I take several more turns at high speed, using my knowledge of Pine Haven's streets to our advantage. The sedan stays with us for the first few maneuvers, then falls behind as I cut through an alley too narrow for their vehicle.
"Are they still following?" Beth asks, voice remarkably steady given the circumstances.
I check the mirrors. "I don't see them, but they'll be searching. We need to get out of town."
"Where are we going?"
Good question. I can't take her to the clubhouse: that would blow my cover completely. Can't take her to my apartment for the same reason. Outlaw Order's safe house is the logical choice, but she's not ready for that yet. Doesn't trust me enough.
"Somewhere safe," I say vaguely. "But first, we need to ditch this truck. It's too recognizable."
I head north toward the outskirts of town, to a storage facility I know the club uses. I have access to the gate code and a key to one of the units. Inside that unit is a nondescript black Jeep with clean plates—one of several emergency vehicles Reaper maintains.
"I know a place we can swap vehicles," I tell her.
Beth is silent for a long moment. "Those men... they were going to kill me, weren't they?"
I consider lying again, softening the truth, but she deserves better. "Yes, I think they were."
She exhales shakily. "How did they find me? The witness protection program…They said I'd be safe."
"I don't know," I say, and this time it's not entirely a lie. I know her protection detail was compromised, but no details.
"Thank you," she says quietly. "For helping me. For being there when they came."
Guilt twists in my gut. I'm here because Reaper ordered it, not by coincidence. I knew she was in danger before she did.
"Right place, right time," I mutter, focusing on the road.
"No," she insists. "You knew something was wrong. You were prepared. Most people wouldn't have known what to do."
I glance at her. "Military training. It sticks with you."
"Is that really all it is? Or are you... something else?"
Sharp. Too sharp for my cover to hold much longer.
"What do you mean?"
She shifts in her seat to face me. "No ordinary contractor carries a burner phone. Or knows how to escape across rooftops. Or can evade armed pursuers in a car chase. Even if they’re ex-military."
I keep my expression neutral. "I told you I did personal protection work after the military."
"Is that what you're really doing in Pine Haven? Protection work?"
I ignore her question. We're approaching the storage facility now. I use the moment it takes to punch in the gate code to gather my thoughts, decide how much to tell her.
As the gate slides open, I pull the truck inside and park it near the back, out of sight from the road.
"Wait here," I tell her, avoiding the question. "I need to get another vehicle."
I walk to unit 17, unlock it, and roll up the door to reveal the black Jeep. It takes me less than two minutes to check that it's ready to go. Keys in the ignition, full tank, go-bag in the back with weapons, cash, and supplies.
When I return to the truck, Beth is sitting exactly where I left her, but her expression has changed. There's a new wariness in her eyes.
"You never answered my question," she says as I open her door.
"No," I admit. "I didn't."
