Tracked Through the Woods, page 13
“We’ll find a different motel to stay in this time,” Wyatt said as he rounded the Jeep to open the passenger door for her. “I think we should head out of Green Lake County, though.”
“Good idea.” She slid into the car, sternly reminding herself that Wyatt wasn’t interested in her on a personal level.
He felt responsible for protecting her, nothing more.
Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, she glanced back at the sketch he’d set on the back seat. Seeing her father’s features helped her focus on their mission.
She wasn’t here to kiss Wyatt or cry in his arms. When had she turned into a crier anyway? This wasn’t like her.
The most important thing was to find her dad. Steeling her spine, she lifted her chin and silently promised not to let Wyatt distract her.
Wyatt drove out of the sheriff’s department parking lot and headed east. She glanced at him in surprise. “I thought you wanted to get out of the county?”
“I do, but rather than heading northwest, I’d rather find something closer. Appleton should have plenty of places to stay, and it’s not somewhere the bad guys would expect to find us.”
She nodded slowly. It was a good point, even though deep down she didn’t like being so far away from the last place her father had been. “That works.”
As they pulled onto the highway, Wyatt asked, “Are you hungry?”
Her earlier nausea had faded, leaving a gnawing in her stomach. Glancing at the dashboard clock, she was surprised to see it was six thirty in the evening. The events at the burned farmhouse along with the subsequent time spent at headquarters to provide their statements had taken longer than she’d realized. “I could eat, but we might want to wait until we’re closer to the hotel. I feel like we should get out of Green Lake right away.”
“Okay. We’ll find another fast-food place and use the drive-through to pick something up.” He sighed, then added, “Sorry, but it’s probably safer in the long run than sitting down in a restaurant.”
“Fine with me. It’s not as if I haven’t been living off fast food for the past few weeks.”
He winced. “Now I feel guilty for not taking you somewhere decent.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s fine.” Going to a nice restaurant with him would feel way too much like a date. Something she hadn’t done in a very long time.
Hard to maintain a relationship when you were constantly on the move.
“We need to formulate a game plan,” he said after a few minutes. “The only thing we’ve learned so far was that Johnny Raffa’s men keep coming after us.”
“Do you know anything else about Raffa that might help us?” She felt as if they were grasping at straws. “Other than he seems to have limitless men willing to do his dirty work.”
He was quiet for a moment. “Even if I had access to the FBI database, I wouldn’t be able to trust the information listed there. Hawthorne could have very well doctored the data.”
She understood his rationale. “Okay.”
“You mentioned going to the burned farmhouse because it was the first place you and your dad used as a safe house.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Where did you plan to go after that?” Wyatt asked.
“The original house we lived in when we were Amish.” She turned to face him. “I mentioned it earlier, but forgot once Liam and Garrett arrived. My dad might be waiting for us there.”
He frowned. “You really think so?”
“Yes. That old house is the same place the Marcheses used when they kidnapped my sister, Rachel.” Her heart thumped with excitement. Going there was the right decision. She just knew it. “I have a good feeling about this.”
“Hold on, I don’t think heading there now, in the dark, is smart,” he cautioned. “I like your idea, though. It’s a good plan to check that location next.”
“We need to go now,” she insisted. “Tomorrow might be too late. My dad might be there, waiting for us. He left that message for me, which tells me he’s moved on and might be expecting me.” She grabbed his arm. “Please, Wyatt.”
He reluctantly nodded. “Okay. Where is this place, exactly?”
Good question. She tried to envision the abandoned house in her mind. “It’s in the northwest corner of Green Lake County. Liam knows the address. He and Garrett showed up there shortly after I helped rescue Rachel.”
Wyatt exited the interstate, then turned to get back on in the opposite direction. She was so glad he’d agreed to head to the abandoned house. She truly believed her father was there right now. He was just one step ahead of them, and she didn’t want him to have to wait too long for them to show up.
She only wished she’d suggested it sooner. Well, she had, but then had gotten distracted.
This was why she needed to avoid getting too close to Wyatt. She sighed. At least they were on the right track now.
“Call Liam, and see if you can get the address.” Wyatt headed back into Green Lake County. “We may need them to back us up, anyway.”
She reluctantly dug out her cheap phone. Not that she didn’t appreciate the possible need for back-p, but if her dad was there, they wouldn’t need it.
The idea of getting her father to safety buoyed her spirits. She made the call, but Liam didn’t answer.
“Liam, this is Abby. Call me when you have a minute.” She disconnected. “He didn’t answer, but I’m sure I can find the place without Liam’s help.”
He nodded, his gaze focused on the road. “I believe you.”
She clasped her hands in her lap, silently praying they’d find her dad at the house where they’d lived together as a family before the Marchese men had found them.
A life she didn’t really remember, other than a brief memory of picking flowers with Rachel that they’d presented to their mom.
Mammi. The Pennsylvania Dutch word for mom flashed in her mind. In May, when she’d found Rachel for the first time since they’d been separated, her sister’s Amish dress had reminded her of the time they’d picked wildflowers.
