Identity Crisis, page 17
“Fine,” Jonah said, unlocking the doors. “But hurry, I’m starting to get light-headed. One of you is going to have to drive.”
Gage tossed both bikes in the deep thicket along the edge of the creek, and then hurried back over to the car. He wasn’t at all reassured to find Jonah slumped over the steering wheel.
“His pulse is faint but steady,” Alyssa said from the passenger seat beside him. Her worried gaze met his. “But you need to get us someplace safe soon, because Jonah needs fluids, antibiotics and rest—stat.”
FIFTEEN
Alyssa kept her fingers on Jonah’s pulse the entire ride to the motel. Thanks to a car with a full tank of gas, Gage was able to take them outside the city limits, off the main highway.
She was worried about Jonah. He’d obviously left the hospital too early. She could probably give him enough fluids and force him to rest, but antibiotics? They couldn’t get a prescription for antibiotics without a doctor’s order.
Gage pulled up to the motel and glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “I know you’re tired and your ankle hurts, but it would be best if you could go in to rent the room. The red hair might throw them off.”
His plan made sense, and with their limited reserves, she knew they couldn’t afford two rooms anyway. She slid out of the car and took the money he handed her. Her ankle screamed in pain, but she resolutely ignored it and forced herself to walk into the motel lobby.
“I need a room for the night,” she said, flashing the heavyset older man standing behind the counter a bright smile. “I hope you’ll take cash, though, since I had to cut up my credit cards.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice, as if sharing a dark secret. “I was addicted to QVC.”
The old man smiled as she’d hoped he would and handed over an actual, old-fashioned key. “Sixty-two per night is the cash rate, Ms. er—?” He looked at her expectantly.
“Anderson, but please call me Amy.” Sixty-two sounded like a lot, but she handed over the money and snatched the key off the counter. “Thanks so much.”
“You’re in room seven, at the end of the row. And checkout time is eleven o’clock,” he added as she turned away from the counter. She gave him a tiny wave to show she heard him and left the lobby, leaning heavily against the wall to rest her ankle as soon as she was out of his line of vision.
The distance back to the Ford Taurus where Gage and Jonah waited seemed like ten miles instead of ten yards. Gathering every bit of strength she possessed, she pushed away from the wall to head back toward the vehicle, but she halted when she noticed the vending machine. She fed two dollars into the machine and pressed the button for a bottle of Gatorade. The stuff didn’t taste very good in her opinion, but the electrolytes and sugar would help Jonah’s dehydration faster than plain water.
“We’re in room seven. Just give me a minute to unlock the door,” she said to Gage through the open driver’s window.
“I’ll get Jonah. You rest your ankle.”
As much as she wanted to do that, she didn’t think Gage would be able to get Jonah’s muscular frame inside without help. But she needn’t have worried, because Gage and Jonah staggered in while she was still searching for something heavy to prop the door open. She was relieved to see Jonah was awake and walking somewhat on his own.
“Thanks,” Jonah grunted when Gage helped lower him to the edge of the closest bed.
“I need to check your wound,” she said, moving to his side.
“It’s not that bad,” Jonah protested wearily. “After surgery they told me I was lucky because my ribs deflected the tip of the knife away from my diaphragm.”
She agreed with the doctor’s assessment. A paralyzed diaphragm took away a person’s ability to breathe on his or her own. “Did you lose the lower lobe of your lung?” she asked as she looked at his dressing. Thankfully, there was no sign of bleeding.
“Yeah. How did you know?” Jonah asked.
“Alyssa is a trauma nurse, remember?” Gage spoke up. “And that means you need to listen to her advice.”
“Yes, starting with drinking this entire bottle of Gatorade,” she informed him. “Honestly, Jonah, you shouldn’t have left the hospital. Without antibiotics, your wound is likely to get infected.”
“I have the bottle of antibiotics they gave me,” he offered, pulling them out of his pocket. “And they were talking about sending me home in a day or two anyway, so what’s the difference?”
