Proof of Innocence. Lenora Worth

she’d managed to sneak into a DC hospital to check on him but only long enough to make sure he wasn’t seriously hurt. He never knew she was there. But she wasn’t ready to admit that to Chase.

      “Your father is fine,” he answered. “He’s concerned about you, of course.”

      Chase obviously didn’t want to discuss the man who’d come between them when they were so young and full of idealistic love. But then, Chase wasn’t one to discuss his feelings with anybody.

      “I’m sure he’s concerned,” she replied, wishing she could explain everything to Chase right now. “And the Eagleton Foundation? Any word on that?”

      “Kind of in a holding pattern from what we’ve heard. We questioned everyone who works for the foundation. No one knew anything about your whereabouts.” He gave her a quick glance. “They’re all concerned about you.”

      She’d probably be voted out as CEO of the Eagleton Foundation. If that hadn’t already happened.

      “I couldn’t contact anyone. It would have put them in danger, too.”

      He didn’t respond to that, but he shot her a cautious glance and guided her over a tree root.

      Holding on to the scarf like a lifeline, Erin loved the softness it brought back into her life. Knowing Chase had carried her scarf all these months gave her renewed hope. But the memories the exquisite piece of her past life brought out made her want to weep. She was no longer that girl and she was no longer a part of Washington’s elite society either. The nation’s capital was a very unforgiving place.

      But she had her memories, good and bad. “My dad gave me this scarf for my birthday a few years ago. You know how I love animals.”

      Chase glanced over at her. “Yep. I remember you going on a safari...one summer.”

      The summer after they’d broken up.

      Erin wrapped the delicate cream material stamped with blue elephants around her neck. “Chase, are you taking me back to DC?”

      “No.”

      Thinking he’d never been a man of words, she tried again. “Where are we going?”

      “Where were you before?”

      And so like him to answer a question with a question.

      “In a hotel up on the highway.” They wound around a curve in the path. “I’ve tried to stay in cheap hotels to save cash. I’ve worked odd jobs to keep me going.”

      Which he had to have known. He’d found her, hadn’t he? Was he testing her for the truth?

      If so, he didn’t let on. “Then we won’t be going back to any of those places. They’ll be looking for you at every cheap motel in the area.”

      They finally emerged from the woods and she saw a white SUV with official trim work and the words Capitol K-9 Unit stamped in dark letters on its sides. In bright red underneath, it stated Caution. Police Dog. Chase and the dog he’d called Valor stopped, both of them shielding her while the man did a visual of the area and the dog lifted his nose for any air scents.

      “He’s beautiful,” she said after Chase used his key fob to open the high-tech vehicle. He helped her into the passenger’s seat, where what looked like an assault rifle was mounted inside the console between the seats. Valor jumped into a clean metal compartment right behind the two front seats, his doleful dark eyes washing over Erin with a certain curiosity that belied his training.

      She automatically held her knuckles to his brown nose and allowed him to get to know her. “Hey there, Valor. Thank you so much for finding me.”

      Valor whimpered a reply and did a little dance to show he understood. Chase patted the dog’s head and made sure he had some water. Then he closed the side door and got into the SUV.

      “He’s a hard worker,” he said while he buckled up and checked the area again. Once he appeared satisfied that no one was lurking in the woods, he let out a sigh. “Erin, are you okay? Really?”

      Did he actually care how she felt? “I am now.”

      He nodded and she could almost feel his gaze hot on her skin. She’d thought about his green eyes a lot when she’d been trudging through lush hills full of birch and hickory trees and old mushrooming oaks. Her heart lifted, but a solid dread brought it back down to earth. Would Chase understand her predicament?

      He watched the shadows around the vehicle and then glanced over at her. “Then tell me what’s going on.”

      She was so glad to be able to talk to someone she needed to trust that she pulled off the offending wig and tugged at the fake eyeglasses. Her now chin-length hair tumbled out in damp dark tufts of mixed brown and blond highlights. “Someone was chasing me. Again.”

      “We’ve established that,” he said, his gaze moving over her hair. “I need to know the whole story, starting with the night you went missing.”

      Erin tried to detangle her curls. “You might not believe the whole story.”

      “Try me.”

      She wanted to tell him everything so he could help her piece it all together. “Can we find someplace else to discuss this? I’ve been hiding out so long and I hate these woods.” She glanced out the window. “I have a mortal fear that someone is always watching me.”

      He cranked the big SUV. “Okay, but... I’m about to make a call to Captain McCord and... I need to know one thing first and what I tell him will depend entirely on your answer to my question.”

      “What do you need to know, Chase?” she asked, already understanding. Already seeing reluctance in his doubtful, hopeful gaze.

      He held on to the steering wheel with both hands, but his gaze held hers. “Did you murder Michael Jeffries?”

      Erin understood he had to ask, but her heart hurt at hearing that question coming from his lips. “No,” she said. “No, Chase. I didn’t murder Michael. But I know who did.”

      Then she went on before he could say anything. “And before you make that call, I need to know if I can trust you.” She slanted her head and stared him down. “Do you believe me?”

      “Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I told you—you’re safe now.”

      “Okay,” she said, her shoulders feeling as if a great weight had been shoved off them. “Make the call.”

      He heaved a breath then took out his cell and asked to speak to Captain Gavin McCord. Erin listened and held her breath while Chase gave the captain his location.

      His next words startled her. “I have Erin Eagleton with me and I hope to be able to...bring her in soon.” Chase listened and then replied, “Yes, sir. I understand. It’s late and she’s exhausted. I plan on stopping for the night to throw anyone off our trail.”

      Erin lifted her chin and pivoted on the seat. Had he tricked her? Would he turn her over to the DC authorities and just walk away?

      She’d get out of this car and take off again if he planned to do that.

      But when Chase ended the call, he turned to her. “Okay, I bought us some time, but Captain McCord is probably calling General Margaret Meyer right now to read her in on this. Meantime, I’m going to find us a safe place to stay tonight so we can talk. Just you and me.”

       Just you and me.

      His stoic, matter-of-fact words held a hint of intimacy that only reminded her of their time together.

      As if to cover that, he said, “I need to hear the whole story from you before things get chaotic.”

      Erin put a hand on his arm. “Thank you.”

      He didn’t say anything, but she saw the way he glanced down at her finger curled against his arm. The heat between