Hitting the Books

by Jenn McKinlay

  Lindsey raised her eyebrows in surprise. Now that they had the VIN and the license plate number, she had thought Sully would hustle them out of here. He must have been concerned that the Norrgards hadn’t made it.

  He held out his hand, and Lindsey slipped her fingers into his calloused palm, letting him pull her into the woods surrounding the clearing. The undergrowth was thick, as they stayed off the path, opting to walk parallel to it on the chance they ran into whoever was chasing Theresa and her bodyguards. It was difficult not to make noise, as twigs snapped beneath their feet and gravel shifted. Branches impeded their progress, catching at their clothes. Still, they pressed on with Sully in the lead, taking the worst of the beating.

  Lindsey knew he was hoping to avoid running into whoever had been driving the sports car; obviously they had a gun and were not afraid to use it. But like Lindsey, he must have felt they had no choice. They simply couldn’t leave without knowing whether Theresa and the twins were in trouble or not.

  The trees became sparser, and the going was easier. The salty sea air of the ocean grew stronger as the ground became sandier, sporting tufts of tall grass and cattails. Lindsey knew they were getting closer, and she felt her heart hammer in her chest. Sully stopped abruptly, and she slammed into his back.

  “Sorry,” she grunted.

  “Shh,” Sully said. His big hands steadied her. “Listen.”

  Lindsey stood utterly still, straining her ears for any sound of movement coming from the trees around them. There was nothing. And then she heard it in the distance: the sound of shouts just over the purr of an engine.

  “This way.” Sully breathed the words in Lindsey’s ear.

  He turned and led her back through the undergrowth and up a small hill. Lindsey followed him, eager to see what was happening. Did the twins get to the boat? Was Theresa safe? Who was chasing them and why?

  Sully crouched down behind a thick patch of mountain laurel. Lindsey dropped down beside him. With his free hand, Sully parted the branches, and they glanced down the hill over the small inlet, where a large yacht was chugging its way out toward the sea.

  Pop pop pop!

  Shots were fired at the vessel, and Sully pushed Lindsey down, shielding her with his body. She would have struggled, but she knew it was just who he was, protecting anyone around him even at the risk of his own life. It was in his DNA, right next to the gene that made him a morning person who whistled.

  His face was pressed against hers as he scanned the area, looking for the shooter. The smell of dirt filled Lindsey’s nose, and she was afraid she might sneeze, so she took small breaths through her mouth while Sully crouched over her. The bullets hadn’t struck the yacht, or if they had, they hadn’t hindered its progress at all.

  Instead, the lights on the ship were shut off, making it a much more difficult target, and its engines revved as it churned up a wake and headed out into the deeper water of Long Island Sound. There were some shouts and a final popping noise, as if someone had fired their gun in a temper.

  Lindsey hardly dared to breathe, as she could hear whoever had been shooting at the vessel off to the right, standing closer to the water’s edge, near the large wooden dock where Milstein kept his boat moored.

  This was a deep inlet, one of the few in the area, and it allowed Milstein to keep his boat close to home. Lindsey glanced at the house beyond the dock. It was lit up as if expecting company. She wondered whether the shooter would go to the house, looking for another victim, or whether they’d leave since their prey had escaped. The waiting was excruciating.

  Sully was as still as she was, as if he, too, was trying to track the shooter’s movements. Lindsey felt her pulse flutter with nerves when she clearly heard someone walking on the path just below where she and Sully hid.

  “Don’t move.” Sully breathed the words into her ear, and Lindsey gave a tiny nod. She had no intention of taking on some bad guy with a gun, and she definitely didn’t want to put Sully at risk, given that he was on top of her and would likely be shot first.

  They waited. Lindsey could feel Sully’s heat all along her back and was grateful for it, as it kept her from shivering. She could hear someone muttering as they stomped through the tall grass to get back on the hiking trail. They certainly didn’t care if they were making any noise, probably because they had no idea that they weren’t alone.

