by Mary Alford
“He’s not going to help you. He’ll be dead by now,” Alhasan sneered and Ella’s heart fell to her feet.
No. Please keep him safe.
She wouldn’t stand a chance if she stayed here. If she could reach one of the houses close by, perhaps someone would be home. She could call for help.
From where she stood, she could see the back of a neighboring house about a quarter of a mile to the left. If she reached it, she might have a chance. Once they stormed the woods, they’d search every inch. It would buy her some precious time.
She hurried through the dense undergrowth, praying every step of the way that Alhasan didn’t have men circling behind. The brisk air robbed her of her breath.
“He needs her alive for now,” Alhasan shouted to his men. “She knows things. Find her. She can’t be far.”
Did this have something to do with Alhasan wanting access to the Scorpions’ headquarters? What did they need there that was so important?
Another car crunched on the gravel on the edge of the road before coming to a stop. Alhasan’s backup.
Car doors slammed. Multiple footsteps followed. She had to hurry.
She reached the thickest part of the woods and was forced to slow down. She’d lost sight of the house. She had no idea if she was still heading in the right direction. She prayed for clarification and hoped she’d receive it as she kept heading left. Five minutes had passed. Behind her she could still hear Alhasan’s rantings.
“All right, we’ll do this the hard way, but I’ll make you pay, Ella. You’ll pay dearly.” Silence followed then multiple footsteps fanning quickly out through the woods.
Fear propelled her on. Once the men figured the direction she’d gone in the snow, they’d find her easily enough.
She had to keep moving. She ran as fast as she could, tripping over downed branches along the way.
“This way. I see her up ahead,” one of the men yelled to the group. She gasped for breath. She could see the clearing up ahead. Almost there. She raced as fast as her body would allow and hit the clearing. The house.
She ran up the steps and pounded on the door. “Please help me. Someone’s trying to kill me.” She could hear footsteps at the back of the house. Someone was coming.
Thank You, God.
She peeked behind her. The men chasing her were now at the clearing. They’d see her at the front of the house. She headed for the back when she all but slammed into someone.
Relief weakened her legs.
“Thank you—” Her words died away when she saw who it was. Her worst nightmare. Duncan.
He grabbed her and yanked her close. “You’re so predictable. I knew you would come here, just as I knew you wouldn’t do what you were supposed to do.”
The men following reached her. Alhasan was with them. Joseph was nowhere in sight. Her heart plummeted. Where was the boy?
“Clear out of here in case he returns. You know where to rendezvous.” Alhasan barked the order to his men then glared at her. “She’s coming with me.”
Duncan shoved her that way. Alhasan grabbed her hair and hauled her to the car. She knew if he took her away, her chances of surviving were slim. She had to think quickly. Find a way to escape.
He shoved her inside then got in beside her. She scrambled for the passenger door, but he grabbed her by her hair again.
“I don’t think so,” he said as hauled her back against him.
She fought him with everything she had. All she could think about was Joseph.
“Where is he?” she screamed at him. “What have you done to Joseph?”
Alhasan laughed in her face. “What do you think?” he mocked.
“No,” she whimpered as the reality of what he said registered. Tears streamed down her face. He’d killed Joseph. Taken that innocent life.
Fury rose from deep inside and with all her strength she jerked free and clawed at his face. Blood sprang from the imprint of her nails. She wanted him to pay for what he’d done.
He recoiled in pain. He touched the blood, staring at it and then at her in surprise. Before she could get away he slapped her so hard that her head spun in the opposite direction.
“You foolish woman. I should have known you wouldn’t follow through with the plan. You’re too loyal to the cause...and him. That’s why we had to keep track of you. You failed us. So now, you and I have some unfinished business. Once he’s done with you, it will be my pleasure to end your life like I did the boy’s.”
NINE
The sirens were right outside. Tracy was barely hanging on.
“You have to forgive me,” she begged and clasped his hand tightly. “Please...you have to.”
He tried to reassure her. “It’s going to be okay. Don’t try to talk.”
She ignored him and motioned for him to come closer. “He made me do it,” she rasped. There were tears streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry. I should have known it wasn’t real.”
“Who, Tracy? Who are you talking about?” he whispered urgently.
She struggled to draw air in, her voice barely there. “He told me he loved me. He said he was with the CIA and that I was doing my country a huge service by following his command. I’d be helping him bring down a terrorist.” She gathered her strength. As much as he needed her to rest, he had to hear her story.
“He wanted me to identify a woman as Ella Weiss and keep an eye on her,” she rasped. “He said that she was part of a terrorist cell that would be operating here in the US. That’s why I couldn’t tell you anything before.”
Kyle took out the photo of Alhasan. “Is this the man?” Tracy glanced at the photo and shook her head.
“No, the man I fell in love with is called Jonathan. He has blond hair and blue eyes.”
Who was this Jonathan and how was he connected to the Fox? Was it possible Ella might be right and Duncan was the man they’d been hunting all along?
Kyle found the photo Jase sent him of Duncan and showed it to her.
