Presumed Dead (Love Inspired Suspense)

by Angela Ruth Strong

  Her head spun. Woe to him that is alone when he falleth.

  “Preston?” Where’d he go? He’d disappeared. Was he fighting Lee? Would Lee be able to knock him off the ledge the way he had Holly? Would Preston go flying over her head any moment? Or would his body slide into hers and bump her from her perch?

  The visualizations assaulted Holly’s reason. Terror churned her stomach. Why would God allow them to come this far only to abandon them to death?

  “Holly.” Preston’s face reappeared above. He dropped onto his belly and extended an arm.

  She was saved. Or was she? She could hang on with one hand and reach for Preston with the other, but where was Lee? Had Preston knocked him out? Or would he be back to attack again?

  Fear held her in place. “Where’s Lee?”

  “Commander Long is holding him.” Preston gripped her right wrist. “Can you climb up?”

  Commander Long must be on their side now. That was something.

  Preston grabbed her left wrist. Her shoulder throbbed. She gritted her teeth to keep from crying out.

  “Now push your feet into the wall to help me drag you up.”

  Where was her faith? God hadn’t left her alone. He wasn’t going to let her fall now. With a deep breath, Holly unlocked her fingers long enough to snap them around Preston’s wrists.

  Her torso dropped away from the wall, but Preston held her up. Her heart thumped louder against her ribs.

  Preston’s teeth gritted as he strained against her weight. His eyes met hers, registered the hope. “Almost there.”

  Holly forced herself to breathe so she didn’t pass out. She walked her feet up another inch to where she could see along the ground.

  Lee’s eyes met hers. He smirked. Even though he was the one being held in place by his own gun in Commander Long’s hands.

  She was safe, wasn’t she? So why did her heartbeat halt?

  Lee clenched a fist and stepped toward the older man.

  “No,” she shouted.

  Her warning came too late. She watched helplessly as Lee knocked the gun from the older man’s hands and shoved him off the side of the path and over the edge of the cliff.

  Her body went limp. She might be sick.

  Preston growled and gave one last yank to drag her over the edge.

  She landed in the dirt and buried her face. She didn’t ever want to look up again. She might have survived her fall, but Commander Long had flown too far away from the edge to grab hold the way she had.

  Preston checked to make sure Lee wasn’t close enough to be a threat before crawling toward the cliff. Probably to see if Long could have possibly survived. She chanced a glance at him.

  He looked back at her and shook his head. Long was dead. And somehow the bad guy was still winning.

  A bloodcurdling shriek pierced the air. “Robert.” Long’s wife raced toward them. “What did you do to my husband?”

  What did they do? Had she not seen Lee push him off the edge?

  Lee’s laugh echoed from the trees. Holly turned her head in time to see him retrieve his gun from a shrub.

  Preston scrambled up. He grabbed her good arm and yanked her to her feet. “Run.”

  * * *

  Preston had to get her to the police station. He’d let authorities take it from here. He didn’t want to think anymore. He didn’t want to feel anymore. He didn’t want to get let down by God anymore.

  Had it been just last night when he’d prayed for God to avenge him of his enemies? Now the only person who could have helped him was dead. Where was the justice in that?

  Worse, Holly had almost died. It would have been his fault, too. For thinking he could keep her safe and then leaving her in the hands of a murderer while he focused on his own problems.

  She clutched his palm and looked around like a scared kitten on the trail back to Vikingsholm. Guests pushed past them to get to the falls and find out what was going on. Lee hadn’t followed them into the crowd, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t waiting around the corner for his next opportunity to strike.

  If only Preston could wrap his arms around Holly and tell her everything would be okay. But he didn’t really believe that. And it wasn’t his place. Just like it wasn’t his place to call her “doll.”

  She climbed on the Jet Ski behind him. “Long’s death isn’t your fault.”

