Fugitive Pursuit Read online

  But she wasn’t a kid anymore and acting like a lovesick teenager was not acceptable. She had to focus on what was most important in her life—her niece and convicting Drew. Not romance.

  She pulled the journal from her backpack. Thunder crackled. A stab of lightning lit up the sky. She sifted through the pages for the paper with the list of men’s names, then moved closer to Zack. Don’t look at him. Ignore the subtle shift in our relationship. “Let’s look up these names. Maybe we can figure out how they’re connected.”

  “Sounds good.” He pulled up the internet. “Okay, who’s first?”

  As heavier rain hit the windows, Jamie scanned the sheet. “Roger Travis.”

  Zack’s fingers flew over the keys. Soon a newspaper article popped up on the screen. “He died downtown in Providence two years ago. Shot by a drug dealer. Next name.”

  “Jeff Otis.”

  He pulled up an obituary. “Died six months ago.”

  “Okay, next one is—”

  “Wait.” He typed away and pulled up a website called atn.com. “We use this site called All That’s Needed to gather information about our clients. Sometimes we get clues from family, friends and neighbors, but ATN gives us more, like their arrest record, threat assessment, social media, outcomes of court appearances, cause of death if they’re no longer with us.” When he typed in Otis’s name, a long list of offenses filled the screen. “Says he died of a drug overdose. Next name.”

  She scanned the list. “Dan Butler.”

  Zack searched again. ATN had no information on Mr. Butler so Zack widened the search to the rest of the internet. On the state newspaper website came a picture of a man in a long-sleeved shirt and dress pants. A bunch of little kids sat on a wooden floor watching him and someone in a dog costume. “Finally, a good guy.” Jamie inched closer and read the caption.

  “Do you see what all three of these men have in common?” He leaned against the back of his chair.

  She shook her head. “What?”

  “Drugs.”

  “The third man, though, wasn’t dealing or doing drugs. He was teaching children to stay away from them.”

  “Still connected.” Zack glanced at the next name on the list and typed it into their search. A link to Hampton’s small town newspaper popped up. In a tiny paragraph written five years ago was a story about this man arrested with a huge load of crystal meth in his car.

  Zack tapped the paper in her hands. “When I look up these other names, I’ll almost guarantee they’ll also be involved with drugs in some way.”

  They could look up the criminal background of these men, find out how many of them were still alive, where they might be and how they could be connected to Drew or his deputies.

  Zack glanced at the next name and then started typing again.

  “Wait. Let me have the pen.” She reached across the keyboard and grabbed it. Setting the list of names on the table, she prepared to write. “I’ll jot down a few words for each name so we know what happened with each man.”

  Zack nodded. “Then we’ll have more information for Kyle and the others to help us with.”

  Together they worked for another hour taking notes, discussing each man’s past and examining how their findings in the warehouse by the water tied into the list of names. In the midst of all this, Parker called to say that when he and Jessa arrived at the warehouse, there were still some boxes there, but no drugs were inside. Just like Zack’s prediction as they were driving back to their motel.

  Jamie rubbed her eyes, planted her arms on the table’s surface and then set her chin on the back of her hands. “We have ten names on here. Four of these men are dead, three of them are involved in Drew’s Don’t Do Drugs program for public schools, two of them are ‘responsible, reformed citizens’ after some jail time and one guy, Teddy Copeland, is still in prison.”

  “And every single one of them is connected to Timmins.”

  She tapped her fingers on the table and stared out at the dark sky. “Plus, we’ve got Beth’s car accident and disappearance. We now have more information about Drew’s illegal activities but still no concrete evidence to support our theories.”

  “Don’t get discouraged.” He pressed his palm on her back and made tiny circular movements that rubbed away some of her stress. “Plus, we’re not alone anymore. We’ve got my family behind us.”

  “I can’t tell you what a relief it is to know some people actually believe me.”

  “It’ll work out. Soon everyone will know how crooked Timmins is and you and your niece will be free from his reach.”

  “How can you be so positive all the time?”

  He shrugged. “I know I have God on my side. He won’t ever give me more than I can handle.”

  She smiled. “I wish I had your faith.”

  “Were you not raised to love God?”

  “We were. But I started to question my faith when my parents were killed. I prayed for strength. Then when Erin married Drew, I prayed for God to turn Drew’s heart to love instead of possession. When I saw how violent he was becoming, I prayed Erin would come to her senses. When she finally did, I wasn’t around to help her. I let her down, and in doing so I let Him down. Then He took my sister. After Erin died, I didn’t see the point of having faith anymore.”

  “God didn’t take your sister, Jamie. Timmins shot her.”

  “God allowed it to happen.”

  Zack opened his mouth but must’ve thought better about what he’d planned to say. Silence overtook the room until a crack of thunder broke through. Zack set his arms on his thighs and clasped his hands. “You want to know what I think?”

  “Yes.” It surprised her how much she really did. As they’d talked, about the case and about life in general, she’d started to value his thoughts and opinions.

  “I think your sister would be proud of you for taking such good care of your niece and for fighting to make sure Timmins pays for his crimes.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know if I agree with you.”

