Christmas Witness Pursuit

She took his nod as confirmation that he would do what she asked, then listened as he spent the next mile or two telling her what he’d found out at the scene. The FBI badges and the file that said they’d been transporting a witness for a trial...

“Do you remember any of this?” he asked.

She fought to resurrect memories she knew had to be there, but instead only encountered a mounting frustration. “I’m sorry, but no. I can’t remember anything.”

“Don’t worry about it. Your memories will return.”

“Maybe, but from what you’re telling me, I’m not sure I want to remember.”

What had she seen? It had to have been something horrible, like another murder.

A minute later he pulled the car off at an overlook with a stunning view of the mountains to the west. But she barely saw it. Instead her mind was fighting to focus on the one thing she knew she could do. She hurried to the trunk of the car with him then started going through his first-aid kit, trying not to give in to the panic.

Seconds later she carefully helped him out of his jacket and uniform, leaving on his T-shirt, so she could get to the wound.

“Ouch.”

Her eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those macho men who faint at the sight of blood.”

“Hardly, but you’ve got to give me a little credit. I was just shot.”

“According to you, it’s just an insignificant flesh wound.”

“Are you always this ornery?” He shot her a stern look, but his eyes were smiling.

Do you flirt with every woman you have contact with?

She bit back the question on the tip of her tongue.

“Honestly, I have no idea.” She shrugged, unable to avoid his grin or to ignore just how good-looking he was with those dark brown eyes. She shoved the ridiculous thoughts away.

“The good news is that you were right about one thing,” she said. “The bullet skimmed your arm and the blood’s already clotting. You’ll need stiches, but you’ll survive.”

He smiled again. “That’s a relief.”

She looked way, focusing on his arm as she disinfected her hands then started cleaning the wound. The routine seemed familiar. Comfortable. And was the first time she’d felt in control since the accident.

Or at least as much as I can feel in control in a situation like this.

The reminder sent panic flooding through her again. She might not remember why she’d been in that car, but she did know those men were still out there. And something told her that missing spark plug wires weren’t going to slow them down for long.

She opened a butterfly bandage to hold the wound together, trying to stomp out her anxiety at the same time. “They could have flagged down a car to follow us.”

“I know. But there aren’t a lot of cars out on these back roads right now, especially with the storm coming. Besides, backup should be there by now.”

“I hope so.”

“Which means we’re even now,” he said. “I saved your life and now you’ve saved mine.”

She shook her head. “Your life hardly needed saving. Anyone could do this, though it seems...familiar.”

A memory flashed to the forefront. She was running through a long hall with tiled white floors. Someone was calling a name.

Tory.

Her name.

His hand on her shoulder brought her back to the present. “You okay?”

She nodded, her hands shaking as she repacked the first-aid kit. “I remembered something. My name’s Tory.”

He pulled his shirt back on and started buttoning it up. “That’s wonderful. And it means your memory’s coming back.”

“Slowly, but I still feel like I’m fighting my way through this heavy fog.”

He smiled at her. “It’s nice to meet you, Tory. I’m Griffin, by the way.”

“It’s nice to meet you, as well.” His smile managed to erase some of her tension. “So we now know three things. My name’s Tory. I’m a witness in a case. And someone wants me dead.”

“Well, when you put it that way, it doesn’t sound quite so wonderful.”

“I guess there isn’t a nice way to put that, is there?” She laughed. “I’m just finding it kind of ironic that someone’s after me for what I know, but I can’t remember what it is.”

“Don’t worry.” He slammed the trunk shut then headed for the driver’s seat. “We’re going to figure this out, Tory... But for now, we need to get out of here.”

She climbed back into the front passenger seat, knowing he was right. She needed to find a way to fight the panic and stay focused on the fact that at least they were both alive.

Unlike the FBI agents.

“How are you feeling?” Griffin flipped on his blinker then sped back onto the highway.