  What would happen when they saw Sully’s truck? Would they come back and try to shoot them? Lindsey felt her heart pound in her chest and knew her flight response was kicking in. She desperately wanted to get out of here, but given that Sully didn’t move, she figured he thought their best bet was to stay put. Hopefully, the shooter would choose to run.

  They waited, and then they waited a little bit longer. When Sully finally rolled off her and pulled her into a sitting positon, Lindsey knew they were safe, and she sucked in a deep breath, letting her lungs fill up with the sweet, cool air.

  Sully motioned for her to stay down as he rose to his knees, checking to see that the shooter hadn’t doubled back. In the distance the sound of a car engine revving broke the silence, and Sully rose to his feet, pulling Lindsey up after him.

  “I think that’s them,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.”

  They jogged through the trees on the same uneven terrain that had brought them into the woods. Branches swung at them, and trees popped up in the darkness, forcing them to slow down and work their way around the big trunks and long branches. By the time they got to the clearing, the muscle car was long gone, leaving only the faint smell of a puff of exhaust in its wake.

  The doors to the SUV were still wide open, but Sully and Lindsey didn’t go near it. If the shooter had touched the bigger vehicle, they may have left fingerprints behind.

  Lindsey leaned against the side of the truck, catching her breath, while Sully called Emma.

  “Emma, it’s Sul—”

  His words were interrupted by an irate Emma. Lindsey couldn’t hear the exact words, but she knew the tone, as she had been on the receiving end of that voice before. She gave Sully a sympathetic smile, and he shrugged.

  “Emma, the suspect who shot at Theresa and the twins is headed your way. Now listen,” Sully said. His voice was firm, and Lindsey noted that she could no longer hear Emma yelling from his phone.

  Sully told the police chief what had happened, that they believed that the twins and Theresa had gotten away, but there was a red Camaro headed toward town that was likely the shooter and that he suspected they could still be armed. Suddenly the sound of sirens came out of Sully’s phone, and his eyebrows went up right before the call abruptly ended.

  “So, I’m thinking she caught sight of them,” he said.

  “So it would seem,” Lindsey said. She glanced around the clearing, which seemed awfully dark and creepy. Not that she thought the bad guy would come back, but still. “Should we close the doors and lock the SUV?”

  “I’ll get it,” Sully said. “You can start the truck.”

  He handed her the keys, and Lindsey climbed into the cab of the truck and switched on the engine. She watched through the windshield as Sully used the hem of his shirt to hit the door lock and then his elbow to shut the doors of the vehicle. As he walked back to the truck, his eyes scanned the clearing as if he, too, were wondering whether Theresa’s pursuer would reappear.

  He climbed in beside her and blew out a breath. “That was intense.”

  Lindsey moved across her seat so she could lean against him. When he slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, she couldn’t resist. She planted a swift kiss on his cheek. When he turned to glance at her, they were nose to nose and Lindsey smiled.

  “I’m having the best time,” she said.

  She felt him shake as a laugh bubbled up out of him.

  “Of course you are,” he said. “I have to admit; it does feel like old times.”


  “Maybe we needed this,” she said.

  “What? Chasing crazy hit men through the woods on a dark spring night, hoping we don’t get shot while we snap a picture of their license plate for the police?” he asked. “That’s your idea of a solid date night?”

  Lindsey laughed. “Well, it beats bowling.”

  Sully kissed her. It was swift and sweet, but it let her know that he understood what she was saying. It gave her courage.

  The words, when they came, tumbled out of her mouth in a waterfall of insecurity and doubt that rushed out of her in an almost deafening roar, at least to her. Out in the air, they were more like a storm of whispers that took on substance when she said what she’d been dreading admitting for weeks.

  “I need to tell you something. I’ve been freaking out for a while because I don’t know how you feel about marriage and children,” she said. She took a breath and continued. “I like children. I do. But I don’t want to have any. I know we should have talked about this more in depth before we moved in, but I didn’t know for sure until recently, and I know now that as adorable as a baby is, say, asleep across the room, that’s about as close as I like to get to them. I’m pretty sure I don’t want to have kids, and if you do, well, then . . .”

