Page 65 of Risk of a Lifetime
“Please open the door,” she whispered. “Please let everything be okay.”
Earlier had been wonderful. Love and sex and rekindling. That’s what she wanted, how she wanted to live. No danger to him. No being so weak on her part that he had to shut her out in order for them to have a chance at being together. All she wanted was for them to close the door and live their life free of the outside world.
She felt the panic rising in her throat. The tightening of her chest. A sticky feeling lingered just below her skin. Breathe…exhale, breathe…exhale. She’d let herself believe everything had changed, that she could face whatever the future held as long as JB was part of that future. But what if she couldn’t? What if the old insecurities came back?
Didn’t matter. That would be then. This was now, and she needed to focus on keeping them alive. Her and JB’s future would take care of itself. Right now he needed her to be strong.
“Breath,” she said to herself. “Just breathe.”
Even if they survived what was to come, this afternoon might be all they ever had.
…
JB tucked the towel around his body and raced for his phone. Caller ID showed Patrolman Kennett, and he flicked the button to on. “Yeah? Tell me you got him.”
“Afraid not.” The rookie sounded hoarse. Professional. Hard.
“Then why’d you call?” He searched his mind for what could possibly cause their non-communication plan to be broke. His mind’s eye saw Marcy at the door. The moment she walked away, he closed the door and set the lock. Knowing her, she’d listen from the other side, so he stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. His knees bent as he slid to the floor and settled, his back braced against the wood.
Kennett cleared his throat. “Sheriff Davis was following up on a lead this morning when Leon rammed him. Shoved him and his cruiser off the road.”
Shoved? He braced for the worst. “Where?”
“Tourist lookout number one at the lake. A lead had been called in on a cell. Something about a suspicious hitchhiker.”
He cringed. Once you went over the edge, that hill went straight down. What had he brought to this town? “How’s the sheriff?”
“He’s been airlifted to the medical center in Jefferson City.” Kennett sucked in air and blew out hard. “They’ve got him in ICU. He’s in bad shape. Probably gonna lose a leg. Lucky he’s even alive.”
Jumping to his feet, JB stared in the mirror and tried to wrap his mind around the questions rattling through his mind. “Tell me everything you know.”
“Leon’s body was found in the dump truck that pushed the sheriff over the edge. Deputy Evans thinks he got all doped up, and once he realized what he’d done, he shot himself.” Kennett paused. “I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“The cab of the truck looked like a scene from police 101. You know…gun angle, bullet casing, body position…everything seemed too perfect. And if you’re about to do something that could land you in jail again, why would you settle up your bill at the hardware store yesterday? Tell the bank to get a payoff balance on your house ready for tomorrow? Wait. I need to take this other call.” Kennett put JB on hold.
The sheriff must have been getting too close. Might not have even known how close. Leon was a perfect patsy for whoever was actually behind the Sheriff’s accident. Stroke his ego. Give him a wad of money. The guy would do anything. Especially if you threw in some uppers. And maybe, just maybe, Leon had seen something the day of the bank robbery.
Kennett clicked back in. “You’re not gonna like this.”
“Tell me.” He concentrated on the words, letting them fall into pockets of his mind like a sorting machine.
“One of the docs called from the medical center. Thought we should know Sheriff Davis is still incoherent but keeps rambling about his phone. Says he gets real agitated when he does. Seems to fight someone.”
JB tensed as he peered out the small bathroom window. “See if Evans took the phone from the scene…”
“I just called. He didn’t.” Kennett’s voice lowered. “In fact, he said the sheriff’s coat pocket where he kept the private phone was ripped clean off. Hang up, and use the phone I gave you.”
JB hung up. Jabbed the phone into the off position. Damnittohell. The perp had the phone. Could have a header on where they were from the few minutes of conversation he just had.
Wouldn’t take the guy long to track down the secure number on the new phone. Simple elimination. The way the guy operated technically, he might have a trace on every number listed just waiting for the right voice to pick up. JB’s voice.
Before they’d left Crayton, Sheriff Davis told him he’d nickname JB the Veterinarian in his contact list. Should slow the process. Maybe the creep wouldn’t verify all the numbers. Even if he did, still might take the guy until morning to zone which number was which.
JB needed to stay off the secure phone, which sure as hell wasn’t secure anymore. Or maybe he should us it…lure the guy right to them on their own terms. Either way wasn’t good. Keep the phone, the perp would come for sure. At this point, he put nothing past the man, because no matter what, he would still find a way to come. This guy didn’t plan on stopping.
Time to take a stand. JB’d keep the phone. Set his own trap. Wait for the man to show his face.
