Blood Storm Read online

  “This is ridiculous. I can’t control the situation if you’re traipsing around the country.”

  “It’s Atlanta or not at all.”

  “Very well,” he snapped curtly. “Call me in two days and let me know how to contact you.”

  “I will.”

  “And Kate?” She waited impatiently as the silence lengthened into several seconds. “Be careful. I can’t go into details, but you are in more danger than you realize.”

  “You sound worried,” she muttered sarcastically.

  “I am. You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into.”

  “Goodbye, Jeff.”

  Her voice dripped with ice as she replaced the handset on the phone. How could she have believed he cared for her? For her father?

  “Who were you talking to?”

  Kate spun around, her face draining of color as she met Sam’s cold stare. “I. . .I was just phoning the front desk,” she stammered nervously.

  His expression implied he didn’t believe it. Sam crossed the floor with long strides, his fingers digging into her flesh as he gripped her shoulders.

  “Tell me the truth, damn it. You were talking to Jeff Miller, weren’t you?”

  She winced from the pain, trying unsuccessfully to break free. “You’re hurting me.”

  He blinked several times, staring blankly at his hands before stepping back as though her skin had burned his fingers.

  Kate rubbed her shoulders, a defiant expression masking her distress. “I called Jeff,” she admitted. “I made a deal with him. If I turn over father’s papers, he’ll tell Conrad to leave us alone.”

  Sam’s face crumpled with defeat. “Good God, Kate, you may have just signed our death warrant.”

  “W...what do you mean? Jeff said he would meet us in Atlanta. I’m certain he’ll honor his promise.”

  Sam turned away for a moment before whirling around, his face contorted with barely controlled rage. “You need to stop being so naïve, princess. Do you honestly think Buckman will let you walk away from all this? You know too much.” He shook his head in disbelief before uttering a disgusted snort.

  Sam’s words echoed in her ears as his words sank in. She’d foolishly played into Jeff’s hands. Now he knew where they were and the direction they would be traveling. Her phone call had put them back in harm’s way.

  Tears filled her eyes as Kate blindly reached for his arm. “Sam, I’m so sorry. I thought. . .”

  “Save it for someone who cares,” he muttered coldly. “I’ll be in the car when you’re ready.”

  Kate twisted in the seat, flexing her legs in an attempt to ease her cramped muscles. It seemed as if they had been driving for days but it had only been a few hours. She cast a sideways glance at Sam. His eyes remained fixed on the road, his expression unreadable. She had tried to start a conversation several times but his short, curt answers made it clear he did not want to talk.

  Shifting her gaze to the passing scenery, she once again cursed her actions. Phoning Jeff had been a mistake. She had reacted to panic, and thrust them further into danger.

  I’ve really muddied the waters this time.

  Even if they arrived safely in Atlanta, Sam would want nothing more to do with her. He believed she had betrayed him, like everyone else he had ever trusted. She was left with the memory of their day together to last her a lifetime. A “Camelot” moment when her world had been in perfect harmony.

  “We have company.”

  Kate sat up straight, turning her body to catch a glimpse of the vehicle following them.

  “Keep facing forward. I don’t want them to know we’re on to them.”

  She glanced in the side mirror. The dark sedan trailed several car lengths behind them. A long antenna whipped in the wind from the trunk.

  “Have they been there long?”

  “About fifteen minutes. From the looks of the antenna, they must have radio contact with a base station. Buckman seems to employ a pretty extensive security force. Of course, with his money, he can well afford it.”

  “You think Jeff told them where to find us?”

  The look he cast her was full of cold fury, leaving no doubt that he held her responsible. “I was only trying to help, Sam. I didn’t want you hurt because of me.” Her voice broke on the last word as a single tear escaped the corner of her eye.

  His expression flickered, the only evidence that he saw evidence of her emotions. It was several minutes before he spoke again.

