Is the bounty hunter’s target really an innocent woman?

Convinced her sheriff brother-in-law murdered her sister, Jamie Carter hides her six-year-old niece away until she can prove his crimes. Bounty hunter Zack Owen is bound by the law to turn her in, but Jamie’s story sways him to protect her instead. On the run together, Zack must face the personal price of falling for his fugitive.

CHRISTA SINCLAIR moved from New England to escape the harsh winters and settled in Texas once she received her master’s degree in education. When she’s not teaching high school English or traveling around the world, she’s creating brave new characters who overcome danger to find love and to make sure the good guys win. Find out more about Christa at www.christasinclair.com or follow her on Twitter at @writercsinclair.

Also By Christa Sinclair

Love Inspired Suspense

Fugitive Pursuit

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Fugitive Pursuit

Christa Sinclair

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08452-9

FUGITIVE PURSUIT

© 2018 Christine Keach

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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Two uniformed men with weapons rushed toward Jamie and Zack.

“Hey, that woman’s wanted!” the store clerk hollered.

Jamie turned back to the building. “How does she know who I am?”

“She must’ve seen your picture somewhere.” Out of the corner of his eye, Zack caught sight of the men approaching the door out of the mail center.

“My picture? What about yours?”

“You’re the fugitive.”

Right. Her case. His job. Somewhere along the lines he’d shifted further into caring for the victim. Woman. Criminal.

“Stop right there!” One mall cop stayed with the clerk and spoke into his radio.

The other closed the distance between them at an alarming rate. “We said wait.” The guy grabbed Jamie’s injured arm.

“Ow!” She doubled over.

Zack’s gut clenched with her cry. “Let her go.” He slammed a jab into the other man’s jaw, then another punch to his stomach. While the man stumbled back a few steps, the other guard charged through the doorway.

Zack grabbed Jamie’s hand. “Come on!”

In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

—Psalms 56:11

Dear Reader,

First of all, thank you for taking a chance on Zack, Jamie and me. I’m thrilled to have the chance to share their story with you.

In Fugitive Pursuit, Zack’s faith never wavers. When in doubt, he prays and asks for God’s guidance. I wish I could be that strong every day. However, in my life I’ve often been more like Jamie. I, too, lost my way after a death in the family. I grew angry with God for not taking away my pain and I eventually abandoned my church. Writing this book became my path back to God. In helping Jamie heal, I learned that even in the most challenging times, God still walks with us.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about Zack and Jamie’s journey. Feel free to contact me through my website or follow me on Twitter at @writercsinclair. Okay, I’m heading back into my writing cave to work on my next book.

Take care,

Christa Sinclair

Laura Iding and Shana Asaro, thank you for not giving up on me.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Bible Verse

Dear Reader

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

ONE

Zack Owen had faced some pretty difficult people in his work as a bounty hunter, but no one was more challenging than his older sister when she got an idea lodged in her brain. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and rolled his eyes as Lily rattled on.

“I mean, how am I supposed to learn what it’s like in the field if none of you will teach me how to be a bounty hunter?”

He stared at her. “You’re here with me, aren’t you?” Although, now he questioned his decision to bring her along on this fugitive hunt.

After a few moments, she crossed her arms. “Yes, but that’s only because you need backup and no one else could come.”

His older brothers would kill him if anything happened to Lily. When they opened Second Chance Bail Bonds, they’d all agreed to keep her in the front office and away from the danger. And here he’d put her right in the middle of it.

Bringing Lily along...what had he been thinking?

“Do I get a gun?” Her eyes widened as a huge grin took over her face. It was kind of creepy.

“No. We don’t need them. The woman isn’t dangerous.” He glanced down at the mug shot he’d printed off the computer before they left the office. After his brothers reminded him to stay put and out of trouble.

Jamie Carter, arrested on assault charges for going after a sheriff, now wanted for skipping bail and kidnapping her niece. She was an attractive woman, with sparkling hazel eyes and long hair the color of chestnuts. Her pretty face made her look sweet and innocent.

Her looks, though, didn’t matter. Long ago, Zack had learned to keep his personal feelings separate from his professional career. Too much pain was possible when the two mixed. He’d learned the hard way. In his early bounty hunting days, he’d foolishly opened his heart to a woman. Soon, his romance had affected his focus on the job and an innocent victim had paid the price. Zack refused to allow that to happen again.

Besides, Ms. Carter had broken the law and Zack lived by it.

“Remember to let me do the talking, Lil. I’ll call you over to search her when I’ve got her in custody.”

“Okay, but should we have some kind of weapon or vest?” Lily’s hair fell over her shoulder as she glanced behind his seat. “She is a fugitive.”

“The woman spends her time with a six-year-old. She’s not likely to have a weapon, if for no other reason than to protect the kid.”

“You’re right.” Lily nodded as her fingers curled around the door handle. “Can we go now?”

“Okay.” Before he’d finished the last syllable, Lil was already hopping out of the truck. “What have I done?” he whispered.

After Zack locked the vehicle, he joined her on the sidewalk. He folded the mug shot and stuffed it in his pocket. Like an excited little kid, Lily asked questions, but she didn’t stop long enough for him to answer. Bringing his sister along really had been a bad decision.

