Silent Run

Catherine’s house?"
    â€œNo. I thought Catherine would be too easy to find. She hadn’t changed her name or anything."
    â€œImagine that,” he said sarcastically.
    Sarah ignored him. “I was just looking for a new safe place to hide. And I thought if Shane were still after me, at least I’d get him away from Caitlyn. I told Teresa if anything happened to me, if I died, that she should take the baby back to you."
    Jake wanted to believe that, but how could he? “Sure you did."
    â€œIt’s true."
    She gazed at him with her heart in her beautiful blue eyes, and he forced himself to look away from her, to concentrate on the road back to his daughter.
    â€œI don’t know what I would have done if you’d been in town when Andy died,” she murmured. “But in some ways I was glad that you weren’t, because I didn’t want you to get hurt. I didn’t want you to die, Jake. And make no mistake, Shane would have killed all three of us if he’d had the chance."
    â€œDon’t tell me you disappeared to protect me. What kind of man do you think I am -- that I would want to hide behind you and my daughter?” he demanded.
    â€œI had to make a quick decision, and you weren’t there. I had to protect Caitlyn."
    â€œYou could have gone to the police."
    â€œI was in the custody of the U.S. Marshals when Shane tried to kill me. I didn’t believe I could trust anyone. Maybe it was the wrong decision,” she admitted. “But everything happened so fast, and I was terrified."
    â€œIt was the wrong decision,” he said sharply. “And I told you I don’t want to talk about this right now."
    â€œYou brought it back up."
    â€œFine, then I’m putting it away again. I just hope to God you didn’t make another wrong decision when you left Caitlyn with Teresa."
    * * *
    Sarah hoped so, too. Every mile between LA and Santa Barbara seemed to take an eternity. When they were a few minutes away she tried calling Teresa on Jake’s cell phone, but there was no answer. It could be that Teresa was simply out of the house, maybe at the park with Caitlyn or on some other innocent outing. Even if Victor found them both, he wouldn’t necessarily know that Caitlyn was Sarah’s child. She’d colored Caitlyn’s hair before she’d taken her to Teresa’s house, turning her daughter’s blond locks an ordinary brown. And since Teresa was also a brunette, Caitlyn could easily pass for her daughter.
    â€œI dyed Caitlyn’s hair,” she told Jake. “It’s brown now. I wanted us to match. Just so you know."
    â€œI’d recognize her no matter what her hair color is."
    â€œWhat are we going to do after we get Caitlyn?"
    â€œFind a way out of this. I won’t have my daughter growing up in fear."
    â€œYou have such confidence that you can change things. I lost mine a long time ago. I got it back for a while when I was with you. I thought I could have a normal life, a good life, but I screwed that up, too.” She stared out the window, half hoping Jake would say they could have that life again, but he didn’t.
    For the next ten minutes they drove in silence. Finally they neared the town of Santa Barbara. Sarah’s tension increased as they exited the freeway. Teresa lived in a modest neighborhood of Spanish-style houses with red tile roofs and neat lawns. Her two-story house was set in the middle of the block.
    Everything appeared quiet. There were no strange cars in the driveway. Why hadn’t Teresa answered her phone when her Toyota hybrid was parked in front of her house?
    Jake parked the car but put a hand on her arm as she started to get out. “Just wait a second."
    She looked around. Everything appeared normal. Getting out of the car, they walked quickly up to the front of the house. Sarah knocked on the door and was surprised to realize it wasn’t all the way closed. She pushed it open and said, “Teresa?"
    There was no answer from her friend, but at the sound of Sarah’s voice, Caitlyn let out a shrill, piercing scream.
    They ran for the stairs. Jake beat her to the top, pushing open the door to one of the bedrooms. Sarah was right on his heels.
    A second too late she realized their mistake. Her ex-lover, her worst enemy, the man she had been running from for eight long years was here in this house, and he was holding Caitlyn under one arm. In his other hand was a