Page 20 of Pursuit of Honor

Law’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Are you Piper’s father?”

“Yes. She left her phone behind and this is the last number she called. I’m trying to find out if she’s there with you—”

“Hang on, what do you mean left?” he interrupted. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t dare question an officer like this—he’d respect an officer even if they were a Marine—but Law felt every muscle in his body tense. Something wasn’t right.

“Piper and I had a disagreement,” Lieutenant Ryan said. “Then she left her apartment in my car, but she forgot to take her phone.”

“A disagreement?” Law paused. “You mean you had an argument with her about me.”

Piper’s father didn’t answer right away, most likely out of shock that Law had guessed what was going on and subtly calling him out on it. “Yes, we argued but I was able to convince her to end her...involvement with you. Or at least, I thought I was able to until she abruptly left the apartment. Drove off in my car.”

“You mean she’s out there in this storm without her phone?”

“So, she isn’t with you.” Her father cursed under his breath. “I told her to stop being so reckless.”

“Look, if she told you she wanted to end things between us...” Law’s heart clenched, then smashed against his ribcage, the broken pieces stabbing him in the chest. Looked like Piper hadn’t even wanted to be friends. Her father had made her see reason. What kind of father would want his daughter to see a guy who was already on his way to the next port? Piper’s old man probably wanted stability for his daughter, the way any parent would. A stability that Law couldn’t give because even if his job wasn’t in the way, he had a past that made it hard for him to even know what stability looked like. Piper had believed in him. Believed that he could be the guy who stopped checking for the exits. But in rejecting the friendship that she herself had offered, it looked like she didn’t want to be the girl who got him to finally stop running. Worst of all, she was out there. Probably in danger.

“Knowing Piper she’s probably on her way here to let me down easy,” Law continued. While he was pretty much wrecked over Piper’s rejection, he was certain that she was a good person. Which meant that she’d be upfront with him. Decent enough to cut him loose face to face. That was why he knew where she was headed. To the motel. In this crazy freak storm.

As if to emphasize the gravity of the situation, thunder sounded in the distance.

“You need to call me back the moment you hear from her,” Lieutenant Ryan said, sounding desperate. There was a crack in his voice like he was scared and trying to hide it.

“The motel is fifteen minutes away from her apartment,” Law said, already marching over to put a jacket on and grab his rucksack. There was gear in the bag that might come in handy. Years in search and rescue had taught him to be prepared for any emergency. Especially storms. “If she’s trying to drive to the motel, I might be able to spot the car. Can you give me a description?”

Her father rattled off a description of the car, and Law bolted out of the hotel room the second he got the details, promising to call the lieutenant back as soon as he found Piper. Meanwhile, her father would alert emergency services in case they could offer assistance.

Out in the raging storm, Law rushed down the sidewalk, the street flooded as torrents of cold rain pummeled him. No sign of any cars. The streets were empty. His stomach twisted. Law didn’t know if empty streets were good or bad. Either way he wasn’t going to rest until he found her.

As he pushed through the wind to make his way up the sidewalk, the water started to rise. Higher and higher until it flooded over the sidewalk, rapidly reaching his knees. Cold as ice but he was too determined to find Piper to feel anything. Worry surged through him, warring with his determination. What the hell was he going to do if she’d gotten hurt? His job was to keep her safe, not lure her into danger.

Cursing, Law kept moving, getting off the sidewalk to wade through the water, rain pelting him. Then, up ahead, he spotted headlights. A silver car was stuck in the middle of the street, water rising around it. Silver like Piper’s father had described.

Adrenaline pumping through him, Law started to sprint through the water. The wind and the deluge slowed him down, but it didn’t stop him. He pressed on, rucksack in one hand, the other hand held up over his forehead to keep the cold water out of his eyes. Still, the freezing rain stung as it whipped at his face.

Law kept going, rushing as fast as he could toward the car. Finally, he got to it, and knew immediately it was Piper. With the car’s interior light on, he could see that flash of bright red hair. She was pounding her hands against the window.

He knew what the problem was. The force of the water outside was making it nearly impossible for her to open the window and the door.

It killed him to see her panicked and in danger like this, but he had to keep his cool under pressure. Tapping on the driver’s window with his knuckle, he signaled at her that he was going to make his way to the passenger window. Once he made the signal, Law sprang into action, retrieving the hammer from his rucksack to smash the glass window.

Piper was breathing heavily, softly sobbing.

The sound of her distress almost killed him but he was in search and rescue mode now. He needed her to focus. “Can you unfasten your seatbelt?” he asked loudly. “I’ve got a belt cutter if you can’t.”

She fumbled for the seatbelt, unbuckling it with shaking hands. “I’ve got it,” she cried out in relief.

“Good. Now I need you to head over to this side of the car,” he ordered, ducking his head in through the passenger window.

Piper did was she was told, scrambling over to the passenger seat.

Acting fast, Law reached in through the window, bracing himself against the car as he wrapped his arms around her and dragged her out as quickly and carefully as he could.

“We’ve got to get you out of here,” he shouted over the pounding rain.

“The car! My dad’s car!”

“Cars are replaceable.” Law moved, throwing her over her shoulder to haul her through the floodwater. “You aren’t.”