LITMIR.BIZ

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after he’d saved their lives.

      “We’re going to have to walk in the snow,” Nate said, his tone apologetic as he gestured to the heavy metal door leading outside. “I’m parked way on the other side of the mall.”

      “No problem,” Melissa said. She didn’t want to go anywhere near her rusty old sedan, even though it had cost her dearly—five hundred in cash. The gunmen had followed her from the hospital, which meant her license plate number was compromised. For all she knew, they’d already reported the information to whoever was paying them.

      She tried not to give in to the wave of hopelessness. She would not only have to escape from Nate but also need to find a new vehicle. She didn’t have enough money to buy another car, so she’d be forced to take a series of buses to their next destination. Wherever that might be.

      Nate pushed open the door and gestured for her and Hailey to go out first. A blast of cold air hit her in the face, stealing her breath. Melissa bent over to tie Hailey’s scarf over her daughter’s nose and mouth.

      “It might be better if I carry her,” Nate said in a low voice. “We’ll get to my car faster that way.”

      She nodded, knowing he was right. “Hailey? This is my friend, Nate. He’s going to carry you to the car, okay?”

      “Okay,” Hailey agreed.

      Under normal circumstances, Melissa wouldn’t have been at all happy to know her daughter was willing to let a stranger carry her. But nothing about this trip back to Milwaukee was normal. She wished she’d made a different decision, but it was too late to go back and change the past. After all this time, it should have been safe enough to fulfill her father’s dying wish to see his only grandchild.

      But it wasn’t. The only thing she could do now was to disappear again, creating new identities for herself and Hailey.

      Melissa quickened her pace to keep up with Nate’s long strides as they made their way through the snow-covered parking lot. She hadn’t seen snow like this in years, although Hailey had been thrilled with the idea of having a white Christmas. Thankfully the snow had stopped, but the ground was still slippery.

      A half dozen police cars were parked around the entrance to the mall where she’d come into the building, and her heart leaped into her throat. Was the dirty cop there right now? Pretending to be one of the good guys?

      Nate didn’t glance over at the police cars, leading the way to the furthest part of the parking lot.

      When they reached the vehicle, she remembered Hailey’s booster seat.

      “Hailey will have to ride in the back,” she said as Nate opened the passenger-side door. “Her car seat is still in my car, along with our suitcase.”

      “We’ll pick them up,” Nate assured her.

      “Thanks.” Melissa scooted into the backseat beside Hailey, while Nate slid behind the wheel. He started the car and then went back outside to brush off the light covering of snow.

      She shivered, trying to remember where she’d left her car. Not far from here, she recalled, but near the area where the police cars were gathered. The thought of going any closer filled her with dread.

      Should she forget about the child safety seat and their meager belongings? She’d rather not, since the lack of a booster chair could get them pulled over. Either way, it would bring her too close to the police for comfort.

      “All set?” Nate asked as he came back into the car.

      “Yes.” She forced herself to sound more confident than she felt. “I parked three rows over, closer to the building.”

      “Okay.” Nate backed out of the parking space and followed her directions. She huddled beside Hailey as the red-and-blue lights flashed around them.

      “There—the tan sedan parked beside the white pickup truck.” She pulled the keys out of her purse, which was slung across her chest beneath her coat, and handed them to Nate.

      Within five minutes, Nate had their suitcase stored in his trunk and the booster seat secured in the backseat with Hailey belted in. Melissa chose to stay in the back with her daughter, but Nate didn’t object.

      It wasn’t until they left the mall parking lot that she was able to breathe easier. It was a huge relief to know that she and Hailey were safe, from both the gunmen and the police.

      Well, except for Nate.

      The sick feeling in her stomach returned with a vengeance. Nate was a good guy, and she knew that he’d put his career on the line to help them.

      Yet he was the last person she could trust with her secret. He couldn’t know the reason she’d run away from Milwaukee days after their high school graduation twelve years ago.

      The same reason she remained a target all these years later. All because she’d witnessed something she shouldn’t have seen. Corruption of local politics as well as local law enforcement.

      Dragging Nate into this mess would only hurt him and damage his reputation beyond repair in the long run. The best thing she could do for him was to disappear once and for all.

      Never to be heard from again.

TWO

      Nate kept an eye on Melissa using the rearview mirror. Her face was pale, her expression strained. He squelched a flash of empathy. Granted, she and Hailey had been through a lot, but he wasn’t about to let her off the hook, not by a long shot. The minute Melissa and Hailey were safe, he was going to get the answers he needed about what was going on.

      Leaving the scene of the crime after he’d shot and wounded two men, even in self-defense, was the hardest thing he’d ever done. Doubt battered his conscience as he drove through the darkness of night.

      What did he really know about Melissa after all these years? Obviously she wasn’t the same girl he’d fallen for in high school. For all he knew, Melissa could be mixed up in all sorts of things now, even something criminal.

      Yet he’d risked everything by leaving with her. What on earth had he been thinking?

      “Mommy, I’m hungry,” Hailey said, her tone plaintive.

      He’d almost forgotten his promise to feed the little girl. He gestured through the windshield. “There’s a fast-food restaurant up ahead. Do you want me to go into the drive-through?”

      “Yes, please,” Melissa said, reaching over to put her hand on her daughter’s arm. “Would you like some chicken bites?”

      Hailey’s head bobbed up and down. “Yay! Chicken bites!”

      Despite the seriousness of the situation, Nate found himself smiling at the child’s enthusiasm. And the truth hit him like a fist to the solar plexus. The real reason he’d left the scene of the crime was for Hailey’s safety. The little girl didn’t deserve to be dragged into danger, to be chased by men with guns.

      Hailey was the true innocent in all of this. And he was determined to do whatever was necessary to keep the child safe from harm.

      He pulled into the drive-through lane and waited in line for their turn. “Chicken bites for Hailey. What do you want, Mer—uh, Melissa? And what would you like to drink?”

      “I’ll have a cheeseburger and water. Milk for Hailey, please.” She dug in her pocket for money, but he frowned and shook his head, waving it away.

      Nate ordered a cheeseburger for himself, too, before pulling up to the next window to pay. When they were given their food, he handed the bag back to Melissa.

      “Thank you,” she said softly. “Here’s your sandwich,” she added, handing up his wrapped burger.

      “No problem.” He pulled over to park so he could eat. He listened while Melissa assisted Hailey with her chicken bites,

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