Page 47 of Risk of a Lifetime
“I got you, sugar.” His hand squeezed again. “I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.”
Straightening, she forced a weak smile and nodded. “I know.”
But what about him? He reached for one of the candy bars she still clutched in her hand, and she ripped the wrapping open for him.
Would he step in front of the bullet for her? Yes. Would he give up his life for hers? Yes. Would he take her some place safe, then leave? No. He’d stay. Stay until the end.
Even his own.
Chapter Sixteen
“You’re awfully quiet.” JB reached for the second candy bar Marcy held ready for him. “Did you eat anything?”
She nodded. “We should have brought one of the pizzas.”
“Pizza would leave a scent the worst tracker on earth could follow. We’ll eat later.” He sped up, checking the mirror for headlights. None. Good. Rounding a blind curve, he slowed and checked the mirror again for anyone who might have sped up to catch them. Nothing. Good. Every minute they gained meant one more point for him and Marcy.
She flipped the heat on to low.
“You cold?” he said.
Nodding, she reached for one of his jackets. Once she snuggled inside the oversized coat and zipped it, she looked like a child playing dress-up. Her safe, little world here in Crayton had been shattered. Shattered by him. He should have stayed away. Trouble was, he didn’t want to stay away. He checked the rearview mirror one more time.
The FBI agent in him clued her in on the escape scenario. Just like any witness he’d protected, she didn’t need to know the particulars, just bits and pieces. She was smart and self-reliant, but they were playing in his ballpark now. He knew she could pull this off. She didn’t need to know how bad the situation might get. He knew, though. He knew they faced a crazed killer who’d stop at nothing to seek his revenge.
JB accepted the fact that the creep was from his past. Coupled with the job he just finished, there could be only one conclusion. Had to be the same psycho who’d ratted him out, landing him in the hospital with scars to last a lifetime. Only this torture was on a whole different level. A personal level.
“Looks like we’re headed home. How’s that going into hiding?” She shivered.
He turned the heat dial to high. “We’ll only stay long enough to set the plan the sheriff and I devised into play.”
“What do you mean?”
“When we get to the house, I want you to throw a toothbrush, change of clothes, and whatever else you need in a backpack. Don’t make it heavier than you can carry.” After jerking his head to catch the driver’s profile in a passing car of the oncoming lane, he turned back to the road ahead. Slowed as they neared their street. “Don’t turn the light on in the bedroom while we’re there.”
She scooted closer to him. “What about you?”
“I’ll toss a few things in another pack.” He pulled up to the house. Turned the key off. “With luck, whoever’s watching our house will think we’re here for the night. No matter what, we have to set the lure and reel the creep in. Hopefully, that will be all the sheriff needs to catch him. If not, then you and I will take off through the woods once I get a call from Davis.”
“Where to after that?”
“We’ll sneak out the back and hike to the other truck I told you about.”
“Why can’t we just stay here at the house? You can protect me no matter where we are.”
“Whoever’s doing this is a pro. If we just sit here surrounded by police, he could go into hiding for years before he strikes us again. We’re not going to live like that. Right now’s the time to make him mad enough to make a mistake.” He grinned. “And chasing us through the woods I know like the back of my hand may prove so damn frustrating to him that he tips over the little edge of sanity he still has. Very few people know these woods like me. Very few.”
JB stuffed ammo from the hidden side door compartment into his pockets. Grabbed his extra Glock, knife, and leg strap from the headliner. “Remember Cain Connery?”
She nodded.
“He’s back in town and offered to help.”
“Do you trust him?”
“I did a little checking. Ends up he’s with DEA.”
She blew out a sigh. “So where are we going?”
