Читать книгу Under the Lawman's Protection - Laura Scott - Страница 13

FOUR

Leah woke up with a start when Isaac came barreling through the connecting door into their room. She gasped and stared in shock when he shut it behind him and then ripped the comforter off her bed and stuffed it along the bottom edge of the door.

“Grab Ben. We need to get out of here.”

Leah didn’t question Isaac’s command as her eyes began to burn. She scrambled out of bed, grateful she’d slept in her clothes, and quickly roused her son. She tugged his winter clothes on despite his sleepy protest.

“Use these to cover your faces,” Isaac said, handing her two wet towels. She threw one over her shoulder and drew Ben up against it, then draped another around her neck so that it was close to her mouth. It was the best she could do while carrying her son. “This way,” Isaac said, urging her toward the bathroom.

It didn’t take long for Isaac to break open the small window there. “I’m going out first so that I can help the two of you through, okay?”

She clutched Ben close and nodded. It wasn’t easy for Isaac to get his broad-shouldered frame through the small opening, and she let out a sigh of relief when he finally made it.

“Okay, Ben, it’s your turn.” Isaac said.

“No, don’t wanna go!” he wailed, grabbing her around the neck and hanging on tight.

It nearly broke her heart to pull him away. “We have to, Ben. Mr. Isaac is out there to catch you, and I’ll hold you once we’re outside, okay?”

“No-o-o,” he cried, deep wrenching sobs that tore at her.

Leah forced herself to push him through the window into Isaac’s waiting arms. She wiped her own tears away before attempting to climb after her son. She could hear Isaac whispering soothing words to Ben, and he stopped crying except for the occasional hiccuping sniffle.

Isaac’s strong hand guided her through the opening and soon she was on solid ground. She took Ben and tossed the wet towels aside, gulping in deep breaths of fresh air.

“See those trees fifty feet from here?” Isaac asked in a low whisper, his breath tickling her ear. She swallowed hard and nodded. “I want you to run there, and I’ll be right behind you.”

After hiking Ben higher in her arms, she took off at a slow jog, mostly because she couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of her face. She didn’t realize she was holding her breath until her chest started to burn. She took a deep gulping breath and the tightness eased. After what seemed like forever, she reached the trees, darting behind them and sagging against a solid trunk.

Isaac joined her a few seconds later. “See anything?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “No, but we need to keep moving.”

Of course they did. She sighed and pulled herself upright, shifting Ben to her other hip. Her arm muscles screamed in protest, but she forced herself to ignore the pain. Although maybe once this was all over, she’d have to start lifting weights so she wasn’t so weak.

“I’d take him, but I need to cover your back,” Isaac whispered, reading her thoughts.

“I’m fine.” She made her way through the trees, grateful to see there was a clearing on the other side. She glanced up and noticed there was a church steeple not far away. “Isaac, can we go to that church up ahead?” she whispered.

“Sure, but keep to the shadows, in case they’ve figured out we’ve escaped.”

Leah picked up her pace, despite her weary muscles. The church steeple was like a beacon, drawing her closer. She silently prayed as they made their way down the street, putting as much distance as possible between them and the American Lodge.

Leah wanted to cry with relief when the church loomed before her. Although as they approached the steps, it belatedly occurred to her that the doors were likely locked.

“Wait—I want you two to stay hidden over here,” Isaac said, drawing her away from the front steps.

She didn’t have the strength or the will to argue. She huddled down near the corner of the building with Ben on her lap, not even caring that her jeans were getting all muddy again.

Too afraid to close her eyes, she peered through the darkness, making sure there were no cars coming toward them. From this angle she couldn’t see what Isaac was doing, but since she was fairly certain the church was locked up, it didn’t matter. Maybe he was checking for a side entrance or something.

Cold from the ground seeped through her clothing, making her shiver. She thought she might be warmer if she stood back up, but struggling to her feet wasn’t easy, especially with Ben’s weight in her arms.

“Leah?” Isaac seemed to pop up out of nowhere. “Come on. Let’s get inside.”

Inside the church? She was surprised but grateful as Isaac supported her, his arm anchoring her waist. Once they were safely in, he closed the door behind them.

She sank into a pew and then carefully set Ben down beside her. Clasping her hands together, she bowed her head and prayed.

“Thank You for providing us shelter, Lord. And thank You for keeping us safe from harm. Please continue to guide us to safety. Amen.”

* * *

Isaac listened to Leah’s softly uttered prayer and couldn’t help wondering if her faith really offered as much support as she claimed. She certainly seemed to pray a lot, although he couldn’t blame her, since she’d also been in constant danger.

He scrubbed his hands over his face, mentally kicking himself for nearly getting them captured once again. They’d been found too easily.

But how?

He crossed over to where Leah sat and edged in beside her. “I’m sorry about this,” he murmured. “I promise I’ll do a better job of protecting you and Ben from here on.”

Her attempt at a smile fell short, but he gave her points for trying. “It’s not your fault, Isaac.”

It was his fault, but there was no sense in hammering the issue any further. Looking backward wasn’t going to help; they needed to move forward from here. “I talked to your brother earlier and he told me that he thinks there is a dirty cop involved in this mess.”

