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The officers exchanged a long silent glance, during which Sara was convinced they’d say no, before Wilcox turned to her. “Fine. You can go. Straight there, straight back, don’t let your escort out of your sight, and…”

  “And no talking to any strange men,” Sara finished. “Yeah, I know the drill. I’ll get my coat.”

  Sara went into the bedroom. She put on her coat and grabbed her bag. A light rain started falling as she left the chalet. DC Lomas joined them, and the two men led her to the car.

  Sara tuned out the men’s conversation as the car made its way down the narrow country lanes. She gazed out of the window. Rain trickled down the outside of the glass, and she rubbed her sleeve over the inside to clear the condensation. The scenery changed as they drove, from small beachside village to fields and wind farms, then converted to the built up resorts of the seaside town.

  Lomas parked the car off the High Street and then rounded the vehicle to open her door. She got out as Luke glanced around, obviously checking the area. She pulled the umbrella from her bag and put it up. “Do we go clothes shopping or have coffee first? There’s a nice café up here on the right.”

  Luke shook his head. “Clothes shopping. You were told straight here and straight back. You can have coffee at home.”

  This time Sara rolled her eyes. Shopping relaxed her. “Spoilsport.”

  She set off in the pouring rain, heading towards the mall. Christmas music spilled from the speakers, and tinsel and baubles hung from the ceiling. A huge tree sparkled and glittered with lights and decorations in the center of the mall. Sara paused to admire it. Christmas was less than a month away, though it wasn’t going to be much of a celebration this year. She was alone with only a fake husband and ten other cops to share it with.

  In the dress store, Sara picked out several outfits. She took them into the changing rooms, while the two men stood guard outside. She was two sizes bigger than she had been. She wasn’t sure how she managed that, despite the pregnancy, with all the meals she skipped since she started having morning sickness.

  Sara exited the mall into the High Street laden with bags. The rain had stopped, and a pale watery sun filtered through the clouds, reflecting off the wet streets. She checked both ways and crossed the road, drawn by the smell of coffee from the café, to the window of an expensive boutique next door. She gazed at the dress in the window and smiled. If I wore something that glamorous and revealing, Jamie would call me mutton dressed as lamb.

  She shifted her gaze and caught a glimpse of a reflection in the glass beside her. A man walked up at a slow pace and pushed his hood down. His eyes glittered with hatred it took only a second to recognize, and his long hair framed a face which sported cruel thin lips curled into a snarl. He raised his fingers and pretended to shoot her as he mouthed her name in slow motion. “Sara.”

  Sara gasped in terror. Blind panic filled her, but she kept her mind well enough to reach for Luke and grab his elbow. “Do something….That’s Austin.”

  She glanced back, but he’d gone. She looked around terrified.

  “Let’s get you inside and off the streets.” Luke wrapped an arm around her and spoke to Lomas as he guided Sara into the café. “See if you can get a location on him. Did you see him?”

  “Yeah, but I thought he was window shopping.” Lomas swore as he raised his radio and moved off to search. “This is Lomas. I need back up. Target spotted.”

  3

  Sara sat at a table in the café, her hands shaking too much to drink the coffee Luke bought her. He sat next to her, his hand inches away from hers. Sara’s mind whirled. Austin had found her. She was no longer safe.

  Detective Inspector Wilcox came over, jerked his head in greeting to Luke, and sat opposite Sara. “Tell me what you saw.”

  “It was Austin.” She inhaled deeply, trying to calm her shattered nerves. “He stepped up to me, said my name, and pretended to shoot me with his fingers.”

  “I see.” He looked at Luke. “And where were you?”

  “He was standing right there, all right, Inspector? Both of them were. I hadn’t gone off on my own. I resent this protection thing at times, but I’m not stupid.”

  Wilcox stared at her, then looked back at Luke. “Well?”

  “I was as close to her as I am now. We both were. We thought the guy was window shopping.”

  “We’ll talk more back at the chalet. Sara, DC Lomas will drive you and Luke back now. Chances are Austin knows where you’re staying, especially after last night. So I want you to pack. We’ll move you out tonight.”

