Cooper's Choice, page 15
She frowned. “Where is Trent now? Didn’t you already leave him a message?”
He turned to look at her. “I thought once you went into WITSEC, you had to leave everyone behind.”
She flushed and glanced away. “Yes, that’s true. But you could stay in Knoxville for a while without going into WITSEC.”
“Maybe. But chances are good that Junior’s men will manage to find me as it’s not easy to hide when I’m sketching for tourists.”
“You could take a different job temporarily.” Honestly, she was getting annoyed with him. He acted as if sketching was his only option when, in fact, he could easily get any number of jobs.
Something far less noticeable than sidewalk sketching.
“No, I can’t.” His curt tone held a note of finality. “Give it up, Mia. You can’t change who I am.”
That was true. Cooper was the only one who could do that. And clearly he had no desire to do any such thing.
She swallowed her frustration and stared out at the street as if searching for their taxi. Yet every cell in her body was tuned to Cooper.
He sat motionless as if braced for her to offer additional arguments. The silence was deafening, and the minutes dragged by with excruciating slowness.
Cooper abruptly pulled out his sketchbook and began drawing. She watched as he recreated the two men Frankie Germaine had sent after her.
When Cooper’s phone rang, he was so startled he dropped his chalk.
“Who’s calling?” She frowned as she tried to see the screen.
He hesitated. “I don’t recognize the number.”
“It’s not Officer Zurich’s cell or Trent’s? Or the FBI?”
“Nope.” He set the phone aside. “It’s a Gatlinburg area code.”
“Tell me about Trent.”
Cooper shot a glance at her. “He’s the same age as I am and currently lives in Nashville.”
“How long has it been since you’ve seen him?”
“Over three years.” He finished the first sketch and moved onto the next. “Trent plays guitar for the Jimmy Woodrow Band. Last I heard they’ve been doing fairly well.”
“I see.” Although she really didn’t. “If you haven’t seen him in a while, why do you feel the need to stay in Gatlinburg?”
“I told you, it’s my home.” The edge was back in his tone.
“What about your other foster siblings? Have you seen any of them recently?”
“No.” His phone rang again. He picked it up with a frown. “It’s the same number.”
“Just answer it already.” She was losing her patience with him. Stubborn man. “If it’s spam, you can hang up.”
He lifted the device to his ear. “Hello?” In a heartbeat, he set the sketch aside and glanced at Mia. “Hang on, I’m going to put you on speaker.” He pushed a button and held the phone between them. “You’re calling from the police station?”
“Yes, Sarge called me back in. He wanted to know why I helped you two leave the police station.” Mia recognized Officer Zurich’s voice.
“Hang on, I’m going to call you back.” Cooper abruptly ended the call.
Mia gaped at him. “What are you doing?”
He shook his head and stared down at the phone. “I know it sounds paranoid, but I left her a message on her cell phone. Why didn’t she call me back using that number instead?”
“Because she’s at work?” Mia wondered if the sun was getting to him.
He shook his head and pushed a button on the phone. Then he held it out so she could hear too. It didn’t take long for Officer Zurich to answer. “Cooper, what is wrong with you?”
“I’m not going to apologize for double-checking you are in fact at work.” Cooper’s tone was testy. “And you better make this fast, my phone is running out of juice.”
“I put my job on the line for you two,” Officer Zurich said irritably. “Do you want to hear what I know or not?”
“Yes, we do,” Mia quickly interjected.
“Listen, I spoke to Sarge at length about your concerns about the marshal. Sounds like the minute the guy claiming to be the US Marshal heard you two were no longer in the building he stormed out.”
“Go on,” Cooper encouraged. “Have you issued an arrest warrant for the guy?”
“We have, but that’s not the main reason I called,” Officer Zurich continued. “Sarge took the two sketches you gave me and sent copies to every squad in the city.”
“That’s great news,” Mia said. “I’m sure those men were hired by Frankie Germaine.”
