Ever Hopeful Page 16

  Cade cursed and was tempted to close his eyes as Laura veered off into one of the fences that lined the drive. She must have kept her foot on the floor though, because she blew right through the fence and the field and came out onto the road on the other side.

  Laura turned the Jeep right, away from town and out toward the highway. As Cade watched, the car that had tried to intercept Laura turned and tried to head across the field after her. Cade turned Cayenne and reached behind him for the rifle he always kept strapped to his saddle when he was out on the ranch. It wasn’t unheard of to run into a wild animal out there and Cade never rode without his rifle.

  He hadn’t worked with Cayenne on loud noises at all, and had no idea how the horse would react to Cade firing a gun from his back. Racehorses heard a lot of loud noises, so it was possible Cayenne would be all right with this. Then again, he might not. Cade sank into his seat as Cayenne charged after the two cars. The horse drew parallel to the cars along the road. Cade said a quick prayer, raised the gun, and fired.

  Cayenne held steady on the first shot, but it went wide. The second found its mark, taking out the back wheel of the car, and Cade watched as Laura kept driving. He wanted to pull her back, back where he could protect her from whatever was happening. But, he couldn’t. Laura was gone.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Cade hadn’t been surprised to see Shane pull in behind the sheriff and the ambulance. It wouldn’t hurt to have his brother with him through all of this. A man identifying himself as Alec Hall, Laura’s husband’s business partner, claimed he and Justin arrived to try to talk to Laura and she pulled a gun on them. He said she shot Justin, told Red to attack him, and then took off in the Jeep.

  Cade could barely control the rage building in him as he listened to the story. Justin Kensington was being airlifted to the closest hospital. He was unconscious, so questioning him about what had happened was out of the question. Cade hadn’t missed the surprised look on Alec Hall’s face when the paramedics rolled Justin out on a stretcher.

  He’d covered it quickly by saying he had thought his friend was dead and he was relieved to hear he wasn’t, but Cade saw through that. Whatever this man was up to, he wasn’t happy to know Justin Kensington was going to live. Hall had been spouting about the cash and a fake identity he’d found for Laura back in Connecticut. He was ranting about Laura not being what she seemed. Cade had been able to explain the ID to John, but that didn’t help matters much.

  Cade and Shane now stood with Sheriff John Davies, who had finished questioning everyone present. “My hands are tied, guys. Their statements all match. I can’t hold them without anything more. If you had seen what happened, Cade, it’d be a different story, but until we either find Laura, or Justin Kensington wakes up and tells us what happened, I’ve got nothing to hold these guys on. I can take them down to the station to get their statements, but I can’t keep them there long.”

  Cade cursed under his breath.

  “I have to put out an ATL alert on Laura,” John went on quietly.

  Shane looked at Cade and translated. “Attempt-to-Locate.”

  “I’ll make sure it’s clear she’s just a potential witness to an incident. I just don't have a choice right now, Cade. This is an attempted-murder investigation now, and if Justin Kensington doesn’t make it, we’re looking at manslaughter, at best.”

  Cade couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He wanted to haul off and hit his friend, but he also knew this wasn’t John’s fault. John didn’t have a choice. Cade just knew he needed to get to Laura before Alec Hall tracked her down again. He hoped she would be at their first meeting spot. After the way they left things, he wasn’t entirely confident Laura would show up.

  ***

  Cade watched the front door of Baird Diner in Searcy, Arkansas from the window of his motel room across the street. He’d gotten in town the night before and had slept a few hours, but most of the time he’d been in the window watching for any sign of Laura. He wondered if she’d been holed up in the motel like him or if she could be sleeping in the Jeep. He assumed Red was with her since no one had seen the dog since Alec and Justin had shown up on the ranch, so she may just be camping out in the car with his dog.

  At ten minutes to noon, Cade grabbed his duffel bag and left the motel. He tossed his bag in the back seat and pulled his car over to the diner, careful to park off to one side. He had no idea how he’d even begin to look for Laura if she didn’t show up here or at the other locations on the list. He guessed he’d have to find his own investigators if she didn’t show up at any of the meeting points as planned.

  After ten of the slowest minutes of his life, Cade saw the Jeep come down the street. Laura slowed a little ways down from the diner as if she were watching, waiting to see if anyone waited for her. She pulled into the lot and parked, then got out of the Jeep. Red sat waiting in the passenger seat, scanning the lot with the vigilance of a sentry assigned to watch duty.

  Cade opened his car door and whistled. Red’s head came up and she and Laura both turned his way. The relief Cade felt when he saw the look on Laura’s face couldn’t have been greater. Laura smiled at him, and he closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms.

  “I was so afraid you wouldn’t be here,” he said, the words coming out muffled as he buried his face in her hair, nuzzling at her neck. Red leapt out of the truck and circled them, then stood with her body pressed against their legs. Cade wanted to get Laura out of there, but he needed just a minute more before they moved. Moving meant pulling his arms away from her, and he wasn’t ready to let her go again.

  Laura clung to him as though she needed him as much as he needed her. “Alec shot Justin,” she said into Cade’s chest.

