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He turned toward the Malibu. “Let’s go. I’ll have to find a place to turn around. Your father’s farm is northeast from here.”
She nodded. “Murphy’s Estates.”
He’d never mentioned the name Rex had provided and hearing her mention it had him staring at her suspiciously. “You remember?”
Fiona flushed and nodded. “The name just popped into my head.”
Were there other memories that had fluttered through her mind? He wanted to believe she’d tell him, but after everything that had transpired in the past forty-eight hours, the earlier doubts crept back.
They hit the road again. At the next intersection, he turned around to head back toward Lexington. They were only a few miles from the city limits when he noticed a black SUV coming up fast in his rearview mirror.
The gunmen?
He slammed his foot on the accelerator, sending the Malibu surging forward. Unfortunately, the four-cylinder engine was no match for the bigger SUV. The black car closed the gap with frightening ease.
“Hang on.” He tightened his grip on the wheel, anticipating the moment of impact. He jerked the steering wheel, taking them off the road just as the black SUV tried to ram into them.
The black vehicle did strike their smaller sedan but not with the full-force impact they’d likely hoped for.
Fiona called 911 as he drove along the shoulder, then he made a sharp right turn on the next street. Somehow, he needed to get far enough away from the gunmen.
And for the first time in years, he silently prayed for help from their Lord God above.
10
Fiona fumbled with the disposable cell while hanging on to the dashboard with one hand to keep her from being tossed back and forth like a sack of potatoes. Even with the seatbelt tight over her chest, she was thrown around in her seat. After one failed attempt, she finally managed to dial 911.
“Please state your emergency.” The calm voice of the dispatcher was a stark contrast to Doc’s erratic driving. He’d steered them along the shoulder to the next intersection and had turned right. Now he was speeding as fast as their smaller car could go.
Which wasn’t nearly fast enough.
“A black SUV rammed us off the road. We were on Highway 23 about five miles from the Lexington city limits.” She tried to twist in her seat to look behind them. She didn’t see the black SUV but felt certain the driver would turn around to follow them. “Now we’re on Potters Field Road.”
“Please stay on the line while I send units to your area.”
Before she could respond, she heard a thumping sound, and their rental sedan lurched to one side. One of the tires had gone flat!
Doc pulled over off the road as far as possible. He reached over to open the glove box where he’d stashed his gun. Once he had the weapon in hand, he looked at her. “We need to run. Hurry!”
Running in her sandals and yellow dress would not be fun, but she didn’t bother to argue with him. She gave one last bit of information to the dispatcher. “We’re at the cemetery!”
Doc ran around to her side of the car to help her out. He winced upon seeing she wore sandals but didn’t say anything. Nothing they could do to change that now. Ignoring the path, he tugged her through the maze of gravestones straight for two tall cemetery mausoleums.
She accidentally dropped the phone. There was no time to retrieve it. She hoped Doc still had his, or they’d be in even worse shape.
Worse than running into a cemetery to hide from gunmen? A hysterical laugh threatened to erupt from her throat. Her feet slipped on the grass as they ran across the cemetery.
Upon reaching the two tall mausoleums, she leaned weakly against one of the cement walls.
Doc peered around the corner, weapon in hand while scanning the area behind them. She was grateful he was armed, although at the same time, she didn’t want him to be in a position where he needed to kill someone.
“It’s clear so far, but it won’t be for long.” Doc’s expression was grim. “We need to keep moving.”
The straps of her sandals were cutting into her skin, but running barefoot wasn’t an option. The area between the gravestones mostly consisted of bluegrass, but there were also plenty of stones, sticks, and other debris littering the earth. She forced herself to stand straight. “Which way?”
“Deeper into the cemetery.” He reached for her hand. “If you can’t make it, I’ll carry you.”
He’d made the same suggestion that first night they ran on foot from the gunmen who’d shown up at his cabin. She didn’t like the idea any better now than she had then. She was determined to keep pace with him, regardless of the pain. “I can make it.”
