“Where is Michael?” The question came out as her heart skittered in her chest. It was probably a tactical error, but Ellie didn’t care. She needed to know where he was.
“I shot him,” said Aidan so plainly and coldly. He stood above her on the snowbank, towering, his helmet under his arm. His cheeks were ruddy from exertion and the cold, and his hair was a slick, matted mess. There was no remorse in his voice, like he felt justified. Like Michael didn’t matter.
“You shot a man,” she said incredulously. “A person.”
“Self-defense. And if he doesn’t survive that?” Aidan shrugged, like it wasn’t his problem. Like he had already thought this through and forgiven himself.
“Is he still alive?” she asked. Her voice shook as she tried to tamp down the panic that was rising inside her. Please, not Michael, Lord, she silently begged. Not another senseless death. Not the man who had stayed by her side throughout the most frightening events she’d ever faced. Not the man who had opened up to her about his own loss. Not the person she could understand, connect with. The idea of losing him so soon after he’d entered her life was too much to process.
“I’m more curious to hear who Michael is,” Aidan said with a snarl. “You two seem quite close. Especially for such a recent widow.”
The sneer on his face was filled with anger and scorn. This man was even more dangerous and impulsive than she’d thought. Earlier, he’d had reasons to keep her alive, but those could flip at any minute. The more he found ways to fault her for his position, the less resistance he’d have to harming her. Ellie refused to tremble before this man, but she wasn’t stupid. He had a gun. He had been pursuing her all day and, in his own words, he would never stop.
Right now, she had a choice between a man who was threatening her and the police, who very well might not believe her. The flashing lights weren’t too far away, and the snow on the road could be measured in inches not feet. Ellie shuddered from the cold. If nothing else, the police had a warm, dry car. Maybe there was a chance that they’d send out a search and rescue team for Michael. This thought sparked a little burst of hope inside her. She had to find a way to talk Aidan down long enough to reach help. It was Michael’s only chance.
“I met Michael today,” she said. “He’s no one. Just a stranger that stepped in when I needed help.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Could he see on her face that this was both the truth and yet somehow a lie? There was something between them, something she had felt when he’d sat next to her at the fire tower. The connection felt nothing like friendship. She quickly pushed that dangerous thought away as she started down the road. Aidan quickly caught up with her.
He had pulled out his weapon. “I’ve been watching you,” he added. “But you already know that.”
Ellie stumbled as a sliver of a memory came back from the car ride home from the New Generation Construction meeting. Her phone. He had been using the location-sharing app on Sean’s old phone to track her, which she’d understood as he’d crept closer in her rearview mirror. Moments after that realization, she’d lost control of the car. That was why she’d left her phone in the vehicle when she’d run. But it hadn’t made a difference.
“I figured out why you ran down the mountain after you crashed your car,” he continued. “You were trying to get to this man. You have him wrapped around your finger, just like Sean.”
Ran down the mountain. The words rattled inside her, shaking out the memory of those moments after the car crash returned. Running through the snow, searching for someone who could help her, panic and confusion clouding her thoughts. She’d looked for a place to hide on the snow-covered mountainside, but Aidan had found her first and backed her into a cave. He’d yelled and lunged for her and then...everything was blank. She must have fallen, hit her head.
Ellie stared at him, stunned. Aidan had made her question her own mental state. Some part of her had wondered if his concern that she’d cause harm could be legitimate. But now that those last pieces of her memory had surfaced, she knew for sure that he had lied. What else would he do to get his way?
She forced herself to focus on what he’d just said to her. He was accusing her of manipulating both Michael and Sean—not good. He was going to jump to the worst possible conclusion no matter what she said. Aidan walked next to her, too close for comfort. She searched for a way to refocus him.
“What do you want from me?” she asked, trying to make herself sound conciliatory. “How do we end this?”
“First, if you decide to mention Michael or make up something about being forced against your will, then I’ll make sure no one believes anything you say. You know how people feel about hysterical women. I’ll let them know how much help you need. You do, you know.”
Ellie couldn’t believe all the things that were coming out of this man’s mouth, but it was starting to dawn on her that he truly believed them. He saw himself as wronged by her.
“I’m not forcing you to do anything,” he continued. “You manipulated Sean, and now you’re trying to manipulate me. If you try to make my life harder, I’ll do the same for you.”
Talking him down really wasn’t going well.
“So we head for the police and they take us into town. What happens next?” she asked.
“We go directly to the office, and you sign off on the next stage of building.”
