Darby's Decision, page 9
Would Darby welcome that level of involvement in their lives? Or was she thinking of some sort of joint custody arrangement?
Plenty of time to work out the details later, once Reyes was safely behind bars. But Gage reverently hoped Darby would welcome him so they could spend time together as a family.
Gage left a message with Detective Pride about the hit-and-run. He figured they wouldn’t hear back from him until the following morning. In the meantime, they began to make rounds to the motels. The first place they approached had a surly female clerk who squinted at them from bloodshot eyes. “Our clientele is private.”
“I understand, but this man tried to kill us three times.” Gage drilled the woman with a glare. “He’s armed and dangerous, so if I were you, I’d avoid allowing him to hang around. You never know who he’ll target next.”
The clerk pursed her lips and took a closer look at the two mug shots. He’d decided to show both Reyes and Archer, just in case they were working together on this.
“Neither of them look familiar,” the clerk finally admitted. “But if they’re so dangerous, why aren’t the cops lookin’ fer him?”
“They are. In fact, we spoke to Detective Pride earlier today.” Gage took the two photos back. “Keep your eyes open. Thanks for your help.”
Their next three stops were much of the same. Because they weren’t cops, their questions about Reyes and Archer were greeted with suspicion or flat-out rudeness. While their reactions weren’t unexpected, they were disheartening. Gage was quickly losing hope that their attempt to find Reyes was nothing more than a waste of time.
Reyes could be anywhere in the Knoxville area. Even, as Darby had pointed out, in a private home under an assumed name.
“Maybe we should head over to the Knotty Pine,” Darby said with a sigh. “I’d like to make sure my car wasn’t towed.”
Both of their vehicles had likely been taken away, but he didn’t say anything. It would be yet another added expense neither of them could afford.
Walking to each destination had taken time, and the sun was dipping down below the horizon by the time they’d reached the Knotty Pine. To his surprise, both of their vehicles were still in the lot.
“We need to drive our cars to a public parking spot,” Darby murmured. “I’ll need my car to get to and from work once this is over.”
“Yeah.” Gage thought about the places they’d passed along the way. “How about in the strip mall parking lot? They should be fine there overnight.”
“Okay.” She glanced at the lobby. “Let’s check with the clerk first. Although it occurred to me that these places usually have more than one clerk on duty over a twenty-four-hour period. And we have no clue what time Reyes may have registered for a room.” She grimaced. “We might have to hit all these same places in the morning.”
“I had the same thought. But evenings and nights are the more likely timeframes to catch a glimpse of him. Daytime is when motel guests check out.” He led the way into the lobby. There was a different clerk behind the desk than last time.
This guy was roughly Gage’s own age of twenty-six, but he looked skinny and a bit malnourished. The former drug dealer recognized him as a potential user, but he kept his observations to himself.
Although, glancing at Darby, he could tell she’d noticed too. She subtly took the photos from him, shooing him back so she could take the lead.
He stayed a step behind her, determined to stay close in case this guy lashed out at her.
“Hey, you seen either of these two guys?” She showed the clerk the photos. “We’re looking for—supplies, you know?”
“Yeah?” A flare of interest sparked in the kid’s eyes. He leaned over to peer at the photographs. “This dude here.” He tapped the picture of Archer with a dirty fingertip. “I think he’s in room six.”
“You sure?” Darby pressed. “I don’t want to knock on the wrong door, stumble across the cops, if you know what I mean.”
“Cops.” The kid scowled. “They don’t come here. Yeah, I’m positive he’s in room six. Never seen the other dude, though.”
“Okay, thanks.” Darby folded the papers and tucked them into her pocket. “Don’t let on to anyone that we were here. Wouldn’t want him to get busted.”
“I won’t.” The kid leaned forward. “What kind of stash does he have?”
“Whatever you need.” She shrugged. “He’s well connected.”
“Wow.” The kid looked as if he wanted to jump over the counter and head over to see what Archer was supplying.
