Page 27

He couldn’t really tell, but this might be his last chance to see if making nice produced results.
She turned up her collar, pinning auburn hair underneath. He itched to slide a lock between his fingers and breathe in more of her intoxicating scent, but he would not cross that line. She arched her brows skeptically. “If I didn’t know you were after my brother, your attention could go to my head.”
He doubted that. She had too hard a head for a guy to scratch the surface. “I’m giving you some business. Like I did last night.” Plus, he’d gone above and beyond to fix her front door.
“And what?” Her gaze turned icy cold again. “I should bow down and kiss your feet?”
Mitch stared at her. Wasn’t that behavior reserved for Hollywood movies? “Do real people do that?”
“It’s just an expression. I do appreciate your support, Mr. Guidry.” They’d reached the cemetery’s street entrance, and she glanced down the sidewalk. “I have to go back to the bus.”
“By all means.” He sauntered with her past the row of live oaks.
“You don’t have to come.”
“I know. You’re perfectly capable.” But he needed to keep an eye on her and he would.
Her little fifteen-seater hugged the curb some twenty yards back from the driveway because another bus had been loading there when they arrived. She climbed in, set her phone on the dash, and looked at him where he stood at the door. “Will you go back and stand at the gate to tell my customers where I am in case someone doesn’t remember?”
Mitch put a booted foot on the first step. “Why don’t you pull up to the gate? The curb is empty now.”
“Why don’t you show me what a nice guy you are and leave me alone for five minutes?” She glanced at her watch. “Please.”
“As you wish.” He could eyeball her through the windshield. See if anyone called. See if she called anyone. If she did either, the other party would likely be his fugitive.
He walked back to the entrance. Eleven forty-five. Fifteen minutes more. A motor revved. He pinpointed the roar to the service station across the street. A car being tuned. Sitrep normal. He swung his gaze back to Cath’s bus and squinted hard. What the hell?
A man stumbled out of the door. He dragged someone behind him. Mitch stepped to one side to see around a tree. Cath! He had Cath.
Time slowed as all senses went on alert. Her arms flailed in slow motion. A second man clamped a hand over her mouth.
“Hey!” Mitch charged toward them, launching himself for a hit.
The first assailant pointed a gun. Mitch slammed his hand on the man’s wrist. The pistol dropped to the ground. Mitch spun him around and landed a fist to the gut. But the guy barely doubled over. He sent Mitch sprawling. Cath screamed.
Doors slammed. The van parked behind her bus roared to life. The men were getting away. Mitch struggled to his feet and sped toward the handle of the side slider. His grip fell short. The assailants tore away with a squeal of tires.
* * *
Mitch had been ready for hysterics when her assailants fled, but Cath got her customers connected to a larger tour with cool efficiency. Only now did she shake so badly she needed two hands to lift the water bottle he handed over.
The police detective pulled him aside. “Witnesses say you approached the men attempting to kidnap Ms. Hurley?”
“That’s right. I got in some punches but couldn’t stop them. After Ms. Hurley screamed, all the tourists down at the cemetery started yelling. The men jumped into a dirty white van. I ran after them, but there was too much mud on the plate to get a read.” He showed the cop where the scuffle had taken place.
Detective LeNoux handed them both a card in case they remembered any more details. “We’ll put out a BOLO on the van. Anything you want to add to the description, Ms. Hurley?”
Cath stepped down from her bus and skirted the cordoned area where a CSI tech crouched. “Sorry, I couldn’t really focus on what they looked like.”
A phone pinged. She turned her back, spoke into her cell, and disconnected almost immediately. “Are you finished with me, Officer?”
The detective looked up from making notes.
“I need to go to the hospital.”
Chapter 6
“Look out!”