  He didn’t argue. Because what was the point? Even if Long had survived, that wouldn’t have brought any of his SOAR team back to life. The commander had lived just long enough to tell Preston how he’d played a role in their deaths.

  Preston wanted to scream at God, but he needed to keep moving and watch for any more threats that would prevent Holly from getting to the police station. He turned the ignition.

  Holly hugged her arms around his waist. This could be their last ride together. Their last moment alone before the press ate him alive for his involvement in the failure of Operation Desert Hope. Fitting that their relationship would end in the same place it had begun—on the lake that had once been their paradise.

  He guided the Jet Ski out of the bay, wind whipping strands of Holly’s hair into his face. He’d miss that feeling. His skin prickled under the sun’s warmth, challenging his decision to let her go. He ignored it. It was too late now.

  On autopilot, he docked the Jet Ski at Tahoe Beach Retreat. Holly showed her ID to rent bikes to ride down the trail by Lake Tahoe Boulevard. This would have made him nervous if they were still running from the cops, but they weren’t. They were turning themselves in. As Preston pedaled for what might be his last bike ride ever, he couldn’t ignore the memory of the first time he’d ridden down that path with Holly.

  At the age of five, he’d learned to ride his two-wheeler faster than she had, and he’d raced around her while she fell and cried and climbed back on to fall again. Her dad finally gave up and told them to put their bikes in the bed of his truck so he could take them out for ice cream, which was when Preston had started to feel guilty. He’d refused to eat ice cream until she’d learned to ride her bike, too. That only made her mad. She’d climbed back onto her pink banana seat and ridden right past him to her dad’s truck.

  He looked back at her to find she had the same look now, the sunshine flashing across her face as she rode past trees on the forest highway. How had Caleb not fallen madly in love with her?

  Her tires screeched as she squeezed her brakes and slid to a stop in the police station parking lot. “Caleb.”

  Had she been reading his thoughts?

  She pointed. No sign of the man. Just his fancy car.

  Well, they’d wanted him to go to the police, hadn’t they? It was just too bad Preston hadn’t gotten a chance to turn himself in before Caleb tainted his return with his version of the truth. He couldn’t possibly hope the attorney had considered Preston’s take on the failed operation. Or that Commander Long had ever admitted what really had happened to him.

  Holly swung a leg off her bike and rolled it toward a rack. “Come on.” Her voice held enough hope for both of them.

  No matter what happened, he wasn’t going to have to play dead anymore. He held the door open for Holly. All the fight drained out his fingertips. Was this what peace felt like? Maybe he should have handed over the reins to the investigation a long time ago. Trusted the CID to do their job.

  She scanned the front room. Probably looking for Shaw. The officer would know more about her case than anyone else.

  No sight of the balding man. Preston would have to look for a receptionist.

  “We’ll take care of Lee Galloway.” Shaw cleared his throat from the other room. “Now, you say Holly Fontaine is getting help from a Preston Tyler?”

  Preston paused at the sound of Shaw’s gruff voice. He had no doubt who the officer was talking to. The only person who could have revealed his identity.

  * * *

  Holly’s wide eyes darted toward the open door, where the sound of Shaw’s voice had come from. She must have overheard,
as well. Preston strained his ears to listen with her.

  “Make no mistake, it’s Preston Tyler,” Caleb said. “I worked with him during Operation Desert Hope. You know, the failed hostage rescue where the helicopter crashed?”

  “Yes. Go on.”

  The tension Preston had just released inched back into his shoulders. Holly’s fingers clamped around his upper arm. Preston’s troubles were only getting started.

  “I suspected Tyler was responsible for sabotage, but as his body had come home in a coffin, there was really no way I could prove it. Now I know he’s alive after all. I discovered my ex, Holly Fontaine, has been helping him play dead. And they just found out our former commander and the brother to the CIA director, Robert Long, is in town for the wedding. He might not be safe until Tyler is caught.”

  Oh no.

  Holly squeaked.