“Hey, be cool,” Darby cautioned. “Let us get to him first, then you should wait a while, just in case he’s being watched.”
“Yeah, okay.” He looked deflated.
Gage drew her outside. “Nice work, let’s call Detective Pride.”
“Shouldn’t we try to see him for ourselves first? Archer might not be in there.”
Darby had a point, but knocking at the guy’s door was a good way to get killed. But then he caught a glimpse of a man sliding behind the wheel of a black SUV. “That’s him,” he hissed.
Darby darted toward her car, using her key to unlock the doors, and climbed behind the wheel. Without hesitation, he jumped in beside her. She quickly backed out of the parking spot, spun around, and followed.
Gage silently prayed they weren’t being led into a trap.
Chapter Eight
Darby gripped the steering wheel so tightly her fingers went numb. Her eyes were glued to the back of the SUV, trying to anticipate the driver’s next move. At what seemed like the last minute, he turned right, so she quickly followed suit. “Can you get the license plate?”
“No, unfortunately, it’s covered in mud.”
She swallowed a wave of frustration. “But it’s a Honda CRV, right? The same kind that almost hit us?”
“Yes. Careful, Darby, don’t get too close,” Gage cautioned. “He might recognize your car. For all we know, the reason Archer stayed at the Knotty Pine was to catch us returning to pick up our vehicles.”
Gage made a good point. “I can’t lose him.” She continued following the path the SUV was taking. “He could lead us to Reyes.”
“He might, or he could be heading to do some other sort of business,” Gage countered. “Keep in mind, we’re not armed, and we’re not the police. No way are we going to confront either of these men.”
Gage was right, Archer and Reyes were both armed and dangerous. But just the fact that they found Archer filled her with hope that this nightmare would soon be over. She felt certain Archer was meeting up with Reyes. Once they were able to see both men, bonus points if they were doing something illegal, they could call in the cavalry.
The black SUV stopped at a red light. Darby tapped the brake, glad to have one vehicle between them. But the SUV abruptly turned right again, a loud horn blaring as the SUV driver cut off another car.
“He’s getting away!” Feeling frantic, Darby noticed there was a driveway to her right, leading into a gas station. She yanked the wheel and pulled in. Cutting through the narrow openings between gas pumps, she pulled out onto the street the SUV had taken.
“I see him,” Gage said encouragingly. “He’s two cars up ahead.”
She saw the SUV too. Or at least hoped so. Black SUVs were fairly common, and they were too far back to see the mud-covered license plate. Where on earth were the cops when you needed them? “Do you think he knows we’re following him?” The idea filled her with dread. It was one thing to want Archer and Reyes arrested, but having them know they were onto them added a whole new level of danger.
What if Archer said something to Reyes? The two could be planning to capture her and Gage in a trap, box them in between their two vehicles to take another shot at them. The likelihood of missing from that short distance was slim to none.
“I’ll call Pride again.” Gage pulled up his phone. “If nothing else, the cops should pull that SUV over for having an illegible plate. Hopefully, they’ll find drugs or a weapon, which puts him in violation of his parole.”
That sounded promising. Darby didn’t believe either of these men ever planned to go straight. She stayed two cars behind the black SUV as they continued down the street, heading out of the downtown area. It made her nervous because once they hit rural roads, they’d be more noticeable.
More vulnerable.
The SUV took an abrupt left turn. Gritting her teeth, Darby tried to follow, but the light turned red. Craning her neck, she could only watch as the SUV’s taillights moved out of sight.
“The vehicle is heading east on Riverside Drive,” Gage said into the phone. She wasn’t sure if he was talking to the detective or to someone else at the police station. “It’s a black Honda CRV with mud covering the license plate. We’ve identified the driver as Niles Archer, one of the suspects in the recent attempts to hurt us. There was a hit-and-run attempt by a black Honda CRV against us earlier today on Wayland Avenue.”
