On the Run Read online

  Regardless, she reasoned, Brad was special. Anybody who stood up and defended her the way he had deserved the benefit of the doubt and she was certainly ready to give it to him. Truth to tell, she might also be ready to like him, regardless.

  TWO

  Speevey was ranting and raving as he paced the deserted reaches of the motel parking lot, his cell phone pressed to his ear. “No. I’ve gotta go get my boys first.”

  Listening, Brad wondered how long the old man intended to argue with whoever was on the line. Even the toughest criminal had to bow to whoever ran the show, and it sounded as if Speevey was going too far with his refusals.

  “All right, all right. I’ve got one man left standin’ who can make the pickup. Where and when?...Okay. Got it.”

  Speevey scribbled on a scrap of paper and thrust it at Brad as he ended his call. “Be at that corner for the pickup at noon and bring the goods back here. If I’m gone, wait for me.”

  “How long? How far away are you going to be?”

  The lined face hardened. “Not far. I’m goin’ back for my boys and my car—and to take care of unfinished business. I’ve got a score to settle with a certain nurse.”

  Although Brad was certain only Tim was still alive, he pretended otherwise. He reached for his leather bomber jacket and eyed the gray sky. “You’ll need me and my pickup to help move them, especially if it rains. Let me come with you.”

  “You just do your job and stay out of my personal space. You kept beggin’ to be trusted. Well, now’s your chance.”

  “Yes, sir, Mr. Speevey. I’m on it.”

  Brad wheeled and started to circle his truck. A loud, harsh “Hey!” sounded behind him.

  He froze, his hand gripping the door handle. “What?”

  “This,” Speevey said, reaching into his pants pocket.

  For a split second, Brad thought he was going for another gun. When a small, black cell phone sailed through the air toward him instead, he caught it instinctively. Getting the phone was a sign he was earning more trust.

  Without another word he climbed behind the wheel, tossing the cell phone onto the seat. He didn’t dare show up at the hospital himself but now he could easily call his chief and ask him to arrange for a protection detail. Things were looking up.

  Brad whipped into a parking lot three blocks from the motel, left his truck idling and grabbed up the phone. His call went to Chief Winterhaven’s private voice mail. Leaving a detailed message was out of the question since they didn’t know who to trust. So what were his other options? He saw only one and took it.

  “Springfield Medical. How may I direct your call?”

  “Nurse Janie Kirkpatrick in the ER, please.”

  “Sorry. She’s clocked out.”

  “Okay, listen, this is Officer...Tucker,” Brad said, hoping his memory for names and precincts was as sharp as ever and praying he’d picked a feasible name out of those he’d memorized. “I misplaced her phone number after that incident today in your ER. It’s vital that I reach her ASAP. Can you help me?”

  “I’m sorry, Officer. We don’t give out employees’ private information. Why don’t you contact the cops who were on scene? Maybe they can help you.”

  He was about to start pleading when she added, “Hold on. Here’s one of them.” Brad heard her speaking in the background. “It’s some cop. Says his name is Tucker. He’s asking for Kirkpatrick’s phone number and I’m not allowed to give it out.”

  A genial male voice came on the line. “Hey, Tuck, up to your old tricks? If you wanted her number you should have just asked her for it.”

  Brad couldn’t believe he’d gotten this far with such a flimsy ruse. “Yeah, yeah.” He was working to keep his breathing even and his voice muted. “Give a guy a break.”

  “Okay. Hold on. But you’ll owe me one.” Reciting an area code and phone number, the cop chuckled. “Have fun.”

  All Brad said was, “Thanks,” before ending that call and punching in Janie’s number.

  He’d almost given up when a sweet voice said, “Hello?”

  “Ms. Kirkpatrick? Janie Kirkpatrick?”

  “Yes. Who is this?”

  “A friend. You’re in danger. Don’t ask questions, just hit the road. Now. And don’t tell anybody where you’re going.”

  “Why should I believe you? Who are you?”

  “The guy from the ER.”

  He heard her loud intake of breath. “Brad?”

  “Yeah. My boss is coming after you. You need to run. It’s not safe for you to stay anywhere in Springfield. Keep this number in case you need help and let me know you’re safe once you get far enough away.”

  He thought he heard her snort derisively right before she drawled, “Oh, right.” A little dog was yapping in the background, as if she had taken the phone away from her ear and was about to hang up.

  “Wait!” Brad was desperate. “You have to believe me.”

  “Why should I?”

  That was an excellent question considering how little she knew about him and the trauma of the events in the ER. “I can’t give you any details,” he said soberly.

  “Then goodbye.”

  “No! Think. You met me. Did I seem like the others? Really?”

  There was a brief hesitation before she said, “No,” but Brad wasn’t satisfied that she was taking him seriously enough so he resorted to pleading. “Please, give me the benefit of the doubt. You know I didn’t belong with those other men. You could sense it. I’m sure you could.”

  “You’re assuming a lot,” Janie replied.

  “Because a lot is hanging on this conversation,” Brad said.

  “Like what?”

  He blew a noisy sigh before he spoke. “Like your survival.”