  “But it wasn’t Austin.”

  Wilcox gave her a long ‘I’m not going to be argued with’ stare.

  Sara sighed. It wasn’t Austin she’d seen the previous night. It was Jamie. He’d found her, only no one believed her, so she wasn’t going waste her breath. “All right. Where am I going?”

  “Let us worry about that. You and Luke go home and pack. There will be uniformed officers outside. If Austin knows where you are, there’s no point in concealing the uniforms, but we’ll maintain the illusion of husband and wife. That’s essential for the duration of this protection program.”

  Sara let Luke lead her out to the car. She gave him the bags and got inside, wrapping her arms around her middle. She didn’t care what Austin did to her…but her baby was another matter. She sat there in silence as Luke got in next to her, and Lomas drove back to the chalet.

  Sara carried the bags from the car and struggled to pull out her key. Her trembling hands made unlocking the door impossible.

  “Let me.” Luke took the key from her, his fingers warm against her frozen skin, and opened the door. “Go and start packing. Mine won’t take long. Would you like more coffee?”

  Still shaken, and surprised by the gentleness in his tone, Sara agreed. She walked into the bedroom and laid her new clothes straight into her case. She pulled all her old clothes from the drawers and wardrobe, and shoved them into a black rubbish sack. She picked it up and went into the lounge. She glanced at the officers there. “This needs throwing out.”

  “Here.” Luke swapped the sack for a mug of coffee. “We’ll take that out for you.”

  “Thank you.” Sara returned to the bedroom, setting the mug down on the dresser. She packed up the rest of her things in a blur. Once again, her entire life was turned upside down in the space of a few short hours.

  Setting the case on the floor, Sara curled up on the bed, the gold framed photo of Jamie in her hand. She let out a deep breath. She’d seen him. She wasn’t crazy. He’d been standing right there, and they’d chased him away. Now she was leaving. She might never see him again. Not that there wasn’t a shred of hope. He’d found her once. Could he find her again? Just as Austin had?

  Sara shivered. Which one would get to her first? Lord, keep me and my unborn child safe.

  ****

  Luke opened the door. Wilcox stood there with another officer. “Lieutenant Luke Nemec, this is Sergeant Dave McArthur. He’ll be your partner for the duration of this case.”

  Luke held out a hand, taking a second to form a first opinion. Around the same height as him, Dave had short brown curly hair and a matching beard. His hands were rough, indicative of hard work somewhere in his past. His dark eyes were warm and echoed the smile on his face.

  As they shook hands, Luke allowed the firmness of his grip to illustrate the fact he didn’t take any nonsense from anyone. He learned a lot from shaking hands, and it was a good point to give back as much as you learned from it, especially in his line of work. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “And ye,” Dave replied in his soft Scottish lilt.

  Wilcox spoke again. “We’re relocating you and Sara to Tannoch where Sergeant McArthur lives. I want you to be on a first name basis—which you would be as partners, anyway. You met several years ago when Dave worked an international case and kept in touch ever since. I don’t want anyone knowing you’re a police officer, Luke. Tannoch is a small town in the northeast Highland
s of Scotland, about four hundred miles from here. We need to leave in a few minutes if we’re going to get you on the flight.”

  “Yes, sir. I’ll get Sara.” Luke headed over to the bedroom and knocked. “Sara?”

  ****

  Sara rolled over. “Yes?”

  Luke’s voice came through the door. “We need to leave.”

  “Coming.” Sara rose and flung the door open. She pushed past him and went to Wilcox. “Where am I going?”

  “First, I’d like you to meet Sergeant Dave McArthur, Lieutenant Nemec’s new partner.”

  Sara glanced at him. “Hello.” She turned back to Wilcox and raised an eyebrow.

  “We’re taking you to Tannoch in Scotland.”

  “So, you want me to up sticks—”

  Luke interrupted her. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Up sticks?”

