Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“You won’t make me go back there?” a husky voice asked from his left.
He turned slowly to make eye contact with a petite brunette with huge green eyes filled with fear. He didn’t like that her waist-long hair was tangled. His first impression was that she needed help. “Hi. I’m Zale. I absolutely won’t make you go anywhere with him.”
“He’s got connections. I’ll have to go with him. It’s better that I disappear.” She backed up a few steps, favoring her right leg.
“You’re hurt. I’m a medic. Let me help you.” He noticed she didn’t have any shoes on. He hadn’t spotted those in the car.
“A doctor?” she asked.
“A medic. I have medical training to save my team if they’re injured,” Zale explained, pointing to his military fatigues. “It looks like you’re bleeding.”
The woman glanced down at her arm and shuddered before shaking her head. “It’s okay. Can you just tell them you didn’t find anyone? I’ll go that way.” She pointed further back into the woods.
“Are you in trouble for something? Was that a cop you were with?” Zale asked.
She laughed and shook her head. “Only if being female and alone is a crime. He picked me up at least three states ago and is taking me to some compound as quickly as possible. He’s been driving for over a day. It’s Sunday, right?”
“Monday. Where were you taken?” By the shock on her face, he knew she was telling him the truth.
A rustle and a shout signaled that someone was coming. She looked around in panic before locking eyes with Zale. “Please help me. He’ll take me again.”
“Get under that pine tree and cover your feet with the needles.” Zale pointed to the nearby drooping branches. Her expression of absolute thanks went straight to his heart. He could be in immense trouble for this if she turned out to be a criminal.
He observed from the corner of his eye as she fumbled into place, hampered by the lack of shoes. She definitely didn’t have any training or experience in being covert. Zale moved away from her as he answered the call.
“Hey. I’m over here. I’ve searched about a hundred feet in that direction all the way back to the road on the other side of the woods. If there was a passenger, they must have gone that way,” he said, pointing away from her hiding spot.
“The driver says he was traveling alone but had just picked up a hitchhiker. He guessed they fled,” the same officer Zale had talked to reported. “According to him that door has popped open several times when he comes to a stop—some kind of short in the wiring. He didn’t recognize that stuff you found. Maybe it was already there on the road.”
“That makes sense. I’ll just head on to work,” Zale told him.
“That’s great. I have your info if questions come up.”
Zale walked with the officer back toward the road, hoping she’d caught his hint to go through the woods. He could see the male driver arguing with the paramedics about the need to go to the hospital and knew he’d soon focus on finding the woman. Jumping in his Jeep, Zale drove down the road as if he were continuing to work.
He made a detour when he was out of sight and circled to the backside of the wooded area. Zale spotted her standing just inside the tree line. Whipping his vehicle around in a quick U-turn, he pulled to the side of the road and jumped out to run to her.
“Let’s get you out of here. He’s going to finish with the MPs soon.”
“Why are you helping me?” she asked, shrinking back from him.
“It seems to me that you need a friend, little girl.”
“You won’t hurt me?”
“Medic, remember?” he said, pointing to his chest. “I help people, not hurt them.”
She walked slowly and painfully forward. “I guess I have to trust someone.”
“My lucky day. Let’s get you in the Jeep. I’m Zale, by the way. What’s your name?”
“Pippa.”
“Let me help you, Pippa. I’m guessing he didn’t take good care of you.”
Her laugh sounded hard and sarcastic.
Zale wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted most of her weight as he helped her cross the open area. Her gasps of discomfort worried him. She could be badly hurt and not aware of it because of the situation. Pulling the seatbelt across her, he asked, “Where do you want to go?”
She stared at him blankly. “Away from him.”
Zale nodded and stepped back to close the door. Running around the hood, he jumped in behind the wheel and pulled smoothly into traffic. In a few minutes, they approached the base. “Do you have any ID?”
“Are you going to turn me in?” She panicked and struggled to unfasten her seatbelt.
He reached a hand to wrap over hers, stopping her efforts. “You’re safe with me. I’m checking if I can take you onto base or not. All people in a vehicle may be asked for ID as they enter. I’ll go toward the back.”