  Ignoring her, he continued, “And I know for a fact God hasn’t given up on you. He still loves you and wants to be part of your life.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Faith.” He lifted his hand toward her face as though to cup her cheek, but he lowered his arm just as quickly.

  A heavy blanket of regret covered every inch of her. She fought to keep from maneuvering into Zack’s arms. She needed his physical comfort more now than any other time with him, but he couldn’t give it for whatever reason. Tears began to gather in the corners of her eyes. She would not cry in front of him.

  She stood. “Zack, I’m really tired.” She walked to the door between their rooms. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go to bed early tonight.” She opened the door for him. So much had happened in the last twelve hours her brain was fried. And having him near her wasn’t as soothing right now. Yes, she still trusted him with her safety, but her emotions swirled like a tornado. She had no desire for him to witness the disaster.

  He grabbed his computer and his duffel bag, then stepped into his own room. “Good night, Jamie. Sleep well.”

  “You, too.” She closed the door behind him.

  With all the thoughts swarming in her mind, she hoped she could.

  * * *

  The thunder and lightning had stopped, but Jamie still tossed and turned. The clock’s green lights read 11:22. She plopped a pillow over her head. Yes, she was tired, but her brain wouldn’t stop working. After she’d let Erin down, she hadn’t been sure she deserved any support.

  Could God have other ideas? He had brought Zack to her campsite, right? And Zack had been her number one supporter on so many levels ever since. Maybe God was working for her but just not how she’d wanted or expected.

  Another part of her feared Zack’s presence too much. He’d
kissed her and she’d liked it, enjoyed the positive feelings his presence brought to her life. A zillion reasons not to kiss him swam through her mind, yet... Zack Owen was not an easy man to resist. But would God send him away and leave her alone? Again? She wouldn’t blame Him. Jamie had no right expecting—

  A jiggling noise yanked her out of her thoughts. She stilled. Glanced at the door to the concrete pathway outside. Another jiggling noise.

  She jerked upright. Tension coursed through her. She looked toward the door between her room and Zack’s. Light under the door. He was up. He’d hear her.

  Her bedroom door flew open. Her heart rate spiked. Two men rushed forward. She scrambled across the bed toward the doorknob, to her partner. “Help me!”

  The stench of sweat and evil overwhelmed her senses. One man grabbed her under the armpits as the other man took hold of her ankles. She fought, twisting and wiggling and screaming as much as she could. Once she got her feet free, she brought them back up and kicked the man as hard as she could. “Zack!”

  SEVEN

  Zack scrambled out of the chair he occupied and ran to the door. Thumping and screaming chilled him to the bone. “Jamie!” He yanked open the door to her room and flipped the light switch by the main entrance. The two men who’d attacked them at her campsite held her, one at her feet, the other at her shoulders. She punched, kicked and bit as much as she could.

  The man with her feet, the smaller of the two, dropped them and stalked toward Zack. Zack was ready for him, though, bending to avoid the sloppy cross punch and delivering a swift punch to the man’s stomach. A few jabs and a solid uppercut took the guy out.

  One down, one to go.

  Zack looked up. The other guy had one arm wrapped around Jamie’s chest. This man was Chad, Chuck, Charlie. She continued to fight him as he dragged her toward the doorway. Zack moved forward. “Hey!” He gripped the second man’s collar and wrenched him backward. He punched him in the side once, twice. The man only flinched, but the movement was enough for Jamie to break free.

  Zack punched again. And again. After his opponent threw a cross, Zack slammed him against the open door. A loud crash sounded from across the room. Panic rushed through him. Jamie! He searched for her by the desk.

  Pride crushed his fear. She stood over the still body of the second guy. What had she used to knock—

  The big, beefy man in front of him jammed both fists into Zack’s gut. He bent at the waist and fought for a full breath. Another punch landed across his jaw. After a quick prayer, Zack punched back—the stomach, the side, the face twice. Still more punches. Again, he smacked the guy into the wall, but this time the man didn’t come back. Instead, his body slid down and landed like a rag doll on the floor. Two intruders. Both out cold.

  “Zack?” Jamie appeared in the doorway between their rooms with his duffel bag in her hand. Hanging off her shoulder was her backpack.

  He rushed forward, pressed his hands to her temples and kissed her forehead. “Good job.”

  In the distance, sirens came to life. “Come on.” He took his duffel and grabbed her hand. “We’ve got to get out of here.” He hurried her into the muggy night air and down the cement stairs to the parking lot. A couple of times she glanced back to their rooms. Worrying those guys had revived? If yes, then that made two of them. He picked up his speed.

  On the driver’s side of their current vehicle, he jingled the keys to find the correct one. “Jamie, get over to the passenger side,” he directed.

  She didn’t move. Her hands remained twisted in the fabric of his shirt. From the motel, more voices yelled.

  “Do you think it’s them?” Fear laced her words.

  “Don’t know.” A high dose of energy pushed him. He opened the door. The window by his elbow shattered.

  “Get down!” He crouched behind the door and covered Jamie. Her whole body shook. Screams competed with the police sirens to fill the air.

