Page 110 of Maddox

“I’m fine, sweet cowboy.”

Maddox bristled and eased onto his forearm. His anger was evident by his body tensing once again. “Any idea who sent it?”

“Of course not.” I reached out, touching his arm.

“Did anything happen?”

“There were people watching me, or at least that’s what it seemed like. Granted, there were plainclothes officers everywhere and certainly not only because of my appearance.I can’t be certain, but I felt their presence. Two, maybe three men.”

“You have excellent instincts. You should have called it off.”

My turn to laugh. “They wouldn’t allow me to back away and you know it. Besides, I have a feeling they’re closing in on their case. I’m not sure if a date for a single trial has been established, but I overheard the attorney talking about the fact this would all be over with late spring.”

“It’s fucking late February.”

I looked him directly in the eyes. “Exactly. Maybe I’m wrong, but I have the bad feeling there won’t be as many guilty verdicts as I’d originally suspected.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning there were certainly other prominent citizens who’d testified before I’d taken my turn. At least that’s what I’d been told by the prosecuting attorney. But my gut tells me their testimonies were simply tidying up loose ends. It’s entirely possible I wasn’t the one being watched. They were. While I can’t be certain, I have no doubt in my mind their testimonies were coached.”

“Let me guess. You weren’t told who was also taking the stand.” He kissed my shoulder before sitting up.

I laughed and rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. “Of course not. I was kept in a room for almost two hours before the grand jury was ready. No one referred to anyone else by name. In truth, the questions were cut and dried and had nothing to do with what we found on the drive. It was about how I obtained it in the first place.”

“Fascinating. What happened after you were finished?”

“By the time I left the courtroom, it was after two. I was achy and still nervous, but not about testifying. I just wanted a minute to myself.”

“So you walked out of the courthouse on your own.”

A soft laugh left my lips. “It wasn’t my intention when I went to the bathroom, but there was a commotion in the corridor outside only a couple minutes later. When I opened the door, the US Marshals assigned to escort me to the airport were actively engaged in a confrontation. Honestly? I reacted without thinking, heading away from the noise and confusion until I found an exit. I’d worn a scarf around my head and sunglasses on the way in. I guess that was their concept of a disguise. I had them with me. With hundreds of people on the street, I easily caught a cab, headed for a rental company, and decided to make my way here. I stopped for a change of clothes and some water, but that was about it. All I could think about was getting here.”

He didn’t react at first but finally shook his head. “What you did was risky.”

“I felt I had no other choice.”

“I get it. You were forced to use a credit card at the rental company. Right?”

I finally sat up, crossing my legs. “Yes. There was no other choice. I used one given to me under my new name, but the Feds likely already know I rented a car.”

“Yeah, they’ll find out, including where it was dropped off. They’ll eventually come knocking on my door as well.”

“They know your address?”

His grin was slightly evil. “No. I gave an old one, but Gray knows where I live. They’ll talk to him as well. This won’t have a good outcome.”

“You know what? I don’t care. No matter what I said inside that courtroom or to anyone else, I’m not a prisoner. I did my civic duty. I testified honestly to the questions they asked without perjuring myself.”

“I’m not worried about the Feds, at least not right now. Someone believes you know more. That could be Alfaro. That could be anyone involved in whatever alliance was formed. Let me get us something to drink while I think this through.”

Before he rose to his feet, I wrapped my hand around his wrist. “Thank you for believing in me.”

“It’s not about believing in you, Charmaine. It’s about keeping you alive and the only way I can do that is you place your trust in me and…” He allowed the statement to hang as he placed his finger across my nose and lips. “If you do what I say and follow the rules.”

“Rules, huh?”

“Believe it or not, they will help keep you alive.”

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