Witness in the Dark (Love Under Fire #1)(15)

“Is that me?” She pointed at the photo that had popped up on the screen.

They didn’t answer because the reporter did it for them.

“…are still looking into the cause of the explosion. Police have confirmed they found the remains of a young woman, suspected to be the owner of the vehicle—twenty-six year-old Samantha Hutchinson from Baileys Crossroads. Hutchinson was a sales coordinator at the Falls Church Review, and also worked at Santiago’s Pizza.”

Wow. That was it? The sum of her life?

As the reporter moved to a disheveled-looking Nikki, Sam couldn’t think of anything about her they’d missed. How depressing was that?

“We were supposed to meet last night for drinks,” Nikki said tearfully. “But she texted me to say she was too tired.”

“I’m so sorry,” Sam whispered.

Wendy glanced at Benson and back at Sam. “Did your friend know you were pinning the congressman for this?”

Something about the tone of Wendy’s voice made Sam shiver. Certainly she didn’t have the skills to deal with any of what was happening to her…but some deep instinct made her lie, and lie well.

“No. I didn’t tell anyone but the police, and they didn’t believe me.”

“Look.” Benson pointed at the TV again.

Already Sam’s story was over. She was old news as the reporter moved on to someone else’s gruesome end. “…vehicle found in the Potomac River was that of a Kenneth Holden, the man suspected of shooting single mother Heather Riddell earlier this week. His body was found in the vehicle, an apparent suicide.”

Sam stepped closer to the screen. “Except, it wasn’t him. He didn’t shoot her, Howe did.” When she turned back to Wendy and Benson, they were exchanging a look. Sam felt another shiver go up her spine.

“We need to get on the road. Finish your breakfast and pack your things,” Wendy ordered.

Her things? She had some sweats and the outfit she’d worn to the bar. That was it. It wouldn’t take long to pack.

Garrett was right, Wendy was snooty. Sam hoped that was her worst quality.

Deputy Benson led Sam out to a white SUV with dark tinted windows. She climbed in the back, and he shut the door and got in the passenger’s side. Wendy got behind the wheel and started the car.

“Ready?” Wendy asked.

Benson pulled a gun out of his jacket and nodded.

He’d been right about driving for most of the day. Hours and hours with a minimum of stops. She had no idea where they were—they had taken back roads and residential streets for the most part—but judging by the position of the sun, they were going west…then north…then east…then west again. She had dozed off occasionally, but woke when they went through a drive-thru for lunch and another for dinner.

Eventually, they came to a smallish town, turned down a narrow street in a residential area, and pulled into a driveway. It was frustrating that they hadn’t passed a sign letting her know the name of the town. Had her handlers done that on purpose?

She glanced out the window to see a small one-story square house with a tiny porch in the front. The backyard was bordered by a low chain-link fence—the type used to keep in a small dog or maybe children.

The house next to it was identical except for the color. Instead of white, it was light blue.

As she waited on the steps for Wendy to unlock the door, she noticed all the blinds were closed. Once inside, she inspected the barren surroundings. The living room was small, separated from the kitchen/dining area by a wide archway. A hallway led to two bedrooms and a tiny bathroom in the back.

The whole house was cold and smelled of bleach.

“Turn on the heat,” Wendy ordered Benson, who was already standing by the thermostat, then glanced at Sam. “Your room is the one on the left. Make yourself at home. We’re going to be here a while,” she said. “Get some sleep.”

Sleep? Sam didn’t see how she could possibly need more sleep. Why hadn’t Garrett thought to include a book or two with her clothes?

She walked to her room to unpack her few things. She looked down at the outfit he had bought her, and wondered for a moment where he might be right now. Was he off abducting another woman for her own good?

She changed into her sweats, and after washing her face and brushing her teeth, she crawled into the cold bed. The rest of the house had warmed up, but where she lay felt like she was stretched out on a frozen lake. Would she ever feel warm again?

She was the first person awake the next morning. Wendy was in the other room and Deputy Benson was sleeping on the sofa, a gun lying on the coffee table next to him.

When Sam opened up a cabinet in search of food, the sound startled him. Instantly, he rolled onto the floor, grabbed his gun, and aimed it at her in one steady move.

She gasped and held up her hands. “I surrender.”

If she’d doubted his ability to keep her safe before, those doubts were now gone. He seemed more than capable of taking someone out.

“Shit,” he muttered, and put the gun down. He looked around in confusion and shook his head. “I guess I fell asleep.” He sounded surprised.

“It happens.”

“Not while I’m supposed to be guarding you.”

“I won’t say anything,” she said as she glanced down the hall. “I’m fine. No harm, no foul.”