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Another piece of her broke away and crumbled as he took the phone. One more link to her past—to who she used to be—gone forever.
“Humpty Dumpty,” she muttered into the stillness. “And all the King’s Horses and all the King’s men, couldn’t put her back together again.”
She swiped hot tears away as Marcus returned to the van. “ ’Tis done.”
“Thank you,” she muttered, forcing herself to sit up and quit feeling sorry for herself. If she didn’t pull her head out of the past and focus on the real problems of the present, she’d have no future.
“I wonder…after the two in the Camaro bungled things so badly today, and with all those cameras and videos going, their faces will be all over social media and subsequently police radar. Do you think whoever they’re working for would pull them off and replace them with someone new? Someone we wouldn’t recognize as following us?”
Marcus rubbed his jaw, keeping his eyes on the road. “I ken those two have overstepped their usefulness. I wouldnae be surprised if we’ve at least seen the last of the Camaro. I ken they’ll want the advantage of a different car. That way they’ll know who we are and what the van looks like, but we willnae ken where they’ll be, or what they’ll be drivin.”
“I like the idea of driving at night and hiding somewhere during the day,” Tait added. “But it’s still going to be almost impossible to dodge people and cars we don’t recognize.”
“We can always ditch the van,” Marcus suggested. “Take the bus? They wouldnae expect that.”
“We can’t justditchthe van,” Tait countered. “Not after what you must have paid.”
“ ’Tisnae the money we need tae worry about,” Marcus argued. “ ’Tis yer safety.”
She looked at him, fighting back the dread building in her chest, “Then we’ll stick to the plan and only drive at night. Besides,” she pressed her arms to her stomach, trying to hold herself together. “There’s really only one more day. I’m supposed to report the day after tomorrow.”
The reality of that made her chest tighten and her breath come in short bursts.
Evan had tried to explain the testimony process, but she’d blocked it out, not wanting to think about it until she had to. But now she had to, and she was terrified.
“What’s this?” Marcus slowed the van as the glow of lights came into view on their right.
“That must be Flagg ranch,” Tait said, checking the map. “Apparently, it’s kind of a lodge, gas station, convenience store thing.”
“Seems tae be a busy place. Lot’s o’ cars comin’ and goin’. We’re no’ stoppin’, are we?”
“Not if you have enough gas to get to Jackson Hole. It’s about fifty miles away, but if we fuel up in Jackson, from what Evan said, we should be able to get to Salt Lake without stopping again.”
Marcus nodded, repeatedly glancing in the rear-view mirror.
“Everything okay?” she asked, her heartbeat kicking up a notch as she glanced behind them.
“Aye, lass,” he said. “I ken makin’ it hard for them tae see us, makes it just as hard for us tae see them, even if we knew what they’re drivin’. But I dinnae see a Camaro under those lights, so hopefully, we’re safe enough, for now.”
The night was quiet as they drove through the darkness, but Tait still tensed at every car they encountered and every mile that took them closer to Salt Lake.
Finally her anxiety won out and she turned to Marcus, unable to mask the fear in her eyes. “I’m not ready. I know testifying is the right thing. I haven’t changed my mind about that. But…I’m not ready to go straight to Salt Lake. Not tonight.” She tried to sound calm—not so nervous and needy. “Could we stop somewhere first? I need to clean up before I go in, anyway,” she added, trying to justify her hesitation.
“Aye Lass, o’course,” he reassured her. “We could fuel up somewhere on the outskirts of Jackson, drive a few more hours and find a place tae lay-over. Mayhap—instead of the van—an out-of-the way motel, with a nice hot shower?”
“And hopefully some laundry facilities,” she added, indicating her soiled jeans.
He smiled and took her hand, rubbing the back with his thumb. “ ’Twill be okay, love. We’ll get ye there safe and sound. And I promise no’ tae leave ye. Unless…” He gave her hand a squeeze. “Would ye feel safer in custody, under guard? Somewhere no one can get tae ye? I dinnae want ye thinkin’ ye’re stuck wi’ me. Especially if it jeopardizes yer safety.”
She laid her free hand over his. “I know taking one last day is risky. Reckless, even, given the circumstances. But…” Trailing her fingers over his, she drew strength from his warmth. “I don’t know what will happen. What if they take me somewhere they won’t let you go.” She raised her gaze to his. “I’m not ready for that. I don’t trust anyone but you. I need you, Marcus.”
She sighed and sat back. “I realize how selfish, and self-absorbed that sounds. But it’s not just your protection I’m not ready to give up.”
Chapter 12
“Ye pick,” Marcus stated as Tait ticked off the various routes to Salt Lake City on the map they’d picked up at the gas station south of Jackson. “Mayhap something less traveled?”
“We could take Highway 89 through southern Idaho,” Tait mused. “Actually, we could take it all the way into Salt Lake if we wanted. It looks like it goes through several small towns along the way. Maybe we could find a little motel in one of those?”
