Luca's POV
"I've got her," I shouted.
"Whoa, man. You almost took off my ear," Walker grumbled. "You've got who?"
"I've had her this whole time," I laughed, still in shock at Blythe's revelation. The moment she excused herself to use the restroom, I dialed my partner.
"Man, I'm still lost," Walker answered. "Explain."
I ran a hand through my curls and began pacing the floor.
"Remember how I said I was working on something, so even if the Captain would let me come back to New York, I couldn't?"
"Uh, yeah?" It was evident Walker had no idea what I was talking about, so I decided to cut to the chase.
"On the bus to Pittsburgh, I sat next to a twelve year old girl who was put on the wrong bus by her negligent uncle. I talked to her mom and promised to bring her home to Oklahoma," I explained.
"What?! Dude, isn't that a little too Good Samaritan? Even for you?"
I chuckled. "I was desperate to cut my trip to Rachel's short," I informed him. "I was breaking things off, and I knew it wouldn't be pretty."
"I'm hurt, man. You tell me nothing anymore," Walker pouted.
"Whatever, man," I muttered, a grin creeping onto my face. "Anyway, it turns out the girl isn't twelve," I informed him.
"Okay?"
"She's twenty-three, and she's on the run from her boyfriend," I stated, waiting for Walker to connect the dots.
"Damn, man. Sucks to be you," he teased. "And you believed she was twelve?" Walker began laughing on the other end of the line.
"Not the point, Walker," I growled. "The point is that her boyfriend is none other than Michael Johnson, hotel entrepreneur, and cousin to one Jimmy Fitzgerald of the Fitzgerald crime family."
The line grew silent, and for a moment, I thought Walker had dropped the call.
"Say it again," he murmured, excitement lacing his command.
"My travel companion is Blythe Conners, the woman currently hiding from Michael Johnson. The woman you have been searching all of New York State to find."
I grinned, imaging the shock on Walker's face.
"We've got him!" Walker cheered. "Luca, we're going to take down the bastards that killed your sister."
My heart hurt at the mention of Ally, but hope and pride filled my heart, knowing I was finally going to bring her killers to justice. I could taste the victory.
"We've got to get her into protective custody, Luc," Walker stated, his tone back to business. "Where are you guys headed?"
"Well," I began. "I thought she was a kid, so I was taking her home to Oklahoma, but I'm thinking that might be a bad idea," I informed him.
"I agree," Walker answered earnestly. "Charlie Hampton called us before he went to see the younger sister. He'd gotten a phone call from someone named Michael asking questions about your girl. He even mentioned traveling to Oklahoma to make sure she was okay. Apparently, Mr. Hampton didn't find the man to sound trustworthy."
"I can't take her there, then. If Mikey's tracked her, you know he'll be ruthless. Set something up and give me a call," I ordered him.
"This couldn't have happened at a better time, Luca. We don't even have to tell anyone you have her in custody," Walker commented. "As far as they know, you're spending the week with your mythical fiancée. Even the Captain won't know you're protecting our primary witness."
I smiled, realizing for the first time what a blessing my forced vacation was. On the other hand, I did have sobering news for him.
"Walker, you're absolutely right, but not everyone is ignorant to my involvement. Turns out Michael's half-sister has been under our noses this entire time. She's Rachel's best friend, and she definitely saw Blythe this weekend."
"You think she told Michael?" he queried.
"If she hasn't yet, Blythe seems certain that she will. Of course, Courtney knows that Blythe is travelling with me, so you can bet the Fitzgeralds will know of my involvement," I answered, my tone severe.
"Which means they can track your accounts, Luca." Walker echoed the thoughts already in my head.
"I have enough on me to handle cash only for a couple of days, but I have a contact at WITSEC that I trust completely, and she can set us up with a safe house. I just need you to make the call, Walker."
"Of course, Luca, but if they know that you're involved, you know they'll be tracing my calls, right?"
I groaned, but I knew he was right.
"Use a disposable cell, Walker. Natalie can play middle-man, okay?"
I stared across the terminal when I saw Blythe exit the restrooms and head my way. The smile on her face caused my heart rate to increase, and I smirked at her in return.
"Natalie Ruiz?" Walker questioned, and I chuckled at his sound of interest.
"Yes, Walker. That Natalie." Blythe reached my side and I smiled at her encouragingly. "I'm getting rid of this cell, too. I'll text you from my new one. You know the code word. Give that number to Natalie, and have her call me ASAP."
"You got it, man," Walker promised. "Take care, Luca."
"You, too, Zane."
I disconnected the call and met the curious golden-flecked gaze of Blythe.
"Who's Zane?" she asked warily.
I grinned. "That's Walker. He doesn't usually answer to his first name, but occasionally, I call him that just to get on his nerves." I didn't mention the only other time was when shit got real.
"Come on," I ordered, grabbing Blythe's hand and pulling her through the bus station.
"Where are we going?" she demanded once we stepped outside. It was time to board the bus, but our agenda had changed completely.
"A hotel," I informed her as I intertwined our fingers, ensuring I had a firm grip on her. "We can't board the bus, because Michael might be able to track us."
"Right," she muttered, suddenly matching me step for step. It was almost eleven by the time I spotted a twenty-four hour pharmacy. I'd never been to downtown Indianapolis, so I wasn't familiar with the area. I hoped to find some sort of hostel or cheap hotel that would take my cash, no questions asked.