It was long after working hours, and the office would be empty. Ellie quaked at the idea of being alone with him. But Aidan needed her to do this. The details that had set off this whole disastrous chain of events this morning called out like a warning to her. Green Living Construction needed all three owners to sign off on expenses over five thousand dollars, and Ellie had to wonder why this clause had been in their rules in the first place. Had Sean or Clint suspected that Aidan wasn’t trustworthy? Another shudder of dread ran through her as memories broke through that hazy cloud that still hung over her mind. Memories from this morning, inside the cave. Something to do with Sean. It’s all your fault.
“Sean said no to your project,” she whispered.
She hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but it was too late. Aidan heard her, and his face exploded with rage.
“He backed out because of you. He said you wouldn’t want him involved in another project like the other one—the one where you’re living. The one that you’re still reaping the benefits from.”
“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she stuttered.
“Liar.”
There was so much frustration in his voice. Aidan definitely believed what he was saying. Had Sean used her as an excuse when he’d seen that Aidan was buying their way around laws and then written in the agreement clause about expenses? She wouldn’t have wanted him to go forward after she’d seen the records of the “gifts” the company had given just before the committee’s decision reversal...if she had known about it. But Sean hadn’t said a word about it.
Your fault.
The accusation rattled her, the same way it had rattled her back in the cave. In a twisted way, it was true. Even if she hadn’t had anything to do with it, she had wanted Sean to take a step back from the business that had sucked all his time, energy and attention. She hadn’t wanted Green Living Construction to start on the next development because she had wanted her husband back. And now he was gone.
Should she have let it be? Should she have not pushed so hard? But that would have put strain on them in other ways. It would also mean that Sean could still be alive. Aidan needed to be stopped, but why had it had to come at the expense of her husband’s life? The car crash was an accident, and there were so many if-onlys, too many to keep track of. If only they hadn’t argued. If only they hadn’t had an early snow that year. The cascade of ifs threatened to bury her, the way it had so many times.
Don’t do this to yourself. It was in God’s hands, not yours.
With that thought, relief came flooding through her. It wasn’t her fault. A new thought occurred to her, one that, up until this point, she hadn’t let herself think. Another if-only. If only Aidan hadn’t followed him that day.
“You were behind him. At the car crash.”
“I wasn’t chasing him,” he snapped, as if her words had been an accusation. “I just wanted to talk more. Our discussion wasn’t over.”
The words sent a new wave of fear through her. She could read between the lines, hear what he was denying. The brothers had had an argument and Aidan had been upset with Sean. Did Aidan, deep down, blame himself, too? Ellie wasn’t even sure he’d let himself think that far. It was easier to blame her than to blame himself.
This conversation was getting worse. She picked up the speed as they continued down the road toward the curve. Everything she said seemed to anger him more, making him even more volatile. As they rounded the curve in the road, she strained to see the police car.
We’re in God’s hands. The thought was a balm for her. Not only couldn’t she change the past—she needed to stop blaming herself. She needed to let it go. She had done her best with what she’d known, but God decided, not her. Not even Aidan. Just like He decided right now.
She caught the first glimpse of the police car up ahead. This was nowhere near over, but Ellie was ready for whatever she would face next.
The police car was parked at a quiet intersection, blocking the road in the direction Ellie and Aidan came from. Two officers stood underneath the dark traffic light, dressed in thick jackets and winter hats. As Ellie came closer, she could make out one as a tall man standing in the middle of the intersection. The road seemed to be blocked off to traffic—maybe because of the avalanche? The other officer was shorter, with her long hair tied in a low bun. She stood next to the only other vehicle in sight, talking to the driver through the window.
“I’ll do the talking,” said Aidan in a low voice. “Don’t try to manipulate this situation. Remember, if you ruin my life, I’ll ruin yours.”
As the mix of frustration and bitterness came through in his voice, Ellie shivered. This was a man who had just shot Michael, and left him out on the mountain, and now he was talking about her ruining his life? Aidan was both single-minded and determined, and she could feel that he was never going to leave her alone. Ever.
When this day had started, the crime Aidan had committed was bribery, the kind of crime that he could just pay more money to smooth over. But shooting someone? Ellie wanted to think that there were bigger consequences for that, like jail. But Aidan’s plan was to deny all of this, and he seemed to have enough confidence in this scheme that he was walking by her side, straight for the police. What other crimes had he committed? A shot of fear ran through her. She had celebrated Christmas with him, sat next to him in church. She had to be careful. Unless they found Michael, there was nothing concrete to show the police that Aidan was a threat to her.