She wished her memories of her mother were clearer, but living with her dad as a four-year-old through adulthood had replaced those early years.
Rachel had confided that their mother had passed away last year. Abby was sad about that, but the news had made her even more determined to make sure her dad was safe now.
“We’re going to stay on this road all the way into the Amish community,” she instructed. “Be careful, there may be some horse and buggies out on the roads.”
“I noticed a few earlier.” Wyatt glanced at her. “Could you go back to living a simple life? One without electricity or other modern conveniences?”
“No.” She honestly couldn’t imagine how Rachel managed each day. “Although I like Green Lake better than Chicago. With my sister living there, I’ve been thinking it may be a good place to put down roots. I’m pretty sure my dad will agree.”
“I’ve spent eight years in Chicago and grew up in Minneapolis, attending college there, too, before heading to Quantico for training. I’ve always been partial to big cities, but there is something nice about being in a place where you know your neighbors,” he agreed.
“I’ve never been in one place long enough to become chummy with the neighbors.” She and her dad had moved every few years, which had been detrimental to her grades. By her junior year she’d gotten her GED rather than trying to acclimate to a new high school environment. “No college, either.”
“I’m sure that must have been difficult for you.” Wyatt reached over to take her hand. “Once this is over you can attend college.”
“Not likely.” College tuition was expensive, and she barely had a few hundred bucks to her name. “But it will be nice not to be on the run, constantly looking over my shoulder.”
“If you could attend college, what would you study? What career would you choose?”
She stared down at their hands for a moment before shrugging. “I can’t say that I’ve thought too much about having a career. My goal has been to survive.”
“You must have had dreams, Abby,” he persisted.
“Maybe a cop.” She flushed and shrugged. “I know that probably sounds stupid, especially since I’ve never trusted law enforcement. But watching the Marchese men trying to ruin Rachel’s life, my life and my dad’s makes me want to put more criminals behind bars.”
“I think you’d be an amazing cop,” Wyatt said. “You have excellent instincts.”
She was glad for the darkness hiding her face, as her cheeks warmed. “Thanks, but I don’t think there’s a law enforcement agency in the entire country that would consider my application. Not with my lack of formal schooling and zero references. But that’s okay,” she hastily added. The last thing she wanted was sympathy. “I don’t mind hard work. And frankly, having a regular job where I didn’t have to hoard cash, in case I needed to run, would be amazing. I enjoy cooking, I’m sure I can find restaurant work in the Green Lake area.”
“Don’t underestimate yourself,” Wyatt said. “You have more life skills than most of the cadets entering the police academy.”
He was sweet to say that, but she was a realist.
Being a cop, or even working a regular nine-to-five job wasn’t in her immediate future.
She’d happily settle for a simple life where she and her dad were no longer in danger.
* * *
It bothered Wyatt to realize just how much Abby had been through over the years. Even more sobering to hear that her goal was to have a regular job where she didn’t need to feel the need to save up cash for a quick getaway.
Once this was over, he’d see if there wasn’t a way that he could help her obtain a job in law enforcement. If that was truly what she wanted.
Yet he doubted he’d have a job himself with the FBI when this was over, so his offering a reference might backfire. It was more likely that they’d both be looking for new jobs when the danger was over.
Maybe they could stay together, too. He shot her a quick glance, remembering those moments he’d held her in his arms. He’d been unable to resist kissing her, and he’d struggled to keep it casual and comforting.
Abby had been on the edge of a breakdown. He’d known he couldn’t take advantage of her momentary weakness.
Calm logic was one thing, but it had taken every ounce of willpower to keep from sweeping her close and deepening their kiss.
He drew in a steadying breath, preparing himself for their foray to the house where Abby and her parents had lived when they were Amish. He would have rather approached in the daytime but hadn’t been able to argue her point about her father potentially seeking shelter there.
Having Peter Miller safe and staying with them would help in numerous ways. For one, he was hopeful Abby’s dad would have some information that would help him find the proof he needed to bring down his boss, Ethan Hawthorne.
But even better, he could leave Peter and Abby together while he went out to find the bad guys. He was sure Liam would assist on finding them a place to stay.
It would be easier for him to continue the investigation if he didn’t have to worry about two innocent people getting hurt in the crossfire. Even if that meant he wouldn’t see Abby for a while.
A flash of pain struck deep at the thought of leaving her behind, but he’d always known their partnership was temporary. Best to remember that being on the run from bad guys did not exactly provide a foundation to build a future.
Besides, even if he didn’t stay with the FBI, he didn’t want to risk getting his heart broken a second time. Not after the way Emma had stomped all over it.
“Turn right to head north at the next intersection,” Abby said, pulling him from his thoughts.
“Got it.” He made the turn, surprised to see several houses dotting the landscape. The windows weren’t ablaze with light, but several had a low, flickering glow from a lantern. “We must be in the Amish community now.”
