Reunion On The Run. Amity Steffen

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СКАЧАТЬ searching for Alex? Granted, that was years ago. At the time she’d exhausted every resource she had. Alex had been nowhere to be found. Emotionally drained and heartbroken, she’d given up the search and hadn’t picked it up again. “I can’t believe she was able to find you.”

      “She didn’t find me. I contacted her.”

      After a moment of stunned silence she asked, “Why would you do that?”

      “I came in on an international flight this morning. As I was walking through the airport I saw your face on a television screen.” He cast a glance her way. “I stopped to listen to the news report. There aren’t a lot of things that shock me these days, but that report was definitely one of them. I went home, did some quick research and realized you were in way over your head.”

      She couldn’t argue. She needed help. If Alex was offering, it would be stupid and prideful to refuse. As much as seeing him had thrown her, she knew that if anyone could help her, it would be him.

      “There’s a warrant out for your arrest, you’re on the run and the media is pushing the idea you crossed the border into Canada,” he said, his tone matter of fact.

      She turned to study his profile, barely illuminated by the dashboard lights. Earlier, when demanding the key, he’d said Claire was framed. “I didn’t kill Jared.”

      “I know you didn’t.” His voice was calm and steady.

      She knew that. She had been surprised to hear him say it.

      “How do you know?” she demanded.

      Alex held her gaze in his for a few silent heartbeats before returning his attention to the road. “We were together for a few years, Claire. Like it or not, I know you better than just about anyone. You couldn’t have killed your husband, or anyone else for that matter. You don’t have it in you. I saw you whip the gun into the trees at the shack. You’d rather risk your life than use it to defend yourself.” He gave her another pointed look.

      She turned from him, unable to bear the intensity of his stare. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the seat. Alex believed her. Beth believed her. Her sister hadn’t hesitated in taking Mia, so Claire could work at proving her innocence. Maybe the rest of the world was against her, but knowing she had two people on her side gave her strength.

      “I called Beth to ask if there was anything I could do to help,” he continued. “She told me that you were framed. She said you were on the run, trying to gather evidence against the real murderer. She was on a roll and kept talking.”

      Claire wasn’t surprised. Beth had probably known she’d had to take advantage of Alex’s attention while she’d had it. Otherwise he might drop off the face of the world again, disappearing for another three years or more.

      “She said you were hiding from a powerful man.” His tone hardened. “She insisted your life was in danger. Then she told me about the shack, location and all. Beth said she wasn’t positive that’s where you’d gone, but she suspected.”

      “I didn’t tell her,” Claire said, “because I knew there was a warrant out for my arrest. I didn’t want her involved any more than she had to be. I was sure the police would question her. I didn’t want her to lie. Suspecting and knowing are very different things.”

      The hunting shack had belonged to their grandfather. He’d sold it over a decade ago to the couple who owned the adjoining land. They’d wanted to increase their acreage but had no interest in the shack. The building was rundown, and hadn’t been used in years. When Claire had first arrived, it had been a mess. She’d cleaned it as best she could and turned it into a place of refuge.

      “When we were kids, we used to say that if we ever ran away from home, that’s where we’d go. I couldn’t flat-out tell her that’s where I was headed, but I was fairly certain she would figure it out.”

      “I get it.” Alex tapped his fingers against the steering wheel.

      “I thought it was an incredibly strange coincidence that Xavier’s men found me the same time you did.” She paused, cringing. “It wasn’t a coincidence at all, was it?”

      “Beth told me this guy was desperate to track you down and would probably go to any means necessary. If that’s the case, and he seems to have plenty of resources at his disposal, I started to wonder if the phone line had been tapped,” he admitted. “As soon as we hung up, I hit the road. I’d already learned what I could about the murder. Beth was adamant you’d been framed. She said she was sure these men were after you. Obviously she was right.”

      She frowned as she turned to face him again. “How did you get there so quickly?”

      He hesitated, and she instinctively knew he didn’t want to answer her question.

      “I live right outside of Portland.”

      “Portland.” Her voice was flat. For years she’d feared he was dead. “You still live in the area.”

      He stared straight ahead. “I have an apartment. I’m not there much. My work takes me all over the country. Sometimes out of the country.”

      She was quiet a moment, wrapping her head around that. She wasn’t sure what “work” he was referring to these days, but she had to assume it was something dangerous. She also assumed he wouldn’t answer if she asked, so she saved herself the trouble and kept her mouth shut. Even when they were engaged, much of Alex’s professional life had been on a need-to-know basis. He’d more often than not decide she did not need to know.

      He’d been in the business of saving people and, often times, discretion was key.

      Claire shook her head. “I get it now. The reason you came after me today.”

      Alex gave her a wary look.

      “You always have to save the world, be the hero. This,” she said sadly as she tossed her hands in the air, “is what it takes. My life has to be in danger in order for me to finally have your attention.”

      “Claire,” he said wearily, “it’s not like that.”

      “Isn’t it?” She was hit with a crushing wave of sadness. She had always admired Alex’s selflessness. But at some point he’d taken it too far. His sole purpose in life had become trying to save strangers while distancing himself from those who were closest to him.

      He didn’t respond, and she didn’t press the matter.

      They rode in silence for a while, putting distance between them and Xavier’s men.

      “For what it’s worth,” he eventually said, “I’m sorry about your husband.”

      “I’m the first to admit it was not a happy marriage.” She struggled to keep her voice steady. She had realized too late what a volatile temper Jared had had, how controlling he would be, how demeaning. “I’m relieved to be free of him, but I certainly didn’t want him dead.”

      It pained her to admit it, but it was the truth. It was not something she wanted to talk to Alex about. She wasn’t willing to divulge the details to him. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

      “That’s not how the media is spinning it.” His words were a fact, СКАЧАТЬ