The Target (22 page)

But as soon as she touched her, she wanted more. Her breathing was ragged as her mouth kissed its way down Jaime’s body, not pausing anywhere long enough to matter, simply moving along the curves until she felt hot wetness against her face. She groaned once, then cupped Jaime’s hips, bringing her closer to her mouth.

“God,
yes
,” Jaime whispered, her eyes slamming closed as Sara’s mouth covered her. Her hips jerked, meeting Sara, her head falling back as Sara’s lips closed over her aching clit. She covered her face with a pillow, unable to stop the sounds of pleasure as Sara’s mouth . . . her tongue moved over her.

As Jaime’s hips moved with Sara, Sara’s own hips dug into the bed, wanting—needing—release.

“Come up here. Turn around,” Jaime gasped. “Straddle me.”

Blindly, Sara moved, turning on the bed, her hips straddling Jaime’s face, letting herself be guided down as Jaime’s hands cupped her hips. She groaned loudly when Jaime’s mouth found her. Then she leaned down, her mouth again fastening on Jaime’s clit. Together, their mouths worked, devouring each other until, hips moving against mouths, they couldn’t stop the waves of orgasm. Sara came first, her hips pressing hard against Jaime’s face.

Her scream caused her to nearly bite down on Jaime and Jaime’s own hips arched as she exploded into Sara’s mouth.

They both lay still, trying to catch their breath. Then Jaime stirred, her hands sliding over Sara’s hips, turning her around again, guiding her back up to the pillows.

Sara buried her face against Jaime, her eyes closed, her hands pulling at Jaime. She struggled to get close enough then finally felt Jaime’s arms close around her.

“You probably won’t believe me,” she murmured, her mouth moving against Jaime’s skin. “But I’ve never in my life done that.”

Then she laughed quietly. “Or maybe you can believe it.”

Jaime smiled, then pulled Sara tighter against her, letting her eyes slip closed again.

They were quiet as they all crowded around the island in the kitchen, sharing a quick, thrown-together breakfast. Jaime had already told them they needed to be on the trail within the hour. And she, like the rest, knew it was cold outside. Probably the coldest morning yet.

“How long do you think it’ll take us to hike to Tin Cup?”

Jaime shrugged. “Five hours, give or take.”

“And then when we call the local sheriff, how long before someone gets back here to you and Megan?”

“Abby, quit worrying. We’ll be fine. I’ve got a hiding place for Megan. Our guy’s not going to find her.”

“What about you?”

Jaime stared, watching as everyone stilled, their eyes moving between her and Sara. It was a conversation—an argument—that she and Sara had started earlier that morning and never finished.

And she didn’t want to finish it now in front of everyone.

“I’ll be fine, Sara,” she said, echoing the words she’d whispered to Sara while they were still in bed together, still holding each other, still touching.

Sara turned away, walking purposefully into the den where Megan still lay. The others watched her leave, then collectively turned their attention to Jaime. She sighed, her shoulders sagging as she silently shook her head.

“She just cares about you,” Celia said quietly. “Can’t help that.”

Jaime let a quick smile cross her face, then sobered, her eyes moving among them.

“I know. But this is it, ladies. We made it this far. And in about five hours, you’ll be completely safe. And that’s all you have to worry about, getting the hell out of here. Let me worry about Megan.”

“Well, we’ve been through a lot in the last week. Can’t blame us for being concerned about you,” Abby said.

“And Megan,” Ashley added.

“And I appreciate that. But your being worried is not going to change anything.” She glanced once into the room where Sara stood watching a sleeping Megan, then looked quickly back at the others. “Finish up. It’s time.”

Jaime turned, standing at the door, watching Sara. They’d made love with such abandon last night—and this morning—that she had a hard time separating herself from what she was feeling . . . and what she knew to be best. A part of her wanted to lock Sara away with Megan, gambling she’d be safe. But heading farther away toward Tin Cup was the safer of the two options. And she doubted the others would make it without Sara. They were troupers but still novices when it came to the mountains. No, Sara needed to lead them out of here.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Sara said quietly, still facing Megan, her hands still shoved in the pockets of her jeans.

Jaime walked closer, her voice low. “Is that right?”

