Page 42 of Ultimate Justice

His joy filled her with a lightness she hadn’t experienced in a very, very long time.

“Put your hospital sneakers in the Nike box.” She pointed to the empty box on the floor, then gathered their bags and headed for the cashier line. When the cashier opened the box, Marlie pointed to Noah’s feet. “He’s wearing them to go.”

Keeping one eye on Noah, she handed over her credit card. After yesterday, she worried a bit more for his safety. Maybe she should get him a cell phone. Then again, with his online aptitude, she could only imagine the trouble he’d get into. Speaking of trouble, if Wyoming really was where the camp was located, taking Noah there would be like dragging him back into the lion’s den.

Evan and Blue would be there, so what could possibly happen? Evan had been so protective yesterday at the farmers market. She didn’t doubt his abilities to protect Noah. What she doubted was whether she could control her body’s responses to Evan’s touch. As for what could possibly happen…

She shivered. More goose bumps. That’s what can happen.

When he’d tucked a strand of hair behind her ear yesterday, goose bumps had spread like wildfire across her back, and when she’d caught him staring at her while she’d licked the ice cream cone… Well, let’s just say she’d been grateful for wearing a sweater to hide her puckering nipples.

When the cashier returned it, Marlie tucked her credit card back into her wallet. “C’mon, let’s go,” she said to Noah.

He didn’t budge. With his back to her, maybe he hadn’t heard her. She gave his shoulder a quick shake. “Noah? We need to go.”

“He’s here,” he whispered, his arm shaking as he lifted it and pointed. “Frank.”

She whipped her head in the direction he was pointing—toward the back of the store. At the end of the aisle stood a few teenage girls oohing and aahing at a pair of knee-high leather boots, but no men. “Frank Manello? Are you sure?” When he nodded jerkily, she gripped his shoulder tighter. “Let’s get out of here.” Holding all three bags in one hand, she grabbed Noah’s hand and dragged him out the door.

The mall was even busier now, the aisles jammed with people. Music piped overhead, but all she could hear was the racing beat of her heart as it pumped icy rage through her veins.

Bastard. How dare he try taking Noah again!

She hustled them to the nearest exit, continually looking over her shoulder. The driver’s license photo Evan had showed them blinked in her head. No one behind them looked remotely like Manello.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t there, lurking in the throng milling around the mall.

“Hey!” a man growled as the bags whacked him in the legs. “Watch where you’re going.”

“Sorry,” she muttered, shoving through the crowd, and all the while never releasing Noah’s hand.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! That’s what she was for not waiting for Evan.

Finally, she pushed through the door, breathing a sigh of relief. Now to find her pickup and get the heck out of there. They’d parked clear on the other side of the mall.

Noah’s face twisted with fear, and she could swear a single tear leaked from the corner of his eye. Seeing that one tear spurred her to move faster.

They speed-walked down the sidewalk in front of the mall. Luckily, the historically accurate color of her truck—Meadow Green—made it stand out in the sea of mostly gray, blue, and white vehicles. Like the Jolly Green Giant.

“Hurry!” They started running, the bags thumping against the side of her leg. A few people turned to stare as they rushed past.

“M-Marlie?” Noah grabbed her arm, stopping her.

Coming toward them, walking with his hands in his pockets, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, was a man who could be—

Frank Manello.

“Oh God.” Her heart pounded harder as she glanced back at the mall. Again… What had she been thinking?

A few people here and there walked between the rows of cars, coming and going, but would they really help if she asked?

What she should have done was stay inside where there were lots of people. She could have called mall security. Idiot. Idiot. Manello had successfully herded them outside.

The pickup was still several rows away. They weren’t going to make it.

She spun, putting herself between Manello and Noah, shielding his body with her own. Sweat trickled between her shoulder blades. Every protective, maternal instinct inside her kicked in full force, and she fisted her hands, ready for battle.

If anyone tried to take Noah or hurt him in any way, they’d have to go through her first.