She eagerly scooped up the bottle of antibiotics. Thank You, Lord! With God’s help, she knew they could get Jonah back on his feet very soon. “Here, you’re due for a dose now, and you can wash it down with the Gatorade.”
Jonah did as she asked. “Gage, I know where to find Hugh Jefferson,” he said, after he finished off the entire bottle of Gatorade.
“Where?” Gage demanded.
“I did some searching and discovered he has a boat slip down at the marina. The name of his private yacht is Lucky Lady.”
* * *
Food, hydration and rest worked wonders for Jonah. Alyssa was relieved and reassured when after twenty-four hours, he claimed he felt one hundred percent better.
“We need to plan our next steps,” Gage said over breakfast from a local fast-food restaurant. He’d slept on the floor without complaint. “We can’t just keep hiding out at motels. We have an ally in Gerald Maas, but I’m not sure how much weight his opinion will carry, since he didn’t win the election last night.”
Eric Holden’s landslide victory had been all over the news. She couldn’t help feeling guilty that they hadn’t been able to do more to help the best man win.
“I think we need to go down to the marina, to stake out Jefferson’s yacht,” Jonah murmured. “Maybe we’ll catch something incriminating with my camera phone.”
“I doubt he’ll be so careless,” she felt compelled to point out.
“He’s arrogant enough to think he’s above the law,” Gage countered. “I agree with Jonah. He and I should head down to the marina. It’s the only clue we have.”
She froze, staring at Gage in shock. “You and Jonah?” she slowly repeated. “What about me?”
Gage avoided her gaze. “You should stay here and rest that ankle. We’ll be back soon enough.”
She couldn’t believe that he was so willing to leave her here. What about being partners? What about being in this together? “I can’t stay here. Checkout time is eleven o’clock. I’m going with you.”
“No, you’re not.” Gage slapped some more money on the small table. “You’re going to ask to stay another night, and then you’re going to wait here for us, where you’ll be safe.” The sharp edge to his tone ripped her heart.
So much for his claim that he’d changed. Maybe he’d made strides with his faith, but he still refused to treat her as an equal partner. “Gage, I’ll be safer with you and Jonah than staying here alone.”
“No, that’s where you’re wrong, Alyssa.” Gage rose to his feet, and this time, when he finally met her gaze, she could see he’d already made up his mind. “I’ve done nothing but drag you into danger, over and over again. You’re staying here, end of discussion.”
“End of discussion?” she echoed in horror. Gage was showing his true nature, and she wasn’t sure she liked it at all. How dare he talk to her like this? Especially after everything they’d been through.
“Yes. And don’t bother arguing. There’s nothing you can say or do to make me change my mind.”
* * *
Gage almost caved at the stark, wounded expression in Alyssa’s blue eyes. But he knew how awful her ankle looked—rest was what she needed more than anything. Besides, what was wrong with keeping her safe? Being safe wasn’t a bad thing, it was a good thing. He’d failed her when Crane had captured them, and it was only through a little luck and a lot of faith that they managed to escape. He couldn’t stand the thought of failing her again.
“Don’t do this, Gage,” she implored him. “You told me you changed, that we were partners. I thought you trusted me. Trusted the Lord to watch over us.”
“I do, but logically, there’s no reason to put you in danger, Alyssa. We’re going on a fact-finding mission, nothing more.”
Jonah rose to his feet and edged toward the door. “I’ll wait in the car while you two fight this one out,” he murmured.
“There’s nothing to fight about.” He tore his gaze away from Alyssa’s and followed Jonah to the door. “We’ll be back before you know it,” he shot over his shoulder before closing the motel room door behind him.
“Whew,” Jonah whistled under his breath as they walked across the asphalt parking lot. “She’s not happy with you, man.”
