Found Wanting (5 page)

Stepping into the room, Rachel dropped her brown leather bag on the floor near a sterile-looking metal stool on wheels, then looked Alaina over. "Nice jams."

Alaina glanced at the door, which Rachel had left open a crack. Was he behind it, feeling shy or worried about how she might look? "Jonah?"

"Oh," Rachel said, waving a dismissive hand. "I wanted to make sure you're okay before I go get him."

For a moment, Alaina couldn't breathe. Her heart felt like a balloon that someone had thoughtlessly pricked with a pin. "He's not with you?"

"I didn't want him to be scared." Bending, Rachel slipped her cellphone out of her purse on the floor. "What's his cellphone number? We'll call him right now."

The room began to whirl, and Alaina fought the dizziness. "I asked you to pick him up."

"Yeah, and then you were unconscious," Rachel said. "What was I supposed to tell the poor kid? That you'd been hit by a car and I didn't know what kind of shape you were in? He would have freaked. And, frankly, I wasn't in any shape to drive after seeing you lying there like that ..." Her voice cracked, and she trailed off. "I guess I needed a little time to freak myself." She grasped Alaina's hand, squeezed. "You scared --"

Rachel broke off as a nurse opened the door. "Alex Myers?"

Alaina looked at the woman, her brain unable to process anything other than how to get to Jonah as quickly as possible, then out of town before the FBI showed up and arrested her. The feds could be on their way right this second.

"Alex?"

She forced herself to focus on Rachel, who was eyeing her with concern. "I'm sorry?" Alaina asked.

Rachel gestured at the nurse. "She said there are two FBI agents asking to see you. Do you feel up to talking to them?"

"No," Alaina said quickly. "I, uh, ... no."

Rachel's brow creased. "Are you all right?"

Alaina shook her head. Think. Think. "In a few minutes," she told the nurse. "Tell them I'll see them in a few minutes."

Once the nurse was gone, Rachel said, "Those feds are pretty adamant about talking to you. What's the deal?"

Instead of answering -- because she didn't know what to say or where to begin -- Alaina slid off the gurney, grateful that, when she wobbled, Rachel braced her.

"Uh, what are you doing?" her friend asked.

Alaina had no idea. Now that she was standing, however unsteady, she realized she couldn't just walk out. She wore nothing but a hospital gown. Her purse was nowhere to be seen. She had no money, no ID. All she had was Rachel, who was staring at her as if Alaina had just ripped off her human face to reveal an alien one underneath.

She took a shallow breath, bruised ribs preventing anything deeper. "I need to get out of here. Now."

Rachel stepped back, hands raised, cellphone still grasped in one. "Okay, you're officially wigging me out."

"I'm not kidding, Ray. I need to get to Jonah."

"I'm sorry, but you're going to wig him out, too."

"Ray --"

"How about this?" Rachel cut in. "I'll get Jonah. You stay here and get X-rayed."

"No. I need to go."

"Well, I'm not helping you. You just got hit by a car, and you're shaky on your feet."

"I'm not asking your permission."

"Then I'll get a doctor in here to talk some sense into you."

"Yes," Alaina said, seizing on the opportunity to get Rachel out of her way. "Let's consult a doctor."

Rachel hesitated, thrown. "You'll sit tight if a doctor tells you to?"

Alaina nodded vigorously. "Yes."

But Rachel, her eyes suddenly wary, folded her arms and stayed put. "You're just trying to get me out of here so you can take off."

Alaina almost screamed in frustration. "Ray, dammit --"

"Just tell me what the hell's --" The cellphone in her hand rang, cutting her off. She checked the display.

"Who is it?" Alaina asked. It was a long shot, but if Jonah had gotten no answer on her cellphone or work phone, he might have tried Rachel.

"It's work," Rachel said.

Leaning against the gurney, Alaina stared at the floor while her friend turned her back to take the call. That was when she spotted Rachel's purse propped against the casters of the metal stool. The edge of her key ring peaked out of the side pocket.

Keeping an eye on Rachel's turned back, Alaina bent and snagged the keys, careful to clamp them against her palm to prevent them from jangling.

"I'm here with her now," Rachel was saying. "She's fine. I think. ... I don't know how long I'll be. I'll call you later, okay? ... Great, thanks for calling."

Lowering the cellphone, Rachel turned. "People at work are worried about you," she said, her smile strained.

Alaina shrugged, knowing the gesture was far too casual, considering the conversation they'd been having. But she didn't know how else to behave now that she was moments away from betraying her best friend. "I'm fine. Don't I look fine?"

"Actually, you look like hell."

"Hey, I'd like to see you look this good after being hit by a car."

Rachel laughed softly, her eyes searching Alaina's. "You'd tell me if you were in some kind of trouble, wouldn't you?"

