She always shopped by herself or, rarely, with Mom, who’d rather be dragged backward through the goal posts at Daingerville High than to go shopping. Having an audience was different.
Not that he seemed like much of an audience. Matt seemed—distracted. That couldn’t be a good thing. What had happened while she was calling the insurance company? He’d been fine when he left. Now, even though he kept a watchful eye on her, the distance between them had widened into a chasm.
The store was always crowded on a Saturday, and today was no exception.
Lorie found a dress for Sunday, a silk blouse and a pair of slacks for work. Her total came to $35, which would ordinarily have made her extremely happy. Today it meant nothing. Matt’s distance affected her more than she wanted to admit. Even when Matt asked the name of her favorite shoe store, she sensed his withdrawal.
As he started to park the silver Nissan Maxima he’d told her was for taking guests places, Matt peered at the rearview mirror. “Sorry, Lorie. It looks like you’ll have to make do with the shoes you have.”
“What’s wrong?”
“We’re being followed.”
Lorie’s stomach turned inside out. At least, that’s what it felt like.
“When did you notice?”
“When we left the outlet store. I’ve tried to lose him several times, but the way he keeps turning up, I’ve got to wonder whether he put a tracking device on my car.”
Lorie clutched the armrest. “What’ll we do now?”
“Drive to the sheriff’s office.”
Lorie nodded.
Matt took off down Fortieth Street and headed toward the highway that would take them out of West Bluff and back to Daingerville.
Lorie glanced in the mirror. Sure enough, a tan sedan maintained a steady distance.
Matt activated his phone remote, dialing the office. “Hey, Pat, we’re being followed. Late-model Lexus sedan, tan, smoked glass. I don’t have a plate on him. No front plate decoration.”
Lorie listened as she kept an eye on the car behind them. It wasn’t attempting to pass them, just keeping pace. As the dispatcher continued speaking into Matt’s earpiece, Lorie lost track of the conversation. Her heart pounding, she silently cried out.
Lord, my life is out of control. Please keep us safe.
Matt spoke again. “Roger that. Right now we’re headed east on Highway 21. I’ll turn off on Cedar, southbound. We’ll see if he follows.”
But the car kept on going when they turned.
“Arkansas plate.”
Matt glanced at Lorie. “Could you get the number?”
“Only part of it. XGY 1 something.”
Matt repeated to Pat what Lorie told him.
“Right. I’ll meet him there.” He touched his earpiece and disconnected the call.
“They’re putting out the alert. They should catch the guy and let us know what he was after.”
“This is too dangerous. I should leave town.”
“And do what? Run? That’s no way to live. Besides, here you have a support system. If you went elsewhere, who would you have for backup?”
It was a good question. Running was low on Lorie’s list of plans. She needed to choose her options wisely.
“I don’t have the money or the temperament for a life on the run. I just wish—”
“What?”
She couldn’t tell him she wished she’d met him under better circumstances. Even if he was a lawman, he was starting to make her believe in opening her heart again. Now that it was too late.
Lorie was thinking so hard that she jumped a foot when her cell phone rang. She swallowed a lump of panic at the unidentified number on Caller ID.
“I don’t recognize this number.”
Matt held out his hand for the phone. A moment later, he answered it.
“Yes?”
Lorie held her breath, and let it out in a rush when Matt’s face cleared.
“It’s George—Chief Kershaw, of the fire department—wanting to ask you some questions about the explosion.” Matt punched a button and activated the phone’s speaker before he gave it to her again and put both hands back on the steering wheel. “Go ahead, George.”
“Ms. Narramore, I wanted to let you know what we’ve determined. The explosive device was rigged to go off the minute the locks were activated. Judging from the level of sophistication, I think we’re not dealing with our local troublemakers. You didn’t notice anyone hanging around your car?”
“No, sir. I was so busy at work, I never even left the library yesterday. Jen brought in chow mein from Yen’s for lunch.”
