Running (13 page)

So they couldn’t stay in a
hotel anymore. And they needed cleaned up if they weren’t going to
stand out when they fetched the contents of that p.o. box. Where
could they do that? She didn’t want to risk a truck stop again.
That wouldn’t be a good idea.

But Wichita Falls might
have a solution. It wasn’t ideal and it could bring everything
crashing down around them. She looked at the man dozing off. No,
she had no other
real
choice. She’d need a payphone. He’d only added ten minutes to
her disposable when he’d activated it. Those minutes were long
gone, in his attempts to call his partner. Who’d never answered.
She needed to call the Texas State Troopers. Crazy, but what other
option did she have?

Fifteen minutes later she
found what she was looking for. There was a gas station and an
actual payphone next to the highway. Her disposable phone was out
of minutes. Useless. Hopefully the pay phone worked. She pulled the
SUV up to the phone and parked it.

Seth barely moved. She
suspected he was hurting more than he’d told her—why else would he
have insisted
she
drive?

She followed the directions
she’d been given on the phone. Twenty minutes later she was pulling
into the driveway of a nice older two-story in a decent
neighborhood twenty miles south of Wichita Falls.

She was met at the door by
a redheaded woman in a TST uniform. Al killed the engine and
slipped from the driver’s door. She’d leave Seth right where he was
until she decided what to tell him.

“
Al.
It’s
good
to see
you again? You are all over the news. Are you
hurt?”

“
I figured as much. Have
you spoken to Carrie? I’m a bit sore. Someone definitely doesn’t
like this guy.”

“
Sebastian called. They’re
fine. What’s going on?”

“
I really
appreciate you doing this, Melody. I know you have a bunch of
questions.” Awkward didn’t begin to describe how she felt. She
didn’t know Carrie’s biological family, other than the few times
they’d met when preparing for Carrie’s wedding. Or when they’d
first met. And
that
hadn’t been conducive to talking and getting to know someone.
A burning building and Carrie trying to escape a madman did not
great conversation make, by any means. “If we can get him inside,
and hide Carrie’s SUV—I’ll explain more.”

“
I hope you know what
you’re doing. If this was anyone but family…What’s going on? How
can we help?”

“
Is your dad or sisters
home? I think we really just need someplace to stay for the night.
Then we’ll get what he’s after and decide what to do with it after
that. I don’t have any clue what he’s planning.”

“
Dad’s on his way home.
I…uh…called the school and had Sydney go home with a friend. And
Jillian is in class. Brynna will be home in an hour. Jilly much
later, she has more of a drive.”

“
Let me get Seth inside.
Then when your father gets here, hopefully Seth will give you more
details.”

She turned back to the SUV
and shook him awake. He woke groggy and pale. “Where are we,
Blondie?”

“
I took a
risk. Figured it was safer to avoid hotels. So I brought us to some
people
I know.
They will help us.”

***

Seth was pissed and
fighting hard not to show it. “I don’t want to involve anyone else
in my mess. Thought you understood that?” He climbed out of the
Escape and studied the house and the neighborhood. He fought not to
puke his guts out. Blood loss always did that to him. But he was
controlling himself. He was just a small bit wobbly on his feet.
But he had some of his color back, at least. “Who are they,
Blondie?”

Alessandra stepped up and
blocked his path. He wanted to shake her. Her blue eyes were
resolute, and a purely obstinate expression was on her face. “It’s
time you shut up and listened to
me,
for once
. We
are not going to be able to do
this
alone anymore. We
need help. Because this is far too
big
for one idiot who thinks he’s
Superman. We need planning and resources and
backup.
And if you won’t seek that
out from
your
people, and you won’t let me involve
my
team, then we’re going to have to
think
outside
the
box. Outside the Bureau. This is my solution to that. We’re staying
here for tonight. First thing tomorrow, we’ll get to the post
office and check that box. Or do you plan to camp in the post
office parking lot tonight? In an obviously newly damaged vehicle?
A vehicle that you carjacked? Way to pull attention. Go inside,
mind your damned manners and tell the truth when asked. These
people
can
help
us, and they are
willing.
Most importantly, don’t make a total jerk of
yourself. Got me?”

He didn’t just want to
shake her. He wanted to throttle her. But damn, the way those blue
eyes were sparking at him…In a lot of a ways. He grabbed her and
kissed her. Hard. Until she pushed him away. “Who are they? At
least tell me that much.”

“
Carrie’s family. And Texas
State Troopers.”

Horror and double horror.
“Shit. No. No. No. It’s not going to happen.”

“
It just did.” A redheaded
woman met them at the door of the house, wearing a TST uniform. She
looked like her sister, only harder, tougher. More world-wise. “Al,
holy shit. He really does look like his brother.”

“
We’re identical.” Seth
fought the urge to grab Blondie and drag her back to the SUV. But
that wouldn’t do any good. This woman had already seen them, knew
where they were. She’d have them caught two minutes after they’d
pulled away if they ran. He really had no choice at the moment.
Dammit. Blondie had just seriously turned the tables on
him.

“
So you
are. You kidnapped my sister at gunpoint. I
should
shoot you. At the
least.”

“
I’d appreciate if you
didn’t. I’ve already been shot once today.”

“
You have? What is going
on?” The woman grabbed Al and pulled her in to the house. “We have
a first aid kit in here. I take it you don’t need too much sewing
up or you wouldn’t be here. I’ll do what I can, then when my sister
gets home she can take a look at it. She’s working her way through
her nursing degree now. Future nurse practitioner.”

