LITMIR.BIZ

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footfall sounded behind him. He started to turn when something hard pressed against the base of his skull.

      Toby froze. The man had been watching. Waiting for him to get off the phone, then striking quickly.

      “Where is she?” a low voice demanded.

      “Who?”

      “You know who. Robin Hardy. Where is she?”

      “Who wants to know?”

      The gun pressed harder. “I’m not playing, man!”

      “I’m not either.” Toby bent his knees and dropped in one controlled movement. The gun slid away from his head. In a crouched position, he spun and kicked out, connecting with the man’s knee.

      His attacker yelled but instead of pulling away, he surged forward and struck out, catching Toby on the cheek with a hard fist. Toby’s head snapped back and pain vibrated through him, but he kept his feet beneath him.

      “What’s going on over there?”

      The shout startled him and he stumbled back two steps, just in time to avoid the second punch headed for his face. He grabbed the swinging arm and shoved. The man went to his knees, rolled to his feet and bolted toward the back of the parking lot.

      Pounding footsteps from the opposite direction grabbed Toby’s attention. A man in a uniform reached him. Another swept past him in pursuit of the fleeing attacker. “Are you okay?”

      Toby touched a hand to his cheek. “Yeah, I think so.”

      “What happened?”

      “I got jumped. Let your partner know the guy is armed.”

      The officer did so while backing away from Toby. “If you’re okay, I’m going to go give him backup.”

      “Go.”

      “I’ll be back to take your statement,” he called over his shoulder.

      Toby didn’t plan to be around for that. He snagged his keys from the asphalt, climbed into his vehicle and headed for the motel. If whoever was after Robin had found him, it was very possible they would soon find Robin. Time to run.

      Robin had dozed sitting upright on the bed, her head against the cushioned headboard. When the door opened, she jerked awake, setting off a pounding in her skull. Ignoring it, she swung her feet to the floor and tightened the sash on the shin-length robe.

      Amber stood at the door and hit the deadbolt after Toby shut it behind him. “Did you get what you needed?” Amber asked.

      “Yes, but we’re going to have to take off. Someone attacked me in the parking lot of the store.” He set an overnight bag on the bed.

      Robin gasped. “Your cheek! Are you okay?”

      “I’m fine, but if they found me there, it’s possible they could track us here.”

      “How?” Amber asked.

      “I don’t know. I checked the truck for tracking devices, but I could have missed it.”

      “Not you,” Amber said. “What about your phone?”

      “It’s not traceable.”

      “Everything is,” she said. “Even that one.”

      He frowned. “That would take some pretty high-tech equipment.”

      “And until we know who you’re dealing with, you need to assume they have access to that equipment. You need to ditch it. We’ll stop and get you another one on the way.”

      His frown stayed put, but he nodded.

      Robin watched the exchange with a curious detachment. They were obviously good friends.

      “Are you a cop, too?” she asked Toby. “I mean, Amber told me she used to work for some government agency, but what about you?”

      Toby stilled. “No. I’m not a cop. Although...” He paused. “I have a lot of friends with the FBI.”

      “Why do I have a feeling it’s more than that?” she murmured.

      Amber lifted a brow and shot Toby a look Robin couldn’t decipher.

      Toby sighed. “Although I’m not with an official law enforcement agency, I’ve—we’ve—both had some training. And we’re going to keep you safe, all right?”

      She nodded, but something flickered in her midsection. Not fear of Toby, but more of a wariness...an anger? But why? He’d saved her life and was continuing to do so. The feelings didn’t fit. Or was her subconscious trying to tell her something?

      Toby motioned to the bag that held her clothes and other items she’d requested. “Hurry, we need to get going.”

      Robin grabbed the bag and slipped into the bathroom. She found the clothes and pulled them on. They weren’t a perfect fit but close enough. Next, she downed one of the prescription pills for pain and used the brush to gently force her hair into some semblance of style. She settled for a loose ponytail that didn’t pull at her wound.

      She was ready. She hoped. Taking a precious peaceful moment, she shut her eyes and drew in a deep breath. Then tried to force herself to remember the explosion.

      Heat. Flames. Smoke. Terror.

      The knock on the door jarred a gasp from her and she opened her eyes while her heart pounded fast and furious. From the knock or the blips of memory? “I’m coming.”

      She opened the door to find Toby holding his car keys. “You okay?” he asked.

      “Okay might be pushing it, but I’m ready to go.”

      His eyes darkened with an emotion she couldn’t identify. And wasn’t sure she wanted to. She was already drawn to this man who’d saved her, but the twinge of...something...that she felt toward him every so often cautioned her to hold herself distant until she could figure it out. She slipped past him and into the room.

      Amber stood guard at the window. “I’m going to follow you back to Wrangler’s Corner,” she said to Toby. “Wait, a car just pulled in the parking lot and slowed when it drove past yours.”

      “I parked several doors down. They won’t know what room we’re in.”

      She held out a hand. “Give me your keys and your phone.”

      “Why? What are you thinking?”

      “Change of plans. I’m going to drive a circuitous route and you guys are going to take my car and phone back to Wrangler’s Corner.”

      “Amber—”

      “If someone managed to plant a tracking device on your truck, we need to throw them off. I’ll leave it at a bus station, grab a ticket to Nashville, then rent a car and drive to Wrangler’s Corner.”

      Toby nodded. “Tell us when he’s gone and we’ll go together.” He and Amber swapped keys and phones.

      Robin stood, bag over her shoulder, ready to act when signaled to do so.

      When he tugged on her hand, she followed him to a new blue Tahoe and climbed into the passenger seat. Toby scrambled behind the wheel and within seconds, they were turning right out of the parking lot. Robin could see Amber in her side mirror driving Toby’s black Ford F-150. The woman turned left.

      Robin watched until she couldn’t see Amber any longer and never saw anyone who looked like they were following her—or them.

      “You can rest now if you want. It’s only about thirty minutes to Wrangler’s Corner.”

      Since her head was protesting in spite of the medication, Robin didn’t argue. She closed her eyes and prayed she was making the right decisions, trusting the right people. Because if she was wrong, she was as good as dead.

      Конец

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