Countdown (16 page)

She looked up at James. The moonlight only enhanced her beauty. “Wh-when is sunrise?”

“In about an hour. I have no intention of staying here that long.” James peeked in the crevice. The men had reached the shoreline. The way they looked both ways confirmed they hadn't seen where James and Rachel had gone.

Now what? He hadn't fully thought out a plan. He reached for Rachel and pulled her closer to one of the larger monolith rocks. He couldn't rest against the rock, however, as it had plenty of jagged edges and was mostly covered in sharp mussel shells. He put a finger at his lips and looked out between the rocks.

The men were yelling at each other, but he couldn't pick up anything but the vibrations of voices. The best-case scenario would be to wait until they moved down the beach then sneak back up to the van.

The ocean waves crashed against their feet again. At least he'd given his family plenty of time to get away. He moved his lips close to Rachel's head. “As soon as they're out of range, we need to get into the shadows and circle back to the stairs.”

She rose on her tiptoes and spoke into his hair. “I'm not sure the incoming tide will let us wait that long.”

The water crashed against their feet again, soaking through his shoes. James cringed. She had a point. Rachel looked at him with questioning eyes, but they had no choice. He was no sharpshooter.

He squeezed Rachel's hand. He peeked around the corner again but no longer saw the men. The clouds moved and fully covered the moon. Now all he could see were dark shapes and the whites of her eyes. He strained his ears. Through the crevice, he couldn't make out anything but the small hanging light in the distance, at the top of the long line of beach stairs.

It seemed like now or never. They needed to move before the clouds did. He squeezed her hand. “Go.”

Sprinting on wet sand was easy but the moment it transitioned into the loose sand their speed slowed. A gust of wind brushed against his cheeks. Moonlight flickered on the grains of sand. A gunshot rang out. James looked side to side. The men had split up and gone in different directions. They were surrounded.

Rachel fell in front of him. He narrowly avoided stepping on her. She struggled to pop up, but James put his hand underneath her knees and swooped her into his arms.

“What are you doing?” Her arms grasped behind his neck.

He took off running again. His legs burned as he sprinted toward the long line of stairs. “Are you okay? Are you shot?”

“I just tripped when I saw them on either side. James, put me down.” She patted his chest. “You're going to hurt yourself.”

“There you go, always thinking about my safety, or the boys' safety. How about you just let me take care of you for once?” He huffed as he vaulted up the stairs. “It occurred to me they don't want to risk shooting me. So enjoy the ride.”

Sure enough the gunfire ceased.

“I...”

He didn't bother looking at her face. It would distract him from his goal. “How about you make it easier on yourself and me by relaxing?”

She sighed as she leaned her head against his chest. It helped his center of gravity, and James was able to push off the ground harder and faster. Within a minute he reached the van and put her down. “They're right behind us. Buckle up.”

SIXTEEN

R
achel's shoulder throbbed like never before. James sped off as a bullet dinged somewhere on the van. Her breathing shuddered as he turned the corner.

“And now we get out of town,” he said.

“I've been thinking. There were two vehicles following us earlier. What if there are—”

He jerked the wheel and spun them onto another side street, heading back in the direction of the beach house. “I can't believe I didn't think of that.” His knuckles turned white around the steering wheel. He shook his head. “Each time I think we're closer to safety—” He smacked the side of the dash. “I've put everyone I care about in danger.”

Rachel remained silent as he sped down the winding street. The way he'd picked her up and carried her because he realized they wouldn't shoot him... Her face warmed at the memory. He slowed at the beach house.

She leaned forward. “The trucks are gone.”

James pressed on the brakes and hung his head. His breathing was ragged, and she fought tears of relief back as she knew he must be. She reached for his hand. “They're safe,” she whispered.

He squeezed her hand, inhaled sharply and looked back at the road. “But we aren't, not yet. Let's get out of here.”

He drove for three hours straight, essentially in circles. They went to every coastal town but Arroyo Grande, as James didn't want to lead anyone near David and his parents. Rachel's ankle swelled slightly. Since James had never given her a chance to run after she'd tripped, she hadn't realize she'd twisted it. She reached down and rubbed it while James filled up with gas, but he didn't want them to go inside the station. Security cameras were likely.

After another hour of tense driving, her stomach growled loudly. James pulled over in front of a small coffee shop in Morro Bay. “We'll grab some food to go, but we don't stay for longer than ten minutes.”

Rachel limped slightly to the restrooms. Her ankle wasn't bad, but it wasn't normal, either. In the mirror she tried to calm her hair, which looked as frazzled as she felt. Only a few more hours of driving until they would be safe inside the FBI building. She couldn't wait until then. Would life ever go back to normal? Could she ever see James again as just a neighbor?

