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CHAPTER FOUR

Vera wasn’t sure she liked the plan that had been set up. She was meeting a man at the local Walmart. They were going to leave in his vehicle, which was a rental, so they didn’t think Logan could track it. Then, they would drive to another location, and she would switch to another car. But that one, she would have to be in the trunk.

It was weird that they would put her in the trunk and drive. Like who did shit like that? But they were getting her out of Texas, helping her escape the madman hell bent on destroying her.

Though she worried about the plan, she caught the taxi at eleven that morning like they had arranged. She only had a backpack since everything else had been destroyed in the fire. The donated clothes she’d been wearing didn’t fit well, and she thought it best to leave them for someone else to use. Besides, she could pick up new clothes in California.

Once in Walmart, she headed to the gardening section like they’d told her. She saw a man standing near the hoses, which was where she’d been directed to go. The man had dark hair and dark eyes that narrowed as she moved closer. He wasn’t old, but he wasn’t as young as Logan’s friends. She had a feeling she could trust him, like a calm washing over her.

“Vera?”

She nodded. “Yes. I’m Vera.”

“You can call me Tex. We’re going out this way.”

She followed him toward the back of the store. “We’re not going out the front?”

“No, ma’am. If you see someone you recognize, you need to tell me.”

“I will.” She glanced around, searching for Logan or one of his buddies. So far, it seemed like no one was following her.

They slipped out the back of the store, where a car sat waiting for them. “Get in the back and get low. I know you may want to look where we’re going, but you can’t.”

“Yes, sir.”

She slid into the back seat and lay down, tears forming in her eyes. Could this really work? Worry made breathing difficult, but she vowed to stay calm.

“I’ll turn the temperature low, but you need to cover up with that blanket. The guys in trucks will be able to see into the back, and we can’t have anyone knowing you’re back there.”

She covered her body and head, noticing that her hands were shaking. The car eased forward, and then they turned out onto the street. Tex drove for a bit before he stopped. Worry filled her until they took off again, then stopped. It seemed longer than stoplights, but she wasn’t sure.

After what seemed like forever, Tex spoke. “We’re almost there. I’ve made a few stops to make sure no one was following me.”

“Thank you.” She forced herself to calm down. There was no reason to panic. This guy, Tex, was keeping her safe. There was no way she could have gotten out of there without help from this man.

Finally, the vehicle rolled to a stop, and the engine cut off. Her heart started beating faster, and she worried that Logan had followed.

“Vera, you’re switching to a new vehicle. This may be scary because you’ll be in the trunk. We think that’s the safest way for you to get out without being seen.”

“Can I uncover my head?”

“Yes, you can sit up. The other guy is here. He’s going to drive you to Waco. You’ll be put on a bus. The bus is your best bet because they won’t take your name. No one will expect you to leave from Waco. Once he feels like it’s safe, he’ll pull off and let you into the front of the car, but we need to make sure you really are safe.”

She didn’t want one of Logan’s friends seeing her. Having him tracking her, knowing where she always was had freaked her out. “I can ride the whole way in the trunk.”

“Okay. I’ll tell him. And Vera, stay safe. I’ll keep up with your progress. I’m in contact with Hop. He’ll know where you are the whole way.”

Tex opened the door for her and she stepped out, glancing around, noticing they were in an industrial garage that was closed. She drew in a shaky breath, and Tex’s lips quirked up in a smile.

“I know this is scary. Hopefully, this will get you where you need to go. Here.” He handed her a small item. “Usually, we sew them into clothing, but you don’t have time right now. It’s a tracker. If something happens and he gets ahold of you, we’ll know where you are. Stay safe.”

Her hand went to her hair, but there was nothing to brush behind her ear. She’d forgotten for a moment that Logan had chopped it off. Sadness hit, but she pushed it away. She wouldn’t be sad about losing the dead ends of her hair or having to go with a new style. She looked good with short hair, and that was that. Even if it took convincing herself of that fact, she wouldn’t let Logan win by being depressed about losing her long hair. “Thank you. This means the world to me.”