  Sara looked at him. “Up sticks—think the second little piggy, and building a new house. It means move.” She turned back to Wilcox, not missing a beat. “Up sticks and move, again, only this time to the other end of the country where I have to live in what presumably is a small town and pretend to be married to a bloke I don’t know from Adam. Pretending here in a virtually empty holiday park is one thing…a small town with small town gossips is something else altogether.”

  “The cottage you will be living in has four bedrooms. Like I said before, the only people who know the sleeping arrangements will be you and Lieutenant Nemec.” He handed her an envelope. “New ID for you, including a passport. As of now you are Mrs. Nemec.”

  Taking a deep breath, Sara snatched the envelope and snapped as everything built to a crescendo around her. “And I told you, I’m already married. Look, Inspector, Jamie was here last night. You move me, and I lose him again.”

  “Whoever it was out there last night, I can assure you, it was not your dead husband.”

  “Fine. Then there was someone just like him outside my bedroom last night. I chased after him and would have caught him, had the leftenant not stopped me.”

  “Lieutenant Nemec was doing his job. Whoever was outside last night had gone by the time we did a search. We’re not going to risk your life any further. If you want our continued protection, you will fly to Scotland and live there with Lieutenant Nemec until this case is over.”

  “This case? Is that all I am? A case?”

  Wilcox ignored her. “End of discussion. You are booked on the six o’clock flight to Inverness. Sergeant McArthur will accompany you and drive you both from there to Tannoch. Are you packed?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then let’s go. I’ll drive you to the airport myself.”

  4

  Sara spent the entire trip to the airport in stony silence. The car stopped, and she glanced at Wilcox. “Thank you.” Somehow she managed to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. The guy was only doing his job, even if she didn’t approve of his methods.

  She grabbed hold of her case as Dave got it out of the boot.

  Luke got a trolley and put his bags on it. “I’ll take yours, too. There’s room on here.”

  Sara shook her head. “I can manage.”

  She extended the handle and started to pull it across the busy departure hall.

  Luke sighed. “Hon…”

  Sara spun round. “Don’t you hon me. I am not your hon.”

  Luke lowered his voice. “What would you rather I call you in public? Sara, or hon...honey?”

  Sara glowered at him. “My name is Mrs. Bar—”

  Luke shook his head, cutting her off. “We don’t have time for this. Put your case on the trolley with mine. I understand you’re making a point, but now isn’t the time or place.”

  Sara bit her lip and did as she was told. She shoved her hands into her pockets and kept her silence as they walked to the check-in line.

  Luke glanced at her. “Don’t pout. Anyone would think you were five.”

  “Don’t treat me like I’m five, and I won’t act like it.” Sara handed her new passport to the girl at the desk. “Yes, I did pack my bags myself,” she confirmed when security asked. The case vanished. “So long as my luggage doesn’t go to Bangkok, we’ll be all right.”

  Luke rolled his eyes. “Been there, done that.”

  “Did you get arrested, too?”

  “Oh, for crying out loud.”

  “What? It was a simple question.”

  Dave spoke over the two of them. “When ye two have quite finished, we should go tae the gate.”

  Sara stretched and tightened her ponytail. “Not yet. I’m going to find a bathroom.” She grabbed her hand luggage and shook her head when both officers started to follow her. “You don’t have to come with me.”

  “Yes, we do.” Luke’s tone left no room for debate.

  Moving as swiftly as the crowds and the men would let her, Sara headed across the concourse to the ladies room. She paused and contemplated the men. “Coming in or staying here?”

  Luke folded his arms across his chest, his jaw set.

  “Staying here, I take it.” Sara pushed open the door and went inside, leaving both men standing guard outside.

  She peered at her reflection in the mirror. She didn’t have time to do this properly. Maybe she’d be less recognizable if her hair wasn’t long. She opened her hand luggage, rummaged through it, and pulled out the scissors. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her hair, pulled it into a ponytail and cut an inch below the band. She took a last glimpse at the eighteen inches of hair in her hand, before tossing it into the nearest bin.

