of them,” he admitted. “I didn’t realize your father hated me so much that he wouldn’t pass them along to you.”
Melissa frowned and shook her head. “It wasn’t like that, Nate. My father didn’t hate you. He was determined to keep me safe, that’s all. I’m sure he was afraid that if he gave me your letters, we’d find a way to get back together.”
Since that was true, at least on his part, he couldn’t argue. Besides, all of that was in the past. He needed to keep focused on the present. Although wrapping his mind around the idea that the men who’d followed Melissa had, in fact, intended to kill her wasn’t easy.
“Okay, tell me about these five men,” Nate said. “You mentioned at the mall that you couldn’t go to the police without risking your and Hailey’s lives, which makes me think one of them must be a cop.”
Melissa didn’t meet his gaze, and the way she twisted her fingers in her lap made him wonder if she was trying to find a way to avoid the truth.
“Listen, you have to tell me what you know,” Nate urged. “Otherwise I won’t have any choice but to call my boss and have you taken in for questioning.”
Her head jerked up, her stormy gaze clashing with his. “Don’t,” she said sharply. “Hailey will be the one to suffer if you do that.”
Nate wanted to yank out his hair in frustration. “Then cooperate with me. What do you know about the five men you saw twelve years ago?”
She hesitated and then let out a heavy sigh. “You were right. One of them was a cop,” she confirmed. “I saw him come in several times in uniform, although he wasn’t wearing it the night of the murder.”
“Do you know his name?” Nate demanded. “Can you describe him?” He didn’t like believing a cop had gone bad, but unfortunately it wasn’t the first time that one had succumbed to temptation. And probably wouldn’t be the last, either.
“I don’t know his name,” Melissa said. “I wish I did. And he wasn’t the one who actually committed murder, but he was there watching the whole thing.”
“Party to the crime,” Nate muttered. “And could easily be arrested as an accomplice.”
“Yes, I’m sure he could. And I think he must have other cops who are willing to bend the rules, too. Otherwise, how would they have got away with stashing drugs in my bedroom?”
Nate could see her point. “Did you find them? Is that why you left?”
Melissa bit her lower lip, another sign of nervousness. “No, I didn’t find the drugs. I was too afraid to go home. I ran away and hid until morning, catching a bus when the early route started.”
“I don’t understand why you didn’t come to me for help.” Nate knew it was ridiculous to be wounded by actions she’d taken twelve years ago, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. “Especially when you knew I was planning to major in criminal justice.”
“I didn’t want to drag you down with me,” she murmured. “I found out from my father that the police showed up on our doorstep first thing in the morning, demanding to speak with me about a stabbing victim found outside the restaurant. My dad thought I was in my room, so he let them in.”
“Without a warrant?” Nate asked in dismay.
She nodded. “My dad was shocked to realize I wasn’t home. And when the police searched my room and found the drugs, he wasn’t sure what was going on. Don’t you see? They would have tried to discredit you, too.”
“Maybe, or maybe I would have been a credible witness on your behalf,” he said grimly.
“I wasn’t going to take that chance,” she said firmly.
Nate didn’t agree with her decision, but there was nothing he could do now to change the past. If he’d paid more attention back then he might have connected the stabbing victim with Melissa’s disappearance. But he hadn’t. For now, he needed to stay focused on the present. “You must know at least one of the men’s names,” he said. “You told me you waited on their table. Surely you noticed a name on a credit or debit card?”
“No credit cards. They always paid in cash.”
Nate couldn’t believe Melissa didn’t have a clue to the identity of at least one of the men. “There must be something you remember about these guys. Did they have any scars? Tattoos? Any distinguishing features at all?”
Melissa shook her head, spreading her hands in a gesture of surrender. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing that stands out in my memory.”
Nate stared up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to push back the wave of helplessness. “Okay, so you’ve told me what happened all those years ago, but what about today? How was it that these two guys found you?”
“I noticed the tail as soon as I left the hospital,” Melissa said in a low tone.
“Hospital? What were you doing there?”
She blinked rapidly, and Nate was disconcerted to realize she was on the verge of tears. “Visiting my father. His dying wish was to see his granddaughter in person.”
The anger he’d felt toward Melissa’s father for keeping them apart instantly evaporated. “I’m so sorry,” he said huskily.
Melissa sniffed and wiped at her eyes. “Me, too. I honestly didn’t think coming home after all this time was that much of a risk. Especially since my father and I faked my death.”
“Why did you wait four years to do that?” Nate asked.
“Because they found me in California. So I conveniently died and moved all the way across the country to a new location, with another new name.”
Nate couldn’t help sympathizing with her. He’d hated the idea that she’d been forced to go on the run, not just once but twice. “Go on. So, you left the hospital and noticed what?”
“I was being followed, so I headed into the mall, hoping to lose them in the crowd.”
“Carrying Hailey beneath your winter coat was a smart move,” Nate told her.
A slight smile tipped the corner of her mouth. “Thanks. Anyway, from there you know the rest.”
Yeah, he knew the rest. The men with guns had shot at him, and he’d shot at them in self-defense. Then he’d left the scene of the crime.
Too bad he didn’t have a clue what their next steps should be. He wanted to keep Melissa and Hailey out of harm’s way, but right now, he didn’t even know who the bad guys were.
“Excuse me. I need to check on Hailey.” Melissa rose to her feet and quickly made her way into the other room.
Nate hovered in the doorway between their connecting rooms, listening as she coaxed Hailey into brushing her teeth and putting on her pajamas.
Then the little girl insisted on saying her nighttime prayers.
“God bless Daddy up in Heaven, and Mommy, and Mr. Nate, who saved us today. Amen.”