  A bullet, then a second, slammed into Zack’s door. “Get in and crawl across. Keep your head down.” He shoved her, the backpack and his duffel into the car.

  As soon as he could, he scooted into the driver’s seat, started the car and backed out of the parking space. The door fell loosely into place. He threw the gearshift into Drive and tore out of the parking lot.

  For several miles, he kept his gaze shifting between the rearview mirror and the road in front of them. They were able to travel far and fast enough to avoid a tail. Still, he’d be vigilant. He’d managed to evade the crooked authorities again, but if he kept pushing it he’d eventually lose. Especially because the more time he spent with her, the more attached to Jamie’s well-being he became.

  Warm air floated across the side of his face, in from the broken window. As he drove through the city, his heartbeat retreated closer to normal. With a quick glance across the vehicle, he assessed the woman who kept impacting his life. His duffel sat on the floor between her feet. In her lap, she gripped her backpack like a lifeline. Her gaze never strayed from the windshield.

  “Jamie?” She didn’t respond. He reached out, his fingertips brushing over her knuckles.

  She jerked toward the passenger door while her shell-shocked expression turned to him.

  “We’re okay.” Was he trying to convince her or himself? Or both of them?

  A nod was her only response.

  He kept driving until he saw a busy nightclub. After turning into the parking lot, Zack drove to the back of the building. Loud hip-hop music blasted out of the club’s windows. As many cars sat in this parking lot as the one in front, which was perfect.

  He slipped the gear into Park and turned off the engine. Please, God, give me the right words to soothe her.

  * * *

  Jamie studied the building in front of them. “Why are we here? I don’t drink and I couldn’t eat anything if I wanted to.” What was he thinking? At a time like this, they had to get as far away from the motel as possible. Knots filled her stomach and too many emotions whirled through every inch of her. Charlie and Ben could be within minutes of her and Zack’s location, ready to shoot at them again. Tears burned the corners of her eyes.

  “We’re not going inside. I wanted somewhere for our car to blend in for a few minutes.”

  “Oh.” The leaves of the trees surrounding the parking area swayed in the breeze.

  The harsh words of her potential kidnappers still rang in her ears. The strength of Charlie’s grip remained etched into her body. She nipped her bottom lip. She would not cry.

  Zack cupped her chin, his touch warm and strong and comforting. Jamie closed her eyes for a moment. For the first time since the thugs broke into her room, she took a steady breath.

  “You’re safe.” His thumb brushed over her cheek. With each movement of Zack’s finger, a bit more of her panic slipped away. “Take a deep breath and let it out slowly.” Like a teacher, he guided her through several breaths until her heart rate had almost returned to normal.

  “Thank you.” She should pull her head free, but honestly, she craved the comfort only Zack could give her. After all they’d faced tonight, she could take a few more minutes of compassion.

  “I could almost see my life flashing before my eyes. I thought they were going to kill me.”

  Too soon, Zack removed his hand. “Not likely. You’re too important.”

  “And you’re not?”

  “To Timmins? No. They want to keep you alive long enough to tell them where Charlotte is.” He pointed to himself. “Me, on the other hand, they have no use for.”

  “How can you say that?”

  “Timmins is smart enough to know if he names me as an accomplice and pushes to get me arrested, my family and I will fight back. By keeping me off the radar, he can claim I got caught in the cross fire if they catch us. Then he gets exactly what he wants—you in custody and me dead.”

  �
�He also thinks he’s too important and no one can touch him,” Jamie added.

  “Right.”

  “I’m sorry for putting you into the line of fire.” If it weren’t for her, his world wouldn’t be flipped upside down.

  He glanced outside the windshield. “At least we know one new thing now.”

  “What?”

  Several people stepped out the back door of the club. The music blasted until the metal door slammed shut. Quiet chatter began as tiny orange lights appeared.

  “We’re rattling the cage. My guess is Timmins never expected you to be so much of a challenge for him.”

  She nodded. “I can’t figure out how they found us at the motel. We’re not even in their jurisdiction.”

  He shrugged. “Well, the mail center clerk had seen you somewhere, maybe on TV. Someone from the motel might’ve seen you on the news, too, and decided they wanted to see justice done. Or get a reward.” Zack rubbed his fingers over the steering wheel. “Sometimes we pay motel employees and guests to deliver criminals to us. You’d be amazed at what people will do for a few dollars. Maybe Timmins’s men forked over cash for our location. He has a lot of guys on his payroll. He could’ve had any or all of them scouring motels for us.”

  The stench of cigarettes cruised through their windows. “But why wait until tonight to come after us?”

  “Think about it. Most people need a few minutes to feel human when they get up in the morning. If we’re woken up in the middle of the night, there’s more of a chance to keep us confused, get rid of me and take you back to your brother-in-law.”

  “But we stopped them.” She allowed herself to smile.

  “Yes, we did. You did pretty good back there.” He leaned against the door. “When I first found you in Timmins’s jail cell, you were scared and hurt. When I decided to take you out of there, I thought my brothers and I would be the ones doing all the work to solve the case.”

  A soft chuckle escaped his lips, which made her smile grow bigger. The tightly squeezed knots in her chest began to loosen.