Presumed Dead (Love Inspired Suspense)

by Angela Ruth Strong

  “You’re kidding.”

  Preston wished he was. Their situation might be laughable if it wasn’t so tragic. “Ironically, we came here trying to save you again, since Lee Galloway knows we alerted you about his intent to kill Holly.”

  “Oh no.” Caleb blinked and looked around.

  Preston followed his gaze and scanned the area. Birds twittered. A gentle breeze blew. Not a blade of grass was out of place. Would have been the perfect day for a wedding.

  He glanced down at Holly. She was soon going to be out of danger from Lee and from the police. But she’d have her work cut out for her with his case.

  Her wide gray eyes connected with his. She was a strong woman. Stronger than she realized. Maybe someday they’d get that second chance at the romance he used to hope for.

  “I can give you two a moment alone if you want.” Caleb chuckled.

  The man must never have really cared about Holly at all. He was an idiot. Preston glared.

  Caleb’s smile faltered as he stepped back. “I should probably go call the police anyway. I didn’t last night because I saw their lights in the marina parking lot and figured they had everything taken care of. I can’t believe they let Galloway escape.”

  Preston squared his jaw. He couldn’t even respond to Caleb’s incompetence. One simple phone call from the attorney would have kept him and Holly from evading police and sleeping in a cave the night before. Not to mention how Caleb’s trap to catch Preston had put Holly in Lee’s crosshairs in the first place. Yeah, Preston had nothing to worry about if this was the guy who’d be prosecuting him in court.

  Holly read his expression. “Go ahead, Caleb. We’ll wait here.”

  Caleb walked backward down a couple of stone stairs. “You sure? Because I’m having trouble trusting Preston right now.”

  Preston cocked his head. Caleb had no room to talk. If anybody was untrustworthy…

  Holly rubbed her free hand down Preston’s arm to calm him. “Then trust me. I’m not letting him get away this time.”

  Caleb shook his head but continued down the stairs to his boat.

  Preston exhaled to deflate his ego. No reason for the cops to get a first impression of him punching the guy in the gut—whether the jerk deserved it or not. He turned his focus to Holly. She looked especially pretty the way joy shimmered in her eyes. It made him want to hope again.

  “I’m so glad you’re doing this,” she whispered. “You won’t regret it.”

  He wanted to believe her. It was certainly true of the moment. No regrets. Only possibilities. Like the one of dipping his lips to hers. When was the last time he’d considered kissing her an actual possibility?

  His belly warmed. His heartbeat shimmied. He looked up from her lips to read her eyes and make sure she was feeling the same way. Of course, if he was going to be her client, maybe he should wait to kiss her until after he was a free man. But her eyes held the same expectation he felt, drawing him toward her like a river’s current. She was only a breath away.

  His heart hammered, jarring his whole body. Or was that the hammer of a gun?

  Dirt sprayed up from his feet. A slug.

  What? Had the police gotten there that fast? Had Caleb told them something that would make them think Preston was armed and dangerous?

  Holly jumped and clutched his arms. Over her shoulder, Preston spotted a tall, lanky man aiming a gun at them from the direction of the parking lot.

  Lee Galloway had found them.

  CHAPTER TEN

  “Run.” Preston pushed Holly to get her going.

  She gripped her fingers and took off, hurdling stones and shrubs. Bullets pinged off boulders surrounding them. They had to sprint past the lodge to get down to the Jet Ski. That meant no cover from Lee’s line of fire.

  The glass from the sconce mounted on the lodge next to them shattered. Holly screamed. Should they jump off the rock wall toward the beach below, hoping the sand would be soft enough to break their fall? They could try to join Caleb in his boat and make their escape with him. Preston faced the rock wall as if he’d had the same thought.

  The boat engine revved and pulled away from the dock. Holly should have known Caleb the coward wasn’t going to wait around to risk getting hit by a bullet.

  She yanked Preston’s arm the opposite direction, pulling him to the door of the lodge. She had a better idea than relying on a liar and cheat.

