Betty was out cold beside me, exhausted from the stress and the fear and the endless waiting. I watched her sleep, memorizing the lines of her face, the way her hair spread across the pillow, the soft sounds she made as she dreamed.
Tomorrow, this would all be over.
She would testify. Lang and Briggs would go to prison. And we would finally be free to build the life we should have had ten years ago.
All I had to do was get her through one more day.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand. Reeves.
Reeves: Lang's been spotted. He's on the move, heading your direction. FBI is in pursuit.
My blood ran cold.
Me: How did he find us?
Reeves: Unknown. Could be a leak in the FBI. Could be surveillance we didn't catch. Either way, he's coming.
I was out of bed before I finished reading the message, pulling on clothes and grabbing my gun from the nightstand.
"Hudson?" Betty's voice was groggy with sleep. "What's happening?"
"We have to move." I tossed her a pair of jeans and a sweater. "Lang found us. He's on his way."
All the color drained from her face, but she didn't freeze. Didn't panic. Just started pulling on her clothes with hands that only trembled slightly.
God, I loved her.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"The courthouse. It's the safest place for us right now. We'll wait there until the trial starts in the morning."
"And Lang?"
"The FBI is tracking him. With any luck, they'll pick him up before he gets anywhere near us."
"And if they don't?"
I checked the magazine on my gun, then slid it back into place with a satisfying click.
"Then I'll handle it."
Betty crossed to me, putting her hand on my cheek.
"Together," she said. "We handle it together."
I kissed her hard and fast.
"Together," I agreed.
Then I grabbed her hand and led her out into the darkness.
One more night.
We just had to survive one more night.
Chapter 9: Betty
The night was pitch black as we ran for Hudson's car.
