Witness on the Run

“What are you talking about?”

“What’d you do, promise Cole a lead on a case?”

“I didn’t promise anything, and I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Why Cole? Huh? Was he onto something, so they sent you to lure him in?” He clenched his jaw as if he was about to snap.

“You’d better leave,” she said, her voice trembling.

“Not until you give me something.” He grabbed her wrist and cuffed it to the edge of the bed.

“What are you doing?” Her heart slammed against her chest.

“Making sure you stay put until I can get answers.” He stalked around to the other side of the bed and poured her water. “Maybe this will help.”

“I can’t remember! Let me go!” She pulled on the handcuffs.

Caught. Snared. Stalked. About to be…killed?

She repeatedly pushed the nurse call button.

He closed in on her. No matter how far she leaned away, she couldn’t escape his stale coffee breath or the look of hatred in his eyes. “Cut the nonsense, lady.”

“Get away from her!”

Jake grabbed Detective Monroe’s arm and yanked him away from Robin. Anger arced through Jake’s chest at the look in her eyes. Terror didn’t begin to describe what he saw there.

Monroe glared at Jake. “You’re interfering with an ongoing investigation.”

“And you’re bullying a witness. This woman is a victim, not your perp.”

“I’m not so sure.” He eyed Robin.

She pulled on the handcuffs.

“She nearly died in the E.R.,” Jake said. “Uncuff her and get out.”

“Not until she answers some questions,” Monroe said.

“I don’t know anything!” she cried.

A young nurse rushed into the room. “What’s going on in here?”

“Police, ma’am.” Monroe flashed his badge. “I’ve been ordered to ask Miss Strand questions.”

“She’s not ready to answer your questions,” Jake said.

Monroe glared at him. “You’re a doctor now, Walters?”

“Stop it,” the nurse ordered. “She’s not up for visitors or interrogation. Now remove these cuffs and leave. Both of you.”

Monroe fisted his hand, and Jake realized the guy was dangerously close to doing something he’d regret. There were few things worse than losing a brother in blue. Jake understood the man’s emotional state but didn’t condone it.

“Let’s call Detective Beck,” Jake said.

“You do that.” But he didn’t move to uncuff Robin.

“And I’m calling security,” the nurse threatened.

Monroe snapped his glare from Jake and went around to release Robin. She turned away, her eyes connecting with Jake’s. He offered a slight smile, wanting to let her know it would be okay. He wasn’t going to let anything happen to her.

“We’re not done,” Monroe shot at Robin.

The nurse motioned for him to leave. “You, too,” the nurse said to Jake.

“No. Can he stay?” Robin asked.

The nurse frowned. “For a few minutes.”

Monroe stormed out with the nurse on his heels.

“You okay?” Jake asked.

“I’ve been better.”

She had a resilience about her that fascinated him. A cop, one of the good guys, had threatened her. but she hadn’t backed down.

“They think I was involved in the shooting?” she asked.

“They think you might have witnessed something. A police officer was killed tonight.”

Her eyes widened. “And that cop thinks I shot him?”

“I doubt it, but cops get crazy when a fellow officer is killed.”

“Yeah, he’s crazy and wants answers.” She sighed. “And my mind is a complete blank.”

“It will come back to you, in time.”

“I get the impression I don’t have time.”

Jake shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. He couldn’t argue with her.

“Someone’s after me,” she said in a soft voice.

“We don’t know that.”

“But if I saw something…”

“You need to focus on healing. You’re safe here.”

“You’re kidding, right? I almost died in the E.R., then a crazy cop handcuffs and interrogates me.”

Jake took a step closer. “It won’t happen again. I’m sorry I let Monroe question you.”

“He’s a cop. It’s not like you could have stopped him.”

“It doesn’t matter who it is. You asked me for help. I’ll make sure no one gets that close again.”

She leaned back against the pillow but didn’t look convinced. A distant memory flashed to the surface to taunt Jake. I won’t let him hurt you again, Mommy. But Jake had failed to keep that promise.

“You know the doctor in the E.R., the one who probably put something in my IV?” she said.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve seen him before.”

“You recognized him?”

“Just his eyes.” She hesitated. “Death Eyes.”

The nurse came into the room and checked Robin’s blood pressure. “Your few minutes is up,” she said, not looking at Jake.

“How are her vitals?” Jake asked.

“Everything looks good.” The nurse smiled at Robin.

With a nod, Jake started for the door.

“Wait, Jake?”

He turned to her.

“Thanks, for coming to the rescue.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“Do you…?” She hesitated. “Would you want to sit in here?”

Robin glanced at the nurse.

“If it would make you feel better,” the nurse said.

“It would.” Robin motioned to a chair.