She stepped out of the restroom to find James waiting. In one hand he held a carrying tote of lattes while in the other hand he held a plastic bag full of items. He watched out the shop's windows before being satisfied they could go back to the van.

A minivan without mini-people felt wrong. She missed Caleb and Ethan's laugh, something that surprised her. As soon as she opened up her mind to the possibility of being a mother, she suddenly couldn't wait to see them again. She didn't know what to make of it, but she certainly wouldn't voice it aloud.

Once seated, he opened the shopping bag to reveal giant sunglasses and a beach hat for her. “Thought it wouldn't hurt to add a little disguise. Plus, you look good in everything.”

She laughed and her cheeks heated. “Believe it or not, I always imagined myself in something like this if I ever went on vacation.” Rachel pulled on the floppy hat. She watched the tourists walking along the sidewalks and released a sigh. “If we get out of this, I'm going to start taking vacations on my own, with or without my friends.”

“Why haven't you before?”

“I do so much alone. I guess it felt weird to take a vacation alone. And I think deep down it scared me. I'm sure it sounds stupid.”

“I get that. I haven't taken the boys on a vacation ever since Nikki passed away.”

She frowned. “Because it was too hard?”

“That, and like you, I've thrown myself into work, service and routines. I'm not sure what it'd be like to just rest and have time to think. I didn't realize I was scared of that. Coming here—being forced to stop and hide—has made me face that fear, made me realize it really is time to start embracing life again.”

They came from opposite places yet he'd voiced her fears exactly.

He handed her a latte, a cheese Danish and a plastic bag full of ice. “For your ankle.”

Her throat constricted at the gesture. He must have noticed her limp. Her eyes stung with tears. “What if you
are
the guy?” The question fell from her lips before she could stop it.

* * *

His breath caught. He looked at Rachel and wanted to pull her close, wanted to kiss her. But his arms seemed paralyzed. He wanted to say yes, he was the guy. But he couldn't answer that for her. She needed to be certain before he could open his heart again. He had the boys to think of...

But the way she looked at him melted his heart. He reached for her hands. “Then I'll be patient until you figure that out,” he said.

She let go of his hands and moved the bag of ice to her ankle. “Thank you for this.” Her voice shook slightly.

“We need to get back on the road.” He raked a hand through his hair. Had he messed everything up? That was completely the wrong thing to say, wasn't it? His heart wanted to jump out of his chest. If he stopped and ruminated over his feelings, he wouldn't be able to think straight to get them out of danger. He needed to focus on staying hidden.

She turned on the radio and sipped her coffee in silence as they spent the next few hours methodically going to every town surrounding Santa Maria, until the clock mercifully told him it was time.

“I never thought I'd be so happy to go to an office building,” Rachel said.

“I know. I'll probably stand the entire meeting.” He exhaled. “I've been sorting out what to say to the agents and the most efficient way to say it.” He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “And, I know you and I have more to talk about. As soon as we get through this—”

“It's okay, I know what that means. If we need to ‘talk,' then you've decided we should just stay neighbors. Let's just let it go, James. Forget I said anything.” Her voice sounded tight, clipped.

His jaw tightened. That's what he feared. She wasn't serious about him. “Well, if you ever decide you can't let it go, let me know.”

“James—”

He turned to look at her, but her eyes were on the side mirror.

His gut dropped. It wasn't a black vehicle at all, but the dark blue SUV was coming up fast, way past the speed limit. They were only five minutes from the FBI building. He just needed to get them there and they'd be safe. He proceeded to take three left turns to see if they were still following them. “Hold on.”

He took a sudden turn. A moment later the SUV joined them. His arms tensed, and he pushed the old van as far as he could. The tires squealed as he took a second turn. The SUV kept its pace. He didn't need another turn to confirm they were after them. “New plan. We drive to the FBI building and drive through the gates if we have to.”

Another SUV pulled onto the street ahead of them, blocking their path. James slammed on the brakes. Rachel screamed. They screeched to a halt, coffee sloshing onto the dashboard.

His ears roared. They had known. They had known he would be heading for the FBI building at noon. How could he have missed that? If they had tracked them down in Pismo Beach because of his mom's phone call at the gas station then they would've heard the appointment being scheduled.

Surrounded by empty office buildings on a Sunday, they had no options for exits. He slammed his palm into the steering wheel. He'd been so careful only to lead them right into a trap.

The phone in the cup holder rang. He stared at it as it rang again. How would they get his number, though? It rang a third time, and he pressed the speaker button.

“Play nice or that red dot on the back of your girlfriend's head is going to get a lot redder.”

* * *

Rachel didn't recognize the cold, calculating voice, but as James leaned back and looked at the back of her head, he paled. She inhaled sharply.

“Take it easy.” James turned to face the window. “What do you want?”

In the passenger-side mirror she could see the red line coming from the SUV behind her. Someone was using a red laser scope on her.

