Hidden (A McKenzie Ridge Novel Book 2)

by Stephanie St. Klaire

  He perused the displays on the outside of the store as reality slapped him like the bitch that it was. Was this what they had talked about? Was this the kind of forever they were fighting for?

  He heard her laughter long before she came into view. She rounded the corner, arms linked with Sam, and several more bags in hand. Her pace slowed, her smile faded, and her glow dimmed as she approached. Stopping dead in her tracks, pale as can be. Colton’s heart sank.

  “Hey are you okay?” Sam asked, full of confusion. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, honey.”

  Colton stood patiently awaiting a response, concerned with the sudden change in her demeanor.

  That look was all too familiar, it tugged at his insecurities as he wondered if it was the sight of him looking at rings, or her past having its way with her again. Either way, it didn’t bode well for him. She was looking through him, not at him, another foray against him.

  Returning from wherever her discernibly frightened mind had been, she quickly picked up her pace, adopting a fraudulent smile as they made the last several yards to their families. Colton noticed her eyes searching, looking everywhere but at him. He turned to look behind him, and saw nothing, but a man walking the other direction with his hands in his pockets and a bag swinging from his wrist.

  Turning back to Megan, as she wrapped her arm around him, struggling with that smile, she looked over the group, pulling Jax’s stroller close, before finally speaking.

  “Sorry,” she said, with a nervous chuckle and quivering voice.

  “Babe, are you okay?” Colton questioned full of tension, searching for answers.

  She looked past the group again, Dawson turned to match her view this time, noticing her unease. He met Colton’s eyes and offered a slight shrug of his brow. He wasn’t sure what to make of her behavior either.

  “Yes, I’m fine. I just…just felt light headed for a second there! That’s all!” She replied, exercising that counterfeit smile again. “I guess I shopped more than I ate, oops!”

  “Are you sure? We’ll grab something to eat when we head out right now. You’re sure it isn’t anything else?” He implored, hoping she would give him a clue, anything that would relieve him of his worry.

  “I’m sure. Let’s just go. Food and a nap on the road should take care of it!” She said, pushing the stroller through the exit, side by side with Sam, in an urgent fashion for someone light headed and famished. Her eyes made one last sweep beyond where they were standing, before she was on her way.

  “Is it me, or is her ‘ghost’ back?” Dawson asked.

  “Ghost, or me looking at rings. Maybe I spooked her.” Defeat obvious in his admission.

  “I don’t know, man. I don’t think she even noticed the jeweler, she had eyes over there,” he said, gesturing to the vacant area she had been staring at.

  “Maybe,” Colton said, lacking confidence.

  ***

  Megan raced to the truck, and it still wasn’t fast enough for her liking. Her heart was racing and her panic all consuming. It took all she had to put on her brave face and lie to those she cared about the most. She saw him again. The man that stood outside of her shop, a few nights prior, was in Portland.

  He was real, he was following her, and she knew who he was the second he grinned an evil sneer, looking at Jax. She had been found. Her nightmare finally realized.

  She couldn’t get home fast enough, they needed a head start and she hoped she had at least a brief one. She could figure out the how’s and why’s of being found later. She was prepared for this, had everything ready to get away without a trace. It was time to get home, grab her bag, and run…again.

  ***

  Two long hours passed as fast as a rock melts in winter, this drive was a bitch, and they were only half way through it. Tensions were high, feelings bruised, and anxiety flowed. Megan spent a good portion of the trip “napping”, yet didn’t get a lick of sleep the entire journey. Laying her head against the window, eyes closed, was her way to avoid conversation and more lying, while she planned her next move.

  She hated treating Colton this way; she hated leaving him even more. What had she been thinking the night before? Facing her past? Fighting for forevers? Well her past was here it had been right in front of her, at arm’s length, all day. The harsh reality was that it had probably been there for months, waiting, reminding her who was in charge and it wasn’t her. Not even close.

