Secret Admirer. Karen Rose Smith

thinking if the incident was innocent, the driver would pass them. Did they not know they were tailgating a sheriff’s deputy?

      As he continued to watch his rearview mirror, he noticed something alarming. The car’s front license plate was missing. With the vehicle inches from his bumper, Noah prepared to radio for assistance, when the car rammed the rear of the patrol vehicle.

      Noah lurched forward, the seat belt caught hard. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Rachel gripping the armrest for support.

      The SUV slipped on the icy road and he struggled to keep it under control.

      “What’s happening?” she asked, her voice unsteady and barely audible.

      “They’re trying to run us off the road.” The car edged up behind them once more. Noah floored the gas pedal. The SUV fishtailed, and he held on to the wheel with all his might to keep from losing control. The car stayed with him.

      “Hold on,” Noah yelled when the car slammed into them again. Before he had time to radio for assistance, the rear tire of the SUV blew. The vehicle spun three hundred and sixty degrees on the ice before heading straight for the snow-covered ditch at full speed.

      Noah fought for control and lost. The cruiser hit the snow hard, launched itself through the air and slammed onto its side. Skidding some twenty feet, it plowed up snow and debris until it came to a shuddering stop on the passenger side. His head slammed against the driver’s-side window. It shattered on contact, sending glass flying everywhere. Noah lost consciousness briefly. When he came to, seconds ticked away before the fog lifted. Blood oozed from his face where bits of glass embedded.

      Rachel! Below him, a barely audible moan. He glanced down to see her suspended by the seat belt. “Rachel, are you hurt?” Her lack of response was terrifying. Noah craned his neck. The dashboard lights revealed her eyes were not open. She wasn’t moving.

      “Rachel!” he called to her again. Her eyes fluttered open. Breath seeped out in a sigh of relief. Still, she could have internal injuries. “Are you okay? Can you move?” he asked.

      She flexed her arms and legs. “I think so.”

      A flashlight’s beam swept across the windshield. Rachel’s eyes shot to Noah’s. He signaled for her to keep silent. The men who ran them off the road were still out there.

      Noah’s radio hung freely from his jacket, smashed to bits when he’d slammed into the door. He couldn’t find the cell phone that he’d placed on the center console. They were on their own.

      “See if you can unfasten your seat belt,” he whispered with urgency.

      It took several tries before she was free.

      “Stay down and don’t move no matter what,” he said in a low voice. Rachel flattened herself against the floorboard.

      It took all his effort to unholster his Glock.

      “Be careful, he’s a cop,” a man’s voice warned. He had to be standing right next to the SUV.

      “Yeah, well, you’d better hope she’s alive because he’s going to be angry if you killed her by ramming their vehicle. We were supposed to follow them. Find out what’s going on. See if we could get her alone and nab her, and now you’ve gone and done this.”

      “Shut up. I got the job done, didn’t I? We have them at our mercy,” the first man snapped.

      “By running a sheriff’s vehicle off the road! You could land us both in jail. I want my share of the money. If she’s dead or we get caught, there’s nothing.”

      “She’s not dead, and there’s no way I’m going to jail, not even if I have to kill him.” Rachel’s terrified gaze met his. “Besides, they’re probably both unconscious. And we’re wearing masks. Now, give me a foot up so I can grab her before he wakes up.”

      Outside his door, Noah heard the men struggling to reach it. A man’s head and shoulders popped into view. In the cramped position, Noah aimed and fired. The man yelped and fell backward.

      “I’m hit,” he screamed. “He shot me. Help me out, why don’t you. We need to split. There could be more of them coming.”

      “What about the girl? We need her,” his partner said.

      “Forget the girl. We’ll get her another time,” the first man snapped. “I’ve been shot! I need a doctor.”

      Seconds slipped by. A car’s engine fired. Tires squealed as the vehicle sped away.

      “Let’s get out of here before the one guy changes his mind and decides he’d rather have the money than save his buddy’s life.” Noah tried to free the latch on the seat belt, but the tension of his weight against it was too much.

      He felt around on the center console, unable to open it from his angle.

      “I’m going to need your help. I have a knife in the center console. Can you reach it?”

      Using the seat as a crutch, Rachel managed to stand. Opening the console, she felt around until she located the knife.

      “I have it.” She held it up.

      He took it from her. “Once I cut through the seat belt, I’m not sure if I can control where I’ll land, and I’m afraid I’ll hurt you in the process. Can you make it to the back seat? You should be safe there.”

      She glanced behind him. “I think so.” Gathering her skirt, Rachel eased between the two seats until she was tucked behind the passenger seat.

      Noah braced his weight against the console. Opening the knife, he began cutting away at his restraints.

      It took longer than he’d expected for the final piece to fray loose and free him. His full weight slammed against the console, which blocked his fall. Wincing in pain, he breathed a prayer of thanks. He spotted his cell phone where it had landed in the passenger side pouch. Grabbing it, Noah quickly called Walker.

      “Where are you? Janine said you were heading to the station a while ago.”

      Drawing in a breath, Noah explained about the attack. “The SUV’s incapacitated and I’m afraid those goons might return to try and kidnap Rachel again.”

      “We’re on our way. Can you two make it out of the cruiser?”

      “I think so.”

      “Good. Find someplace safe to hide until we arrive. We’re ten minutes out.” Sirens blared through the phone.

      Ending the call, Noah pocketed the phone. He killed the SUV’s engine and peered out the shattered driver window.

      “I think we can climb out this side and then scoot across to the front of the SUV and hop to the ground.” Noah eased out the window and moved a little away. He held out his hand to her.

      Bracing her foot, Rachel grasped it, and he lifted her up and out of the patrol vehicle. She glanced over the side. It was a good drop straight down.

      “Don’t look down, just do what I do, okay?” He held her gaze. Slowly she nodded. On his hands and knees, Noah edged to the front of the vehicle. As carefully as possible, he put one foot on the headlight and the second on the grill. He jumped down, the deep snow cushioned his landing.

      Holding out his hands, he looked up at Rachel, reading all her doubts in her eyes. “It’s okay. I have you. I’m not going to let you fall.” He’d let her down once. Would she trust him this time?

      “You promise?” she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.

      “I promise. I won’t let you down again.” And he meant it. No matter what, he’d do his best to keep her safe and bring Eva home to her family.

      With the tiniest of nods, she placed her feet where he had. His hands circled her waist, and he lowered her to the ground at his side still holding her close. Their gazes tangled. All her doubts there for him to see. The past enveloped