Читать книгу Shattered Lullaby - Laura Scott - Страница 12

Three

Lacy clutched Rory close, determined to hang on to him no matter what happened. She closed her eyes, the scenery flashing past the window making her dizzy. Duchess didn’t much like the rocky ride, either, whining a bit and scrambling to regain her balance.

“Sorry, Duchess,” Matt muttered.

Once again, she was oddly reassured by how much Matt cared about his dog. Not to mention that he’d told her now was a good time to pray. And most important, how he’d looked so concerned when he’d carried the animal in and out of the emergency vet clinic.

Surely, a guy who loved dogs couldn’t be all bad.

After what seemed like forever but was probably less than twenty minutes, Matt spoke up from the front seat. “Sorry about the bumpy ride. Are you and the baby okay?”

“F-fine.” Her breath hitched in her chest and she fought the urge to break down sobbing. When would this nightmare end? Why was David doing this?

Nothing made any sense.

“I’ve lost him for now,” Matt continued. “You’re safe.”

She shook her head, knowing she and Rory wouldn’t be safe until somehow the authorities found David and arrested him. “He won’t stop,” she said in a low voice. “Jill told me that David is a terrible control freak. Who knows what horrible things he’s capable of.”

“I’m getting a pretty good idea,” Matt said, his tone grim. “Apparently he doesn’t mind taking out a fellow officer in his quest to get at his son.”

“Not just his son, but me, too.” She tried to think of a way to make him understand. “Not just because I’m Jill’s sister, but he caught a glimpse of me taking off in my car. So he knows I’m a witness to her murder. My testimony could put him away for the rest of his life.”

“I know and I believe you. I totally get that the guy is a serious head case. I need to call my lieutenant, but can’t risk using the radio just yet.”

The thought of Matt calling his boss made her stomach clench. “Please don’t. Don’t turn me into the authorities.”

His gaze met hers in the rearview mirror. “I have to. When I explain what I know, my boss will call off the Amber Alert and put a BOLO—Be On the Lookout—on David Williams instead. Trust me, they’ll find him and arrest him. You and the baby will be safe.”

Having David locked up in jail was something she wanted more than anything, but she wouldn’t be able to rest until she knew he’d been apprehended.

“It’s so late. Can’t you give me a little time?” She tried not to sound as if she were begging, even though she would if necessary. “Rory needs some rest. He’s been through a lot over the past few hours.”

“I know.” Once again his gaze briefly met hers. “And so have you.”

She didn’t want to think about the fact that her sister was gone. Everything that had taken place seemed surreal. As if she might wake up in the morning to discover this was all nothing more than a bad dream.

“Yes,” she agreed. “Both of us could use some time to rest and regroup.”

There was a long silence before Matt spoke again. “Duchess could use a few hours off as well, so I’ll find someplace to rest for what’s left of the night. I’ll report in to my boss first thing tomorrow morning.”

Since it was already nearing 2:30 a.m., she didn’t find that too reassuring. How many hours of rest would he give her? Five or six at the most?

Not nearly enough, but at this point she told herself to take what she could get. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The vehicle slowed and made a right-hand turn. She noticed that he’d pulled up to a motel with a bright Vacancy sign. She sat up straighter, keeping one hand against Rory, wondering if they had a crib available.

“This place will take cash from cops and they’re pet-friendly,” he said as he threw the gearshift into Park. “Two of my brothers are cops and have used this place to keep people safe before.”

Brothers? Plural? A sense of unease niggled beneath her skin. What if one of them was friends with David Williams? What if they found a way to convince Matt that she was the guilty one, not David?

Why had she assumed she was safe with this particular cop? So what if he loved his dog? She still didn’t know anything about him.

Except for the fact that he’d told her it was a good time to pray.

She didn’t really know any men who actually prayed. Oh, sure, her father used to take them to church, but it was nothing more than an act. In private, he was anything but loving. Going to church had only been to make them look good in the community.

Sad to think that Jill had married a man who was exactly like their father.

Duchess pressed her nose against the back of Lacy’s neck again, as if sensing her distress. She liked the dog better than she liked the master. The adrenaline rush had faded, leaving a nagging headache in its wake. Maybe that’s why she was having trouble thinking clearly. Who could concentrate after witnessing a murder, being shot at and then followed?

“Stay inside for a moment,” Matt said. “I’ll see if I can get us adjoining rooms.”

“Ask for a crib,” she interjected before he could slam the door.

“Oh, yeah. Sure.”

She rested back against the seat cushion, shivering in the night. A blanket of exhaustion dropped over her, and she had almost drifted off to sleep when Matt returned.