“Seems like I’m the one who should be asking you that question.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about me. I happen to have a really good doctor. In fact, she told me I’m going to live.”

Tory tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Are you always this funny?”

“My brothers would probably say no. That I’m the serious one of the bunch. But you didn’t answer my question.”

She smiled again, wondering how he kept doing that. Distracting her from the situation. “I’m okay for now. I just wish I could remember something significant.”

“Remembering your name’s pretty significant. That, and I think we might have figured out your profession.”

She leaned back against the seat. “Somewhere I must have picked up some medical experience.”

“I’m thinking a paramedic or maybe an ER doctor.”

“Maybe, but I’d suggest we don’t test that theory.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “I have to agree with you on that one.”

Even his smile couldn’t put her totally at ease. Two men had just died protecting her. She could not let that happen again.

Griffin glanced out his rearview mirror as he sped toward town, glad they’d finally made it onto the main highway.

More often than not, women made him feel nervous. As much as he enjoyed the small talk with the woman sitting next to him, he couldn’t shake the worry that whoever was after her was going to find her. On top of that, his arm felt as if it were on fire. But he couldn’t worry about that now. He was more concerned that the men who’d killed the FBI agents would find a way to pick up his tail despite his attempt to disable their motorcycles.

He was convinced they weren’t dealing with amateurs. The attack against the FBI escort had clearly been strategic. The drivers had known the route and had planned their assault. But at least Tory was safe for the moment. If she hadn’t escaped into the woods when she had, they’d either have her or she’d be dead now.

The other pressing concern was the weather. The news had been reporting for days that a huge storm system was sweeping in from the north. That meant he was going to need to get her somewhere safe before the roads became too dangerous to use.

Tory pressed her hands together in her lap then stared out the window. “It’s starting to snow again. How far out of Timber Falls are we?”

“Just a couple minutes.”

“Good. And it looks like the bleeding from your arm has stopped.”

His phone rang and he glanced at the caller ID. It was the sheriff’s office. He hoped they were calling with an update.

“What’s your ETA?” Sheriff Jackson asked as soon as Griffin answered.

“We’re almost to the Timber Falls exit.”

“Good. Just to be on the safe side, I’ve arranged for Dr. Swanson to meet you at the back entrance of the clinic. You should be able to slip the witness in without being noticed. Someone will also be there to sew you up if needed.”

“Thank you, but please tell me you found the guys who did this?”

“I wish I could say we did, but when backup arrived at the scene, they found the bikes, but no signs of the men. I put out a BOLO from the descriptions you gave us, but it’s not going to be easy to search for them with this storm coming in.”

“What about the accident scene?” Griffin took the exit and headed straight to the clinic located on the edge of the small town. “Was anything found that might give us answers?”

“That’s going to take time. The coroner just arrived to pick up the bodies. They’ve been ID’d as special agents Lincoln and Adler...but that’s really all we know at this point.”

Griffin frowned. He needed some good news. “Have you heard from the FBI yet?”

“I’m still waiting for them to call back. I’ll let you know as soon as they do.”

Frustrated, Griffin hung up then drove through the back of the clinic parking lot. “I know this has got to be unsettling.”

Her lower lip trembled. “I can’t get their faces out of my mind. They died trying to protect me.”

He parked in an empty space near the back door and shut off the engine, fighting the urge to pull her into his arms to tell her everything was going to be okay. Because he knew the truth. Sometimes things didn’t turn out the way you wanted. Sometimes, no matter how hard he tried, everything wouldn’t be okay.

“You know none of this is your fault,” he said finally.

“Really? Because the way I see it, those agents were killed because of me.” She stared straight ahead, that lost look back in her eyes. “It just seems so crazy. All the things I want to remember I can’t, and yet no matter how hard I try, I can’t get the picture out of my mind of that agent being shot and dying in front of me.”

“I’m so sorry you saw what you did. Sorry your being in the wrong place at the wrong time put you in this situation in the first place.”