  “I know, honey. Justin’s in a critical condition and he’s still unconscious. They operated on him but he’s in a coma. It’s a waiting game right now to see if he’ll pull out of it,” Cade said.

  She pulled back and looked up into his eyes. He could almost see the internal struggle going on. She rose slowly on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, and that was all the permission he needed. Cade pulled her tight and took over the kiss, delving into her mouth to taste what he’d thought he’d never have again. She tasted of sweetness and honey and all things good and innocent in the world.

  Someone nearby cleared their throat and Cade pushed Laura behind him, ready to fight to keep from ever being separated from her again. It was nothing threatening. An older gentleman with laughing eyes watched them as he entered the diner. Cade took Laura by the hand.

  “Do you have anything you need to get from the Jeep?” he asked. She was carrying the backpack he’d put in the Jeep for her a week ago. It had some clothing and a little money to tide her over until she got to the bus station for the money Shane had left her. She shook her head.

  “Did you get to the bus station?”

  “Yes,” she said and pulled the backpack around to her front and touched the small zipper pocket on the side. “I got the money Shane left. I’ve been staying in a motel in the next town over. The night clerk looked the other way while I snuck Red in at night.”

  “Good. Come on,” Cade said and pulled her toward his car. “I don’t want to stay here any longer than we need to. We’ll leave the Jeep here and go in my car.”

  He realized he was dragging a pregnant woman away from a diner and wondered if she needed to eat. “Have you eaten? Do we need to get you food first?” he asked looking around the lot to be sure Alec Hall or the PIs weren’t closing in, even though he knew they hadn’t followed him and the chances of them tracing her to that location so quickly were slim.

  “I ate before I came just in case I had to run again,” Laura said and his heart flipped. He hated the thought of her having to run again—even if he was with her this time.

  Cade nodded and opened the door to let Red jump in the back while Laura climbed in front.

  “I think we should drive for a few hours before we find a place to st
ay so we’re nowhere near the first meeting point,” Cade said as he got in and started the car. “We need to lay low for a while. Alec and the two private investigators said you were the one who shot Justin. Right now, John Davies has nothing else to go on since it will only be your word against theirs and they couldn’t find the gun at the scene.”

  “I have the gun,” Laura said, looking down at the backpack between her feet. “Can’t they test for gunshot residue or something? You see that all the time on TV.” Laura turned and rubbed Red’s head. Red looked happy to have her people back together again. She lay with her head between the two seats, eyes closed as Laura scratched her between the eyes.

  “They did, but his story covered that. He says you pulled the gun and he grabbed for it and was wrestling with you when you shot Justin, so he had residue on his hands from that. John’s calling in some favors with a forensic specialist back in New York where he worked before coming here. He’s trying to find out if anything about the pattern of the residue or the amount of residue or anything like that can prove he’s lying, but I have no idea what the answer to that will be. For all I know, they won’t be able to tell.”

  Laura didn’t say anything for a long time. “How long do you think I’ll need to hide?”

  Cade threaded his fingers through hers. “We need to hide until I can get ahold of John and tell him your side of the story and see if he’s got any new information and then, what he recommends. He’ll tell us we have to come in, but if it looks as if we’d only be coming in to let him arrest you, I’ll just politely decline his invitation until he finds some evidence to clear you.” Cade lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed the back of them; the relief at having her back safely almost overwhelmed him.

  Laura turned sideways and rested her head on the headrest, looking at Cade as he drove. “I think I like being saved by you, Cade Bishop,” she whispered.

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Cade let Laura sleep for several hours as he drove west, crossing through states in no particular direction. They were in Kansas when he finally pulled into a state park. They might have to show identification to get camping passes, but he doubted the investigators would look to see if anyone was checking into campgrounds under Laura’s name. He hoped to avoid using her name altogether, but that depended on how strict the staff at the campsite was. Some took careful track of names and required ID, and others didn’t.

  Since Laura was asleep when they arrived, the ranger at the gate accepted Cade’s word that she was his wife—a statement that felt oddly good to say—and let them in without identification from her. Cade paid cash and chose a remote spot on the campsite map when given a choice of sites. Laura began to wake as he steered the car down the dirt road that led to the site. They would have been better off in his Jeep, but since Laura had left in the Jeep, the description and license plate were in the alert that went out to law enforcement all over the country. They couldn’t use the Jeep, so they were stuck with May’s Mazda.

  “Where are we?” Laura asked, lifting her head and looking around.

  “Kansas.”

  Laura looked at him for a minute before breaking into laughter. She turned to Red. “He brought us to Kansas, Red. Do you see the irony in that or is it just me?”

  Red looked confused but Cade laughed at Laura. It felt really good to see her laugh again. “We’re camping. I packed a tent and extra bedrolls so you won’t be too uncomfortable on the ground. I can sleep in the car if you want.” He shot her a look from across the car as he pulled to a stop in the little space for a car next to their campsite.

  Laura shook her head. “I don’t want to be alone.”

  The campsite was nothing more than a tiny clearing big enough to pitch a tent and not much else, but there was a little creek within walking distance through the woods that would be a pretty distraction.

