Bingo.
“You could flee the country. Except they’ll likely come after you still. Which means you and Tyler will live the rest of your lives with targets on your backs, never knowing which day will be the one they’ll find you.”
She paled, but didn’t say anything. Tyler looked more mad than scared.
“Purchasing fake identification is a crime.”
Zoe lifted her chin at that. “I didn’t purchase anything. Not yet anyway.”
He was almost proud of her for the way she stood her ground. The woman had backbone—she had to or she’d have crumbled long before now. She likely would have purchased the ID had Moose not been killed. What had pushed her to such lengths? Her house had burned down after that decision had been made. After the man left her alive.
Jude was fine being the one responsible for the fact that she was alive, unharmed and with her son. If Jude was going to help then he needed to know why she was being threatened.
He just couldn’t help the errant thought that the attempt to buy fake ID’s wasn’t her only foray into the wrong side of the law. Dangerous men were after her—and her unwillingness to trust the authorities sent up red flags.
“Did you...do something?” He didn’t want to talk plainly in front of Tyler, not knowing what the boy was aware of and what he wasn’t. “Is that why you won’t talk to the police?” Perhaps he should simply load them both into the SUV and drive them to his office to explain it all.
“You think I did something?” She looked almost as though he’d betrayed her, which helped reassure him. “I know it looks bad, but I’m not the criminal here.”
The boy spoke then. “My mom hasn’t done anything wrong!”
“Tyler.” She admonished him with just his name.
Jude held up one hand. “I’m a cop, Tyler. I have to ask every question, even the hard ones.”
* * *
Zoe turned to Tyler. “Why don’t you sit in the car?” She didn’t give him an option; she simply steered him to the open door. “Don’t worry about Jude, okay? I can handle him.” Tyler climbed over the duffel and lay down, and Zoe shut the door.
What could she say to Jude to explain this whole mess? She was so tired and frazzled from the whole exhausting day she didn’t even know where to begin.
She shook her head and realized her hair was still pinned from being under the wig. She reached up and started to pull out the clips.
He stared at her.
“What?” Maybe she was more tired than she’d thought because Jude Brauer was watching her as if he might be interested. That didn’t make sense, did it? He thought she was a criminal. And even if she could understand why he might think that way, the accusation still hurt. She hadn’t done anything but try to be a good mother and provide for her son.
“You look...” His voice trailed off.
“Like I was in a fire?” She cocked her head to the side, pulling out the last pin and letting her chin-length brown hair hang loose.
“You know what I mean.”
Yes, she did. Unfortunately. She was totally wrong about his interest, of course—the man thought she looked like a bedraggled waif. Lovely. “You could take us to a motel, I guess. Unless you have a better idea.”
He studied her, then said, “I might.”
Zoe lifted her arms, then let them fall back to her sides. “I’m open to suggestions. But only because it’s been a long day and I’m exhausted, my son is exhausted and he’s been through a traumatic experience.”
Zoe wiped a stray tear from her cheek and shut her eyes. “I have no idea where we’re going to go now, or what we’re going to do.” When she opened them his face was soft, his eyes warm. Compassion had been in short supply lately. She didn’t want to soak it up now, especially from a man she wasn’t sure she could trust, but it was like an unexpected present.
“I can help you, Zoe.” His voice was soft. “I want to help you and Tyler be safe.”
“But only if I tell you everything?”
“I know you don’t trust me, but you can trust the cops.”
“The first one I talked to was killed the same day. I told you. And I doubt it was simply a coincidence, given there have been a whole lot of seemingly unrelated coincidences happening to me lately.”
“Because of something you saw?”
She’d let that slip before, and apparently he hadn’t forgotten it. Zoe nodded. “Yes.”
“So you’re a witness.”
“And Tyler and I are in danger because of it.” She clutched two handfuls of her hair and tugged, but it didn’t relieve her frustration. “I tried to do the right thing, Jude. I really did. But I feel like the world is against me, and I can’t get out in front of it long enough for something to go right.” She took a breath. “Now Ember is in the hospital, and I don’t even know if she’s going to make it. But I’m too scared I’ll put her in danger if I go and see her.”
He stepped closer. “I can’t promise you everything will be okay. I don’t have the kind of power to guarantee that. I will pray, and I’m not going to stop praying for you until all this has been resolved. Until you and Tyler have nothing to worry about except him getting to soccer practice on time.”
“He plays football.”
Jude said, “You know what I mean.”
“I do. And thank you. You’ve done so much, I feel guilty asking you for more.”
“Don’t.” He shook his head. “It’s my pleasure to help you.”
She thought for a second he might hug her, but instead he stepped back and motioned to the car.
“Get in. I’ll find you somewhere safe you can clean up and get some rest. In the morning we can make a plan to get you and Tyler safe permanently.”
She climbed in the back, tired enough to just hand him her whole life and ask him to fix it. But she had to hold back. No man had ever proved to her that was a good move. Every time she thought she’d found the exception, she’d just get her heart broken again.
Zoe only knew one way to trust and that was all in, no holds barred. It had gotten her in trouble in nearly every relationship. Now she saw the same traits in Tyler. Ever since Nathan had left, she’d been so careful in the influences she allowed around her son, not wanting him to get attached to anyone who might hurt him. If they let Jude into their lives it would end badly for both of them.
Sure, Jude would probably fix her problems regardless. She could see he was capable, even though he hadn’t said whether he’d caught that man or not. She figured it meant he hadn’t. But even with the gunman still on the loose, Jude wasn’t any less of a hero to her. He’d stuck by her side.
She