“I guess as a deputy you would understand death.” She turned and caught his gaze. “Does it ever fade, some of the things you see?”

He looked away, wanting to ignore her question, but knew he couldn’t. “I’ve had to learn to deal with things I’ve seen, but that still doesn’t always make it easy. There are faces and stories I’ll never be able to forget.”

“Thank you for what you’ve done for me.”

He shrugged off the gratitude, ready for a change in subject. “I’m just doing my job.”

“Maybe, but you saved my life.”

Thirty minutes later the nurse had just finished stitching up Griffin’s arm when his phone rang again. He stepped into the small hallway at the back of the clinic for privacy and took the call.

“Deputy O’Callaghan...this is FBI Special Agent Mark Hill. I understand you have one of our witnesses in your custody. Victoria Faraday.”

“I do. We’re at the clinic in Timber Falls and she’s in with the doctor right now.”

“The report I received said she’s suffering from memory loss and you’d been shot.”

“I’m waiting for a report from the doctor about her, but yes. Thankfully the bullet just grazed me.” Griffin took a deep breath before asking, “I’m assuming you’ve received the news that both your agents were killed?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

Griffin hesitated. “I’m extremely sorry for your loss.”

“So am I. They were good men that are going to be greatly missed. Jinx Ryder—the man behind this—has been a thorn in the FBI’s side for far too long.”

“What can you tell me about the case?”

“I can send you the file...but, briefly, she was out hiking eight months ago and witnessed the brutal murder of a couple not too far from where you are.”

“I remember that headline.”

“We’d been hunting Jinx for over a year. He’s suspected to be involved in a dozen other felonies, but we’ve never been able to pin anything on the man. Not until Victoria Faraday.”

“And she’s your eye witness.”

“Our only witness. That is why I need your help. The highway north of you was just shut down, which means it’s going to take some time to get anyone to you. They’re calling this the storm of the decade.”

Griffin glanced at the closed door where Tory was still meeting with the doctor. “What do you need me to do?”

“She’s going to need protection until we can get there.”

Griffin frowned. Playing the role of bodyguard wasn’t exactly on his to-do list for the weekend. While he wasn’t keen on babysitting, neither was he willing to leave her stranded.

“Can you get her somewhere safe for the next forty-eight hours or at least until this storm passes? Somewhere out of the way and secure until I can get someone there?”

Griffin mentally flipped through his limited options. “My parents own a ranch not far from here. I suppose I could take her there for a couple of days. It’s unlikely these guys would be able to track her down.”

“Sounds like the perfect plan. And, Deputy O’Callaghan...this needs to stay under the radar. Jinx clearly has a long arm. Someone was able to track down that escort—”

“Exactly, which has me worried.” Griffin vacillated, but he needed to know what was going on. “If you want to ensure her safety, you need to find out where your leak is.”

“I can assure you there is no leak—”

“I’m sorry, Agent Hill, but two of your agents were just murdered and your witness barely escaped with her life.”

“And we are doing everything we can to find out how that happened.”

At the end of the hall, Tory stepped out of the examination room with the doctor.

“I need to go,” the FBI agent said, “but keep me updated.”

Griffin frowned as he hung up. If the FBI didn’t find their leak—or at least admit they had one—keeping Tory safe might prove impossible.

THREE

Tory stepped into the clinic hallway with the doctor, wishing he had given her a prescription to restore her memory. Instead he’d told her all she could really do was watch for symptoms and wait for her memories to return. But that was easier said than done. She was tired of fighting to resurrect memories she knew were there but couldn’t find. And scared at how vulnerable that made her feel.

“Deputy O’Callaghan...” The doctor dropped his pen into his front jacket pocket as Griffin walked up to them. “Sorry we took so long, but I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss anything.”

“That’s fine,” Griffin said then turned to her. “How are you feeling?”

“While I did hit my head in the accident, the doctor believes my amnesia should resolve itself eventually.”