Gage shrugged, knowing Jonah’s words were a gross understatement. For a moment he hesitated, but then steeled his resolve and opened the driver’s-side door to slide behind the wheel. “I’d rather she was safe and mad than in danger.”
“I know what you mean,” Jonah admitted. “But she was right about having faith, Gage. I don’t think I’d be here today if not for God’s love and support.”
He glanced at his friend in surprise. He knew Jonah was religious, but his buddy had never said anything like this before. “Really?”
Jonah nodded. “I accepted Christ years ago when my partner took a bullet meant for me. I almost quit the force, but it was only through church and renewing my faith that I was able to return to my job.”
Gage remembered when Jonah’s partner had died, but he didn’t realize how traumatized his friend had been at the time. Now he felt guilty for his ignorance. “I’m sorry, Jonah. I didn’t know.”
His buddy shrugged. “I knew you were busy trying to keep your business afloat.”
Yes, he had been, but his business shouldn’t have been put ahead of his best friend. As he drove, he realized Alyssa had felt the same way, when he’d used work as an excuse not to attend her Bible study group. His business had claimed a lot of his attention, and that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Except when it got in the way of his relationships. “I’m sorry, Jonah,” he repeated. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”
Jonah raised a brow. “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to,” he pointed out. “Alyssa is the one you just left behind.”
“Only to keep her safe,” he added. “You’re injured. It’s not as if we’re going to take any chances here. For all we know, Jefferson’s yacht isn’t even in port.” He glanced at the dashboard clock. “We’ll be back at the motel in a couple of hours.”
* * *
Alyssa made her way back to the motel office, with Gage’s money clutched in her hand. She wasted fifteen minutes crying, grieving for something she’d never have, before she’d pulled herself together.
First she needed to secure the room for a second night. Then she needed to find some way to contribute to the investigation. She’d already used the phone book in the room to find Gerald Maas’s phone number. Maybe the former mayoral candidate wouldn’t mind coming out to the motel to pick her up.
The older man from yesterday wasn’t behind the counter. A younger woman who might have been his daughter glanced at her curiously when she walked in. “May I help you, miss?”
Alyssa’s smile was strained. “Yes, I’d like to keep the room for another night.” She set the cash on the counter and pushed it toward the clerk.
The younger woman frowned a bit when she saw the money, and then her sharp gaze returned to Alyssa’s face. For a moment, she wondered if the young woman recognized her. She resisted the urge to fluff her red hair as she returned the clerk’s gaze. “Oh, you’re the Amy Anderson in room seven, aren’t you?” she asked. “My dad mentioned you didn’t have a credit card.”
Tension eased from her shoulders. “Yes, that’s correct. Being addicted to QVC didn’t help my credit rating, let me tell you. But I’m slowly paying off my debt, month by month.”
“Hmm. I see.” The young woman slowly took the money, counting the cash. “What brings you to the area?” she idly asked.
Alyssa tried to think of a plausible explanation. “Oh, I’m just passing through,” she said vaguely, slowly backing away from the counter. “Thanks again for letting me stay,” she said as she pushed through the door.
She could feel the young woman’s gaze burning into her back, and she tried to walk normally down the sidewalk to her room. Her heart pounded in her chest and sweat gathered along the back of her neck. Probably just her overactive imagination, thinking the clerk may have recognized her from the news. Hadn’t Gage thought the same thing the night before? And they’d been safe, hadn’t they?
Inside her motel room, she used the phone to call Gerald Maas, but when there was no answer, she was forced to leave a message. Now what? The minutes seemed to pass by with excruciating slowness.
She stretched out on the bed and closed her eyes to pray. Dear Lord, please keep Jonah and Gage safe in Your care. And please grant us the strength and wisdom to find the evidence we need to put Jefferson and Crane behind bars. Amen.
A sense of peace settled over her and she must have dozed a bit, because her mind was still groggy when she heard a sharp rap at her door. “Housekeeping!”
