Close To Danger (Westen #4)(17)
“Normally, I’d say no. It’s not like I can make a move on her and get an invite to spend the night.” Bulldog might flirt with a woman, but he’d always drawn the line at anything sexual. Said he wasn’t a switch-hitter. “But with this weather front rolling through, it’s a no brainer. Doc is in surgery as we speak, but appears her relief isn’t making it in through the sleet. She’s gonna be stuck here all night. I might just have to be stuck, too. Good thing she thinks I’m the best surgical tech she’s ever worked with.”
Wes grinned and shook his head. Bulldog had no lack of self-esteem. Good thing his skills matched his ego. “Good. I’ll contact you tomorrow.”
He disconnected and placed the phone in the cradle, connecting to the GPS.
Guilt washed over Wes. It was his fault so many of his team were gone and just the four of them remained. Six years ago he’d walked away from what was left of his team, the few he hadn’t gotten killed. He’d kept track of them, but hadn’t made contact with any until two weeks ago. Bulldog had no reason to trust him, let alone help him. Yet he hadn’t hesitated.
Good men. Honorable men. That’s what his team had been. Men who knew how to protect the innocent, no matter what it took.
Relaxing, now that he knew Dylan was in good hands, he considered his options.
He could take Chloe to Gage and Bobby’s place. She’d probably like a visit with her sister. Problem was, if her stalker knew anything about her, that’s one of the first places he’d go to find her. He wasn’t about to put his friends in that kind of jeopardy. Besides, even though they were back in town, the pair were still in the honeymoon phase of their marriage, not to mention Bobby was pregnant for the first time.
So, option one was out.
Option two was to ensconce her in a no-name hotel. There was one on the outskirts of Westen and plenty in the northern part of Columbus, just about an hour’s drive from Westen. The problem with that idea was security sucked and she’d have to pay with a credit card, thereby leaving an electronic footprint for her stalker to track her down. Besides, he’d be too far away to actually help her if the stalker found her.
Option two was out.
That left option three.
And she wasn’t going to like it at all.
CHAPTER SIX
The slowing of the car woke Chloe. She wiggled into a more upright position and stretched as much as the tight space of the passenger seat would allow her. Snow fell at a good clip in the light from the headlights as they drove down an exit ramp.
“Where are we?” she asked, rubbing her face and twisting to work out a few kinks that had settled into her muscles. Sleeping in a car wasn’t always restful, but apparently last night’s sleeplessness had added to her exhaustion from the evening’s events.
“Gonna make a quick stop for supplies.” Wes said, pulling into a Walmart superstore lot.
“Supplies for what?” she asked, pulling on a blanket laying on top of her. Where had that come from?
Wes grasped it and tossed it in the backseat. Immediately a chill ran up her hose covered legs. “First thing we need is to get you some warm clothes.”
She lifted a skeptical eye at him. “At Walmart?”
He tapped the dashboard clock. “Hate to point it out to you, sweetheart, but it’s after ten. All the malls are closed.”
“Walmart it is.” She buttoned up her coat, grabbed her bag and opened the door. The chill hit her like a blast from the freezer. There was nearly four inches of snow on the ground and the gusts of wind had picked up.
“How far north did you drive us? Canada?” she asked as Wes met her at the front of the SUV. He’d parked only one aisle from the store, the weather apparently keeping saner people at home.
“We’re just south of Columbus in Grove City. I wanted to stay close to the interstate. Once we’re north of the city we’re likely not too find another place to get you clothes.” He grabbed a hold of her arm to steady her, glancing down at her high-heeled boots. “You’re going to need sturdier winter boots.”
“If I’d known I was going to be taking a trip in a blizzard, I’d have worn my hiking boots.”
As they made their way into the store, she slipped twice, glad both times that Wes kept her from falling onto her keester in the cold wet snow. It was bad enough when you did it in jeans, but a skirt and hose? Yeah, not fun at all.
Once inside, he let go of her and grabbed a shopping cart. “Why don’t you head to the women’s department while I get some food supplies?”
She stopped mid-stride. “You’re just taking me to my sister’s place, right?”
Wes moved closer, close enough that she had to tilt her head up to see his eyes. “This guy has escalated and intends to really hurt you. Do you want to put your sister, Gage, and their baby in his cross-hairs?”
Fear for her sister and her unborn child hit her hard. Damn the man was right again. “No. I’d never want to do that.”
“Then grab enough clothes for a week. Warm clothes. I’ll meet you near the shoes in a little while.”
Before she could inform him that no way was she going to be gone from work for a week, he’d turned his back to her and strode off like a caveman going in search of a wooly mammoth. A man on a mission.