Safe Haven (The Protectors Book 1) Read online

  “You look like a soldier. Your no-frills hairstyle wouldn’t work on most men, but on you it looks cute.”

  “Cute?” He’d been called a lot of things in his life, but cute hadn’t been one of them.

  “You’ve got that whole Tarzan meets Rambo thing happening. Wide shoulders, square jaw, killer eyes, and short, dark hair that most women would want to run their hands through.”

  It was her dramatic sigh that made him glance at her. “Do you enjoy annoying people?”

  “Only the ones who don’t like talking,” she said sweetly. “It’s just as well this is a short-term assignment.”

  He didn’t bother replying.

  “How many days will it take to drive to Bozeman?”

  He glanced in his rearview mirror and Alice smiled back. “Three. I need to be home by Wednesday night. Unless your mom wants to board a plane, we’ll spend most of that time in this SUV.”

  “Mom’s got Alzheimer’s,” Hayley whispered. “Stopping every few hours might be okay for you and me, but not for her. She needs lots of bathroom stops and short walks.”

  “It can’t be helped.”

  “If we share the driving we could go further and have more stops.”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Someone followed you in Fort Wayne. They could be behind us, waiting for an opportunity to take us off the road.”

  Hayley looked in her side mirror. “I haven’t seen anyone so far.”

  “It doesn’t mean they aren’t there.”

  “But I’m a good driver. It makes sense to share the driving.”

  “I don’t care how good you are. You’re not driving.”

  “This could be the longest three days of my life,” she muttered.

  Tank was beginning to think the same thing.

  “My sister thinks the people following us work for a pharmaceutical company.”

  He didn’t reply. There wasn’t enough information to assume the people looking for them were from any company. From what Hayley’s sister had said, more than one person knew about the supplement she’d developed. It didn’t take much to work out what a potential cure for Alzheimer’s would be worth. If the formula got into the wrong hands, no one would be safe.

  He checked the GPS, then looked at Hayley. “Before I left Bozeman, Sophie said to ask you about the supplement. Has your mom got enough for the next few weeks?”

  Hayley frowned. “I’ve got enough to last another two weeks. But we won’t need to use all of it—we’ll be in Montana in a few days.”

  “I’m planning for a worst case scenario. Where is the supplement at the moment?”

  “In my black suitcase. I moved it so that it was under another bag in the back.”

  “Whatever happens, we can’t let anyone near the supplement.”

  “Sophie’s already warned me about that.” She looked at her mom. “Have you done this a lot?”

  “More times than I can count.”

  “I guess that’s something.”

  “It’s not all bad,” he said to lighten Hayley’s mood. “When you reach Bozeman you’ll appreciate home-cooked meals. Eating at roadside diners and gas stations for three days isn’t fun.”

  “I never took you for a silver lining type of man.” She picked up her bag and turned to her mom. “Would you like to read a magazine, Alice?”

  “That would be lovely. You drive very well, Tank.”

  “Thank you.”

  Hayley hesitated before handing her mom the magazine.

  For the next couple of miles, Hayley didn’t say much. She seemed lost in whatever thoughts were running through her head. By the time they reached their first stop, he could feel her anxiety, the worry of what might happen.

  It took more than ten minutes to get Alice back in the SUV, but at least Hayley seemed in a better mood when they returned.

  She opened a brown paper bag. “Muffin?”

  “No thanks. I had coffee and something to eat while I was waiting for you.”

  Alice opened a similar bag in the back seat. “I love surprises,” she said with a smile. When she pulled her muffin out, she sighed. “How did you know chocolate was my favorite?”

  Hayley turned to her mom. “Someone told me. I hope you like it.”

  Tank looked in his rearview mirror.

  Alice bit into her muffin. “It’s lovely.”

  Hayley watched her mom for a few more minutes before turning around.

  “It will be okay,” he murmured. “Before you know it, we’ll be in Montana.”

  “I hope so.” She started eating her muffin but gave up halfway through. “How do you keep working in stressful situations? I haven’t slept a full night since my sister left Chicago.”

  “You get used to it, but some things stay with you forever.” He thought about his military career, the assignments that still gave him nightmares. After spending a lot of time looking after Hayley’s older sister, he didn’t want this assignment to be one of those times.

  “Sophie said you were her bodyguard. Are you good at your job?”

  “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”

  “Have you ever killed anyone?”

  Tank gripped the steering wheel so hard his fingers turned white. “Only when I didn’t have a choice.”

  Hayley’s eyes widened. “How long were you in the military?”

  “Twelve years. You see and do a lot of things that are hard to relate to once you’re home.”

  She nodded and reached for the hot drink she’d bought. “A few years ago I worked at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago. Some of the patients needed a lot of counseling for PTSD.”

  He knew all about post traumatic stress disorder and how it could turn your life upside down. Seven years after he’d left the military, there were still times when he needed to disappear and focus on rebalancing his life. He was lucky he had a boss who understood and was happy to give him the time he needed.

  “Did my sister tell you how the patent application for her supplement is going?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know what’s happening. All I know is that she’s in a similar situation to you. Someone is trying to stop her from manufacturing the formula.”

