Protecting Her Child Read online

  Her voice was low, her tone guarded when she finally asked, “Were you ever locked away?”

  He reached for her hand. His face was torn with anguish. “I’m sorry about what Collins did to you.”

  The warmth of his touch and the compassion she heard in his voice encouraged her. “The hardest part was when he’d come home with a surprise. Maybe chocolate candy or a carton of ice cream. For a few minutes I’d think everything would be okay. That we could be a happy family.”

  “You’d let your guard down.”

  She nodded. “And then he’d grab me and throw me into the closet or the cellar or the shed out back and the darkness would seem even blacker, even more evil.”

  “He was a twisted man, Meredith. How’d you get the courage to run away?”

  She had never told anyone, not even Ben. But tonight, after everything that had happened, she knew she could trust Pete.

  “My adoptive mother gave me a Bible, but she told me to hide it so he wouldn’t find it. Before I’d go to sleep, I’d read a few verses, usually not even understanding what the words meant. But I knew God loved me.” She paused. “Sounds funny, I know, yet I had a feeling someone was praying for me.”

  He turned and nodded. “Eve was. She said she never stopped praying for you.”

  Meredith prayed constantly for the life growing within her. If what Pete said was true, maybe Eve had loved her. Meredith needed to believe that.

  Although right now she wasn’t ready to accept that love.

  “You finally ran away.” Pete drew her back into the conversation.

  “He beat my mother. But never where it showed. People couldn’t see the bruises on her stomach or across her thighs. I went to the police once. They called my father, who said I was an unruly child. He claimed I often hit my mother. He had her lower her dress to expose an ugly mark on her back that he said I had caused.”

  She looked out the window into the darkness, remembering the darkness of that night. “They believed him.”

  “And your mother?”

  “She didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. He used to fool around with tracking devices so he always knew where she was. We both understood that if she’d spoken against him to the authorities, he would have killed her. Only we didn’t realize that he would eventually do just that.”

  “What happened?”

  “He pushed her down the basement steps. She hit her head, blood spewed everywhere. I was in the kitchen, washing the dishes. He turned and railed against me, screaming that I had pushed her, that I’d pay for causing her death.”

  Meredith licked her lips. “When he scrambled down the steps to check on her, I ran from the house. It happened right before my graduation from high school when I planned to leave him. In the woods, I had hidden some clothes and a little money my mother occasionally gave me from her shopping allowance. That night I left Augusta and hitched a ride out of town. My husband saw me on the road and gave me a ride.”

  “You fell in love with the man who rescued you.”

  “I’m not sure how much was love and how much was the need for security. Ben took me to the home of a nice Christian couple who had a spare room. I babysat their children and helped out around the house. Eventually, Ben and I got married.”

  “Did you ever hear from Collins again?”

  She shook her head. “I knew he might be able to find me through my cell phone with all the tracking gadgets he bought online. Eventually, I realized he was probably relieved not to have me underfoot.”

  “And your husband’s death?”

  “Ben got a loan against his paycheck from some unscrupulous characters right before the plant where he worked closed. We couldn’t make the payments. The loan shark Javier and Hank worked for wanted to make an example of Ben.”

  “So they offered him a job on a fishing boat and killed him at sea?”

  “And threatened me after Ben’s death not to tell the police about the loan. I ran and ended up in Refuge Bay. The next time I saw these thugs was when they parked outside my house.”

  “Dixie Collins was at your cottage the day before we met. Ever think this might have less to do with the loan and more to do with you?”

  Before Meredith could make sense of what Pete had just said, he pointed to a road sign. “Look what we found.”

  She followed his gaze and spied the sign with a large H painted in the middle of a square of blue.

  Once again, she rubbed her belly. Hold on, little one. Won’t be long and we’ll be at the hospital.

  Glancing at the clock on the dash, she asked, “Mind turning on the radio for the news? Maybe we can get an update on Sheila’s condition.”

  Pete pushed the control knob. Static filled the car, then an announcer’s voice. “Peace talks continue in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine.”

  Meredith sighed. “Reminds me of some of the family fights my adoptive mother used to talk about.”

  “Ever hear of the Hatfields and McCoys? Their feud was legendary.”

  “Weren’t they from the hills of East Tennessee?”

  “That’s right. The McCoy side of the family suffered from VHL.”

  “You’re kidding?”

  He shrugged. “Intermarriage was common, which perpetuated the disease. Some say their medical problems added to the animosity they harbored for the Hatfields.”

  “Where’s Eve from?”

  Pete laughed. “Not Tennessee. Still, it’s interesting to see how VHL can affect a family. I told you adrenal tumors can cause problems during childbirth, which we’ll mention to the doctor when we get to the hospital.”

  A country-western song came on the radio. Pete hit the scanner.

  The lights of the hospital shone in the distance. The two-story structure sat on a rise and looked out over a tiny valley. A town lay nestled in the distance.

  Relief swept through Meredith. She and the baby would get medical help. Exactly what they both needed.

  Please, God, she pleaded. Keep this baby safe.