  * * *

  Janie knew she could be the victim of a hoax, yet there was something genuine about that man. Plus, it wasn’t smart to ignore such a specific warning. Not without investigating it. But how?

  Staring at her phone, she decided to save the number Brad had called from, just in case. Even if she didn’t need it herself she could always turn it over to the police. That’s what a normal person would do.

  “But I’m not normal, am I, Pixie?” she murmured to her dog. Pixie whirled in circles at her feet, yipping happily at being noticed.

  “Yes, baby. I know you love me, anyway. I just wish...”

  Scooping up the little wiggly dog, she held her close to draw comfort as regret washed over her. It didn’t matter that the wiry thug had been trying to shoot her. He was the one who had been killed and for that she was truly sorry. Deep down, however, she was also glad to have been the one who had survived and that bothered her enough to pray, “Father, forgive me.”

  Long ago she had vowed to break the cycle of abuse she’d been trapped in for so long. That was why she’d chosen to change her last name, become a nurse and help people. It was also why she felt ashamed about being the survivor of the hand-to-hand battle. Had she somehow reinforced her strength via anger or a wish for retribution? Was it possible that the darkness lurking in all three of her brothers had stained her heart a little, too? After all, they’d had the same parents.

  “I’m not like them,” Janie insisted.

  Pixie obviously agreed because she slurped Janie’s cheek.

  Although she said, “Enough!” the messy show of affection helped draw her back to the present problem. She looked around her small apartment, realizing she had no way to keep out a determined assassin and no means of defense other than her martial arts skill. Plus, she had Pixie to worry about.

  If she was anything, Janie concluded, she was smart. And wary. Why not go straight to the local police instead of going on the run? Because she needed more details about her supposed enemies before showing up at a police station insisting she was the target of assassins. A lot more details if she hoped to be believed.

  Her mind countered with the unsettling premise that the call had been a ruse and somebody was waiting to pick her off as soon as she stepped outside.

  Was she taking a bigger risk by delaying her departure until dark? Would Brad know the answer?

  Maybe, she reasoned, but no way was she going to call back and ask him. Saving her life once—or more—didn’t automatically make him an honest man. Considering the crowd he ran with, there wasn’t anything on earth that would convince her to trust him that much.

  * * *

  A quick detour past the hospital hadn’t taken Brad far from the rendezvous point on Battlefield Boulevard. To his relief, there were patrol cars stationed outside the ER as well as around front. That would do for now.

  Since he’d heard high-pitched barking in the background of his call to Janie he’d been assured she was at home. That would give her extra time to escape—if she actually did as he’d instructed. Considering her disbelieving attitude he figured it was a toss-up.

  In the meantime, he’d fulfilled his assigned task and had gone back to the motel with the duffel of drugs. Speevey was there waiting for him. So were two other men whose countenance made the former Speevey trio look like upstanding citizens. One of these men seemed tense while the second, a balding, smarmy guy, stared daggers at everybody. Empty bottles and cans indicated that they had been drinking.

  Brad swaggered in. “Started the party without me?”

  “There’s cops all over the hospital,” Speevey said, slurring his words. “Couldn’t get back in.” He smiled and gestured with his whole arm. “Called in reinforcements.”

  “I see that.” Brad stuck out his hand. Nobody shook it so he backed off. “What’s the plan?”

  “People are workin’ on it. Soon as we find out where that nurse lives, we’ll head over there.”

  “I can scout it out for you. Let you know what she’s up to,” Brad offered.

  Speevey had tears in his eyes when he said, “I’ll tell you what she’ll be doin’. She’ll be dyin’ just like my Bubba did if I have any say in it.”

  A hidden shiver shot up Brad’s spine and prickled the hair at the nape of his neck. What he needed to do was somehow ally himself with the new men and be taken back to the main organization instead of being eliminated as excess baggage. He was trying to work out how to accomplish that when the bald thug took a call.

  Listening intently, Brad didn’t hear him say a thing except, “Got it,” before hanging up. When the others started for the door, Brad followed. Speevey paid no attention to him but Baldy did. “You. Stay right here and guard the product. We’ll take care of business and be back for you when we’re done.”

  “Sure thing.” His gaze took in all three expressions. Only Speevey seemed enthused about their mission. The others deadpanned, making them hard to read and convincing Brad they were trouble with a capital T.

  The door slammed behind them. Brad slipped his hand into his jacket pocket to reassure himself that his cell phone was still there. He’d half expected the others to confiscate it but he supposed doing so would have been too transparent, particularly if they intended to return and execute him as an unwanted witness once they were through with Speevey.

  At this point he figured he had two choices. He could sit there like a duck in a shooting gallery and wait for them to decide to eliminate him. Or he could take off and see if he could locate the nurse before they did. His only advantage, as far as he knew, was having her phone number.

  He whipped out his phone and redialed, surprised when she answered. Sounds of traffic in the background melded with car radio music and the swish of windshield wipers.

  “Sounds like you’re on the road. That’s good,” Brad said. When he got no reply, he continued, “Listen. If I have your phone number, others will soon have it, too. I’m serious about this, Ms. Kirkpatrick. You need to take steps to cover your tracks.”