Leah’s face brightened. “You spoke to Shane? Is he okay?”

“He’s hiding, but he’s okay for now,” Isaac confirmed.

“I’m so glad to hear that,” she murmured. “I’ve been so worried about him.”

“I know.” Isaac put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick hug. “I have to think that whoever the shooter was at the side of the road somehow got the plate number for the police vehicle. The gunman likely didn’t know that we had connecting rooms and simply tossed the gas canister into the one where the vehicle was parked.” He was glad now that he hadn’t left it in front of Leah and Ben’s room.

“But how did they find us?” she asked.

“I wish I knew,” Isaac admitted. “But it’s obvious we need a vehicle with no ties to the SWAT team.”

“Where on earth are we going to get another car?”

“Don’t worry. Caleb and Deck will come through for us.” Isaac hated to wake his buddies up again, especially at two in the morning, but what choice did he have? The church was a good sanctuary for now, but it was too close to the hotel for comfort. Once the person who’d thrown the tear gas realized they’d gotten away, they’d start to widen their search radius, and the church would become an obvious target.

At least, that was what he would do. And if a dirty cop was involved, he’d probably do the same thing.

Isaac pulled out his phone and called Deck. A few weeks ago, his buddy had been trying to sell his sister’s old car. Maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t sold it yet. The older-model vehicle would be perfect for them to use for a few days. And since Declan’s sister had a different last name, it would be ideal.

Declan didn’t answer right away, and when he finally did, he didn’t sound too happy. “What?” he asked in a sleepy tone.

“I’m sorry, Deck, but we’ve been found. Someone threw a canister of tear gas into my hotel room. Do you still have your sister’s old car?”

There was a long pause and Isaac hoped his buddy hadn’t fallen back asleep. But when Deck spoke again, he sounded more awake. “Yeah, I still have it. Where are you and Leah now?”

“At the church located down the road from the hotel. If you could get here as soon as possible, we’d appreciate it.”

“No problem. I’ll have Bobby drive the spare car, since he’s home on spring break.”

“That works. If you could bring a computer, too, I’d appreciate it.”

“A computer? Sure, I can loan you mine. What are you searching for?”

“Anything that explains what’s going on,” Isaac said, being purposefully vague. He didn’t want to expose his friends to more danger. “Thanks, and I’m sorry to keep bothering you.”

“You were there for me when I needed help, so it’s no problem. We’ll be there in fifteen to twenty minutes.”

“We’ll be waiting.” Isaac disconnected the call, feeling better that they had a solid escape plan.

“Who’s Bobby?” Leah asked.

She’d obviously heard the entire conversation—not a surprise, since she was sitting right next to him. So close he could smell the cinnamon scent that seemed to cling to her skin. “His brother-in-law.”

“And you helped Declan out, the way he’s helping you now?” she pressed.

He slowly nodded. “Yeah, about six months ago. We’ve always been there for each other no matter what.”

“Mommy, I’m hungry,” Ben said in a plaintive tone.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I don’t have anything right now,” Leah said, smoothing a hand over her son’s hair. “Close your eyes and try to get some rest.”

“We can stop and pick up something once we have a different set of wheels,” Isaac offered.

“I think once he falls asleep, he’ll be fine,” Leah murmured.

“Yeah, well, all this running around is making me hungry, too,” Isaac said in a wry tone as he rose to his feet. “Stay here. I’m going to make sure we’re still in the clear.”

He didn’t really think they’d been followed, but he needed to put some distance between them. Leah’s cinnamon-and-spice scent was wreaking havoc with his concentration. She was so beautiful, even after everything they’d been through, with her naturally curly black hair and heart-shaped face. There couldn’t be anything but friendship between them, so why was he suddenly thinking of her as a woman he was attracted to?

He needed to get that thought out of his head right now. After pushing open the church door a crack, he peered outside. He couldn’t see far, but what he did see seemed quiet and deserted.

Leah hadn’t asked him how he’d gotten inside the church, and he was glad he didn’t have to explain how he’d picked the lock. He couldn’t help but think the church pastor wouldn’t be too thrilled to know how easy it was to break in. Then again, maybe he should let the pastor know so he could change the locks.

But that would have to wait until they’d gotten safely out of this mess.

Waiting for Deck and Bobby to show up was agonizing, each second passing with excruciating slowness. Isaac paced back and forth, peering outside every so often.

Finally his phone rang, and he was relieved to see Deck’s number. “Hey, are you close?”

“Yeah, we’re parked in the back behind the church,” Deck informed him. “Didn’t see anyone suspicious hanging around, either.”

“Thanks, Deck. We’ll be outside soon.” Isaac clicked off, then locked the main doors of the church before heading over to Leah and Ben. “They’re here with the car, Leah. Do you want me to carry Ben?”

She looked dead on her feet, but still shook her head. “I’m worried he’ll cry.”

Isaac understood her concern, since there hadn’t exactly been time to bond with the boy. Although he needed to spend more time with Ben so the boy wouldn’t be afraid of him.

