Hidden Sins (24 page)

“Absolutely, sir. I’ll get right on it. I’m only a few blocks away from her house, grabbing some dinner.”

“Wonderful. I’ll let my sister know.” I ended the call.

“I’m so sorry,” Hannah whispered.

Her pain echoed in every syllable.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” I replied, squeezing her hand. “Nothing.”

“I’ll text Mia,” she offered. “Using your cell.”

I nodded. “Thanks. Did you give your cell number to anyone?” I asked.

“You, Mia, the detective. Those are the only people I’ve given it to. Oh, and it’s on the paperwork at Buttons.”

“You didn’t give it to anyone from that house you first stayed at?” I asked.

“No. I’ve broken all ties with everyone. I didn’t even let Rikki know where I moved to, and I borrowed her car. No one besides the people I told you have my number.”

I shook my head. That made no sense. They got it somehow, texted her, and even managed to ping her location. I was sure of it.

“The organization is well connected. I tried going to the authorities, but the NLC has contacts, ways of making problems disappear, making people disappear. I don’t want to be one of them.”

“Did you know Donald Jamison?” Luke asked. “Did he live on the compound?”

I shook my head. “No. And it’s not the first time I’ve run into someone who’s involved but not living on the compound.”

I spotted a car behind us getting a little too close for comfort as we drove along the Pacific Coast Highway. I increased my speed slightly and so did the other vehicle.

“Who else?” I asked.

“Some guy I knew in school named Eric magically appeared out of the blue. We’d been told he’d ran away from the compound, but I saw him the night I left, talking to the leader.” Her voice caught. “My fiancé’s father.”

Jesus!

“It’s okay. You can tell me,” I pressed, keeping my eyes on the rearview mirror.

“Eric killed my best friend. And my sister,” her voice trembled.

“I’m so sorry. That’s what made you run?” I asked, trying to place the events.

Hannah shook her head. “I’d been planning it for years, but the final few months made it clear I had to do it soon. I kept pushing it off. I guess no matter how awful a place is, the overwhelming fear of the unknown outweighs common sense sometimes.”

“The unknown can be frightening, but it can also offer a new beginning,” I offered.

The vehicle behind began flashing its lights, which made it difficult to see now that the sun had set, especially on this windy road. I didn’t want to alarm Hannah, but she needed to know our visitor had followed.

“I knew what the NLC was into was bad, but I didn’t understand what depths they’d go to keep their sins hidden. I saw Tracy get murdered right in front of my eyes. My best friend’s screams haunt me every night,” Hannah whispered. “I thought my sister ran away, abandoned me, but Eric pushed her off a cliff. Or at least that’s what I overheard.”

I let out a sigh and watched as the vehicle fell behind.

“We’ve got a situation. I think our friend from the beach is saying hi. He just dropped back, but I don’t think it’ll be for long.”

“What?” Panic echoed through her words. “Are you serious?” Hannah flipped down the visor and looked in the mirror. “I don’t see a car.”

“It’s there. He’s been riding my bumper, flashed his lights, and then disappeared. I’m calling it in.”

As much as I didn’t want to, I lowered our speed to maneuver the upcoming hairpin turn.

“Place a call to Mitch…” I spoke to the hands-free set.

Two headlights from behind sped up, only this time they weren’t slowing down. Before I could finish the phone command, it was too late. Hannah’s hand slid to my knee as the first tap from behind spun our vehicle as I tried desperately to keep the car on the road.

.

Hannah

“Sir. Sir,” Mitch’s voice echoed through the car. The sound of screeching tires and branches scratching the metal competing with Luke’s calm voice.

I watched as Luke turned the wheel, correcting the spin, just as the other car lost control. Luke gunned the accelerator to avoid the vehicle that was now barreling toward us onto the narrow, gravel shoulder.

I didn’t have time to panic or let fear settle over me as our car hit the even pavement while the other vehicle went sailing by. I turned in my seat and watched the driver’s door swing open as the car flew over the railing. But it was too late for whoever was inside.

Luke finished giving Mitch our location and was already on the phone with the police. He parked our car, and I opened the door and got out of the car.

“Hannah,” Luke called.

I walked over to the shoulder of the road, unsure of what I expected to see. Sirens in the distance placed a sense of urgency, but I was numb. I knew I should be feeling something, but I didn’t. Every single emotion I’d started to feel had been placed back in the vault of my soul. It could’ve been us. We could’ve been the vehicle down below. I took one more step and looked over the edge. The wreckage came into view as my legs began to give way. Once more, I’d almost tasted death.

Luke’s arms wrapped around my waist as I stared at the wreck below. There was no fire, flames, or smoke jetting from the mangled pieces of metal. But there was the incessant beeping of the horn. My body trembled as I thought about how close we were to being on the rocks below.

“You’re okay,” Luke whispered, pressing his lips to my hair.

I shook my head, trembling. “We could’ve died.”

“But we didn’t,” Luke whispered, holding me closely.

The first police car arrived on the scene, the ambulance still on the way.

“Over here,” Luke called out, his embrace only tightening.

Another police vehicle arrived on the scene as an officer jogged over to us.

“I doubt the person survived,” Luke muttered, as the officer looked down at cliffs below.

The other officer began cordoning off the area as the ambulance appeared on the scene.

“Can you tell us what happened?” the officer asked, his expression concerned.

“He was trying to drive us off the road,” Luke began. “And he failed.”

I saw the expression harden on the officer as he took in Luke’s blasé attitude.

“You’re certain that was his intent?” the officer questioned.

“Absolutely. You can tell by the tire marks that we were almost down there joining him.”

“Was it a road rage incident? Did you incite him?” the officer asked.