Sara turned and met Jaime’s eyes head on, her own softening as images of their lovemaking flashed through her mind. Her hand trembled slightly when she reached out, placing it firmly on Jaime’s stomach, then inching it higher, resting just below Jaime’s breasts.

“I’m scared, Jaime,” she whispered. “I want … I want to stay with you.”

Jaime shook her head. “We talked about it, Sara. You’ll be safer with the others. Don’t forget, it’s
you
he’s after.”

“I think at this point, he’s after all of us.” She let her hand slip away as she turned back to Megan. “I’m afraid if I leave, I won’t ever see you again. I have a really bad feeling about you staying here.”

Jaime walked closer, standing directly behind Sara. Her hands drew Sara back against her and she closed her eyes at the contact.

Sara too let her eyes slip closed. She took Jaime’s hand, pulling it tighter against her, feeling safe.

“Please let me stay with you.”

“Absolutely not,” she whispered into Sara’s ear. “But I’ll let you make me dinner next Saturday night.”

Sara smiled, feeling somewhat comforted by Jaime’s obviously blatant attempt to reassure her everything would be fine by next week. So instead of arguing the point, she nodded.

“It’s a date.”

“Great.” Jaime pulled away but not before squeezing tightly on Sara’s hand. “Then let’s get you out of here.”

Jake took the corner too fast, nearly skidding as she rounded the curve above Mirror Lake.

“Damn, you’d think it was your first assignment,” she murmured, glancing quickly into the rearview mirror to watch as Cheyenne hung her head out the opened back window.

She purposefully slowed, telling herself it would do no good to race up Cumberland Pass. She had spent a restless night. Hell, she’d spent a restless day and a half prior to that. After Captain Morris’s initial call, she’d wanted to rush out into the mountains, despite his suggestion she wait until the FBI ground unit checked in. It’d been well over a year since she’d left Denver, since she’d been on the force, but her gut told her not to wait. But as Nicole said, it’d be like looking for a needle in a haystack if she just took off across the mountains, hoping to simply walk upon them.

When Captain Morris called again last night, saying they had found their trail and it appeared they took the high route to Cottonwood Pass, she’d studied the map endlessly, trying to put herself in their position. And her only conclusion was St. Elmo.

And if she was wrong, then yeah, a needle in a haystack.

But she tried to relax, telling herself not to rush up the pass.

She’d drive as far as she could, until she came to the washout in the road, then hike in the rest of the way. It would be an easy hike. So despite the cooler temperatures this morning, she opened her window and hung her arm outside, enjoying the brisk breeze as the pine-scented air rushed past her face. She acknowledged the surge of adrenaline for what it was. After all, it was approaching nearly two years since she’d done anything even remotely resembling police work. Her hand unconsciously rubbed her thigh, the scar tissue of the long-healed injury a constant reminder of her former life.

She pulled her hand away as she shook her head. It didn’t matter. She wouldn’t give up the life she and Nicole had made up here for anything. So she would do Captain Morris a favor, she would help find his detective, then she would retreat once again to the small cabin they called home. A cabin she’d been painstakingly remodeling and adding on to for the last year.

“It feels kinda strange to be hiking without Jaime.”

Sara nodded and glanced back over her shoulder at the quickly fading sight of St. Elmo.

“You think they’ll be okay?”

Sara looked at Celia and gave a reassuring smile.

“They’ll be fine.”

“Come on, Megan.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. You have to.”

They were still a good fifty yards from the old abandoned cabin Jaime had chosen as their hiding place. Weeds grew around it, obscuring any long-ago footpaths, and a Douglas fir had taken hold, growing practically at the cabin’s front door. All four windows were boarded up, and through the overgrown weeds and small saplings, she’d found the back door. It was hanging loosely by rusted hinges and she broke through the old lock easily. Far from the comforts of the house they’d slept in last night, nonetheless, this old cabin would be a much safer hiding place.

If only Megan could make it.

“Just a little farther.”

“Leave me, Jaime. Just leave me,” Megan groaned as her legs gave way.

“Like hell.” She pulled Megan up again, holding her around her shoulders. “I know it hurts. I know you’re exhausted. But it’s almost over, Megan. Once the others get to Tin Cup, they’ll send help. Before dark, we’ll be out of here. I promise. Now you gotta stay with me.”

