Secret Mountain Hideout

by Terri Reed

  “Did someone remove the body?” Alex asked.

  She glanced toward Alex and met his gaze in the rearview mirror. “I don’t know. I didn’t hear anyone else and I didn’t want to look again.”

  Chase’s eyebrows dipped together. “How does Sokolov know you witnessed the crime?”

  She’d wondered that, too. Had Gregor revealed her secret to Sokolov? No, wait. “Didn’t you say Peters, or whoever he was, had a photo of me leaving the back door of The Matador?”

  “He did,” Chase answered. “But if you worked there, why wouldn’t they have known your name?”

  She shrugged, sadness filling her chest. “I can only guess Gregor took me out of the system and that the others...” She swallowed back the choking sensation in her throat. “They must have covered for me.”

  And risked their lives. For her. Why would anyone do that if that wasn’t their job? She couldn’t fathom it. But she couldn’t deny the warmth layering upon her fear. The people she’d worked with had protected her. There was no way for her to ever repay them.

  “How long before the police arrived?” Alex asked.

  She bit her lip. “I didn’t see any police.”

  “Surely someone would have reported hearing a gunshot,” Chase stated.

  She cocked her head, trying to recall more of that night. “It’s strange. I don’t remember hearing the gun go off.”

  “The weapon could have had a noise suppressor like the guy today,” Chase told her. “But even those make a sound that would have likely echoed through the alley.”

  She didn’t know what to say to that. She’d been frightened, her heart pounding so loud in her ears and her breathing labored from terror.

  “What did you hear?” Chase pressed.

  “I—I don’t recall.” She searched her mind, desperate to dredge up some answer, but there was nothing, just the looping images and the residual fear. “It was a year and a half ago. But I know what I saw.”

  “Are you sure it was Sokolov who fired the fatal shot?” Alex asked, as he parked the vehicle in front of the sheriff’s station, a brick two-story structure that had been rebuilt after a fire last year.

  Ashley couldn’t see any signs of the damage done by the blaze. The image of The Matador flittered through her thoughts and grief over what was lost twisted in her chest. “Yes.” There was no doubt in her mind about Mr. Sokolov’s guilt.

  Alex twisted in his seat to study her. “Did the other guy have a weapon?”

  She shook her head, embarrassed for not knowing the answer. “Not that I noticed.”

  “Why didn’t you go to the police?” Chase asked. “That would have been the best course of action.”

  Stung by his words and the fact that she hadn’t done the best course of action, she tried to explain. “I wanted to. Once the shock of it all wore off, my first instinct was to run to the nearest police station.” Her lips twisted. “But Gregor... He said I couldn’t trust the police. Mr. Sokolov owned too many of them. Gregor said I couldn’t trust anyone.”

  “But you trusted Gregor,” Chase pointed out.

  Ashley detected a hint of complaint in his voice. “I did. He was my friend and had helped me. But he couldn’t protect me long-term. Mr. Sokolov was cruel. Gregor had a scar on his face given to him by Mr. Sokolov when he’d let one of the waiters leave early because his child was sick. Everyone was afraid of Mr. Sokolov.”

  “Why did any of you stay there?” Alex asked, his gaze genuinely puzzled.

  She shrugged. “He paid well.” She focused back at Chase, taking comfort in his attention. “And when Mr. Sokolov wasn’t around, it was a great place to work.”

  Chase’s gaze intensified. “Then why run?”

  Her chin dropped a fraction. “Gregor said my only option to stay alive was to run, keep moving and never look back. Mr. Sokolov would kill me and everyone I loved.”

  A scowl dipped Chase’s eyebrows together as if he didn’t like what she’d said. Neither did she. Being on the run, looking over her shoulder, constantly afraid had wreaked havoc with her mind.

  “How did you survive this last year and a half?” Chase asked.

  “Gregor gave me some cash, and the identification of a woman my approximate age and height and put me on a bus for New Mexico.” Those first few days were beyond stressful.