  As they neared the medical facility, her euphoria plummeted. Two police cars were parked side by side under a streetlight at the rear of the parking lot.

  Pete decelerated to turn onto the access road for the E.R. just as a news flash came over the radio.

  “Now an update on Sheila Hudson. The VHL Institute founder remains in critical condition, although she was able to provide some information to the police. An all-points bulletin has been issued for Peter Worth, thought to be traveling with his girlfriend, who answers to the name of Meredith. According to a 911 tip, the pair had holed up at a farmhouse in the vicinity of Old Buckhead Church and are considered armed and dangerous. The woman is pregnant and may be injured. Police are narrowing their search around Jenkins County and hospitals in the area.”

  Pete clicked off the radio. “I bet Javier and Hank called 911 to take the heat off themselves.”

  Meredith pointed to the sedans. “If they think we attacked Sheila, they’ll throw us in jail and ask questions later. Keep driving, Pete.”

  He shook his head. “You need a doctor.”

  “But they’ll lock me up.”

  He stared at her, then sighed in frustration. “Get down.”

  She doubled over as best she could in the seat.

  Pete focused on the rearview mirror. “The cops turned on their lights.”

  Her heart pounded hard against her chest. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—let her baby be born in prison.

  Plus, Sam Collins had vowed to make her pay for his wife’s death. He had contacts with the police in Augusta, which wasn’t far from here. For all she knew, the men in the squad cars could be friends of his as well.

  A lone siren pierced the silence, then a second joined in, both wailing in the night.

  Pete pulled the Jeep to the side of the road.

  A lump formed in Meredith’s throat. She had wanted everything to be perfect for this baby.

  How had her life gotten so far off track?

/>   Despite her faith in God, even He seemed to have abandoned her.

  “I’m sorry, Meredith.” Pete touched her hand. His fingers wove through hers. He looked down at her, his gaze filled with tenderness and compassion.

  Her heart swelled, and peace settled over her.

  She wasn’t alone. God had sent Pete to help her in her time of need.

  Meredith squeezed his hand. Good had come from all the bad. At least at this moment, she was connected to a strong, supportive man. A man of virtue and integrity. A man she was growing to love.

  The sirens screamed, drawing closer. Lights pulsated, catching them in their glare.

  Would everything end in the next few seconds or would God help them yet again?

  “Thy will be done,” Meredith whispered from the core of her being. The emptiness she’d felt for so long was filled with her love for Pete, as if the Lord Himself had wrapped them together in His Fatherly embrace.

  She had placed her trust in God, and He had answered her prayers. The Almighty had given her Pete to love and care for her and her unborn child.

  The squad cars neared, the sound deafening, the lights blinding.

  She held her breath, not knowing what would happen next.

  At that moment, the baby kicked.

  FIFTEEN

  Pete let out the breath he’d been holding as the police cruisers raced past them, heading toward the lights of the town, visible in the distance. Seconds later, an ambulance followed in pursuit.

  Meredith slumped back against the seat.

  “Close call,” Pete mumbled. He squeezed her hand, hoping to reassure her that they were out of danger.

  Meredith’s face had drained of color. Her eyes were closed, lips moving. Was she offering up a prayer of thanksgiving?

  “Say one for me.”

  She opened her eyes and smiled. “I’ve got us both covered.”

  Pete ached to hold her.

  Before he knew what he was doing, he drew her into his arms, being careful to avoid her wound. Her hair spilled around his face like satin.

  She pulled back ever so slightly and stared into his eyes.

  The world stopped for him at that moment.

  “Pete.” She sighed.

  He lowered his mouth to hers.

  Before their lips met, a car door slammed and someone cried for help.

  An elderly man stumbled toward the entrance of the E.R. Two nurses rushed to his aid. They quickly settled him into a wheelchair and pushed him through the automatic doors.

  Meredith straightened in the seat.

  Pete wove his fingers through her hair and leaned close. “You still need to see a doctor,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

  She shook her head. “Not here.”

  “But the baby?”

  “I felt movement. The baby kicked just as the police passed by. It’s a sign that everything’s okay.”

  He grabbed the stethoscope off the back seat and wrapped it around his neck. “At least humor me.”

  Placing the base of the stethoscope against her stomach, he heard a strong heartbeat.

  “Baby seems to be okay.”

  An I-told-you-so smile crept across her face. “Got any ideas where two fugitives can hide out?”

  As much as he didn’t want this moment to end, he knew they needed to keep moving. A destination came to mind, but he wasn’t sure Meredith would approve. “Let me handle our itinerary. Okay?”

  “More back roads?”

  “Roger that. We’d make better time on the highway, but I’m afraid we might be spotted.”

  He pulled away from the curb and turned onto a narrow two-lane road that headed west.

  Meredith settled back against the seat. She closed her eyes and before long her breathing slipped into the even rhythm of sleep.

  Just what she needed.

  Pete couldn’t help but glance at her, taking in the curve of her lips and the way her hair curled over her shoulder. He wanted to pull her back into his arms.

  Meredith was a special lady. Her strength and determination reminded him of Eve’s.

