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Amber released a shaky breath. It felt good to know that even though the government thought she was a murderer, she had people in her life who were on her side. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t keep her from a death sentence or from a life in prison.

Aunt Christel took another sip and studied Amber with her soft brown eyes. “But, sweetheart, what do you want to do in the future? You can’t hide forever. You’re innocent. Why don’t you stand up and prove it?”

A chill snaked down Amber’s spine at the thought. “I don’t think there’s any point, Auntie. Powerful men can crush normal people like me. Especially when money and drugs are involved. And murder.”

“Aye, dearie, but you must seek justice at some point. You’re not a coward. How can you live on the run your whole life? What’s the point? You can’t have any friends. Can’t marry. Can’t have children. Always looking over your shoulder, seeing shadows.”

Amber fingered a white china flower at the base of the cup handle. She knew her aunt was right. Amber had joined the army because she wanted to see the world, fight for her country, and protect innocent people from the terrorists.

So why was she behaving like a coward now? She wasn’t the type to cower from a fight. Growing up, she hadn’t been afraid to take the blame for her three older brothers’ small sins, such as broken vases or scratches on the car. That had been her way of protecting them. But instead of appreciating her sacrifice, they’d treated her like a doormat.

“I know, Aunt Christel, you’re right. My mom raised me to be a good girl. To go to church. To live an honest life. Dad is probably turning in his grave watching me hide like this and not seek justice. Everything inside of me is screaming at me to stand up and fight and prove I didn’t commit that murder.”

“Aye. So why don’t you?”

Amber brought the cup to her mouth with a shaking hand, coffee threatening to spill on the tablecloth. She took a sip, her favorite drink tasteless against her tongue.

“I’d be a naive little girl if I trusted the system. Major Jackson is using me as a scapegoat to cover for his crimes. He managed to get the drugs from Afghanistan to America for years. So imagine how many people he must have in his pocket in the military. And now that he murdered a US officer, he’ll be even more ruthless.” She shook her head. “No. I cannot take him on alone.”

“Perhaps nae. But why don’t you ask your brothers to help? Jonathan was in the military, too. He knows people, doesn’t he?”

“Right.” Amber snorted. “Jonathan doesn’t want anything to do with me. He sold our house after Dad died, and everyone lives their own lives.”

Amber was still a teenager when their mom died, and the family had started to fall apart. After their dad’s death two years ago, they’d stopped meeting for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Kyle was a kick-ass lawyer in New York. Daniel was in San Francisco last time Amber had heard, still trying to sell his sculptures.

“But still,” Aunt Cristel said, “if you ask for help… Kin is kin.”

“Maybe that’s how it is in Scotland. And I can’t thank you enough for helping me. But if I went to Jonathan for help, he’d be the first to rat me out to the authorities.”

Aunt Christel covered Amber’s hand with her own, and Amber squeezed it back, her caramel skin looking even darker compared to her aunt’s pasty complexion.

“Surely, nae, dear?” Aunt Christel said.

Amber sighed. “He wouldn’t risk his ass for me. He has the right connections in the military, I’m sure, but he also has two kids and a wife and a beautiful house.”

“But—”

“Police! Police!” Rob cried.

Everything moved in slow motion. There was the distant rustle of car tires and engines. The front door swung wide, and Rob stood in the doorway, his silhouette black against the sun. “Police!” he shouted.

Amber jumped to her feet, jostling the table, and the coffee mugs and porridge flew off from the impact.

Aunt Christel cried, “Back door!”

Amber ran, her feet heavy, as though she were moving through a swamp. It was like she were trapped in one of those nightmares where she couldn’t get away from a killer.

The hallway flashed by, and she reached the old, mahogany door. Unlocked, thank God! She raced out past the barn, into a field of oats. Her ragged breathing was louder than anything in her ears. Where was she running? Where should she go?

Away. She’d wait for a while and then come back to Aunt Christel’s to get her things. Then she’d leave. Go to the woods. Somewhere. Anywhere.

She wouldn’t be punished for something she hadn’t done.

Behind her, cars revved. She glanced back. They were coming right through the field after her. Amber gasped, adrenalin spiking.

Before her was a grove. They wouldn’t be able to get through in their vehicles. She sped up. Thank God, she jogged every day and did combat training, but she still couldn’t win a footrace against cars.

She flew into the grove. It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the shade of the tress after being in the sunny field. She ran through the trees before she had to stop and catch her breath, her lungs desperately expanding to get more air in. She looked around. Thirty feet or so in front of her, an asphalt road ran from the left to the right, and across it, farther away in the distance, something like a castle stood between trees. Right, the ruined castle her aunt had told her about. Behind it, was River Lochy.