She shrugged and avoided his gaze. “It wasn’t like she had to go to the emergency room or anything, but yeah, he liked to hit. I have no idea why she put up with him.”
He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out to put a hand on her arm. “I’m sorry, Lacy. That should never happen.”
She abruptly dropped her fork and jumped to her feet. “It wasn’t as bad as what you’re thinking. He didn’t point a gun and shoot my mother in cold blood the way David murdered Jill.”
Before he could say anything she disappeared into the tiny bathroom, closing the door behind her.
He felt terrible for opening old wounds, and gave himself a mental kick in the pants. Losing Carly had gutted him. Debra had torn his heart out and stomped on it, but even those two things were a far cry from what Lacy had experienced. Just because he needed some emotional distance from her and Rory didn’t mean he couldn’t be more sympathetic and understanding.
After promising himself to do better, he finished his meal and then cleaned up his things, leaving Lacy’s meal alone. After about ten minutes she emerged from the bathroom, her red, puffy eyes evidence of her tears.
She didn’t say anything to him, but took her seat and continued eating her breakfast.
“I’m sorry,” he said gruffly. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
She nodded and finished her meal. “I know,” she said after she’d tossed out her garbage. “I’m fine. Now, tell me how we’re going to approach your boss. I’m not convinced going into the police station is the right move.”
He stared at her in amazement, wondering if she’d read his mind. “How did you know that’s exactly what my plan was?” he said. “Rather than call, I think we should show up and go straight in to talk to my lieutenant, Bill Gray.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t know Lieutenant Gray, so who’s to say he’ll believe me?”
“I was there when David aimed a gun at you,” he reminded her. “And he cut Duchess, remember?”
“We assume he cut Duchess. We didn’t actually see it,” she corrected him. “Duchess could have cut herself on a fence trying to chase him.”
He didn’t like admitting she had a point. “My boss has faith in me. There’s no reason for him not to believe you.”
“Except for another police officer telling a completely different story,” she said. “And he’s had three years of lies about my sister to back him up.”
“Listen, the forensic evidence at the crime scene will speak for itself. The truth will prevail above the lies. You don’t have anything to worry about.” He hesitated, then added, “I need you to trust me on this, okay?”
Her expression was full of agony, and he felt so bad he almost gave in. But what other option was there? They couldn’t hide out here in a motel room indefinitely.
“Fine,” she reluctantly agreed. “I hope your boss is as good as you say.”
“He is.” Matt glanced at his watch. They still had almost twenty minutes before they needed to leave. He wanted to stop for warm clothes and maybe a car seat, but the stores wouldn’t open for a couple hours yet.
Lacy went over to pick up Rory and brought him to the bed. For a moment, the memory of Carly lying sick in a hospital bed flashed in his mind, and he pushed it away with an effort.
Nothing was going to happen to Rory. He wasn’t sick. And Matt would do everything in his power to keep the little guy safe from harm.
He left Lacy alone and checked his cell phone for messages. Then, since there was internet access in the motel, he decided to search for the closest big-box store, where they could get everything they needed for Rory.
The closest one opened at nine o’clock, so he figured they could stop there after talking to his lieutenant. It was tempting to call ahead to the department, to make sure Bill Gray would be there, but he restrained himself.
When it was time to go, he went back to Lacy’s room to help carry the baby’s things. He noticed she’d made a bottle for him, ready for whenever he became hungry. If she was intimidated by caring for her young nephew, she wasn’t showing it. He had to give her credit for thinking ahead.
When he had the baby stuff loaded in the car, along with Duchess’s food and water dishes, he went back inside. “Ready?”
Her expression was resigned, but she nodded. He opened the door and then escorted her to the SUV parked facing outward in the lot. Before she could get inside, the baby slipped down in the swaddling cloth. She’d bent over in an effort to hoist him back up when a loud gunshot rang through the air. He pushed Lacy down, horrified to see a round hole in the passenger-side window where Lacy’s head had been seconds earlier.
“Get in!” He shoved her inside and slammed the door. He jumped into the driver’s seat, determined to escape from the gunman.
More gunfire echoed, and Matt drove like a demolition derby driver, clenching his jaw, praying that the bullets wouldn’t find their mark. He headed toward the route that happened to be closer to the trees, hoping to use them as cover.
Thankfully, his ploy worked. They’d gotten away, for now. But he couldn’t rest or relax.
How on earth had Williams known where to find them?
Her heart in her throat, Lacy clutched Rory close to her chest and silently prayed for God to keep them all safe. The gut-level instinct surprised her—she hadn’t really thought much about God in the years after her parents had died.
But right here, right now, with the wind whistling through the small round bullet hole in the passenger-side window, proof that David Williams hadn’t stopped searching for them, she wanted to believe that God was up there, watching over them.
That she, Matt and Rory weren’t completely alone in this.
“Are you all right?” Matt asked in a hoarse voice.
“Y-yes.” She and Rory weren’t hurt. Scared senseless, but not physically injured.
“We need a new plan.” Matt’s tone was grim. “Williams is always one step ahead of us, and I don’t like it. I can’t figure out how he knew where to find us. Regardless, I’m not going to risk taking you anywhere near the police station.”
The news should have been reassuring. She hadn’t wanted to go to the authorities, afraid that even with Matt’s support, his boss would lean toward believing David’s version of events over hers. At the same time, being here alone with Matt didn’t make her feel that much better. Oh, she trusted Matt, at least as far as his ability to keep her and Rory safe. But for how long?
Duchess woofed softly behind her. Okay, they weren’t completely alone, but still. Eventually, they’d need help of the two-legged variety. Someone to provide backup. It wasn’t as if traveling with a three-month-old and a K-9 was inconspicuous.
They were bound to attract attention.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“For what? Almost getting you killed?” His harsh tone didn’t make her flinch because she knew he was upset with himself rather than with her.
“You saved us,” she corrected him. “And I can’t deny I’m glad we’re not going to the police station.”
He was silent for several long moments. “We need a place to go where we can hide off-grid for a while. I want to dig into Williams’s background a bit.”
The idea of hiding somewhere off-grid was appealing, but the thought