Page 70 of Hidden Depths

“I’m ready.”

“Just a second.” He disappeared into the bedroom, then returned, resting a gun on the counter while he adjusted his holster on his hip.

“I was hoping you’d have a gun.”

“Never leave home without it.”

Now that he had his weapon, he led Sara down the hall toward the fire exit, using his foot to push the lever to open the fire door. He cleared the space before nodding for her to follow him down the stairs.

This time, Sara didn’t mind so much that he was fully focused on their surroundings.

* * *

Parking in the nearby lot at the depot, Tom and Sara watched as a bus pulled in.

“Looks like they have things moving again. Your ticket will take you as far as Virginia, but you should get off as soon as you can. Just in case. Liaise with Peter, and find out how quickly he can get to you.”

“You think they’ll check the buses?”

“There’s no way to know for sure. That’s why we need to be as cautious as we can. It may be worth changing buses once you reach the mainland. If Dodd is involved, he’ll have resources to track you down. Who knows how quickly he can get that done or who else is involved.”

“Right.”

“Stay low. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Sara slouched in her seat but kept her eyes above the window so she could see Tom until he disappeared inside. Then she watched the passing vehicles. Nothing looked out of the ordinary.

She reached into the back and pulled her bag into her lap, hugging it close to her body before stiffening when she remembered the gun. Slowly, she opened the bag, double-checking its position, then closed it again.

God, I pray this works. I don’t want to keep running. Please let this be the last time.

When Tom opened the driver’s door, she jumped, her hand reaching into her bag.

“Sorry,” he said as he got in.

“I meant to be looking for you. I guess my mind was elsewhere. So what’s the deal with the bus service? Are we good to go?”

“Yeah.” He screwed up his mouth.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. Bus leaves in ten minutes.”

“Oh. Good. I guess.”

“It is good. Looks like we’re clear. You’ll be safe now, and we can both be happy about that. But you should get on the bus now. That way, I can keep an eye on whoever is coming and going to make sure there’s nothing suspicious. I’ll be able to see if anyone is watching.”

She put her hand on the door handle. “Will I ever see you again?”

“No.”

“Not unless you vacation on accident in my new hometown?”

He smiled. “Stranger things have happened, but I’m glad I met you. Even if we never see each other again.”

“Me too.” She leaned across the center console and kissed him quickly.

Tom’s eyebrows lifted when she pulled back. If she hadn’t taken him by surprise, he may not have let her go. “What was that for?”

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