The sound of pounding feet echoed off the brick buildings. Both Maren and Colt skidded to a halt and turned to assess the oncoming threat. Two men ran toward them. Neither wore a mask, which led him to believe maybe they lived in the building but were working for Shadow.
“They think I’m Opal,” Maren stage-whispered. “We can’t let them realize I’m not. But they’ll think she’s working with law enforcement.”
Agreeing with a nod, he yanked open the passenger door. “Get in.”
Maren dove into the passenger seat. “Haven, come.”
Without hesitation, Haven jumped into the cab of the truck, settling in the space on the bench seat next to Maren.
Rusk let out a bark.
“Rusk, come.” Maren patted her lap.
As if seeking permission, Rusk looked at Colt.
Urgency making his voice harsh, Colt commanded, “In.”
Rusk leaped onto Maren’s lap. Her arms circled around him.
Colt slammed the door shut.
As the two men ran up to the truck, Colt placed his hand on his sidearm but noticed both men’s hands were empty. No guns. Good.
He contemplated drawing his weapon and demanding information on Shadow, but the sidewalk seemed suddenly very crowded as more men from the buildings on both sides of the street moved toward him.
Releasing his weapon, he rounded the truck and got into the driver’s seat and started the engine. One of the men stepped in front of the truck as if to prevent Colt from leaving, but he revved the engine and eased forward, forcing the man to jump out of the way before Colt stepped on the gas and, in a squeal of tires, drove the truck down the street.
He looked in the rearview mirror to see one of the men already on a cell phone. No doubt telling their boss, Shadow, they’d just seen Opal Anderson driving away in a brown truck.
They were going to have to get new wheels. Fast.
SIX
Gripping the door handle, Maren kept an eye on the passenger side-view mirror, checking to see if they were being followed. Anxiousness cut through her like a toothy saw. Someone had recognized her. Or rather, thought they’d recognized Opal, and had chased her and Colt down the street on the heels of a DEA arrest of one of Shadow’s dealers. Now Shadow and his fellow criminals would wonder if Opal was cooperating with the feds. Another reason for Shadow to want to eliminate Opal.
Better for the men to think she was Opal than for them to realize their mistake and go looking for her sister, who was out there somewhere, alone and defenseless. How scared she must be.
Helpless worry chomped through Maren. She wanted her sister home safe.
She shot a glance at Colt, behind the wheel of his unassuming truck. She was glad the two dogs were riding so well together with Haven crouched on the seat beside her and Rusk now sitting on the floor at her feet with her backpack.
“We need to find Vinnie, the witness,” she said, grasping for something tangible to help her find her sister. “He must know Opal didn’t really drown. He might know where she’d go.”
Maren hoped he’d have answers because she was at a loss. For too long, Opal had cut Maren out of her life, kept her at a distance. Despite being twins, Maren had no idea where her sister would seek refuge. With their parents and uncle gone, they had no other family. Not knowing whom her sister would turn to signaled how much they’d grown apart, and the lack of closeness between them filled Maren with sadness.
“Agreed.” Colt flicked on the blinker and headed the truck up the ramp for the freeway that would take them back to Colorado Springs. The truck ate up the miles.
Maren concentrated on her breathing as they drew closer to her hometown.
Colt’s cell phone rang, cutting into the silence. He hit the button on the steering wheel and connected the call. “Dawson, go.”
“Hey, Colt,” a disembodied voice echoed through the cab. “Henry Spares here.”
Haven’s ears twitched. Rusk’s head swiveled toward Colt. “I wanted to follow up with you on that information you gave Daniel about Shadow having a rendezvous in the Aurora Park,” Henry said, his voice low and smooth. “No one showed. But two undercover agents are staking out the park for the rest of the afternoon, just in case.”
Colt let out a heavy sigh that Maren felt in her chest. “Doubtful Shadow will show now. Not after realizing one of his gophers has been scooped up.”
“Roger that,” Henry said. “Your CI is securely ensconced in a safe house miles from Aurora.”
