Fugitive Pursuit Page 8

  “Jamie?” Zack waved his fingers in front of her.

  “Huh?”

  “Are you all right, dear?” Mrs. C. stroked the hair of yet another cat, this one on the kitchen table.

  “Yes. I’m just tired. What did I miss?”

  Zack sat across from the woman, trying hard to keep either of the cats at his feet from jumping on his lap. His hands gripped the coffee mug Mrs. C. shoved toward him. Jamie bit her lip to keep from laughing.

  “Your boyfriend said you had some questions for me.”

  He’s not my boyfriend. She released a heavy sigh. Should she even argue? “Right.”

  “Well, then, why don’t you come join us?” Mrs. Cecily spoke to Jamie, but her gaze never left Zack. Leaning forward, she patted his forearm.

  A grin tugged at the side of Jamie’s mouth as she tiptoed around the pensive cat. She took the seat on the other side of Zack. “All right.” She resisted the urge to cover his arm with her hand because none of her emotional yearning or romantic wishing mattered. She needed to focus on the reason for the visit.

  * * *

  The incessant noise of at least one cat meowing every minute hurt Zack’s brain. He loved animals, even had a bunch growing up, but how could anyone live with this many?

  “Jamie, I’m so sorry about your sister. My friend Nora, who picked me up from the airport, told me about her death.”

  Jamie nodded once. “Thank you. It’s been difficult, but I’m getting through it day by day.”

  “I imagine your young man is helping you, as well.”

  Zack had no desire to be anyone’s young man. His job was more important than any romantic relationship. The gas station attendant’s injury all those years ago because of his emotional attachment to his girlfriend had spoiled that future for him. But if he had to be tied to another woman, Jamie might be a good choice.

  Except, he didn’t really know her.

  “Yes, he is.” Jamie stroked the side of her coffee mug. “Mrs. C., before my sister died, she mentioned your name on a message she left on my phone.”

  “Did she?”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t get the chance to talk to her.”

  With a wide, toothy smile, the old woman turned to him. “Oh, Jamie and Erin were so cute. I have lots of pictures of the family I could show you.” Mrs. Cecily shoved her seat back, rested her palms on the table and pushed herself to standing.

  Alarm flashed across Jamie’s face. “Not necessary, Mrs. Cecily. He wouldn’t be interested in those.”

  Zack chuckled. “Are you kidding? I’d love it.” Jamie gripped his arm, pressed her lips together and gave him a death stare. “But we’ll have to take a rain check, ma’am.” Zack pried her fingers from his forearm, then covered the older woman’s hand with his own. “Maybe some other time.”

  “Mrs. C., back to my sister.” Jamie pushed a new cat away from her drink.

  As she returned to her seat, Mrs. Cecily pressed her finger to her mouth and thought for a moment. “Yes, she visited a couple of days before I left for Maine. It was very odd since I hadn’t seen her since her wedding. Mind, I loved seeing her and her precious little girl.”

  Zack took another sip of the worst coffee he’d had since his sister first learned to make it. “What sort of things did you talk about?”

  “Oh, I can’t remember all of it. She told me she was struggling in her marriage and how she would be making changes soon.” The woman welcomed a second cat, the one harassing Jamie a few minutes ago, into her lap.

  “What kind of changes?” Jamie asked.

  “She didn’t get specific. She only said she needed a better life for her and your niece. I didn’t ask anything else because I didn’t want to pry.” She picked up her mug with both hands and sipped her coffee. “She also left me a key.”

  Zack caught Jamie’s glance. He asked, “A key to what?”

  “She didn’t tell me. She just said since Jamie was out of town she needed someone else she could trust to hold on to it.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I assume it’s for her house. I suppose I can throw it away now.”

  “No!” he and Jamie said at the same time. If her sister was as controlled by her husband as Jamie claimed, then passing the key on to someone else was a bold move for Erin. Trusting her old family friend with a key might’ve been to keep her and the kid safe.

  Then again, it could be just a house key.