  “I know you thought Miller could be trusted,” he said at last, “but there’s a point when you have to accept his guilt. He’s mixed up with some pretty bad hombres. The guy might have cared about you once, perhaps he still does, but the crowd he’s conspiring with has the upper hand. There’s not a lot he can do but follow instructions.”

  Kate nodded, encouraged that Sam was speaking to her again. He might still be angry but at least he was trying to understand her motives.

  “I promise I won’t do anything stupid again.”

  To her surprise, he laughed. A low, throaty growl that warmed her heart.

  “Your intentions were good, just not the plan.” His smile thawed the remaining iciness between them as he reached over and squeezed her hand. He glanced at the rear view mirror.

  “Why haven’t those men tried to stop us?”

  “The highway’s too crowded for them to make a move. They can’t exactly run us off the road in broad daylight.”

  “Do you have a plan?”

  “Nothing at the moment. There’s an exit up ahead. I’ll stop for gas and see what happens. If anything goes wrong, at least we’ll be in a populated area where you can run for help.”

  “We’ll never lose them,” she mumbled hopelessly. “They know our vehicle by now, and a white Lexus is not that easy to hide.”

  Sam shot her a strange look. His eyes widened as his face broke into an enthusiastic grin.

  “You’re right. No, you’re brilliant!”

  Kate frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “We’ll change the color of our car. Can you use a can of spray paint?”

  Her mouth dropped open as she realized his intentions. “You can’t be serious?”

  “Oh, but I am. As soon as we lose those bozos, we’ll find a hardware store that sells black spray paint. This is rural area. I’m sure there’s a county road where we can give the Lexus a new look. Throw a little mud on the license plate to hide the numbers, and we should be unrecognizable.”

  It was a crazy plan, but one that might work. It had to. They were running out of options.

  Sam increased his speed, keeping an eye on the sedan as it kept pace. He exited the highway and pulled into the first gas station he saw. It was small, hosting only two pumps in front of a convenience store.

  He opened his billfold and tossed a couple of bills at Kate. “Why don’t you go inside and buy a map?”

  Kate watched as the dark sedan pulled into the gas station on the opposite side of the road. She ducked her head and hurried to the safety of the store. She peeked from the window once she was inside and saw the two men warily watching the other.

  A few minutes later, Kate returned to the car, sliding across the seat as Sam motioned for her to get in. She responded without speaking, sensing he had a plan. After fastening her seat belt, she kept her eyes straight ahead, nervously fingering the strap. She had no idea what Sam was up to, but was fairly certain it involved speeding cars.

  Without turning around, Sam replaced the gas nozzle on the pump, leaning against the car as if he were still fueling. He monitored the traffic flow on the street in front of them as Kate tried to discern his motive.

  Before she knew what was happening, he opened the car door jumped behind the wheel. The engine roared to life. Tires squealing, he shot into traffic, barely missing an oncoming vehicle.

  Kate saw the man in the sedan stiffen with surprise. His lips moved as he barked something to his partner. He was shoving the gas nozzle onto the pump w
hen Sam turned a corner and she lost sight of them.

  Sam guided the SUV down a narrow alley between two buildings, before easing into a department store parking lot. Within seconds, he parked the Lexus between a large off road pickup and a motor home.

  “Now we wait,” he smiled, shutting the engine off. “Did you buy a map?”

  Kate’s hands were still shaking as she handed him the folded paper. “Where did you learn to drive like that?”

  “L.A. If you can drive there, you can drive anywhere.”

  She glanced at the buildings linked to the large retail center. “Where are we?”

  “I don’t know exactly. Somewhere in Oklahoma.” He scanned the various storefronts before spying a red and blue neon sign. “I’ll bet we can purchase spray paint there.”

  He pointed at a large window with bright lettering before handing her a twenty from his wallet. “Why don’t you order some food from the hamburger joint next door while I check out Howard’s Handy Hardware Store? It may be a few hours before we get another chance to eat.”

  “You’ve been paying for everything,” she frowned, pushing away the money. “I’ll put it on my credit card.”

