had no doubt that the detective was hunting for her. She couldn’t let him succeed in tracking her down.
She hurried out the back entrance of the Java Bean, taking a deep breath of the pine-scented air. She crossed the town park, trying to keep a low profile. The park was filled with moms and their children too young for school. A few elderly couples strolled along the street. A horn honked, startling Ashley. She glanced around, fear slithering through her, making her muscles tense. Two cars vied for the same parking space in front of the bookstore on the main street. Breathing a little easier she hurried on, cutting through the library parking lot, and walked fast down the residential street leading to Mrs. Marsh’s place.
The trees along the sidewalk were beginning to blossom. Soft pink petals floated to the ground on a slight breeze. Ashley barely noticed the beauty today, her mind tormented with anxiety.
Managing to reach the boarding house without being seen, she gathered her meager belongings, left an apologetic note and some cash for Mrs. Marsh. Then putting up the hood of her navy down jacket to cover her bright hair, she retraced the same path she’d taken earlier and made her way to the Bristle Hotel where the interstate bus picked up and dropped off passengers.
A teenager on a bike rode by, waving at her. She had no choice but to wave back to Brady Gallo. Maybe he wouldn’t mention to his older sister that he’d seen Jane. It pained Ashley to leave Maya, Leslie and Kaitlyn—the three women who’d befriended her—without a goodbye, but it couldn’t be helped.
At the Bristle Hotel, a beautiful old building that dated back to the township’s conception, Ashley checked with the front desk clerk and learned a bus was due to arrive within minutes and was headed to Montana. She bought a ticket and then took a position behind a pillar on the wide porch to wait for the bus. There were a couple of other people waiting and she purposely ignored them. The last thing she needed was to engage in idle conversation.
She hoped and prayed she made it out of town before she was found or stopped.
The bus rolled in and she hurried to stow her bag in the undercarriage compartment, then moved to wait at the door behind a guy who needed a shower. The stench coming from his unwashed hair made her eyes water. He’d probably been hiking on the popular trails that began right on the edge of Bristle and threaded up into the mountains.
She hung back as long as she dared, allowing space between them. There were already several people onboard the bus. Seemed Montana was the destination of choice today.
The guy in front of her showed his ticket to the driver and boarded.
“Jane! Wait.”
Hesitating, Ashley warily turned to find Deputy Chase Fredrick striding toward her, undeniably handsome in his brown uniform. His sandy blond hair swept over his forehead in an appealing way and his intense blue eyes bored into her. He’d always been kind and charming when he’d come into the Java Bean for coffee.
In different circumstances, she might have been tempted to flirt with him, but there was no place in her life for a man. It was bad enough she’d made friends who were going to be hurt and disappointed by her departure. She regretted causing anyone pain and wouldn’t make that mistake again.
What did the deputy want? Dread clawed through her. Was her ruse up? Would she find herself in jail? Or worse—dead?
Desperate to get on the bus, Ashley thrust her ticket at the driver, but he didn’t reach for it as he stared at her a moment and then turned his gaze to the deputy who’d come to a halt at her side and touched her elbow.
Panic revved Ashley’s pulse. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” His blue gaze searched her face. “Why are you leaving town?”
Stiffening her spine, she replied, “It’s none of your business.”
“It is my business if you’re a criminal,” he stated in a low voice.
She drew back. Fear fluttered in her chest. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Turning to the bus driver, Chase said, “She won’t be taking this bus. Can you unload her bags?”
Giving Ashley a cautious glance, the driver’s head bobbed. “Straight away, Officer.”
“No! I have to go,” she protested. “I need to get on this bus.”
The driver hurried to the cargo hold and dragged her duffel out, setting it on the ground before resuming his position at the bus door.
Drawing her away from the curious gazes, Chase said, “Jane, be straight with me. There’s a detective from Los Angeles here searching for a woman wanted in connection with a murder. And I’m pretty sure the woman in the photo he has is you.”
Her stomach dropped. Fear squeezed her lungs, making breathing difficult.
“Did you kill a man?”
She swallowed back the bile rising to burn her throat. “Of course not. I could never—I wouldn’t—”
She wasn’t a murderer.
But she knew who was.
Gregor had warned her not to tell anyone, not even the police. They were not to be trusted, he’d said. “I’ve got to go. This is the only bus out today.”
“You’re not going anywhere—” Chase’s voice was hard and his eyes glittered with warning “—until you tell me the truth.”
“Last call,” the bus driver called out, sliding a cautious glance their way.
Her gaze darted from the bus to Chase. “Please,” she pleaded. “I need to leave. You don’t understand. If he finds me, he’ll kill me.”
Confusion tampered down the hardness of Chase’s features. “Jane, trust me. I can protect you. Just tell me what it is you’re running from.”
She shook her head and took a step back. “No. I was warned not to say anything. Not even to the police. I can’t trust you. I can’t trust anyone.”
The driver stepped into the bus and closed the door. The bus’s engine rumbled and a few seconds later a plume of exhaust filled the air as the bus drove away. Frustration pounded a rapid beat at her temple. Now she was trapped with no way out.
Chase snagged her hand and gently coaxed her fist open. “Jane, listen to me carefully.” His voice softened to a smooth tone that seemed to coil inside of her. Her pulse leaped. His touch soothed.
“My job is to protect and serve the citizens of Bristle Township. You are one of its citizens.” The intensity in his clear gaze mesmerized her. “I will protect you. If you committed a crime, it is better for you to face it than to run.”
Though his hands were warm and reassuring, her heart turned cold. She jerked away from him. “No. I didn’t commit a crime. I didn’t see anything. I don’t know anything.”
He stepped closer, invading her space. “I understand you’re afraid. Whatever it is, I will be with you the whole way. Please, trust me.”
She angled her head to stare at him. “Why is my
