Page 8 of Love on the Run

“Yep. Just after you got a good look at me, I guess,” he smiled in a self-deprecating way. “I was worried I wouldn’t get you to the doc in time.”

“Was…was it bad?”

“It could have been worse, but it was pretty close,” he admitted, the smile going out of his eyes. “Callie, what happened to you?”

“I… I don’t remember it all.” She swallowed, trying to figure out where to start. How much was safe to tell? She was suddenly conscious of how alone she was, and how angry Malcolm must be that she got away from him.

“Then tell me who’s after you.” Jake could see her eyes flash around the room. He’d seen that look before, on people looking for a way to escape.

“What makes you think someone’s after me?”

“Well, for starters, I’m assuming you didn’t shoot yourself in the leg,” he said, his voice quiet yet firm.Callie glanced over at the man.He didn’t look like a bully, but there was something very determined in his face.He was the type of man who probably never took no for an answer. And he was a cop.

“Maybe I did.” Callie tried, though without much effort.

“Okay,” he agreed, nodding too readily. “Tell me about it.”

“Um…” She paused, not wanting to wade further into a fairy tale about a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“You want five minutes to think up details?We’ve got all the time in the world.” Jake even smiled as he said it, despite the seriousness of the situation.

“I’d need more than five minutes for that one,” she said, shifting uncomfortably, sensing that Jakeknewshe was preparing to lie. But how could he?

“Good. No matter how big a klutz you might have claimed to be, it’s pretty hard to shoot yourself while you’re running away.”

“Who says I was running away?” Callie felt like he’d somehow got the whole thing on video.

“The entry wound, for one. It was at the back of your leg. Whoever shot you did it while your back was turned. The fact that itwasjust your leg meant you were far enough away from the shooter that he couldn’t aim too well.”

Callie’s mouth twitched as she tried to think of a response.This man was entirely too observant. What else had he seen?

“I…” Callie’s breath choked her throat. Her mind raced.Think of something. Make it simple. Obvious.He’d buy it if she didn’t give too many details and trip herself up. “I got into a fight with my boyfriend.”

“Must have been quite a fight,” he said, no hint of his feelings showing in his face.

“You think I’m an idiot,” Callie said, suddenly looking him straight in the eyes, almost accusingly. “That any girl with sense at all would have gotten out of the way before it came to a gunshot.”

Jake looked startled at her vehemence, saying almost instantly, “No, no I don’t. Please don’t think that.”

Callie relaxed minutely. If she could keep him focused on her and not on the details of her story, this might work. “Well, I think I’m an idiot. I should have known it would end like this.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a magnet for bad luck. Seriously. Especially in the past year or two. Trust me, you don’t want to know the things…” She shook her head.

“Things like?” he prompted.

“Never mind,” she shrugged, tossing her head back. “What would it matter to you? All you have to know is that I was with someone I should have had the sense to leave long ago, and this is the result.”

Jake startled her by reaching out across the table to touch her hand. His touch was warm, simultaneously reassuring and nerve-wracking. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. I’m sure you had reasons.”

She shook her head. “Not any good ones, believe me. I wanted to leavesobad.” She was being honest about that, at least.

“You wanted to leave where you were that night?”

“Yes, and the…relationship. For weeks. Months, really. But I was scared.”

And with good reason, Jake reflected, if this guy ended up putting a bullet in her. “Okay, tell me about the actual shooting.”