  “Holly, we have to—”

  A bullet buried itself in the arched black doorframe. Her trembling fingers slipped from the iron handle. She gripped it a second time. Preston pushed, as well. The door swung open to usher them into the wood-paneled room with steep ceilings and a rustic chandelier. He slammed the door shut and fumbled for a lock, but it needed a key.

  She hoped her plan would work. “This way.”

  Together, they raced down a hallway. She pounded down the spiral stairway first, missing a couple steps as gravity sped her escape.

  “Holly, no. We’ll get trapped in the basement.”

  The front door slammed open, announcing their pursuer. Holly didn’t have time to explain. She motioned for him to follow her. Would his hesitance allow Lee to catch them?

  Preston tensed, but jumped up onto the railing and slid silently down the staircase after her. Her pounding heart paused to offer a prayer of thanks.

  “Come on,” she whispered before leading him through the kitchen and down a hallway, past the maid’s quarters and into a laundry room. This was the direction the tour guide had taken her, wasn’t it?

  Preston looked around, then focused on her, his eyes bulging. She knew what he was thinking. Dead end.

  With her heart in her throat, she pulled open what appeared to be the door of a linen closet. The muscles on Preston’s face softened as he looked past her, into a secret tunnel lined with stone.

  “You’re incredible.” He motioned for her to enter first, then pulled the door closed behind them.

  She’d almost canceled her lodge tour when Caleb hadn’t been able to join her in picking a wedding venue, but Alexandria had stepped in and they’d made it a girls’ getaway. Now it was just a getaway. The tunnel that used to lead the eccentric owner’s exotic pets safely to the boathouse on summer visits would now lead her and Preston directly to the Jet Ski. Then they’d head straight for the police.

  * * *

  Preston climbed onto the Jet Ski and gunned the engine. Holly gripped his sides as he took off past Thunderbird Lodge. Lee hadn’t yet emerged from the building yet, so it wasn’t likely he would be able to give chase. Preston exhaled in relief.

  Holly leaned toward his ear. “The police station is the other way.”

  Yes. Yes, it was. “We’re going to Eagle Falls.” He hadn’t yet told her about Robert Long. “My old commander was at the lodge with Caleb. He told Caleb to drop the case, and I didn’t understand why at first. But now I realize it’s because Caleb thinks I’m guilty. So Commander Long must know something. I want to talk to him before I turn myself in.”

  Her fingernails dug into his sides. “Your commander guy is going to be at Eagle Falls?”

  Preston gritted his teeth. It was almost painful to hope. “That’s what he told Caleb.”

  Her arms wrapped around his waist. Her cheek rested on his back. “You’re turning yourself in, and you’re going to have evidence from Long that you’re innocent? This is what I’ve been praying for.”

  “Me, too,” he said, though he didn’t have her faith. He only had a hunch that Long was on his side. If he was wrong, the trip to Eagle Falls could blow up in his face.

  She laughed. “This whole time I’ve been kicking myself for almost marrying Caleb, but if I hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here right now. God can use even our mistakes for good, can’t He?”

  Preston reached down to cover her hand over his queasy stomach. Coming out of hiding felt much like stepping out of an airplane. Would his parachute deploy or not?

  She leaned in toward his ear. “You remembe
r the last time you took me to Eagle Falls?”

  He smiled into the wind. Being with Holly unlocked all kinds of old memories. “You mean the time you pretended to see a mountain lion.”

  She pinched his side. “I did see a mountain lion.”

  “I didn’t see a mountain lion. I think you made up the mountain lion so you had an excuse for me to hold you.” That was how relationships were supposed to be. That was what theirs used to be like. Would it ever be that way again?

  He looked back to find her bottom lip sticking out in a pout.

  “Well, you did take forever to kiss me that first time,” she said.

  “I did.” He’d wanted to kiss her the whole summer after their sophomore year of high school. Just didn’t want to risk ruining the friendship. So he’d waited until the day they were to pack up and head home. She’d been worth the wait.

