“What?” she whirled around. “No! That solves nothing.”
He got to his feet. “It solves everything and most importantly,” he tilted her chin so he could look into her eyes, “it keeps you alive.”
She pulled her head out of his grasp and turned her back to him. “You don’t know that.”
“I know Bragan,” he said. “If he has me, he’ll leave you alone.”
“No.”
“Damn it, Kate!” He grabbed her, turning her to face him. “Don’t you understand? Bragan won’t stop. He can’t be stopped. I’m going to die. It’s as simple as that. And if we don’t do something now, you’ll die, too. I can’t handle that, Kate,” he moved his hand from her shoulder and caressed her cheek. She closed her eyes and unconsciously nuzzled against his strong calloused hand. “I’ve done a lot of things that I’m not proud of. I’ve crossed some lines that I thought I never would cross. I’ve seen a lot of darkness in my life. You’ve become the one bright spot in my life and I won’t let Bragan snuff you out,” his voice dropped to a throaty whisper. “I love you too much.”
Kate opened her eyes and looked at him. “Then tell me what’s really going on.”
Archer looked at her and she could see the battle taking place behind his eyes. What wasn’t he telling her?
“Kate,” he started.
Then the payphone rang.
Chapter 19
Archer watched Kate on the phone and ached inside. He had moved to a respectable distance, giving her privacy. He was conflicted. He had to tell her what was going on. But he couldn’t.
He turned away. He wanted so badly to hit something right then. When was the last time he was this angry? He couldn’t remember.
When Archer began this thing six years ago he had known the risks. They had been spelled out pretty clearly for him. And he was fine with that. He didn’t have anything to lose, after all. Sharon had left him. He hadn’t spoken to his sister in almost three years. He had nothing holding him back. How was he to know that six years later he’d fall in love with the woman he could never have?
He slapped the side of the SUV with an open hand. He looked back over his shoulder. Kate was still involved with her conversation. No, this wasn’t fair to her and it wasn’t fair to him.
Could he get word to someone? But who? He was completely cut off. His only option was to tell Kate the truth and hope she would understand. But that would mean throwing too much away, including, possibly his life and the lives of his family.
Archer leaned against the SUV and sighed.
_____
“In the last twenty-four hours I’ve been told that you were dead, then alive, then missing, then possibly dead again. So tell me, straight from the horse’s mouth, little sister, are you dead or alive?”
Kate couldn’t help but smile. Her older brother always had a way with words. “Very much alive, for now, at least.”
Jack Sharpe let out a lower whistle on the over end of the line. “And you are mighty lucky to be alive, too. How did you end up in Jonathan Bragan’s crosshairs?”
“I thought the CIA wasn’t supposed to spy on American citizens?” Kate asked.
“It’s not spying,” Jack replied. “It’s interdepartmental cooperation.”
“Hopefully you don’t end up with a sniper pointed at your head, too,” Kate muttered.
“I beg your pardon?” Jack asked. “Katie, what’s going on?”
“Everything’s gone to Hell in a hand basket,” she said. “We’ve got a leak in the Marshal’s office supplying information to Bragan. Everywhere we turn I’m having to fend off another assassination attempt.”
“I thought this was supposed to be a simple prisoner transfer?” he asked.
“Yeah, join the club. Apparently, the only one who didn’t get that memo was Bragan.”
“Any idea why he wants this guy so bad?”
She looked over her shoulder back at Archer. He was staring off into the distance with a brooding look on his face. “Well, the current theory is that Kyle Archer is some kind of super accountant. I’m guessing he screwed Bragan out of some money, maybe?”
Jack gave a brief, humorless laugh. “Sis, whoever Kyle Archer is, he ain’t no accountant. His file is marked confidential. I can’t even use my clearance to look at it.”
She turned back to the phone. “That doesn’t make any sense. I saw his file. They gave it to me before we took him out of lock-up.”
“Yeah, it’s a dummy record,” Jack said. “There’s a whole reference record for Archer here.”
“How did you find that out?”
“Sis, I work for the CIA,” he said. “This is what I do. So he turned State’s evidence against Bragan but he doesn’t try to get immunity? He willingly takes the prison sentence?”
“Yeah,” Kate said. “It doesn’t make much sense, does it?”
“I suppose he could just have a guilty conscience,” Jack suggested.
Kate looked back at Archer again. “Maybe, but it doesn’t seem very likely.”
“No, it doesn’t. I wish I could get into this file,” he paused. “Well, look, Katie, I can appreciate that you’re in a tough spot. Clearly the whole situation has got a lot more layers to it than you were sold on. But I’m in the middle of a thing here myself, so….”
“No, yeah, I know,” she turned her attention back to her brother. “Sorry. But I need to get to Miami.”
Jack was silent on the other end. “You’re afraid Bragan’s tracking your movements?”
“I know he is,” she said. “There was a GPS tracer in Archer’s handcuffs.”
“How’d it get there?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. Presumably the leak did it,” Kate rested a hand on the payphone. “Look, Jack, I don’t have time to play Nancy Drew out here. I’ve got to get to Miami and I’m short on people I can trust.”