By the time the light turned green, Darby knew the SUV was long gone. Still, she kept driving, hoping to catch up.
“Okay, thanks.”
She glanced at Gage, who’d put his phone away. “Are they sending a squad?”
“Yeah, although I’m not sure what good that will do.” He sounded dejected. “If we lost them, I’m sure Archer will find a way to elude the cops.”
“He must have noticed me following him.” She sighed and unclenched her fingers. “Otherwise, why would he suddenly turn like that?”
“I agree it’s suspicious.” Gage put a hand on her arm. “No point in trying to find him, I’m sure he’s long gone.”
While she appreciated Gage’s support, she wasn’t ready to give up. Not when they’d gotten so close. “Just a little farther.”
The car in front of her turned off, leaving nothing but wide open road stretching as far as the eye could see. Up ahead there was a curve in the road. Was the Honda still up ahead? There was no way to know for sure.
A shiver of apprehension slid down her spine, but she kept going.
“Darby, find a place to turn around.” Gage tightened his grip on her arm. “I don’t like that we’re alone out here.”
With reluctance, she eased off the gas, practically holding her breath as they rounded the bend. No black SUV was waiting there for them. Calmer now, she considered her options. “What about that place up ahead?” She gestured to the tavern located on the left side of the road.
“Sounds good.”
Darby slowed even more, preparing for the turn off. Suddenly a vehicle came up fast behind her.
“Look out!” Gage shouted.
Darby instinctively yanked the wheel, trying to avoid a crash, but a second too late. Her head snapped back, her seat belt tightening painfully as the car smashed into them.
“Darby!” Gage’s cry echoed as she fought to keep the car on the road. But it was a losing battle. Her vehicle was old, the tires worn, and she closed her eyes mere moments before they slid sideways off the shoulder and down into a ditch, hitting the ground with a bone-rattling thud. Pain bloomed in her face as the force of the impact deployed the airbags.
For long moments she couldn’t hear anything but a strange hissing noise coming from the car engine. Lifting her head, she couldn’t see anything past the shattered windshield. In that moment, she knew the car was a total loss.
“Darby? Are you okay?” Gage’s voice sounded far away.
“Yes,” she managed. Her entire body shimmered with pain, but she turned to look at him. He had a streak of blood across his face. “What about you?”
“We need to get out of here.” She heard the grinding sound of plastic rubbing against plastic as he shoved his door open. She belatedly realized the car was sitting at an angle, her driver’s side door pressed against the edge of the culvert. For a moment, she panicked at the idea of being trapped in the vehicle.
Gage managed to get out of the car, then reached in to offer her a hand. She struggled to release the latch on the seatbelt, then caught his hand in hers.
“I’ve got you,” he promised, tugging her toward the opening.
Darby winced at the pain in her left ankle but heaved out of her seat, suddenly desperate to get out of the car.
With Gage’s help, she was soon standing beside him. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I think so.”
“We need to hide in the trees, in case they come back.” Gage took her hand and led her up the embankment to the wooded area.
Come back? She trembled with fear. She’d been sheltered by Gage during the hit-and-run attempt, but this total destruction of her car had badly rattled her.
They could have died. Especially if they hadn’t been wearing their seatbelts.
She stumbled after Gage as they entered the woods. Ironically, she felt safer there, maybe because she often felt more at home in the wilderness than she did living in civilization. Remnants of those weeks she and Hailey had lived off the land after escaping the Preacher. Leaving the fire and the cabin the Preacher and Ruth hadn’t been able to escape behind.
Old news, but the crash had provided some sort of weird flashback. For a moment she felt as if she were following Hailey through the dense brush, in a hurry to get away from the police who were searching for them.
“Let’s rest here.” Gage’s voice brought her back to the present. “I’ll call the police again.”
It was disheartening to realize the police would likely never catch up to the Honda CRV. In fact, she couldn’t honestly say what the make or model was of the car that hit them. Logically, she wanted to believe it was the same SUV, but she couldn’t swear to it.
