Page 27 of Fighting for Julia
“The whole town is now defunct,” Tex informed them. “The last census a couple of years ago claimed twenty-three residents.Now there are none. You can see that the house is literally in the middle of nowhere.”
“Have Axis and Axalia been there already?” Miguel inquired.
“Not that Beth and I can tell. We’re still trying to ascertain what vehicle they’ve stolen by scouring police reports, especially those involving homicides during carjackings. So far, there haven’t been any.”
“They’re being more careful,” Julia noted. “They didn’t kill the Grays, probably because they’ve learned that murder garners a lot of unwanted attention. Grand theft auto? Not so much.”
“We need to get to Alabama ASAP,” Miguel declared. “Our best chance of capturing them lies in arriving at the safe house before they do.” He glanced at Julia. “Julia?”
“I agree. We can leave the Suburban at the airport, and Trey can retrieve it. Let’s go.”
On their way out, Melody insisted they take two sandwiches to eat on the road. Miguel and Julia thanked the Keegans for their help and hospitality and promised to keep in touch.
As Miguel navigated the traffic to the airport, Julia searched the airlines for a flight to Alabama. “Found one,” she announced within a few minutes. “It leaves in an hour and a half. Plus, it will take two and a half hours to fly to Birmingham. From there it’s almost another two hours before we can get to McMullen. Booking it now.”
“Great. It’ll be dark when we get there. Hopefully, we can surprise Axis and Axalia, unless we miss them.”
“With Tex watching the property, we’ll know.”
Miguel and Julia boarded their flight with minutes to spare. TSA guards refused to allow them to carry their guns onto the plane until Miguel showed his Secret Service credentials and mentioned former U.S. Marshal Maverick Stone by name. When Julia proved her identity and informed the guards that they were on a high priority case, she and Miguel were cleared to board theplane. They located their seats and stuffed their duffel bags into the overhead compartments.
The plane landed in Birmingham on schedule after a smooth flight. Miguel rented a nondescript, gray midsized sedan with a hatchback. He took their duffel bags and tossed them into the back. She programmed the address in McMullen into the car’s GPS system and checked her cell phone for messages.
“Mom and her team made it safely to New Hampshire,” Julia shared. “She’s hosting a meet and greet at her hotel in Concord, and afterward she’s attending a basketball game at Concord High School, where she’s been invited to open the match with the ball toss.”
“That’s good news. Here. Check my phone for any messages, especially from Tex.” He pulled it from his back pocket and handed it to her. Their fingers collided…and lingered.
Miguel’s heart leaped against his chest. Without questioning his response, he caressed her fingers with his thumb. Julia dropped the phone into her lap and fully clasped his hand, threading her fingers through his. Miguel’s breath came faster with his pounding pulse. The soft strength of her hand brought painful memories rushing through his mind, but he couldn’t untangle his hand. He craved the heat their connection created.
Julia continued to hold his hand as she pressed the dark screen on his cell phone with her right index finger. “What’s your password?” she murmured.
He told her, and she punched in the numbers—the date of Ashley Laine’s death.
“Chief McQuaid texted that all is well and wants to hear from you. Tex said there hasn’t been any sign of Axis and Axalia. Still no word on the vehicle they’re driving.”
“Okay.”
Silence filled the space between them. The sun dropped low in the sky, painting it with deep shades of red, orange, andpink. As Miguel opened his mouth to comment on the beauty of the sunset, Julia blurted, “Will you tell me about Officer Ashley Laine?”
He froze. Her unexpected question doused the comfortable warmth that spread through him from holding her hand. Miguel inhaled a deep breath and briefly squeezed her hand before he withdrew his and gripped the steering wheel. He steadied himself, then asked, “How do you know about…her?”
I can’t say her name! If I do, I’ll lose it!
“From conversations I’ve overheard and news stories I’ve read online.”
Miguel clenched his teeth, and his jaw tightened. The last thing he wanted to do was discuss Ashley with Julia. “What do you want to know?” His voice sounded raspy, with traces of harshness.
“What was she like?”
He stared straight ahead into the fading light. “Fearless. Headstrong and stubborn. Smart as a whip. She…she lived life on the edge, always inviting danger.”
“Is that what you loved about her?”
“Yes and no. She had…a death wish.”
“Why?”
“She did something really stupid as a teenager, and it cost her the lives of her best friends.”
