Surprise washed over Meghan.
She had that much cash on her? Ryan voiced the question rising inside Meghan.
Yeah. I could tell she was rich. Liked to look down her nose at others. I know the type.
Christina had obviously been planning her escape to have so much cash at the ready.
What did she want you to do?
He shrugged. To go with her to get the kid and make sure they got to the airport safely.
Do you know where they were planning to fly to?
He shook his head. Naw. She thought I was just a big dumb guy she could boss around. For five grand, I let her.
Which airline did you drop her off at?
Jay shook his head. Didnt. She changed her mind.
Ryan pinned him with a look. Then where is Christina and the toddler now?
He shrugged. Dont know.
Meghan pressed her hands against the glass willing the man to talk.
Where did you leave them? Ryans tone echoed with irritation.
She wanted to be dropped off at the mall.
Meghans stomach sank.
Mall? Where? Which one? Ryan asked sharply. His gaze strayed to the mirrored wall and bounced away.
The fancy one, near the expressway.
Did she talk to anyone? Ryan pressed. Was she meeting someone there?
Jay shook his head. I didnt see anyone. But she could have been meeting someone. She made a call on her cell.
Meghans pulse sped up. She strained forward.
Did you hear a name?
Naw. She was talking real low. Couldnt hear anything. She sat in the back like I was her chauffeur or something.
You didnt hear anything to let you know where she was headed or what her plans were? Doubt infused Ryans tone.
Naw, man. Thats all I know.
Ryan straightened and nodded to the chief whod hung back without saying a word. The men exited the room.
Meghan met Ryan in the hall. Chief Danhoff headed away. We have to get back to Revere. To the Northgate Shopping Center, its right off the Northeast Expressway.
Chiefs already making contact with Revere P.D.
Lets go! She turned toward the door.
Ryan snagged her elbow and held on. Were going to let the Revere P.D. handle this. Youve done enough.
She jerked her arm out of his grasp. You can stay here. But Im going to the mall.
His frustrated growl sent a shiver down her back as she rushed for the front door.
Hold up. Ryans agitated voice halted her as she pushed open the glass doors. He limped as fast as he could toward her, each step bringing a wince of pain. Empathy rose. She knew what it was like to have to function while hurt. The abuse shed suffered at the hands of her ex-husband had made some days nearly unbearable.
He reached her side. Can we at least wait to see if the mall security can locate them? We dont know whether or not she had another car already waiting to whisk them away.
But we have to do something!
Youre right. But us driving all over the place chasing our tails is not going to bring Georgina back. We need to be patient.
Easy for you to say, she muttered.
He looked her in the eye. No, actually, its not.
She believed him. He was a man of action, used to being in control. He was a Fitzgerald, after all. He was probably accustomed to snapping his fingers and having the world jump to attention. Even as the uncharitable thought formed she dismissed it. Ryan may be many things but pompous wasnt one of them.
Chief Danhoff halted beside Ryan. Mall security has locked down the mall and the Revere P.D. is on the scene. Well know something shortly.
Good. Ryan looked at Meghan expectantly.
Conflicted, she hesitated. She wanted to jump in the car and hightail it back to Revere, but if Christina and Georgina werent at the mall, then the trip would be wasted. Better to stay put and be ready to move when they were found. She acquiesced and released her hold on the door.
The seconds ticked by. Meghan tapped one foot in a rhythmic cadence. Ryan placed a hand on her arm. The light contact stilled her nerves in a way shed never experienced before. The tapping stopped. It wasnt an unpleasant sensation, yet it left her feeling vulnerable. She frowned and moved away from his touch. Instantly her nerves jumped to life. She paced the length of the entryway.
Chief, called the desk sergeant, holding up a phone. Its the Revere P.D.
Anticipation grabbed hold of Meghan as she and Ryan followed Danhoff toward the phone. Danhoff took the call, listened for a moment then thanked the officer on the other end. His grim expression turned Meghans blood cold.
The Revere police did a thorough search. Mrs. Hennessy and her daughter are nowhere to be found.
Meghan fought back tears. Shed had Georgina in her arms. Anxiety fisted in her chest, creating a deep ache that nearly drove her to her knees. Her last remaining relative was in danger.
What about security cameras? Ryan asked.
Danhoff shook his head. They have them entering through the south entrance of the mall and going inside one of the big department stores. They lost them in the womens restroom. They never came out.
How can that be? Meghan questioned, her voice rising with disbelief. Someone had to have seen them.
Christina was prepared. She most likely had a disguise ready and changed her and Georginas appearance in the bathroom. Ryan ran a hand through his short-cropped dark hair. I cant believe this.