  Mrs. Cecily moved her chair back again. “All right, then. I better get the key for you.” Slowly she pushed herself to her feet. The cats in her lap thumped to the floor. Jamie held her hands together while her lips moved silently. Could she be praying?

  The old woman shuffled her feet until she came to the key rack close to the back door. “Now, which one was it?” A jingling noise took the place of the old woman’s voice as she sifted through everything hanging from the rack. “Got it!”

  Zack gave up a silent prayer of his own. Jamie closed her eyes for a few seconds. When Mrs. Cecily returned to the table, she handed over the silver key. Jamie’s hands went still as she read the key chain. Zack leaned over to see what it said. A hint of a flowery scent lingered in Jamie’s hair.

  The key, Zack. Focus. He read the plastic piece on the key ring. Brodigan Mail Kingdom. “Thank you, Mrs. Cecily.”

  “You’re welcome, dear. Was I right? Is it for her house?”

  Jamie clutched it close to her chest and looked up. “No, but I’m hoping it’ll be for something much more important.”

  Could it be so easy? Would this tiny piece of metal hold the proof needed to uncover the crooked sheriff’s devious ways with hurting his wife and feeding illegal drugs into his community? “Thank you for the coffee, Mrs. Cecily, but we really need to get going.” He stood, then Jamie followed.

  “It was lovely to meet you, Zack, and wonderful to see you, Jamie. Again, I’m sorry about your sister’s passing. Please know I’m keeping you and your niece in my prayers.”

  “Thank you.” The two women embraced.

  Zack held out his hand to urge Jamie down the hall.

  She started toward the front door. Zack followed, with the shuffling feet of the older woman behind him. “Be sure to stop by when you have more time. I’d love to show you those pictures.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.” Zack held the door open for Jamie. “I’ll definitely be back.” He had to admit, checking out Jamie as a kid intrigued him. Was she a girlie girl, always in dresses with her hair done fancy, or did she prefer jeans, T-shirts and ponytails like she wore today? Either way she was pretty. Her determination, the way her face lit up when she smiled, her courage fighting her own Goliath—all of these things made her even more attractive.

  For another man. Zack had no desire to get caught up in a woman again. No, thank you. His career was more important.

  When they’d stepped onto the walkway, Jamie glanced back to him. “She’s nice enough, but she can be overbearing at times. And nosy. And she was always disappointed with me for not following her faith.”

  “We all have to follow our own path.”

  She snorted. “I’d have to have faith first.”

  Zack’s heart squeezed. How sad to go through life not knowing the Father. Zack had been fortunate enough to grow up in a family with a solid faith. “Maybe you need to recharge your God batteries.”

  “I think one dropped out when He let a drunk driver take my parents. The other fell out when my sister got involved with Drew.”

  “I’m sorry about your family tragedies, but remember you’re always welcome in His world.”

  She pulled the passenger-side door open. A soft breeze lifted loose strands of her hair across her lips. “I wish I had your faith.” Such sadness came in her words.

  “You can.”

  She glanced toward the center of the cul-de-sac. “It would take too long for me to
find the road back to Him, let alone walk it.”

  Zack pulled his own door open. “Then follow me.”

  She smiled and returned her gaze to him. “You make it sound so easy.”

  “Oh, no. Definitely not. There are a lot of potholes along the path, but if you look where you’re going and trust in Him, you’ll recognize the help God’s giving you and all He has to offer.”

  “Well, one step at a time.” She rubbed the back of her neck. The cries of a child sailed through a window screen. In the distance, a young boy called out to a barking dog.

  “We should get going. Even though Mrs. C. isn’t directly related to you, Timmins could still find the connection.”

  Once they slid into the Jeep and closed the doors, Zack placed one hand on the steering wheel and turned the key in the ignition. Hopefully whatever was in the lockbox would be enough to support the theory that the good sheriff was not so good.

  Jamie clapped her hands together. “All right. Let’s head to Brodigan Mail Kingdom. I need to know what’s in the box.”

