by Cate Nolan
“What a tired pair we are.”
She tried to laugh, but it faded into yet another yawn.
“Go on off to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Callie grabbed her bag and headed for the stairs. She stopped in the doorway and turned back to him. “Thank you for everything, Jackson. You’ve been pretty extraordinary yourself.” She gave him a little half smile that he knew would be lingering in his mind long into the night.
“Try to sleep,” she admonished. “The deputies will be watching, right?”
He nodded, not trusting his voice.
“Good night.”
She was right. He needed rest, but he doubted he’d sleep anytime soon. This paradox of a woman had his mind racing. Could she possibly be as innocent and sweet as she seemed?
And while he was puzzling that through, maybe he’d find the answers to some of the other questions that were plaguing him. Like why the men had attempted to kidnap Callie. If they wanted her dead, it would have been easy enough to take her out. Even on the crowded street, they could have gotten off a clear shot. That was going to haunt him for sure, but a more immediate question diverted his attention from that blame game. Why had they tried to kidnap her instead?
Something was off, something he couldn’t quite place. Maybe his boss would have some answers.
When that call went straight to voice mail, Jackson decided it was a sign to at least try to get some sleep. Grabbing his bag, he headed up the stairs and down the long hallway to the room his hostess had shown him earlier. He stopped beside Callie’s door and listened. The sounds were soft and muffled but unmistakable. She was crying. The sound struck right to his heart and left him feeling helpless. He could protect her, but he couldn’t change what her life had become.
* * *
The ringing phone jolted Jackson from a fitful sleep. It took a moment for him to register the unfamiliar number as the local sheriff’s office.
“Walker here.”
He listened calmly at first, but disbelief soon transformed into fury. “Let me get this right. You knew several hours ago that the men who attempted to abduct Ms. Martin escaped—okay, were broken out.” He paused, fighting back the words he wanted to say. “And you’re just calling me now because...?”
He had to repeat what the deputy said because it defied imagination that they had waited so long. “Because you found the car they used to escape.” Jackson clenched and unclenched his left fist. “And no one considered that Ms. Martin might be in danger because the men who tried to take her earlier were back on—”
Jackson broke off as his own words registered. Beads of sweat popped out on his forehead. “I’ll call you back.” He raced down the hall and pounded on Callie’s door. “Callie, Callie. Are you in there? Ms. Martin. Open the door or I’m coming in.”
“Hang on a moment.”
The sleepy voice was the sweetest music to his ears.
Callie, hugging a huge plush robe around herself and rubbing her eyes, opened the door. “What’s wrong, Jackson? It’s not morning, is it?”
She looked so adorably sleepy that he wanted to hug her. And that meant he needed to smack himself a reminder. What was he even thinking? This was about protecting her life, not noticing how attractive she was.
Where had that idea even come from?
“Callie, please step out into the hall. I need to search the room.” He tried to sound businesslike but not alarming.
Apparently he’d failed. She was wide-awake now and grabbing his arm. “What happened now? What’s going on?”
Jackson paused. He hated that the words he needed to say would worry her. She’d been through so much. He noted her puffy eyes. Remembering the sound of her tears, he hazarded a guess she’d cried herself to sleep. Now he was about to sink her right back into her misery.
“Jackson?”
“I just got a call from the deputy.” He saw her face fall, knew that he didn’t even need to finish the sentence, but he did anyway. “They escaped.”
There was a moment of pure panic on Callie’s face as she looked around. “You think they came here? Is that why you want to search my room? I don’t want to stay out here alone. Let me stand in the room with you while you search. You don’t really think they’re in there, do you? How would they know where we are?”
Her panic broke his heart. Life was so unfair sometimes. Here she was just trying to do what was right and she couldn’t even get an uninterrupted night’s sleep.
His phone rang. Jackson glanced down and realized it was the sheriff’s number again. In his concern for Callie, he’d forgotten to call back. Hopefully they had good news.
“Yeah?”
It wasn’t the news he wanted. “Okay. Yeah, I understand. Send someone over to lead me there.”
He disconnected the call and turned back to Callie. One look at her face told him she wasn’t planning on staying behind.
“Apparently someone tampered with food that was delivered to the sheriff’s office. While the deputies were passed out, someone broke in and let the prisoners free. They ditched the escape car just outside of town. The sheriff asked if I want to come down and take a look.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Jackson knew Callie would need more sleep, but he had no intention of letting her out of his sight. “I wish I could leave you here, Callie. We’ve got long days ahead and—”
“You think I can sleep knowing the men who tried to kidnap me just broke out of prison? You think they won’t be coming for me?”
He didn’t have an answer for that. Not one he wanted to give her.
“Besides,” she continued. “I was the one they took. Maybe I’ll see something you miss.”
Jackson refrained from commenting on his years of training and experience, partly because the desperation in her eyes stirred something in him, but also because his gut instinct said to bring her along. Separating just felt like the wrong thing to do.