  Her voice stalled from lack of oxygen. She blinked at Sully, awaiting his response while she tried not to pass out.

  “So, that’s what’s been on your mind?” he asked. “Kids?”

  Lindsey nodded. She’d seen him with Josie. He was the perfect doting uncle with endless patience, and he adored her. He must want children of his own, and he’d be such a great dad. How could she deny him that?

  Plus, she’d seen the way he’d looked at her shoes when she’d dropped them on the floor. She wasn’t so sure he loved having her and Heathcliff in his house, so that was another concern. It was time that they were honest about it.

  “Also, it occurs to me that you may not love having me and Heathcliff in your house as much as you thought you would. You probably feel as if we’ve invaded your space, and that has to be off-putting.”

  “What?” He dropped his arm from around her shoulders and turned so they were facing each other. “No. Never.” He laughed and shook his head. “And all this time, I thought you were missing your old apartment and your own space and were reconsidering living together.”

  “No, I love your house,” she said. “Heathcliff loves your house. We’re very happy there.”

  “Except?” he asked.

  “The whistling,” she said. She hid her face behind her hands and peeked at him from between her fingers. “You whistle very early in the morning.”

  He looked confused. Then he ran his fingers through his hair. “I had no idea.”

  “Now admit it—my shoes drive you crazy,” she said.

  He blinked at her.

  “No, don’t deny it. I’ve seen the look. I kick my shoes off wherever I happen to be, and it drives you crazy.”

  “It does boggle me that you can’t seem to get them into the shoe basket,” he said. “But it’s so not a big deal.”

  “I knew it!” she cried. “I will try to be better.”

  “Me, too. No more early morning whistling,” he said. “So, are we good?”

  Lindsey shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”

  Sully tipped his head to the side as if he didn’t understand.

  “Marriage and kids,” she said. “I wasn’t just saying all that. I don’t think I’m mom material.”

  “What makes you think I’m dad material?” he asked.

  “Josie—you’re so good with her,” she said.

  “Well, yeah,” he said. “She’s my niece and I love her.”

  “Imagine if she were yours, a child of your own,” she said.

  Sully gave her a horrified look. “I’d never sleep again. Never ever. Not a wink.”

  He turned and pushed open his door. Lindsey watched as he circled the truck and opened her door. He took her hand and tugged her out of the cab until they were standing face to face. The glow of the dome light in the truck cab shone on his face, and Lindsey was caught by the bright light in his blue eyes, which glittered with affection and nerves.

  “Now as for marriage,” he said. “That is absolutely happening.”

  12

  “I—” Lindsey began, but he cut her off.

  “Lindsey Norris, I have been in love with you from the very first time I saw you ride your bike through town with a smile as wide as the sky.” Sully glanced down at the ground and then slowly lowered himself to one knee. “I can’t imagine spending a minute, an hour, or a day without you in my life. You’re my best friend and the person I want to spend all of my tomorrows with.”

  Lindsey felt like she ought to stop him, but her throat was tight and she couldn’t pull the words together to say anything, much less tell him to stand.

  “This wasn’t how I thought to propose, but since we’re here and I feel the need to make my feelings on this matter perfectly clear, I am going to ask you right now. Lindsey, will you marry me?”

  “Yes.” The answer flew out without hesitation or a second thought, and Lindsey knew it was the correct one, because it felt right all the way to the marrow of her bones.

  She cupped his face in her hands and stared into his eyes. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”

  Then she pulled him back up to his feet and kissed him. It was a promise. That she loved him as much as he loved her and that there was no amount of morning whistling that could ever change that.

  Sully broke the kiss and leaned back to study her face. Whatever he saw there made him smile. He opened his mouth to speak, but his phone rang, interrupting him.