“That sounds like good news.”

“It is,” Dr. Swanson said. “In the meantime, she’ll feel as if her thoughts and memories are clouded, but clearly they are already slowly returning, which is a good sign. I would, though, like to keep her here overnight for observation—”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Griffin shook his head. “Staying here would make it harder to limit who knows where she is. And the more people who know, the riskier this whole situation becomes.”

Tory felt another wave of panic hit. “Then what am I supposed to do? Is the FBI sending someone else?”

“Because of the storm, they won’t be able to get any agents here for at least forty-eight hours. They’ve asked me to ensure your safety until they get here.”

She worked to process the news. If trained FBI agents hadn’t been able to stop an attack, how was Griffin—a local sheriff’s deputy—supposed to keep her safe? She’d never be able to live with someone else dying trying to protect her.

“This isn’t your case—”

“No,” he said, “but I do have a solution. I want to take you to my family ranch, which is about thirty minutes from town. If we leave now, we should get there before the storm hits.”

She pressed her fingertips against her temples, trying to deal with the fact that once again she was having to trust her life to a stranger. “I don’t know—”

“It’s just a precaution until the storm passes. You’ll be safe there.”

“Will I?” She looked up at him, unconvinced. “Two agents are dead, which means I’d be putting your family at risk. And who’s to say they can’t find me there, too?”

She didn’t want to sound ungrateful, because she wasn’t. But she barely knew this man, and now he wanted to take her to his home to keep her safe? There had to be another option. Surely the roads weren’t that bad yet. If they could get to Denver, there had to be an FBI safe house where she could stay until this nightmare was over. Something that wouldn’t involve him and his family.

“I know this all has to be overwhelming,” Griffin said, “but my job now is to keep you safe. Plus, my mom’s a nurse and she’ll be able to keep an eye on any medical issues.” He turned back to the doctor. “I’m trusting you to keep this situation confidential.”

“You know I will and, with Tory’s permission,” the doctor said, “I can give your mother a call and update her, so she knows exactly what she needs to watch for.”

Tory knew Griffin must have read the doubt in her eyes, along with the fear she couldn’t shake. She might not remember what she’d eaten for breakfast yesterday, but she knew she hated feeling out of control. And that was exactly how she felt right now. But what choice did she have? Someone wanted her dead and she certainly wasn’t in a position to handle this on her own.

“I need you to trust me,” Griffin said.

She shot him a weak smile. “You did save my life once.”

“And I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you stay safe, but we need to leave now. Once the storm hits, I don’t want to be out on these roads.” Griffin caught her gaze, reminding her how she’d become totally dependent on the deputy. “Are you okay with the plan?”

She nodded, despite the fact she wasn’t convinced they were doing the right thing. What if those men tried to come after her again? Deputy O’Callaghan might have saved her once, but she’d seen what those men could do, and he was only one man.

She glanced down the hallway at the six-foot-tall Christmas tree made from blown-up surgical gloves and an IV pole and loneliness surged through her. It was Christmastime and she couldn’t even remember who was waiting for her back home to celebrate the holidays. Surely there were family, friends and maybe even someone special in her life. Why couldn’t she remember?

Griffin hesitated in front of her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

She forced a smile. “I will be.”

Because she didn’t have a choice.

“I just need to stop by the sheriff’s office,” Griffin said. “Then we’ll head out of town.”

Twenty minutes later they were driving toward the O’Callaghan ranch that was nestled beneath impressive views of Pikes Peak and the surrounding mountains while the sun slipped toward the horizon in front of them. On any other day, she would be soaking up the beauty of the wintery terrain. Right now, all she wanted to do was to run far away from everything that had happened.

“What are your parents going to say when you bring home a complete stranger?” she asked, breaking the silence between them.

“Trust me, my family won’t think twice about it. It’s definitely not the first time one of us has brought home someone needing a place to stay.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “You make me sound like a stray cat.”