“Let me check out the room before you go change. Then I’ll tell the sheriff you’re coming.”
Callie flung her arms around his neck. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I promise not to get in the way.”
She was as good as her word. When they reached the scene, she stayed back with the local officers while Jackson investigated. There was nothing there to tell him much more than they already knew. Discarded food wrappers indicated four people had been traveling, which meshed with one person breaking out the other three.
But where were they now? And what were they planning?
Another deputy got off his phone and walked over to the sheriff. A few minutes later, the sheriff signaled Jackson to join him. “Car was stolen one town over. Report just came in.”
Jackson kicked the tire. He hadn’t really been counting on getting anything from a rental agency, but there’d at least been a chance. They had less than nothing now.
“So the fingerprints probably belong to the owner.”
“Probably.”
“Did anything show up from the fingerprints you took at the station?”
The sheriff shook his head. “Not in the system.”
Jackson grunted his frustration. “Any chance of tracking anything away from here?”
“There were some footprints in the mud, but they only went as far as the highway. They must have had another car waiting.”
Which meant there might be five or more men after Callie.
None of this made sense. Why send five men after a witness when one sniper would do? Did they want her dead? Or just want her?
SIX
Callie shivered in the cold night air. She stood at the edge of the road, pacing between the sheriff’s car and the police tape. The deputy she’d been entrusted to had suggested she stay in the car, but Callie needed t
o be moving, needed to be able to see Jackson.
Her heart was racing and she felt light-headed, but still she paced. The tingling in her toes and fingers could have been from the cold, but it wasn’t. This chilled, out-of-control feeling had nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with her feelings of helplessness. She didn’t like this new version of herself, this woman constantly on the verge of a panic attack, so dependent on her marshal to keep her safe.
Jackson would tell her to cut herself some slack. It wasn’t every day a gal survived two attempted kidnappings within forty-eight hours. Knowing that didn’t change how she felt, though. It didn’t regulate the chills or alleviate the impending sense of doom.
Only prayer could do that.
Lord, it’s me, Callie, again. You’re probably sick of hearing from me by now. Please help me get through this. Please show me Your will. She looked over to Jackson, who was conferring with the police chief. Thank You for sending Jackson to me. Please protect him, watch over him and guide him.
She was still praying and pacing when Jackson came up behind her. He rested an arm around her shoulders and drew her into the safety of his arms. “How are you holding up?”
She felt stronger in his arms. Not invincible, but better. She tried to smile reassuringly, but the minute her gaze met his, tears welled up. The understanding and compassion in his eyes washed over her. “Okay. I’m okay.”
He gave her shoulders a squeeze before letting go. “We can leave now. There’s nothing more here.”
“Did you learn anything?”
He shrugged. “Some. I’ll tell you in the car. Sheriff’s going to lead us back into town. He’ll have another car follow. Just to be safe.”
They climbed into their car, but he didn’t speak. He just reached across and took her hand. How had he known she needed that? Needed the simple human contact to reassure her that she wasn’t alone in this.
It was a mistake to rely on him for anything more than her physical safety. He was her marshal, her protector. Nothing more. He could never be anything more. No matter how much she was growing to like him.
That didn’t mean she couldn’t cherish this one small moment of peace—the comfort that spread from his hand to hers. They rode in silence, a caravan of official vehicles following the winding back roads into town. Jackson kept their hands linked, allowing the deep quiet to envelop them in a temporary haven.
As the car pulled up in front of the office, she turned to him. “Thank you. I needed that.”
He didn’t ask why. Didn’t question her. He just nodded as if he understood, and his sad smile told her that maybe he had needed it, too.
But the time for peace was past. She needed to know what was going on. She withdrew her hand and focused her attention. “I can handle it now. What did you find?”
Jackson turned away and sat with his hands resting on the steering wheel, his neck and back held erect. She could see him draw in a deep breath and slowly exhale before he answered. His eyes stared straight ahead.
“There are at least four of them.”
Callie gasped. She hadn’t been expecting that. “Four?”
“Or possibly more. The three who were in jail and the one who broke them out. Someone else was driving the new car. We don’t know if that was the same one who broke them out or another. Then there was whoever got to the food delivery. Sheriff has a deputy out checking that angle. They’re not making much progress. I’m hoping our office can do better.”
Four, five, what did it matter how many there were? The idea that they were after her, that anyone was so determined to get to her, still amazed Callie. And reinforced her determination.
“If they sent five people after me, then it must be really important that we elude them and I stay alive to testify.” She took a moment to bow her head in prayer, to ask for grace. “Tell me what we need to do. I’ll do exactly as you ask.”
She knew she was putting a huge burden on him, but together, and with God’s grace, they could prevail.