Alaina sank down onto the stool. Everything ached. Her body. Her heart. Her soul. She hated her life, hated being afraid, suspicious. And it would never end. Never. She clamped her jaw against the emotion that tightened her throat. "I panicked," she said. "I can't explain it." Glancing up, she tried to look contrite. "You win, okay? I'll stay here while you go get Jonah. I'll probably be ready to go by the time you get back."

Rachel scooped her purse off the floor. "No problem. I'm sorry I didn't go before, like you asked."

"I understand, Ray. I do." Just go, Rachel. Go.

"It'll take me about forty minutes to get to Grant's and back," Rachel said. "Do you want me to call once I've got him?"

Alaina let her shoulders drop, as if in relief. "That'd be excellent. Thanks."

Rachel gave her a quick, gentle hug. "Don't freak out anymore, okay? You were scaring the crap out of me."

"Sorry."

"I'll be back in a jiff."

As soon as Rachel was gone, Alaina ducked out of the room and edged around the nurse's station. She needed clothes, a jacket, ... something to replace the gown, which would draw attention. Luckily, there was so much activity in the ER that no one paid attention to her.

Finding a cabinet that held fresh scrubs for the nurses and doctors, she snagged a pair, along with some of those booties that surgeons wore. Back in the room, she doffed the gown as quickly as her throbbing shoulder and ribs would allow and slipped into the pale green scrubs. Afterward, she rested, bracing her hand on the gurney as her head grew light and took a lazy spin. Hang on. Jonah needs you to hang on.

Feeling relatively disguised and about as steady as she figured she was going to get under the circumstances, she strolled as casually as possible into the ER waiting room. A bank of pay phones occupied a section of wall adjacent to the ER's automatic sliding glass doors. She took up position at one of the phones, where she could watch people come and go without being noticed herself. With a phone pressed to her ear, she waited only about a minute before Rachel hurried into the ER, looking stressed. She didn't even glance in Alaina's direction.

As soon as Rachel was out of sight, Alaina exited through the same doors, Rachel's keys dangling from her fingers. The cold wind struck her body a soft blow -- obviously, the forecasted cold front had arrived. She ducked her head against the steady rain, walking as fast as she could, every step sending jarring pain through her shoulder and side.

She found Rachel's silver Toyota RAV4 without trouble and told herself she had no choice as she climbed in. Her hands shaking as if she had Parkinson's, she turned the key to start the small SUV.

Protecting Jonah from his father took precedence over everything and everyone. She'd made that promise to herself long ago, and she would never break it.

She would die first.

Chapter 5

Mitch stepped out of his car and approached the Maxwells' front door, which stood open, the lights inside casting buttery light on the walls. Darkness had fallen early and quickly, thanks to the relentless rain that still fell. Hunching his shoulders against the cold, Mitch strode onto the porch like he belonged there and peered inside.

Overturned furniture and a large bloodstain on beige carpet told of a violent encounter in the living room. One man was busily collecting evidence while police officers hovered around the perimeter.

"Can I help you, sir?"

Mitch pulled out his investigator license and flashed it at the police officer. "Mitch Kane. I got a tip that someone I'm looking for might be here. What happened?"

"Guy got shot, and his kid was pistol-whipped."

"Jesus. They going to be okay?"

"The father's in bad shape but nothing life threatening. The kid's probably got a concussion."

"Robbery?"

"Don't think so," the cop said. "Fancy TV and stereo equipment haven't been touched."

"Only the father and son were here? Nobody else?"

"Not that we know of."

"Witnesses?"

"Nope."

"And you're sure the kid was the guy's son?" Mitch asked.

"Yeah. He was asking about his dad when he regained consciousness." The officer narrowed his eyes. "What'd you say your name is again?"

Raising his hands, Mitch backed off. "Looks like my tip was wrong. Sorry."

In the driveway, he paused, wondering what the hell was going on. It couldn't be a mere coincidence. Alaina Chancellor makes a frantic run for the train, and now the place where her kid was supposed to be is a crime scene, with Grant Maxwell shot and Lucas knocked around. Had she known that something had happened?

"Get Jonah."

That's what she'd said. Not "check on Jonah" or "help Jonah."

"Get Jonah."

She'd been concerned about him, maybe even frightened for him. But Mitch's gut told him that she hadn't thought her son was in grave danger. That would have been accompanied by a whole other level of desperation.

Flipping open his cellphone, he hit the speed-dial button assigned to his partner. Julia Rafferty sounded rushed when she answered the call.

"It's Mitch."

"Hey, how's it going out in the Windy City?"

"Everything's gone to hell." He gave her the update, then said, "What I need is a more thorough background check on Maxwell. Was what happened here the result of his entanglements or Alaina Chancellor's?"

"I was thorough the first time. He's an upstanding citizen. No rap sheet. No warrants. Not even any outstanding parking tickets. The guy's a catch."