  Sara pulled out the hair band and ran her fingers through her hair. She spent a few minutes tidying up the ends and turning this way and that, not sure she liked her chin length bob. She threw the scissors in the bin. She wouldn’t be allowed them on the plane. She washed her hands, still studying her reflection. Let’s hope the leftenant likes his ‘wife’ with short hair. Leaving the ladies room, Sara took great delight in the double take both police officers shot her.

  “What did you do?”

  “Cut my hair. I would have dyed it as well, but there wasn’t time.” She held Luke’s gaze. “Is there something wrong with it?”

  Luke shook his head. “No. I like it. It suits you.”

  She’d not expected a compliment. “Thank you.”

  “Welcome.”

  ****

  Boarding the plane, Sara settled into the window seat. Luke was next to her, with Dave across the aisle. She folded her arms across her chest once they’d taken off, relieved when Luke began to read the in-flight magazine. Sara stared out of the window into the darkness.

  Luke glanced at her. “What are you looking at?”

  Sara pointed to the tiny orange lights glinting below them. “It’s fairyland. Jamie laughed at my ‘foolish notions’ and would launch into a detailed explanation of what they really were and why they looked like they did, but I didn’t listen. In my mind it’ll always be fairyland.”

  Luke smiled. “That’s not foolish. Somewhere, anything is possible, and miracles happen.”

  Somewhere, Jamie is still alive and with me. Somewhere, they’re not forcing me into exile.

  Tears trickled unbidden down her cheeks. A sob caught in her throat, and she brushed the tears away, not wanting anyone to see her cry.

  Luke glanced at her and lowered his voice. “I’m meant to be your husband, and the approaching flight attendant might think it strange if I let my wife sit and cry. Even if I wasn’t your husband, there’s no way I’d leave someone to cry without trying to comfort them. So if you don’t mind…”

  Sara shrugged. “Do what you want.”

  He turned in his seat, putting a gentle hand on her arm and raising his voice to a normal level. “Sara, are you all right, honey?”

  Stupid question.

  Sara shook her head. He moved an arm and wrapped it across her shoulders. “Come here.”

  Sara turned towards Luke and let him fold his strong arms around her as she cried. She needed someone to
comfort her and tell her everything was going to be all right. It didn’t matter that nothing would ever be right again. She needed the illusion.

  The flight attendant reached them. “Can I get you a drink?”

  “Two coffees, please.” Luke’s voice was muffled.

  Sara’s sobs slowed as the cups chinked down on the tray, and she pulled back from his arms, embarrassed. What was she doing? She sat up, pulled a tissue from her pocket, and blew her nose. She pushed back into her seat. “Sorry.”

  “It’s all right.” He handed her coffee across. “Here.”

  “Thanks, Leftenant.” She took the cup, cradling it in both hands. She inhaled deeply, wrinkling her nose at the smell. It was typical airline coffee, hot and wet, with no flavor whatsoever.

  “It’s Luke. We’re supposed to be married.”

  Sara sipped her coffee. “I forgot.”

  Luke scrunched up his face. “I know you didn’t forget, but please try to remember in future. Play along at least in public. You do know how to act, right?”

  She glanced at him and nodded. “Yeah, I can act. So, tell me about yourself. How many brothers and sisters you have, your job, everything. If we’re meant to be married, I should know this stuff.”

  “I was born and raised in California. Dad’s a cop, and Mom was a lawyer. I have a brother and two sisters. I’ve never wanted to do anything other than law enforcement.” He sipped his coffee. “I was the youngest officer in the history of the narcotics department to make lieutenant at twenty-seven.”

  “Are you married? Other than to me, that is.”

  “No.”

  “Attached? Significant other?”

  Luke laughed. “My brother, Darren, insists I’m married to my job, but I love my work. Besides, I have plenty of nieces and nephews to spoil. I don’t need to go finding a woman to settle down and have children with.”

  “So why come over here?”

  “My partner, Cheryl, died in a car accident. A drunk driver hit her on her way to work a couple of months ago. The police here asked us to liaise with them on a narc/homicide. I telecommuted for a while, but it’s gotten complicated. So here I am. I have to say, I didn’t anticipate this change of assignment when I got here.”