Page 18

CHAPTER 18

Tex didn’t want to alarm Chelsea, especially if there wasn’t a reason. But every time he looked behind him, the same car was there.

He’d never seen the dark green sedan before. The person behind the wheel wore sunglasses and a baseball cap, so it was hard to tell any details about him.

Tex glanced back at the road in front of him, his senses on alert. But when he looked in the rearview mirror again, he noticed the car now getting closer. Too close for his comfort.

He pressed on the gas, not wanting to wrongly guess what this driver might be up to.

“Tex?” Chelsea’s voice trembled.

“I’m just trying to be on the safe side.”

The driver sped up. Came close enough that Texas couldn’t see its front grill.

This was the part of the road that was narrower, that was deeper in the mountains with a wooden guardrail on one side. Beyond the guardrail was a cliff that dropped probably two hundred feet.

“What are you going to do?” Chelsea glanced behind them.

“I’ve got this.”

He only hoped this Volkswagen Bug could keep up.

He pressed the accelerator harder as they started up an incline.

The car seemed to moan as the engine was pushed to its limits.

But not the vehicle behind them. It didn’t struggle at all.

After a moment, the guy tapped their bumper.

“Tex . . .”

He pressed the accelerator to the floor. The vehicle continued to chug up the mountain.

That was when the driver behind them nudged them again.

This time, they lurched forward.

Chelsea gasped.

Tex studied the road in front of him. Tried to figure out the best plan of action.

One thing was for sure. He couldn’t let this guy run them off the side of the road. The cliff was too steep. Too deadly.

But if he remembered correctly, there was a small pull-off coming up ahead. If he could just get there . . .

He pressed the accelerator harder. But it was already to the floor, and the car behind him didn’t back down.

The vehicle came at them again.

Tex gripped the wheel tighter.

Where was that pull-off?

Then, just as he rounded the bend, he spotted it.

But he’d have to maneuver the Bug into the pull-off very carefully. At this rate of speed, it would be dangerous. If Tex miscalculated, he’d slam into the side of the mountain.

“Hold on!” he yelled.

Then he swerved into the gravel alcove.

As soon as all four tires hit the gravel, he threw on the brakes.

The car slid, veering dangerously close to the rock wall beside them.

Tex glanced behind him. The vehicle following them slowed.

The next instant, the driver gunned the engine and raced away.

Tex glanced in front of him again as the Volkswagen Bug came to a stop without crashing—but barely missing the mountain.

They were safe.

For now.

He threw the car into Park and turned to Chelsea. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, though clearly frightened, with her wide eyes and shallow breathing. “I’m fine. I think. But Tex . . . how far is this person going to take this?”

That was an excellent question. He wasn’t sure he knew the answer. Or that he liked the conclusions forming in his mind.

Instead of responding, he drew in a deep breath.

Then he pulled back onto the road.

The best thing he could do right now was to get the two of them off this mountain and somewhere safe.

However, was there anywhere that was truly safe?

Chelsea’s heart still pounded out of control as they headed toward her house.

Though she thought the other driver was probably long gone now, another part of her feared he’d show up again, determined to finish what he’d started.

Did this person want to kill them? Or simply scare them?

It didn’t matter. What he’d done was still despicable.

She and Tex were obviously getting too close to the truth right now, and someone was desperate for them to back off.

They cleared the mountain road and reached the small neighborhood where her house was located.

As they drove past Gilbert’s impeccable house, she glanced at the front. The wood covering the window was a temporary blemish to the otherwise perfect house.

She thought about how someone had thrown a brick through his window. How did that fit with everything that had happened?

Did that mean Gilbert was a victim here also?

Chelsea mentally replayed that conversation she’d overheard between Gilbert and the mystery man. Could she have misconstrued it? Maybe Gilbert was being threatened as well.

I don’t know what else to tell you.

I can’t keep doing this.

You don’t have much choice.

She didn’t know. Too many thoughts rushed through her head right now to make sense of any of them.

Tex pulled into her driveway. Wordlessly, they both climbed out, walked to the rear of the vehicle, and stared at the dent in the bumper. The mark was probably eight inches long.

Her stomach churned.

She would have to get that fixed, obviously. It just seemed so senseless. Like such a waste of her time and resources.

But at least her engine seemed okay. That was always a concern since it was located in the back of the vehicle.

“There’s nothing I can do to help you fix that damage,” Tex murmured. “You’ll have to take it to a body shop.”

“I can do that. Probably after the holidays.” She paused. “At least it still runs.”

“That is a good way to look at the situation.”

She glanced at him. “What are you going to do about your truck?”

“I’ll need to call someone to tow it into a shop. Hopefully, someone has some of my tires in stock. I have a spare, but it doesn’t do much good when all four of my tires were slashed.”

Chelsea frowned. “That seems like overkill, doesn’t it?”

“For sure.”

They paused in front of each other, a moment of silence passing.

Her pulse quickened.

Was Tex thinking what she was thinking? Was he remembering the good times they’d shared? The sweet kisses they’d exchanged?

He hadn’t given any indication of that, she realized. She was simply being too optimistic.

She cleared her throat, desperate to change her thoughts. “So, what time is dinner?”

Tex stepped back. Was that disappointment on his face? Or was Chelsea just seeing what she wanted to see?

He glanced at his watch. “At six. We’ve still got an hour.”

“I’d like to freshen up in the meantime.”

“I’ll check out your place first, just to be safe.”

“I’d appreciate that,” she admitted.

This was no time for her to pretend to be stronger or braver than she really was.

If she were honest, she’d admit she was scared. Really scared.

But also more determined than ever. No one was going to scare her away from the truth, from protecting her students.

She followed Tex inside. Just as before, she waited near the door while he checked out each room.

When he returned, he gave her a nod and told her everything was okay.

Relief swept through her.

He paused in front of her as if uncertain what to say. Finally, he murmured, “I can come back and walk you over closer to the time if you’d like.”

The offer was sweet. It really was. But it was probably only a hundred feet between their houses. “It’s not far. I should be fine.”

But if she’d be fine, why did her voice sound scratchy?

He hesitated another moment. “If you need me, let me know.”

It almost sounded as if Tex were trying to think of an excuse to stay.

Chelsea didn’t hate the idea of him hanging around.

Then she reminded herself yet again that she needed to keep her distance. It was only wise not to get attached.

Easier said than done, however. She craved his attention, his touch. She missed coaxing a smile out of him and those special looks they exchanged as they communicated without even saying a word.

“I’ll see you in an hour,” she said instead.

He gave her another lingering look as if waiting for her—silently begging her—to change her mind. Then with a resolute nod, Tex left.

As soon as he was gone, Chelsea missed his presence.

That was how she would feel when he left again in a few days. She had to remember that . . . for the sake of her heart.