“We won’t let anything happen to her.”
She stared straight into his eyes. “You keep saying that, but Fowler keeps getting too close. I can’t risk another encounter.”
“Pay Fowler or not, a man like him won’t stop until we put him behind bars. Give us the chance to do that.”
“I just don’t know what to do anymore.” She clamped a hand on her neck and rubbed stiff muscles.
He continued to eye her and even intensified his gaze. “Trust me in this. I know what I’m doing.”
She peered at him, and the warmth and sincerity of his expression made her want to do anything he asked of her, but maybe she was thinking with her heart, not her brain. “I don’t know.”
He rested his hands on her shoulders. “It’s the right thing to do. I promise.”
“Okay,” she said, but she wasn’t sure she was doing the right thing at all.
She would trust him. For now. But if the slightest thing happened where she feared harm would come to Ella, Megan would hand over the cash. Money she could replace. She could never replace her daughter.
“Jack’s here.” Reid tipped his head at the door. “The police are still processing my vehicle so I’ve arranged for a rental car, and I’ll head out with Lauren.”
“Are you sure we can’t go with you?” The words came out before she could stop them.
Get a grip, Megan. Quit acting so desperate.
He didn’t seem bothered by her neediness. “Jack will make sure you’re safe.” He gave her a sweet smile. “I’ll get Ella.”
He went to the sofa and held out his hand. “Ready to go?”
She jumped up and slipped her hand in his.
“My friend, Jack, is going to give you a ride,” Reid said.
Her eyes narrowed, and Megan knew her daughter didn’t want Jack driving them any more than she did, but she’d already sounded like a woman who couldn’t survive without Reid’s protection, so she bit her tongue and trudged along next to him down to a secured service area Fowler wouldn’t have access to.
Reid scooped Ella into his arms for a hug, then set her down and knelt in front of her. “See you soon. Listen to your mom and Jack, okay?”
“Okay.”
He nodded at Megan, and she took Ella to the car to settle her in her booster seat. Megan climbed in next to her daughter.
Jack remained parked.
“Aren’t we leaving?” she asked.
“Right after Reid gets to the front of the building and makes a very public appearance so Fowler thinks he’s still here with you. He’ll let me know on the comms unit.” Jack tapped his earbud.
“Who’s Fowler?” Ella asked.
“Just a guy.” Megan got out Ella’s favorite Christmas book and started reading it to her to distract her.
Jack soon drove off. An odd sense of abandonment settled in Megan’s stomach and tears pricked her eyes but she kept reading until the book ended. Ella chattered away, talking about Christmas, but Megan couldn’t concentrate on what her daughter was saying. She’d let Reid into their lives, and she’d come to depend on him. Hopefully, it was only because of Fowler. But once the man was no longer a threat, could she let go of these feelings for Reid and go back to her life?
18
Megan settled into the soft leather seat and tried to relax on the long drive as Ella drifted off to sleep, but it wasn’t until they pulled into Valley View’s driveway that she let out a long breath, and her trembling hands calmed.
Jack wound down the driveway lined with evergreen trees perfuming the air and settling into the vehicle.
A jolting bump woke Ella. “Yay, we’re here!”