  Now, everyone was in danger and it was all her fault. She needed to leave, tonight, before tragedy whittled its way through her friends’ lives too. She had already lost enough.

  A quick stop at the half way point for bathroom and diaper breaks finally crept up. She would make a point to be quick; time wasn’t on her side, or theirs. It was time to disappear.

  ***

  The men stayed with the vehicles while the women tended to the children. Dawson checked his cell phone, remembering a buzz indicating he had a message nearly an hour ago. He pulled his phone to find a message from Blake, their trip home just got all the more ominous.

  “Need to talk to you both when you get here, alone…

  Have info, make it happen

  -B

  “Oh shit,” Dawson said, leaning against the front of his truck.

  Colton turned his direction and asked, “What’s up? Gotta go? I can watch the trucks.”

  Dawson gave him an ill-tempered look and said, “No, Sparks…check your phone!”

  Colton pulled out his cell phone and scanned his messages. The look on his face was evidence enough, he read the right message. He stared at his phone, seeming to read the message over and over as if he missed something in that handful of words. He looked up, staring at the wooded area beyond, before looking back at Dawson.

  “What do you think he found?” Colton said softly, with a sullen look that even made Dawson feel bad for the guy.

  “No tellin’. Blake makes cake sound dark and painful so it could go either way, man,” Dawson replied, wishing he had something more encouraging to offer.

  “Okay, well, I guess it’s time to get home.” He nodded toward the restrooms indicating that the ladies were on their way back.

  Colton and Meg made eye contact, each giving a look as if they were caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Both quickly plastered on a manufactured smile. Both read trouble in the other’s look. She was careful not to ask if all was okay, because she already knew it wasn’t and she didn’t want to stoke any fires. He was careful not to ask because he knew she was anything but okay, and he didn’t want to make her run faster than she was probably already planning.

  Chapter 24

  Both trucks stopped at the House first to unload the trailer Colton pulled, carrying the new equipment. They were greeted by Blake, who had an urgent look on his face rather than his typical glower.

  “Hey man, what’s good?” Colton asked, reading his expression as a possible warning.

  Blake extended his hand, offering their typical handshake to each, giving Sam and Meg each a welcoming nod.

  “Not much, just here to help you unload. Chief wants it done now, so training can start first thing,” Blake said with raised eyebrows, hoping they caught on and would run with the opening he gave them.

  “Well, okay then. Sam can you run Meg and Jax home, and I can drop you off after?” Dawson offered to Colton, working with the opportunity Blake gave them.

  “Sounds good, shouldn’t take long, we’ll be right behind you guys,” Colton said.

  “Then let’s barbeque! It’s chilly but clear today. The kids can play and get all that energy out from the long trip. Blake, we expect you to come too!” Sam said with excitement, not ready for their weekend to end.

  “I don’t know. I still have a bit of a headache and Jax is pretty tired.” Megan cut in, anxiety flooding her tone.

  “That’s okay! I’ll drop you two off. Go grab a nap while I run to the store and get dinner going!” By the time Jax wakes, the guys will be home!” Sam exp
lained, hopping in the truck while Colton put Jax in the other truck, leaving Meg no choice but to comply.

  “See you soon, babe. Have a good nap,” Colton said, followed by a kiss.

  Megan gave him a weak smile, leaving her hand on his cheek a second longer than she probably would have if this wasn’t the last time she was going to see him.

  ***

  Blake had Colton and Dawson follow him to his office for a closed door conversation while rookies unloaded the equipment from the trailer. He ran his hands though his hair and let out a deep breathy sigh, searching for a starting point. He picked up a folder and began to thumb through it.

  A file that size, after only a handful of days left a weighted feeling deep in Colton’s gut. A sense of despair washed over him, he knew this wasn’t ending well for them, and had an uneasy notion to get home to her.

  “Let’s hear it, Coop, that’s a pretty hefty file,” Dawson said, using the words Colton couldn’t seem to find.