After locating and purchasing a disposable cell phone, I removed the battery from mine, as well as the SIM card. I tossed the phone into a nearby trashcan and quickly texted Walker, letting him know my new number.
It seemed like we walked for almost an hour before I saw a run-down motel. It looked like it used to be a Motel 6 or Super 8 before it was taken over by some mom and pop set-up. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as some of the "hourly" hotels I'd seen in New York during my career. This place at least looked a little more reputable, like they charged for an entire night as opposed to smaller increments of time.
I told Blythe to wait just outside the lobby, hoping that the desk clerk wouldn't see her. On the off chance anyone from the Fitzgerald crew was able to track us this far, it would be harder to verify our presence if the clerk only saw one of us.
He was surprisingly willing to rent me a room for the night with no identification and with cash payment. I grabbed my room key and stepped out of the dingy lobby to find Blythe chewing her lip in worry. I grabbed her hand once more and quietly led her to the second floor.
Our room was cleaner than I expected, although there was hardly any room to maneuver around the two double beds. I locked the door with the chain and the deadbolt and sat on the bed nearest to the window.
"I'm going to take a shower," Blythe said softly, and I nodded in understanding. She left the room, and I heard the sounds of cascading water, but my thoughts were unable to dwell on what Blythe was doing in the other room, as my phone chirped with a message.
Sent cell # to Nat. Expect call with instructions.
I smiled, knowing that Natalie would come through with better, safer accommodations. I leaned against the headboard and grabbed the remote control off the bedside table. Turning on the television, I flipped to some infomercial and let my mind wander.
I wanted to call that Charlie character again to make sure he was taking care of Blythe's sister, but I hadn't thought to get his number before trashing my phone. Then again, the fewer people that had the phone number, the better.
Soon, Blythe exited the bathroom in the same clothes she had previously been wearing. Her wet hair was the only evidence that she had showered.
"I owe Bekah a shit-ton of clothes," she stated, bringing a smile to my face. I don't know why her cursing amused me so much. Maybe it was just because she looked too pure and angelic to have such a sailor's mouth.
"I'll replace all her stuff, kid. You don't have to worry about it," I promised.
Blythe's nose wrinkled, and I chuckled when she replied.
"I'm not a kid, Luca."
"Well, you introduced yourself as one," I told her," so you are stuck with the nickname."
Blythe rolled her eyes and strode to her bed. She sank onto the covers, and leaned her head against one of the pillows.
"I am so tired," she moaned, curling into a ball. She looked cold, and I wanted to warm her, but she'd practically declared that she had no feelings for me when she informed me that her age shouldn't change anything between us. I frowned at the memory.
"Go to sleep, then," I encouraged. "You're safe here, Blythe. I'm not leaving you." She had no idea how serious I was about that promise.
"Thank you, Luca," she murmured, her eyes already closing. "I'm sorry I brought you into all this," she mumbled. Within minutes, her breathing had grown even, and her body had relaxed.
Unlike, Blythe, I tossed and turned, replaying the events of the day in my head. I tried to wrap my head around the fact that the child I was chaperoning was actually a grown woman. And not only that, she was the woman that was the link to bringing down the Fitzgeralds.
By one-thirty, I was slipping into dreamland, only to become completely alert at the ringing of my new phone. Sitting abruptly, I felt for the phone on the table next to me.
"Hello," I answered, knowing only one of two people could be on the other end. I sighed in relief when I heard the voice of my high school girlfriend.
"Hola, chico," she teased. "I heard you need my help."
"Natalie, thank god," I whispered. "Did Walker fill you in?"
"Absolutely, Luca, and I'm arranging lodging for you as we speak. Think you can get to Chicago? We're going to hide you in plain sight," she informed me.
"I've got a bit of cash on me. We could probably catch another bus there," I reasoned.
"Good," Natalie answered. "Now, I can't meet you there myself, but I'll text you the name of the agent meeting you. Use the normal code to make sure it's the right guy. He'll have luggage and clothing for you guys."
"Thanks, Nat," I sighed.
"No worries, Luca. You two will be staying at the Hotel Burnham. It's a little upscale, but I have a connection there. My guys will be in the rooms on either side of you, and you and the witness will be in the honeymoon suite. Think you can handle that?" she teased.
"What?"
"Hey, man. Walker said she's a looker. Besides," she expounded, "the Fitzgeralds will be looking for you guys in low-cost places, and hopefully places in a state far away. If they even get a whiff of you being in Chicago, though, they'd never expect you to be holed up in such a fancy place."
"Have I told you lately that you're the best, Natalie?" I grinned.
"Nah, but I already know it," she replied cheekily. "You can pay me back by hooking me up with your partner. From what I remember, he was pretty hot."
I chuckled, knowing Walker shared her sentiment.
"I'll see what I can do," I promised. "Thanks again for everything, Natalie. I'll check in with bus details tomorrow morning, okay?"
"Sure thing, Luca. Be careful."
"I will, Natalie. And once I nail these bastards, I'm going to take you out for a celebratory drink."
"As long as you bring Walker, I'll be there," she laughed.
"Later, Nat," I chuckled, disconnecting the call.
Finally, my mind began to rest. We had a plan, and we were one step ahead of Michael and his crew. With a satisfied smirk on my face, I fell asleep to dreams of a golden-haired beauty with enchanting green eyes. I could finally enjoy those dreams guilt-free, and believe me. I did.