  And he’d have to wait again. It was a good thing their almost kiss had been interrupted. He wasn’t a free man yet. And she deserved a man free to make commitments.

  Preston turned the handlebars to swing the Jet Ski around the bend into Emerald Bay and past Fannette Island, which held a few memories of its own. Maybe someday they’d get to go cliff jumping again. For now, he’d have to beach the watercraft in front of Vikingsholm, the old castle-like structure turned tourist trap. He weaved among the many boats tied to buoys and slowed to a stop.

  Holly swung a leg over the seat and waded to shore. “I wish I had better hiking shoes on.”

  Preston looked at the small strips of leather holding the soles of her sandals to her feet. Not ideal for the upcoming trail, which included loose rock, steep stairs and a wet bridge, but they didn’t have time to go shopping. He pocketed his keys and gripped her hand. “Hang on to me.”

  They had to move quickly. If Long’s family had driven to the falls from Thunderbird Lodge, they might already be at the top by now. Preston hoped he could catch the former commander on the way back down. “If we don’t find Commander Long here, we can try to find him in the Tahoe Keys.”

  “You know where he’s staying?”

  “He mentioned the big house at the end of White Sands.” Preston led Holly through the trees and up a rock staircase. He looked back after her to make sure she had sure footing. She shot him a grateful smile. He’d be able to focus more fully on finding Long if she’d stop smiling at him like that.

  There. He pointed past her, toward the edge of an embankment leading to a bridge. The tall, distinguished commander walked with his wife and kids. Preston’s heartbeat picked up speed. “Come on.”

  Holly’s feet slipped. She stumbled behind him. “You go.” She tugged her hand from his.

  Preston paused to check on her. She was fine. Just not dressed for a hike. And he didn’t really need her to be part of his conversation with Long. So he’d let her rest.

  Long would likely be a little shocked by his sudden appearance anyway. Probably better not to complicate things.

  “Long,” Preston called, jogging down the treacherous path. “Commander Long.”

  The man paused and looked along the walkway with a frown. His gaze focused on Preston. He blinked. Stepped backward.

  Preston slowed to stop in front of the family. “Commander Long.” His right hand rose to salute before he could stop himself. “I’m sorry to interrupt your vacation, sir, but I need to talk to you for a moment.”

  Long held a palm to his forehead. “Preston Tyler?”

  The man at least recognized him. “Yes, sir.”

  Mrs. Long and her two teenage children stared up at him. She pointed. “Preston Tyler? As in…”

  “Officer Tyler?” the teenage boy finished speaking for her. “I thought you died.”

  The daughter gasped.

  Long placed a hand on his wife’s back. “Honey, I’m going to need a moment alone with Officer Tyler.”

  She nodded, her jaw still slack.

  Long motioned his family to keep heading toward the bridge. He stepped to the side of the path, and Preston followed after checking over his shoulder to make sure Holly was still handling the climb okay. She waved from the top of the stairs and nodded encouragingly toward his former superior.

  Long clasped his hand and pumped it in a handshake. “I’m glad to see you’re alive, Tyler.”

  The man didn’t seem as stunned as his family had been. His expression remained surprisingly blank for the circumstances.

  “I wish it were under better terms, sir.”

  “As do I.”

  What did that mean, coming from Long? “Sir, I’ve been afraid to come out of hiding because the last person I talked to was Sergeant Beatty, and the next day he ended up dead.”

  Long nodded. “I figured as much.”

  Had Long also assumed Preston was the one to kill Beatty? He pointed to his chest and shook his head. “Caleb Brooks thinks I killed Beatty, but I didn’t.”

  Long’s eyebrows drew together.

  Better keep talking. “Sergeant Beatty was supposed to be looking into the sabotage I witnessed. I saw someone messing with the chopper, and I went to find him to halt the operation. I was too late.”

  Long nodded and looked off into the distance.

  “Sir, do you know something? Because I revealed myself to Caleb, and if I don’t find any evidence to support my side of the story, I could very easily end up in prison.” His skin grew clammy at the thought. Not only would his life be over, but he’d be recorded in history books as responsible for the deaths of his team. His new baby nephew might someday be bullied by other kids because they’d think he was related to a traitor.