  Blake took a seat on the corner of his desk, facing his friends. He pulled out several pictures from the expansive file and laid them in a row in front of the two men sitting before him and said, “We have a problem, a big one…”

  ***

  Megan watched Sam back out of the driveway with a quick wave and a superficial smile because there really wasn’t anything to smile about. Once Sam was out of view, Megan quickly made her way inside to execute her plan. She moved quickly, trying to ignore the pain in her chest that was her heart breaking. The heartache over took the fear as the idea of leaving Colton and this place behind was more crushing than her past finding her. But, she had to go, had to run…for Jax.

  She grabbed an already packed bag from the back of the closet, in the room Jax had been using. She tossed it on the bed, opening it to add their basic day to day supplies that they would need in the next 48 hours. The rest she would buy later, when she was far enough from McKenzie Ridge to do so, safely.

  She changed her clothes to a non-conspicuous pair of jeans, sweatshirt, and sneakers along with a baseball cap to hold her hair. Getting out of town, unnoticed was her first challenge. Small towns noticed everything.

  She had a second car stashed just outside of McKenzie in an old abandoned forest service garage. It was fueled up and stocked with nonperishable food items, even toilet paper. Staying off the radar meant avoiding people, every step of the way. Once she got to the other car, her short life as Megan Johnson would be over, and she would be in the wind, untraceable again, she hoped.

  She paused to look around the room, searching for anything she may have missed. She scanned the various pictures of the three of them that had already begun to accumulate. She picked up a picture of all three of them on the front porch, surrounded by their family of animals.

  Tears sprung to her eyes as she heard a whimper behind her…Duke. She tucked the pic in her bag and went to her best K9 friend, bending to one knee. She hugged him, giving him a big loving rub down his back. She scratched his ears, and hugged his head one last time and said, “You’re a good boy, Duke. Such a good boy. I’m going to miss you so much.”

  She laughed at herself for getting so choked up and emotional over a dog. She remembered her first meeting with their furry, feathery, little gang and chuckled at how frightened she had been by the gentle beasts whom she now loved as much as the people in her life. She came so far, grown and changed so much in the past few months here in McKenzie Ridge. She was going to miss it terribly.

  “You take care of Colton for me, okay? I love him so much, I don’t want to hurt him but it’s too dangerous to stay, for everyone. Okay? You understand, don’t you boy? Forgive me?” Duke gave her another throaty whimper and laid his head on her shoulder. “I know, I love you too buddy.”

  She got up on her feet, grabbed little Jax, and hugged him tight. This wasn’t just hard for her, but it would be hard for him as well. First his mom, now the new family like friends they had made that he had come to love and adore. It broke her heart.

  “Maybe when this is all over we can come back here,” she said to the tot resting on her hip. She wondered who she was trying to convince, the toddler or herself? Someday. That was a day she looked forward to. Someday meant no more running, no more hiding, no more fear, or threats. Someday. Such an ambiguous idea. Her someday could be tomorrow, or it could be 20 years from now. Someday was as likely as chocolate rain, she conceited, not in her lifetime. Such a defeating thought.

  Her heart filled with sorrow as she grabbed her bag and headed for the front door. If it were just her, she could stay, she would risk it all. But she wouldn’t risk Jax’s little life. She would keep her promise and protect him at her own expense, for as long as it took.

  Her eyes welled to the edge of her lids as she made her final pass down the hallway, past the living room and kitchen, to the front door. She reached for the door knob, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath readying herself for what opening that door unleashed.

  “Were you even going to say good bye? Or did you not trust me with that either?” Her eyes shot open and breath caught at the sound of his voice. He was here, to stop her. She turned to her left, facing the living room and there he sat, on the couch waiting for her. “Colton,” she whispered.

  “I…”

  “You were running. Why? I thought we had a deal? We were going to fight.” He reminded her, his voice full of hurt. “Let me help you.”

  Large tears finally spilled over, flooding her face like a rapid rainfall at the look of sadness and desperation on his face. The sound of defeat mingled with his words. She hurt him, she knew she would, but she didn’t think she would have to endure witnessing it.