  His gaze narrowed. He slid his hands from hers. “Wait, are you telling me you’re not Jane Thompson?”

  The moment she’d dreaded had arrived. It was said that the truth will set you free, but she had a sickening quiver in the pit of her stomach that, in this case, the truth would condemn her. Would he still want to help her, knowing she’d deceived him and everyone else?

  THREE

  Chase’s breath stalled in his lungs. He sat back to stare at the woman sitting beside him, taking in the paleness of her complexion, her short curly hair and frightened eyes. She wasn’t who she’d said she was. “What is your real name?”

  Her lips twisted in a rueful grimace. She ducked her chin slightly. “Ashley Willis.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck as he absorbed this bit of information. She’d lied about her identity. Was she still lying? How did he even know if she was telling him her real name? Or if the story she’d just told him and Alex was true? Was she mixed up in something that had ended the life of a police officer? Or had she really witnessed his death, as she claimed? Chase didn’t like all the questions and doubts. He wanted to believe she was now telling the truth. Should he give her the benefit of the doubt?

  “Ashley.” He said the name slowly, testing it. “It will take some getting used to.”

  “At first it was hard to remember to answer to Jane.”

  Exchanging a glance with Alex, Chase replied, “I would imagine. Living a lie would be difficult.”

  “It was necessary to stay alive.” She met his gaze with a direct look. “I couldn’t even go back to the apartment I shared with three other women.” Sadness crept across her pretty, tear-stained face. “I can’t imagine what they are thinking. Gregor assured me he’d take care of my things, so I hope he told them I’d landed an acting gig and was moving up in the world.”

  His stomach dropped. It was an actress’s job to lie, in a way. No wonder she’d pulled off being Jane so long. “You’re an actress?”

  “Aspiring. I did a few commercials.” Her mouth twisted. “Mostly I’m a waitress. Just like my mother.”

  “Where is she?” Alex asked.

  She glanced at him. “Barstow, California.”

  Alex tilted his head. “Does she know where you are?”

  Jane—uh, Ashley, shook her head. “I didn’t want to put her in danger.” She shrugged as a flash of hurt lit her eyes. “I doubt she’d care to know where I was, anyway.”

  Chase couldn’t decide if she was courageous or foolish. Or playing him. “How did you end up here in Bristle Township?”

  “I first landed in Albuquerque, then went on to Santa Fe. Every few weeks I kept moving. I intended to head to Canada. But by the time I arrived here, I was nearly out of cash. And I didn’t know what else to do, so I rented a room and got a job.”

  “You did the smart thing by staying put.” If the assassin had found her somewhere else, things might not have ended well for her. “Now, you have to do another smart and brave thing. You need to go back to Burbank and testify about what you saw.”

  She shook her head, terror darkening her eyes. “He’ll kill me just like he did that man. You’ve already seen he’s determined. Please, the best thing for me is to keep moving.”

  He couldn’t let her disappear. There were too many unanswered questions. “I understand your fear. You were alone and on the run. But no longer. You have me and the Sheriff’s Department watching your back.”

  His words didn’t seem to reassure her. He dared to press, “You need to tel
l the authorities in Los Angeles what you told us.”

  A visible shudder rippled through her. “But what if the police there can’t protect me?”

  Knowing he was taking a chance that might backfire, he said, “I’ll be there with you.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “You mean, you’d actually go with me to LA? Won’t that interfere with your job here?”

  “You let me worry about my job.” He ignored Alex’s snort from the front seat.

  Chase had no doubt the sheriff would allow him to take his vacation days to accompany Ashley to Los Angeles. Whatever it took for her to feel secure in doing the right thing. His heart ached for her, for the hardship she’d endured and the horror she had witnessed. One thing he knew was that the trauma she’d gone through today was real. Someone wanted her dead. And guilt for letting the danger get so close to her ate at him. But it was time for her to come clean and help law enforcement put away a criminal. Getting her to agree to testify might take some work. Regardless, he would persevere.