Before, her intention had been to retrieve the go bag and run, but now she was no longer just choosing for herself. She had to consider Michael in her strategy, too. If she opened up to the police right now, and they didn’t believe her, it would provoke Aidan, putting her and Michael in even more danger. That was especially likely if her brother-in-law knew one or both of the officers. Then again, what other choice did Ellie have? Michael was injured up on the mountain. That was more important than escaping Aidan right now.
Please, Lord, let him live.
Ellie walked through the snow as exhaustion churned with fear inside her. Each step was more difficult than the last. She had been running all day, and the urge to surrender, to give up this fight, was strong. She wanted to rest, and maybe, if it was just her, she might have given up. But Ellie needed to know that Michael was safe, and that need overpowered everything else. She had to try.
So she straightened, refusing to give in to fear, as they rounded the police car and stepped into the intersection. The lone car drove away, leaving the four of them standing in the snow, the flashes of blue and red lighting up their faces. The woman was closer, but Aidan ignored her.
“Garrett,” he called in that hardy confident voice, so different from the snide bitterness he’d used with her.
Ellie’s gut twisted as the worst-case scenario came true. Aidan did know the officer, and he was using the same voice she’d heard him use too many times before, that charm of someone who was confident that life would go his way. And this was a friend. The chances of the officer believing Ellie over him had just dropped precipitously.
“Aidan, buddy, is that you?” said the officer, his voice full of concern. “What are you doing out here in the storm? Did you get stuck in the avalanche?”
“We got caught on the edge of it and wrecked our sleds up on Old Mill Road,” he said. “Barely made it out of there.”
Garrett turned to the other officer. “Hey, Renee? You direct for a while. I’m going to get these two something warm to drink.”
Ellie’s heart sank further as she heard the tone the man used to talk to the woman. Clearly, he was in charge—or at least he assumed he was. This situation was going to get worse if she didn’t act fast.
“Officer, Aidan shot at a man up on the mountain, and I’m afraid he’s going to die up there. Can you please call a search and rescue team to find him?” She said it loud enough for both officers to hear, hoping for support from the woman.
Garrett looked at Aidan, but he just lifted an eyebrow at Ellie and shook his head. His expression was baffled, as if he didn’t have the slightest clue what she was talking about.
“What is she talking about?” Garrett asked Aidan.
Frustration bubbled inside her. How could this man turn to Aidan for an explanation instead of her?
Aidan tilted his head a little, giving her a patronizing smile, then turned to Garrett. “Can I have a word with you in private?”
“Of course.”
Of course? Ellie’s heart rate kicked up even further as she watched them both turn their backs on her. She could see how effective Aidan’s strategy was, hinging on the trust of a personal relationship and probably the man’s subtle instinct that she was less reliable. He was going to distract and mislead, and bury this long enough for Michael not to survive. It was so unjust that her growing frustration threatened to overwhelm her. The only thing stopping her from yelling was that it would almost certainly be one step backward from saving Michael. Ellie tamped down her anger and focused on getting both officers’ attention.
“Officer Garrett, Officer Renee, Aidan is going to tell you that I’m delusional, that the death of my husband is making me unstable. He’s been pursuing me all day long, and he’s trying to silence me.”
Even as she spoke, she could hear she was losing ground with the officers, not gaining. Especially since she’d approached them with Aidan at her side. To their ears, this might sound like their definition of crazy. Even yesterday, she never would have thought all that had taken place today was possible.
“Please, Officers,” she said, trying to calm her voice. “I’m speaking the truth, but you don’t even have to believe me. All I’m asking is for you to send a team into the mountains. There’s a man up there who needs a rescue team. Please. Send someone to help him.”
Garrett gave her a patronizing smile. “Of course we’ll investigate this. Right now, we need to direct traffic, but when the storms over, we’ll—”
“He doesn’t have that kind of time,” she snapped and then turned to the woman. “Please, Officer. Just call this in. Send someone up there.”
The woman looked uncertainly from Ellie to Aidan to Garrett, as if she wasn’t sure what to do next.
“She’s a little out of sorts, but that’s understandable,” said Aidan, giving her a smile masked as kindness. “It’s been a rough day. Perhaps if she warms up a little, that will help things?”
Ellie felt as though she were sinking in quicksand. The more she struggled, the more entangled she became in this quagmire Aidan had set for her. That was why he’d so confidently walked toward the police, despite the fact that he’d just shot a man. He’d known he could do this. Had he done something similar before? That thought sent yet another chill through her. She couldn’t give up.