“You need to have the cops check out the trolley station,” Cooper added. “Oh, and you should know I caught a glimpse of a Gatlinburg police car here in Pigeon Forge.”
“Are you sure about that?” Officer Zurich sounded shocked by the news.
“Absolutely positive. I saw the Gatlinburg stenciled along the side of the cruiser. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a clear look at the driver.”
“That’s not good,” she muttered. “Pigeon Forge is not our jurisdiction, there would be no reason for one of our cops to drive there.”
“Yeah, well, someone is here,” Cooper insisted.
“I need to let Sarge know about that,” she said on a sigh. “But listen, the main reason I called was to tell you we need you both to come back to Gatlinburg.”
“No way.” Cooper’s refusal was knee-jerk. “Those guys are still searching for us.”
“I agree with Cooper,” Mia added. “It’s too dangerous. We have a taxi on the way, and our next stop will be Knoxville.”
“You don’t understand, we have the two men Cooper sketched in custody,” Officer Zurich said. “We need you both to identify them as the men who tried to assault you.”
Mia stared at Cooper for a long moment. It was good news to learn Frankie’s men were in custody, but was it safe to return to Gatlinburg?
What if the fake marshal was hiding nearby, waiting for them?
Chapter Twelve
“Cooper? Mia? Are you still there?” Officer Zurich’s voice drifted up from the speaker on his phone.
Cooper cleared his throat. “Yeah, we’re here. But I’m not sure returning to Gatlinburg is a good idea. Mia needs to be safe.”
“If you don’t come here to identify them and press charges, these guys could walk,” Zurich warned.
“We’re coming, don’t worry,” Mia quickly spoke up. “Do not let those men go. I know they’re working for Frankie Germaine.”
“Yeah, well, they claim they have no idea who he is,” Officer Zurich said wryly. “Sergeant Kellen really wants to talk to both of you.”
“Yeah, well, let’s hope he can keep us safe then,” Cooper said, irritated by Mia’s willingness to simply return to Gatlinburg. “Because we’ve been running from danger for days now, and it’s getting old.”
“Understood. I need to let Sarge know about the Gatlinburg squad you’ve seen in Pigeon Forge too. That’s definitely unusual.” Officer Zurich hesitated, then asked, “Do you want me to come pick you up in a squad? Or I can use my personal vehicle if that makes you feel better.”
He considered that option for a moment. Being picked up in her personal vehicle would be nice, yet it would take her a while to get here. When he saw their taxi heading toward them, he made a quick decision. “No need, we have a ride, thanks.”
“Okay, call me when you get here,” Zurich said.
“We will.” He ended the call and shut down the phone to preserve the small amount of battery he had left. Then he glanced at Mia. “Are you sure about this? There’s still time to change your mind. The taxi is already prepared to take us to Knoxville. We can always call Officer Zurich from there.”
“We can’t let those men go, Cooper.” Mia’s gaze was pleading. “We need them locked up behind bars. They might give up key information on Frankie to save themselves.”
“And what if they don’t?” Cooper tucked his phone in his backpack and shouldered it as the taxi drew closer. “We’ll be taking a risk for nothing.”
“We’re taking a risk to do the right thing,” Mia countered. “It’s our civic duty to keep criminals off the streets. Besides, if they’re locked up, they can’t hurt us anymore.”
“Whoever masqueraded as a US Marshal is still on the loose,” he protested.
“And I’m sure the police will find him.”
He wasn’t convinced the Gatlinburg police would find the fake marshal, but she was right about doing their civic duty. However, that didn’t make it any easier to comply with her wishes. In that moment, Cooper realized he’d gone through the past few years thinking only of himself. It hadn’t occurred to him how selfish that was until now.
“Besides, the FBI office is closed, right? They won’t be open until tomorrow morning. We may as well see if Sergeant Kellen has better luck getting through to the Feds.”
He couldn’t deny her logic. As he approached the taxi, the driver lowered the passenger window. “Change of plan, we need to head back to Gatlinburg instead of Knoxville.”