There was silence on Jack’s end for a moment. “Okay. What’s your current location?”
“Just off I-4,” she said. “I think we’re an hour or two out of Orlando.”
“Okay. Like I said, I’m right in the middle of my own thing but here’s what I can do,” there was some movement on the other end. “I can get you two tickets on the Amtrak to Miami. I’ll set up two quick identities to cover you. Won’t hold up under any detailed inspection, but they should keep you under the radar. I know a guy in Miami. He’s name is Jose Santos. He’ll meet you at the train station and get you to the prison. This is the best I can do.”
“Is this Jose trustworthy?”
“As long as the check clears,” he replied. “You want to fly under the radar, I’m using my own resources here.”
“Sorry, I don’t mean to complain,” said Kate. “It’s been a long couple of days. I’m learning to be over cautious.”
“Hey, you don’t have to tell me,” Jack said. “I am currently rocking three separate identities right now.”
Kate paused for a moment, a thought occurred to her. “Are you even in the country right now?”
“Actually, no I’m not.”
“Do they speak English where you’re at?”
She could hear the shrug in his voice. “When I pay them enough, they do.”
“I really appreciate this, Jack.”
“It’s the least I can do for my little sister,” he said. “Look, have you given any thought to what happens when you get to Miami? Jonathan Bragan is bad news. We’ve even got a two-inch folder on him here at the Agency. If he wants your guy dead…”
Kate gripped the phone a little tighter. “Yeah, I know,” she paused, taking a calming breath. “Hey, are we going to see you at Christmas this year? Mom misses you.”
“If I’m in the country, absolutely.”
Kate smiled. “Thanks, Jack. I really do appreciate this.”
“There’ll be an envelope at the train station for a Shirley James. That’ll have all your information,” he said. “All I ask is that you be careful.”
“You, too
, Jack.”
She set the phone back down. Kate rested her head against the payphone and closed her eyes. She was so tired. Maybe she should get out, Kate thought. Get out of law enforcement and open a bakery or something.
Strong arms encircled her waist.
“Well?” Archer whispered into her ear, his hands snaked up under her shirt and cupped her breasts through her bra.
She nuzzled back against him. She felt that fire starting inside her again. This was definitely not the time for it. She felt so safe in his arms, through. She never wanted to leave his warm embrace. She took a moment to wallow in the sensation.
“My brother’s going to come through for us,” she said. “We have to get to the Amtrak station in Orlando. From there we should be good.”
“And when we get to Miami?” the question was loaded with another question, a deeper one.
She turned around in his embrace, his hands sliding down to her waist, and locked eyes with him. It was a decision she was going to have to make no matter what.
“When we get to Miami, I’ll turn you over to the prison authorities,” she said. “They’re going to make every attempt to keep you alive and they’re going to succeed. Bragan can’t run forever,” she closed her eyes, she had too. She rested her head against his chest. She didn’t believe a word she had said and she knew Archer hadn’t either. For the first time, in a long time, Kate Sharpe wanted to cry.
Chapter 20
The train station was virtually empty when they arrived. It was a little past two in the morning.
“I don’t think I’m even technically conscious anymore,” Kate muttered as they stepped through the doors. She blinked rapidly, a slight blurriness had begun to set in and her eyelids themselves felt as though they weighed a hundred pounds each.
“You did fall asleep in the car,” Archer said, following her through the lobby.
“I did not,” Kate said.
“Your eyes were closed and your head was dropped and,” he stopped abruptly.
“And what?” she prompted.
“Well, you were snoring,” he finished.
Kate stopped and whirled around, waving a pointed finger in his face. “I. Do. Not. Snore.”
Archer jerked back from the pointed finger. “Sorry,” he said. “You weren’t snoring.”
“Damn right I wasn’t,” she resumed her walk towards the service desk.
“Except, you were,” Archer said as soon she turned her back to him. She stopped immediately and Archer smiled as her watched her back stiffen.
She looked back at him. “You do have a death wish,” she shook her head and walked up to the service desk.
Archer watched her go. He smiled to himself. It was unbelievable. Twenty-four hours ago she would have insisted that he remained cuffed and in front of her at all times. Now, she had slept peacefully in the car while he drove. Whether or not she would admit it, Kate Sharpe trusted him now.
He turned away. He hoped he wouldn’t betray that trust.
_____
“What did you say your name was again?” The female attendant behind the counter was in her late fifties and had her hair sprayed up in some elaborate fashion throwback to the eighties. Kate decided all that was missing was the chewing gum.
“Shirley James,” Kate repeated. She rubbed her tired, bloodshot eyes and resisted the urge to reach across the counter and throttle the attendant by her neck. All this woman had to do was give Kate the tickets and send them on their merry way. This was not rocket science.
The attendant checked the computer again. She looked up at Kate and gave her sickly sweet smile. She was obviously enjoying this for some unknown reason.
