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“Not you too!”
“Are you kidding? Your daughter will come up to the courthouse and tear a piece off my backside if I let you step one foot inside the building.” That earned Hannah a hearty laugh. Pam’s daughter was just as stubborn and feisty as her mom. Hannah switched the phone to her other ear. “Stay home and rest. We’ll talk again tomorrow.”
“Hold on. Are you going to interview Thomas about the guy who attacked you? The mysterious Cash.”
“I’ve emailed his attorney requesting a meeting. There’s no guarantee Jose will allow Thomas to be interviewed, but it’s worth a try anyway.” Hannah adjusted the blanket around Charlotte and jiggled the rattle again. This time, the baby grabbed it with her own plump fingers. “We need to find Cash as soon as possible. Thomas should be motivated to help us if he’s innocent.”
Pam snorted. “That man is not innocent. He’s behind this whole thing, that much I can guarantee. Judging from the amount of money hidden behind the bookcases at his offices, Thomas was getting money from somewhere. I always believed he had some kind of drug scheme going.”
Almost twenty thousand in cash was discovered by the rangers when they conducted a search of Thomas’s offices. He shared the space with his wife. Julie had been a dentist. The money was tucked in a hollowed-out textbook on the top shelf in an area accessible to everyone, including patients and staff.
“Thomas claimed he’d never seen that money before and we can’t prove it belonged to him. It could’ve been Julie’s. Or even someone on their staff.” She leaned her head against the back seat. “Although, I agree with you. The money indicates Thomas was involved in something illegal. And while his involvement is also likely in these attacks against me, he’s too smart to contact Cash himself.”
Her paralegal hummed in agreement. “He knows we can pull his cell phone records and track his bank accounts. Thomas is under house arrest, so his movements are limited. Even if he got his hands on a burner phone, it’s risky. Especially now that Cash has failed twice. If Thomas is behind this, he’d use a go-between.”
“Who? Who on earth would get involved in this?”
Pam didn’t hesitate for a moment. “His girlfriend. She has a vested interest in keeping him out of prison. Thomas has promised to marry her and love can make you do stupid things.”
Ouch. Hannah didn’t want to believe that Lorrie Michaels would be foolish enough to involve herself in criminal activity. The young woman was a nurse who came from a loving family. But Pam had a point. Lorrie had gotten involved with Thomas while he was married. He’d lied and manipulated her once. Chances were, he could do it again.
She mulled over the idea a bit more with Pam and then hung up.
Ryker caught her gaze in the mirror. “I overheard most of the conversation and I think Pam is on to something, but I’d like to question Thomas before we talk to Lorrie.”
“Agreed. I should know by tomorrow morning if Jose will allow us to question his client.”
She leaned her head against the back of the seat. The trees beyond the tinted window whipped by as the SUV tires ate up the asphalt. Country music flowed from the stereo. Suddenly, Ryker stiffened. His gaze shot to the rearview mirror and then the side-view one. His fingers flew over the buttons on the steering wheel and Eli’s name appeared on the built-in screen on the dashboard. Ringing came over the speakers, cutting off the music.
Hannah sat up straight in her seat and turned around to look at the back window before shifting her attention to Ryker. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“We’ve got a tail. White Chevy pickup truck. Three cars back. There’s mud on his license plates.”
She spotted the vehicle just as Ryker’s colleague Eli answered and promised to send troopers their way.
The driver of the truck wasn’t visible because of the distance between the vehicles. Hannah glanced at Charlotte nestled in her car seat. The baby was playing with the rattle, blissfully unaware of the danger they were in. Her chubby cheeks glowed with vitality and her dark curls bounced with the force of her arm movements. Blue eyes locked on Hannah. So crystal clear, with such innocence reflected in their depths.
Hannah forced herself to smile so Charlotte wouldn’t pick up on the tension. Once again, her niece was put at risk. The driver of the truck was hanging back for the moment, but what happened if he launched an attack? Were they going to have a high-speed car chase with the baby in the vehicle?
She chewed on her lip and turned back to view the truck. “Could it be a reporter? They’ve never followed me home before, but the attack at the courthouse headlined the news this evening. It’s possible someone wants a photograph or is planning to ambush me hoping to get a soundbite.”
“I considered that, but the mud obscuring the license plate is concerning. I don’t think a reporter would bother. It makes me think the truck is stolen.”
“Cash?” The sour taste of fear filled her mouth. “Guess I didn’t stab him hard enough with that screwdriver after all.”
“May not be Cash.” Ryker’s gaze shot to the side-view mirror again as he deftly changed lanes and increased his speed. “I can’t see the driver. I don’t want to make assumptions.”
That sent another spike of terror streaking through Hannah. The only thing worse than being threatened by one hitman was the concept of being hunted by two. Or more. What a horrifying thought. She gripped Charlotte’s car seat as if her arms could keep the baby safe. “Please Lord, watch over us. Guide us to safety. We put our trust in You and know that Your loving wisdom will see us through whatever comes next. Amen.”
“Amen.” Ryker echoed. His mouth tightened as he glanced in the rearview mirror. “Hold on, Hannah.”
She turned back in time to see the truck speeding up. Whoever was driving was about to make a move. Her heart rate spiked as Ryker also increased his speed. The SUV whipped through two lanes of traffic as he shifted without warning toward an exit. Hannah’s seat belt locked. Charlotte, jolted by the movement, cried out. She dropped the rattle.
“Shush, shush.” Hannah attempted to comfort the baby even as she glanced back at the freeway. The truck had caught their exit and followed. He was picking up speed. Waning sunlight glinted off the windshield, hiding the driver from view. But his intentions couldn’t be more clear. He was going to run them off the road.
“Ryker, he’s going to hit us!”
ELEVEN