The driver looked annoyed but gestured with his hand. “Fine, get in.”
Cooper opened the back door for Mia, then tossed his knapsack inside and joined her in the back seat. The interior was hot and stuffy as if the cabbie’s air-conditioning was broken. Or maybe the guy was too cheap to run it.
The driver named his price, which was half of what it would have cost to get to Knoxville. Seemed expensive, but they weren’t in a position to negotiate. When they agreed to pay the fee, the driver merged into traffic, heading back the way they’d come.
He watched out the back window for a bit, making sure the squad from Gatlinburg wasn’t following them. Or anyone else for that matter.
“Thanks for doing this, Cooper.” Mia kept her voice low.
“No reason to thank me. As you said, these guys need to remain behind bars.” As much as he wanted to get Mia out of danger once and for all, there was a tiny, selfish part of him that was relieved to have the ability to spend more time with her.
Even a couple of hours was better than nothing. And yeah, he could secretly admit that sounded crazy. As if a few more hours would hold him over for the rest of his life.
He thought about how Mia had begged him to stay in Knoxville. The idea had tempted him more than he wanted to acknowledge. In the end, though, he knew Mia wouldn’t be sticking around Knoxville.
No, the US Deputy Marshals would whisk her off to a new city in a new state, likely far away from Tennessee. Maybe even on the west coast.
He’d never been to the ocean. Had only been in Asheville, North Carolina, and then Cherokee where the Preacher’s cabin was located. After escaping the fire, he, Trent, and Sawyer had moved through the Smoky Mountains, ending up in Tennessee.
What had happened to them? Sawyer, Hailey, Darby, Jayme, and little Caitlyn. They’d split up heading off in different directions to minimize the probability of getting caught by the authorities. They’d all unanimously agreed to never go back into the system.
He and Trent had hung with Sawyer for a while, but at the time, Sawyer was bossy, and he and Trent had decided they were better off on their own.
A decision he regretted now.
But going somewhere else? Permanently living in a strange place? He honestly couldn’t imagine it.
“Cooper?” Mia reached out to take his hand. “We’re going to be okay.”
“I hope so.” He forced a smile and was glad the driver was listening to music rather than paying attention to them. “At least Officer Zurich believes us.”
“I’m sure Sergeant Kellen does too. We just need to get in touch with the FBI.”
He gently squeezed her hand. “I’m sure he’ll fill us in when we get there.”
She nodded, her expression troubled. “It seems like we’ve been on the run for weeks rather than a few days.”
“I know. But as you said, it’s because you chose to do the right thing.”
“My father and stepmother were murdered.” She shivered. “I know God has a plan, but it’s not always easy to accept His will.”
He didn’t know much about God’s plan. Was it possible God intended for him to notice Mia coming and going from the church? To have him follow her and to prevent Junior’s men from kidnapping and killing her?
He could see that God would want to protect Mia, she was one of His children. But why involve him? A guy who’d shunned God and the church and everything the Preacher claimed to stand for?
Or maybe because of it.
He gave himself a mental shake. This type of internal philosophizing wasn’t like him. He preferred dealing in reality. Sketching for tourists and living a quiet life.
A boring existence.
Cooper glanced out the rear window again, noting the taxi driver was nodding along with the music, making good time in getting them back to Gatlinburg. The trolley had been slow and scenic, while the taxi ate up the miles in what seemed like record time.
Once they hit the city limits, Cooper leaned forward. “We need to go to the police station.”
“I don’t know where that is,” the driver said, meeting his gaze in the rearview mirror.
“I’ll give you directions. It’s not far.” Ironic that Cooper knew all about getting to the police station, considering he’d spent the past thirteen years of his life avoiding the authorities.
Ten minutes later, the taxi driver pulled up in front of the police station. Cooper dug out his phone and turned it on. He called Officer Zurich. “We’re here, meet us out front.”
“O—” The phone went dead. That was it for what was left of his battery.