“That’s not him.” Could Tracy be wrong? The man could have changed his appearance to throw them off.
Tracy gathered her waning strength. “I realized when I saw how he’d hurt her that she was no terrorist. He was just using me. I tried to get out. That’s when he sent someone to kill me and you walked in on the attack.”
In his mind, Tracy’s story just confirmed what Ella said about the Fox not being Alhasan. The only question that remained was if she wasn’t Ella, then...
Outside, doors slammed. EMTs raced into the house followed by Henry and some of his men.
Kyle leaned over and whispered his thanks to Tracy. “Hang on, Tracy. Don’t you dare give up.” She managed a weak nod and he let the professionals take over.
He went over to Henry and told him everything.
“I have to go. Ella’s out there alone. She could be in danger.” He headed for the door when Henry stopped him.
“Take some of my men with you.”
Kyle didn’t answer. He grabbed the phone and tried to call the burner once more. The call failed. His uncertainties grew.
“I parked on the main road,” he told one of the deputies who came with him. “Can you give me a lift to the vehicle?”
“Absolutely.” One of the deputies got behind the wheel and another climbed into the back while Kyle hopped in the passenger seat.
“It’s just up here,” Kyle told him. Once their vehicle stopped, he got out and hurried to the car. The second he was close, he noticed it was empty. Ella wasn’t there.
“Ella,” he called out.
His only answer was tires squealing close by.
“She’s been taken,” Kyle yelled to the two deputies before he jumped into the car and drove as fast as he could out of the wooded area. The deputies follo
wed at a high speed.
Up ahead, he spotted the car from the church. He could see two people inside. As he drew close, he was positive the driver was Alhasan. And Ella was with him.
Alhasan had Ella.
Kyle floored the gas until he was inches from the bumper.
Alhasan must have been watching in the rearview mirror. When he spotted Kyle, he rolled the window down and opened fire. Kyle swerved to keep from a direct hit. The patrol car behind him hit its emergency lights.
He couldn’t let Alhasan escape again. If he did, Ella would be dead. Kyle made the decision to take extreme measures. He rammed the car hard and sent it flying off the road. It crashed into the ditch nose first. Smoke billowed from the hood.
Kyle slammed on the brakes and jumped from the vehicle as Alhasan stumbled out, firing.
The patrol car stopped behind them. The two officers exited with weapons drawn and ducked behind their vehicle.
Realizing he was outnumbered, Alhasan raced for the nearby woods.
“Go after him,” Kyle called to the officers and they immediately pursued. But Kyle’s only thoughts were for Ella’s safety. He hurried to her side.
“Are you hurt?” he asked in a fear-threaded voice. He didn’t wait for her answer. He did a quick check of her limbs. Nothing was broken and Kyle whispered his prayerful thanks under his breath. She had a few scrapes, yet for the most part, she was physically unscathed but clearly terrified.
She went into his arms and clung to him and he held her tight. God had protected her and he was so grateful.
She withdrew a shuddering breath and pulled away. “I’m okay,” she reassured him. “I’m okay. I was so scared. I tried to get away but they found me.”
He cupped her face. All his fear and worry over what might have happened was reflected in his voice. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you, Lena, but I promise I won’t let anything happen to you again.”
Something in her eyes tore at his gut.
“What is it?” he asked.
She shook her head and he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the car.
Kyle noticed the two officers emerging from the woods without Alhasan. Had the man escaped? They motioned to him. He didn’t want to leave her alone but he needed to find out what had happened. He touched her cheek and looked deep into her eyes. “I’ll be right back, okay?”
He cracked the door open and started out when she grabbed his arm. “Kyle...”
Something troubled her, but again she kept it to herself. Her expression grew suddenly distant. “Be careful,” she said instead of what he was certain she’d wanted to say.
* * *
He’d called her Lena. Tears filled her eyes. He hadn’t even realized the slipup. Did he believe she was Lena, too? Her head spun with the returned memories. If she could turn back time, she’d change so many things. But that was an impossible wish, and she didn’t know how to tell him about the baby.
She watched as Kyle spoke briefly with the officers then headed back to the car. She was struck again by how handsome, strong and self-assured he was. A true man of valor. Her husband. Did she dare tell him she knew that truth? She steeled herself to face him again.
He started the vehicle and turned to her. “There’s no sign of him. I can’t believe he got away. They’ll keep searching. Henry has other men on the way to help out. We can’t go back to the cabin.” His gaze narrowed as he watched her. “What’s troubling you?” he asked gently.
As she met his gaze, all the love she felt for him surfaced and she cupped his face and drew him near. She kissed his lips and felt him freeze for a second, then kiss her back like only Kyle could. His lips so familiar, so welcoming, that she wanted to keep right on kissing him and never have to face the reality of her decisions. But it was not to be.
She pulled away. “I’m sorry...” She couldn’t look at him. Until she’d kissed him now—with the realization that she might be Lena—she hadn’t been completely sure. Now there was no doubt. This was her husband. For the first time in years the ice surrounding her heart had melted away and she was finally free to feel.