A sigh issued from the phone. “It figures. Well, it didn’t hurt to ask. Wish I had better news for you, ma’am, but you can tell your insurance company they can send somebody to look at the pieces whenever they’ve a mind to.”
“Thank you, Chief.”
Matt punched off the speaker and exchanged a few more words with Chief Kershaw, which made no sense to Lorie. Her mind was still on what the fire chief had said.
A sophisticated device.
As if she hadn’t known the cartel had found her.
Breakfast suddenly felt as if she’d eaten a load of bricks.
If the cartel wasn’t stopped, she’d never be safe again.
TEN
When they arrived at the courthouse, Matt led Lorie straight to his tiny office.
“I didn’t realize you had an office of your own.”
Matt waved a hand at the chair in front of his desk. “Have a seat.”
Lorie sank into a chair, looking defeated. “Now what?”
“I want to go over the files with you. Tell me what they don’t say.”
Lorie closed her eyes. Matt knew it had to be painful even thinking about what had happened back in California, let alone going over the court documents, police reports and news stories. He wished he didn’t have to put her through it, but if he was going to get to the bottom of whoever was out to destroy her life, he’d need her help.
And Your help, Lord. Please don’t let me hurt her any more than I have to. Even though I’m hurting right now. A picture of Owen and Lorene entered his mind. And please be with Lorene and Owen. Help me forgive them.
After a moment, during which Lorie may have also been praying, she opened her eyes. “I’m ready.”
Matt turned the monitor in her direction. “Where do you want to begin?”
“Start with the police report. It was the worst, aside from the news coverage.”
Matt knew what she meant. The crime-scene photos were explicit, gory, merciless. The crime-scene photographer had documented the body from every angle, along with the blood spatter, and the bullet hole in the wall next to the ornate framed mirror. Even more painful were the photos of Lorie being led out of the Hotel Del Coronado in handcuffs. Links to the various television stations had video clips of assorted pieces of Lorie’s life, the invasion of every moment they could steal.
“I never read everything they had, of course, even though my lawyer tried to get transcripts. Part of me didn’t want to read it all. I couldn’t believe I’d actually killed a man.”
“It isn’t easy. No two ways about it.”
Lorie looked deep into his eyes. He could read her expression, the shared pain. He wanted to make it go away. Maybe if he told her his story…
“I was on administrative leave for two weeks after I was forced to take out a bank robber. I had to do a lot of heavy soul-searching. Even though you know you had no other choice, it still haunts you.”
A tear trickled down the left side of her face. “You do understand.”
Matt nodded.
Lorie brushed away the tear, leaving a wet streak on her face. “That was the hardest part. The fact he’d never get a chance to trust the Lord, to stop hurting people, to make things right. That I took that chance away from him.”
Matt reached out and laid a hand on one of hers. “What I eventually had to do, aside from forgiving myself, was remember i
f I hadn’t stopped that bank robber, he would have shot and killed several others. He’d already critically wounded a pregnant teller.”
“Oh.” Her voice was filled with pain. “Did she live?”
“Yes, and her baby, too. No thanks to the robber. In your case, you not only stopped a drug lord from killing his girlfriend, but put a huge hole in his drug dealings. No telling how many lives you may have saved by keeping them from getting hooked on drugs.”
Tears filled Lorie’s eyes. “I tried to look at it that way, but I only ended up feeling like a vigilante. I’m not a cop or a Fed. I’m just a librarian who got in over her head. I don’t want to be thought of as the woman who stopped a drug cartel.”
Maybe that was the problem. She had stopped a cartel, and now they were out for blood.
*
Lorie developed a sick headache looking at the files the Coronado P.D. had sent Matt. At one point, she almost lost breakfast, but Matt gave her a peppermint.
While it had all been happening she’d been prevented from hearing too much about the unfolding case. However, she’d read as much as she could stand immediately afterward, when she’d returned to her job, and people had started treating her differently. Most of the staff had called her a hero, but some of the library patrons were actually afraid of her. As if while putting books back in the stacks or helping out with the computers she was armed and dangerous….