  Sam forced the bill into the palm of her hand. “You can’t use your plastic. We’ve already had this discussion, Kate. They can track the usage of your credit or debit cards. It’s too risky.”

  “I intend to reimburse you for all our expenses,” she insisted firmly, “in addition to the fee we agreed on for your protection.”

  “We’ll discuss paybacks another time.” He exited the SUV before she could protest.

  Damn him.

  Kate made her way across the asphalt, muttering under her breath. Sam Holden was absolutely the most obstinate man she had ever met. Hard headed, bossy, egotistical...

  Her pace slowed as a smile replaced the frown. He was also her friend, lover, and protector. She had unwittingly placed her heart in the palm of his large, weathered hand. He might not want it, or even know what to do with it, but he had it, nonetheless.

  When she returned, Sam was loading several cases of spray paint into the back of the Lexus. She approached with a large sack of burgers and French fries, laughing when he hungrily sniffed the air.

  “I hope you like cheese on your hamburger.”

  “Right now, I could eat a horse. With or without cheese.” He opened the door, helping her in before sliding behind the wheel. “Let’s eat now. We should wait a few more minutes before we sneak out of town.”

  “Do you think those men are still trying to find us?”

  “I don’t know. If I were them, I would monitor the main roads leading to the highway.”

  Kate bit into a hot French fry. “I hope painting the SUV will help us lose them.”

  “If they have the connections I think they have, they’ll call in a helicopter for aerial surveillance. Changing the color of the vehicle should allow us to escape undetected.”

  After they finished their meal, Sam started the engine and exited the parking lot. He handed Kate the map.

  “See if you can find a park outside of town where we can paint the car.”

  Kate quickly scanned the cross streets, offering directions to a small lake five miles outside of the city. A short time later they pulled into a secluded picnic area. Sam drove to the far end of the parking lot and stopped in the shade of an oak tree.

  “Do you think we’re safe here?”

  “As safe as it’s going to get.” Sam scanned the rolling hills edging a sparkling expanse of blue water. “It looks like this place doesn’t get many visitors other than the occasional fisherman. We should be alright,” he assured her confidently.

  They unloaded the paint and stacked it near the tree. While Kate set about shaking each can thoroughly, Sam pulled newspaper and masking tape from the back of the vehicle and began to cover the windows. When he was finished, he gave instructions on how to apply the paint in an even spray and retreated to the other side of the SUV.

  She wrinkled her nose, uncertain if the black enamel would cover the bright white automotive paint. After a few swipes with the can, however, she found it to be an effective camouflage.

  “My fingers and wrist are numb,” she moaned twenty minutes later, dropping an empty can into the cardboard box.

  Sam grinned, joining her from the other side. “Yeah, mine, too. What I wouldn’t give for a spray gun and compressor.” He surveyed her work before offering a nod of approval. “Looks good, Kate Merrill. If you can’t find anyone to buy your wildlife renderings, you can always paint cars.”

  “No way. I’ll continue to serve court summons before I do this again.”

  He pulled a rag from his hip pocket and wiped a spot of paint from her nose. She thought for a moment he might kiss her and leaned into his touch. Their eyes met and held as the air between them ignited.

  He touched her cheek in a wistful gesture before whirling around and disappearing behind the vehicle. Kate’s face grew hot with humiliation. Sam had just rejected her. Again. When would she ever learn?

  Chapter Twenty

  Kate stifled a weary yawn before glancing at the sleeping man beside her. The pale aura of highway lighting flickered across his stained hands in intermittent bursts.

  They were safe at last. Hours earlier she had wondered if their bold ploy to paint the Lexus would actually work. It had taken every can to camouflage the white vehicle. Although it was not a professional paint job, the SUV bore a distinctly different look from its previous appearance. To the casual spectator, it would be difficult to recognize it as the same automobile.