  I need. She said the same words a lot.

  Once he started driving down the street, he asked, “Why a mail center, though? Why not a safe-deposit box in a bank?”

  She shrugged. “Maybe Erin was too worried the bank staff would contact Drew. Or maybe she didn’t feel confident enough to open a safety box in another bank outside of Hampton, where she and Drew lived.” Sadness locked some memory in her thoughts.

  As he stopped at a stop sign, he gave her a weak smile. “We’ll figure it out.”

  “I’m so grateful to you for putting your life on hold to help me.”

  “Forget it,” he said.

  “No, I won’t.” A sheen of moisture covered her eyes, making them sparkle. “You’re a good man, Zack. Most people would have left me in Drew’s jail cell. No matter what happens, I will always be thankful for your presence in my life.”

  Part of him wanted to soothe her worries. No matter what crimes she’d committed, she deserved to be safe. When she looked at him like that, like her hope fell to him, another part of him wanted to run the other way. Yes, he was assisting her right now, but he’d hand the job over to anyone if he could. Too fast he was growing connected to her. No, Zack definitely didn’t like the position he’d put himself in.

  The car behind them honked its horn. Right. The mailbox. Zack continued driving through the intersection. “Is there an address on the key chain?”

  “Twenty-nine Chester Avenue.”

  Hopefully they’d find enough evidence to put her brother-in-law away. Then she could take her and her niece’s future back into her own hands and he could get back to training for his next surfing competition.

  * * *

  The ride took close to a half hour. With each passing mile, Jamie’s nerves tightened a bit more. When she inched forward until the seat belt stopped her, she tapped her fingers on the dash. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Zack glancing her way. She captured her fingers in her other hand. “Sorry.”

  He shook his head. “Not a problem.”

  “Turn left.” She pointed. Almost there. If Erin felt she had to hide the information, then it had to be incriminating, right? “Over there.”

  Zack pulled into the parking lot of a shopping plaza, slid in between two pickups, then turned off the vehicle. “It doesn’t happen to have a box number on it, does it?”

  She studied the key chain. Once she brushed off dust, she found three black numbers ridged into the metal. “One-thirty-three.”

  “All right.” Zack opened his door. “Let’s go and let’s make it fast.”

  Together they made their way into the business. Cool air breezed through her hair and along her neck as they stepped inside. Soft music played in the background, not elevator music but almost as bad. A middle-aged woman stood behind the counter taping up a box the size of a toaster. She glanced their way but said nothing. Before they moved on, the woman peered at the silent TV in the corner behind her, then back to them. An old man wrapped in a sweater stood at the counter near the far wall writing something with a shaky hand.

  “This way.” Zack caught hold of her elbow and guided her toward the walls of silver mailboxes. Big fat ones, rectangular thin ones. She gripped the key in her hand as they both studied the numbers on the boxes. Up one aisle, down the next.

  A commercial on the radio station burst through the speaker. Jamie gasped and planted her palm on her chest. Zack whirled around. When his gaze fell on her, tenderness sneaked through. He placed his palms on her shoulders. Warmth seeped through the fabric of her shirt and soothed her frayed nerves. “We’re okay.”

  She nodded. “I know.” For now.

  “We’re going to find this box, grab whatever’s inside, then we’ll be on our way. Easy, right?” After a squeeze, he released her and resumed the hunt for her sister’s mailbox.

  She crossed the aisle and searched. “Here.” She pointed to a thin box not much bigger than an average-sized hardback book.

  Zack hovered behind her, close enough for her to breathe in his scent.

  She slid the key into the lock. With ease, she turned it to the left, then opened the door. “Bingo!” Inside was a bulky envelope. A shade of relief flowed through her. Maybe the whole ordeal could soon be over, Charlotte could come home and Drew would be sent behind bars for breaking the laws he’d sworn to uphold.

  Maybe then the shards of guilt would stop clawing at her. Then she could properly take over her role as a pseudo-mom.