  She shook her head. “I can’t ask that of you. I’ve deceived you. I don’t deserve your sympathy or your protection.” She lifted her chin high as if she were ready to take a punch to the jaw.

  His stomach contracted. Had someone hit this woman in the past? Or was this all bravado? Did she think she deserved to take her lumps for hiding her identity? Did she really expect them to turn their backs on her? Empathy nipped at him. She had to be telling the truth. No one could fake that kind of fear. And the danger was real.

  He gathered her hands once again in his. “You were doing what you had to to survive. No one can fault you for that.”

  She relaxed, blinking rapidly. “I should have gone to the police and taken my chances.”

  He agreed, but what was done was done. They had to move forward. “You were in shock. You witnessed something horrible. When people are in the middle of trauma, they don’t make the best choices. And you were given advice that may, or may not, have saved your life.”

  She turned away from him. “That’s true. Once I ran, I knew there was no going back.”

  “But there is,” Chase insisted. “Once you testify to what you saw.”

  Alex popped open the driver’s side door. “We should get her inside.”

  Chase helped Ashley from the vehicle and ushered her into the sheriff’s station. “You’ll stay here for the time being. Safer that way.”

  She nodded. “Good. I don’t want to put Mrs. Marsh in danger. But I should tell my boss at the Java Bean.”

  “We’ll call him later and explain.” He directed her to the chair next to his desk. “From now on, I’m sticking to you like glue. We’re in this together.”

  He was rewarded with tears and a wobbly smile. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I’ve been alone so long.”

  “Not anymore.” He grabbed the phone. “Right now, I’m going to call Chief Macintosh and find out exactly what is going on.”

  She put her hand on his arm. “Can you call the hospital and check on Gregor?” Her gaze beseeched him to comply. “He helped me when he didn’t have to and he asked for nothing in return. It would make me feel better if I knew he was doing okay. That they haven’t harmed him trying to get to me.”

  For some reason her devotion to this man irritated Chase. He marshaled the strange reaction. It was a small thing to do, considering all she’d been through. A favor he was willing to grant. His heart squeezed tight. “Of course.”

  She gave him the name of the hospital. A quick internet search gave him the hospital’s main number. He identified himself and inquired about Gregor Kominski’s condition.

  What he heard sent his stomach plummeting. He thanked the woman and hung up. Turning to Ashley, he said, “I’m sorry to tell you this. Gregor Kominski succumbed to his injuries.”

  * * *

  Gregor was dead.

  Anguish tore through Ashley. She dropped her head into her hands as grief swelled, making her insides ache. Gregor had died because of her. Guilt like shards of glass embedded themselves into her heart. He died even though he hadn’t known where she was and yet Mr. Sokolov found her through him, anyway.

  Gregor’s death had accomplished what Mr. Sokolov had intended. He’d found her. And he’d sent someone to kill her. A shudder of terror worked over her limbs. How many more killers would show up until she was dead?

  Gentle hands landed on her shoulders. “Ashley, you are not responsible for what happened to your friend.”

  She lifted her gaze to meet Chase’s. How did he know that she blamed herself? Was she that easy to read? Or was he that good at his job? She suspected it was the latter.

  This man was so kind, so generous and honorable. She didn’t deserve his help. And if anything happened to him... Her heart contracted painfully in her chest.

  If anything happened to anyone in Bristle Township because of her, she would not be able to live with herself. Especially now that she had let down her guard enough to allow people in, even if only just a little. She’d made ties to this community that she’d never intended to form. That had to end here and now.

  She gave Chase a tight smile. “I appreciate your trying to comfort me. But I know Mr. Sokolov is the guilty party. And he needs to pay.”

  For the first time since that night, the seeds of anger took root, making her limbs shake. She wanted desperately to be brave enough to bring Mr. Sokolov down.

  She needed a moment to collect herself. “Is there a restroom I can use?”

  “Down the corridor, door on your left,” Chase instructed.

