by Dana R. Lynn
“Anything,” Levi responded immediately. “You know that. Whatever I have is yours.”
Some of the tension drained out of Aiden’s posture. He rubbed the back of his neck, turning his head as if to stretch the muscles. She could relate. Her head was beginning to ache from all the stress.
“Thanks. We need a vehicle. It’s a long story, and though I don’t think I can tell you everything because of the confidential nature of some of it, I will tell you what I can.”
“Oh?” Levi slid a glance to Sophie and then back to Aiden. He raised his eyebrows. There seemed to be some hidden meaning behind the query.
“Not what you think. I’m protecting them.”
What exactly did Levi think? Whatever it was, she was sure that the tips of Aiden’s ears were red.
“So this isn’t Janet?”
Aiden growled. “No. That’s over.”
The smile faded from Levi’s face. “Ach. Sorry, man. Didn’t mean to interfere.”
What would he be interfering with? Sophie tucked the questions away. Now wasn’t the time to ask him personal questions, although she was curious to know about this Janet. Obviously, the woman was someone who had meant something to him.
She wasn’t jealous. Of course not. That would be ridiculous. The man was helping them escape from their own uncle. She flinched away from dwelling too deeply on the fact that her father’s brother could have such evil intentions. Aiden was speaking, and she needed to pay attention.
“Don’t worry about it. She and I are history. It’s for the best. Anyway, can you help?”
“Ja, absolutely. Whatever you want. There’s a truck in the garage. Or I have an old car I’ve been repairing. It’s old, but it will get you where you want to go. The tire treads are worn down, but not too bad.”
Aiden scratched his chin as he pondered their choices. “The car. Less conspicuous.”
“The car it is. Why don’t y’all come into the kitchen and get something to eat while I clean the car out.”
She waited until Aiden motioned for them to join him. Celine stepped close to her side. So close she could feel her sister’s slim body trembling. The preteen tried to keep an indifferent expression on her face, but Sophie could see the way her teeth were bruising her bottom lip from her fear and anxiety. Trepidation shivered in the air. The poor kid didn’t know who to trust anymore.
As discreetly as she could, Sophie nudged her sister. Startled, Celine jerked her head toward her.
“I’ll be right here. I won’t leave you, and I will protect you,” Sophie signed.
“Promise?” Celine signed back.
“Promise.”
“Okay.” Celine reverted back to using her voice. The sisters followed the men into the kitchen. It was surprisingly light and airy. The walls were a bright, cheerful yellow and the counters were trendy—frosty quartz with a black-and-white-marbled effect. There were no other frills or decor in the room, which might have been because he was a guy, or it may have been due to his possible Amish heritage.
Aiden was not walking comfortable in the house. He moved to the window and moved the blind slightly to scan outside, his jaw tight and hands clenched.
“Aiden, I have plenty of food in the refrigerator,” Levi offered. “You can help yourself to whatever you need.”
He glanced once more out the window before letting the blind fall back into place and turning away. He didn’t look happy. Seeing him so tense was making her feel antsy. She half expected her uncle or one of his henchmen to come busting through the front door at any moment.
“Relax, my friend. I have an alarm system installed. If anyone turns down my lane, I will know about it. It’s gut, ain’t so?”
Now she was convinced. Levi might not be Amish anymore, but somewhere in the past, he had been. She would never ask about it. One didn’t grow up in Pennsylvania without knowing that leaving an Amish community was never something done lightly. And it was deeply personal.
Didn’t mean she wasn’t curious, though.
Celine looked a bit puzzled. If Sophie had to guess, she’d say that her sister hadn’t understood what their host had said.
“He said there’s an alarm system, so we will know if anyone approaches the house,” she told her sister, signing to make sure she understood. Celine’s wrinkled brow smoothed out.
“It’s true.” Levi nodded and gestured to the front of the house with his prosthetic arm. “I like my privacy.”
Aiden slapped him lightly on the shoulder. “I remember that. I really appreciate your help. We were in a bind, that’s for sure.”
His friend shrugged.
Levi didn’t appear phased by the fact that Celine was deaf, nor did she react to the fact that he had a prosthesis. He welcomed them into his home. Aiden set about finding them something to eat. Their meal consisted of cold-cut sandwiches, bananas, store-bought potato salad and milk. She was so hungry it all tasted delicious.
Celine ate like she’d not eaten for a week. Sophie smiled to herself. When Aiden raised an eyebrow at her, she merely shrugged. She couldn’t tell him that only yesterday, when Sophie had made Celine grilled cheese for lunch, she had complained that sandwiches were boring and for children.
Taking a bite of her own ham, cheese and pickle sandwich, she held in a groan of pleasure when the flavors hit her tongue. She hadn’t been hungry, not really, since her parents and brother had died. Suddenly ravenous, she focused all her attention on her meal. The sounds of conversation died and were replaced with the gentle scrapes of glassware on the table and silverware scratching the bottoms of the plates as the hungry group devoured the potato salad and sandwiches.
Sophie finished her meal and reached for her water glass. A loud, high-pitched alarm sounded three times. She knocked the glass over. Water streamed down the length of the table and dribbled off the opposite edge.