Cars rushed by in front of the strip of shops. The scent of newly broken earth from somewhere close by filled his nostrils. Humidity from Rhode Island’s annual three-day heat wave clung to his brow and his lip. The heat of the mid-July day suffocated him. A few young women came out of the internet café, giggling and heading their way. Zack tugged the picture of Jamie out of his pocket. “Excuse me, ladies.” He made sure his Fugitive Recovery Agent badge was visible. “Have you seen this woman?”

All three of them nodded while one answered, “Yeah, I saw her in here a while ago. I’m not sure if she’s still inside.”

A jolt of adrenaline rushed through him. “Thank you.” His plan had been to check each business and gather as much information as he could about the woman’s possible visits to the small town of Trinity. Now, even if Carter wasn’t here, he had confirmation that he hunted in the right direction. As the women continued on their way, Zack turned to Lily.

“All right.” He pressed his hand on her shoulder. “Here’s the plan. You go around to the back door of the café in case she’s in here and tries to escape when I walk through the front door.”

Lily nodded. “Got it.” She fiddled with her bracelet, the one she’d inherited from Mom. “How do I stop her?”

“Hopefully I can talk her into surrendering before you have to do anything.” Then he’d only need Lily to pat the woman down. As a courtesy, he and his brothers always had their female partner search the women for weapons. “Go on.”

Lily pointed to his hand. “Can I take the picture? I meant to print a copy for myself at the office but I was so excited I forgot.”

He handed it off and watched his sister jog around the corner of the building. Of course, there was no guarantee Ms. Carter was still in here. But sticking his sister in the back, out of the way, was a good decision.

When he reached the windows of the internet café, he pulled the door open and stepped inside. The whoosh of air cooled his damp skin. He stayed at the front of the room and scanned the place: several rows of computers in front of him, a set of copiers near a checkout counter on his left and a section of the room dedicated to a small coffee shop on his right. Fingers tapped against keys. Conversations buzzed around the room. Zack set his fists on his hips. He didn’t need the picture he’d given to Lily to know if the woman was in here. He’d studied the attractive face long enough.

From the point of view of a bounty hunter, not as a man. He no longer did relationships. Romance included emotions, which led to weakness and he refused to be vulnerable. Once had been enough.

Now, where was his fugitive?

* * *

Jamie Carter read the news article on the computer before her. Official reports claimed her sister had had a drug problem that ultimately led to her death. “Yeah, right.” Jamie’s brother-in-law, Drew, had killed her. Based on her sister’s last phone message, Jamie was sure of it. Proving it, though, was a whole other ball game. Tears blurred her vision.

Why hadn’t she gone to the house when her sister called?

She swiped her fingers under her eyes. “I’m sorry, Erin.” Sorry for so many things, but mostly for not being there when her sister needed her the most. Jamie had gone on a vacation with her teacher friends to celebrate the end of the school year and to get away from Erin’s excuses for staying in the marriage. She’d had enough of trying to convince Erin to leave her abusive husband. When Erin had called and left a rushed message, Jamie hadn’t heard the phone ring and Erin had died. Jamie had gone to the house on her way home from her trip, but it was too late. The investigation was underway, with speculation her sister’s drug dealer had killed her.

Except Erin didn’t do drugs. Never had, never would have.

When Jamie arrived at his home, Drew stood outside, holding his daughter and pretending to mourn his wife. But when Jamie looked into his eyes, she knew he’d had a hand in Erin’s death. Like a wild woman, she pushed, punched and swung an IV pole at her brother-in-law and one of the deputies in front of a yard full of lawmen, paramedics and spectators. Of course, the men pressed charges. While waiting to see a judge, Jamie’s head swam with indecision. But nothing mattered except honoring her sister and getting her niece to safety.

Quiet sobs stole her breath as memories huddled in her brain. She didn’t think it was possible, but again her heart wrenched in her chest. She’d make it up to Erin, though.

A few days after Jamie made bail, she followed her niece and the girl’s new nanny to Charlotte’s favorite park. Joy traveled through her, and when the nanny got caught up in flirting with a man sitting next to her with a baby on his lap, Jamie pulled her niece and the girl’s bedraggled stuffed elephant into her arms. As Charlotte chatted excitedly about how happy she was to see Jamie, she whisked her away. Now she was ready to focus on somehow proving to anyone who would listen how evil her brother-in-law was.

Rumors throughout the small town of Hampton and through some of her students claimed Drew authorized his deputies to sell drugs there and in nearby communities. If she couldn’t get him investigated for her sister’s death, then she’d work to get him held accountable for the drugs he and his deputies peddled. Jamie’s next step was to interview some people. But who? How?

She closed her eyes and lowered her head. From successful, well-respected high school teacher to wanted woman in a matter of weeks. Could she succeed in bringing Drew down? Alone? To her success, everything Jamie set her mind to she achieved. But being wanted by the law...

The bell on the front door signaled a new customer entering.

And God helping her? That wouldn’t happen. He’d abandoned Jamie the day He first allowed Drew to steal Erin from her.

The new person, an imposing figure of a man, stood by the door, scanning the room. Jamie tensed. She was pretty sure he wasn’t looking for a seat since several near him remained empty. Although he wore no uniform, some kind of badge dropped around his neck.

Right. Time to go. Thankfully her niece was tucked away safely with a friend, so only Jamie had to run. As quickly as she could, she gathered the printouts covering the details of her case since she’d run and stuffed them into her backpack. When she rose from her chair, she kept her gaze toward the back of the room and prayed the man wasn’t looking for her.