  Zack reached into the box and grabbed the item. As he studied the envelope, Jamie closed and locked the mailbox. “Does it say anything?”

  “Nothing on the outside. We’ll worry about what’s inside once we’re out of here.” With her by his side, he headed toward the door.

  “Uh, wait.” The clerk ran out from behind the counter. “Are you going to pay the bill for the box?”

  “Not today.” Zack stepped around her, ready to maneuver through the exit.

  The woman moved back, blocked their exit. “But I need the money for the...” She glanced around them toward the connected stores. “For the...”

  Jamie and Zack followed her gaze around. Two men with uniforms and weapons rushed toward them from the attached mall.

  Uh-oh.

  FIVE

  God forgive Zack for using an intimidation tactic with an innocent woman. “Look, I don’t want to hurt you so you need to move out of our way.” He flinched inside.

  The clerk darted to his left. Zack and Jamie rushed out of the mail center.

  “Hey, she’s wanted!” the clerk hollered.

  Jamie turned back to the building. “How does she know who I am?”

  “She must’ve seen your picture somewhere.” Out of the corner of his eye, Zack caught sight of the uniformed men approaching the door of the mail center.

  “My picture? What about yours?”

  “You’re the fugitive.”

  Right. Her case. His job. Somewhere along the line he’d shifted further into caring for the victim.

  Woman.

  Criminal.

  “Stop right there!” One mall cop stayed with the clerk and spoke into his radio. The other, the tougher looking one, followed Jamie and him outside, closing the distance between them at an alarming rate. “We said wait.” The guy grabbed Jamie’s injured arm.

  “Ow!” She doubled over.

  Zack’s gut clenched with her cry. “Let her go.” He slammed a jab into the other man’s jaw, then another punch to his stomach. While the man stumbled back a few steps, Zack grabbed Jamie’s hand. “Come on!” The other guard charged through the doorway.

  Zack and Jamie ran farther into the parking lot, opened the doors and slid inside his sister’s vehicle. Somewhere in the distance, a siren began to wail.

  Great. Nothing
like drawing attention to yourself when you’re trying to be invisible. He dropped Erin’s envelope into Jamie’s lap. As Zack shoved the gear into Reverse, Jamie stared out her window. “We’re already in the Jeep. Why would these guys still be running after us?”

  “Probably trying to catch the license plate.” As he pounded his foot on the gas, he shook his head. “I never should have switched vehicles with Lil. What was I thinking?” He wasn’t. He was too caught up in...Jamie.

  Once they slid into the traffic, a police car drove into the parking lot. Zack needed to get rid of Lil’s Jeep but he also needed another vehicle. And fast. Once they’d crossed into Gilliam, Zack pulled into a grocery store parking lot. Picking up his phone, he analyzed their situation. He needed a car, but he refused to steal a vehicle. Unless he absolutely had to. He punched in the numbers and waited for his sister to pick up.

  “Z, I was wondering when you’d call.”

  “Anyone in the office?” He didn’t want to get her in trouble with their brothers.

  “No, they’re out on a run. What’s up?”

  “I need a new vehicle.”

  “You didn’t total my Jeep, did you?” Her voice held half worry and half annoyance. The reference to when he crashed her old Mustang made him wince.

  “No, I’m a better driver than when I was fourteen. Listen, Jamie’s pulled me into a disaster and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. It’s bad enough I’m involved. I don’t want to drag you down with us, too. And trust me, the crooked sheriff will come after you if he thinks it will benefit him.”

  Jamie turned to him with the look of a wounded puppy. Blood stained her shirtsleeve again from where the guard had grabbed her. Zack’s conscience gnawed at him. He’d said some harsh words about her in his conversation with Lil.

  “Okay, let me think,” Lily said. Seconds ticked by. “I have a neighbor who’s out of town for the summer. I’m watching her place.”

  “Would she be okay with us borrowing her car?” Beside him, Jamie struggled to open her sister’s envelope.