“I’m sorry, miss,” she said, her voice dripping with sour honey. “I don’t see any ticket reservations here. Would you like to purchase them now? We do still have seats available.”
Kate smiled back, pressing her hands against the counter so she wouldn’t bunch them into fists. Would she like to purchase them now? Of course. Would they take empty handfuls of air as payment? Instead, Kate merely said, “No thanks. We’ll work something else out.”
She turned and walked back to Archer.
Archer watched her nostrils flare and her eyes twitched. He rose from his seat. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Kate replied. “Our tickets aren’t here.”
“I thought there was supposed to be some identification papers, too.”
“Yeah, they aren’t here either,” she said. She folded her arms and stared off through the windows across the terminal. It had started to rain.
“Hello?” Archer waved a hand in her face. “Are you still there?”
She looked him with irritation. “Yes, I’m still here.”
“What happened?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. It could be anything. Maybe Jack got caught up in his own assignment. Maybe Bragan is all knowing and some how intercepted the stuff. I don’t know.”
Archer was silent but Kate could read the expression on his face. It ticked her off even more.
“But I do know that my own brother wouldn’t have sold us out,” she snapped. “What is wrong with you?”
“In situations like this I have a hard time trusting anyone,” Archer said.
“Oh? And what about me?”
He softened immediately. “You’re different. You know that.”
“Well, the fact that there isn’t anyone here trying to kill us should be enough to prove that my brother didn’t turn us over to Bragan,” she said. “Actually, the fact that he’s my brother and I trust him should be enough for you.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “But we are here and your brother’s help isn’t.”
Kate couldn’t argue with that. She fumed. “Yeah, I know.”
She sat down. A moment later Archer sat next to her.
Neither of them spoke and finally Archer wrapped his arm around her and she nuzzled against him.
She was so tired.
Kate closed her eyes, giving them a moment’s rest.
“What do we do now?” Archer asked.
“I don’t know,” Kate said, not opening her eyes. She was getting sick of those three little words. “We don’t have enough money between the two of us to even buy one ticket.”
“We don’t have any money, period,” Archer said. “If you’ll recall, we left the hotel in a hurry. There wasn’t time to really pack anything.”
She smiled, recalling their half naked escape.
“I can’t even use my status as a Marshal. I’ve got no identification and even if I did, who knows if it might make its way back to Bragan.”
He absently stroked her silky brown hair. “Well, we can’t stay here forever.”
“Are you sure about that?” she asked. His fingers in her hair felt good, it felt relaxing. “We could find a homeless shelter. Just disappear into the throngs of the abandoned.”
“You make it sound like quite a romantic notion,” Archer said.
She took a deep breath, nuzzling closer to him and inhaling his scent. “When I was six I wanted to be a homeless person.”
Archer twisted to look down at her. “You what?”
“Yeah, I was a weird kid,” she said. “I didn’t think of them as homeless people, of course. I thought of them as, well, I don’t know what I thought of them as. I don’t think I really had a name for them. Somewhere along the line I had gotten it into my head that homeless people had all these adventures. They just spent their days traveling from one secret world to another. Some battling evil warlords and rescuing princesses, others just exploring new worlds with new friends,” she smiled. “I had quite the imagination when I was younger.”
“Wow,” Archer said. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone fantasizing about being homeless. You’re right, you were a little weird.”
She slapped him playfully on his leg. “Hey, watch it there, mister. I’m still an officer of the law.”
“And quite a bea
utiful one, too,” he kissed the top of her head, inhaling her sweet scent.
She sighed. “Too bad I just can’t use that imagination to imagine us a way out of here.”
She fell silent and Archer didn’t respond.
He looked around the empty terminal. It was another dead end. It seemed that lately his life was becoming a series of dead ends.
Archer wrapped his arm around her tighter. He felt responsible for this woman now. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. So if they were at a dead end he was just going to have to figure out another way.
He sighed. Right. Another way. No problem, he’d been in plenty of situations where he had to think outside the box. Usually he had the threat of immediate death to encourage him, but it wasn’t like the added stimulus was necessary.
He felt Kate go limp in his arm. He looked down at her. Her eyes were still closed and her chest was gently rising and falling. A soft snore escaped from her lips.
Archer smiled. She had fallen asleep. Good. She needed her rest.
He kissed her atop of her head again and she stirred slightly, but didn’t wake.
“Don’t worry, Kate,” he whispered. “I’m going to make everything all right.”
_____
Kate sat up with a jolt. Had she fallen asleep? She looked around the terminal wildly, her brain still in the fading grip of sleep.
Then she realized that Archer wasn’t next to her.
What had happened?
Kate rubbed her face, trying to wake herself faster. Her heart started to pound. She felt her adrenaline begin to race. Fear and anxiety clawed at her, threatening to overtake her.
No.
She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
Kate closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. She felt her heartbeat slow back down to its normal rhythm. The last vestiges of sleep faded away and she began to think clearly.
She opened her eyes and took stock of everything.
Archer was nowhere to be seen.
Kate ran through her memories, checking for anything she might have missed.
Outlawed Love Page 10