“Yes,” she agreed. As they passed another sprawling property sporting a house and a barn, she gestured toward them. “That’s where Rachel and Jacob live.”
“Your sister?” He was surprised. “How do you know that?”
“Liam mentioned Rachel and Jacob were married recently.” She shrugged. “Back in May I also followed Tony Marchese there. He planned to use Rachel as bait to draw out my dad. I was able to sneak up behind him as he was holding Rachel at gunpoint, hitting him in the head.”
“Impressive.” He grinned. “See? I was right about you having great instincts.”
“It was more about being in the right place at the right time,” she said modestly. “I was grateful to be of help. And it wasn’t all for Rachel, either. Even if she escaped, I knew Tony wouldn’t rest until he’d found me and my dad. Taking him out of the picture was the only option.”
“Yet here we are, still in danger.” He sighed. “All because of a dirty FBI agent.”
She nodded, then put a hand on his arm. “Slow down, I don’t want to miss the turn in the dark.”
He eased down on the brake, scanning the area up ahead. The highway roads here were curvy, and despite the acres of farmland they’d passed, there were also several wooded spots, too.
“See that gravel road? That will take us to the house.”
“I see it, but I’m not going to drive right up, Abby.” He rolled past the gravel driveway. “We’ll find a place to leave the Jeep and go in on foot.”
“You’re right.” She relaxed against the seat. “I’m just anxious to check it out. There’s a small opening between some trees about a half mile from here that would be a great spot to hide the Jeep.”
As she made the comment, he saw the opening between two groups of trees. He slowed down, went past it, then stopped and put the Jeep in Reverse. The vehicle had a rear camera, which was helpful as he backed into the opening so they could make a quick getaway if needed.
When they were well covered by the fall foliage, he shut down the car. “I assume you know how to get to the house through the woods?”
“I do.” She flashed a smile. “We’ll go slow, though, so that we don’t scare him off if he’s hiding inside.”
“Fine with me.” He slid out from behind the wheel, taking a moment to quietly shut the car door. Abby did the same. He held back, waiting for her to take the lead.
She moved silently, obviously accustomed to approaching places without being seen or heard. He was impressed with her ability to avoid the dry leaves and branches scattered over the ground.
The wooded area wasn’t large, so it didn’t take them long to reach the clearing. She paused there, staying behind a large oak tree as she surveyed the abandoned structure.
He stayed beside her, searching for a sign that Peter Miller was waiting inside. Or maybe he was waiting somewhere outside. Thinking back to the first cabin where he’d found Abby, he was sure her dad had melted into the trees to avoid being seen.
Wyatt knew it was highly likely her dad would have done the same thing here. He leaned down to speak in her ear. “Should we split up, see if your dad is hiding in the woods nearby?”
“No.” Her voice was so soft he barely heard her. “I think I should go toward the house. Once Dad sees me, I’m sure he’ll come find me.”
He scowled in the darkness. “Better we stay together.”
“I need you to trust me on this.”
Had she forgotten what had happened the last time they’d split up at the burned farmhouse? The gunman had almost struck her down with a bullet. A ball of fear lodged in his throat. He snagged her arm. “Please stick with me.”
“I won’t be long.” She shook off his hand and darted forward. Thankfully, the lack of streetlights within the Amish community helped hide her in the darkness, especially as she wore dark clothing. For a moment he lost track of her, then saw the barest shadow of her crouching near the corner of the house.
He pulled his weapon and prepared to follow. The excuse of her father’s lack of trust wasn’t enough to hold him back.
When Abby moved along the side of the structure toward the back corner, he left the cover of the trees. Running silently, he held his breath until he reached the house, too.
But there was no sign of Abby. Assuming she’d gone around the corner, he quickly followed the same path she’d taken.
Peering around the corner, he expected to see her, but there was no one there. He frowned, then edged around the corner, belatedly realizing there was an open window on this side.
Remembering how Abby had escaped through a bedroom window when he’d first confronted her, he had no doubt she’d gone inside this way. He inched forward, intending to do the same, when he saw movement in the trees.
Abby’s father? He instinctively dropped to the ground, just as a crack of gunfire rang out.
He sprang up, and threw his leg over the windowsill. Ducking beneath it, he fell into the room as a second crack of gunfire rang out.
“Wyatt?” Abby called softly.
“Stay down.” He rolled to his feet, then ran from the room. Another gunshot came from what sounded like the front of the house.
If they didn’t find a way to escape, they’d be trapped!
THIRTEEN
More gunfire? Abby crouched on the floor near the kitchen cabinets, hoping they would help prevent bullets from getting all the way through.
How was it these men knew where to look for them?
One possible answer was that they were familiar with the house because the Marchese men had used it as a place to keep Rachel after they’d kidnapped her.
And she had unwittingly walked into their trap. A wave of guilt hit hard. Her insistence on coming here had put Wyatt in danger.
“Abby, we need to get out of here.” Wyatt darted forward and crouched next to her. “There are at least two men out there.”