“Why don’t we call another squad car to take you back to the station?” said Garrett.
The man put his hand on her shoulder to lead her to the police car. She had the strong urge to shake off his arm, get away from him, but that would only mire her even deeper into the quicksand. She fought against the feeling of helplessness.
As Garrett opened the door, Aidan’s voice came from behind her. “Thank you for understanding. I’ll call my foreman to pick me up.”
Ellie froze, her hand on the door. He was calling his foreman, one of the men who had come to Tang Ranch for her. Aidan wasn’t calling for a ride; he was calling for backup. Would they return to the mountain to find Michael? Ellie shivered and forced herself to climb into the car. The female police officer came to the door.
“Would you like some hot chocolate?” she asked quietly.
Ellie nodded. “Thank you.”
The woman unscrewed the cap of a thermos and gave her a sympathetic look, though it didn’t change the situation. Even if this woman believed her and wanted to help, she would be overruled by the guy who was in charge. Aidan’s friend.
The woman poured the steaming drink into the plastic mug, handed it to Ellie and walked away. Ellie sat in the police car, gulping the hot chocolate and trying to figure out what to do. Her fears had come true. No one had believed her—no one except Michael. And now Michael was somewhere on the mountain. Was he injured...or worse? Ellie didn’t want to consider that possibility. Especially since she was stuck there, waiting for Aidan’s henchman to come and the squad car Garrett had called to arrive—with officers who would take her back to the station while Michael was out somewhere on the mountain. No. She couldn’t sit and let this happen. She had gotten him into this mess and it was her responsibility to get him out.
The police car was parked at the T in the road. To the left was the road to town, the road the squad car would use to arrive and then take her back into town. It was where the two officers now stood, talking to Aidan. Straight ahead was the road that followed the mountainside. It wove back and forth, and eventually came up...somewhere. She didn’t know where, so that wasn’t a good option. The only direction that held any hope was behind her, the road to the resort. If Michael had somehow made it off the mountain, then maybe their original plan could work: connect there, lose Aidan in the anonymity of the hotel, and then, with the help of Michael’s friend, escape. And if Michael hadn’t made it? The image of him shivering in the cold was a punch in the gut. The pain was physical, and her whole body grew weak under her.
“You just met him this morning,” she whispered to herself. “You barely know him.”
But those last words didn’t feel right. She cared about him, much more than she would have thought possible after just one day... Wariness took over as these thoughts ran through her, thoughts she didn’t know what to do with. Because she wasn’t going to fall for Michael. She wasn’t capable of falling for anyone.
So Ellie pushed the thoughts out of her mind and refocused on her current situation. There must be a search and rescue team somewhere, or at least a snowmobile she could rent to search the place herself. The only hope of finding him was to follow the road. The problem was to leave the police car without anyone seeing her.
Ellie stared out the window at Aidan and the two officers, the three figures lit by the flashes of red and blue from the light bar on their car. They stood with their backs to her, about twenty feet away, talking in low voices. When Aidan turned to make a comment, she could see glimpses of that smile of his—confident and yet asking for sympathy. How many times had he done this, covered up his bad behavior with this friendly polish? She was not going to let him do it to her again.
The trick was to slip off quietly when they were turned away. She hadn’t been arrested, so there was no reason she couldn’t leave... Ellie took one more gulp of the hot chocolate, letting the liquid warm her insides and gathering her energy, then screwed on the lid.
She slid over to the driver’s seat on the far side of the car and reached for the door handle. Ducking down, she cracked open the door and slipped out into the night, staying low. Their voices were still quiet, and she hoped that meant they hadn’t seen the light from inside the vehicle. Gently, she closed the door and then ran as fast as she could for the curve in the road. Her boots clomped on the snow-covered pavement, and she tried to swallow back her gasping breaths.
“Elizabeth.” Aidan’s voice carried over the snowy road, but she didn’t turn around. Would the police follow her? She couldn’t rule it out. All she could do was look ahead and run.
Her legs felt heavy and clumsy as she made her way through the snow, and her boots slid under her feet, but she didn’t stop. She headed for the curve. Still no sound above her gasping for breath.
“Elizabeth. Come back here.”
As she rounded the first curve, Aidan’s voice grew quieter. She turned around for a last glimpse at the scene behind her. The two officers stood in the intersection, watching her. But halfway between the police car and her, Aidan was following on her heels.