“I think it's very clear what I want, but in case you're not so sure you want to give it to me, I have a call I'd like to patch you through to.” The line filled with more static. “Put her on,” the man said.

“James?”

James gasped. “Mom?”

“If your father had been alive these past few years, he would've been devastated, James. He'd have wanted you to follow his footsteps, like your brother...be handy.”

“That's enough,” the man said. The static part of the line ended.

James frowned, his gaze meeting Rachel's.

That was odd. What did his mom mean about his dad being dead?

“You have two motivations now, Mr. McGuire. Get to the launch site and fix what you've done or your mother dies. And, in case you want to make any stops along the way, I've arranged some company to escort you. A wrong turn and you can say goodbye to your girlfriend. Follow the black SUV.”

The line went dead. The black vehicle in front of them turned onto the main road. The red dot on the back of her head bounced all around the car until it resettled on her head, filtering through her hair onto her hands. The shooter was definitely in the vehicle behind her.

James looked as if he was going to be sick, but he followed the vehicle ahead. “I'm sorry.” His voice came in a whisper. He glanced at her, pain rimming his eyes. “I'm so sorry.”

“How'd they find us?”

James shook his head. “Because I wasn't thinking clearly. If they found us in Pismo then...”

“They knew about the appointment with the FBI.” Her voice sounded as dejected as she felt after putting the pieces together. “And they got your phone number from your mom.”

She closed her eyes. She'd rather not see the red dot in the vehicle. She couldn't think about what it could do to her or the tears would win. She cleared her throat. “Are you adopted?”

“No. I...I don't know what to make of what Mom said. I'm scared they doped her or maybe the fear made her say odd things.”

Rachel exhaled. Beverly had sounded too alert to have been drugged. She was trying to send them a message. Rachel was sure of it.

She replayed the words in her mind. His father wasn't deceased. Follow his footsteps...his brother's...be handy. Rachel's eyes flashed open. She glanced at the phone in the cup holder to make sure it was actually turned off. “I think your dad and brother aren't there with her. ‘Be handy'? Maybe they're at a hardware store? Or their meeting?”

James shook his head. “I don't know. None of it made sense.”

Rachel kept her head back and riffled in her purse for the phone. She'd never used her burner phone, so it should be clean. And, thanks to his need to think ahead, James had put all his family's numbers in the prepaid phone's contacts. It hurt her eyes and head to scroll down without fully looking at the phone, but she didn't want to alert the men in the vehicles that she was doing anything but cooperating.

She texted Tim and David.

Bev kidnapped. Don't know where. Gunmen taking us 2 launch.

She closed her eyes as she waited for it to send.

The phone vibrated a moment later.

Understood.

What did that mean? Had the men holding Beverly seen the message and texted that? And, if it was from his dad or David, she wanted to ask more. What did they plan on doing with that information?

James seemed oblivious to what she'd just done. His face had lost all color as he followed the black sedan. She grabbed his phone from the cup holder. She didn't have Cynthia's number, but she knew James had called her once from his burner phone. “Don't make any sudden moves. I'm getting your phone and texting Cynthia.”

James flinched, clearly fighting not to look at what she was doing. “I don't see how she could help,” he said out of the side of his mouth.

“The more people who know, the better chance we have.” It hurt her eyes to look down that sharply without moving. She kept the phone low, on her left side. Texting with her left hand proved more difficult, but she managed to text Cynthia.

Taken. Forced to go to launch.

At the least, Cynthia would know why they would no longer be calling. At the best, even though Cynthia didn't know what was going on, maybe she could trust someone with that information and they would look into it. She sighed. Probably not likely.

She grunted. “So much for stretching our legs. How long?”

“We're roughly half an hour away from the launch site.”

“Didn't you say it was at an air force base? Won't there be lots of security?” If the red dot was still on her, someone would notice. That, or the entire facility would need to be crooked.

“There is a main gate, but cleared permanent personnel or contractors can be vouched for. I used to be a cleared contractor, but they removed my remote access. I guess we'll see if someone waves us in or not.”

“Can't we tell them the guys in cars are gunmen?” Desperation clawed her way up to her throat, tightening and raising her voice.

“They have my mom,” James said. She knew the monotone meant he had resigned himself to the path before him. “If I'm remembering right, there's one curve right before the turn-off. If I can get far enough ahead of the SUV behind us, you could jump out into the trees and run...”

“I'm not taking that chance. Even if I made it with a twisted ankle, they still have your mom...and you.” The red dot bounced around and reflected off the glass onto her heart for a brief second. Her heart... What was it James had said about his heart?

My heart broke when I lost Nikki. I don't know if it'll ever be whole again so I don't want to risk further damage by someone who has any doubts.

She took a sudden intake of breath, suddenly sure of what James had meant about waiting to talk until she couldn't let it go. “James?”