  “Colton,” she choked on his name, as if painful to even mention. “I have to leave; this is what I was so afraid of, why I tried so hard to avoid a relationship to begin with… I can’t do this. I just can’t.”

  Her own words pained her. Sure, they were honest, but they didn’t represent what she really wanted. She couldn’t tell him why she really needed to leave. He would try to fight her past for her, or follow her. Either way, he was in harm’s way and it could cost him his own life.

  She needed to protect him, just as he wanted to protect her. He needed to believe this was what she wanted. She may have said she could fight for forever, but those words took new meaning when that fight followed her to Portland, putting everyone in the line of fire.

  Now she needed to get said harm away from her loved ones, she needed it to follow her away from McKenzie.

  “That’s crap, Megan, and you know it. Or, should I say, Trinity?” He finished with a near whisper, showing her his whole hand at once. If he couldn’t get her to stay because she loved him and trusted him enough to help, then he had no choice but to lay it all out there.

  Her face drained of color, eyes glazed over in shock, a wave of nausea rushed through her. He said her name. She wondered how much more he knew and how he found out. He was a moving target now in a mercy situation. He would be used at all costs, to get to her.

  Colton moved closer, reaching for her, aware of the fear he had just instilled in her. She stepped away, back against the door, shaking her head no, as the tears streamed fiercely to a near sob. She choked on her words, trying to speak, but couldn’t. Everything she tried to protect him from was staring back at her; he knew. He was as good as dead.

  “No, no, no…” she started in a whisper, but graduated to a near yell. “You can’t, Colton, you can’t know! You aren’t safe, you can’t fight this for me, it’s bigger than us, and it’s bigger than this town! You’re all in harm’s way! Don’t say that name again,” she cried, uncontrollably. Gasping between her words. “You don’t know me, okay?”

  “Please let me in, let me help you! If you won’t let me help, then let me go with you because knowing you are out there in the world alone, being chased by this, will kill me too. I swear on everything I’ve ever known and loved, I’ll keep you and Jax safe. Let me help you carry this weight.”
Colton’s anger and pain had become desperate. He needed her to hear him and let him in.

  “Meg, I’ve waited my whole life for you. I will not let it end like this; I will not let anything hurt you. Please, baby, please trust me enough with this. Please trust that our friends can and will help,” he begged, his interest not only to keep her, but to keep her alive.

  “Colton, they are bigger than us. If anyone got hurt, I couldn’t live with myself. I brought this here, I need to take it away,” she said, moving away from him and the door, not sure of her next move, but knew it would be at a run.

  She heard the side door to her left open and close followed by urgent heavy footsteps of what sounded like a herd of people. Panic won, her greatest fear realized and anxiety took over. “Oh my God!” She whispered through her shaky words. “They’re already here.” Her eyes rolled back, eyebrows furrowed, and she gasped for breath before collapsing, completely unconscious.

  “Megan!”

  Chapter 25

  Mumbling in the distance began to distract Megan from her thoughts. He knew. He knew everything, but how. She was so careful, covered her tracks at every turn, just as she was told to. If Colton knew, did the rest of them know? They all must hate her, she lied, she’s a complete fraud, and now they were all in danger, because of her carelessness. She should have left months ago.

  The mumbling became louder, so many different voices, but she couldn’t quite make out who it was or what they were saying. Her body began to move, but not voluntarily. She felt his hands, Colton’s hands, on her. Only his touch could warm her to her core and leave her with chilling goose bumps at the same time. Confusion faded and reality took over, reminding her of where she was and what happened. Her eyes shot open, she gasped for air as she sat up remembering the mob of footsteps charging in. She needed to run, but firm hands held her still while his voice washed over her, calming her. Colton had her in his arms, the mumbling had been him. Unsure of what just happened, she scanned the room and found that they weren’t alone. Dawson, Carigan, Blake and Evie were scattered around the room, all eyes on her, their faces full of concern.