He shoved the useless phone back into his pocket. He paid the driver, trying not to wince at how they were blowing through cash. All for a good cause, but it was still concerning. Especially considering he hadn’t worked in several days. Weekends were peak tourist times, and he’d blown this one off.
When Officer Zurich emerged from the building, he waited until she was close before pushing his door open. He helped Mia out, using his body and his knapsack as a shield. “Let’s get her inside.”
“Sarge is waiting.” Zurich took the position behind them as they headed into the police station.
Sergeant Kellen was indeed standing in the lobby area. “Thanks for coming in.”
“We would have stayed, if that guy claiming to be with the US Marshals Service hadn’t come looking for us.” Cooper held the sergeant’s gaze. “We knew you hadn’t had time to make the phone calls to the FBI yet.”
Kellen looked pained. “I know, I should have put the front desk on alert right away. I wasn’t expecting anyone to walk in like that. And the way he quickly disappeared did raise the clerk’s suspicions, even though his credentials were real, but by then it was too late.”
“Yeah, likely stolen from a dead marshal.” Cooper felt Mia’s hand on his arm and tried to dial back his frustration. He wasn’t happy to hear the fake marshal was still on the loose. “I hear you have suspects in custody.”
“We do.” Kellen inclined his head. “Please come this way.”
As before, Cooper was required to have his bag searched. “It’s no different from the last time you looked,” he protested.
“Standard protocol,” the woman countered.
“It’s for everyone’s safety,” Mia added.
Yeah, he imagined this woman would be extra vigilant after the goof up with the fake marshal. When the woman finished searching his bag, he slung it over his shoulder and followed Sergeant Kellen down the hall. He stopped and gestured to an interview room, the same one they were in before.
“Please have a seat,” Kellen said. “We have a couple of photo arrays to show you.”
“No lineup?” Cooper asked.
“Easier for us to find mug shots to use as a comparison rather than searching around the city for actual people,” Kellen informed them. “Tends to put a damper on the tourist crowd if we approach them for this kind of thing.”
“I can imagine.” Cooper pulled out his phone and charger, then tucked his pack beneath the table and sat beside Mia. “I need to charge my phone while we’re here. We’re waiting on a call from the FBI.”
“Go ahead. I’m going to ask you to each review the photo array separately,” Sergeant Kellen said. “Cooper, please move to the opposite end of the table.”
He could understand the need for each of them to make their own ID without help from the other, but he didn’t like leaving Mia’s side. Still, he did as Kellen requested.
The sergeant stood and put two sheets of paper in front of Mia, then moved down to hand him two as well. It took him less than a minute to pick out the two men he’d drawn.
“This guy and this one.” He tapped the images, one on each paper.
“Thanks.” Kellen picked up the papers, then moved over to where Mia was still studying the faces.
“This guy, here,” she said, pointing at one. “And this one too.”
“Excellent, thank you.” Sergeant Kellen nodded in satisfaction. “You both picked the two suspects we have in custody.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Mia leaned back in her chair, sighing with relief. “They’ll stay in jail now, right?”
Kellen hesitated. “I believe you both, but you need to understand their story is that you attacked them, Cooper.”
“Two against one,” he shot back. He moved closer to Mia. “And this guy”—he pointed to the image of the second man—“grabbed Mia’s arm and tried to pull her along with him.”
“I know, I have Mia’s original statement.” Kellen glanced at them. “But you just need to know what you’re up against.”
“Have you run their fingerprints through the system?” Mia leaned forward, pinning the sergeant with her gaze. “Because I believe these guys were hired by Frankie Germaine Junior. He probably blames me for his father, Frank Germaine Senior, being convicted of murdering my father and stepmother.”
“I did, so far nothing popped. I just heard back from the FBI, they finally returned my call.” Kellen paused for a long moment, then said, “Two things you need to know. One is that US Deputy Marshal Sean McCarthy is dead. The other is that Frank Germaine Senior is also dead.”