I felt Luke’s heart rate speed up at the questioning so I took a step away.

“Not at all,” Luke replied, his lips pressing together.

 “This just seems unlikely,” the officer replied.

“Not in my profession,” Luke replied, his brow arched.

The officer was getting more agitated.

“And exactly what would that be?” the officer asked, not amused.

“Is Captain Rodriguez on his way out here?” Luke asked, ignoring the officer’s question.

“Why won’t you answer my question?” the officer asked.

“After being the victim in a case that turned deadly, I don’t enjoy being treated as if I’m the criminal. You’re focusing on the wrong end of things, I can assure you.”

I would never in a million years dream of talking to a policeman like this and it, quite frankly, scared the crap out of me. I watched the medics swiftly move the gurney to the edge of the cliff, knowing full well they’d only be lifting a dead body back up. The thought inched a prickle down my spine.

Luke turned his attention away from the officer and dialed a number. Bringing the phone to his ear, he waited.

“Captain,” Luke’s voice almost jovial, followed by a slight pause. “Yes. It’s been too long. I seem to have encountered…” Luke glanced at the officer’s tag. “Officer Anderson at the scene of an accident that I was involved in.”

Silence while the Captain spoke and the officer’s anger rose.

“Yes. I’m fine, but the other driver didn’t fair so well. He was after a client I had with me. Attempted to drive us off the PCH. Unfortunately, he lost.”

More silence.

“That would be much appreciated. I’d like to get my client to safety.”

Officer Anderson was incensed as Luke handed him the phone. The discussion was quick and the officer ended the call, handing the phone back to Luke. “Mr. Fletcher, my apologies. If we need anything more, we’ll be in touch.”

“Thank you, Officer,” Luke replied, as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me back to our vehicle.

I slid into the seat and glanced back at the officer who no longer seemed enraged. Rather, he looked on as if he’d just met someone he admired. I turned my attention to Luke as he climbed into the car, shutting the door behind him.

“What was that all about?” I asked. “That’s not how it works for normal people.”

Luke smiled. “There’s a lot we need to learn about each other. You’re not going to my sister’s tonight.”

He turned the car in the opposite direction from where we’d been headed and my stomach tightened.

“Then where are we going?” I asked.

“My house. It’s not far from here.”

I looked out the window into the darkness. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me until it’s over,” Luke replied.

“What if it never ends?” I asked.

“It will. You just have to learn to trust me.” He touched something on his dash and Mitch’s voice appeared in the car.

“Everything okay?” Mitch asked.

“Been better. Listen, I’d like you to bring my sister to the house. Things have gotten a little more interesting.”

“She’s going to fight it,” Mitch replied.

“I know, but it’s for the best. Let her know Hannah will be there and she might soften up a bit.”

“Will do.”

And the call ended.

“So do you really think hiding us is going to solve the problem?”

“Not at all. But I think three minds are better than one.”

I nodded and reached for the radio, but he flipped it on from the steering wheel first.

“Something soothing?” I asked.

He found a classical station that was playing a cavatina and my body immediately relaxed, even though my mind could not.

“This okay?” he asked, his voice husky.

“It’s lovely. It makes me wish I had my violin.”

His eyes caught mine and his jaw tensed. “You play?”

“It was one of the few hobbies we could take up. I’ve played since I was four, maybe? But I stopped when my sister left. I mean when I thought she left. We used to play together.”

“I’d love to hear you sometime.” He turned the car off the Pacific Coast Highway onto Malibu Canyon Road.

“I’ve never really played in front of people, except my sister,” I confessed.

“There’s a first for everything,” he said softly.

“Are we almost there?” I asked, changing the subject.

“About ten minutes away,” Luke replied.

I still felt completely exposed. How did they keep finding me? Sure, I’d thrown the cell phone out the window, but if they knew I was with Luke at the time of the accident, it wouldn’t take much for them to find out where he lived, or maybe they already knew. I wasn’t sure going back to his house was actually all that safe considering everything.

Luke rubbed his hand along my knee, and instead of moving away, I wanted more. His ability to turn off the desire to run was unnerving, and the comfort his touch brought was alarming. I worried it would make me do things I wouldn’t normally do. Stay when I wouldn’t normally stay.

I didn’t like how I didn’t have an escape plan. I always had an escape plan, even when I was at the NLC. I just never used it until it was almost too late. If only I’d left when I thought my sister had. I never would’ve found out the truth. I could’ve just lived my life, thinking my sister was still out there somewhere, while I blended into society never to be heard from again. I never would’ve learned the things I learned. My life wouldn’t be in danger. They never would’ve come after me. There wouldn’t have been any need. But I would be a coward.

Luke turned onto a narrow road that edged along a cliff overlooking the ocean, and that’s when I realized it wasn’t a road. It was his driveway. A closed security gate was up ahead and the car slowed as he punched in a code on a control panel. The iron gates slowly rolled open and we proceeded up the drive.

“My guess is that Mitch and Mia will be here within an hour or so.”

As he drove up his driveway, my eyes focused ahead on the large estate. Even in the pitch dark, I saw that the home situated on the tip of the cliff was gigantic. Solar lighting lit up the driveway and dotted the front yard, allowing just enough light to see the Mediterranean features of the home. The large garage door opened, and we drove into a garage that housed several cars in many different directions. But rather than park, we drove down a ramp where more cars were parked. This wasn’t a normal garage. For starters, it was two stories.

“Do you moonlight as a mechanic?” I asked. “Or maybe Batman?”

Luke laughed as he slid into one of the vacant spots and turned off the car. “You’ve found me out.”

“I knew there was something slightly off about you,” I teased. There was nothing off about this man.