“We’re all set.” Matt slid in behind the wheel. “We have two adjoining rooms, one with a crib. The crib should be set up by the time we get inside.”

“That’s great, thanks.” The fact that he’d gotten adjoining rooms was reassuring. Maybe his kindness wasn’t just an act.

Matt drove around the motel and pulled up in front of two rooms on the ground floor, which would make caring for Duchess much easier.

After parking, Matt jumped out and opened the door for her. He offered his hand to help her out, and she took it, all too aware of the warmth of his fingers against hers. She dropped his hand, feeling self-conscious.

He used the key to open the door to room ten, then flipped on the light switch and handed her the key. She took Rory inside, grateful to see that there was in fact a crib in the room, set up near the bathroom.

The door closed behind her. She crossed over and gently began unwrapping the swaddling cloth that she’d used as an infant carrier. Rory squirmed, sighed and then quieted down again as she set him on his back in the crib.

For a long moment she stared down at his sleeping face, trying to find solace in the fact that he was too young to remember any of this.

A blessing, except for the fact that he would never know his mother. Fresh tears burned behind her eyelids, and she swiped them away and turned back into the room.

Rory wouldn’t be alone. He’d always have her. She’d care for him the way she knew Jill would want her to. She wasn’t sure how she would manage, but she would find a way.

There was a light tapping on the connecting door. Flipping back the dead bolt, she opened it up to see Matt standing there holding her purse, the diapers and the formula, with Duchess at his side. “I brought in your things.”

“Thanks.” She stepped back, giving him room to enter. He set everything down on the small desk, and she stole a glance at him. He was handsome, his mink brown hair longer than what most cops sported, with brilliant green eyes. He wasn’t that much taller than her own five feet and eight inches, but he was broad across the shoulders in a way that made her feel smaller than she really was.

No question, Matt looked as if he could have his pick of women. If you liked a man in uniform.

Good thing she wasn’t a fan. In her experience, macho men like her father and brother-in-law were the ones to stay far away from.

Although if she were honest, she had to admit that Matt didn’t act like her father or brother-in-law. Still, she wasn’t going to take anything at face value. Not anymore.

She crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive gesture. “Will you talk to me before you call your boss?”

He lifted a brow. “Sure, if that’s what you want.”

“I’d appreciate it.” Duchess moved over to sniff at the crib, then returned to stand beside Matt. The dog was more gold than black, the long laceration on her right side an aberration against her glossy coat.

“Let me know if you need anything,” Matt said, moving back toward the connecting door. “And leave your side unlocked in case anything happens, okay?”

She gave him a terse nod. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

When he and Duchess left the room, she made sure the connecting door remained ajar as he’d asked before dousing the light and crawling beneath the covers fully dressed.

Sleep should have come easily, but for some reason her mind decided to replay the events of the past few hours. She pressed the pillow over her ears, as if that would help silence her sister’s pleas. The subsequent gunshots.

Deafening silence.

She must have slept a little because Rory’s crying woke up her up at quarter to six in the morning. Bleary-eyed, she dragged herself out of bed, stumbling a bit as she went over to make him a bottle.

She should have made it the night before. That’s probably what Jill would have done. Using warm water from the tap, she made his bottle, then quickly changed his diaper.

It was messy, and of course she’d completely forgotten about picking up wet wipes. The washcloth from the bathroom seemed too rough against his skin, but it did the trick. Finally, she had him changed and settled in the crook of her arm with the bottle.

She eased down onto the bed and closed her eyes, feeling like a failure. Being a mother wasn’t as instinctive as she’d hoped. What else had she forgotten? The poor thing didn’t even have a change of clothes.

She kissed the top of his head. “It’s just you and me, kiddo. Just you and me.” Hopefully, she and Rory would be able to figure things out, together.

* * *

Matt groaned when he heard the baby crying, tempted to bury his head into the pillow to drown out the noise.

Although if Lacy was up, then he should be awake, too. He squinted at the clock, realizing it was barely six.

He needed to talk to his boss, his lieutenant, not his shift commander, but he wouldn’t be in until eight o’clock. A full two hours from now.

Beside him, Duchess thumped her tail and lifted her head as if asking if it was time to get up.

“Easy girl,” he soothed, lightly scratching her between the ears. “You need your rest.”

Duchess licked his wrist, then set her head back down on the mattress. Propping himself up on his elbow, he gently palpated the long laceration. The wound looked decent, considering what she’d been through. Still, she’d carry the scar with her always.

A fresh burst of anger hit hard. Not just because of Duchess’s injury, but on behalf of the woman and baby next door. That guy had killed his wife and had tried to kill a woman and her baby, not caring that he’d almost taken out two police officers.