Meghan couldnt, either. The trail had gone ice cold. Despair and fear clawed at her throat. Tears stung her eyes.
Now what?
Traffic on the way back to Fitzgerald Bay added to Meghans frustration. Not only had they lost Georgina, they had no idea where to look for her. Christina could have taken her anywhere.
Heart aching, Meghan sent up a silent prayer of protection for Georgina.
In the passenger seat Ryan shifted, again. From the moment theyd left the Portsmouth Police Department, hed been restless and kept looking in the side-view mirror.
What are you doing? she finally asked after he turned in his seat with a groan, because of his hurt ribs, to stare out the back window for the umpteenth time.
We have a tail, he stated, facing forward again.
She frowned. A tail? Like in being followed?
Yeah, exactly like.
She glanced through the rearview mirror at the multitude of cars dotting the highway behind them. Theres so much traffic. How can you tell?
Theres a silver van about five cars back. I saw it at the police station. Its been keeping the same distance for the past ten miles.
Coincidence?
Maybe. Maybe not. He gestured ahead. Take the next exit.
She signaled and moved over to the far-right lane. In the rearview mirror she noticed the van did the same. Her heart pounded in her chest as she took the exit ramp. The van sped up and barreled down the ramp behind them.
Ryan? The light at the end of the ramp turned red. She pressed on the brakes, the car skidding to a halt. The van pulled up alongside the car. The back panel door slid open. Masked men aimed big black guns at them.
Get down! Ryan yelled.
Meghan screamed and ducked as a spray of gunfire pelted the car. The side window shattered. She felt a stinging sensation in her shoulder.
Reflexively, she stomped on the gas to get away from the flying bullets. The Subaru jolted forward through the red light. Horns blared. Tires squealed on pavement as cars swerved to avoid hitting them. She yanked on the steering wheel to prevent them from ramming into a streetlight. The back window exploded into a million pieces.
Keep driving! Ryan shouted.
She didnt have to be told twice. She kept her foot pressed on the gas and swerved around a car.
This couldnt be happening.
The whole event seemed surreal, like shed stepped into some action movie by mistake.
She turned down a side street and another and another until she had no sense of where they were or what direction they were headed. The van wasnt following them now, but that didnt lessen her panic. Her shoulder throbbed, her arm and hand numb. Ryan spoke to her. His phone in his hand, she could see his lips moving when she glanced his way, but only heard the rush of adrenaline in her ears.
He placed a hand over hers on the steering wheel. His touch grounded her. Through a foggy haze she heard his voice.
Meghan, come on, Meghan, I need you to hold it together. Slow the car down.
She eased her foot from the gas. The cars acceleration dropped.
Put your foot on the brake, Ryan instructed.
She did as asked. Allowing him to guide her hands, she pulled the car to the curb, halting at an odd angle. Smoke curled from under the Subarus hood. She began to shake.
Youre bleeding! Ryan quickly undid his seat belt and bolted from the car.
He limped around to her side of the car and yanked open the drivers door. Carefully, he eased her out of the seat. The world swam and she clung to him for support. He helped her to sit on the curb.
Her dress was covered in brown sticky stuff. She frowned. Her left hand was covered in it, too.
Blood.
The thought slammed into her mind, sending waves of shock through her system. She was bleeding. Nausea churned, she clamped her mouth tight. She would not throw up on him.
Ryan took off his blue uniform shirt and then his white T-shirt, revealing the nasty bruises peeking out from under the bandage wrapped around his torso. He bunched the T-shirt into a ball and pressed it to her shoulder. Pain zinged at the point of contact.
Her mind grappled to make sense of why he was doing that.
Reality crashed in. Shed been shot. She swayed.
Put your head between your knees, Ryan said, pushing her head down with gentle pressure.
After a moment the world stopped spinning. The sounds of sirens sent a tremor coursing over her flesh. Twice in one day they were waiting for an ambulance.
Thank You, Lord, for Your protection.
Who were those men? she asked Ryan when she felt steady enough to raise her head.
His mouth pressed into a grim line. I dont know.
Do you think this is connected to Christina?
Could be. Maybe. I dont know.
Are you working on another case? Someone who wants you dead? she asked, reaching for some explanation.
No. He peered at her. What about you? What are you working on?
Just my cousins murder.
At the reminder, she shuddered. Her cousin had been murdered, and now someone had tried to kill her and Ryan. Was this attempt on their lives connected in some way to Olivias death? Had Christina orchestrated the masked gunmen?
Is the dolphin charm the only evidence you have that Christina might be involved in Olivias murder? she asked, hoping to piece the facts together.