  Cade nodded and began gathering their things. He pitched the tent while Laura let Red out of the car. Most likely, there was a rule against having a dog off leash, but Cade hadn’t thought to bring a leash for Red. He watched as Red went off into the edge of the woods to go to the bathroom, but the dog never took her eyes off them and she didn’t stray far. She was back by Laura’s side within minutes.

  “I’ll put up the tent, and then we can drive into town and get dinner. There are granola bars in that bag if you need something in the meantime,” Cade said, pointing to his duffel.

  He suddenly didn’t know what to say to Laura. What he wanted to do was find a nice hotel room somewhere with her, not have her sleeping on the ground out in the woods.

  She was just as quiet. He’d give anything to know what she was thinking.

  Laura ate a granola bar while Cade pitched their tent. She watched as he tossed the bedrolls and sleeping bags in it for later. He popped the trunk of the car again and pulled out the canister of food he’d packed for Red, who immediately showed up by his side, ready to eat. Cade knelt down and put his head on the dog’s shoulder and the dog pressed into him.

  He owed this dog so much for keeping Laura safe. Alec had said Red attacked him, unprovoked, but Cade didn’t buy that for a minute. For Red to gather the nerve to attack, she had to feel she was either being threatened or Laura was.

  “Thank you, girl,” Cade whispered.

  ***

  Their dinner was fast and simple. They had burgers at a roadside place, where it appeared no one looked too closely at Laura. Cade thought one man watched them for a while, but when the man looked elsewhere, decided he was probably paranoid. They’d returned to the campsite and walked to the creek to sit for a bit. There wasn’t exactly a whole lot you could do when you were hiding out in the woods, trying to make sure no one spotted you.

  Cade had called John, and the news wasn’t any better than it had been when he’d left. Justin Kensington was in stable condition, but he was temporarily being kept in a medically induced coma. The doctors didn’t say how long he’d be kept like that.

  “Was John mad at you when you told him you weren’t bringing me home?” Laura asked as they settled by the creek. Cade sat on the ground with his back against a tree and pulled her down into his lap, looping his arms around her.

  “No. He knew I didn’t have a choice, just like I know he has no choice doing what he’s doing. It’s his job. But, I think he’d do the same thing if he were in my shoes.”

  They sat and listened to the sound of the water and watched Red run and play in the stream as the sun went down.

  “Tell me about Lacey,” Laura said, and Cade had to fight not to stiffen. Not because he still had feelings for Lacey. He was over her and he’d gotten past what had happened. He just didn’t want Laura to bolt again.

  “There’s not much to tell. She was sick, that’s all, Laura.”

  Laura turned in his arms and looked at him. “Do you blame yourself for what she did?”

  Cade shook his head. “No. I did for a while. I thought I failed her for not getting her the help she needed, but one day I realized I needed to let that go. I told her dad to get her help. And, the truth is, I couldn’t just stay with her because she threatened to hurt herself. That wasn’t good for either one of us. She needed more than I could give her.”

  Laura settled herself against his chest again. “Did she get help?” she asked.

  Cade nodded and rested his head on her shoulder, breathing in the soft scent of her. “Yes. She’s doing better now. Shane saw her in town recently. She’s living in Austin now with her mom. It sounded like she’s moving on.”

  Cade ran his hands over Laura’s belly, feeling the slight swell that was starting to form.

  “You’re starting to show,” he whispered to her and felt her shiver as his breath ran across her neck.

  “Does it bother you?” Laura asked, twisting to face him.

  He shook his head. “Not one bit.”

  Cade lowered his head and kissed her, the kind of sweet long kiss he loved to get lost in with her. The kind of kiss he knew she hadn�
�t had during her life before this.

  “Take me to bed,” Laura whispered against his lips. Cade pulled back and looked at her, startled that she’d ask him. Laura nodded and pulled his head down for another kiss, but Cade broke the kiss, shaking his head.

  “Not here, Laura. Not like this. You deserve better than a tent in the middle of a national park.”

  Laura leaned back and poked him in the chest with one finger. Hard. “Don’t tell me what I deserve and what’s best for me. I’m a grown woman and I know what I want,” Laura said, emphasizing each word with another poke to his chest. Cade flipped her to her back and covered her mouth with his, taking her lips roughly, deeply. He let all of the pent-up passion he had for her loose and waited for her to panic. Waited for a flashback to her husband or some sign that she was unsure.

  But that’s not what he got. Laura pushed against him. But not with her hands. She lifted her hips and pressed into his, letting him know exactly what she wanted. Cade pulled back and looked in her eyes, seeing nothing but passion and heat and a plea he was powerless to deny. He lifted her and carried her back down the trail to their campsite with Red trailing behind them.

  Cade lay Laura down in the tent and crawled in next to her. He’d dreamed of making love to her for a month, and wanted nothing more than to make this what her husband should have made it for her all those years ago: perfect.

  As he looked into those eyes that had grabbed him the day she’d walked into his world, he made love to her, and knew in his heart he wanted to spend the rest of his life making Laura as happy as he possibly could, giving her everything she ever asked of him and more. He just needed to keep her safe if they were going to have a hope for that future he wanted for them together.

  Chapter Thirty-four