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But he refused to give up. If he died today, that was fine, but he’d make sure to take these two gunmen with him. He had no idea why these guys were following Meredith and Hailey, but no way would he allow either of them to be hurt.
Nate adjusted his aim, trying to anticipate the gunmen’s next move. Seconds passed by with impossible slowness, but he knew the value of patience.
The two men came in with a one-two punch, guns blazing. Nate fired in return, taking the first guy down even as one bullet whistled past his own head, while another plowed through the tabletop, mere inches from Nate’s right shoulder. He fired at the second guy, catching him in the upper arm. The gunman cried out in pain and dropped his gun, sliding to the floor with a surprised expression in his eyes.
Nate didn’t hesitate, leaping over the table and kicking both of the gunmen’s weapons well out of the way before checking to see if they were still alive.
They both were.
The first guy was bleeding from his abdomen, so Nate grabbed some towels and pressed them over the wound. He pulled a chair over, tipping it on its side to add pressure and slow down the bleeding.
The other guy was still conscious, holding his own hand over the wound in his biceps. “You’re not going to get away with this,” he said in a harsh tone.
“You’re the one who fired at a cop,” Nate said grimly, even though he had no idea what he’d stumbled into. He quickly cuffed the man to a metal bar beneath the table and then spun on his heel to head back to the bathroom where Meredith was hiding with Hailey. He was stunned to hear singing, catching the phrase “Jesus loves me.” The choice surprised him since Meredith hadn’t ever been particularly religious in high school.
Obviously things had changed. She not only was alive and had a daughter but also believed in God.
“Meredith? It’s me, Nate. Are you and Hailey all right?”
The singing stopped, and he could hear movement inside before the door opened a crack, revealing Meredith’s face. “We’re fine, but what happened?”
“The guys who followed you are both—taken care of.” Nate amended what he was going to say in deference to the little girl. He pushed the bathroom door open wider, giving Hailey a reassuring smile. “The bad guys are going to be arrested so they can’t hurt you anymore. I have backup and an ambulance on the way. Meredith, I need to know what’s going on.”
She shook her head. “My name isn’t Meredith. It’s Melissa. Melissa Harris. And we can’t stay. We need to get out of here, now. Before anyone else sees us.”
Nate knew the woman was Meredith, and the name Melissa wasn’t that much different. She’d obviously changed it, but for the life of him he didn’t know why. “Meredith—Melissa, your name doesn’t matter to me. I remember you from high school, and I know very well you remember me, too.” He crossed his arms over his chest and planted himself in front of the bathroom doorway. “You’re not leaving. Not until you tell me what’s going on.”
Her gaze implored him to listen to reason. “Please let us go. Making me talk to the police will only put us in more danger.”
Nate stared at her, trying to understand what was going on. “I’ve wounded two men,” he said bluntly. “I’m a sheriff’s deputy sworn to uphold the law. I can’t just leave.”
Melissa actually winced. “I know, and I’m sorry. Of course you can’t leave. We’ll go on our own. You have to trust me on this, Nate. I refuse to put my daughter’s life in jeopardy.”
Nate glanced down at Hailey. Her tear-streaked face and the fear reflected in her hazel gaze ripped a hole in his heart.
He closed his eyes and sighed, knowing he was likely going to regret this. “Okay, let’s get out of here. I’m coming with you.”
Melissa’s eyes widened in surprise. “Where?”
“If you think I’m letting you go off on your own, you’re nuts. You have two choices. Stay here and wait for my backup or allow me to take you someplace safe.”
She hesitated and then reluctantly nodded. “Okay. We’ll go with you, for now.”
He planned to stick with her longer than for now, but there wasn’t time to argue. His team would be here at any second.
His boss, Griff, would likely fire him for leaving the scene of a police shooting, but there wasn’t anything he could do about that now. Not when the fear he saw in Melissa was too real. No way was he going to put a woman and her child in danger.
And he was determined to get to the bottom of whatever Melissa was involved in.
* * *
Melissa couldn’t believe that out of all the people to stumble across in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, it would be Nate Freemont.
Her old high school sweetheart.
The man she’d been forced to leave behind.
She wasn’t totally surprised to find out he was a cop, since law enforcement was all he’d talked about back when they were in school. Twelve years later, fate, or maybe God, had brought them back together. Being with a cop was dangerous, and she told herself that after he’d helped her get away, she’d ditch Nate as soon as she could.
Deep down, she was relieved not to be alone. Hailey didn’t deserve to be in danger like this. Melissa knew coming home to see her father in the hospital before he passed away had been a mistake. She’d thought for sure everyone around here believed her dead and buried.
Apparently not. Something she should have been prepared for, since after all, there was no statute of limitations on murder. Despite the fact that she’d changed her identity and faked her death, they’d found her. She’d noticed a tail on her as soon as she’d left the hospital, so she’d come to the busy megamall, trying to disappear into the crowd of people. Her intent had been to hop a bus, but Nate had shown up before she’d been able to make her way back outside.
