“Well, your guy got away, too.”
“I know that, Claire, but I still don’t understand why you thought you could bring a guy like Peter Willis in by yourself. If you needed help, why didn’t you call me?”
Claire sniffed and shook her head. “As if I’d ever ask you for anything, Mister Big-Time Bounty Hunter. Besides, I couldn’t afford your fees.”
Adam turned his back on Claire, raked his hand through his hair and muttered under his breath before he faced her again. “Claire, you’ve been my sister’s best friend since middle school, you practically grew up at our house and you know my family owns the biggest fugitive recovery group in Memphis. We wouldn’t have charged you anything. Why didn’t you come to us?”
Claire doubled her fists and pounded them against the ground. “Because I didn’t want to see you, that’s why.”
He inhaled a deep breath and attempted to control the anger rising inside him. “You didn’t want to see me? Then what about Jessica? You could have called her. She would have helped you.”
“Because I knew Jessica was busy on another case. Besides, this is my problem. I can take care of it by myself.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Like you did tonight?”
She pounded the ground again with her fists. “Oh, that remark is so like you. You never miss an opportunity to let me know what your opinion is of me.”
He glared down at her. “So we’re back to that again. I’m sorry I caused you problems years ago, but I only wanted to save you a boatload of grief. That has nothing to do with what happened tonight. Your pride almost got you killed.”
“It wasn’t pride. It’s just that I don’t like to be reminded of what a fool I was to think I saw something in you that wasn’t there.”
He gave a short gasp and swallowed hard. “I’m sorry you feel that way. Contrary to what you think, I’ve always admired you a lot. But I don’t see any reason for us to be discussing what happened between us years ago. Don’t you understand what I just said? You were almost killed tonight. If I hadn’t been following James, they would have shot you without giving it a second thought.”
She bit down on her lip and sighed. “I know, and I do appreciate your help. It’s just that everything has been so difficult since my dad died. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“I’m sorry.” He wanted to say more, but he knew his sympathy was the last thing in the world she wanted at this this moment. Instead he held out his hand to her. “We need to get out of here. Let me help you up.”
She hesitated a moment before she reached for his hand. With a groan she pushed to her feet. He held on to her for a moment. “Can you stand on your own?”
She nodded. “I think so.”
Adam released her hand, and she took a tentative step. Then a low moan escaped her throat, and she lurched sideways. She clawed at the air in an effort to regain her balance, but it was no use. She toppled straight into Adam’s arms.
It happened so quickly Adam didn’t have a chance to react. One moment he was yelling at Claire for taking on a job she obviously wasn’t qualified for, and the next he had scooped her up into his arms. He gazed down into her face and saw her bite down on her lip.
“Are you in pain?” She nodded but didn’t say anything. He stood there a moment, trying to decide what to do, and then she shivered. “Are you cold?”
“Yes.”
He turned and walked around the cabin to the front door. It still stood open. He carried Claire into the house, kicked the door closed behind them and looked around. A fire warmed the room, and a couch faced the fireplace. He set her on the sofa and knelt in front of her.
“Let me take a look at that ankle.”
She flinched from his touch as he began to pull her boot off. “No, really. I’ll be okay. I just need to get home.”
He stared up at her. “Why do you always have to be so independent? You may need to go to the hospital. I need to see what your ankle looks like.”
She exhaled and leaned back against the cushions. “Then do it. I don’t think I’m in any condition to fight you right now.”
He tried to hide the smirk that pulled at his lips. “It’s good to see you can be sensible sometimes.”
Adam slipped her boot and sock off her foot. He frowned and sucked in his breath at the sight of how swollen the ankle was. He touched it lightly, and she groaned. “That hurt.”
He sat back on his heels and stared for a moment before he stood up. “I’m sorry. I think we need to get you to a hospital.”
Claire shook her head. “We need to get after those men. I had a hard time finding Peter, and I don’t want to lose his trail.”
“I’m afraid we already have. We’ll have to rethink what’s to be done. The first thing is I’d like to talk you into letting us find Willis for you.”
“Your sister is my best friend. I’m not going to impose on her family to help me out when I can’t pay them.”
Adam sat back on his heels and stared at her. “Claire, we would never think you were imposing.”
“Maybe not, but I can’t do it.”
He sighed and rose to his feet. “I will give you credit for one thing, though. You found Willis. A lot of bounty hunters are never able to find the guy they’re looking for. How did you know he was here?”