  Hayley looked down at her hands. “I worry about Sophie. When dad died we were all devastated, but it seemed to hit her the hardest. When mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, our entire world collapsed. Sophie made plans to make sure mom had the best possible care. We looked for any ground-breaking treatments that could help her, but there was nothing.”

  “Is that when she started looking at other medicines?”

  “Sort of, but not really.”

  He glanced at Hayley. “Meaning?”

  “She wasn’t looking for a cure for Alzheimer’s. Sophie was part of a research team at the University of Chicago. They were looking at alternative therapies for people with Down syndrome. Her focus was plant-based therapies. While she was working on that project, she realized there could be significant benefits for people with Alzheimer’s. Both genetic disorders are linked to the same chromosomes in our DNA. Her professor didn’t agree with her, so she stayed after work, experimenting with different combinations of medicinal plants. The supplement I’m giving mom is the result of her research.”

  “Do you know the formula?”

  He felt the weight of Hayley’s gaze.

  “No.” She leaned forward and took her cell phone out of her bag.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Texting my sister. I want to tell her we’re okay.”

  “I’ve already called my boss. He would have called Sophie by now.”

  “She’ll be waiting for my text.”

  “Contacting her isn’t a good idea.” He looked in his rearview mirror and changed lanes. “Where did you get your phone?”

  “I’ve had it for ages. I bought it when mom’s Alzheimer’s got bad. Her caregiver called me if anything happened.”

  “Have y
ou ever lost your phone, then found it again?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Think again. It’s important.”

  Hayley put her phone on her lap. “No one would have bugged my phone.”

  “You’ve been watching too many detective shows from the eighties. It’s a lot easier to install software that gives GPS coordinates of where you are in relation to the receiver.”

  She turned off her phone. “You think someone would do that?”

  “They must have used some kind of surveillance technology to find you in Fort Wayne. It wouldn’t be most people’s idea of a good place to hide.”

  “That’s why I chose it. It’s big enough that people who are new to the area don’t stand out and it’s a beautiful place to live.”

  “I’m sure it is. Have you run any diagnostic software on your phone to see which programs are installed?”

  “I know how to use the camera, text someone, and use the Internet. The rest of my phone is a mystery.”

  “I’ll take a look at it tonight.” He wiped his thumb over the scanner at the bottom of his phone and passed it to Hayley. “For now, use my satellite phone. It’s safer.”

  Alice leaned forward and tapped her daughter on her shoulder. “I told you Tank was a nice man.”

  “I don’t know how you remember his name, Alice, but I’m glad you do. I’ll tell Sophie we’re all right.”

  “Who’s Sophie?”

  Hayley stopped tapping on the screen. “You used to know her, Alice.”

  Tank looked in his rearview mirror. Alice was upset. He didn’t know how advanced her Alzheimer’s was or what she remembered. But something about Sophie’s name made sense to her. “It’s okay, Alice. Did you enjoy your muffin?”

  Alice caught his gaze in the mirror and her face relaxed into a smile. “It was lovely. Where are we going, Tank?”

  “We’re going to Bozeman.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been there.”

  Four years ago, neither had he. But fate and a boss who wanted to live close to his brother had changed his life. He hoped Alice and Hayley’s move to Bozeman would give them the same peace he’d found. But looking at the absent smile on Alice’s face, he doubted it.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Hayley looked at the GPS. “De Forest isn’t far away. We could stay there the night.”

  “We can make Mauston. It’s only another hour down the road.”

  “No we can’t,” she said as calmly as she could. “We’ve been driving for five hours. It’s time to stop.”

  She looked over her shoulder and smiled at her mom. She’d been so good for the first part of their journey. “How are you feeling, Alice?”

  “A little tired.”

  Hayley looked at Tank. “We need to stop.”

  He took a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll find somewhere that’s safe.”

  “We haven’t been followed all day.”

  “That’s only one of our issues. I don’t want Alice wandering out of the hotel and getting lost or hurt.”

  “Mom’s not as mobile as she used to be. We don’t need to worry about her jumping out a window.”

  “I hope not.”

  They passed a wooden sign welcoming them to De Forest, Wisconsin. Tank slowed down as they drove past each hotel.

  “That one looks all right.” Hayley pointed at a hotel with a bright blue sign. The Cherry Inn seemed like the kind of hotel she could afford.

  Tank didn’t stop. “It’s too open. All of the vehicles are parked out front, away from the rooms.”

  “Isn’t that a good thing? If we find a parking space away from the hotel, no one will know we’re staying there.”

  He slowed down for the next hotel. “I want to park close to our room. If we have to move quickly, you might need to help Alice into the SUV. This one looks better.”

  There were only three cars parked in front of the hotel.

  He stopped in front of the office. “Wait here while I look inside the rooms.”

  Hayley nodded and undid her seatbelt. She was looking forward to making sure her mom was settled, then standing under a hot shower. It had been a long day.

  While Tank was gone she tidied the front of the car, putting away the magazines and memory cards she’d brought to keep her mom distracted.

