas about how he’d make sure nothing happened to Jessica. He thought he’d finally bolstered his courage enough to face her brother. At least he hoped he had.

  The door opened, and he blinked in surprise when instead of Lucas it was Jessica standing there. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail this morning, and her face had a fresh scrubbed look that made her eyes sparkle. She smiled and opened the door wider.

  “Good morning. Come on in. There’s still some coffee left.”

  Ryan stepped into the living room and glanced around as she closed the door and then stepped up beside him. She looked up at him as if waiting for him to speak, which he realized he hadn’t done yet.

  He cleared his throat and looked around. “Where’s Lucas?”

  She laughed and motioned for him to follow her as she walked toward a doorway that led to the kitchen. “He left earlier on his way to Birmingham. He’s to pick up a fugitive there today and return him to Memphis. He didn’t want to leave me alone, but I knew you’d be here soon.”

  Despite his earlier resolve, Ryan breathed a sigh of relief that he wouldn’t have to encounter her brother this morning and followed her into the kitchen. “I would have been here sooner but I had some shopping to do before I came.”

  She had picked up the coffeepot and was in the process of pouring a cup, but she stopped and turned to stare at the bag he’d set on the kitchen table. “What did you buy?”

  “Before I tell you, I want you to promise you won’t get upset with me. This is just a precaution, but one I think we need to take.”

  She set the coffeepot down and frowned. “Are you going to tell me or are you going to keep me in suspense?”

  He reached into the bag, pulled out two small boxes and set them on the table beside the bag. “I got to thinking last night about all that’s happened and how I’ve been so worried not knowing where Jamie is. Believe me, he’s going to get a piece of my mind when he gets home tonight. I can understand Lucas’s concern about you, and I thought this might put his mind more at ease.”

  Jessica rolled her eyes. “Ryan, what are you trying to tell me?”

  “I bought us each a personal GPS tracking device this morning. We don’t know what Lee Tucker is planning, and I want to take every precaution I can to make sure he doesn’t succeed. These little devices are so small—they only weigh about two ounces—and they can be slipped into a boot out of sight. I’ll feel a lot better knowing I can keep up with your whereabouts all the time.”

  She stared at the boxes for a moment before she spoke. “Do you really think this is necessary?”

  “I do, especially after what Mac told me this morning.”

  “What did he say?”

  “The police found Kenny Macey’s body behind a bar down on Beale Street last night. He’d been stabbed to death.”

  Her eyes grew wide, and she sucked in her breath. “I was afraid of that.” She sat silently staring at the GPS devices for a moment and then reached for one of the boxes and opened it. “How do I activate it?”

  “It’s already activated, and I’ve installed the app on my cell phone that will track the device. We can do the same for mine on your cell phone. What do you think?”

  He watched her face for the first sign of opposition to the idea, but it didn’t come. She pulled the small rectangular device from its box and studied it as she turned it over in her hand. After a few minutes, she looked up at him.

  “Is this one ready to go?”

  He nodded. “Yes. All you have to do is conceal it on yourself somewhere.”

  Balancing on one leg, she propped her foot on a kitchen chair, pulled up the bottom of her jeans and slipped the tracker into her boot. Then she pulled the pants leg down, straightened it and lowered her foot to the floor.

  “Now let’s do yours.”

  Surprised at how easily she’d accepted his suggestion, he opened the other box. “Give me your cell phone, and I’ll get this one set up on it.”

  Minutes later, with both devices set, they relaxed at the kitchen table and sipped from steaming cups of coffee. He found he couldn’t keep his eyes off her this morning and had to fight to keep from glancing at her from time to time.

  Finally she chuckled. “What’s the matter, Ryan? You’re acting like you want to tell me something but you’re afraid to say it.”

  He set his coffee cup down and smiled. “I guess I’m still a little bit surprised at how you accepted the tracker without telling me how you could take care of yourself. I expected a terrible argument when I came in earlier.”

  She pursed her lips and shrugged. “I did a lot of thinking last night about what you said. You know, about how I shouldn’t worry the people who love me. I know Lucas only wants what’s best for me, and yesterday’s events scared him. It’s selfish of me to make my family worry. So I decided I can put aside my independence for a while and try not to upset the people I care about.”

  “I think that’s a good idea.” He raised his coffee cup and tipped it toward her before draining it and setting it back in its saucer. “Now, why don’t we go see if we can figure out what’s going on in the world of politics this morning.”

  She jumped to her feet, grabbed their cups and set them in the sink. “I’ll be right with you. I have to get my gun. I don’t feel completely dressed unless I have it.”

