she wished she had something more than hand sanitizer and a manicure set from her purse. “I don’t think there’s anything in the wound. Maybe a tiny bit of glass. But I do think you need to go to the hospital. I can’t do stitches.” “ We are not going to the hospital. Go inside. See if they have anything you can wrap the wound with. Bandages. Even paper towels. We need to get out of this town, and fast. How bad is Red’s car?” “ You trusting me?” “ Do I have any other choice? And baby, please be careful. I’d hate it if something happened to you.” “ Gotcha. Don’t bleed to death on me in here.” “ I won’t.” Al did as he instructed, hoping the blood on her clothes wouldn’t draw too much attention her way. She grabbed shop towels from the automotive section. They were designed to be disposable, but where stronger than regular paper towels. She grabbed a box of clear plastic trashbags and a roll of duct tape. Not ideal. But it would cover the window. She grabbed a bottle of peroxide and some painkillers from the small section of groceries and quickly paid. She returned to the restroom. He was pale, too pale. The bleeding was slowing, but had it happened in time? She wrapped his arm as tightly as she could. “I really wish you’d let me take you to an urgent care, or something.” “ Baby, I’ve had worse. I’ll show you the scars some time. Let’s go. I don’t want to be out in the open for too long.” “ At least drink this.” She gave him the orange juice she’d grabbed inside. “ Thanks.” “ Drink it. All.” It would help; she hoped. “ I’m going to survive, toots. I promise. Then you can kick my ass when we’re done.” He grinned. She forced him to let her help him back to the SUV. “ I’ll hold you to that.” “ How bad did they mess up Red’s car?” Al looked at it. “Not too bad. Body damage mostly. But you’re going to be in to your brother for at least five hundred.” “ I can handle that. Alessandra…” “ What?” She looked at him. Saw the regret in his eyes. “Don’t even think it.” “ Mind reading one of your skills?” “ My mother is one of the leading psychologists in the country, you tell me. You’re feeling guilty for what almost happened.” “ Shouldn’t I?” “ Maybe a little. But remember this—I chose to come along on this journey. And the one thing my parents made sure to teach me was to own my own actions. Let’s go. We need to put some miles between us and this town. Before they come back this way.” Because she seriously doubted they weren’t going to meet up with those guys again. They needed help, and fast. “You rest. I’ll drive. Amarillo by morning, and all that jazz.”
Chapter Thirty-One ***
She let him sleep. What she should do was find the nearest police station and surround them both with some sort of protection. Then she could call Ed Dennis or Malachi. Even Mick. She passed the next exit. She looked at the man sleeping beside her and made a quick decision. They needed help. And a safe place to regroup. And like it or not, they were plastered all over the national news. Someone had tracked them to Gainesville—who’s to say that someone didn’t already know where they were headed? And if that someone was high enough up the Bureau ladder like Seth seemed to think, wouldn’t they have alerted the hotels and motels in the possible travel area? It’s what she and Sebastian would have done. Even if it meant having a junior agent or two on the phones all day and night. So they couldn’t stay in a hotel anymore. And they needed cleaned up if they weren’t going to stand out when they fetched the contents of that p.o. box. Where could they do that? She didn’t want to risk a truck stop again. That wouldn’t be a good idea. But Wichita Falls might have a solution. It wasn’t ideal and it could bring everything crashing down around them. She looked at the man