Christmas Rescue at Mustang Ridge. Delores Fossen

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      Mercy, it hurt to say that aloud or to even think it.

      “Wade said it wouldn’t be long before the marshals or FBI could trace the hack job to a computer. My computer,” he clarified. “I didn’t want to implicate anyone else in this.”

      Her breath was gusting now, and the lip chewing got worse. “So, the marshals know what you’ve done, and they’ve probably called Coopersville’s sheriff.”

      “Probably.” And once the sheriff realized Maggie wasn’t at the diner, they’d do a search. One that would include putting out an APB.

      She didn’t say anything. Maggie just sat there, and even though Jake hadn’t thought it possible, she had even less color in her face now than when she’d dropped that coffeepot.

      Maggie started to shake her head.

      Jake ignored it. He wasn’t taking no for an answer.

      “First, you’ll need a simple blood test to determine if you’re a bone marrow match. If you are,” he went on, “there’s a procedure where the doctor extracts the marrow with a needle. It’ll require some sedation, but it should all be a done deal in a day or two. I’ll keep you hidden. I’ll protect you as best I can. And then I can call the marshals, turn myself in and you can go back into the program under a new identity,” he added. “I’m sorry about that.”

      Another new life. And she was no doubt thinking of the problems that would cause for her. Leaving everything behind again. Starting from scratch again.

      Clearly, she had a life there in Coopersville. Not what some would consider a good life, but maybe she’d been happy. The cook at the diner had certainly looked protective of her.

      Or something.

      It was the same for the geezer eating the eggs. For a second, Jake had thought he might have to shoot his way out of there.

      But then Maggie had stepped up and settled the situation.

      Jake wanted to hang on to his hatred for her, but she’d put a dent in his hard feelings by not only offering herself to a man she considered dangerous—him—but also going along with this plan that could ultimately get her killed.

      “I’m sorry about putting you in danger, too,” he added. “I know this could get you killed. If there’d been another way, I wouldn’t have done this to you.”

      “Yes.” Maggie said it almost idly, as if she weren’t really listening to him.

      “Is there someone you need to call to let him know you’re alive and well?” Jake asked.

      “No.” And she shook her head again. “No one there knows who I am. Was,” she corrected.

      Good move. It was probably why she was still alive.

      “But they’ll know now,” she added.

      Maggie stared out the window, watching the rural landscape zip past the window. Soon he’d need to get off this road and onto another one. Then, another. It’d be all back roads to get her to Mustang Ridge.

      He wondered if the marshals or the FBI would set up roadblocks. Or use helicopters to locate them. And while he was wondering, Jake thought about how his family would be taking all of this.

      Royce was no doubt trying to cover his butt. Nell would be trying to keep everybody calm and make sure Sunny was okay. Chet would be pitching a fit that Jake hadn’t told him what was going on. It’d be minor compared to the fit Chet had pitched two and a half years ago when he’d walked in on Jake kissing Maggie by the barn.

      A kiss to soothe his pain, Jake had tried to justify, since he was grieving his wife’s death.

      Jake had pitched his own fit just a few hours later when he’d learned that Anna’s killer was none other than Bruce Tanner and not some armed robber as everyone had thought.

      And the real kicker?

      Tanner had done that because he’d warned Maggie to back off an investigation she was honchoing. Of course, Maggie hadn’t bothered to share that threat with the family or her sister. If she had, Jake maybe could have figured out that Tanner would go after someone Maggie loved.

      He heard her phone ring, and she rifled through her purse to find it. “My boss,” she relayed to Jake, but she didn’t answer it.

      “He’s worried about you,” Jake commented. “Will he try to follow us?” In other words, how much did this guy care for Maggie? Would he go to the ends of the earth to find her?

      And why did that bother Jake?

      He mentally cursed. He didn’t care a flying fig about Maggie’s love life.

      “I’ll call him later,” she answered. “Could you stop the truck a minute? I have to throw up.”

      Jake knew how she felt. That’s the reaction he’d had when he first learned Sunny was sick. Plus, she was no doubt reliving all the mess with Anna and Tanner just as he was.

      He glanced behind them first. No sign of the cruiser. No sign of anyone, so he eased the truck to a stop on the gravel shoulder.

      Maggie stepped out, with her back to him, and looped her purse over her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she said.

      Jake groaned. This better not turn into a conversation about Anna. A conversation meant to relieve Maggie of the guilt that he wanted her to have for the rest of her life.

      She damn sure deserved the guilt.

      So did he.

      And Jake was about to remind her of just that when she slammed the truck door and jumped over the ditch.

      Maggie started running toward the woods.

      Chapter Four

      Maggie ran as if Jake’s life depended on it. Because it did. He no doubt knew that he’d opened a Texas-size can of worms by coming to her, but he had no idea just how dangerous this could be for him. For Sunny.

      For his entire family.

      She wouldn’t be responsible for another McCall murder. No. This ended now.

      The ground was frozen, slicked with a mixture of ice, fallen trees and dead leaves, and her sensible work shoes were ideal for standing on linoleum but not so good for navigating the slippery terrain. Still, Maggie ran and prayed that she’d gotten enough of a head start on Jake that she could disappear into the thick woods before he could catch up.

      Of course, disappearing was just for starters. She’d have to hide, and she figured Jake would look for her as long as he could—maybe until the Coopersville sheriff or someone else drove by.

      Maybe that wouldn’t take too long.

      The cold had already started to clog her lungs, but she kept fighting for each step. A thick cluster of trees was just ahead. Beyond that, the actual woods. She had no idea where those СКАЧАТЬ