A burst of air from the vent above her head stirred the strands of hair hanging loose from her ponytail. She fought every nerve to walk casually toward the back hallway.

“Jamie Carter.” A deep voice stirred something within her—fear, ease, maybe a bit of both.

Customers nearby stared at her.

She stopped and slowly turned to face the man about ten yards away from her. Dark hair, dark clothes. A few inches taller than her five foot seven, with well-defined muscle in his limbs, he could prove to be a challenge during her escape. She’d never seen him before. Could he be one of Drew’s musclemen? Or a new deputy?

“How’d you find me?” Like a wheel, her brain spun, scanning the surroundings, searching for freedom. Leaving by the front door would be impossible.

He shrugged one shoulder. “I asked around. Took a chance you’d be in the neighborhood.” When he stepped closer, she could see hair that barely touched his shoulders and a handsome face with a rounded jaw. “I’m sorry about your sister.”

A sense of intimacy rolled between them, his words like a balm over her broken heart.

Jamie shook her head. Crazy. The man was the enemy. “Sure, you really care.”

“I do. I can’t imagine losing one of my brothers or my sister in such a way.”

A hint of sympathy passed through his expression, as though he could truly understand her pain. Since when had her brother-in-law hired anyone with compassion? “You can tell Drew I’ll never stop fighting him, not until he answers for the crimes he’s committed.” Abuse, murder, drug peddler. Could there be more offenses?

Being more used to facing teenage drama and too many parent meetings than life on the run, Jamie didn’t have all the investigative skills she needed yet to convict Drew. But her time in the education system had taught her to roll with the punches. Hopefully her success rate inside a classroom put the odds in her favor as she attempted to uncover the truth. Nothing would stop her, not even the handsome man in front of her.

“The only person here with a warrant is you.” The man inched closer. He remained calm, confident.

She was not.

Going left or right would wouldn’t work. Too many people to maneuver around. Any one of them might grab her for him.

“So, what are you going to do? Bury me in an unmarked grave somewhere or take me back to Drew so he can kill me himself?” Several more customers stopped what they were doing. Many chose not to look directly at her. “I’m not going with you.”

“You don’t have a choice. You kidnapped your niece.”

Other people watched her and the man, as though enjoying a tennis match, as their conversation continued.

“I didn’t kidnap her. I’m protecting her.” Although Drew spent most of his marriage hitting Erin, he hadn’t hurt Charlotte, according to the little girl. Jamie had made sure to ask. Often.

He shook his head. “The courts don’t agree.”

“The courts are full of obnoxious old men who don’t have a clue what a true villain Drew Timmins is.” When the man took another step toward her, she backed up. “Please. My niece and I are in danger. Don’t you have a heart?” Make a decision. Which way should she run?

Metal clinked behind her. The closest computer geeks leaned over to glance around her.

Jamie jerked to one side so she could keep an eye on the man while assessing the latest threat. A woman, shadowed by the darkness of the hallway behind her, approached with handcuffs dangling from her fingers. “Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

“Lil, I told you to wait,” the man grumbled.

Okay, if this woman was working with him, then they were definitely not Drew’s employees. Her brother-in-law would never hire a woman.

“I thought you and Ms. Carter could use a hand.”

Fear shot through Jamie. Once those metal bracelets clinked around her wrists, her attempts to eventually earn Charlotte a safe life would be over.

Which way should she go?

“Let me handle this,” the man said through what sounded like gritted teeth. He moved a little quicker but with the hint of a limp.

The woman continued walking closer to Jamie. A few inches shorter, several pounds lighter and with hesitation in her step. If the lady tried to grab Jamie, could she fight her? Adding another assault charge to her growing list of offenses wasn’t ideal, but protecting her niece meant more.

Once Jamie had gathered enough evidence of Drew’s illegal activities, maybe the charges against her would be dropped. Although, maybe not because she had actually assaulted her brother-in-law. But somehow she’d convince the courts to award her full custody of Charlotte despite Jamie’s crimes. Unless God still wanted a good laugh.

“Ms. Carter.” The man’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Let us take you in and put an end to your running.”

“Never going to happen.” She shifted her focus to the woman, now within two feet of her. “I’m sorry.” Jamie moved forward, slammed her heel onto the other woman’s foot and shoved her shoulders back with as much force as possible. While the woman teetered, Jamie crouched down and swiped the woman’s feet out from under her. As the lady’s body fell backward, Jamie turned and ran.

* * *

“Wait!” Zack’s gut clenched as his sister fell like a ten-pound bag of potatoes. The metal door from the back of the room slammed against the outside of the building as the woman ran through it. Adrenaline surged through him. Several people from the last row of computers scrambled from their seats and slid in beside his sister. He barely glanced in Lily’s direction, though, as he broke into a run after the fugitive.

Heat hit him as soon as he stepped outside. He glanced to his right and saw only an overloaded trash bin. To his left, a car moved slowly as though the driver searched for a parking space. Jamie had just passed it.

Zack took off after her. His badge slapped against his chest. As he moved, he slammed pressure onto a not-quite-healed leg. Pain jolted through his knee from when he wiped out on his surfboard. “Carter!”

The woman rushed between a set of trees at the end of the parking lot, a long ponytail waving behind her. A loose-fitting dark T-shirt and blue jean shorts would help her disappear into the wall of trees, leaving him in the dust, looking like a fool.

Zack stopped running and bent over. He set both hands on his thighs and prayed for the pain in his leg to diminish. What had he been thinking? Stupid decision to come after a bounty with his inexperienced sister and his less-than-ready body.