  He watched her leave the room and smiled. The time with Jessica this morning had been good. The all-out war he’d expected over the GPS hadn’t come about. Instead, she had been understanding, and her words about not upsetting those who cared for her had touched his heart. She had no idea how right she was. He was beginning to care more every day.

 
TEN

  Jessica stepped out of the car and let her gaze drift over the row of offices that lined the sidewalk along one side of the trendy mall in East Memphis. The sign over one of the doors announced the location as the reelection campaign headquarters for Senator Mitchum. Signs with the senator’s picture on it adorned the windows, and a sign on the front door welcomed all to enter.

  Ryan glanced at her. “Ready for this?”

  She nodded. “Let’s go.”

  Ryan opened the door and they stepped inside to what Jessica could only describe as controlled bedlam. Rows of desks lined each wall and another row ran down the middle of the room. The roar of conversation filled the room as the young men and women who manned the desks were either engaged in telephone conversations or working on computers.

  Before they could move beyond the door, a young woman appeared out of nowhere and hovered near Jessica’s elbow. She beamed a huge smile that could grace an advertisement for an orthodontist.

  “Hello, I’m Cindy. Are you here to volunteer or just to visit with us today?”

  Ryan pulled his badge out. “We’re here on police business. Is the senator here?”

  Her eyes grew large at the sight of the badge and she shook her head. “No, he’s speaking at a luncheon at the Peabody today, and he’s already left. But his chief of staff is here. Would you like to see him?”

  “Yes. Can you show us where he is?”

  The girl glanced from one to the other before she led the way across the room where the volunteers worked and through a door at the back. They stepped into a short hallway that had an office on either side and a door at the end with an exit sign over it.

  Cindy stopped at the door on the left. “This is Mr. Stark’s office. I’ll tell him you’re here.”

  At her knock, a voice from inside called out. “Come in.”

  Cindy stuck her head inside. “Mr. Stark, I’m sorry to disturb you, but there are some police officers here to see you.”

  “Police officers? To see me? Well, send them in.”

  As they entered the room, a balding man rose from a chair behind a desk and came across the room to meet them, his hand extended. “Hello. I’m Wendell Stark, Senator Mitchum’s chief of staff. Welcome to our reelection headquarters, but I have to admit I’m mystified what the police could possibly want to talk to me about.”

  Jessica shook the man’s hand and inclined her head toward Ryan. “Actually, Detective Spencer is a police officer. My name is Jessica Knight. I’m a bounty hunter.”

  His eyes grew wide. “Now I’m even more stunned. What brings a bounty hunter to our doors today?”

  Ryan stepped forward and shook Wendell’s hand and smiled. “We’re working on a case together, and we think you may have some information that will help us.”

  Wendell nodded. “Well, of course I will if I can. What’s this about?”

  Ryan reached in his pocket and pulled out the copy of Lee Tucker’s mug shot he’d gotten at headquarters. “Have you ever seen this man?”

  Wendell stared at the picture for a moment before he shook his head slowly. “No, I don’t recognize him. Who is he?”

  “His name is Lee Tucker,” Ryan continued. “He held up a convenience store a few days ago, and the license number on the getaway car was registered to Senator Mitchum’s campaign.”

  Wendell nodded as he handed the picture back to Ryan. “Yes, I knew about the robbery. The police questioned us about the car. I told them it was a car that we had in the parking lot out back. It’s driven by one of Senator Mitchum’s aides, but he was in Washington at the time with the senator. I suppose that’s why we didn’t know the car was missing until the police came and told us it had been used in a robbery.” He glanced up at Ryan. “I gather the robber hasn’t been caught yet, or you wouldn’t be here.”

  “He was captured last night but he escaped. Two officers were killed in the process.”

  A stricken look lined Wendell’s face. “I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sure the senator will want to send condolences to the families. I’ll have one of our workers call and get the names of the officers’ family members.”

  “That would be very thoughtful,” Jessica said. “One of the officers was a friend to both of us.”

  Wendell glanced at his watch and frowned. “Is there anything else I can do for you? I’ve told you I’ve never seen the man in the picture, and I’ve explained about the car. I really need to get back to work, unless there’s something else I can do. I’m on a deadline for finalizing the senator’s speaking tour across the state.”

  Ryan shook his head. “I guess that’s all. We don’t want to detain you.”

  Wendell walked to the door and held it open for them to exit. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you more.”

  “So are we,” Jessica said as she walked into the hallway.