Yeah, capturing David Williams and putting him behind bars was definitely at the top of his list of priorities. He’d have to find a way to convince his boss to let him assist in the investigation.

The crying next door subsided, but even in the silence, he couldn’t fall back asleep. Dragging himself upright, he walked over to the window next to the door and pushed the curtain aside to sweep his gaze over the area. Convinced that nothing seemed out of place, he gestured for Duchess to come.

His partner ambled up and lightly jumped from the bed. He didn’t carry her this time, needing to understand what she was able to do. Being the trooper she was, she moved as gracefully as ever, the pain from the incision apparently not bad enough to hold her back.

“Good girl,” he praised, giving her a treat from his pocket. Deciding to leave her off leash, he pulled on his jacket and took her outside.

He was making his way back across the parking lot when the door to Lacy’s room burst open. She had the baby wrapped against her with the cloth thingy, but the expression in her eyes was full of panic.

He immediately broke into a run, heading straight toward her, Duchess keeping pace at his side. “What is it? What’s wrong?” He looked for signs of an intruder.

“I— Nothing, sorry. I thought you were leaving me behind.” Her cheeks went pink and she averted her gaze.

“No, of course not.” He was relieved there was nothing seriously wrong. He took her arm and drew her back inside the room, closing the door behind them. “I told you I wouldn’t call my boss without talking to you first. He won’t be in until closer to eight o’clock.”

Her smile was weak as she dropped back down on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry to overreact like that. It’s just...” she shrugged. “Realizing that I’m all Rory has left in the world is a little overwhelming.”

The baby was wide-awake, lifting his head and looking around with large curious blue eyes. Matt hadn’t really understood until this moment just how big of a change this was for Lacy. The reality of her situation was clearly just sinking in.

“Looks like he’s going to be up for a while. Should we find something to eat?”

Her tenuous smile widened, but then she grimaced. “That sounds great. Except for the fact that I don’t have a car seat for Rory. I’m not sure I can manage a restaurant without one.”

“Okay, how about I pick something up and bring it back? There’s a family restaurant a few blocks from here. Tell me what you like.”

“Scrambled eggs, wheat toast and bacon,” she said. “Looks like the motel provides coffee in the room.”

She had ordered exactly what he’d planned to get, which made him smile. “Yeah, but the pot only makes one cup. I’ll get us both coffee to go, too.” He turned toward his room, then looked back at Duchess. “Stay, Duchess. Guard.”

Duchess instantly dropped to her haunches, sitting straight and tall. Lacy reached out to pet her, and he bit back a protest. It was clear Lacy was feeling emotionally fragile at the moment, and it wouldn’t hurt for Duchess to get a little extra attention.

The trip to and from the restaurant didn’t take long, but he didn’t like leaving them alone. Duchess would protect Lacy and Rory with her life, but she wasn’t bulletproof, either.

And he suspected that next time, David Williams wouldn’t bother using a knife. In fact, he was surprised but glad he hadn’t used his gun against Duchess.

Matt entered the motel through his room, then knocked on the connecting door that was still ajar. “Food’s here,” he called.

“Come on in.”

Duchess greeted him with her usual tail wag, and he had to admit he loved that she was always happy to see him. Lacy had cleaned off the small desk so he could set the insulated containers down. He smiled when he realized she’d brewed herself a cup of coffee.

He pulled the two chairs over as Lacy set Rory back in the crib. Duchess went over and stretched out on the carpet in front of the crib, as if knowing it was her job to protect the baby.

“Duchess is amazing,” Lacy said, dropping into the chair beside him. “Thanks for picking up breakfast.”

“Yes, my partner is awesome, and you’re welcome.” He bowed his head and began to pray. “Dear Lord, we thank You for this food we are about to eat and for Your continued guidance and protection as we seek safety. Amen.”

There was a brief pause before Lacy added, “Amen.”

“Dig in,” he teased, thinking about how they’d always said those words after their family prayer when growing up.

Lacy picked up her plastic fork and dug into her eggs. “Do you always pray like that?” she asked.

He bit into a crisp piece of bacon, glancing at her in surprise. “Yes, always. That’s the way I was brought up.”

“Hmm.” Her noncommittal response made him frown.

“I take it you didn’t grow up attending church?”

She let out a harsh laugh. “Oh, sure. We attended church every week, but it didn’t mean much. My parents only went to put on a show for everyone else. At home they argued and...” She didn’t finish, but he felt himself grow tense.

“Your father abused your mother?” He was horrified by the thought and hoped Lacy hadn’t been subjected to abuse, too.

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?