Shirlee McCoy - Running for Cover

“That’s going to be difficult to do, considering that I’m going to be in Washington.”

“Not so difficult if I’m in Washington with you.”

“But you won’t be. My plane leaves in an hour and a half, and I’ve got to get going or I’ll miss it,” she said, shifting in her seat and closing the door.

Jackson didn’t bother trying to stop her. No way did he think she’d change her mind and invite him along on the trip. Then again, there was no way he was going to break his word to Jude. He’d told his friend that he’d keep Morgan safe. That’s exactly what he planned to do. Whether she liked it or not.

He crossed the parking lot and hopped into his Mustang, reaching for his cell phone as he pulled onto the road behind Morgan’s car. He’d planned on returning to New York on Sunday, but his plans had changed and his boss was going to have to be informed. He dialed quickly, waiting impatiently for Kane Dougherty to pick up. Owner of Information Unlimited, Kane had founded the business two years ago and pulled Jackson on board shortly after.

“Dougherty here.”

“It’s Jackson.”

“I thought you were at a friend’s wedding.”

“It’s over.”

“And you felt compelled to check in with me?”

“I ran into some trouble.”

“If you’re going to ask me to bail you out, forget it. I’ve got plans.”

“No need to post bail, but I’m not going to be back Monday like I’d planned. I’ve got some personal business to take care of.”

“When will you be back?” Kane asked, not demanding further detail. That was no surprise. Kane was a tenacious investigator but never stuck his nose into his employees’ business.

“A week or two.”

“You going to be able to work the cases you’ve been assigned, or should I call someone in to cover for you?”

“There’s nothing on my docket that I can’t work on long-distance,” Jackson responded as he pulled into the airport parking lot and followed Morgan to the long-term parking garage. If she knew he was following, she gave no indication of it, just drove slowly through the crowded lot until she found an empty spot.

“That’s fine then. I may have another case for you this week. You want it, or do you want me to pass it on to Skylar?”

“It depends on the case.”

“It’s another missing person case. A mother looking for a son she lost contact with a dozen years ago. Lady has just been diagnosed with cancer.”

“I should be able to handle things from Washington.”

“Washington?”

“I’m flying there in an hour.”

“Check in with me Tuesday. I’ll update you on the new case then.”

“Sounds good. Talk to you then.” Jackson hung up and pulled into a parking spot a half dozen yards away from Morgan. She seemed completely oblivious to his presence as she yanked a small rolling carry-on case from the trunk of her car and started walking toward the airport terminal.

Jackson had a feeling she wasn’t. She’d survived a brutal attack, escaped two armed men. There was no way she didn’t realize she’d been followed from the church.

He covered the distance between them quickly, saw her tense as he matched pace with her shorter stride.

“Need some help with the bag?”

“No. And I’d appreciate it if you’d stop following me.” She didn’t bother looking his way, just kept focusing straight ahead, her silky hair swinging as she moved. It was touchable hair. The kind Jackson could imagine running his fingers through if he let himself.

“That would make it a little difficult for me to do my job.”

“You don’t have a job. At least not one that involves me.”

“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree on that,” he said, smiling as she glared in his direction.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re infuriating?”

“My sister used to.”

“She doesn’t anymore?”

“If she were still alive she probably would.” And after two and a half years, the truth of her death was as fresh and ugly as it had been the day Jackson had learned that his older sister had been murdered.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…”

“How could you have?”

She shrugged, her hair brushing against the slim column of her neck. Dark, oversize sunglasses hid her eyes but did little to draw attention away from her bruises. They were dark blue and green against her tan skin, and Jackson wanted to take her to the nearest hospital and make sure she stayed there until she recovered. “I’m still sorry. You must miss her a lot.”

“I do. Lindsey was a great person,” Jackson said, knowing that words could never adequately describe his oldest sister. Sweet, funny and intelligent, she’d loved passionately and without reservation. In the end, it was love that had been her undoing.

“Were the two of you close?”

“Not as much in the few years before her death, but when we were kids, we were.”

“I guess that makes it harder.”

“It does, but I realized a few months after she died that I could drown in regret or I could learn from my mistakes and move on.” Learning had been the easy part. It was the moving on that Jackson was still having trouble with.

“It takes two people to make a relationship strong, so I’m sure you weren’t the only one at fault for the distance between you and your sister,” Morgan said as she tried to maneuver her carry-on over a curb. She grimaced, releasing the case and grabbing her side.

Jackson put a hand on her shoulder, holding her steady as she caught her breath. He could feel delicate bones and tense muscles beneath her jacket, could feel her arm tremble as she shifted beneath his touch. He wanted to tell her everything would be okay, that he’d make sure of it, but he doubted she’d want to hear it. He grabbed her carry-on instead, ignoring her sputtered protest.

“You should be home in bed, Morgan. Not traveling to Washington.”

“You might be right, but I’m going anyway. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to visit my parents. Too long.”

“It won’t hurt to wait a few days, give yourself a chance to heal.”

“It will if…”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

He let it go. She didn’t have to finish the thought for Jackson to know what she was thinking. If the men who’d attacked her got their hands on her again, she might be out of chances to visit family and reconnect with those she loved. “Do your parents know you’re going back home?”

“Know? I left a message on their answering machine, and they’ve called me ten times to make sure I haven’t changed my mind. If my father had his way, he’d be heading here to play escort.”

“That might not have been such a bad idea.”

“I’m about fifteen years too old to need an escort. Besides, by the time he returned my call, I’d already booked my flight. There was no way he could get here before I took off.” She smiled wanly, pulling off her sunglasses as they stepped into the airport. “Speaking of which, my plane boards in an hour, and I’m going to wait by the boarding gate until then.”

“Is that a subtle hint that this is good-bye?”

“I wouldn’t call it a hint, and I’m sure it wasn’t very subtle. But I didn’t sleep much last night, and I’d rather sit and be quiet than stand and chat,” she said, brushing a few strands of inky hair from her cheek, the sleeve of her jacket riding up to reveal blue-gray smudges circling her wrist.

An image flashed through Jackson’s mind. Lindsey the last time he’d seen her. The deep black bruises on her neck. The tubes that had snaked from her broken body. The pale, lifeless face that had once been vibrant and filled with humor. “Be careful, Morgan. The men who attacked you last night are still on the loose.”