Scanning their surroundings, she strained to see through the darkness.Her mouth was dry with fear as she expected the gunman to pop out from behind a house or tree at any moment.
Micah slowed to a stop near the far corner of Lori’s neighbor’s house.She huddled beside him, trying to hear beyond the thundering beat of her own heart.For long seconds, Micah didn’t move.
Then the faint wail of police sirens drifted through the air.She was glad someone had called the authorities and hoped the sirens would chase off the gunman.
Micah must have had that same thought too.He waited a beat, then straightened.“Ready?Let’s go.”
He darted away from the house toward the street where their car sat waiting.She glanced over her shoulder to see if the owners of the home next to Lori’s were watching.
The edge of a curtain moved.She winced and ducked her head to hide her face, realizing her red quilted jacket was easily recognizable.It couldn’t be helped, but she still wished she’d worn something more subdued and less noticeable.
“Wait.”She stopped near the car.“Maybe we should stay and talk to the police.Let them know what happened.”
“No.I want you to be safe.”Micah wrenched open the passenger-side door for her.“Get in, okay?”
She hesitated but then did as he asked.The detective who’d grilled her for hours had given her his business card.Once they were far enough away from the gunman, she could call him.
Obviously, Detective Holbrook wouldn’t be happy to learn she’d left the scene of Lori’s murder.Their leaving would only make her look guilty, even though she was the victim here as much as Lori was.She swallowed against the lump of fear that had risen in the back of her throat.
Micah slid in behind the wheel and pulled away from the curb.She glanced back at the house but didn’t see anyone peering out at them.She rubbed her temples, wondering if the owner of the property had already gotten their license plate number.
If so, the police could pull them over at any time.
Why was this happening?Who had shot and killed Lori?It had to be the same man who’d fired at her, but why?
“We need to talk to the police.”She turned in her seat to look at Micah.“I feel terrible that we left Lori lying on the floor.”
“I understand your concern.”Micah’s gaze darted between the road before them and the rearview mirror.“My primary goal is to keep you safe.It won’t take long for the gunman to realize he killed the wrong woman.”
“The wrong woman?”The blood drained from her face as his comment sank deep.She pressed her palm to the center of her chest.“You mean he thought Lori was me?”
“That’s the only thing that makes sense.”Micah glanced at her and shrugged.“You both have red hair.”
“Dear Lord Jesus,” she whispered.“That’s terrible.It’s my fault Lori’s dead!”
“Don’t, Bryn.The gunman killed her, not you.”He glanced at her, his blue eyes softening.“I know how you feel, but he’s the one who pulled the trigger.”
“We shouldn’t have gone there to talk to her.”She pushed the words past the lump in her throat.“We should have left the investigating to the police.”
“Maybe, but there’s no way we could have anticipated this outcome.”Micah took her hand in his.“Nobody knew we were going there.It was a last-minute decision for both of us to make the trip.That tells me the gunman was keeping an eye on the place.”
“Why didn’t he shoot me when he had the chance?”She gripped Micah’s hand tightly, needing his support.“He would have had a clear shot when we stood at the front door.”
“I’m not sure, but keep in mind we came at the property from the street behind hers.Maybe he was caught off guard when we showed up.And I stood behind you the entire time.It could be that he wasn’t ready to take the shot until Lori had invited us inside.”
“I don’t believe this.”She stared blindly out the passenger-side window as Micah drove through the back streets of the subdivision.It occurred to her that he was avoiding the main street they’d taken to get there.No doubt an attempt to avoid the police response.
It was as if she were a fugitive from the law.Only she hadn’t done anything wrong.She hadn’t hurt anyone or stolen any money.She was innocent.She’d never broken the law in her entire life!
Yet, somehow, that didn’t seem to matter.All signs pointed at her being involved with Damien’s embezzling scheme.
To the point that he may have hired the gunman to take her out of the equation just so he could claim she was the guilty one.
Micah’s hand tightened around hers.“Don’t stress.We’ll figure this out.”
“I’m not sure about that.”She drew in a long shaky breath.“What if the gunman planted evidence in my house?”
He grimaced and shrugged.“He may have.But don’t worry about that now.I’m going to help figure out who is behind these attacks.”