  Wendell smiled at them. “Senator Mitchum is a big supporter of the Memphis Police Department. He’ll be sorry he missed you. I’ll take this opportunity, though, to say that I hope we can count on your vote come election day.”

  Ryan smiled. “I always vote. That’s for sure.”

  “And so do I,” Jessica added.

  A slight frown wrinkled Wendell’s forehead, but he forced a smile to his face. “That’s good to know. If I can be of further service to you, let me know.”

  “We will.”

  Ryan took Jessica’s elbow and steered her down the hallway and back through the volunteers, who appeared just as busy as they’d been earlier when they entered the building. Once outside, Jessica turned to Ryan.

  “What did you think?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. He sounded believable. I just wish we could have talked to the senator.” He glanced at his watch. “Let’s hurry over to Chip Holder’s headquarters and see if he can shed any light on things.”

  As they walked toward the car, Jessica saw Ryan pull his cell phone out, stare at the screen and frown. “What’s the matter?”

  “I keep expecting a call from Jamie. He said he’d be home today, but I thought he’d call again to let me know he was on his way. I haven’t heard from him since he called yesterday.”

  “Have you tried calling him?”

  “I have, but it goes straight to voice mail. I’ve left him several messages to call, but he hasn’t.” Ryan unlocked the car door and turned to face Jessica. “With Lee Tucker at large, I’m really beginning to get worried about Jamie.”

  Jessica didn’t say anything else, but Ryan’s words troubled her, too. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right, and one look at Ryan’s face told her he was worried sick. She closed her eyes. Please, God, keep him safe. He’s all Ryan has.

  But her troubled thoughts remained with her all the way to Chip Holder’s campaign headquarters.

  * * *

  Ryan was so lost in thought that he followed the car’s GPS instructions as if he was on automatic pilot. He turned off the main thoroughfare onto a side street lined with discount stores. At the end of one row of stores, he spotted a sign with Chip Holder’s name on it.

  Jessica turned to him in surprise. “This is where Holder has his campaign headquarters?”

  “Yeah. Quite a step down the ladder from Senator Mitchum’s offices, isn’t it?”

  She nodded in agreement as he pulled the car to a stop in front of the small office. Just as at Senator Mitchum’s headquarters, posters for Chip Holder were plastered around the door and in the windows.

  They climbed from the car and walked toward the entrance. Ryan pushed the front door open and she stepped inside first. The interior also offered a stark contrast to what they’d seen earlier at the Mitchum headquarters. Here there were only five desks being manned by individuals who looked extremely harried.

  As they came to a stop, a young
man at the front desk looked up and smiled. His red-streaked eyes and the dark smudges underneath appeared to be effects of lack of sleep. Nevertheless, he jumped to his feet and came around his desk.

  “Welcome to Holder campaign headquarters. My name is Mark and I’m a volunteer. What can I do for you?”

  Again Ryan pulled out his badge. “I’m with the Memphis police. I’d like to speak to whoever’s in charge, maybe Mr. Holder’s chief of staff.”

  Mark smiled. “That would be Mr. Johnson, but he’s out sick today. Mr. Holder’s here, though. Would you like to see him?”

  Jessica’s eyebrows arched, and she cast a surprised look at Ryan. “We thought he’d be too busy to talk to us.”

  Mark shook his head. “Chip’s never too busy to talk to a potential voter no matter who they’re supporting in the race. He’s one of the friendliest guys I’ve ever met. Come on. I’ll show you to his cubicle.”

  “Cubicle?” Jessica mouthed the word to Ryan as they followed Mark to a small hallway in the back.

  Just as Mark had said, several room dividers had been arranged to block off a section of the hallway. The young man paused outside the opening to a cubicle. “Chip, the police are here. They’d like to talk to you.”

  “Send them in, Mark.” The voice Ryan had heard numerous times on television campaign ads boomed out from behind the dividers.

  Mark stepped out of the way and Ryan followed Jessica inside. Chip Holder stood behind his desk in the cluttered area, a big smile on his face. In person he looked younger than Ryan knew him to be. He had to be in his early forties, but he could pass for a guy in his late twenties.

  His broad chest and bulging muscles in his back and arms were evidence of time spent in the gym, and his blond hair was cut short. He wore a knit shirt much like a golfer would wear, and Ryan suddenly realized in all the pictures he’d ever seen of Holder he had never been dressed in a suit and tie. In all his publicity pictures he either wore casual clothes or his military uniform. Just a regular guy from humble beginnings, he called himself in his ads, a veteran who loved his country and had served proudly.