succeeded. Holding Bethany’s hand in hers, Stacy led her from the room. Her eyes met Karl’s as she passed him. Something was going on with those two, but Tyler was too concerned about his daughter and Annie to give it much thought. Karl turned his eyes back to meet his. Tyler tensed.
As soon as the child was out of earshot, Jonathan indicated that Karl should go ahead and speak.
“Jonathan, you were right. Barco has put a price on Everson’s head. Every criminal within a hundred-mile radius will be gunning for him.” Karl shifted, his gaze sweeping over Annabelle. “He’s also offered money for Annabelle and the child. Probably to smoke Tyler out of hiding.”
“Can’t you stop it?” Annabelle blurted.
“No, ma’am. Barco has more resources at his disposal than we know about. He has managed to escape capture for years. Every potential witness has been compromised or disappeared. Evidence has disappeared. Plus, he’s always managed to have an alibi. It’s been impossible to prove his guilt. Until now. Which means he’ll be pulling out all the stops to eliminate Tyler.”
The ticking of the clock on the wall was unnaturally loud in the silence.
“What’s going to happen to my daughter and me?”
The quiet whisper from his wife made his heart ache.
Karl answered. “You’re in danger as a result of your association with Tyler. The US Marshals will help you go into the witness protection program, as well.”
* * *
“No.”
Any other time, the sight of all these big men sitting with their mouths open would have been amusing. Right now, she was just trying to keep herself from panicking. It took all her effort to keep the tremors that were making her stomach quake from showing up in her voice.
“Annie—”
“No, Tyler!” She swung back her gaze to her husband. He hadn’t changed much since she’d seen him last. Still handsome. His brown hair was on the longish side, blue-gray eyes that reminded her of the ocean on a cloudy day, and that square jaw, now covered with several days’ worth of whiskers. Once, he could persuade her to do anything. Not anymore. She was through letting him bother her. She was in charge of her life. It was by his own choice that he wasn’t a part of their lives anymore. “I understand that you are in trouble, but that has nothing to do with me.”
“Ma’am.” One of the agents stepped forward. She was so upset, she couldn’t remember the man’s name. “It would be safer for you if you came with us.”
“I’m not going into hiding. I can go on vacation for a bit with Bethany. Leave the area. Then when this all blows over, I can come back.”
“I don’t think—” the man began.
But she was done. “I don’t care what you think. Tyler and I haven’t lived together for three years. He hasn’t been to see us, including his daughter, in over two. If anyone was searching for him, we wouldn’t be the people to go to. I am not disrupting my life again for him. We’ll go to my mother’s house. She lives in Southern Illinois, five hours from where I live. My brother is a cop. He lives a little over ten minutes from her. He can protect us.”
The marshals tried to convince her to change her mind. She wouldn’t budge. Tyler tried to talk with her, too. Every time he moved toward her, she glared at him. Finally, he seemed to get the message. He wasn’t happy about it, but she didn’t care. He’d made his choice when he’d let them go. She quickly squelched any pity she might have felt for him.
They couldn’t hold her against her will. She knew it, and they did, too. Nor could they force her to go into the witness protection program. That didn’t stop them from giving her disapproving frowns. She ignored them all.
Strangely, while their frowns didn’t bother her, Tyler’s silence did. The way his eyes followed Bethany around. He stuck close to his daughter.
Annabelle couldn’t take it. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he really was concerned. A sliver of guilt tried to wedge itself into her mind. Guilt that she was going to be separating a father from his daughter. Maybe forever. She shoved aside the guilt. She didn’t have time for this.
She walked into the kitchen to demand that they either put her and Bethany in a taxi, or take them home.
She never got the words out.
Marshal Mast, who’d insisted she call him Jonathan, leaped to his feet as his phone went off. Not the phone he’d been talking on throughout the day. Annabelle figured that was his work phone. This one had to have been his personal phone. Especially since it was playing a popular song for the ringtone.
“Celeste?” he blurted into the phone.
She watched, amazed, as the calm US marshal paled. Her brow furrowed. Hopefully it wasn’t too serious. Instinctively, she glanced at Tyler to see his reaction. His eyes were narrowed as he watched the marshal. Obviously, he had no clue what was going on, either.
That could have described their whole situation. It was surreal.
“Okay, honey, relax. Do what the paramedics tell you. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Jonathan’s finger trembled as he disconnected the call. “Karl, you’re in charge. My wife just went into labor at the shopping mall. They are taking her to the hospital in an ambulance.”
“She’ll be okay, Jonathan.” The female marshal she’d met earlier, Stacy, stepped forward. “We know what to do here.”
He nodded, then rushed to the back of the house. Within minutes, he ran past them and out the front door. She heard his car start up and pull down the lane.
“Remember when Bethany was born?”
Annabelle jumped. When had Tyler moved up beside her? She had been so fascinated by the escaping marshal that she hadn’t seen Tyler moving.
Memories of happier times flooded her brain. She smiled. “I thought I was going to have her in the car.”
“Me, too! I was terrified. I’m still shocked I didn’t get a speeding ticket.”
She turned to face him. As she did so, she noticed for the first time the corner of a gauze bandage peeking out from the sleeve of his T-shirt. “What happened to your arm?”
He hesitated. “Wilson Barco shot me. While I was running from him.”
Her blood ran cold. No way. She needed to get her daughter away from him. Even as she cringed at being so coldhearted, she hardened her resolve. She had to put Bethany first. There were some things her daughter shouldn’t be exposed to. Bullets were one of them.
Something of what she was feeling must have shown on her face. Tyler hastened to explain. “It’s not a bad wound. Seriously. I need to keep it clean for a few days, but it should heal fine.”
She shook her head. “Tyler, I know what you’re trying to do. And I’m not changing my mind. If someone doesn’t drive me home, I’ll call a cab. I’m sorry you’re in this mess. I truly am. But it’s your mess. And I don’t want any part of it.”
She turned