When it had become too unbearable, despite prayer, she’d been led to move back home.
Now, scanning through the information on Grayson Carl, she realized she hadn’t known the half of his illicit activities. Many things hadn’t come to light until months later, long after she’d stopped reading about the case. Once he was dead, hidden evil crawled up out of the woodwork like so many termites. Connections with Colombia. Rumors of ties to a network that included not only drugs but arms sales to prohibited countries. She’d taken out a kingpin without realizing she was doing anything except defending herself and another woman.
“This is horrible.”
Matt reached across the desk and patted her hand. “I wish there were something I could do to make it easier for you.”
Lorie bit her lip to keep from crying. “Yeah. Me, too.”
“There isn’t much more. Do you want to keep at it, or stop?”
“Let’s get it done. I wish I could forget it ever happened, but obviously someone hasn’t forgiven me.” How could she tell him how afraid she was? How did fear fit in with her faith?
“You know, there are a few Bible verses I always remember when I’m in tough situations.”
Was he reading her mind?
“Which ones?”
“One of my favorites is ‘What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee. I have put my trust in the Lord God. I will not fear what men can do unto me.’”
Lorie blinked away tears. “Sometimes that’s easier said than done.”
“I know. It’s a lot easier to trust when things are going well. Times like now? Not so much.” He fixed her with a warm gaze. “But you know what? I think you can do it.”
Lorie relaxed in the chair. “Yes. You’re right.” She took a deep breath and let go of the panic for the first time in three days. Or maybe even longer. Deep down, had the panic ever really left, or had she just learned how to cover it well enough to fool herself?
Her eyes closed.
Lord, thank You for Matt. Thank You that I didn’t get someone on the case who would have believed I was guilty of murder because a man died at my hands, even though there were extenuating circumstances. Thank You for this peace.
*
As Matt watched Lorie pray, more of his heart melted. After all she’d been through, she could have been hardened beyond repair. Instead, she was a sweetheart. God had been gracious.
After a couple of minutes, he heard a gentle snore. Bless her heart, she’d dozed off. It was an honor he didn’t think he deserved. Not with the congealed lump of unforgiveness he still carted around on his shoulders. His prayer to be able to forgive Lorene and Owen hadn’t worked yet. Deep down, he realized he didn’t want to forgive them. Somehow, that had to change.
He switched off the ringer on his desk phone. His cell phone was already on “vibrate” only. If Lorie could sleep in the middle of the station, in an uncomfortable chair, he’d let her.
Matt scrolled through the rest of the information in the file, looking for anything that might be a clue as to who was trying to kill Lorie.
A few names occurred in the Grayson Carl file, connections who had since been linked with trafficking. They were based primarily in the Californias, U.S. and Baja, but hit men could fly anywhere.
That sparked another thought. Matt checked his email. He’d heard back from several of the airlines, with passenger lists. He scanned them, but saw no names connected to the Orgulloso cartel. He downloaded the files to a database where he could do a better job of comparing them.
If someone had driven in, his job would be a little harder. He added a note to send a BOLO out on any plate from California, to stop and check identities. That wouldn’t make the tourists happy, but Dainger County didn’t get a lot of those from California, since it wasn’t on the path of the Interstates and wouldn’t be until I-49 was completed.
The light flashed on his phone. Line 1. Matt picked it up as quietly as he could.
“MacGregor.”
“Everything okay? Why are you speaking so softly?” His sister’s voice was louder than his was.
“Lorie fell asleep in my guest chair. She needs the rest.”
“Oh.” Sandy lowered her voice. “Well, we’ve got the prayer chain going for Lorene and Owen. And for you, too.”
Matt swallowed the lump that rose in his throat at the mention of Lorene. “Thanks.” God knew he needed the prayer. From what Owen had said, they both needed it, too. He wished he could pray for them, but every time he tried, their betrayal rose up and blocked him.
