Free Runaway Heiress by Melody Anne Page B

hoped for once she would actually listen to him. He didn’t want her on the secluded trail. He needed her surrounded by the other people at the park – feeling she was safer among a crowd.
                  As Chad quickly followed the trail, he heard the sound of twigs breaking ahead of him, and figured the guy had about a hundred yard lead on him. It should be no problem to catch him. Picking up his pace, his weapon still drawn, he listened for any changes in the guy’s pattern. If twigs stopped breaking, or there was a sudden silence, he could adjust his own stride, but the perpetrator wasn’t even trying to hide his departure.
                  Chad began to hear the sounds of cars and people and realized they’d made a large loop and were going to break out of the trail in a minute. If this guy got into a large crowd, Chad could too easily lose him. He picked up his pace, but when he heard the snapping of twigs stop, he knew it was too late.
                  He pushed himself even faster and quickly ran into the grassy field surrounding the park. People were milling about, but he didn’t see anyone running. He surveyed the area, seeking anyone who was out of place. He swiped his hand across his forehead, frustration making him want to yell.
                  He turned toward the swings, where he saw Bree walking to her car. Good, she was fine. He moved in the direction of the parking lot. The guy had to be there somewhere. He had to holster his gun so he didn’t have someone calling the cops. He could easily explain himself, but by the time he got out an explanation, the perpetrator would be long gone.
                  Just when he was about to give up and head back to Bree, he saw a black car pull quickly out of a space. The windows had dark tints, but the driver’s side was slightly down, allowing the top of a man’s head to be visible.
                  He knew it was his guy. Racing to the car at full speed, he saw the man’s head turn as the car tires squealed, peeling out of the parking lot, nearly hitting a family, who jumped out of the way at the last second. Chad came close to the car when a note fluttered out the window, then the driver peeled out and was gone. There was no way he could catch him.
                  Chad glared at the vehicle without a license plate, making it impossible for him to turn the plate numbers in to the police. He jogged over and grabbed the note the man had thrown out. He was afraid to read what was written on it.
                  Fury coursed through him as he lifted the note. What the hell did the guy want with Bree? The freak had touched her, nearly managed to abduct her. Chad was acting like a love-sick boyfriend instead of her bodyguard.
                  A bad feeling began stirring in Chad’s stomach. The danger was seemingly gone, but he’d learned from his many years of service to never ignore his gut instincts. He headed quickly toward Bree, feeling an urgency in his movements.
                  Chad was halfway across the parking lot when a shot rang through the air. Several people screamed, as bodies dropped to the ground – parent’s quickly throwing their bodies over their children.
                  Chad reached Bree and threw himself in front of her, while dragging her behind a large car. Once he made sure she was safely down, he poked his head out and looked for any sign of the shooter. He couldn’t see anyone. They must have a sniper, which meant they weren’t safe anywhere. He needed to get her to safety.
                  Chad could feel Bree trembling beside him – maybe she finally realized the amount of danger she was in. It wasn’t the time to lecture – he had to get her to safety first. There was an eerie silence through the park. Every few seconds he could hear the choked sob of some of the terrified people, who’d