Read Online Betrayed by a Kiss by Kris Rafferty - Free Book Online
Authors: Kris Rafferty
Tags: Romance, romantic suspense, Woman in Jeopardy, Entangled, ugly duckling, Select Suspense, redemption, Kris Rafferty
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revealed a flash drive. “This almost cost my life. Proof of everything you’ve suspected about Whitman Enterprises and more. I copied what I could, but—” She pressed her hand on her wound.
MacLain felt a rush of gratitude. She’d risked a lot to help him. “You should have gone to the cops. It would have been safer.”
“I was afraid they were coming for you. And don’t forget, I was in a car chase with the guy that shot me. I didn’t know how much time I had to warn you, and anyway, cops are predictable. They’d need convincing.”
“You could have called 9-1-1, told them what you knew, made me and the gunmen their problem. It would have been the smart move.”
“I haven’t been all that smart lately.” She stared out the window into the night. “Like I said, cops are predictable. They’d ask questions I’d need to answer honestly, or why bother going to them at all. We both know those answers would give them the right to hold me, maybe permanently.” She shook her head. “I’ll fix this my way. It’s safer.”
“Marnie,” he said, “you’re in danger because you tried to help me. In my book that makes your safety my responsibility. You’re coming with me to the safe house.”
“Huh?” That got her full attention. “No. You have enough problems without me adding to the mix.”
“And once you’re there, I’ll take the files in.”
“Yeah, about that—”
“There are still people I trust in the MPD.” He’d get her to agree to stay with Harper and Elizabeth.
She shook her head. “They lied to me, MacLain, and used me to hurt people.” He could see she was upset, but there was a process in place. “If you were innocent, how many of the other people I helped track were also innocent? I have to know. I have to fix it.” She scrubbed her hands against her face, and the drying mud flaked in spots. “They turned me into the bad guy, something I’ve been running from my whole life. I’m not going to let them get away with it.”
“Those other accounts—” Of all of them, he was the only one she came to save? The thought gave him pause. “Will those files be enough for the feds to shut the company down?”
“Your file is enough. The rest is cake.”
“Why?” He was afraid of the answer, but needed to know.
“Alice’s murder was videotaped.” Her reluctance to deliver that news didn’t lessen the blow. He felt punched in the gut. Sick with it. He forced himself to keep breathing and work through the image of Alice suffering.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Damn. I’m so sorry.”
He pressed his foot harder on the gas pedal as a cold languor settled over him. He’d use these emotions to strengthen him, to continue to protect his family at any cost. No one would hurt them again. And he was close. This hell he’d been living in was almost in his rearview. He could be patient…for now.
“Can you leave this to me?” she said.
He would have laughed at the mere suggestion if he wasn’t convinced she was absolutely serious. “Leave what? We take the files and give them to the feds. There’s proof Ian Whitman and Alice’s killer committed crimes on those files. This is a done deal.”
She folded her arms and looked away. “Like I’ve been trying to say, it’s not going to happen.”
“Explain.”
She pointed out the window. “Let me off at the first rest stop. I can hitch a ride from there. Go to your family, keep them safe, and hopefully this will be over within the week.”
“You’re my witness. You have the evidence. You said you want to help me.”
“I’m not going to the cops, MacLain. Not even for you.” They both knew he couldn’t force her. “Be angry all you want, but live.” She was talking low, as if to herself, staring out into the black night. “Live for your daughter, for your sister. You’re all they have left. I’ll kill the company. Don’t you worry about that.”
She was trying to save him again when she was the one that
MacLain felt a rush of gratitude. She’d risked a lot to help him. “You should have gone to the cops. It would have been safer.”
“I was afraid they were coming for you. And don’t forget, I was in a car chase with the guy that shot me. I didn’t know how much time I had to warn you, and anyway, cops are predictable. They’d need convincing.”
“You could have called 9-1-1, told them what you knew, made me and the gunmen their problem. It would have been the smart move.”
“I haven’t been all that smart lately.” She stared out the window into the night. “Like I said, cops are predictable. They’d ask questions I’d need to answer honestly, or why bother going to them at all. We both know those answers would give them the right to hold me, maybe permanently.” She shook her head. “I’ll fix this my way. It’s safer.”
“Marnie,” he said, “you’re in danger because you tried to help me. In my book that makes your safety my responsibility. You’re coming with me to the safe house.”
“Huh?” That got her full attention. “No. You have enough problems without me adding to the mix.”
“And once you’re there, I’ll take the files in.”
“Yeah, about that—”
“There are still people I trust in the MPD.” He’d get her to agree to stay with Harper and Elizabeth.
She shook her head. “They lied to me, MacLain, and used me to hurt people.” He could see she was upset, but there was a process in place. “If you were innocent, how many of the other people I helped track were also innocent? I have to know. I have to fix it.” She scrubbed her hands against her face, and the drying mud flaked in spots. “They turned me into the bad guy, something I’ve been running from my whole life. I’m not going to let them get away with it.”
“Those other accounts—” Of all of them, he was the only one she came to save? The thought gave him pause. “Will those files be enough for the feds to shut the company down?”
“Your file is enough. The rest is cake.”
“Why?” He was afraid of the answer, but needed to know.
“Alice’s murder was videotaped.” Her reluctance to deliver that news didn’t lessen the blow. He felt punched in the gut. Sick with it. He forced himself to keep breathing and work through the image of Alice suffering.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Damn. I’m so sorry.”
He pressed his foot harder on the gas pedal as a cold languor settled over him. He’d use these emotions to strengthen him, to continue to protect his family at any cost. No one would hurt them again. And he was close. This hell he’d been living in was almost in his rearview. He could be patient…for now.
“Can you leave this to me?” she said.
He would have laughed at the mere suggestion if he wasn’t convinced she was absolutely serious. “Leave what? We take the files and give them to the feds. There’s proof Ian Whitman and Alice’s killer committed crimes on those files. This is a done deal.”
She folded her arms and looked away. “Like I’ve been trying to say, it’s not going to happen.”
“Explain.”
She pointed out the window. “Let me off at the first rest stop. I can hitch a ride from there. Go to your family, keep them safe, and hopefully this will be over within the week.”
“You’re my witness. You have the evidence. You said you want to help me.”
“I’m not going to the cops, MacLain. Not even for you.” They both knew he couldn’t force her. “Be angry all you want, but live.” She was talking low, as if to herself, staring out into the black night. “Live for your daughter, for your sister. You’re all they have left. I’ll kill the company. Don’t you worry about that.”
She was trying to save him again when she was the one that
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