Yikes. Lily. He’d bailed on her. When he turned around, a sea of faces greeted him from just outside the internet café. Questions flew at him as he hobbled back to them.

“Who was she?”

“What’d she do?”

“Want us to go after her?”

They crowded him as he crossed the back entrance and into the hallway. “It’s all right, guys. We’ll get her another time.” Business patrons passed by him and shuffled through abandoned chairs. Voices buzzed once again.

Several people crowded Lily as she sat in a chair and rubbed the back of her head. “Lil?”

“I’m okay.” Once she stood, she closed the distance between them. “What about you?”

He scanned the room. Several people had returned to their work, with the few remaining stragglers backing away. “Kyle was right. I’m not ready to go back in the field.” His older brothers had relegated him to the office of their bounty hunting business for another few days, as though he, a grown man, couldn’t decide when his body was healed enough.

Clearly, they had a point.

The jabbing pain along his leg dulled to a throbbing ache. He shifted his weight to his uninjured knee.

“Do you want to sit down for a few minutes to rest your knee?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m good. Let’s get out of here.”

“Don’t worry.” Lily wrapped her arm around his back and leaned her head on his shoulder. “We still have the advantage with Carter.”

“How do you figure?” Zack steered her toward the checkout counter.

“You were able to find her once. You’ll be able to do it again.”

“Maybe.”

A man around his age rushed to the counter. His name tag read Randy. “How can I help you?”

“Sorry about the ruckus.”

The guy waved them off. “Forget it. No one got hurt, which is the important thing.”

“Lil, where’s the picture?”

Lily pulled the fugitive’s photo from her pocket. Once he took it, Zack unfolded it and placed it on the counter.

“We were searching for this woman, Jamie Carter. She’s not a dangerous criminal so you don’t have to worry. She probably won’t come back, but if she does, can you call the number on the bottom of the page?”

Randy held the paper like it was gold and nodded. “Of course, sir, miss.” His gaze shifted to Lil. And stayed there.

Zack glanced at her, smiling away, batting her eyelashes at the guy. “Thanks.” He pinched his sister’s sleeve and tugged her toward the door. “Let’s go, miss.”

Once they stepped outside, Zack grinned. “He’s too young for you.” He didn’t look at her, but from the corner of his eye he could see Lily glaring at him. They walked in silence back to the truck. The wind shook the tree leaves, which created strange sunshine patterns.

Carter had been prettier than her mug shot, even with the worry creasing her brow. In her picture, her wavy hair dipped past her shoulders. Today, she’d pulled it away from her face, which made her look younger than her twenty-four years and much more vulnerable. His heart almost went out to her.

But it didn’t. He was a professional and she was his criminal.

Inside the vehicle, Lily met his gaze. “You know the others are going to have a word or two for us, right?”

“Yup.” But it would be Zack they’d be angry with, not Lil. A hundred justifications for taking her along on his hunt for Ms. Carter roamed through his head, but none of them would be good enough for his brothers. He shouldn’t have gone, they’d say, should’ve left Lily at work, he’d acted totally irresponsible, blah, blah, blah.

“You can handle it, though. You know you’re one of the best and they’re only jealous.” She clicked her seat belt into place. “Besides, I’m a big girl. I make my own decisions.”

Yeah, he’d push that justification. It hadn’t been his decision after all.

For some reason, he took one more glance across the parking lot toward the wall of trees. Of course, Carter was long gone. He had to admit, the woman’s story intrigued him. So did the worry plastered across her face. Yes, as bounty hunters, he and his brothers heard sob stories all the time, criminals forming paper-thin explanations in hopes of gaining an ally, but Jamie Carter’s impassioned plea had caught him off guard. What if the woman spoke the truth? What if she did everything she could for an innocent kid?

Nah. Just because he hadn’t been out on the hunt in almost four weeks, he couldn’t let his brain freeze. Besides, the courts called Jamie Carter a criminal who needed to be brought to justice. He had to follow the law.

* * *

Two days later, Jamie sat on the blanket she’d set beside her tent and leaned her head against the tree. Excited voices of adult campers and children around her helped to calm her heart. Yes, she could’ve hidden farther into the woods, where no one would find her, but the complete human stillness would leave her with too much time to think. Guilt had a way of creeping through silence.

What was she doing? By walking away from her sister and having fun on a vacation, she’d managed to let one of the most important people in her life get hurt. No, both people if she thought about it. Her sister was dead and her niece had no parents. Well, technically Charlotte still had a father, but if Jamie had her way, the man would never see his little girl again. Drew wasn’t fit to be a father.

Giving up her comfort in her apartment once she’d gone on the run had been a no-brainer. But she hadn’t been prepared for life as a fugitive. She constantly looked over her shoulder, and in another night or two, she’d have to move again to another campground. Too much time in one place made her an easier target to find.

When she and Erin were little, they used to put up tents in the backyard and treat their evening like a grand adventure. These days she was also on a journey but one of a whole different kind.

When she took Charlotte and jumped bail, she knew she had to let go of anything normal—no cell phone, no personal computer, no familiar places. She had grabbed the basics for survival, dropped her niece off with a friend willing to help and pitched her tent in the city park. With a beach on one side and summer campers on the other, she hid out, hoping for the guilt inside her to tamp down in her brain long enough for her to find a way out of the mess she was in.

