Page 12 of Not Our Daughter

She dropped the pack of candles she was holding to the hardwood floor and put her hand to her mouth. “How do you know?”

She was getting wobbly, so he reached out with both hands to hold her up.

“Someone was following me inside the grocery store. I spotted him earlier today over at Grand Lake. And then I found FBI credentials in his car.”

“Cole, please, no. Are they on their way here now?”

“I presume so. Which is why we have to go.”

“But Jade ...!” she said. “It’s her birthday.”

“Listen to me, Lisa,” he said, his voice steadier. “We can’t focus on that right now. Where is your phone?”

She turned, grabbed her cell phone from the counter behind her. He took it from her and handed her one of the new burner phones.

“Everything is already programmed. Get Jade’s phone when you go upstairs and then destroy it. Use the hammer in the kitchen drawer. You understand?”

She nodded. “How much time do you think we have?”

“Five minutes, at most. Just get her out of this house.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Ensure you get away from here clean.”

She frowned. “How?”

“By leaving first. Making sure they follow.”

“Do we go straight to the unit?”

“No. Text me when you’re in the clear here and then wait for me across the street at the top of Rendezvous, where we like to park and hike. But leave without me if I don’t show or you don’t hear back from me within twenty minutes.”

Her mouth dropped, her voice rising. “I can’t leave without you, Cole!”

“Yes, you can. For Jade. You can do this without me.”

“What do I even tell her?”

They had not planned out that part. They’d never wanted to think about the possibility.

“Whatever it takes to get her out of this house.”

She again nodded. The color had returned to her face. Her eyes were more firmly set. She was pulling it together. That was good. This was the Lisa he needed right now. This was the Lisa who helped them get away the first time. Brave. Fierce. Determined. For a moment, they just stood there and stared at each other, both probably feeling the exact same thing. This could be the very last time they were together. If he got arrested, they might never see each other again. He thought of Jade upstairs. He didn’t even have time to go up and see her. The weight of that was nearly unbearable.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you, too. See you in a few minutes.”

“I hope so.”

“You will. I promise.”

With that, Cole spun around and raced for the front door.

Ten

Lisa watched Cole shut the front door behind him, and then she exhaled so heavily she thought she might pass out. She’d feigned braveness in front of her husband, so he wouldn’t worry, but the truth was she was frightened out of her mind. This couldn’t be real. This couldn’t be happening. She felt completely numb. It had been ten years. A lifetime. Plus, this was different from the past. Back then, they had never really set up a new life. They were too scared all the time to even allow themselves to make new friends or find genuine community. So it was much easier to pick up and just go without word to anyone. But they had a real life here. A life she’d grown to love—at least, as much as she could under the circumstances. It had certainly been difficult dealing with so many financial challenges. Back in Austin, they’d lived an affluent lifestyle. Money had never been an issue for them. Not only did Cole have a terrific job with a high salary, but she was also doing well as a Realtor and making a name for herself. She loved helping people find the perfect home. But neither of them felt like they could pursue opportunities here in Winter Park that might put them in the spotlight. They just couldn’t risk it. Cole had especially felt stifled by that choice. He had always been an ambitious guy, so constantly pumping the brakes on career possibilities had gradually stolen a part of his soul.

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