Savior in the Saddle by Delores Fossen

rigged with an alarm.
    When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Brandon stopped and peered out through the glass insert in the door. “No sign of Shore or other cops,” he relayed to her.
    That didn’t give her any sense of relief. Shore had gotten the jump on them before, and it could happen again.
    They left the meager cover of the stairwell and stepped out into the back part of the lobby, which was just ten or fifteen feet from the coffee shop. They only made it a few steps before Brandon pulled her into a shallow recessed area that led to the ladies’ room. He maneuvered her behind him.
    “Shhh,” he warned.
    Her heart went to her knees, and she came up on her tiptoes so she could look over his shoulder. Willa dreaded what she would see.
    There were several people milling around in the lobby and two hotel employees behind the check-in desk. She certainly didn’t see the apparent threat Brandon thought was there, but she had no intention of leaving their hiding place, either. She stood there waiting with her breath held.
    Two of the people in the lobby picked up their suitcases and headed for the front exit.
    That’s when Willa spotted the man.
    He was on the other side of the check-in desk, partly hidden behind a massive plant.
    Oh, God.
    It was Martin Shore.
    He was volleying glances between the elevator and the front door. And she recognized what he held in his hand.
    Her PDA.
    Willa clamped her teeth over her bottom lip so that her gasp wouldn’t be loud enough to draw anyone’s attention—especially Shore’s. How had he actually found them? Had Cash or Dr. Farris alerted him, or had Shore merely followed her PDA and guessed their location? His presence could be a fishing expedition, but it didn’t matter. He was there—so close—and that meant the danger was there again too.
    The baby began to kick, hard, and since her belly was pressed against Brandon’s back, he no doubt felt it. He glanced over his shoulder at her but then nailed his attention back on Shore.
    They couldn’t wait long in the alcove without someone noticing them, and it wouldn’t be wise to try to hide out in the ladies’ room where they would be trapped. Soon, if not already, Cash and the doctor would realize they were missing and would come looking for them. That would no doubt confirm to Shore that they were still in the building. Besides, she didn’t want anyone, including Cash and Dr. Farris, to find them. Willa only wanted to get out of there.
    “We need to move fast when we get outside,” Brandon whispered.
    Willa nodded and hoped that fast would be fast enough.
    Part of her wondered if it was best just to have a showdown with Shore. Here and now. After all, Brandon was a cop. He knew how to take down a killer. But Shore wasn’t an ordinary killer. He wouldn’t give up without a hard fight, and that would mean bullets flying. Innocent people could be killed. And once again, her precious baby would be in harm’s way.
    “Now!” Brandon ordered.
    He turned, not abruptly though. He kept his movement unhurried. He also kept her in front of him so that he was between Shore and her. Brandon was protecting her yet again.
    The dozen or so steps to the exit seemed to take a lifetime, but Willa knew it was only a few seconds. Brandon shoved open the door and got her outside.
    The burst of cold air hit her in the face, but she didn’t take the time to catch her breath. Brandon got them moving, not across the parking lot where they could easily be seen. He led her toward the back of the hotel, and they hurried past the service and delivery entrances. There were men unloading boxes, but none seemed to pay any attention to them.
    Brandon kept watch behind them and then stopped when they reached the corner of the building. There was about ten yards of wide-open space between the hotel and the next building, which was a one-story chain restaurant.
    “Let’s move,” Brandon insisted, and they quickly got across to the back of