  On wobbly legs, she made her way down the hall as the sheriff returned. Quickly, she ducked into the restroom, not ready to have a face-to-face with Chase’s boss.

  Once inside the small single-user space, she turned the lock and slumped against the door as the floodgates let loose and she sobbed into her hands. She was crying for herself and for her friend who had paid the ultimate price. It was all so unfair. But then she knew God never promised fair.

  She wasn’t naive. Even if Mr. Sokolov were behind bars, her life would be in danger.

  Fair or not, she would have to leave Bristle Township. A deep cold numbness spread through her body.

  She couldn’t allow anyone here to get any more involved with her. She couldn’t allow her heart to become more attached than it already was. There would come a point when she would find an opportunity to leave.

  Until then, she would do what was necessary to keep everyone safe. And she would pray, with everything in her, that the handsome deputy would be able to protect her long enough to give her testimony. Then she would disappear again, despite how much her heart longed to stay in Bristle Township.

  She left the restroom and headed back to Chase’s desk, only he wasn’t there. A flutter of anxiety hit her in the gut. Then she spied him in the sheriff’s office talking with his boss. She put a hand to her stomach to quell the uneasy knot camping out there.

  “Is it true?” Deputy Kaitlyn Lanz walked in. Her blond hair was mussed with little twigs sticking out from the long strands. Her uniform also showed signs of her trek into the forest and the distinct smell of horseflesh wafted in the air, teasing Ashley’s nose. She sneezed.

  “Alex told me your story,” Kaitlyn said.

  Ashley’s heart thudded in her chest. Kaitlyn stared at her, waiting for an answer.

  Swallowing back the bile rising to burn her throat, Ashley had no illusions that once she confirmed the truth, Kaitlyn wouldn’t want to have anything more to do with her. She braced herself. “Yes, it’s true. I’m not Jane Thompson. My name is Ashley Willis.” The burn of tears pricked her eyes. “I’m so, so sorry.”

  Kaitlyn came to her and wrapped her in a hug.

  Surprise rendered Ashley immobile, even as her nose twitched again with the urge to sneeze.

  Drawing back to meet Ashley’s gaze,
Kaitlyn stated in her no-nonsense tone, “I would have done the same.”

  Kaitlyn’s kindness made Ashley want to cry. “I hated not telling you.”

  “Don’t apologize for doing what you had to. I’m just glad that we know and now we can help you.” One corner of Kaitlyn’s mouth tipped upward. “Ashley, huh?”

  Ashley nodded.

  “Okay, then,” Kaitlyn said. “You’re a survivor. A fighter. I can respect that.”

  As much as Ashley wanted to believe Kaitlyn’s words, she knew they weren’t true. If she’d had any backbone, she’d have gone to the authorities in the beginning and not lost a year and a half of her life to fear.

  Chase stepped out of the sheriff’s private office and joined them.

  Putting her arm around Ashley, Kaitlyn addressed Chase, “So what are we going to do to protect our friend?”

  A small smile played at the corners of his mouth. “Bless you, Kait.”

  Kaitlyn’s eyebrows rose. “What? You thought I’d turn my back on someone in trouble?”

  Chase shook his head. “Actually, no.” His gaze met Ashley’s. “But I have a suspicion someone else might have had that thought.”

  Heat rose in Ashley’s cheeks. She had expected the worst. Better to be pessimistic than to hope for the best and be disappointed.

  Kaitlyn bumped her with her shoulder. “We good?”

  Bemused, Ashley bumped her back. “Yes.” For now. However, she really had to find a way to put some distance between them all so none of them were hurt. But for the life of her, she couldn’t bring herself to pull away.

  “She can stay with me,” Kaitlyn announced.

  “Actually, the Los Angeles district attorney, Evan Nyburg, is making arrangements for us to fly to California in the morning,” Chase told them.

  “You’re going with her?” Kaitlyn asked.

  Ashley held her breath. He’d promised to not abandon her, but she wasn’t sure that was a promise he could keep.

  “Yes,” Chase confirmed.