  The driver’s door opened and Tank sat down. “I’ve booked an apartment with two bedrooms and a front and back door. We can park the SUV outside the apartment.”

  He drove around the hotel and parked beside unit thirteen.

  “I’m glad you’re not superstitious,” Hayley said as she opened her door.

  “Life’s too short. I’ll bring the bags inside while you help Alice.”

  By the time Hayley and her mom had unpacked a few clothes, Alice was getting tired.

  Hayley went into the living room, looking for Tank. He wasn’t there, so she made sure the front door was locked before walking through the opened back door.

  He was standing beside the SUV, talking with someone on his phone. “Hang on a minute. Hayley’s here.” He held the phone away from him. “Is everything okay?”

  “I’m going to help mom have a shower. The other door is locked.”

  “Do you want anything to eat?”

  Hayley shook her head. “We’re okay. The meal we had at the diner was enough.”

  “After I’ve finished this call I’ll be in the living room if you need me. Leave your cell phone on the table and I’ll check it for you.”

  “Thanks.” She left Tank and headed inside.

  Her mom was exhausted. Hopefully, she’d sleep through the night. For the last week, sleeping had been the last thing her mom wanted to do. Hayley wasn’t sure if her sister’s supplement was making her restless or if something else was happening.

  Either way, it could be a long night.

  ***

  Hayley turned over in bed. She rubbed her eyes, positive that she’d heard someone whisper her name. She looked at her mom’s bed and frowned.

  “Are you awake?”

  She turned toward the door. “Tank? Where’s mom?”

  “She’s in the living room. I think you’ll want to talk to her.”

  Hayley threw her blankets off and jumped out of bed. “What’s happened?”

  “She’s okay. She can’t sleep.”

  Relief poured through her. She’d been expecting him to tell her that her mom had somehow found a way out of their apartment.

  “She remembers your name.”

  Hayley picked up her sweatshirt and rushed out of the room. Even with the difference the supplement made in her mom’s life, the times she was fully aware of what was going on were far apart.

  Alice turned around and smiled. “Hello, Hayley. You shouldn’t be awake at this time of the morning. I told Tank not to wake you.”

  Hayley slowly let out her breath. “I’m glad he did. I like talking to you.”

  “That’s very sweet. Come and sit with us. Tank’s telling me about being a security guard.”

  Hayley glanced at Tank.

  “Sit with your mom. I’ll make everyone a cup of coffee.”

  She held her mom’s hand. “Why did you get out of bed?”

  “Something’s not right, Hayley. I keep having dreams about you and Sophie. Nothing makes sense.”

  “What don’t you understand?”

  “Tank told me where we’re going. It’s lovely that we’re visiting Sophie in Montana, but why did she move there? I thought she was happy in Chicago.”

  “She was happy, but she wanted a change.”

  “It’s such a long way from Chicago. We won’t see her very much.”

  Hayley squeezed her mom’s hand. “How would you feel about staying in Montana for a few months?”

  “I don’t know if your dad can take that much time off work. It’s a busy time of the year for him.”

  Hayley swallowed the lump in her throat. There was no point reminding her mom that her husband had died. It w
ould only upset her and that was the last thing Hayley wanted to do.

  “If dad can’t take that much time off work, we could have shorter vacations.”

  Her mom nodded. “That might be better. What about Sophie’s apartment? She spent a lot of time painting the rooms and landscaping the garden. It would be a shame to see it empty.”

  “I don’t know what she’s doing with her apartment, but knowing Sophie, she’ll have a plan.”

  Tank placed three cups of coffee on the table in front of them.

  Alice smiled. “My daughters are like chalk and cheese, Tank. Sophie is so organized it’s frightening. Hayley takes after me—we’re a little more spontaneous. Do you remember the time you went to your senior prom, Hayley?”

  She nodded and for the first time, hoped her mom didn’t remember the entire story.

  “A boy asked Hayley to the prom. It was her first date. Most of the girls had been planning what they’d wear for months, but not Hayley. Sophie kept pestering her about finding a dress.”

  “Tank doesn’t want to hear about my senior prom, mom.”

  His gaze landed on hers. “It sounds fascinating.”

  Hayley gave him what she hoped was an evil glare.

  Tank ignored her. “Keep going, Alice.”

  “Hayley finally agreed to go shopping for a dress the week before prom. But as you can imagine, most of the dresses were already gone. Her sister started calling the stores further away, but the only dresses available were the ones out of our price range.”

  “The story isn’t that interesting,” Hayley said quickly.

  “Nonsense. It will give Tank an appreciation of how you make a bad situation better.”

  Hayley knew it would do nothing of the sort. Tank didn’t seem to have a sense of humor and he definitely wouldn’t appreciate her dress-finding skills.

  Her mom smiled. “As a last resort, Hayley looked in our attic. She found a large suitcase filled with old dresses. My mother must have packed them away because I don’t remember keeping them. Hayley decided she was going to wear one of them to her prom. I’ve never seen Sophie lost for words—she couldn’t believe her sister would wear a dress that was more than thirty years old.”