As a soft breeze floated through the leaves, she glanced around the trees. Sunshine created streaks of light across the dirt paths, reminding her of the joy and happiness bubbling throughout her and Erin’s adventures all those years ago. Soft and comfy sleeping bags had cradled her and her dreams.

Now, she was alone.

Once she put Drew behind bars, she and Charlotte would camp throughout New England, hitting all the best-known parks. Jamie would make sure to share her sister’s love of camping with the little one.

She scrubbed her palm over her face and shifted her gaze to the wallet-sized picture of her, Erin and Charlotte that she kept in her backpack. Inside the bag were a few changes of clothes, all the money she had in her savings account and everything she held dear: pictures, Erin’s favorite Bible, trinkets that friends and family had given Jamie over the years, her own journal documenting her emotions as well as her ideas about Drew’s failings as a sheriff...and as a man.

Men were supposed to love their families, take care of them, cherish them.

Drew protected himself and his reputation.

Her thoughts drifted to the bounty hunter who’d tried to capture her the other day. He was probably good to his family. He seemed to care about following the law, not abusing it. What would it be like to have a man like him in her corner? She pressed her back to the thick tree stump as the image of the man flooded her brain. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he was easy on the eyes.

But Jamie had no time for romance. Thoughts of Mr. Bounty Hunter were a luxury she couldn’t afford. She needed to stay focused on making up for her mistake, for not being there when Erin needed her most.

Jamie hadn’t heard her ringing phone while at breakfast with her friends on the last day of vacation. Before she got on the road to return home, she’d listened to Erin’s message.

She was ready to leave the marriage, she’d found some incriminating evidence of Drew selling drugs and she needed Jamie ASAP. Noises in the background made Erin whisper and rush her words. She told Jamie she loved her. She started saying something about Mrs. C., an old family friend, but her words were cut off, then the phone had gone dead.

Charlotte, though, the most important person in Jamie’s world, was safe. Jamie wished she could stop by her friend’s house to spend some time with the girl, but she’d never put the child in unnecessary danger. Plus, Greta lived in Massachusetts. The time it would take to get there was precious. Jamie needed to stay focused.

With a heavy sigh, she returned the picture to her backpack, then stretched out on her back. Sunshine through the leaves cast heat and brightness over her. Jamie closed her eyes and willed herself to relax.

With so much pain in her heart, such weariness in her muscles and so many unanswered questions, being at ease seemed a million miles away. Hey, God, do You think You could guide me through this journey so I can protect Charlotte and honor my sister? She was pretty sure He didn’t care about her, but Charlotte? Surely God could come through for a beautiful child.

For a few hours, she’d rest, then she’d head to her grandmother’s best friend’s house. Another neighbor had said Mrs. C. had been gone for a couple months, but she was due back from visiting her son sometime today. Maybe the woman had evidence against Drew that Erin had started gathering while Jamie was out gallivanting with her friends? Surely Mrs. Cecily could give Jamie some insight into...something...

Maybe.

The weight of her battles pushed against her shoulders. Putting up with teenage attitudes, she could handle. Investigating a killer and possible drug pusher, though, was she good enough?

Yeah, her job. Only three years in the classroom and after all her questionable choices lately, she might never be allowed inside a school again. Thankfully she was on summer break, so she didn’t have to consider having a meeting with her boss. At least, not until August. She prayed her boss would show understanding and welcome her back when Jamie put Drew away. If.

Jamie flattened her palms on her stomach. A few minutes of nothingness and then she’d start planning her next move. For a few moments, she just needed...to be.

Something interfered with the brightness of the sun. A shiver scaled her spine. She jerked upright and scanned her surroundings.

A blue jay chirped above her.

She tossed the tent opening to one side and grabbed the baseball bat one of her star students had given her when he got accepted to his favorite college with a baseball scholarship. Wrapping her fingers around the base, she slid behind the biggest tree trunk nearby. Could Drew have found her? But she’d been so careful.

Faint hints of movement within her camping space broke down her confidence.

Did she dare peer around the trunk?

With the bat hanging over her shoulder, she inched forward enough to see an empty spot. She moved a little farther.

But the bat stayed still. “Your time on the run is up.”

Her heart jumped. She jerked her head around. Before her stood what looked like close to two hundred pounds of muscle. The man from the internet café two days ago. The injured one. The handsome bounty hunter. A hint of relief spread out through her chest. At least it wasn’t Drew.

Still, ways to escape his custody surged through her mind as she glanced around him. She’d done it before. She could do it again. Hopefully. Although this time he had her pinned to the trunk of a tree. A hint of cologne or soap drifted to her nose.

“I see the look in your eyes.” He tugged the bat out of her hands and tossed it behind him. It landed by her backpack. “But you’re not going anywhere except to jail.”

Anger for the way she’d left him at the café should have been visible through his expression, but he studied her with calm determination. He was bigger than she’d first thought the other day, wider in the chest. Stronger, probably. Intimidating, definitely.

Yet she didn’t fear for her life.

Jamie swallowed the lump in her throat. How would she get out of this? “Who are you?”

After taking a couple of steps back, he propped his hands on the waistband of his cargo pants. “My name’s Zack Owen. I’m a bounty hunter.”

One man trying to finish her off and one trying to bring her in. Great. As if her life wasn’t complicated enough.

“How’d you find me?” She’d thought she’d been doing well staying off the grid.

