Present Danger Elizabeth Goddard (most inspirational books .txt) 📖

They purchased the fast food and ate as he headed toward Neva’s, finishing up quickly.

Jack glanced her way, his features drawn. “I have to tell you I have a bad feeling about this.”

She sighed. “I had hoped it was just me. I’m with Dallas in that I don’t think Neva’s relationship with Jim was romantic. Nor would he be meeting with an insurance client in those woods. Pauline made mention that Jim wasn’t into the artifacts until he’d met ‘that woman.’”

“Right, so Neva Bolz could be another connection to the things we found in his cabin.”

“And to his murder,” she added. “Except I can’t picture her committing the crime, then transporting him to the cliff and dropping him over.” Terra stared at her cell, hoping to bring up more information about Neva Bolz on the drive.

“If she killed him, she had help. Disposing of the vehicle also would have required help. The vehicle was driven to the lake. Whoever was driving would need a ride back, unless he or she hitchhiked back or stole a vehicle.”

Jack slowed as he steered to the home address and then parked at the curb of the upper-middle-class neighborhood. Neva Bolz’s home backed up to the forest.

“Her car is in the driveway. The same car that’s in the photograph. She’s home.” Terra opened the vehicle door.

Jack met her at the sidewalk. “Let’s not waste time. I’ll get right to the point. If there’s a door into questions about the artifacts, then I’ll let you ask those. Depending on her reaction, we might invite her downtown for a thorough interrogation.”

At the porch, he lifted his shoulders and rang the doorbell. He waited a few moments, then rang it again. Still, no one opened the door. “Maybe she isn’t in a hospitable mood.”

Terra knocked. “Ms. Bolz, I’m Special Agent Terra Connors, and County Detective Tanner is here with me. We just want to ask you a few questions.”

Terra listened for signs of movement, trying to determine if the woman was inside. Someone could have picked her up, which would explain why her car was still in the driveway though Neva wasn’t home.

A muffled sound came from inside—glass breaking? She and Jack drew their weapons at the same moment. He signaled that he would check the perimeter. She hopped from the porch and crept around the front of the home but couldn’t see through the windows because of the mini blinds covering them.

“Stop. Police!” Jack’s voice echoed off the neighbor’s house.

Terra ran around the back.

A man in a gray hoodie sprinted into the woods at the back of the houses, and Jack ran after him. Terra called for backup. This was a repeat of last night, only at someone else’s home. Terra wanted to follow, to be Jack’s backup, but she needed to check to see if Neva was in the home, after all.

That bad feeling she and Jack had shared overwhelmed her.

TWENTY-FIVE

Chasing a man through the woods was becoming too familiar. Jack sprinted, jumping over logs cutting through the undergrowth. Small branches slapped him, but his laser focus remained on the chase.

The man disappeared among the dense trees.

Jack stopped behind a thick trunk to hide. He leaned over his thighs and caught his breath, then examined his surroundings to get his bearings.

Weapon at the ready, Jack crept forward, grateful for a quiet carpet of pine needles in this section of the woods. The canopy here kept the forest in shadows. Movement fifteen yards ahead drew his attention. The man’s shadow told Jack what he needed to know.

The man leaned against a tree, probably catching his breath too.

Jack crept forward until he reached the tree, the criminal leaning on the other side of it. He feared the man could hear his pounding heart or even the sweat as it slipped down his temples.

Here goes everything.

Weapon at the ready and his arms stretched in front of him, he swept around the tree. “Police.”

Gone.

The man had slipped away.

Jack suddenly felt exposed. He crouched and searched the area but saw no one. He maneuvered to stand behind another tree. He had to get a lead on this guy. He’d thought he had the advantage, but he’d made a mistake.

The muzzle of a gun pressed against the base of his head. “Toss your gun.”

The man, who spoke in a low, whispering rasp, quickly took several steps back and, Jack was sure, out of his reach. The man remained behind Jack so he couldn’t get a good look at his face.

Jack lifted his hands and let his 9mm dangle from his finger.

“I said toss the gun.” Again, the rasping voice.

Frowning, Jack did as he was told. This wasn’t going down the way he had imagined. He had to turn this around—and fast. He considered taking the action route—diving and rolling to grab his gun again. Could he disarm this man without getting shot in the head?

Or he could use the psychological method. “You shoot a cop, and they’ll hunt you down. You’ll be looking over your shoulder until the last day of your short life.”

“I’m already looking over my shoulder.”

“Who are you?” Jack wanted answers, and he needed to distract the man. “Come in, and we can help you. Whoever you’re running from, we can help you.”

“You can’t help me.”

In his peripheral vision, Jack saw movement.

Terra.

Blood roared in his ears. If Terra drew the man’s attention, he would shoot Jack first and ask questions later. Or she might shoot and kill the man, and they would still need answers.

He would have to risk it. No other choice.

A twig snapped.

Jack threw himself to the ground and rolled as gunfire rang out—the man had taken a shot at Terra and was now on the run. The guy dashed through the trees. Once again, the chase was on. Jack snatched up his gun and sprang to his feet as Terra rushed forward, gasping.

“Let’s go.” He took off after him.

After twenty minutes of running and searching the woods, he stopped to visually