Ellie’s heart stuttered in her chest. He was pursuing her, and all that stood between them was her endurance, which was already stretched thin. How far was the ski resort? Did she have the strength to make it to there on foot?
She would if there was any hope to help Michael. And the police weren’t following her, so she still had a chance. That thought gave her a little push as she ran into the night, along the empty stretch of road, trying not to look back again. As she passed the spot where she and Aidan had emerged from the mountain, a new thought occurred to her. Would he shoot her? So far, he had wanted her alive, but maybe he would do it and call it self-defense? It was hard to do that when you put a bullet through someone’s back, but sadly, it wouldn’t be the first time people bought that argument. Also, the police had just seen them together. Ellie hoped that would be enough to make Aidan think twice about shooting her.
The glow of the police lights faded, but ahead, in the distance, she heard the heavy hum of an engine. She came to another curve and, as she rounded it, white lights flashed in front of her. There was a mound of snow in the middle of the road, taller than she was, and two bulldozers slowly working to shovel it. The avalanche.
She ran toward it. One worker stood to the side of the frozen stream of snow, directing people through a walkie-talkie. As she approached, the man flagged her down.
“Hey. No crossing here until we clear the road.”
Ellie ignored him and started up the mound of chunky snow.
“Hey!” The man’s voice was sharper this time. “You’re not supposed to...”
The rest of his sentence, faded, drowned out by the bulldozer coming at her.
Ellie scrambled to the side, dodging machinery, and continued over the snowbank, her heart pounding. Her legs ached and burned, but she couldn’t stop. She used her hands to climb over the blocks of snow. It was hard, dense, the opposite of powder, but the ripples and bumps made the surface too uneven to run. She glanced behind her and saw Aidan standing on the top of the mound. Much too close, and the resort wasn’t in sight.
“I promise you, Michael. I won’t stop,” she whispered to herself.
Finally, she hit the road again. She climbed off the avalanche’s flow and sprinted toward the lights that glowed from just beyond the curve of the road. The resort. It was close. Ellie stumbled, her feet dragging through the snow, but she caught herself with her hand, picked herself up, kept going.
“You know you can’t run from me, Elizabeth.” Aidan’s voice sounded much too close. “Who will people believe—you or me? I’ll have you committed if that’s what it takes to get you to do what’s best for our company. You know I can do it.”
Ellie tried to shut out his words, but that feeling of resignation was strong. She couldn’t run for the rest of her life. He’d keep pursuing her until he got his way. The reality of that stretched out in front of her like slow suffocation, and her legs begged her to give in.
Maybe that was true, but Michael was still out there on the mountain. She wasn’t going to let Aidan corner her until she found Michael. She couldn’t lose sight of that purpose.
Ellie continued around the curve until the resort was in front of her. As she ran, she took in the layout, assessing it, trying to come up with a strategy. The place was a sprawling chain of buildings at the bottom of the mountain, with a main lodge, built in a large, log-cabin style, to welcome the guests. The hotel spread out like wings on both sides, with two taller buildings and then a series of smaller cabins tucked away into the mountainside. Behind the main lodge, a little village of shops and restaurants was just in sight, climbing into the mountain, and behind the shops, the chairlifts spread in different directions up the mountain. Most were dark, but a string of gondolas seemed to float above the snow, toward the lights of a building near the peaks.
If she could get inside the hotel, she could run up the stairs, lose him on the floor, maybe duck into someone’s room while she called security. All she needed was a locked door to buy her some time. Or maybe she could convince housekeeping to let her in? The problem was how to get some distance from Aidan, to find a way he couldn’t follow her and sabotage anything she tried. She had to figure out how to ditch him somewhere.
She glanced behind her. Aidan had slowed to a walk, but his dark figured was menacing.
She was close, so close. The outside of the resort was quiet. With the road blocked, no cars were visible at the entrance. Two doormen stood outside the sliding-glass doors as she ran toward the circular drive. The taller man gave her a wary look.
“Can I help you with something, ma’am?”
Ellie tried to paste on a smile and shook her head. “No, thanks.”
She needed help, but Aidan would probably get any information she gave them. At this point, she was on her own.
“Stop that woman,” called Aidan from behind her.
Ellie didn’t wait to see if the doormen were going to listen to Aidan. She slipped through the door and darted into the lobby, scanning the place. Guests lounged on the overstuffed sofas and sipped their drinks, as if the last thing on their minds was running for their lives. To her left was a hallway, so she took a chance and turned into it, passing the empty concierge counter. She sprinted to the end, where the hall turned to the right. She found herself in a wider hall, with signs by the doors that said Conference Room A and Conference Room B. She glanced at one then the other, then headed for B.