“I asked questions. People around the internet café, people on the bus routes, others by the beach and in the park...they all gave you up.”

“How’s the woman from the other day? I didn’t mean to hurt her. It’s just...there’s a lot at stake.”

“Like you trying to blame everyone else for your behavior?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs.

She lifted her chin. “Not everyone else. Just the man responsible.”

“The courts can sort all that out.” Leaning forward, he took a loose hold of her arm. “Let’s go.”

She couldn’t explain it, but something about him made her want to trust him, to reach out to him for assistance. Maybe going with him could work in her favor. She spent enough time guiding teenagers to her side of the bargaining table. She could do the same thing with this guy.

Except Zack Owen was no sixteen-year-old. The bottom line was she didn’t know this man. Her heart might be urging her to take a chance, but her brain knew better.

She dug in her heels. He stilled, staring down at her with piercing green eyes the color of an Irish countryside. “Look, I won’t put the cuffs on you if you can act like a civil human being.”

“You can’t—”

“Yes, I can.” His grip tightened. “Now what’s it going to be?”

She nipped her bottom lip. Several seconds ticked by. Think of something.

“Come on.” He tugged her toward the camping site parking lot, fifty, sixty yards away.

Jamie froze. Two of Drew’s men stalked toward them. She couldn’t be caught. Charlotte needed her. At least with the bounty hunter she had a chance.

Zack stilled, looked from her to the men. “You know them?”

“Yes. How did they find me?”

“Probably the same way I did.”

She gripped his arm. “I’ll go with you, but let’s go in the other direction.” And she’d pick up her backpack on the way. She couldn’t leave her most treasured items behind.

“Why?”

“Later.” She tried to drag him toward the tent, but the stubborn man wouldn’t move.

Big beefy Charlie, an off-duty deputy, closed in. “There you are.”

Jamie had seen the man next to him once or twice with Drew. Ben was his name. He pointed at her. “We’ve wasted a lot of time looking for you.”

“Who are you guys?” Zack braced his stance.

Jamie inched closer to him until their arms touched. She wanted to take hold of his hand, but she kept to herself. “They’re deputies from my brother-in-law’s office.”

As though the bounty hunter wasn’t even there, Charlie closed the distance between her and himself. “You know what we’re here for, Jamie. The kid. Where is she?”

“I’ll never give up my niece.” She’d die first.

“Sorry, but Jamie’s coming with me.” The bounty hunter slid her behind him. A wave of relief rolled through her. She pressed her palms to his back.

“Not too many people say no to Charlie.” Ben snickered.

Charlie straightened to his full height, only around five feet eight inches, but his bulk made up for what he lacked in height. “I don’t think you understand. We need information from her and we’re authorized to get it however we can.”

The bounty hunter didn’t even flinch. “No, you don’t understand. Your boss has no legal right to threaten her. As a sheriff, he should know he needs to let the justice system work.”

Tension rose like a thick layer of smoke. She’d wanted to get away from Mr. Bounty Hunter, but for the moment he was her only ally.

The other two men chuckled and traded glances. “Get out of my way.” Charlie took a swing at Zack. The thwack when Charlie’s fist connected with the bounty hunter’s jaw resonated through the woods. Zack tossed an uppercut, which snapped the other man’s head back.

Guilt rose inside her. No, she didn’t want to go with the bounty hunter, but she didn’t want him hurt because of her, either.

While Zack tangled with Charlie, Ben marched toward her. Jamie scanned the floor of the woods as she backed up. She needed a weapon. Leaves...rocks...the bat.

Bingo!

She scrambled to reach the bat Zack had tossed aside. Panic flushed through her. Ben yanked on the back of her shirt. “Get over here.”

She grabbed the wooden bat, whirled around and bashed it on his arm. The vibration numbed her fingers, her forearms.

The man howled. He cradled his arm close to his chest, then glared at her with fire in his eyes. “You little...” Ben grabbed her again.

Behind them, one of the men thumped to the ground.

Please not the bounty hunter. Jamie struggled to turn around. Relief flooded her. Zack moved toward Ben, took hold of the man’s injured arm and shoved him to the ground. Another howl.

Charlie reached behind him, tugged something free and...aimed a gun at Zack’s back.

She released the bat. “Look out!” Jamie knocked her bounty hunter down.

The gun went off.

* * *

Zack used his hands to break his fall. Guns? No, this definitely wasn’t good. This bounty was a lot more complicated than he’d ever imagined. He should’ve handed the woman over, but because he cared about the fear he’d seen in her eyes, he was now between a rock and a hard place. With weapons.

Emotions had no business here. He had to think exclusively like a bounty hunter and not as an affronted citizen.

Amid screams and hollers from other parts of the campsite, he pushed himself back up, grabbed the bat and smacked it down on the big guy’s hand as he aimed his weapon for Jamie, who remained on the ground. The gun tumbled across the dirt away from the two lawmen. Both deputies scrambled for the weapon.

Zack yanked the woman’s arm and got her to her feet. “Go!” She teetered for a moment, then ran to the tent. What was she doing? “Come on, Carter!” It took her only seconds to grab a small, plaid backpack. Then they slid in between the trees, deeper into the brush.

“Get after them!” one of the men yelled from behind.

No shots followed. Each second passing without another threat made Zack more nervous. Could he keep himself and Jamie safe?