“
Seth, this is Melody Beck.
Carrie’s sister. Melody’s father Kevin is retired TST. And her
sister works in computer forensics. They’ve agreed to let us stay
the night here tonight. I thought they could help. And I seriously
doubt anyone would think to check here. We’ll be safe. Then first
thing tomorrow we can go.”

“
Let me
get this straight. This is Red’s
sister.
And no one would think
to
call
here?”

“
My sister and I aren’t
close. We did not grow up together. We just met last June. And I
can promise you that if you’re on the up and up—and I trust
Alessandra’s judgment in that—you’ll be safe here. Besides, who
would think to question two members of the TST and one retired?”
The redhead, whose coloring wasn’t quite as vibrant as her older
sister’s, led the way through the living room and to a dining room.
“Sit down. Let’s have a look. Then I’ll change and get dinner
started. We tend to eat late around here when my two youngest
sisters aren’t home. Brynna will be home around eight. Al, are you
hurt anywhere?”

“
No. I’m fine. I just want
to get cleaned up.”

“
After we sew Bubba here
together, I’ve got some things you can borrow if you need
it.”

“
I have a bag, but
everything needs washed. Including me. After we get him taken care
of, I’ll take you up on that shower.”

Fifteen minutes later
Seth’s arm was covered by a small, neat bandage. And Blondie was
left alone. Seth wanted to go after her, bring her back where he
could see her. He didn’t trust these people—and he wasn’t so sure
he trusted Blondie. Look what she’d done the first moment his eyes
were closed.

Still, the redhead hadn’t
arrested him—or called her buddies—yet. Maybe Blondie was right. If
all else failed he still had his gun. He could run like hell, and
hope he beat the bad guys to Amarillo. It would be a long shot. But
he’d at least try.

The redhead stared at him.
“You do look like him, but
are
you like him? Sebastian is a nice guy who loves
my sister very, very much. And he gets her, just the way she is.
I’d hate to see Al get hurt because of a ringer. You
understand?”

She had the same eyes as
Red, complete with the same ability to make a man squirm. Was that
something that could be inherited? If so, he hoped his future niece
or nephew got them, too. Hopefully, he’d be alive when that kid got
here to see for himself. “I get you. Why are you doing
this?”

“
Because
Sebastian
is
family
.
That makes you a part of it, too. And Alessandra is a close friend
of my sister’s. We help each other out in the Beck family. Whenever
and however it’s needed.”

“
Even when breaking federal
law?”

“
Letting a friend camp out
at my house when in the neighborhood isn’t breaking the law—if I
don’t know about their fugitive status. For all I know, you could
pretend to be my brother-in-law and his partner working a case.
That’s what I’m assuming, and what my family will support. And
we’ll just say Al was forced to go along with it. If it comes to
that. Now, spill. What the hell is going on?”

“
I’d prefer not to involve
your family more than you already are. Just know that someone up
the chain from me, from Alessandra, even from my brother Sebastian
is downright dirty. To the tune of dismembering a friend and
colleague of mine. My goal is to ensure that doesn’t happen to me,
my partner, Alessandra, my brothers, or anyone else.”

“
Noble enough. Let us help
you with that. And may God help you if you’re lying.”

“
No. My God help those in
the path of this bastard. They’ll need far more help than I
will.”

Chapter
Thirty-Two

***

Al had never been more
grateful for a borrowed shower and change of clothing in her
life.

Carrie’s biological father
was home by the time she’d finished in the guest room shower. He
was taller than his daughters, but not by much. And sturdy. Carrie
very much favored him, though the two had only a friendly
relationship at this point. He’d lost track of Carrie years ago
when her mother and step-father had been murdered. He’d only found
her again when a madman had been stalking her, as well.

He’d been instrumental in
saving Carrie’s life one night, and Al would never forget what had
happened right before her eyes on a St. Louis rooftop.

Kevin was retired TST, but
he was obviously a family man first. Al respected that far more
than she’d ever realized. Until her own brothers and sister-in-law
were targeted by a madman back at Thanksgiving. Those few weeks
when someone was hunting her brother, and when Mick had been shot
in their driveway, had been enough to cement just how much her
family meant to her. She’d always known, but never had that family
been so threatened.

He surprised Al by hugging
her. “You ok? Want me to beat this guy up for you?”

“
I’m fine. We really
appreciate you letting us stay here tonight.”

“
You know you’re welcome.
Any friend of Carrie’s—or my son-in-law’s—is. So where is this guy?
You say he’s related to Sebastian?”

“
Triplet. Apparently there
are two more just like Sebastian out there.”

“
Sebastian mentioned once
that he had brothers. Pity they aren’t close.”

“
I know. Did Melody tell
you what’s going on?” She’d always felt comfortable with Kevin
Beck. He reminded her a lot of her own father. Carrie had been done
a real disservice by life when she’d been taken from this man.
Hopefully they’d be able to salvage a relationship now that they’d
found each other again.

“
What she knew. Care to add
to my knowledge?”

“
What I can. Seth lost a
colleague, and apparently that colleague had stumbled onto internal
corruption. Now Seth is trying to prevent becoming the next dead
agent in the chain. I’ll let him explain more.”

***

Seth was in the dining room
under the watchful eye of Carrie’s sister. Melody really did
resemble her older sister, and seeing her right next to Sebastian’s
look-alike was a bit too freaky for Al’s comfort.

“
Where you been, Blondie? I
was beginning to think you’d shimmied out a window.” He wrapped his
hand around her elbow and pulled her closer. What did it say about
her that she almost took comfort from his touch?