“Tell Lorie the rest of us are getting anxious to meet her.”
Another thought occurred to Matt. “What’s our guest list like at the moment?”
From the clicking he heard, she was seated at the monitor, probably either in the main lobby or in the office.
“A couple from Minnesota, two families from Northwest Arkansas, a family from Utah, and newlyweds from West Bluff. With Lorie in Cabin 7, we have three vacancies.”
“Do me a favor. If anybody tries to make a reservation and gives a California address, put them off.”
“You don’t mean lie and tell them we don’t have a vacancy, do you?” His sister sounded appalled.
“No.”
“Because if word got out that we’d started turning people away for no good reason, we’d lose business hand over fist. Besides, I won’t lie.”
“If anyone from California calls, ask if they can put it off till next week. If they ask point blank whether we have any vacancies, tell them that we do, but we have a—” No, he couldn’t have them say there was a situation, because the news might leak out that he was keeping someone in protective custody. “Tell them you’ll have to check, and then call me before you rent them a cabin or a room in the lodge, okay?”
“Sure. Is this about Lorie?”
Sandy always had been too perceptive.
“Yes. Someone in California may have sent a hit man after her.”
“That’s terrible. When she wakes up, tell her I’m praying for her, and I can’t wait to meet her. Jim said she’s sweet.”
Matt looked over at Lorie, her sun-streaked brown hair tumbled over her face, her stomach gently rising and falling with every breath.
“Jim doesn’t know the half of it.”
Lorie stirred.
“She’s waking up.”
“I’ll let you go, then. Bring her to the family dining room for dinner.”
“Yes, Chief.”
“Oh, you!”
Sandy rang off, and Matt replaced the receiver as softly as he could.
Lorie blinked and took a deep breath. Matt watched her hunch her shoulders and then stretch. It was beautiful.
Lorie sat up straight. “I’m sorry. I think I must have fallen asleep.”
“No problem. You needed the rest.”
“Was I out long?”
“About ten minutes.”
“I hardly ever do that. Doze off, I mean. During the day.”
Matt reassured her again that it was fine.
“Did you find anything else?”
“A few more links to organized crime. Grayson Carl was no loss to society. Since you’re awake, let me make a couple of calls.”
Lorie nodded.
Matt left a short and cryptic message about the case on the sheriff’s cell phone. A moment later he phoned the duty desk and requested the BOLO.
Lorie was watching him when he hung up. “You think someone may have driven out here from California to do this to me?”
“It’s a possibility.”
“Great. Now I have to be afraid of my favorite license plate.”
“Hey, Arkansas has great plates!”
Her eyes twinkled. “I know. I’m looking forward to one of the Diamond State plates. What do you think?”
“I thought you’d go for the ‘Read’ plate with the stack of books on it.”
The smile that lit her face was worth the comment. “That’s not a bad idea.”
“Let’s go. The family is waiting lunch on us.”
Lorie stood and collected her purse.
Matt followed her out his office door. Getting a “Read” plate was a good idea, but letting himself get attached to Lorie until the conclusion of this case was a very bad plan. He had to pull back now, for both their sakes. Owen’s news had affected his reasoning enough. If his heart became any more involved with Lorie, he was liable to make mistakes. And if he wasn’t thinking clearly, and someone succeeded in killing her, he would never get over it for the rest of his life.
There was only one little problem with that decision.
His heart was already involved.
*
Lorie was quiet on the drive back out to the Rob Roy Ranch, thinking about what Matt had said about dinner with the family. Matt’s brother Jim didn’t seem too scary, but facing the rest of the family in their own dining room was a daunting prospect. If only she’d met Matt under different circumstances. Say, at church in the singles department. Or at her favorite bookstore in West Bluff…
Love Inspired Suspense June 2014 Bundle 2 of 2: Forced AllianceOut for JusticeNo Place to Run Page 52