She swung her legs off the bed and crossed over to the door. Remembering her earlier paranoia about the clerk recognizing her, she took a minute to peer through the peephole. She could see a small, gray-haired woman standing there alongside her cleaning cart. Relieved, she opened the door. “I don’t need anything except a few extra towels,” she began, only to stop abruptly when Crane jumped out from behind the cart.
“No!” she cried, trying to slam the door in his face. But he was too quick, and he slapped a hand on the door, shoving it so hard she stumbled back.
“Well, well, well,” he drawled, his evil grin leering at her from above. Horrified, she struggled to get back on her feet. “If it isn’t Ms. Roth, once again.”
“Help me,” she cried out to the maid, but the woman shook her head and backed away, taking her cart with her. She was trapped. The only way out was through the door where Crane stood.
“No one is going to help you,” Officer Crane said, reaching down to drag her roughly to her feet. She could feel his hot breath against her cheek, and she struggled not to scream. “Where’s your boyfriend?”
She shook her head, unwilling to say anything about Gage. When he ruthlessly snapped metal cuffs around her wrists, she couldn’t do anything but pray.
Help me, Lord! Save me from this horrible, evil man and protect Gage and Jonah.
“Not talking, huh? Oh, you will soon enough, once Jefferson gets hold of you.” His evil grin made her feel sick to her stomach. He dragged her toward his squad car. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the maid huddled against the wall. “Ms. Roth, you’re officially under arrest for the murder of Dan Kirkland.”
* * *
Gage had to park a few blocks from the marina, and as he and Jonah walked he told himself it was a good thing he’d left Alyssa behind, since walking would have been difficult for her.
But then again, he knew she’d walked much farther distances without complaining.
Had he made the wrong decision to leave her behind? He hadn’t thought so, but now he wasn’t so sure.
“Okay, we’re looking for slip number thirty-one,” Jonah said in a low tone. “And keep your eyes peeled for someplace to sit and watch without attracting attention.”
He nodded and carefully looked at each boat as they approached the marina. The place was busy even midmorning on a Wednesday, although he saw many smaller boats, not bigger yachts like the one registered to Hugh Jefferson.
“Look over there.” Jonah nudged him and gestured to the right. “See those bigger boats? I think one of those must belong to Jefferson.”
Gage saw the area he meant. “Yeah, I see them. I can’t read the names on the boats, though.”
“We have to get closer.” Jonah led the way along the pier as if he came down to the marina often. “There it is,” he said excitedly. “The one on the end, see it? Lucky Lady.”
“I see it.” Gage was intimidated by the sheer size of the boat. Had to be a good eighty feet long. “And there’s a small sailboat on this side that’s almost directly across from it. I think we should sit in that boat and keep watch.”
“Okay,” Jonah agreed. “But you’d better pray the owner isn’t going to come down anytime soon.”
“Don’t worry, I will pray.” Gage had never talked about prayer and faith like this with anyone except Alyssa before. But knowing that Jonah believed somehow made it easier to be open and honest with his friend.
As soon as they returned to the motel, he vowed to make amends with Alyssa. And the next time they went out on a fact-finding mission, he was going to bring her along. Truthfully, leaving her behind hadn’t helped his concentration any. In fact, his thoughts were torn between wondering how she was doing and the job at hand.
He and Jonah slipped into the sailboat and hunkered down so they were partially hidden by the mast. From their angle, they could see clearly into the back of the boat.
“No sign of Jefferson,” Jonah murmured beside him. “But with a yacht that big, he could easily be down below in the cabin.”
Gage made himself comfortable on a boat cushion, sensing they were going to be here for a long time. Although it occurred to him that if Jefferson wanted to escape on the boat, there wasn’t anything they could do to stop him. They didn’t even have a boat to use in pursuit. “The Coast Guard,” he said suddenly.
Jonah glanced at him with admiration. “You’re right, Gage, we should have thought of that earlier. The Coasties have the right to board any boat they want, for any reason.”