He chuckled. “We’ve taken in a few of those over the years, as well.”

“Funny. Tell me about your family. You said earlier you had brothers.” She needed a distraction. Something to stop her from worrying about what could happen and the memories that still refused to surface.

“For starters, I’ve got three brothers.”

“Wow...your mother had her hands full.”

“More than you could ever imagine, but thankfully for her we’re all grown up now. Caden works with my father on the ranch and is a former army ranger. Reid works for the local fire department and my youngest brother, Liam, is in the army and recently got married.”

“He’s the only one with a wife?”

“Yep. They have a sweet daughter, Mia.”

His response surprised her. If his brothers were even close to being as good-looking as Griffin, the three of them sounded like catches. She glanced at her own ringless left hand. She was going to assume she wasn’t married or engaged but, for all she knew, she had a boyfriend back home.

Wherever that was.

She cleared her throat. “So, three bachelors. How did that happen?”

“That’s a question my mom asks almost every time I see her.”

“What about your ranch?” she asked, changing the subject. “Sounds like a wonderful place to grow up.”

“It was. Our family has worked the land since the 1920s. It’s got over ten thousand acres and some of the best hunting in the area, and is still used for hay production, livestock grazing and raising cattle.”

“Sounds beautiful, too.” Nevertheless, there was still the lingering question she couldn’t shake. “What if something goes wrong? What if they find me and it puts your family in danger? I couldn’t do that—”

“We’ll deal with that when—and if—the time comes. But don’t worry about that now.”

“Okay, then that must mean it’s time for you to ask me about my family, except I don’t have any answers.”

“Have you remembered anything new?”

“Nothing more than a handful of fuzzy memories.”

“We know your name and that you have medical training. I suppose we can always Google you.” Griffin glanced toward the back seat. “The FBI sent over a brief file on the case. That’s what I picked up at the sheriff’s office. There’s supposed to be something on you, as well.”

“Really?” She grabbed the folder, suddenly nervous about what she was going to find out.

The file was thin and the documents had been redacted in several places, including her hometown, but reading through it felt more like reading someone else’s biography.

“Does anything stand out or jog your memory?” Griffin asked.

“Not really, but there’s not much. It says parents are dead, and no siblings.” She looked up at him. “I’m going to assume I have a friend or two.”

“I’d say you definitely have way more than just a friend or two.”

“And why would you say that? I could be some recluse who lives with a houseful of cats and only goes out to check the mail.”

“Somehow I don’t think so. You’re easy to talk to, you have a sense of humor, and we already know how well you do in a medical emergency.”

She couldn’t help but smile. She liked the way he managed to disarm her fears and make her laugh. “Keep trying to make me feel better. You’re doing a good job.”

“There’s something else,” he said. “I know you put your life on the line to put a murderer behind bars. Something like that takes a lot of courage.”

His statement brought on another flash of memory, but she could not quite grab on to it. She glanced out the window at the falling snow that had already left a dusting of white across the landscape. She might have had to risk her life for justice, but even if that were true, it did little to erase the terror that wouldn’t leave her alone.

Griffin studied her reaction for a moment as they headed down the two-lane dirt road toward the ranch, knowing everything that had happened had left her unsettled. He couldn’t blame her. Not only was her life in danger, she could not remember what had brought her to this point beyond what had been written in an FBI report.

“I meant what I said. What you did took a lot of courage.”

“Maybe, but I’m just trying to figure all this out without getting too terrified. I keep asking myself the same question. What was my motivation? I obviously had to realize there was going to be a cost.” She skimmed through the file. “There’s a section in here about Jinx Ryder. He’s been arrested for racketeering, conspiracy to launder money, murder, and is known to be involved in several criminal enterprises. Sounds to me like anyone would be crazy to cross this guy.”

“Or extremely brave,” he countered.

“I’m not feeling brave.” Tory drummed her fingers against the armrest. “Instead I’m wondering what made me think I could survive going up against this guy.”