Between the Lines by Jane Charles

Scott’s a great guy, but
his presence and the need to talk to me only produces feelings of anxiousness.
    “You were
a kid. They would’ve looked like bullies hauling you into court. They didn’t
need anything more negative associated with them.”
    “They
can’t make me go back to Nevada, can they? Isn’t there a jurisdictional issue
or something?”
    “This is
a federal case involving human trafficking and prostitution, Ellen. You were a
key witness.”
    “I don’t
even remember anymore,” I cry.
    “I sure
hope the hell you do, or he’ll walk.”
    I swallow
against my closing throat. 
    I’m going to be sick.
    Scott pulls me close, rubbing my arms, like he used to do when I
was younger. “We can protect you. Just come with me. We’ll get you into a safe
house until the judge decides what he’s going to do.”
    My body is shaking and I can’t seem to control it.
    This time, he wraps an arm around my shoulders and kisses my
forehead. Of all the agents I had to deal with, Scott was the best at getting
me to relax. Like a concerned father. And it worked. Before. Not so much today.
    “Breathe, Ellen.” He says into my hair. “These are precautions to
keep you safe. You’ve been through this before.”
    Not since the trial, before I got the hell out of Nevada. I’d
forgotten what it was like to be scared. To want to disappear. I’d gotten
comfortable in my life, and I really like it now. I really like Gabe, but
everything is suddenly going to hell.
    “If they can get the judge to force you to testify, we’re afraid
they’ll make sure you can’t.”
    I pull back and look up at him. “What?” This is worse. I’m
having anxiety over returning to Nevada and testifying. Now I have to worry
about someone trying to kill me again? “But they can still use my testimony
from before.”
    “Not if they get the judge to rule it inadmissible before he
orders you to appear.”
    This cannot be happening. Not now. My life is good. No, it’s
fantastic now that I’ve met Gabe. I’m not going to give that up. I’m not going
to go into hiding.
    But, I don’t want to die either.
    Too much has happened. I need to think. To figure things out. I
could be worrying for nothing. The judge could tell Krestyanov to go to hell
and use my earlier testimony and then this would be for nothing. And, how much
to tell Gabe? He knew something was off this morning. “I need to think about
this.”
    “Don’t take too long.”
    I look up, meeting Scott’s kind green eyes. “I’ve met someone.”
    “I know.”
    I pull back. “How?”
    “I traced your phone, the real one, and saw you at the museum
yesterday.”
    “You’ve followed me? For how long?” I hope to hell he isn’t
recording me, or worse, have cameras somewhere like my apartment. It wouldn’t
be the first time they feds decided to keep a very close eye on me.
    “It isn’t like that.” Scott’s shaking his head. “I wanted to meet
with you without using a burner, but you two never left each other’s side.” He
smiles. “You never stopped touching.” Scott leans in and smiles. “Want me to do
a background check, you know, just to make sure he’s a good guy and all.”
    He’s joking of course, but he’d do it if I asked. “Of course not.”
    Scott sobers. “You can’t tell him anything, Ellen.”
    I knew he was going to say that, but I was really hoping he would
say it was okay.
    “It puts him in as too much danger.”
    “How?”
    “If they think you care for him, they can use him to get to you.”
    “Oh, God.” My hand goes to my throat. It’s closing again. “I never
thought…considered…”
    “Don’t panic. Remember, I’m the worst case scenario guy?”
    That’s what I used to call Scott, back when all of this started.
Also known as the doom and gloom guy.
    But, he does give me something to think about. As much as I don’t
want to give up Gabe, I sure as hell don’t want to put him in danger either.
Because of me, I no longer see