  “It might be Emma,” Lindsey said.

  With a sigh, Sully let her go and took his phone out of his pocket. He tapped the screen and put it on speakerphone. “What’s the good word, Emma?”

  Clearly, it wasn’t a good word. In fact, it was a string of outrage so loud that Sully had to hold the phone away from them while Emma let loose. Apparently, the suspect had led them into New Haven, where he or she had ditched the car and fled on foot into a crowd at the train station. There were several trains about to depart, so there was no way of knowing which train they might be on, if they’d jumped on a train at all. Emma’s frustration was palpable.

  “Are Theresa and the Norrgard brothers okay?” Sully asked.

  “Yes, they called in from Milstein’s boat,” she said. “The Norrgards were bringing Theresa home from a doctor’s appointment when they were shot at while stopped at an intersection on the edge of town.”

  “Was Milstein with them?” Lindsey asked.

  “He was at a business meeting,” Emma said. “And Liza was in class. It was just the three of them.”

  “I wasn’t accusing—” Lindsey began, but Emma interrupted her.

  “I know, but they are the principals in the case, so it stands to reason that their whereabouts must be accounted for, since we have no idea who is trying to harm Theresa and it’s clear that she is still very much a target,” Emma said. “Hey, Sully?”

  “Yeah,” he said.

  “Nice work on getting the VIN and the plate,” she said. “They confirmed the car we found at the station is the same one as on the scene.”

  “No problem,” he said.

  “Speaking of the station, can you kids get there and give me an official statement?” Emma asked. “I’m on my way there now.”

  “Sure thing,” Lindsey said.

  “We’ll be right there,” Sully confirmed. He ended the call and pocketed his phone. Then he reached for Lindsey, pulling her close and whispering in her ear. “We’ll be there as soon as I finish making out with my fiancée.”

  Lindsey laughed. She put her arms around his neck and held him tight. She supposed it was crazy to feel this happy afte
r chasing a gun-wielding nutjob through the woods, but she couldn’t help it. She was going to marry this man!

  * * *

  • • •

  Their visit to the station was brief. Emma took their statements, but given that they’d never gotten a good look at the person who was after Theresa and the twins, they didn’t have much more to offer other than the fact that they had definitely been shooting at the yacht.

  Emma gave them a brief lecture on how they could have been killed and how she didn’t want to have to do the massive amount of paperwork involved in that, but she didn’t belabor the point, so Lindsey figured she knew it was a lost cause.

  “Any luck tracking those barcodes?” Emma asked.

  “Not yet,” Lindsey said. “I was just opening the database when the shooting in the center of town started, but I should have a name for you soon.”

  “The sooner, the better,” Emma said.

  Her face was grim, and Lindsey knew that the chief was worried that whoever was after Theresa would get to her first. Knowing that she might have the record of the potential killer was all the motivation Lindsey needed.

  As Sully helped her into the truck, she said, “Can you drop me off at the library?”

  “It’s closed now, isn’t it?” he asked.

  “Yes, but I can get in with my security code. Besides, all of my things are in there, since I ran off without my phone or anything,” she said.

  Sully nodded and climbed into the driver’s seat. The library was just down the street from the police station, so they were there in no time. It was locked up tight for the night, so Lindsey had Sully park in the employee lot in the back of the building.

  When he got out of the truck, Lindsey shook her head at him.

  “You don’t have to see me in,” she said.

  “See you in?” He gave her a wide-eyed stare. “I’m staying with you. Until we know who is running amok in town, trying to kill Theresa Huston, I think we need to play it safe, and being alone in the library at night is not safe.”

  Lindsey knew there would be no talking him out of it, and if she was honest with herself, that was totally fine. She hated to admit it, because her library was one of her favorite places in the world to be, but the thought of sitting there alone did unnerve her a bit, which was just one more reason to be furious with whoever was gunning for Theresa Huston. They were stripping away the simple joys of small-town life, like feeling safe and secure, and that was intolerable.