Free Trail of Lies by Margaret Daley

touch.”
    â€œNext time use the phone. It’ll save you the gas coming all the way out here for nothing.”
    â€œAnother green tip.” He tapped the brim of his cowboy hat. “I appreciate the thought. Good day, Melora.” He started forward, paused and glanced back. “I thought I’d let you know that we’re looking around the area where your husband was found for his bodyguard. But investigating other possibilities, too. Thanks for the information about Gordon Johnson.”
    Her eyes brightened for a few seconds before she masked her surprise.
    As he walked to the door, he noticed her purse sitting on a table nearby. He detoured and stuck the card she’d given back to him into the side of the bag. “Humor me,” he said when she opened her mouth to say something.
    Without uttering a word, she grasped the handle and opened the door. Its closing behind him the second he stepped over the threshold couldn’t strictly be considereda slam but only a decibel or two off. He chuckled. He had her rattled and maybe she would finally slip and admit something wasn’t right. Ask me for help. He threw a look over his shoulder at the heavy wooden door. Please, before something bad happens to you.
    He started for his truck, panning the terrain before him. Melora was scared. Who had called and what had the person said to make her go white like that? His survey brought him no answers. Nothing out of the ordinary. At least nothing visible.
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    Melora bolted the front door and even went to the alarm system and turned it on. If someone came into her house, she would know it.
    Then the full implications of what the man on the phone had said hit her. He thought she was talking to the Texas Rangers. He knew the name of her cat and her daughter. He inserted all the personal information to unnerve her more. And his plan had worked.
    She collapsed onto the couch in the living room and squeezed her hands together so tightly her knuckles were white. Pain streaked up her arms from her locked muscles. Who was she kidding? Staying here wouldn’t keep her safe. She had to get away with Kaitlyn. They would harass her and hound her until she turned over what they wanted. And since she couldn’t give them what she didn’t have, they would be forced to accelerate their terror tactics, which meant her daughter was in danger.
    Finger combing her hair, she tried to think of a way to get away undetected. Start over somewhere else—as far from here as possible. She would have to get some money without being obvious and pack some of their belongings. Although clothes could be purchased wherever they endedup, there were a few things Kaitlyn would miss if she didn’t get to take them with her.
    Please, Lord, I’m begging You to help me.
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    â€œMommy, why are you coming into my school?” Kaitlyn held Melora’s hand as they marched toward the entrance Monday morning.
    â€œWe’re going on an adventure.”
    â€œIs that why I have my favorite toys in my backpack?”
    â€œYou’re so sharp, sweetheart.” Melora walked past the office and headed for the doors on the other side of the school. “I’ve got a cab picking us up so we can start our adventure.” But before charging out of the exit, she scanned the parking lot for anything unusual other than the waiting taxi.
    If her plan worked, whoever was watching her would be looking for her to come back outside in an hour since she often volunteered at her daughter’s school. That would give Kaitlyn and her some time to get out of San Antonio. She clutched her large purse under one arm and clasped Kaitlyn’s hand again before stepping outside.
    Rushing toward the cab, Melora did a visual sweep of the area, but she didn’t see anything unusual. At the taxi, she wrenched opened the door, guided her daughter in first then joined her in the backseat.
    After giving the driver the address of a