And then he’d solved the problem by taking down the two men who’d followed her.
She picked up Hailey and followed Nate out of the break room, glancing at the two men who lay wounded. She shivered, feeling sick at the thought of what might have happened if Nate hadn’t seen her and recognized her. Granted, hearing him call her by her birth name had been a shock. But she might not have escaped the gunmen if not for Nate’s help. She’d prayed for him while she and Hailey had hidden in the bathroom singing church songs.
“This way,” Nate said, gesturing over to the right. There was a long hallway that ended with a door marked Exit. She took Hailey’s hand and headed down the hall.
“Mommy, I’m hungry,” Hailey whined.
“I know, sweetheart. We’ll get something to eat soon,” she said, trying to soothe her daughter.
Nate nodded, and when he smiled, he reminded her so much of the young man she’d fallen for all those years ago. “We’ll get something to eat, but first we need to get to my car, okay?”
Hailey gazed up at Nate with big solemn hazel eyes, and Melissa’s heart squeezed in her chest at the hero worship she saw reflected there. Hailey was too young to remember her own father, who’d died before she was even born. It was only logical that she’d latch on to Nate as a father figure, especially after he’d saved their lives.
“We’re going to have to walk in the snow,” Nate said, his tone apologetic as he gestured to the heavy metal door leading outside. “I’m parked way on the other side of the mall.”
“No problem,” Melissa said. She didn’t want to go anywhere near her rusty old sedan, even though it had cost her dearly—five hundred in cash. The gunmen had followed her from the hospital, which meant her license plate number was compromised. For all she knew, they’d already reported the information to whoever was paying them.
She tried not to give in to the wave of hopelessness. She would not only have to escape from Nate but also need to find a new vehicle. She didn’t have enough money to buy another car, so she’d be forced to take a series of buses to their next destination. Wherever that might be.
Nate pushed open the door and gestured for her and Hailey to go out first. A blast of cold air hit her in the face, stealing her breath. Melissa bent over to tie Hailey’s scarf over her daughter’s nose and mouth.
“It might be better if I carry her,” Nate said in a low voice. “We’ll get to my car faster that way.”
She nodded, knowing he was right. “Hailey? This is my friend, Nate. He’s going to carry you to the car, okay?”
“Okay,” Hailey agreed.
Under normal circumstances, Melissa wouldn’t have been at all happy to know her daughter was willing to let a stranger carry her. But nothing about this trip back to Milwaukee was normal. She wished she’d made a different decision, but it was too late to go back and change the past. After all this time, it should have been safe enough to fulfill her father’s dying wish to see his only grandchild.
But it wasn’t. The only thing she could do now was to disappear again, creating new identities for herself and Hailey.
Melissa quickened her pace to keep up with Nate’s long strides as they made their way through the snow-covered parking lot. She hadn’t seen snow like this in years, although Hailey had been thrilled with the idea of having a white Christmas. Thankfully the snow had stopped, but the ground was still slippery.
A half dozen police cars were parked around the entrance to the mall where she’d come into the building, and her heart leaped into her throat. Was the dirty cop there right now? Pretending to be one of the good guys?
Nate didn’t glance over at the police cars, leading the way to the furthest part of the parking lot.
When they reached the vehicle, she remembered Hailey’s booster seat.
“Hailey will have to ride in the back,” she said as Nate opened the passenger-side door. “Her car seat is still in my car, along with our suitcase.”
“We’ll pick them up,” Nate assured her.
“Thanks.” Melissa scooted into the backseat beside Hailey, while Nate slid behind the wheel. He started the car and then went back outside to brush off the light covering of snow.
She shivered, trying to remember where she’d left her car. Not far from here, she recalled, but near the area where the police cars were gathered. The thought of going any closer filled her with dread.
Should she forget about the child safety seat and their meager belongings? She’d rather not, since the lack of a booster chair could get them pulled over. Either way, it would bring her too close to the police for comfort.
“All set?” Nate asked as he came back into the car.
“Yes.” She forced herself to sound more confident than she felt. “I parked three rows over, closer to the building.”
“Okay.” Nate backed out of the parking space and followed her directions. She huddled beside Hailey as the red-and-blue lights flashed around them.
“There—the tan sedan parked beside the white pickup truck.” She pulled the keys out of her purse, which was slung across her chest beneath her coat, and handed them to Nate.
Within five minutes, Nate had their suitcase stored in his trunk and the booster seat secured in the backseat with Hailey belted in. Melissa chose to stay in the back with her daughter, but Nate didn’t object.
It wasn’t until they left the mall parking lot that she was able to breathe easier. It was a huge relief to know that she and Hailey were safe, from both the gunmen and the police.
Well, except for Nate.