  He cared deeply for both women, and his heart went out to them. If his plan worked, he’d be able to bring mother and daughter together.

  Hopefully, a higher power would take it from there.

  Now he was thinking about God?

  He shook his head and smiled. Meredith must be having an effect on him. Or maybe his change of heart was due to Eve’s prayers. She loved Meredith, and she claimed to love him as well.

  In the depth of his soul, he knew that was true. He’d been the one to turn his back on Eve.

  When he heard her parents say that Pete Worth would amount to nothing of worth, he’d felt not only anger at their play on his last name but also a massive blow to his pride.

  He was young, and their degrading use of his name had cut him to the core. Succumbing to the hateful rhetoric his father spouted, Pete had turned on both the wealthy Townsends and Eve.

  Now he needed her help.

  The tires hit a rut in the road, and Meredith’s eyes fluttered open. “Have you decided where we’re going?”

  She needed to know the truth.

  “Atlanta. We can hole up at Eve’s estate until everything dies down.” Bad choice of words.

  Meredith shook her head. “I told you I don’t want to see her.”

  “It’s either her estate or the police.”

  She glared at him. He’d pushed her into a corner. Not what he wanted to do, but he didn’t have a choice. The police suspected them of trying to kill Sheila. Much as he didn’t want to think about that possibility, if Sheila died, he and Meredith would be wanted for murder.

  Eve had connections. While Pete didn’t care for Dr. Davis’s VHL protocol, Eve might be able to convince him to treat Meredith’s wound and check on the baby without notifying the authorities.

  The lawyers Eve used were the best in the state, and she had the money to pay for their expertise. After everything that had happened, Pete and Meredith needed legal advice, too.

  But as much as Eve had wanted to help Pete just two days ago, he wasn’t sure she would open her heart or her home to him now.

  Then he thought of the woman who’d held her arms wide so he could run to her as a child.

  The old Eve wouldn’t let him down.

  Meredith turned toward the window. Hopefully, she’d mull over the situation and accept the only solution left to them.

  She needed Eve—and her help.

  Meredith didn’t want to see her mother. Not now. Not when she was tired and injured and so very vulnerable.

  Years ago, she’d believed her mother hadn’t wanted her, hadn’t loved her. Once Meredith had steeled herself to that reality, the pain of abandonment and loss she’d suffered for so long had eased. Probably because by then she’d built a protective wall around her heart, vowing never to open herself to the pain again.

  That’s why she’d married Ben, wasn’t it? He had been a safe choice, never demanding more from her than she was willing to give.

  Oh, God, forgive me for being so protective of my own feelings that I didn’t think of his. My love was incomplete and surely that must have caused him pain.

  Tears once again welled up in her eyes. After all these years of guarding her heart, the wall of isolation she’d built had started to crumble.

  Pete stirred in the seat next to her.

  He’d come to her rescue, ignoring his own safety to protect her and her child. His selfless concern for them evoked a depth of emotion she’d never before experienced.

  Knowing the strength of her feelings for Pete only underscored how different her love for her husband had been. Now Pete wanted her to meet her mother.

  Meredith could accept Pete into her life, but she wasn’t ready to accept her mother’s help.

  “Isn’t there someplace else we could go, other than the estate?” she begged.

  “You need medical help, Meredith. Eve’s family do
ctor treated her parents at the estate. I’m sure she’ll convince him to help you as well. In a day or two, we’ll go to the police and tell them the truth. By then, Sheila will have improved.”

  Meredith glanced away, unable to look at Pete with his sincere eyes and his voice of reason.

  What if Sheila didn’t make it?

  Meredith shook her head, not wanting to think about that possibility.

  If only life could be the way she’d planned. Instead, it was twisted and confusing, and Pete was forcing her to face a past she wanted to keep buried. Seeing Eve would open up too many wounds.

  She glanced down at her arm.

  Fresh blood stained the gauze.

  Right now, she needed to rest. She would ask Pete to check her arm after she closed her eyes for a few minutes.

  Hopefully, he’d know what to do because at this moment she wasn’t sure of anything.

  The night hung before them. Once again, Pete weighed their options. He knew Meredith didn’t want to see Eve, but there wasn’t any other place to go.

  He continued to head west along the back roads, skirting the main highways. He hoped that this winding route to Atlanta would keep them clear of the law.

  Luckily, Meredith had drifted back to sleep. Truth be told, he could use some rest as well, but only after he had her safely at the estate.

  They weren’t far. He needed to call Eve to prepare her.

  He reached for his BlackBerry and punched in her number, knowing the middle of the night was a bad time for surprises.

  SIXTEEN

  The phone started to go to voice mail before Eve picked up.

  “Hello?” She sounded tired and confused. Maybe a bit anxious about having a call in the middle of the night.

  “It’s Pete.”

  “Pete?” She breathed out his name. “Where are you?”

  “Not far from Atlanta. You probably heard the news reports about Sheila. I didn’t do it.”

  “I know.”

  He glanced at Meredith sleeping on the seat next to him. “I need a place to stay for a few days. Until everything blows over.”

  “And if it doesn’t?”