She shoved a tree branch out of her face as they rushed toward a cabin standing not fifty feet from them. A shot rang through the air. Instinct had him ducking. God, please guide us to safety. He hadn’t brought his own weapon because he didn’t think he’d need it to capture Jamie.

“We’re not hiding in there,” he said matter-of-factly when they reached the cabin.

“No. Come this way.” She rushed around the building and guided him into a denser part of the forest.

“Where’d they go?” hollered either Charlie or the other man from far behind them.

“Head that way!” demanded the other.

Jamie twisted around for a second. Sirens whirred to life in the distance. Fear skidded through her striking hazel eyes. Her skin took on a pasty white color, as though all her blood had dropped to her feet.

He set his palm on her shoulder. “It’s okay. We’ll get out.”

Doubts plagued his mind. Options warred within him. His head said to focus on getting her to the proper police and completing his duty, but his gut demanded he keep the determined woman on the run for her safety. Which was the right decision?

He could turn her over now, but something wasn’t right if a couple of off-duty lawmen were ready to shoot first and ask questions later.

Jamie charged along the path laden with trees as though she’d come through here before. But where was she leading him? And how would they get back to his truck?

She stopped. After a heavy breath and a brief moment with her eyes closed, she continued on their trek. He tugged the backpack. “Wait a minute.” He leaned against a tree trunk.

Jamie stared at him with her milky white face and a little less confidence. He had the urge to pull her into his arms and be the rock she clearly needed.

Temporarily, of course. Like he’d do for any friend.

A dark red stain on her shirt caught his eye. Blood dripped off the edge of her sleeve.

What?

“You’re bleeding?” Zack lifted her shirtsleeve. Dark red blood gathered at a gash along her arm. More blood dribbled along her skin. If he hadn’t moved when the man had aimed for him by the tent, he’d be bleeding out. If Jamie hadn’t pushed him down... She’d taken a hit...for him. For a moment, he was paralyzed.

“I’ll be fine.” She tugged herself free. “I’ve had worse.” Her gaze avoided him.

Why didn’t he believe her? Sickness rumbled through his gut. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d been hit?”

“I’m pretty sure it’s just a scratch. Can we discuss this later? I’d like to get away without any more injuries.” She glanced behind them, then forward. “There’s another playground not far from here. You’ll be able to take a bus back to your vehicle.”

He didn’t miss the fact that she skipped talking about herself. She kept her gaze locked with his, as if daring him to argue.

So often his job was black-and-white, right or wrong. After the incidents at her camping site, things had never looked grayer, which was the absolute last place he wanted to be. Emotions led to indecision, which led to vulnerability. He’d successfully avoided that for five years. What was he supposed to do now?

He reached forward to pull a few strands of hair from the corner of her mouth.

She slapped his hand away. Gone from her eyes was any ounce of fear. Survival guided her movements.

He wanted to apologize and yet...he didn’t. Instead, he raised his hands in a surrender motion. “If your brother-in-law is such a bad guy, why haven’t you gone to the state police?”

“He’s got everyone fooled that he’s the perfect sheriff, so no one questions him. By the time we realized what was happening in my sister’s marriage, it was too late. Things kept getting worse. Erin was convinced to try to make the marriage work, especially when my niece came along. Until...”

“Until what?”

“Before she died, Erin had left me a message. She started telling me stuff.”

“About what?”

Jamie shook her head. “I don’t know.” She returned to their path.

Oh, she was definitely a bad liar. But getting the truth out of her would have to wait. Escape first.

As they silently followed the path through the wooded grounds, Zack’s mind whirled with too many thoughts. None of them made sense. God, I know this bounty run has fallen apart, but I trust in Your guidance. If anyone could get Zack out of this mess, He could. Hopefully without Zack having to call in his siblings. Because the latest events would not go over great.

Birds chirped as though nothing was wrong. A soft breeze took the edge off the heated afternoon. The scent of barbeque reminded him that he hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

The last copse of trees opened to a large park. An area with slides and jungle gyms sat in the center of a bike and walking trail. Children’s laughter drifted toward them along with a puppy’s bark.

“Hold up.” He bent over with his hands on his thighs. If his sense of direction was right, they were still in Champlain Park, the Ponahochet County side, nowhere near his truck. Thankfully his knee had held up in the escape, although a twinge of an ache from his surfing accident remained.

Beside him, Jamie planted one hand on her waist. The other, the one with the injury, hung motionless. The backpack remained slung over her shoulder. Blood continued to drip from under her shirtsleeve. The stain on her shirt had morphed into a mini-explosive pattern. “We need to look at your arm.”

Should he apologize for getting her shot?

“Don’t worry about it.” A hint of blond peeked through the strands of her hair.

“You’re bleeding. You look as white as a glass of milk. I’m waiting for you to pass out on me.” He pinched her shirt fabric.

She jerked away. “Don’t.” The word bolted out of her mouth with as much force as the steel in her gaze.

He froze, his fingers a few inches from her. For several moments, they stood at a standstill, but then her gaze softened. “I’m sorry. I know you’re trying to help and I do appreciate it.”

For the first time, he truly saw the vulnerability of the woman standing before him. The difficulties of being on the run lay across her body, in her choices, through her movements. The bounty hunter in him wanted nothing more than to turn her in. The man in him wanted to tuck her under his arm and whisper everything would be all right.

No caring allowed. Keep your mind on business. “Head for the bench over there and I’ll take a peek at your wound.”

After a glance in the direction of the seat, she scanned the park. She remained rooted to her spot.