The man from the new car got out and came over. He was big, very muscular, and looked scary. Then he smiled and shook Tex’s hand.

“It’s good to see you, man.” The guy turned to her. “Call me Whisper. I’m taking you to Waco. I have a light in the trunk and a button for you to push to talk to me. I have AC set up to keep you cool enough. You can change the temperature if you need to.”

The situation overwhelmed her. “Wow.”

Whisper chuckled. “I don’t do this often, but we’ve had to do it enough times. I have a good setup.”

“Thank you. I don’t know what I would do without your help. How can I repay you?”

They both shook their head. “When family needs us, we answer the call. Just be safe. That’s repayment enough.”

She didn’t know what to say. For a moment, she wondered if these guys were real or if she’d dreamt it up. But no, she was awake, and this was happening. She might just be able to escape Logan with help from these men. “Thank you.”

Whisper popped the trunk of his car, and she drew in a slow breath. There was a pillow and blanket and a few other things to make her more comfortable. She thanked Tex again, then climbed in.

The drive seemed to pass much quicker than getting from Walmart to the garage where she’d switched cars. She might have fallen asleep for a bit because when Whisper spoke over the speaker in the trunk, she jerked like she’d just woken up.

“We’re getting closer. I’m going to slow. There is a button next to the back seat. If you press it, one side will fold down. You can crawl through, so it looks like you’re just getting out of the back seat when you get out.”

“Thank you.”

She moved, making sure she had her backpack close. Minutes after she left the trunk, they pulled up at the bus stop.

“I’ve had a car trailing us. The spotter didn’t see Logan or anyone else following. I’m certain you’re safe. You don’t have a phone he can track?”

“No, sir. I tossed that after the fire.”

Whisper shook his head. “I hope this gets you some freedom.”

“Thank you. I really appreciate what you’re doing.”

“I’m glad to help. Like Tex said, we help family.”

She nodded, unsure what else to say. He handed her an envelope, and her eyebrows shot up as confusion filled her.

“What’s this?”

“Your ticket. Hop will be there when you arrive.”

“Hop?”

“Um, Ben. We call him Hop. He’ll be there.”

“Again, thank you. I owe you all my life.”

“You’re welcome, and it’s all good. You deserve to have peace. Take care.”

She waved one final time and headed into the station. It looked like she had an hour to kill. The last thing she wanted was to be found here by either someone taking a photo, or one of Logan’s friends coming in, so she hid in the bathroom. When women came in, she worked on her makeup, not that she wore much, but it gave her an excuse for being in the bathroom.

She couldn’t believe this was her life. How had she gotten to this point where she was hiding in a bus station bathroom. Logan had bullied her for the last time. She would be free of him just as soon as she left Texas. There wasn’t any way he would find her in California. She knew that meant she had to stay off social media, but she could do it.

Logan didn’t show up before she loaded on the bus. She could breathe a little easier now that she knew she would really escape him. Still, worry filtered in, taunting her with the idea that she would never be free from that bastard. Logan could find her if he looked hard enough.

The hotel where Vera was staying had cameras, and he knew they were monitored. One of his buddies did some work there and found out the hard way that they had someone watching the feeds. If he entered the hotel, they would have a record of him being there. He should have acted when he saw her at the restaurant.

Maybe there was another way to get back at her. She’d walked away from him, and that wasn’t okay. She had no right to end it with him. Who did she think she was walking away?

Logan swung back by the hotel where Vera was staying, thinking of a way to get her room number. Maybe he could burn down the hotel. But the hotel’s video surveillance would pick him up. He was pushing his luck.

His friends in the police force would forgive him for being a little rough with Vera. They all knew what a bitch she was. But another building going up in flames would be difficult for them to excuse. Not that anyone knew he’d burned down the apartment building, but a few of his buddies suspected.

Taking out the hotel would get his name on a list. He had to find her, though. Maybe she would show up in the next few days. And then, he would do more than just chain her to a tree or burn her out of an apartment. He would make sure she never escaped from him again.