Aiden leaped to his feet, pulling his service weapon from its harness in one smooth motion. He shifted his stance and ran to the window. He stood to the left side, his back against the wall and his weapon held up as he peered out the window, his dark eyes searching the yard. Levi had also gotten to his feet. Instead of going to the window, though, his eyes were glued to a small screen.
He had cameras aimed at the driveway.
Celine didn’t react to the alarm. It was too high for her to hear. She did, however, react to the men jumping up. Her eyes filled with tears and her complexion paled so much Sophie thought she’d pass out.
“I don’t see anyone,” Aiden called to Levi.
“I do,” Levi responded, his voice flat. Their host had reverted back to a soldier. Aiden left his post at the window and raced to Levi’s side.
He pointed to the screen. A vehicle was moving at a snail’s pace down the lane. Probably hoping to avoid being heard. “That’s definitely Phillip’s man.”
Sophie met Aiden’s flat stare. How had they found them so quickly?
“They’re driving really slow,” Sophie murmured, placing her arm around Celine’s shaking form. Her sister didn’t resist. She was truly terrified.
“That’s good news,” Aiden announced. “That gives us some time to maneuver.”
He raised an eyebrow at Levi in a signal the other man appeared to understand.
“That’s so. It would be best if you take the truck. Follow me.”
Levi turned and slipped out the back door.
Aiden gestured for the two women to precede him. As they moved past him, he placed a hand on each one’s shoulder.
“I meant what I said. I’ll get you out of this. No matter what. Just do exactly as I tell you.”
* * *
Levi led the silent group out toward the garage, gesturing for them to stick to the shadows of the trees that lined the property. Once they reached the garage, instead of going inside the weathered building, they continued
along the outside wall.
A low rumble and the sound of gravel crunching under wheels reached Aiden’s ears. Levi turned his head and nodded.
The van was creeping closer to the house. Aiden glanced back, still not seeing it. But if he could hear it, it was only a matter of seconds.
“We need to hurry.”
“Ja. Keep low,” Levi said, gesturing with his hand and imitating the posture. For Celine’s sake, no doubt.
Sophie nodded and reached back to grab her sister’s hand. Celine was still pale, but she was making a brave effort to do everything that the adults did. The kid was impressing him with her grit. This was not a situation any twelve-year-old should have to deal with, ever, and yet she hadn’t complained at all. At least not that he had heard. If she had signed any complaints to Sophie, he’d missed them.
He was reminded of his own sweet baby sister, Jennie. She’d been about Celine’s age when they’d landed in foster care and been separated. The thought of his sister was a sharp knife to his heart. He’d tried to connect with her after they’d both aged out of the system, but she had shut him out.
He’d failed her.
Well, he wouldn’t fail Celine or her beautiful older sister, either.
And why he was thinking of Sophie that way when they were in a crisis situation was beyond him. He needed to get his head back where it belonged. Which meant he needed to not notice how lovely or strong or brave Sophie Larson was. Because, no matter how wonderful she was, it was her uncle that was after them. He couldn’t forget that if she hadn’t shown up early, his cover would not have been blown.
Or would it have?
The swiftness with which Phillip acted made him wonder if he had already been found out. It was entirely possible that if Sophie and her sister hadn’t shown up, he’d have been ambushed at his base. Then he’d be dead. At least now they had a chance.
The small group continued past the garage, keeping low as Levi had instructed. Beyond that, there was a barn. They skirted an old, untethered Amish buggy before entering the barn. The buggy was black and shaped like a large box. The front window was intact although the side one was broken out. Aiden could see that the wheel on the far side was bent at an awkward angle.
Levi must do repairs for some of the local Amish communities. Aiden had never asked if Levi’s own family lived nearby. He figured if his friend wanted to discuss his past, he would. So far, he hadn’t. That was fine. He hadn’t told Levi about Jennie, either.
Only Janet, his fiancée. Ex-fiancée. She couldn’t take the life he led.
Cops didn’t make good husbands, as far as he could figure.
“Where are they?” he muttered, glancing over his shoulder. They should have seen them by now.
A screen door slammed.
“In the house,” Levi answered. A sudden loud crash inside the house made the man wince.
“Aw, sorry, man.”
“Stuff.” The soldier shrugged. “It’s only stuff. All the important things are here.”
True. He moved closer to Sophie, the urge to keep close and protect her and Celine racing in his veins. They were so close that, as she moved, her red hair tickled his arm. It was soft. He inhaled deeply. Her hair smelled like strawberries. It fit. Fresh and vibrant.
Slam!
Startled, Aiden pivoted on his heel. The back door of the house had been flung open and the men were raging outside, their boots thudding down the stairs. Both had rifles. They needed to move. Now.
“Run!” he shouted, placing a hand on Sophie’s back and another on Celine’s. The small group ceased trying to be inconspicuous and took off, Levi in the lead. He heard a shot, but it missed them. A gun barked a second time. Thunk. This time, the shooter had hit something. Aiden thought it was the buggy. Well, better a buggy or a car than one of them.