“They’re going to get away, aren’t they?”
Gage shot her a sympathetic look while he waited for the 911 operator to answer. He gave the crash location and requested an officer response.
Darby rested her forehead against the trunk of an Aspen tree, fighting through a wave of depression. Instead of getting a lead on Archer and Reyes, she was now without a vehicle. Another expense she couldn’t afford.
Gage might believe in God, but she was pretty sure He had given up on her a long time ago.
If He existed at all.
Gage wrapped his arms around Darby in an effort to ease her trembling. “It’s okay. We’re going to be okay.”
“My car isn’t,” she whispered. “It’s not worth much, so I doubt I’ll be able to afford a replacement with the money the insurance pays me.”
“I’m sorry about that.” Gage tightened his hold on her. “We’ll find a way to get through this, you’ll see.”
She didn’t answer, but tears dampened his shirt. He felt terrible for her, but at the same time, he knew they were blessed to have survived with minor injuries. Things could be replaced.
People couldn’t.
Especially Darby. He couldn’t stand the idea of losing her. Not just because of Leo but because he’d come to care for her. A lot.
More than he should.
He cuddled her close, grateful God had been watching over them. “Please don’t cry,” he whispered. “We’re alive, Darby, and that’s the most important thing.”
“I know.” She sniffled loudly. She lifted her head, and in the darkness it was impossible to read her gaze. “But it makes me mad how Reyes and Archer have managed to get away with yet another attempt to kill us.”
Anger was better than crying. “I know, but this will help the cops take our concern seriously.”
“They better,” she said tersely. “I don’t want them to wait until we’re both dead.”
Through the darkness he could see the flashing lights of a police cruiser. “Okay, it’s safe for us to go back to the road.”
Darby drew in a deep breath and straightened, pulling out of his embrace. They made their way back toward the wrecked car as two officers approached holding up flashlights.
Gage instinctively lifted his arms to show he wasn’t armed. “Officers? I’m Gage Killion, and this is Darby Walsh. I’m the one who called this in.”
“Ma’am, please show us your hands.”
Darby glanced back at him as she lifted her arms. “We’re the victims here,” she said curtly. “The guys you should be looking for are Niles Archer and Tyrone Reyes. Archer was last seen driving a black Honda CRV with mud covering his rear license plate.”
“Yeah, we heard.” The officer lowered his flashlight. “Please step closer so we can make sure you’re not armed.”
Gage knew it was standard procedure, but he could tell Darby was growing angry. “Easy,” he whispered. “They’re here to help.”
“Then they should act like it,” she snapped back.
“Act like what?” the officer asked.
“Nothing.” Gage did his best to smooth things over. He was still on parole and didn’t want to risk being sent back to prison. Stepping forward, he offered himself to be patted down. “I have nothing sharp in my pockets. There is folded paperwork in my right pocket. You’ll find articles on the previous arrests of Niles Archer and Tyrone Reyes. We have reason to believe they’re responsible for this crash.”
The pat down didn’t take long, and the officer quickly did the same to Darby. When the officer finished, she lowered her hands, planting them on her hips. “Did anyone find the black Honda CRV with muddy plates? We called that in well before we were hit from behind and sent into the ditch.”
“I don’t know.” The officer who’d patted them down swept the beam of his flashlight over the interior of the vehicle, no doubt looking for drugs or weapons, before going around to check the rear bumper.
Gage joined him and pointed to the scuff marks where the vehicle had connected. “Looks like black paint.”
“Yeah,” the cop conceded. “Were you able to recognize the driver?”
“No, unfortunately, it was getting dark, and the headlights were too bright. The car came up fast, must have gained speed after the curve. We barely had time to react before we were hit.”
Darby came over to stand beside them, her expression grim. Gage gave her a reassuring smile, hoping she’d calm down a bit. Antagonizing the cops wouldn’t get them very far.
