Maggie K. Black - Headline - Murder

But when he’d told her about Olivia, Sarah had seemed open to meeting her, even though she’d been less than excited about the idea being interviewed by such a small newspaper. It had sounded as if it could be a workable compromise to get her story out without throwing her to the media wolves. He’d hoped meeting Olivia for coffee, explaining the situation with Sarah and getting her advice would be the first step in finding a sensible way forward. Instead, even just being around her made him feel strangely flustered.

The diner’s light turned off. He glanced back. Someone had switched the door sign from Open to Closed. Moments later, the waitress and a second woman who he guessed was the cook walked out and drove off without so much as a wave in their direction.

He waited until they were gone before replying, “You should have told me he was here. I made it pretty clear that I wanted to talk to you off-the-record.” Daniel turned and walked toward his truck.

“You did. And again, I’m sorry.” Olivia followed and in a moment was walking by his side. “Ricky’s young and he must have misunderstood me somehow. He dropped me off and told me he was planning to drive to find a cell phone signal to call his folks.”

“And instead he parked down the road, sneaked back and snapped a picture, then ran off back to his car. These are hardly the actions of an honest person.” He tried to keep his tone level, but irritation still seeped through his voice. This situation was ludicrous and exactly what he’d hoped to avoid. While he’d only shared a few brief moments with Olivia, it had still felt as though they’d had some kind of connection. That there was something deeper beneath the surface—maybe his faith, his worldview or his drive to do the right thing—that she’d shared, too.

Obviously he was wrong.

“Well, that’s my fault, too, I guess,” she said. “I’d asked him to pull past the diner when he dropped me off. So he must have done the same when he came to pick me up.”

He stopped short. “So I wouldn’t see him, right?”

“Yes, and I’m sorry.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I don’t know how many times I can say it. I made the wrong call. I get now that this is apparently a big deal for you.”

No, she didn’t get it. He’d been ready to trust her with something more important than she could have known. And she’d blown it.

But she’d admitted she was wrong and she’d apologized. That was far more than Mona had ever done. True. But she was also a stranger and a journalist. And the way he kept comparing her to his deceased former wife was reason enough to get out of here quick.

“I’m sorry, too. This was obviously a mistake.” He pulled his keys from his pocket and headed for his truck’s driver’s-side door. “I accept your apology. But this just doesn’t feel right to me anymore. Please consider everything we have talked about off-the-record and don’t contact me in future.”

He watched her face, expecting her features to fall in disappointment. Instead, her shoulders straightened and a firm, clear determination flashed in their depths.

“Understood. Well, I’m very sorry to have wasted your time.” She turned on her heel and started toward where the photographer’s headlights shone through the trees.

“Hang on. Let me at least escort you to your colleague’s car.”

“No, I’m fine on my own, thanks.” She didn’t even turn. “Good night, Mr. Ash.”

Olivia walked out of the parking lot without looking back. He climbed into his truck and tried not to watch her go. Part of him wanted to pray, but couldn’t begin to find words for the jumble of thoughts racing through his mind. Another part of him wanted to run after her and apologize, not even knowing what he should be apologizing for. Instead, he waited a few minutes to give her the chance to reach her coworker’s car. He heard a car door slam. A dark car sped past the lot. Seemed Olivia and her photographer friend were in a hurry to leave.

Daniel sighed, then eased his truck out onto the road and started driving. Despite the threat of rain, he rolled his window down and leaned out into the warm, damp night, hoping the fresh air would clear his head. What was it about this woman that unsettled him so much? He barely knew her, and yet sitting in the diner it had felt as if she’d been determined to reach around his defenses and rattle every single one of the locked doors inside him.

The headlights ahead of him lurched suddenly, weaving across the road and back as though the driver had suddenly lost control of the wheel. The dark car swerved toward the fenced-in remains of what was once a strip mall, then back onto the road again.

Olivia flew backward out of the passenger door.

FOUR

Daniel jammed on his brakes. The sound of his own thudding heartbeat filled his ears.

The world slowed.

Olivia’s body tumbled along the road like a rag doll.

The dark car spun around so quickly it nearly swerved off the road.

She forced herself to her feet and started running away.

Her hands were bound behind her.

She’d been kidnapped.

A figure in fatigues leaped out of the car and ran after her. A mask covered his face. There was a gun in his hand.

Daniel pressed his foot to the gas.

Lord, help me save her. I can’t fail her now.

He aimed the truck for the gap between Olivia and her kidnapper, planning to swerve between them and yank her in via the driver’s-side door, using the truck to shield her from the gunfire. But Olivia turned, darted through a gap in the barrier fence surrounding the strip mall and ran toward the abandoned buildings. No! Daniel gritted his teeth. Didn’t she realize those were his headlights shining on the road in front of her? Didn’t she see that he was there for her?

If only he hadn’t asked Olivia to meet him somewhere this isolated.

The masked thug leaped through the opening in the fence after her. Okay, new plan. Daniel swerved hard and came to a stop inches before the metal barrier. The masked man turned back and looked at him. Daniel’s eyes searched his form. Black fatigues. No insignia. Same as what he’d seen in the parking garage. Could’ve come from any military surplus store.

Semiautomatic handgun. Popular and illegal.

So probably a low-level street thug.

His voice was gravelly and definitely fake. “Keep driving, old man. This doesn’t concern you.”

The masked thug leveled the barrel of the gun right between Daniel’s eyes. Right, as though he was that easy to intimidate. He had faced down bigger guns and nastier threats back when this kid was probably still in grade school. Not that Daniel was about to be reckless and get himself shot while Olivia was still in danger. Daniel held the man’s gaze just long enough to watch Olivia disappear between two buildings behind him. Showdown over. He shifted the truck into four-wheel drive and pulled away. The gunman laughed, turned and ran after Olivia.

Thunder rumbled in the darkened air. The skies opened. Rain fell with a vengeance.

Daniel gunned the engine. He raced past the fenced-in lot, then turned hard into the empty field. The truck bounced and jolted over the grass and scrub, kicking up mud in his wake.

A gunshot sounded from the lot to his left. Thankfully, whoever had condemned this strip mall had only thought to put barricades at the front of it. He turned hard and raced back toward the lot, hit a drainage ditch and launched the truck up onto a patch of pavement behind the buildings. Then he cut the engine and waited. Hopefully the gunman was too focused on his hunt to notice Daniel’s little stunt drive.

Okay, Lord, now how do I—

But before the prayer could leave his lips, he saw Olivia shoot down an alleyway straight toward him.