  “Robert Long, you say?” Shaw cursed. He must have already known about the incident at Eagle Falls.

  “Dozens of witnesses will put us at the scene of the crime,” Holly whispered.

  Preston nodded slowly. “Including Mrs. Long, who thinks I pushed her husband.”

  “We have to go now.” She inched backward.

  He shook his head. Where would they go? Caleb had a checkmate.

  She leaned forward so only he could hear her. “Hey. If I were a free woman, I could defend you in court, but Caleb just accused me of aiding and abetting. And this is a lot worse than the police suspecting I accidentally blew up a bomb in my own cabin. This is a dead military commander. Besides national attention, the government is going to demand someone be held responsible. And unless we can prove otherwise, that’s going to be us.”

  She had a point, but he refused to take a step toward the door. This was probably pretty scary for her, but this had been his existence for a few years now.

  “Holly, I’ve been trying to prove my innocence since the failed op, and I’ve got nothing to show for it.” He pointed toward the exit. “If we leave now, you’re risking your life on the slim chance you can uncover something I haven’t.”

  She pulled his hand to drag him toward the door. “Not me. We. The both of us working together. And now that you’ve talked to Commander Long, we will better know where to look.”

  Where did she get her confidence? Maybe God just hadn’t failed her enough times to squash it yet. Though it was a little too late for God to come through. They were standing in the police station already. If they left, where would they even go?

  He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. There was one place they could always get away. But to take such a risk, he would have to believe there could possibly be a reward. Maybe the reward would be nothing but spending a few more moments with her. Or maybe God really had sent her to help him.

  Preston opened his eyes. Gripped her hand. At least now that Caleb had alerted Shaw about Lee, Preston wouldn’t have to worry so much about the murderer, and they could focus on proving what had really happened during Operation Desert Hope. It wasn’t like they could get into any more trouble than they were already in. “You’ve got one day.” He opened the door. “Then we are coming back.”

  Caleb stepped out of the side room and cleared his throat, arms crossed. “In handcuffs,” he added.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Holly’s survival instinct kicked in at the sight of police officers exiting the building after them. She had to find a way to prove herself innocent so they would stop trying to arrest her. Ignoring the stinging in her shoulder, she grabbed the rental bike from the rack and ran with it so it was already rolling when she swung a leg over.

  “Stop,” called Shaw.

  She couldn’t. Because then she’d be stuck in a jail cell without the opportunity to find evidence to defend herself. If the police believed the truth, then they wouldn’t be chasing her.

  Back roads. Holly would dart between houses and ride through trees. The police could try to keep up, but she and Preston knew the area like they knew English. They’d grown up with it.

  She whipped her head around to make sure Preston was with her before skidding off the road and down a hill. He raced just out of reach of a police officer on foot. The man in uniform turned and ran for his car.

  Preston pedaled next to her. “We’ve got to lose them. Take a left and cut through the football field at the middle school.”

  Her bike bumped through grass, then up onto the smooth surface of a running track. A cop car raced to catch up, then screeched to a halt at the fence. Gravel crunched as it reversed to race around in front of them. A siren blared.

  They needed to get out of sight. “Through the baseball fields.” Sweat dripped down her spine as she changed directions.

  She should have gotten Preston to leave the police station sooner. Then they wouldn’t have had to run from the law. Were they doing the right thing? Because if they were caught before she had a chance to get to a computer and do some research, they were going to look even guiltier.

  They couldn’t stop now.

  Two cop cars drove along the street outside Tahoe Field. Her pulse revved like an engine and forced her to push harder on the pedals.

  “We’ll cut through this subdivision and the grocery store to get to the beach,” Preston barked over his shoulder.

  “The beach?” They needed a place to hide out where they wouldn’t be spotted.

  “The Jet Ski will get us to safety a lot quicker than a bike can.”

  As long as the police boat patrol didn’t spot them.

  “Okay.”