  Long stuck his hands into his pockets. His wary gaze flitted over to Preston, then away again. “If anybody goes to prison, it should be me.”

  Preston raised his hands in a shrug. Long didn’t need to take responsibility. “It’s not your fault, Commander. You’re not the one who—”

  “Yes, I am.”

  Preston’s chest squeezed tight against his heart as he inhaled. “What…I don’t…What?”

  Long looked down. “I hired a former mechanic to sabotage the helicopter to keep it from taking off.”

  Preston’s eyes bulged. Had he heard that right?

  “I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. I just wanted to ground the helicopter until my brother took over as CIA director the next day. I wanted the hostage rescue to be linked to his name.”

  Prickles shot down Preston’s arms and legs. In all his years of research, he’d never imagined this.

  “When you spotted the mechanic, he got frightened and ran off, leaving debris in the engine. He must have figured you would report his tampering and the flight would be called off. When the operation continued, he ran out there to stop the pilot. He’s the one whose ashes came home in your place.”

  Preston’s body froze as his brain overloaded. And it wasn’t just because Long had confessed. Or because he now knew where the man buried under his headstone had come from. But because the sabotage wasn’t supposed to hurt anyone. His men had only been killed because he’d interrupted Long’s plan.

  Guilt roared in Preston’s ears. A guilt he’d thought the truth would erase. “No,” he whispered. There had to be someone else. Someone else who should be blamed for the tragedy. Another thought assaulted him. “Sergeant Beatty? Did he know of your plan? Did he actually kill himself after all?”

  Long’s sad eyes met his. He didn’t say anything. But he didn’t have to.

  Preston doubled over with hands on knees as the world he knew spun violently around him. He pushed back up. He had to finish this thing. Because Caleb knew he was alive now. But, oh, what kind of defense did he have? Was Long going to admit all this to the CID? Or was it for Preston’s ears only?

  “Sir?” He had to ask if the commander would testify. But what did it matter? The widows of all his old friends would still look on him with scorn. He’d lived when good men had died. And they’d died because he’d lived.

  He paced away to gr
ip the rough branch of a tree, the ground still wobbly under his feet. Help, God. God had gotten him this far. He couldn’t stop now. He strode back with purpose.

  “Sir, are you willing to confess?”

  Long studied him. Looked into him. Squeezed his eyes shut. “Yes, but there’s more.”

  More? Wasn’t this bad enough? Preston ran a hand over his head.

  A woman’s scream pierced the air. Rubble crumbled over the edge of the cliff and dust puffed up from the side of the walkway by the stairs.

  Preston spun. Where was Holly? Lee stood in her place. The man lifted a boot to crush the fingers clinging to the cliff wall by his feet.

  Holly.

  A tsunami of blood roared through Preston’s veins, deafening any warning signal that might keep Preston from charging an armed man. If Lee stepped on her hand…

  He rushed forward and cocked an arm back and fired a punch before he was even aware of the intention. Lee flew backward. Preston’s knuckles burned, but the pain was nothing next to what Holly must have been feeling.

  “Preston.”

  His heart jolted at the call for help. He knelt at the edge of the trail where the rock wall plunged down to the falls below. Holly’s nails clawed at the dirt, her feet pushing against a tuft of grass growing out of a small opening in the stone and tears of pain magnifying the fear in her eyes. If she fell, she might be able to slide down the steep embankment to safety. Or she might drop backward and plummet fifty feet to her death.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Holly’s left shoulder screamed as she squeezed her fingers over the edge of the cliff. She pressed her body closer to the cold stone. Her knuckles locked up the way they had the first time Preston taught her how to water-ski, but that memory didn’t even compare to this situation. This time, if she let go, she’d be released in midair and dashed into the rocks waiting below.

  Her toes curled in an attempt to dig deeper into the small patch of grass at her feet. If one foot slipped…