Page 7 of Caleb’s Cause (Broken Wheel Ranch #12)

Katherine Miller felt herself frown in her sleep because she thought someone called her name.

It sounded so far away that she only shook her head as she tried to roll over and snuggle beneath the blanket.

When she felt a hand over her mouth, her eyes flew open, and she sat up quickly, trying to scream, but was prevented.

It wasn’t until she heard the persistent voice in her ear that she nodded her head.

“Katherine,” came the whispered voice. “It’s Mom, don’t say a word. Promise me you won’t say a word?” Ilsa Miller waited until her daughter nodded, then slowly removed her hand from her daughter’s mouth.

Katherine looked at her mother in confusion, and lifted her hands and shoulders to convey it. She didn’t move as her mother leaned back to whisper in her ear.

“George was here, he’s on a rampage. He and your father just left to go to your apartment and drag you out.

Both George and your father say you have to pay for what they perceived was your fault in the accident.

They refuse to understand that it wasn’t.

We even won in court, all the evidence was on our side.

They don’t know you’re here, and they left five minutes ago to go to your place. ”

“Call the police!” Katherine whispered back.

“I can’t.”

“Why? Please, tell me you’re not protecting that fucker. And for the millionth time, he’s not my father.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.” Isla held up her hand and went to the window and moved the curtains aside, causing Katherine to see the tension ease from her shoulders.

She turned to her daughter and Katherine was able to see tears shining in her eyes from the lights out on the street. “I’m sorry for everything.”

“Mom, what’s going on?”

“George Babcock came here drunk. He told your fath… sorry, he told Larry that if he wanted to keep his job, then they needed to go to your apartment and teach you a lesson.”

“Is this about the accident?”

“Yes.”

“But, I didn’t do anything wrong. We had video proof, and we won at the hearing.”

“I know, people from my office represented you. Your dash camera was the proof that sent Michael to jail. A jury convicted him for both attempted murder against you, and the murder of Stephanie. I don’t think you know this, though.

” As Ilsa talked, she rushed around the room and started opening drawers in the dresser, and looking through the closet.

She held up a finger in a waiting motion, and rushed out of the room.

When she returned, she had one of Katherine’s old back packs from when she had been in high school.

“What are you doing?” Katherine was still too shocked to get out of bed, and help her mother with whatever she was trying to do.

“Helping you to disappear. I can’t do everything tonight, we’ll have to meet up tomorrow and I’ll explain everything, I promise.” Ilsa turned in several circles, and Katherine rose from the bed, went to her, and gripped her biceps to give her a little shake.

“Mom, snap out of it. Talk to me.” She guided the older woman to the side of the bed and sat her down before running into the connecting bathroom to get her a drink.

She came back and forced the glass into her mother’s hands, then lifted it to her mouth.

After half the water was gone, Ilsa seemed to be better.

She looked at her daughter with wide eyes.

“George Babcock is connected with, or is in charge of, some very, very bad people. My office has been investigating them for years, but we don’t have enough evidence to convict yet.

I know you know that my marriage to Larry is a joke.

Hell, we don’t even sleep in the same room anymore.

I also know you’re pissed at me because I haven’t divorced him yet.

” Ilsa shook her head as she drained the rest of the water, then looked at her daughter in earnest. “I can’t really say they’re the mob, but I’m hoping you get my gist. I went to my boss three years ago with my suspicions of what George and Larry were doing.

He knows everything, and we are keeping my sham of a marriage going in order for me to gather information. ”

“Isn’t that entrapment?”

“No, because in this state, a wife doesn’t have to testify against her husband, but as soon as I can get enough information I will divorce him.

The papers are already drawn up and sitting in my safe at the office.

” She shook her head sadly, and laughed with no mirth behind it.

“Hell, I think my entire fucking life is in that safe, but it’s the only place where I know to keep things out of their hands. ”

“What are you waiting for? Why not divorce him now?”

“For incriminating evidence. I believe it’s close that they, meaning George and Larry, are going to come to me asking for some lawyerly favors.