  Down Oak Avenue, then through a small section of woods to Treehaven Drive. A police cruiser pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store they’d been planning to cut through up ahead.

  She skidded to a stop, her body jerking as if she’d hit a brick wall. Now what?

  Preston motioned behind the store. They rolled the bikes down the back alley, the whir of their tires sounding loud in the silence.

  Another police car screeched into the parking lot on the other side of a gas station. Preston bolted behind a Dumpster. Holly ducked, as well. Had they been spotted?

  She gulped the stale air as quietly as she could. No footsteps headed their direction. Maybe they’d made it. But they were still stuck, as Lake Tahoe Boulevard separated them from the beach. Cars whizzed past, and if Holly were to push the walk button that would clear a path for crossing, she and Preston would be discovered for sure.

  She swatted at a fly intoxicated with the stench of garbage. Hiding out behind the Dumpster would only keep them safe for so long. “What now?”

  Preston wiped sweat from his forehead and peeked around the corner of the building. “It looks like the police are scouting the area. If they stay here to watch for us, we’re in trouble.”

  The bell over the gas station door chimed. Preston ducked out of sight moments before a father passed with his two laughing kids and giant ice cream cones.

  Holly exhaled. What she wouldn’t give to go back in time and be like those kids again.

  Preston’s head swiveled toward hers. “Let’s get some ice cream.”

  She blinked at his lack of rationale. They couldn’t escape into nostalgia. This trip to Tahoe was no vacation.

  “I’ll buy you some sunglasses and a new hat, as well.”

  Oh. She leaned back against the cement wall. Maybe she should act like she was on vacation. Police wouldn’t be expecting the makeover.

  She nodded. “We can leave the bikes here and wander across the street as if we don’t have a care in the world.” Faking nonchalance would be the challenge, but there was really no other way.

  Preston peeked around the corner again. “It looks like the officers are going to continue their search elsewhere. You ready?”

  The cops were pulling out? She closed her eyes. It would be so much easier to stay in place, but if she and Preston were going to get out of there, this was their chance.

  Preston slid a hand behind the small of her back to ung
lue her from the wall. “You go first.”

  Her toes tingled. Her heart thrummed. How had Preston lived like this for four years?

  She rose slowly and sucked in a deep breath before stepping out into the open. No one shouted. No one pointed. No sirens blared. She could do this.

  Making her way along the storefront, she craned her neck toward the convenience store windows and played with her short hair to hide her face. Finally, the entrance. She grabbed the door handle and used her peripheral vision to pinpoint the location of the employee inside. All she had to do was head directly to the sunglasses rack, and she’d have her back to him.

  She swung the door open. The bell chimed. She jumped.

  The man behind the counter didn’t even notice. The vise grip on her heart released, with the sensation of a million pinpricks scattering down her limbs. The moment she could move again, she scampered to the back of the store.

  Too bad it wasn’t winter. Then she could have bought a parka and ski mask as a disguise.

  The bell over the door rang again. She jerked and bumped her elbow on a shelf. But it was only Preston. She grabbed a pair of gold aviators to cover her anxiety.

  “That works.” Preston’s reflection appeared in the tiny mirror above her face. He reached for some Ray-Bans. “Now try the woven cowgirl hat.”

  The bigger the hat, the more of her face she could hide. And the more she’d look like a tourist.

  “Here.” He grabbed the hat for her, then donned a Dodgers ball cap.

  That wasn’t fair. He looked just like he had in high school. Back when she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Good thing she had the sunglasses to hide her gaze now. Though she should really be looking out the window to make sure they weren’t in danger of being detected.

  “Now ice cream?” she asked. She was ready to make their escape.

  “In a sec.” Preston grabbed a Styrofoam cooler and a couple bottles of water.

  How much money did he have? Hopefully, enough for a sandwich and chips. She had no appetite, but she needed the energy. Who knew when they’d get another chance to eat? She ducked her head to keep from being seen by the cashier as she added the items to the counter.