“If you run, Jamie, I will catch you.”

She brushed her fingers against her temple. He almost had her cooperation. He could feel it in his gut. But why was it so important to him?

“All right.” She nodded and walked by his side to the wooden seat. The backpack came off her shoulder, but she kept a tight grip on it. Once she sat, he crouched down beside her and lifted her sleeve. Closing her eyes, she breathed out slowly. Blood had gathered along a gash about two inches long. “It doesn’t look too bad.” Seared flesh, but no hole. “The bullet grazed your arm. It’s not too deep and it’s not bleeding anymore. How does it feel?”

“Like someone’s stuck me with a hot poker.”

He gingerly touched his knuckle to the skin around her wound. She hissed, jerked upright. “Sorry.”

“Do you have any tissues in your backpack or something to wipe your arm?” No way would he leave her side to grab paper towels from the restroom close by. He had no doubt she’d be gone before he returned.

“No.” She tugged the backpack closer to her, one arm over it protectively.

“What do you have in there? Gold? A wad of bills? Weapons?”

“Some clothes.” Helplessness brought moisture to her eyes. “And things more important to me,” she whispered.

He almost set his hand on her knee. Almost. “Like what?”

“Pictures of my family, gifts my sister gave me as we grew up, her and my journals from when we were teenagers, things like that.” She sniffled and swiped her fingers beneath her eyes. “So, what’s the verdict on my arm?”

“You’ll live.” He released the fabric and stood. “But from the actions of those two guys at your campsite, you’re in a lot more trouble than you realize. Definitely more than I thought.” After he pulled his cell phone from his pocket, he slapped it in his palm while he paced in front of her. No, he didn’t want to call his brothers. They’d probably tell him how foolish he was being, but he needed a clearheaded response.

* * *

Jamie’s world had shifted upside down, becoming more dangerous than she’d ever expected. “I’m not strong enough,” she whispered. She glanced at the red marks on her sleeve, then gently lifted the cloth away from her injury. The skin burned. Like Zack said, she hadn’t been shot, but it looked like the piece of metal had singed right past her on its way to a tree trunk. Her brain still shook with the reality of being so close to dying, to breaking her promise to her sister.

The urge to hug her niece, to hold her close, took life within her. Did Charlotte wonder where Jamie was? It had been two and a half weeks since she’d left the child in another state with someone Charlotte had never met. Did she wish her aunt instead of Jamie’s best friend from elementary school was the one reading her stories as she drifted off to sleep?

Jamie had expected life alone on the run to be challenging, but never had she expected bullets to be grazing her skin, or an attractive bounty hunter to be deciding what to do with her. He was comforting, with his quiet voice and his gentle touch. If she let them, thousands of thoughts could easily overwhelm—

No. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and shook her head. He wasn’t her friend or a possible date. He was with her only because he wanted to collect the money he’d get for bringing her in to the authorities.

Still, trusting him was a risk, but at the moment, she had no choice. Her ability to make sound decisions in such danger had grown weaker with each day.

“Lil, I need to talk to Parker.” Zack stood before her with his phone stuck to his ear, his tone tense, his gaze scanning their surroundings. Seconds ticked by. “Hey, listen...Yes, I know, but I need you to stop for a minute. I need one of you to come pick me up on the Ponahochet side of Champlain Park...No, there’s no time to explain. You just need to make it as fast as you can...Parker, please. It’s important.” With a glance her way, he added, “And bring the first-aid kit.”

He got off the phone and tucked it into his pocket. “They’ll be here soon.”

With a push off the bench, she got to her feet and slung the backpack over her shoulder.

Zack held his hand out toward her waist. “Where are you going?”

She shook her head. “I can’t risk you getting into trouble for me.”

He rolled his eyes. “You just saved my life. I’m thinking I still owe you.”

“I can’t go to jail, either.”

“What exactly do you think your sister’s husband has done that makes him such a menace?” A hint of disbelief still threaded through his expression.

He killed my sister. She lowered her gaze to the bloodied sleeve. “Too much.”

“Those guys we just ran into might be deputies, as you say, but they aren’t on my side of the justice fence. Clearly, you’re in over your head. Going into a state police station might be best.”

“No.” She scanned the park. “I’ve made my decision. I’m not going.” She took a few steps in the direction of the park entrance. Two little girls giggled from their upside-down positions on the monkey bars, one wobbling back and forth, the other with big pigtails dangling next to her ears.

Memories rushed forward to a time when she and Erin had been cared for, loved, cherished. Thoughts of the last time she and Erin had brought Charlotte for a playdate sprang to mind, as well. That day, Erin had insisted Drew needed her to bring him back to God. And for doing her duty as a child of God, Drew had killed her.

“Where will you go?” Zack’s voice brought her back to the present. “Where you have the kid stashed? You can’t go back to the camping area I just found you in. Or your apartment across town. If the goon squad found you once, they’ll find you again. Are you planning to fight the next round while you’re less than one hundred percent?”

She stepped around him. But he was right. At the moment, depending on him might not be the wisest choice, but she had no one else. Not even God would give her a break.

When she turned back, Zack stood there, his eyes pleading for her trust. Several moments filled with tension ticked by. “Jamie, let me help you figure out what’s next.”

Her head grew dizzy, but from the loss of blood, the adrenaline-charged events or as a result of his offer to help, she couldn’t be sure. Could she afford to accept his assistance?

Could she afford not to?

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