  Minutes after accessing the highway, they heard the low hum of a helicopter methodically performing fly-bys above the paved road. Sam drove in an easterly direction, silently eyeing its course while maintaining an even speed. Eventually the aircraft disappeared, turning back toward the city they had just left.

  He shot a triumphant grin in Kate’s direction. It seemed the amateur paint job had fooled Buckman’s men after all.

  Kate pushed her hair from her face with a weary hand, stifling another yawn. It was late and her vision was beginning to blur from the long hours of driving. She noticed a neon sign boasting “vacancy” at a small roadside motel and quickly pulled into the parking lot. Every lodge she had passed in the last sixty miles had said “no vacancy”. She didn’t know what made this one different, and she was too tired to care.

  Sam straightened in his seat when he heard the engine shut off. “Where are we?”

  “East of Little Rock. This is the first motel I’ve passed in the last hour with a vacancy.” Kate tilted her chin defiantly when she thought he might protest. “I’m exhausted. I need to rest, and so do you.”

  He nodded much to her surprise. Sam peered at the weathered building housing the office. “I’ll check it out.”

  After ringing a buzzer, he waited outside for the clerk to open the door. Kate watched through the glass window as Sam was given a pen to complete the appropriate forms. He handed the card back to the clerk and took the key. The man behind the desk seemed quite animated, punctuating the conversation with expressive hand gestures. Finally, Sam smiled, and headed toward their car.

  “You were lucky to find this place,” he announced as he slid into the passenger’s seat. “A well known evangelist is speaking at the convention center in Little Rock. Every room within a hundred miles is booked. The clerk had a no show on one of his reservations and released it to us.”

  “Thank goodness. I don’t think I could have driven another ten miles.”

  He reached over and gave her hand an understanding squeeze before instructing her to park near the back. “I’ll get our bags while you unlock the door.”

  Kate took the key and headed for the room. All she wanted was a hot shower and sleep. Trying to catch a nap in the car had been a useless effort.

  As she flipped on the lamp by the door, she surveyed the room in dazed exasperation. There was only one bed. . .a full size, at that. A s
mall desk chair and table were crowded into a corner. Other than that, the furnishings were sparse but clean.

  Sam squeezed past her, setting her duffel on a small folding stand near the bathroom. He caught her dismayed expression and scowled. “I know there is only one bed but it was all they had. I tried to request a cot but none were available. Not that it would fit in here.”

  “I suppose we’ll have to make the best of it,” Kate replied stoically. “It’s not as if we haven’t slept together before now.”

  He stiffened before directing his footsteps toward the bathroom. “I’m going to hop in the shower,” he called over his shoulder.

  Kate watched as he closed the door behind him. Seconds later, she detected the subtle click of the lock. A flurry of emotions spiraled inside her like the fury of a tornado.

  He locked the door!

  Shock melted into anger. Did he think she was going to join him in the shower again? Was last night so distasteful he needed to lock the door to ensure it didn’t happen again?

  She unzipped her bag and pulled out her nightshirt. How dare him! It was insulting to think he would take such measures to avoid her. Well, if that’s the way he felt, he could sleep on the damn floor!

  She heard the water shut off and crossed her arms in front of her. Sam opened the door a few minutes later followed by a cloud of steam.

  “I’m finished. It’s all yours.”

  His voice was cheerful but it failed to lighten her mood. Kate stormed past him, slamming the bathroom door behind her. In a moment of spite, she turned and flipped the lock. As she pulled back the shower curtain, she could have sworn she heard the low, throaty rumble of his laughter.

  The shower eased her mood. As the cascading water massaged her muscles, Kate felt the tension evaporate. After drying off and donning her nightshirt, she quietly tiptoed into the bedroom. The faint glow of the bedside lamp cast shadows across Sam’s body. He lay on his back, the steady rhythm of his breathing signaling that he was already asleep.

  She stared at the tousled blonde hair sweeping casually across his brow and blocked the urge to wake him. He locked the door to the bathroom sending a clear message...he didn’t want any part of her.