It hit a little too close to home, having recently spent months sitting beside Mom, but Jake read panic in Robin’s eyes. She would feel better if he stayed close.

“Sure.” With a nod, Jake collapsed in a corner chair where he had a clear view of the door.

The nurse finished up and left Robin and Jake alone.

Robin leaned against the pillow and eyed him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why are you here?”

“Excuse me?” He sat up straight. Had she forgotten asking him to protect her?

“Don’t look so worried. I remember asking you to stay,” she said as if she’d read his mind. “I’m wondering why you came to the hospital with me in the first place.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, he said, “I guess I feel responsible. It’s my fault you ran into the street.”

“You weren’t trying to shoot me.”

“No, but I frightened you, and you tore off to get away from me.”

“I wish I could remember.” She closed her eyes and pulled the blankets up to her chin.

The woman was a mess. Who wouldn’t be? The hospital should be a safe place, a healing place. Instead, it had turned into a war zone where enemies hid in every corner from the E.R. to her hospital room.

Detective Monroe. A complete jerk. Jake couldn’t believe the guy had gone after her like that, handcuffed her to the bed. What on earth was he thinking?

“I wish you could remember, too,” Jake said.

With a sigh, she rolled onto her side, facing him. Wrapped in blankets, she looked childlike and fragile.

“I’m afraid of what comes next,” she said in a soft voice.

“Don’t be. Just rest. That’s the best thing you can do for yourself.”

She nodded and closed her eyes. He folded his hands behind his head and leaned back. This woman tapped into all his protective instincts from his mom, to his ex-girlfriend, to innocents in Iraq. He was overthinking again.

He glanced at the door as someone passed. That’s what he should be focused on, not the tender beauty wrapped in white.

He suddenly wondered if this was his chance at redemption, his chance to make it right. He’d see Robin through to the end and make sure she wasn’t another innocent victim of violence.

Robin awakened with a start, terrified all over again. She glanced around to get her bearings and spotted Jake in the corner of the dark room, asleep in the chair.

She hadn’t slept well, tossing and turning, her thoughts driving her into a deeper sense of foreboding. She’d seen something she shouldn’t have, and couldn’t remember anything clearly enough to help the police find the killer.

Those buried memories were going to get her killed.

She didn’t want to die. She had a lot to do, things to accomplish. Too bad she couldn’t remember what they were.

A creaking sound from the doorway made her jackknife in bed. She squinted through the dark room toward the light in the hallway, but no one was there.

She was tempted to ask for a sleep aid, but didn’t like taking drugs of any kind, even an over-the-counter pain reliever, although she’d accepted a few of those earlier to ease her pounding head.

Placing a hand to her heart to calm herself, she flopped back against the bed and eyed Jake, her self-proclaimed bodyguard. His arms were folded across his chest, his head tipped forward. Guilt snagged her insides. He looked so uncomfortable. She shouldn’t have asked him to stay, but she didn’t know who else to turn to. She needed someone’s help, and so far Jake had been the only person in her life who seemed to be more concerned about Robin than the murder case.

The shrill sound of the phone made her jump. She grabbed it, not wanting it to awaken Jake. “Hello?” she whispered.

“Death Eyes is coming for you,” a gravelly voice whispered.

She slammed the receiver, ripped out her IV and jumped out of bed, backing up against the wall.

“Robin?” Jake said, clearing his throat and sitting up. “What’s wrong?”

“Phone,” was all she could say.

The walls closed in. She wasn’t even safe in the hospital. The cops considered her a suspect, the killer had spiked her IV, and although Jake was here, he didn’t owe her anything. He could abandon her at any time.

She felt like a revolving duck at a carnival shooting gallery, ready to be picked off as she made the next turn.

Although much of her memory was lost, she knew she was a strong and determined woman. She was not going to be terrorized by a phantom and lie in bed waiting for him to finish the job.

“It’s okay,” Jake said, edging toward her. “Why don’t you get back into bed?”

“And wait to be killed or arrested? No, thanks. I’ve got to get out of here.”

She hobbled to the closet, her sore knee giving her a little trouble.

“Robin, be reasonable.” Jake blocked her.

“Please get out of my way.” She planted her hands on her hips.

He stepped aside. She grabbed the bag with her clothes and went into the bathroom. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Who was that woman?

“Very funny,” she muttered. She recognized herself, she just didn’t like what she saw staring back at her: a bruised and pathetic-looking woman.

“You are not pathetic. You’re just hurt. And scared.” She searched her briefcase and found her wallet. “Awesome.” She had forty bucks and a few credit cards plus her driver’s license with her address.

The cash was enough for a cab. She remembered what Jenn had written on the slip of paper: Call me anytime!