After a second, he took her hand and squeezed it. “It’s okay. We both got a little carried away.” The gentle teasing in his tone forced her to look at him. She remembered all those times in the past when he’d looked that same way. Kyle could always make her wonder if he was serious or joking.
She smiled back. “Yes, you’re right.” She cleared her throat. “What do we do now?”
His gaze never wavered. “I know you don’t want me to, but it’s time to call in the Scorpions. It’s not safe for either of us to be here any longer. Once the team arrives, we can figure the rest of it out,” he said, and she realized he hadn’t understood what she meant. She wondered where they went from here, but then, he didn’t know her memory had returned.
“I’m thinking we go back to the church.” Before she could react he said, “Hear me out first.” And she slowly nodded.
“I know it’s a gutsy move, but after what happened there before, they won’t be expecting us to return. We just need to stay out of sight until the team arrives.” When she didn’t answer, he said, “I’ll call the pastor once we’ve stashed this car. They’ll be looking for it.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” she managed.
He gave her another quizzical look he put the car in Drive.
Since seeing the photo she had tucked in her pocket, it was as if the dam holding her memories captive had broken. Her life with Kyle was rushing out jumbled and confused. She so desperately needed to be alone to figure it all out. She closed her eyes. The baby. Their little girl. She could almost picture her... Her eyes flew open. No, that couldn’t be. Alhasan had taken that opportunity away. Hate rose inside her. She’d buried it, as well. She had so much of it in her heart. She couldn’t let it control her.
Please take it away.
“I think we should leave the car in town and walk to the church,” Kyle said and she rousted herself from those dreadful memories. He glanced her way. “Are you up to it? You’ve been through a lot lately.”
She quickly reassured him. “I’ll be fine.”
He pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant and parked as far out of the passing traffic’s line of sight as possible.
When she reached for the door, he stopped her. “Did something else happen at the cabin?”
She met his eyes. Would she find the forgiveness she needed? She swallowed back a sob. “No, it’s just been a very long day.”
She could see he didn’t believe her fully.
Kyle got out of the car and came round to her side as she did the same.
“What did Tracy need to talk to you about?” she asked, mostly because she so desperately needed to shut out the darkness.
His hesitation captured her full attention. They started walking without an answer.
“Kyle?” Her heart pumped into overdrive.
“Not much,” he said at last. “Someone shot her. When I arrived, I was attacked. She’s on her way to the hospital. It doesn’t look good. Henry took the shooter into custody. Once the rest of the team is here, we’ll see what he knows.”
He paused for a second and she knew she’d been right about Tracy being involved with Alhasan.
“Tracy pretty much confirmed what you said about the real person in charge not being Alhasan. She was fooled by someone fitting Duncan’s description, only it wasn’t him.”
“Was she sure?” she asked in amazement. But then again, she’d heard Duncan speak. His voice wasn’t the same as the American’s. He nodded. “Oh, yes. She said the man who recruited her used her feelings for him to get her to do his bidding. She only knew him as Jonathan. I showed her Duncan’s photo, it wasn’t him. She said the man she knows has blue eyes.”
She couldn’t wrap her mind around what he told her. “Why would he want Tracy to work for him... It’s because of me.”
“Yes,” he confirmed. “In fact, she claims he told her to identify you as Ella Weiss even though she believes that’s not who you are. The man told her you were a terrorist. That’s how he got her to cooperate.”
That had been the one thing that didn’t add up. How had Tracy known her? Now she realized the truth. Tracy was right. She wasn’t Ella at all. She was Lena. She was Kyle’s wife. Her heart had been screaming that from the beginning, but she just hadn’t remembered.
“I’m not Ella,” she said to herself.
He continued to watch her with an unreadable expression, one she’d seen many times recently. “No, you’re not,” he said quietly.
The final obstacle holding her back was gone. She wasn’t the person she’d believed herself to be.
Right there in the middle of the sidewalk, she lost it. Tears streamed from her eyes. Of course she wasn’t Ella. Ella had been the one to die, not her. She was still alive.
“Hey, we’ll figure it out.” Kyle tugged her into the shelter of his arms and moved close to the storefront and away from prying eyes.
He didn’t understand. How did she tell him the ugly secrets of her heart? She shook her head miserably.
“I promise you we’ll do everything we can to find out who you really are.” He was trying so hard, but he didn’t sound convinced.
She pushed away. That wasn’t the problem. She knew that part of the puzzle. The only question was would he forgive her.
“I know who I am, Kyle. I’ve known for a while.”
TEN
He couldn’t believe he’d heard her correctly. “What do you mean, you know who you are?” It didn’t compute. If she knew she wasn’t Ella, why hadn’t she told him? His heart thudded in his chest. Had he been wrong about her all along? Was she working for Alhasan?
“How do you know?”
With tears shimmering in her eyes, she pulled something from her pocket and handed it to him. Like a robot, he tore his gaze from hers and glanced down. It was the photo he’d shown her of him and Lena. She’d held on to it.