He nodded slowly. “Okay. But in the morning. Neither of us has had much sleep in the last two days. We’ll need sleep to be alert. Let’s try to catch a few hours while the local guys keep watch. We’ll plan fresh in the morning. Okay?”
She smiled at him. “Sounds like the best plan I’ve heard yet, but...”
Callie hesitated. “What?”
She shrugged. “I’m not questioning your judgment, but they did let the men escape. Are you sure we can trust them to keep watch?”
Jackson leaned toward the steering wheel and rubbed his eyes. When he lifted his head and turned to answer, she could momentarily see all the responsibility of his job weighing on him. “I’ll be honest. I don’t love it. But it’s the best we can do right now.” He smothered a yawn. “The sheriff invited us to stay at his own house instead. He’ll have extra men on.”
“Does he know the truth, what’s really going on?”
“No.” Jackson shook his head. “But he’s no fool, and he figured out it’s something important. These men are very determined.”
“And on that note, let’s have sweet dreams.” Callie laughed nervously.
Jackson took her hand again. “If it would make you feel safer, we can drive on. I’d just feel better doing it in daylight. Don’t want the boys catching up to us alone in the dark.”
Callie gave him her best brave smile. “I trust you.”
She did. She’d known him less than two days, but she’d trust him with her life. Which was a good thing since that’s exactly what she was doing.
* * *
He had to check in with his office, so it was close to three by the time Jackson found his way to bed. He was anxious to get back on the road, but what he’d told Callie was true. They were both too exhausted to leave now. He really needed another marshal or two, but even if he was willing to risk the leak and ask for help, it would be a day or so before anyone could catch up with them, especially because he had to keep changing direction. Once he figured out their next step, he’d reconsider having someone meet them. In the meantime, he had to trust that with the guard of squad cars and sheriff’s deputies, they’d make it safely through the night.
Trust. Not a word he was comfortable with. Jackson was much better relying on himself, but in order to be any good to Callie tomorrow, he had to trust in the locals tonight.
That was easier said than done for a man who was used to being the one in control. What his brain told him was best and what his instincts demanded were in direct conflict. An hour later, he was still tossing, and sleep was merely a precious dream. His body cried out from fatigue, but his mind kept racing in a semiconscious mode halfway between sleep and wakefulness, working through all of the puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit together. How did today’s abduction attempt fit in with the office attack? Had they correctly interpreted the threat to Callie? What if they didn’t intend to kill her?
That was the question that kept him awake. Why would someone try to take her alive? A message? A threat? Or something else? Those endlessly circling questions had him up and pacing the room as an uneasy feeling settled in his stomach.
Had that foiled kidnapping attempt really been meant for Callie, or had they been trying to send a bigger message by getting at the attorney who would be prosecuting the trial? He knew she was under guard now, too. Did she connect back to Callie in any other way? Had they known each other before? And the underlying thread that gave all these questions a bad smell—how had his witness’s location been discovered?
Jackson collapsed against the wall and slowly sank to the floor. He sat hunched over, head resting on his knees as he buried his face in his hands. He couldn’t begin to contemplate the idea that any of the men he’d looked up to for so long could be anything other than model marshals. He had no reason to think otherwise.
&n
bsp; Just a nagging feeling of doubt. A doubt that had never been there before. He’d only ever held his fellow marshals in the highest esteem.
And he would continue to do so until there was proof to the contrary. Jackson scrubbed his hands over his face, trying to rid himself of the disturbing suspicions. It was probably only the lack of sleep addling his thinking. They had likely all been victims of someone who had infiltrated the office.
Someone was going to a lot of trouble to get to Callie. The question was, why? She either had to have something they wanted or she knew too much.
If Callie knowing too much was the explanation, why didn’t they just shoot her when they had the chance? The fact that they hadn’t raised some serious questions. How much did she know? More to the point, why did she know it? Because she was an unfortunate witness? Or because she was a part of it?
Jackson considered the frightened woman who’d clung to him earlier. Her fear was tangible, and it came across as genuine. Of course she could be in cahoots with them and still be afraid. He rubbed his eyes, pinching his brows together as he tried to make sense of the whole ugly picture.
He mentally replayed the interactions he’d had with Callie since they’d met. She’d been stubborn, even made a few foolish mistakes, but nothing all that different from mistakes other witnesses had made. There was something different about her, but he didn’t think it was guilt. It felt more like naive hope or a belief that things would still work out. It was hard to believe it was all an act on her part.
But that put him no closer to understanding what it was all about and no closer to falling asleep. He finally gave up and headed down to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee. He was on his third cup, head buried in a newspaper, when Callie arrived for breakfast.
The aches and pains from his sleepless night were a welcome tradeoff for the bright smile on her face as she entered the breakfast room. At least one of them had caught some sleep.
“Good morning, Jackson.” Her cheery greeting and happy smile were more potent than the coffee in his mug. She was so resilient. Where did she get it from, that ability to bounce back no matter what?