But it was the middle of the night, really not a good time to call a friend and ask for a ride. Robin could take a cab to Jenn’s place, at least that way her friend wouldn’t have to get dressed and drive to the hospital to get her.

Robin slipped on her pants and buttoned her dirt-smudged, cream-colored blouse. Her head was still foggy, but she was okay, surprisingly okay. She slung her briefcase over her shoulder and opened the bathroom door.

Her gaze locked on Jake’s amazing blue-green eyes.

“Don’t argue with me.” Robin went to the bed and searched the table for Jenn’s note.

“Why are you leaving?” he challenged.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Who was on the phone?”

She snatched Jenn’s note off the floor and shoved it into her pocket. “It doesn’t matter.”

Robin stepped around Jake, marched to the door and glanced down the hall toward the nurse’s station. A nurse sat at a desk with her back to Robin.

He stepped in front of her. “I wish you’d reconsider.”

“Please get out of my way.”

“A doctor should release you.”

“I can’t wait for a doctor.” She walked around him and opened the stairwell door.

“It’s not safe to go home,” he said, following close behind her.

She gripped the railing as she climbed down the stairs, slowly, favoring her right leg. “It isn’t safe here, either.”

He stepped in front of her and blocked the door to the ground level. “What happened?” He narrowed his eyes as if trying to read her mind.

She gripped the strap of her briefcase. Besides Jenn, this stranger was the only person she could trust. “He called my hospital room.”

“Who?”

“Death Eyes.”

“How do you know it was him?”

“He identified himself.”

“How did he know you called him that?”

“I think I whispered it before I passed out. What does it matter? He’s coming for me, and I’m not waiting around to be killed!” She closed her eyes, embarrassed by her outburst.

Jake’s warm, solid hand brushed against her sleeve. “It’s okay. Take a deep breath. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, remember?”

With a sigh, she opened her eyes. “I’d like to believe you, I really would. But let’s be real. I don’t know you. Why should you help me?”

“I’ve given you my word.” He opened the door. “My car’s in the garage.”

Great, now she was going off with a strange man?

“You can drop me at Jenn’s.”

“Please stay close,” Jake said, his hand on something inside his jacket. A gun? Did he expect Death Eyes to pop out from behind a car?

She hoped by morning the fog would lift from her brain, and she’d recall exactly what happened. At this point all she could remember were flashes of memory, frightening flashes.

She glanced at her briefcase and rubbed her fingers against the smooth leather. She remembered doing this before, brushing her hand across it while holding her cell phone to her ear.

Memories echoed in her brain.

I’m ordering you a longhorn burger as we speak.

Walking toward the elevators…noticing a light from an office spilling out into the hallway…she glanced right—

“Stop!” she gasped.

“Robin?”

She struggled to breathe, gripping Jake’s jacket with trembling fingers. “I saw the light from the office. Someone was there.”

“In the Chambers Building?”

She nodded, but words couldn’t make it past her throat.

“It’s okay.” He glanced across the half-empty garage. “Let’s get you out of here.” He put his arm protectively around her shoulder and led her to a small pickup truck.

Robin couldn’t stop trembling as the memory clawed at the edge of her mind, taunting her, terrorizing her with the unknown.

A bang made her shriek.

“Shh, it’s okay. Someone just slammed a car door,” Jake said, squeezing her shoulder.

As they approached the pickup, a security officer stepped in front of them. “Ma’am, are you okay?”

“I’m…I’m, no,” she said wanting to destroy the memories circling her brain like crows over a dead animal.

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to step away from the woman,” the security guard ordered.

“You don’t understand—”

“The woman obviously feels threatened by you.”

Jake released her and Robin felt utterly vulnerable all over again.

“Robin, stay close,” Jake said.

The security guard stepped between them. “Sir, please keep your distance.”

“She’s suffering from a head injury.”

“Hands on the car.”

Jake turned and placed his hands to the roof of his truck. “Robin, it’s okay.”

He was being patted down and was still trying to take care of her.

“What’s this?” The guard pulled a gun from inside Jake’s jacket and waved it in his face.

She shivered at the sight of the black steel. A chill started deep in her bones and permeated her entire body to her fingertips.

“I’m a private investigator. I have a permit for that.”

Robin had seen one of those before, black steel aimed at her…

She backed a few steps away from Jake and the guard as she fought back the memories.

A red stain spreading across the carpet…

Saturating a man’s crisp, white shirt.

Her pulse raced as she turned away from the sight of the gun. She looked up just as blinding headlights pinned her in place.

The squeal of tires pierced her eardrums.

She couldn’t move, couldn’t cry out.

“Robin!” Jake shouted.

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