Ryker shrugged. “That’s just his way of keeping things light. Cops, like soldiers, put their lives on the line every single day. If they didn’t make jokes, they wouldn’t be able to do their jobs.”
He had a point. “I guess.”
“Duncan served with me and Hawk over in Afghanistan.” Ryker glanced at her, his gaze serious. “He knew your brother and husband.”
The news was sobering. She stared down at her hands resting on her belly. The indentation around the fourth finger of her left hand wasn’t noticeable anymore, likely because she was retaining a bit of water weight. Still, she couldn’t help rubbing the spot where her wedding ring had once rested.
She and Tim had exchanged vows to love and cherish one another, but she eventually realized their marriage was a farce.
Ignoring the signs of their marriage unraveling had been stupid. Learning about God and faith these past two months had made her error in judgment glaringly obvious.
It was a mistake she wouldn’t make again. Marriage wasn’t something to take lightly, and she knew that from this point on, she was better off alone.
The way Olivia was rubbing the fourth finger of her left hand bothered him. Was she grappling with the fact that he’d been a part of the team who’d killed her brother and husband? He couldn’t blame her, yet if she’d known how her brother had pointed a gun at four-year-old Lizzie, she’d be horrified.
Not his place to tell her.
He decided to focus on the fact that Duncan and hopefully Mike were on the way, with new disposable phones, a new SUV and enough cash that they could stay off-grid for a long time. He didn’t want anything that might leave a trail back to him.
It had been a gamble to take the Blake-Moore SUV. Most of the new models had built-in GPS devices, and once the two gunmen he’d tied up managed to get free, they’d be intent on tracking the vehicle. But they’d need to hot-wire his SUV or get another first. Time that would work in their favor.
He’d have to ditch their vehicle soon. He’d brought several thousand in cash with him, but his reserves would take a hit when he purchased a replacement car.
But it was worth it, to keep the three lives in his care safe from harm.
His headache had faded to a dull throb. He’d taken some over-the-counter medication when they’d stopped at the gas station. Then he’d cleaned up the blood from the back of his head the best he could, without mentioning the wound to Olivia. She didn’t need anything more to worry about.
He was worrying enough for both of them.
“I meant to ask earlier, do you know Tim’s cousin, too?”
Cousin? He turned to look at her. This was the first he’d heard of a cousin. “Maybe. What’s the name?”
“Seth Willis. He served overseas with Tim and Colin, too.” She frowned. “Although, now that I think about it, I don’t know that they were in the same unit.”
He searched his memory but came up empty. “I can’t say the name rings a bell. Did Seth also join the Blake-Moore Group?”
She bit her lip, her brow wrinkling as she considered his question. “I think so. I think he might have been at the first cookout that the guys had when they initially joined the group.”
“Good to know.” It was a great clue to follow up on. Was it possible the cousin was out to vindicate the deaths of Tim and Colin?
No, that wasn’t logical, either. Olivia and Aaron were innocent bystanders in all of this. There would be no reason on earth for Willis to come after her with armed men.
It had to be one of the two founders of the organization, either Kevin Blake or Harper Moore, or both, who had sent the mercenaries after Olivia.
Nothing else made sense.
“Um, Ryker?”
He glanced at Olivia. “What?”
“I need to go to the bathroom.” Her cheeks were pink as if she was embarrassed to mention it. “And it would be good for Aaron to go, too.”
“Oh sure. Of course.” He mentally berated himself for not thinking of that sooner. He hadn’t been around when his girlfriend was pregnant; he’d met her a year or so after she’d given birth to her daughter. But it made sense that frequent trips to the bathroom were symptoms expectant mothers dealt with.
“I think there’s a gas station up ahead.” She avoided his gaze, still rubbing her belly.
“Works for me.” He eyed the gas gauge, deciding they were fine for now.
He wasn’t inclined to leave a full tank of gas for when the mercenaries eventually found the SUV. In fact, he’d prefer to leave the tank dry as a bone.
The stop at the gas station took longer than he liked. It seemed like Olivia and Aaron were in the bathroom for a long time, then they went through the small convenience store, picking out snacks.
When Olivia reached inside her oversize bag, he stopped her with a hand on her arm. “I’ve got it.”
“It’s fine. I have money.”
He ignored her protest and paid for the items in cash. When he noticed she’d included a couple of toys for Aaron, he realized that was yet another thing he should have thought about while he’d been watching over them.
To be fair, the little boy had been great while they’d hidden on the mountain. He’d expected a lot of crying or complaining. But Aaron had been remarkably well behaved.
When everyone was settled in the SUV, he hit the road again, keeping an eye on his rearview mirror. So far, there had been no sign of the mercenaries, but he knew it was only a matter of time.
Fifteen minutes later, he noticed a sign advertising a used-car lot. When they approached, he pulled off the highway and headed toward it.
“What are you doing?” Olivia’s voice reflected her concern.
“We need a new set of wheels.”