I’m prepared for that. However, I need to get you to safety first. I know it hasn’t seemed like it over the years, but you are my number one priority, always have been, and always will be. ”

“Why not contact the police?”

“Because three of the men that showed up here to get Larry are on the police force.”

“Shit.” Katherine looked at her mother in shock. “I’m not safe, am I?”

“No, you’re not, but I’ve come up with a plan.

Once you were arrested for what Michael did, I went to my boss and explained the entire situation.

That’s why he represented you. We knew you were innocent, and he proved it.

Anyway, together, we came up with a plan and put it in place when we suspected George might become unhinged.

You being here tonight, without Larry knowing it, probably just saved your life, but you’re not safe. ”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“First, get dressed. Wear jeans and a tee shirt.” She watched as her daughter quickly did as she was told, and as she dressed her feet, Ilsa asked. “Do you have any cash on you?”

“Five hundred.”

“Great. I want to you take your ID, and the cash. Leave all your credit cards here. I’ll take them to work with me tomorrow and keep them safe until we meet up again. Remember, you did absolutely nothing wrong.” Ilsa paused and let out a big breath, and rubbed her forehead.

“What’s wrong?”

“We’re putting you into something like witness protection without involving the government.

We don’t know who we can trust, but you need to get out of here.

You need to leave the city. After tomorrow, Lyle is going to go to your boss and explain the situation.

You’re still out on medical leave, correct? ”

Katherine looked at the white bandages that ran from her wrist to above her elbow on her left arm and sighed heavily. “Yeah, the doctor’s think it’ll be another month or two before I can get back to work.”

“This works perfectly, then. You’ll meet Lyle tomorrow morning at nine at the Third Street Diner.”

“Where’s that? I don’t think there’s a Third Street in town.”

“There’s not, you probably remember it as the Polka-Dot.”

“Down by the train depot? The one with my favorite vanilla milkshake?”

“Yes. When you meet with Lyle, he’s going to have a backpack for you.

If he hasn’t already, or does it on his way to meet you, he is going to purchase you a ticket, I don’t know the mode of transportation he’s going to use, and I don’t know anything more than that.

It could be by train, by plane, or by bus.

Hell, it could be by boat for all I know, but I do know that you can trust him.

I do, that’s why he’s doing this for you. ”

“In case Larry gets wind of you helping me escape and tries to get information out of you, you can say you have no clue where I am. That’s why I’m meeting Lyle?”

“Correct.”

“Okay, Mom, I agree with everything so far, but it’s midnight, I have nine hours before I have to meet Lyle, where am I to go?”

“Go to a hotel and pay in cash. I’ll go with you in your car, and I’ll get an Uber to come home. Oh, and you’ll want to give your keys to Lyle. He’ll take care of your car.”

“I only have one question.”

“What’s that?”

“Where the hell am I supposed to go?”

“I don’t know if you know this, but I didn’t live here in California my entire life.

I grew up in the mid-west. I was eleven when I moved away.

I had a best friend and we lost touch over the years.

It wasn’t anything sinister, it was just that life happened.

I met and married your father, she married, we had kids, got jobs, and it wasn’t conductive at the time to meet in person. ”

“What does that have to do with me?”

“I want you to go to her. Tell her you’re my daughter, and that you’re in trouble.

Tell her everything, and if I know Emily, she’ll welcome you with open arms and keep you safe until I can come to you.

Talk to Lyle tomorrow to see if you can’t get the case number for your trial.

That will be proof that you’re innocent. Until you reach Emily, trust no one.”

“But where? Where does this Emily even live, and what’s her last name?”

“Emily Riceman, from Fool’s Gold, Colorado. Commit it to memory, do not write it down. I don’t have to tell you that until you’re safe with Emily you trust no one.”

“I won’t. One more question,” Katherine put her foot on the floor after tying her sneaker and started stuffing more clothes into the pack.

She grabbed her purse, looked through it, stuffed a few things inside the pack, put her license in her back pocket, put everything back and handed it to her mother.

“What’s your question?”

“Can I stop at the bank and withdraw more money?”

“What’s your daily limit?”

“Fifteen hundred.”