Survival instincts kicked in, and she dropped the suitcase and turned to run. But she quickly lost her footing on the slippery, snow-covered pavement. She felt herself falling and twisted as much as possible, landing on her shoulder in an attempt to avoid landing on her daughter.
She tried to scramble to her feet, but the driver of the car was on her too quickly, preventing her escape. In the dim recesses of her mind she realized Hailey was crying, but her gaze was focused on the man looming over her.
“Now I’ve got you,” he said with savage satisfaction. He reached down and roughly grabbed her arm as if to yank her to her feet.
No! Melissa kicked at the stranger, screaming for help. She tried to jerk from his grasp, but he held on tight. She let go of Hailey. “Run, Hailey! Run!”
Something hard hit her in the face and she bit back a cry of pain, tears springing to her eyes. At the moment all she cared about was giving Hailey time to get away.
Desperate, she kicked at her captor again.
Out of nowhere, a second figure came out of the darkness, grabbing the man around the throat and dragging him off her. At first she didn’t understand what was happening, but then she recognized Nate.
She pushed herself to her feet, taking off after Hailey, scooping her daughter into her arms. Still slipping and sliding, she made her way behind the shelter of the gas station building. As much as she wanted to help Nate take down the guy who’d grabbed her, she knew her priority had to be keeping Hailey away from harm.
Resting against the building, breathing heavily, she closed her eyes and thanked God for sparing them.
“Melissa?” Nate’s deep voice cut through the darkness.
“Here,” she managed in a low tone.
“Are you all right?” he asked, coming over to where she was huddled with Hailey.
Her cheek throbbed with pain, but she nodded. “We’re fine,” she whispered.
“Come on. We need to get out of here,” Nate said grimly.
She shifted Hailey in her arms and made her way toward Nate. He put his hand on the small of her back, guiding her back toward the motel. He paused just long enough to pick up the suitcase she’d dropped and brought it along with them.
She didn’t want to go anywhere near the man who’d hit her, but forced herself to trust Nate. They passed the black car, and she couldn’t help glancing over in that direction.
All she could see was the vehicle listing to one side. It took a minute for her to realize the driver’s side tires were flat.
Had Nate done that to prevent the man from following them? And where was the driver?
She shivered, her stomach clenching with dread. She hadn’t heard the sound of gunfire, but she had to believe Nate had neutralized him somehow. She was deeply thankful he’d noticed she was gone and had come after her.
But how had the driver of the black car found her in the first place?
They must have known she was with Nate. What had he said back at the mall? He’d called for backup? Anyone with a scanner could have heard that information.
Including the dirty cop who’d tried to frame her as a drug addict.
Nate opened the back passenger door of his car and she quickly put Hailey into her booster seat. When Melissa was about to crawl in beside her daughter, Nate stopped her with a firm hand on her arm.
“In front, with me.”
She swallowed hard and nodded, shutting the door and then climbing into the passenger seat. Nate slid in behind the wheel, and soon they were back on the road, heading west, leaving the lights of the city behind.
Silence hung heavy between them.
“What happened to the driver?” she finally asked.
“He’s unconscious, but he’ll be fine,” Nate said in a cold, clipped tone. “Do you mind telling me what you were thinking when you left like that in the middle of the night?”
Protecting you, she thought, but she held her tongue.
“What? No snappy comeback? Do you realize how cold it is outside? What about your daughter?” He was starting to raise his volume, and Hailey whimpered, making him lower his voice. “Where were you going to go without a car?”
She swallowed hard. “I planned to call for a taxi.”
“And go where?” he pressed.
“The bus station.” She looked away from him, staring out at the darkness through the passenger-side window. Several houses were decorated with brightly colored Christmas lights, reminding her of home.
Not her apartment in South Carolina, but the home where she’d grown up. Where she’d lived with her father. Gone to school. Dated Nate. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the cool glass. She’d been so happy back then. How had everything gone so wrong?
“I shouldn’t be surprised you tried to leave without telling me. After all, that’s your usual response.”
The bitter note to his voice made her feel terrible. She forced herself to turn and look at him. “I’m sorry, Nate. I’m sorry I hurt you all those years ago, and I’m sorry I hurt you now. Obviously I’ve put you in danger, too. They must know you’re with me. Otherwise they never would have found us.”
“Yeah, and frankly that’s what’s bothering me the most,” Nate said. “Maybe you should try being honest with me for once. Before we all end up dead.”
She sucked in a harsh breath as the reality of what he was saying struck home. He was absolutely right. Her attempt to protect him had backfired in a big way.
If there had been two men instead of one, this situation could have ended much differently.
They all might have been killed. Murdered in cold blood.
“You know the identity of the five men you saw that night, don’t you?” Nate asked.
“Not all of them, but yes, I knew one of them besides the cop,” she admitted.
“Who?”
She licked her dry lips. “A man with an important job.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
She forced the words past her constricted throat. “Like the mayor of Brookmont, Tom McAllister.”
“Uncle Tom?” Nate repeated hoarsely. “My uncle Tom?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, Nate.” Melissa knew she should have felt better now that the secret was out, but she didn’t.
Because she wasn’t at all sure Nate would believe her. Why would he take her side over his uncle’s? This was exactly the reason she’d left without saying anything to him all those years ago.
She shivered again with fear that chilled her to the bone. These were men who’d tried to discredit her as a drug addict. When that hadn’t worked, they’d set out to kill her. If Nate decided to haul her in to be questioned, there was no telling what might happen. They’d lied before, why not try to frame her again?
Or worse, set up some sort of scheme to have her killed in jail?
A sense of desperate hopelessness pierced her heart. She absolutely needed to find a way to make Nate believe her.
Or risk losing Hailey, forever.