  Pausing, he was about to resume giving her instructions when she spoke. “You really were telling the truth.” It wasn’t a question.

  “Yes. As I said, I can’t explain everything but you can trust me. Do you have plenty of cash on you?”

  “Some. I stopped at a couple of ATMs and withdrew my limit.”

  “Good. I’d tell you to dump your phone and buy a new one except I may need to get in touch with you again.” Picturing her flipping Bubba over her head, he almost smiled. “I’m afraid you might try to ditch me, too, if you bought a new phone.”

  “It did occur to me.”

  “Smart lady. The thing is, you need me on your side.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because I want to help you.” Brad waited for an argument. When he didn’t get one he realized she had disconnected.

  He redialed.

  Janie said, “Leave me alone,” instead of hello.

  “Wait! Don’t hang up again.”

  “Why shouldn’t I?”

  “Because—because you know me.”

  “What?” The music faded as if she’d turned down the radio.

  “You know me. Think back. Kansas City. Seven or eight years ago.”

  “Were you a friend of my brothers’?”

  “No! No,” Brad said quickly. “The opposite.”

  “Keep talking.”

  Brad was trapped by his own partial confession. If he didn’t explain, she was going to hang up again. If he did tell her who he really was and she was overtaken, she might inadvertently reveal too much. However, since he figured he was inches from being on a hit list, anyway, taking Janie into his confidence was the smartest move.

  “I’m a police officer, Ms. Kirkpatrick. I was working undercover when Tim, one of the men I was with, was shot. When we brought him to the hospital, I thought I recognized you from an old case back in KC.”

  “What kind of case?”

  There was enough doubt in her voice to let him know he was on the right track. “Domestic abuse,” he said solemnly. “If you’re the person I think you are, you had a couple of really rough brothers.”

  “Three. There were three.”

  “But your name wasn’t Kirkpatrick, was it?”

  “No. I changed it when I left home. My mother had passed away and my dad spent every cent he had on alcohol. I just wanted to disappear.”

  “I can understand that.”

  Waiting for her reply, Brad pictured the person she had once been and contrasted that image with her current persona. The woman had literally transformed herself from a scared teen to a capable nurse who wasn’t afraid to do what she knew was right, and he had to admire her.

  Finally, he broke the silence. “Are you still there?”

  “Yes, I...”

  Tension in her tone was unsettling. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”

  “There’s a big black car behind me. It keeps changing lanes when I do.”

  “Do you think you’re being followed? Is it Speevey?”

  “Can’t tell. The windows are tinted really dark.”

  “Okay, try to lose them.”

  “Hah!” Cynicism tinged Janie’s reply. “What do you think I’ve been doing?”

  “Where are you? Tell me where you are!”

  Instead, he heard the screeching of tires, the yipping of her little dog and a gasp from Janie.

  “Talk to me! Where?” Brad shouted into the phone.

  “Campbell and...Seminole!” She broke off, letting out a bloodcurdling scream.

  “Janie!”

  THREE

  Rain was stopping but had left the roadway wet. Janie had shrieked when she’d fumbled her phone and almost lost control of her compact car as she’d skidded around the corner onto Seminole. Traffic was congested. That was a plus and a minus. It helped, up to a point. As long as she didn’t let herself get bogged down she might be okay.

  No one had taught her defensive driving but some moves came naturally, thanks to surging adrenaline. Having a small car was also to her advantage because she could slip in and out of the lines of cars more easily than the larger vehicle she was certain was following her.

  A distant voice was yelling at her. The phone! What had happened to her phone?

  Pixie had wiggled out the top of her pink canvas carrier and was digging at the space between the passenger seat and center console. “Is my cell down there, baby?” Janie asked, not bothered by the idea she was asking a dog. “Can you get it? Get it, Pixie!”

  The little dog jumped to the floor and began scratching at the narrow space, her little white paws flying. She was growling and barking while the slim cell phone kept making noises Janie couldn’t decipher.

  She checked her rearview mirrors. The black car wasn’t there anymore. Had it missed the turn? She certainly hoped it had, although that wasn’t enough to convince her she was in the clear.

  Pixie was still yipping and trying to dig the cell phone loose. Janie made a cautious turn onto Jefferson, watching both directions in case her enemies were circling the block. The idea that they might be doing so convinced her to make another quick turn onto Crestview and pull into the small parking lot at a neighborhood park. There, she hid herself among a line of cars, turned off the engine and ducked down, picking up the dropped phone once it was within reach.

  She and Brad were still connected and he was shouting, “North or south on Seminole? Janie! Answer me!”

  “Hush,” she managed as soon as he paused to take a breath. “I’m fine for now.”

  “You scared me to death, lady. Where are you? What’s been happening?”

  “I dropped the phone when I turned a sharp corner and Pixie’s been trying to dig it out ever since.”

  “I heard her.”

  “Yeah, sorry about that.” She raised on one elbow to scan the street and surroundings. “I think I got away. I’m just not sure how long it’ll be before they find me.”

  “Are you parked or driving?”