Megan closed her eyes, but nodded weakly. “Okay. Okay, Jaime. I’ll try.”

“Good. That’s my girl.”

Megan tried to smile. “I heard after last night, Sara was your girl.”

Jaime’s face turned scarlet but she didn’t hold back her laugh.

“That’s what you heard, huh? Well, if you weren’t in such a delicate condition, I might tell you about it.”

Megan managed a small laugh. “That’s okay. I think Abby did a good enough job already with the details.”

They stopped to rest and Jaime pointed at the old cabin. “We just have to get to there.”

“You’re putting me in
there
?”

“Got a cot set up already.”

“I’m thinking spiders and rats and stuff.”

“No way. I chased them all out this morning. There’s a couple of chipmunks that have taken up residence, though. I let them stay.”

“I’m not crazy about spiders, Jaime.”

“Well, I’ll get you a stick and you can whack at them if they get too close. Now come on, let’s get you tucked away.”

Through the brush they made their way to the back of the cabin. Megan leaned against the side as Jaime pulled the back door open, the rusty hinges squeaking loudly, protesting after so many years of neglect.

“Come on.”

She helped Megan inside, using her small flashlight to guide them. Once inside, she turned the light off, and they both watched as the sunlight sneaked through the cracks in the walls and ceiling, dancing across the room. It was eerie.

“It’s beautiful,” Jaime whispered.

“It’s filthy.”

Jaime turned the light on again, flashing it around the room, exposing the spider webs that decorated the furniture and fixtures.

Then she shined it against the wall, illuminating the cot she’d brought over early that morning. She stole the sheets from the house they’d stayed in last night. At least they were clean. Leaning against the cot was the shotgun she’d found last night.

“Lie down here.”

She eased Megan down, then helped her swing her legs up.

“Comfortable?”

“It’ll do.”

Jaime squatted down beside her and took her hand. “I’ve moved the dresser against the front door so that’s barricaded. The only way in is the back door.” She handed Megan the small flashlight.

“Keep this. And I put a couple of water bottles down here beside you,” she said, holding one up to show her. Then she picked up the shotgun and laid it beside her. “Keep this too.”

Megan shook her head.

“Yes. Just in case, Megan.”

“I can’t.”

Jaime patted her hand. “Just in case.”

She stood but Megan grabbed her hand when she moved to walk away.

“You’re going after him? But you promised Sara you wouldn’t.”

“I’m going to the edge of town, the way we came in. And if I see him, then yeah, I’m going after the bastard.”

Megan let her hand fall away, nodding. “Okay. I’m too tired to argue.”

“It’s going to be fine, Megan. Try not to worry. By this evening, you’ll be in a hospital room.”

“Now there’s something to look forward to,” she said dryly.

“Okay, hold up,” Sara said, turning to face the others, her eyes looking past them to the trail they’d just come down. Yes, she’d promised Jaime. Yes, leaving was probably the most sensible thing to do. But it just didn’t feel right. The farther she got from St.

Elmo, the worse she felt. The nagging, itching feeling she’d tried to shake just wouldn’t go away no matter how often she told herself she was doing the right thing.

“What’s wrong?”

Sara shook her head. “Something.”

“What?”

She took a deep breath then pointed ahead of them. “You stay on this road until you come to the Cumberland Pass cutoff. Then you take the road to the right. It’s a straight downhill shot into Tin Cup. You can’t miss it.”

Abby stepped forward, her hands spread. “Sara? What are you doing?”

“I’m going back.”

“No way. Jaime said we were not to turn back no matter what. Jaime said we weren’t to stop until we reached Tin Cup.”

“Well I don’t give a shit what Jaime said,” Sara said loudly. “I’ve got a bad feeling, okay? And I don’t think she and Megan should be there alone.”

“We’re safer away from there, Sara. You know that,” Celia reasoned.

“Yeah.
We’re
safer. What about them?” she asked, pointing back the way they’d come. “What about
them
?”

“What can you do?” Lou Ann asked. “Jaime’s the cop. She knows best, Sara.”

Sara turned away, her eyes looking skyward. Yes, Jaime knew best. She sent her away to be safe without regard to her own safety.