“Where did the woman with the red hair go?” Aidan’s voice echoed through the empty hall.
Ellie rested her hand on the long door handle and pulled down. The handle moved and the door opened into a dark room. Ellie froze as the sliver of light gave her a momentary glimpse of dozens of circular tables covered in white tablecloths. At the other side of the room was a doorway. An escape. She quickly stepped in and let the door click shut, plunging her into the darkness.
“Elizabeth?’ Aidan’s voice taunted her from the other side of the door. Her heart jumped in her chest as she started around the perimeter of the dark room. She held out her right hand, letting touch guide her along the wall. She reached her other hand out ahead of her, feeling for obstacles. A soft yelp of surprise escaped her lips as her left hand brushed against something in front of her. A table, she thought as she inspected it further. She used her hands to feel her way around, then shuffled forward until she reached the corner. As she turned left, pointing herself in the right direction, the main door she had come through opened behind her and the room lit up again. She whipped around as her heart thumped that familiar pattern of fear in her chest. There, in the doorframe, was Aidan. Her body froze and stars dotted her vision. He was closing in, and the panic was creeping through her.
No. She would not let this happen. Instead, she tamped down her fear, turned toward the rear door and sprinted. Aidan was after her, on her tail, as the light faded from the open door then disappeared. They were in the dark. His breaths filled the room, panting as he followed her. It’s a straight shot to the door, she told herself. Just keep going.
There was a sound, a thump, and Aidan muttered a curse. The table? He must’ve run into it.
Ellie continued forward, keeping one hand on the wall until she felt the indent from the door. She moved her hand up and down, grasping for the handle, until she found it. She opened the door and light flooded the room again. As she sprinted out, she caught sight of Aidan charging after her.
Ellie scanned the hallway she was now in, too quiet and empty. The rooms were numbered—meeting rooms or guest rooms? She ran by them, pounding on the doors, but no one opened them. She yelled for help, but no one answered.
Aidan burst out the conference room door, and she sprinted for the end of the hall, to the exit outside. The cold air hit her as she ran into the snowy night.
In front of her was what looked like an old-fashioned mountain village. Quaint buildings lined the snowy paths, strings of lights hanging from the awnings. Ellie ran down the pathway, scanning the businesses, trying to find one to hide in. A candy shop, an upscale clothing store... She came to a stop in front of an Italian restaurant, pulled open the door and rushed inside. Then she halted. Bad choice. The clientele, who had been quietly eating, were now staring at her as she panted.
The hostess with a blond ponytail and impeccable makeup plastered on a smile and raised her eyebrows. “Table for one?” she asked skeptically.
Ellie scanned the room. “May I use your bathroom?”
The woman gave her a slow nod and gestured toward the back of the restaurant. Ellie took off, dodging tables and almost tripping over a woman’s fur-lined boot. She was making a scene, exactly what she shouldn’t be doing.
The restroom sign pointed down a little hallway. Ellie took one more glance at the front door then headed down the dimly lit passage, praying that this would work. But when she opened the door to the women’s bathroom, she could see this, too, had been a mistake. There was no lock on the main door, and the doors to the four stalls started at her knees. She couldn’t hide there. She ran out into the shadowed hallway, but when she emerged into the dining room, her heart stopped. Aidan was standing at the entrance to the restaurant, looking straight at her.
She met his gaze, saw the bubbling rage in his eyes that he barely held under control. She glanced around the restaurant. Conversations had stopped. Everyone was looking either at him or at her. Ellie swallowed. The only exit was in the front, right next to where he was standing. She looked behind her. It was just the doors into the kitchen. Maybe there was a way out there? It was her only hope. With one more glance at Aidan, she took off toward the double doors and burst through them. The kitchen was all fluorescent lights and stainless-steel counters. No one even looked up as she ran in. She passed a sous chef, chopping carrots, and a line cook, sautéing something over a flame as oil spit from the pan.
All Ellie needed was the door, and then...and then what? Aidan’s voice echoed inside her. You can’t keep running. How would she find help for Michael when she couldn’t get him off her tail?
She looked one way then the other. On one side was the enormous silver door to the cooler. But where was the door to the outside? There had to be one here...
The double doors burst open again and she didn’t need to look to know who it was.
“Clear the kitchen!” Aidan announced. “This woman is dangerous.”
She was trapped. And Aidan was here for her.