Her face flushed, a sign that his compliment hadn’t gone unnoticed, and she smiled. “I remember hearing your dad talking to you one time about being a bounty hunter. He said you had to research your fugitive until you knew everything about him. I found out that Peter likes to gamble in Tunica and that his family had this cabin nearby. I asked around about him and finally spotted him at a blackjack table in one of the local casinos. I followed him back here tonight and was just about to take him into custody when your guy showed up.”
Adam pushed to his feet and glanced around the cabin. “Well, we’ve lost both of them now. But as long as we’re inside the Willis cabin, we should take a look around.”
Claire started to stand, but she groaned and sank back to the sofa. “I can’t. See if you can find anything that might help us.”
He pointed to the room just off the living area. “This looks like it could be his bedroom. I’ll look in there.”
She nodded and patted the couch. “Okay. I’ll wait right here.”
Adam walked into the room and looked around. A lamp on a bedside table cast a glow across the room, and he glanced around to see if Peter Willis might have left anything behind. An open suitcase sat on the floor against one wall, and he squatted down beside it. A few rumpled clothes that looked as if they were ready to be laundered lay inside. Rising, he walked across the room to the closet and opened the door. Two pairs of pants and three shirts hung there. One thing was evident. Peter Willis hadn’t taken enough clothing for an extended trip.
Adam walked back into the living room and glanced at Claire. She sat up straighter on the couch. “Did you find anything?”
“No. He had very few clothes.”
She frowned. “But that doesn’t make sense. If he was planning to disappear indefinitely, why didn’t he bring enough clothes to last for a while?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he had clothes stashed somewhere else.” Adam glanced at the coat rack on the wall just inside the door and the leather jacket that hung there. He walked over, rammed his hand into the pocket, and pulled out a cell phone. He held it up for Claire to see. “Well, well. Look what Peter left.”
Claire sat up straighter on the couch and motioned for Adam to bring her the phone. “Maybe we can find out where he’s been by looking at his recent calls and texts.”
Adam nodded and sat down next to Claire on the sofa. “I was just about suggest that.” She scooted closer and watched as he scrolled through the calls. He frowned as he stared at the phone. “There are several calls to a num
ber in the Middle Tennessee area code and more to a number in the Smoky Mountain area in the eastern part of the state. These other ones are all to a number in Memphis, probably his wife.”
Claire stared down at the phone for a moment before she glanced up at him. “Why don’t you call the ones we don’t know and see who answers?”
Adam started to call the first number but stopped. “We can do this later, Claire. Right now we need to get that ankle taken care of.” He let his gaze drift over her once more. “Do you think you can stand?”
“I’m sure I can.”
She placed her hands on the cushions on either side of her and pushed up. She made it halfway to a standing position before she cried out in pain and toppled forward. Adam caught her before she fell to the floor and scooped her up into his arms once more.
He tightened his grip around her and shifted her in his arms. Then he looked down at her and chuckled. “You don’t have to be brave for me.”
She glared at him. “I wasn’t trying to be brave. I thought it was better.”
“No matter what you thought, we need to get that ankle checked out. I’ll take you to the hospital in my car. Then I’ll get my brother, Lucas, or Jessica to come back with me tomorrow to pick up your car.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary. I think by tomorrow I’ll be able to drive.”
He quirked an eyebrow and smiled. “Whatever you say.”
Adam glanced around the cabin to make sure he wasn’t leaving anything behind before he headed across the room. He stopped at the front door, and Claire reached up and switched off the light. Juggling her in his arms so he could reach the door knob, he turned it and pulled the door open.
Before he could take a step, a rush of air exploded next to his head, and wood splintered on the door facing. Claire screamed and buried her head in his shoulder as he staggered backward and kicked the door closed.
Another bullet struck the front door as Adam landed on the floor with Claire on top of him. In one swift move he rolled over and covered her with his body. He heard her sob and felt her tremble as he continued to shield her from the gunfire that shattered the cabin windows and streaked over their heads.
Adam had never felt so helpless in his life, but there was no way he could make it outside to confront their attackers without being shot down. His mind raced to find a solution as the barrage grew heavier, but nothing came to mind.
He and Claire were at the mercy of someone who wanted them dead, and they might very well succeed in their mission. All he could do at the moment was lie still and try to protect Claire and hope that no stray bullet found its mark.
Copyright © 2015 by Sandra Robbins
ISBN-13: 9781460376102
To Save Her Child
Copyright © 2015 by Margaret Daley
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