He led the way through the church to the back door. Leah followed slowly, carrying Ben, who was once again half-asleep.

There were two cars in the lot, both with their engines running but their lights off. Isaac stayed right beside Leah, sweeping his gaze over the area to verify they hadn’t been found by the shooter.

As they approached the vehicles, a young man climbed out from behind the wheel of the older sedan and stepped forward. Isaac recognized Bobby Collins and gratefully took the keys he handed over.

“There’s a booster seat in the back for the kid,” Bobby said. “Figured that would be one less thing to worry about.”

“Where did you get it?” Isaac asked in surprise.

“Caleb donated it,” Declan said, coming out to join them. He handed Isaac a computer case. “Apparently his daughter, Kaitlin, had two of them.”

“Thank you,” Leah said with a tremulous smile.

“No problem.” Bobby ducked his head shyly and sauntered over to the other car. Declan slapped Isaac on the back and then went to join his brother-in-law. Isaac waited for Leah to get Ben settled in the booster seat before he opened the front passenger door for her.

He didn’t breathe easy until the church was far behind them. Isaac knew he needed to find another place to stay for what was left of the night, and this time he wasn’t about to tell anyone, even his friends, where they were going.

Driving through the night, he finally came across a hotel that boasted two-bedroom suites. The concept offered the best of both worlds, so he pulled in and parked.

Leah had been dozing and came awake in a rush when the car stopped. “Where are we?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Brookside Suites Hotel,” Isaac said. “They offer two-bedroom suites, so you and Ben can share one room and I’ll use the other.”

“Looks expensive,” Leah murmured.

Isaac didn’t answer, because he’d already had the same thought. But they couldn’t afford to be cheap when it came to making sure they were safe. As it was, he’d need to convince the clerk to take cash when they were ready to check out.

It didn’t take long to secure a room, although the man insisted on having a credit-card number on file in case there was any damage. Apparently Isaac’s badge helped lend credibility, as the clerk reluctantly agreed to take payment in cash.

This time, Isaac carried Ben inside the hotel. The boy had fallen back asleep and barely stirred as they rode the elevator to the third floor. They had an inside room, and Isaac figured that they’d be much harder to find in a place like this, even if somehow the shooter figured out what kind of car they were driving, a nearly impossible feat.

Surely they’d be safe here.

Isaac waited for Leah to unlock the door and flip on the lights. The place was nice, as it should be for the price he’d paid. There was a comfortable living area, complete with a small kitchenette, so they could cook their own meals if they were going to stay for a few days.

The first bedroom had two double beds, and he waited while Leah pulled down the covers so he could set Ben down in the one nearest the bathroom.

She quickly stripped the boy’s coat, hat mittens and boots off before covering him with the sheet and blanket. For a moment she simply stood there, staring down at her sleeping child. Isaac eased toward the door, thinking that maybe she wanted some privacy.

But she surprised him by turning and following him out to the living area. “It’s hard to believe we’re finally safe,” she murmured, running a hand through her hair.

Isaac had to stop himself from wrapping her in his arms and holding her close. He cleared his throat and nodded. “No one knows we’re here, Leah. The car can’t be traced to us, either. We are safe.”

Her smile was a tad pathetic, but still made his heart race. “I finally believe that.”

He cleared his throat again, hoping she couldn’t tell how nervous he was. “I’m going to go back down to get the laptop, okay?”

“Sounds good.”

He left the room, thinking for sure Leah would be tucked in bed by the time he returned. He wouldn’t blame her one bit, since he doubted she’d gotten much sleep before the tear-gas incident.

Grabbing the computer case out of the backseat didn’t take long, and within minutes he was back upstairs, using his key card to access the room. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Leah curled in a corner of the sofa, waiting for him.

She glanced over when he walked in. “Did you want me to order something to eat? You mentioned you were hungry.”

Isaac was touched by her offer. When was the last time anyone cared about whether he was tired or hungry?

“Thanks for the thought, but I doubt they’ll provide room service this late.” He set the computer case down on the small table in the kitchenette.

“Really?” Leah seemed surprised and then shrugged. “You’re probably right. It’s closer to breakfast, anyway.”

“Get some sleep, Leah,” he suggested in a low tone. “I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

She dropped her gaze and nodded. “I am, but truthfully, I’m afraid I’ll have nightmares.”

The urge to offer comfort was strong. “I’m sorry,” he murmured helplessly.

“It’s okay.” She uncurled herself from the sofa and stood. To his surprise, she crossed over to him and put her hand on his arm. “Thanks for keeping us safe, Isaac.” She stood on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss across his cheek before turning to head into her room.

It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to let her walk away, when all he really wanted to do was haul her close for a real kiss. He didn’t let out his breath until she’d closed the door behind her, the cinnamon-and-spice scent lingering long after she’d gone.

He gave himself a stern talking-to as he headed into his room. He wasn’t in the market for a relationship. And Hawk wouldn’t appreciate knowing how much Isaac thought about kissing his sister.

From here on out, he needed to keep his distance from Leah. For both their sakes.