Levi jumped into the truck and they piled in after him, Sophie and Celine sitting in the back. When Levi turned the key and the engine turned over but didn’t start, Aiden started praying. Sweat broke out on his forehead as Levi turned the key again and the motor revved and sputtered. A hand grabbed on to Aiden’s shoulder and held tight.
Sophie. She was leaning against the seat, eyes so wide they were ready to pop out of their sockets. He could tell by the angle of her other arm that she was holding on to Celine.
Instinctively, he reached up and grabbed her hand to give her silent comfort. She turned her hand over and squeezed his.
Another gunshot. Closer. The back fender pinged.
Too close.
With a final rev, the engine erupted to life, choking and gurgling like it was on death’s door. Levi threw the vehicle into Reverse and the truck shot backward, bouncing as it hit ruts in the yard. Without fully stopping, he shoved it into Drive and they were off. Aiden threw out an arm to brace himself, feeling the bump as Sophie hit the back of his seat.
A fourth shot hit the back window. Celine and Sophie screamed.
He winced and cast his gaze to the side mirror. The two men who’d been shooting at them were running back to their van.
“This is going to be a short trip,” Levi muttered. “I think they hit the gas tank.”
Aiden locked eyes with Levi, then looked down to the gas gauge. It was slowly decreasing even as he watched. He bit off a groan. What now?
“Where would be the safest place around here to ditch the truck?”
Sophie gasped in the back but didn’t say anything.
He was still holding her hand. It felt natural, their hands clasped together, and he liked it. Big mistake. He forced himself to let go of her hand, which slid off his shoulder. He wanted to look at her and at the same time didn’t want to risk it. The connection he was feeling to this woman was happening at the worst possible time. It was stealing his focus, and he couldn’t allow that to continue.
His hand felt empty.
“Well, now, I have a friend around here who might help. I’ve been helping him get several cars ready for crash-up derbies this summer, so he might be inclined to help.”
“Why?” Sophie’s soft voice floated up from the back seat. She was still leaning forward. Her breath whispered against his ear.
Levi flashed a hurried grin in the rearview mirror. “I didn’t charge him. He owes me.”
Without warning, the soldier spun the truck off the road and into a field at the side of the road. They could barely see out the windows, the grass was so high. He kept going at a fast clip.
Aiden loved driving fast, but driving with Levi was an adventure he didn’t always enjoy.
“Buddy, shouldn’t you slow down?”
“I can see fine enough. And we need to be fast, ain’t so?” he said as the truck hit an especially ferocious rut. Aiden’s head nearly hit the roof. Still, they sped on.
“I do love four-wheel drive,” the former Amish man sang out.
Celine giggled in the back seat. Aiden caught Sophie’s gaze. She smiled—the first real smile he’d seen all day. Great. He was riding with a bunch of thrill seekers.
Then she looked at her sister and he knew it wasn’t the thrill she smiled at, but her sister’s joy. He remembered that their parents and brother were dead. How often did the kid laugh?
Not much, most likely.
Soon, though not soon enough, Levi halted the truck.
“We’d best leave this here. No one will see it from the road, ja?”
Aiden nodded. “Yeah, we can hoof it from here.”
As they filed out of the truck, Aiden pondered their situation.
How had Phillip’s men located them so fast? He had lost them, he knew he had. When he had a moment, he’d check Sophie’s phone to make sure there wasn’t a tracking device or a bug in it.
A tracking device. Of course. How could he have been so stupid! The leak was within or close to the police department. Obviously, anyone wit
h close ties to the department would have the ability to use the GPS on his phone to find his location.
They needed to dump their phones. All of them. Otherwise, they would be found no matter where they went.
“Wait. Sophie. Let’s leave our cell phones here. Just in case someone is tracking them.”
“Hold on.” Levi pulled out his phone and dialed. Sophie looked at Aiden, her face full of questions. He heard Levi telling the person on the other end that someone had broken into his house.
“Levi,” Aiden muttered. “What are you thinking?”
“Hey, I told them that I wasn’t home. You heard that? For all they know, I got an alert that my alarm went off. They’ll send someone over to check for those guys, and maybe they’ll catch them. If anyone saw them leaving, they might be caught and we could relax a bit.”
“I wish we’d discussed this first.”
Sophie got his attention. “So do you still want us to leave our phones here?”
“Yeah.”
If they found the phones here, they’d be in the middle of a cornfield. Literally. No clue to where they were headed next.
Sophie hadn’t liked the idea, he could tell. To his relief, she surrendered her phone. Then she looked at her sister.
Celine’s face was filled with teenage horror. “Leave my phone? It has all my contacts on it!”
Aiden bit back a chuckle. It wasn’t funny, but she reminded him of Jennie more and more. Sweet and sassy. He’d bet she was capable of some pretty fierce angst.
Well, he couldn’t do anything for Jennie—she wouldn’t let him—but he could be there for Celine. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Celine, we can get you a new phone. Right now, those devices are putting all of us, including Levi, in danger. We have no choice.”
The struggle was mirrored on her face for three seconds before she yanked the offending device out of her back pocket and threw it down in the grass.
“There. Happy?”
“No. But I will be when y’all are safe.”