The sick feeling in her stomach returned with a vengeance. Nate was a good guy, and she knew that he’d put his career on the line to help them.
Yet he was the last person she could trust with her secret. He couldn’t know the reason she’d run away from Milwaukee days after their high school graduation twelve years ago.
The same reason she remained a target all these years later. All because she’d witnessed something she shouldn’t have seen. Corruption of local politics as well as local law enforcement.
Dragging Nate into this mess would only hurt him and damage his reputation beyond repair in the long run. The best thing she could do for him was to disappear once and for all.
Never to be heard from again.
TWO (#ulink_b5822db4-edf9-59f3-95c9-a2d499086cf0)
Nate kept an eye on Melissa using the rearview mirror. Her face was pale, her expression strained. He squelched a flash of empathy. Granted, she and Hailey had been through a lot, but he wasn’t about to let her off the hook, not by a long shot. The minute Melissa and Hailey were safe, he was going to get the answers he needed about what was going on.
Leaving the scene of the crime after he’d shot and wounded two men, even in self-defense, was the hardest thing he’d ever done. Doubt battered his conscience as he drove through the darkness of night.
What did he really know about Melissa after all these years? Obviously she wasn’t the same girl he’d fallen for in high school. For all he knew, Melissa could be mixed up in all sorts of things now, even something criminal.
Yet he’d risked everything by leaving with her. What on earth had he been thinking?
“Mommy, I’m hungry,” Hailey said, her tone plaintive.
He’d almost forgotten his promise to feed the little girl. He gestured through the windshield. “There’s a fast-food restaurant up ahead. Do you want me to go into the drive-through?”
“Yes, please,” Melissa said, reaching over to put her hand on her daughter’s arm. “Would you like some chicken bites?”
Hailey’s head bobbed up and down. “Yay! Chicken bites!”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Nate found himself smiling at the child’s enthusiasm. And the truth hit him like a fist to the solar plexus. The real reason he’d left the scene of the crime was for Hailey’s safety. The little girl didn’t deserve to be dragged into danger, to be chased by men with guns.
Hailey was the true innocent in all of this. And he was determined to do whatever was necessary to keep the child safe from harm.
He pulled into the drive-through lane and waited in line for their turn. “Chicken bites for Hailey. What do you want, Mer—uh, Melissa? And what would you like to drink?”
“I’ll have a cheeseburger and water. Milk for Hailey, please.” She dug in her pocket for money, but he frowned and shook his head, waving it away.
Nate ordered a cheeseburger for himself, too, before pulling up to the next window to pay. When they were given their food, he handed the bag back to Melissa.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “Here’s your sandwich,” she added, handing up his wrapped burger.
“No problem.” He pulled over to park so he could eat. He listened while Melissa assisted Hailey with her chicken bites, encouraging the little girl to drink her milk.
He couldn’t deny Melissa was an attentive mother. Was she putting on an act for his benefit? He didn’t think so. But just caring about her daughter didn’t necessarily mean she was completely innocent in whatever had caused the two men to follow her through the mall. As much as he wanted to believe she wasn’t a criminal, he knew better than most that power and greed could turn the most innocent to a life of crime.
And he was determined to get to the bottom of whatever she’d got herself involved in.
“Why did you disappear after graduation?” he asked.
Melissa didn’t say anything for a long moment. “I’d rather not talk about this right now, Nate,” she murmured in a low voice, tipping her head toward Hailey.
He drew in a ragged breath, fighting his frustration. He understood that she wanted to protect her daughter from whatever had happened back then. Or from whatever caused her to run away now. Still, he couldn’t help feeling as if she had no intention of cooperating with him, despite the fact that he’d risked his career for her.
Shot two men to keep them safe.
Nate forced himself to finish his burger, which tasted like sawdust on his tongue. He’d find a motel room for Melissa and Hailey to stay in for tonight, but he wasn’t about to let them out of his sight.
Not until he found out who she was running from and why.
* * *
Melissa wasn’t hungry but knew she needed to eat to keep up her strength. The grief of her father’s impending death, which she’d pushed into the background when faced with the threat of danger, returned full force, making her throat swell with repressed tears.
A wave of fury filled her chest, and she had to make herself let go of her anger at the unfairness of it all. Since when was life fair? Right from the beginning, she’d been an innocent bystander. In the wrong place at the wrong time.
Hadn’t she suffered enough? She’d lost her home and her life, not to mention Nate. She’d started over in a new place with a new identity, not just once but twice. Thankfully she’d been able to find enough work to support herself—work she could do primarily at home with a computer. But still, it wasn’t as if designing websites and doing freelance graphic art work would have been her first career choice.
And surely her daughter deserved a better life?
The very idea of going back on the run, starting over and changing their identities again, filled her with despair. Her father had helped finance her new life twelve years ago.
But this time she was on her own.
