Chapter 13

I wasn't going to say that Lula had found me stood on the bridge over the Delaware. One of her girls had seen me and called her. I think they both knew what had been going through my mind then, so leaving Trenton I suppose was a way of trying to keep my sanity. It didn't stop those feelings though because all I did was to find another expanse of water where I wanted to find some peace. Look at how that turned out.

"Chloe?"

I was looking at Xander who had somehow moved and squatted down in front of me.

"You know, that name just doesn't suit you"

I remembered the time when he'd tried to come up with a nickname, but every suggestion reminded me of a name that someone had called me.

"What's your real name?"

I could feel my heart rate speed up along with my breathing. I couldn't be that woman anymore. It held too much pain.

"I don't want to be her, I want to forget her and everything that she was, the person that everyone hates"

"How about you tell me the first name and I'll use it to give you a new name, one that doesn't remind you of other people and what they called you. Hi, I'm Alexander, but I go by Xander"

I said my name to myself, Stephanie. Steph was a name that people used but maybe.

"Annie"

"Now that suits you a lot better"

It was weird but as we sat there quietly and ate the muffins that appeared from the bag that Xander had brought I actually started to feel different. It was difficult to explain but maybe having Xander listen to me and actually feel that he was taking me seriously had me feeling lighter. It also had me going through everything that had happened during those last few days in Trenton. Had I been such an emotional wreck that I'd allowed everyone to push me further down, because at the time it had felt as though I was drowning with nothing and no one to hold onto. It also had me remembering what Xander had told me about his reasons for running.

"Do you regret running away from home Xander?"

It was his turn to focus on the river and as he didn't reply to me straight away, I was regretting asking him.

"Yes. I know I was naïve with the hacking and enough people had warned me that I was being stupid. Jay was my world. I never thought that my actions would hurt them"

Okay, go back a step, Jay, who was she?"

"Jay?"

"The friend who got badly hurt, but they were more than a friend. It was me that found Jay. The bastards had beaten Jay up really badly. I called for an ambulance and walked away. It was me that had caused it to happen, and everyone was blaming me, well I didn't cope very well. My ma had died a few years prior and my da, well he was a bully. My grandma was the matriarch of the family, and she gave me what for. Told me how I'd ruined Jay's life and health so I ran. I lived on the streets to avoid everyone but apparently people were still looking for me. Greg was the one who found me and brought me here to the States"

"Have you ever spoken to Jay since?"

Although I could understand why he wouldn't have. He must have felt so guilty. First for what had happened to her and then for deserting her afterwards.

"No. Greg helped to arrange money to pay for treatment, but I could never make contact, too many feelings of guilt on my part and probably hate on theirs. Jay was the love of my life that I lost"

What a pair we were. The problem was what did we do now? If anything had come from us talking today it was that running wasn't the answer but what would I do other than that? I mean my suggestion to Xander would be to see Jay and at least lay the past to rest but could I follow my own advice?

"Maybe we need to stop running and hiding Annie?"

I took Xander's hand in mine as a way of agreeing with him. The problem was how to do that.

I tossed and turned that night in the bed and not because I was uncomfortable or because of dreams. My thoughts were going ten to the dozen trying to work out what to do next. The idea of facing my demons came and went as quickly. I couldn't face anyone until I knew the answers that I could throw back at them. I wanted to stand up for myself and tell them, or better yet shout at them that they were wrong. I was desperate to cling onto the idea of the seeds of doubt that Xander had planted. That grandma hadn't died because of me.

I eventually got up when I knew sleep wasn't going to allow me any rest and dressed intending to sneak out through the living area where Xander was sleeping on the couch. Was I planning on leaving him? I don't know, but I never got that opportunity because he was awake and pacing the room with a phone in his hand. Just his posture had me tensing up knowing that something was wrong. As soon as he finished the call he sat down on the couch, his hand almost white as he gripped the phone.

"What's happened?"

I was stood rigid by the bedroom door so worried with what he would say.

"That was Greg. Everyone is fine back in Hoquiam. Robert's parents are staying with him and Anya, and Jenson is keeping in touch with Greg"

"But?"

He wouldn't be so tense unless there was something else.

"Apparently there were a couple of men hanging around town, asking questions. Gloria was pissed off that someone was asking about any new women in town so told Jenson. Then Greg discovered that someone's been tapping phones and hacking into the internet at Jenson's home and office"

Shit. Who the hell could be looking for me and why would they focus on Hoquiam? I hadn't left a trail or given any idea of who I was. Then it occurred to me, why? Why would anyone be interested in me and looking for me?

"I don't understand. Why would anyone be interested in finding me? I mean nothing to anyone who knows me, they wouldn't want to know where I was"

Everyone had made it perfectly clear that they abhorred me so surely, they'd be glad that I was out of their lives.

"What if you upset someone with those searches that you did?"

I suppose that might make some sense and maybe that was why Jenson's office and home had been hit.

"What work did you do for Jenson?"

I had to think about that and try and remember.

"A witness who saw an accident. The man injured needed compensation from the logging company, but the witness didn't have a problem with being found. Then there was a woman who was stealing id's. She was caught and the client got her life back"

"You found Charlie and that couple were arrested"

How could I forget that one, but the couple were in prison. Besides they weren't bright enough or have the resources to try and find me.

"I can't see them having anything to do with looking for me. I knew what cases Jenson was working on because I wrote up the notes but there was nothing scandalous or incriminating"

That just left one other case. Finding Robert and the people who were moving that toxic waste but how would any of those involved know that it was me? They'd go after Greg first, wouldn't they?

"They arrested everyone didn't they, the brothers who were involved with Robert?"

Even as Xander nodded his head he was frowning.

"All the work was done at the satellite office so no one could link you into that anyway"

I had no ideas left which was both frustrating and annoying. It also meant that I would need to keep moving and hiding, but how long would I need to do that for?

"We need to find somewhere safe and then try to find out what the hell is going on"

I could go with that on both counts because I wanted to know who was looking for me and why, the problem would be where we could go that was safe? We. I realized that I'd said we and that was the worst idea that I'd had.

"Xander, you can go back to work. It's obvious that it's me that someone is interested in"

"You have a short memory. We stick together. I'm not running away from this or abandoning you"

Damn it, why was he so stubborn? I realized that I wasn't going to win with him.

"Where would be safe where we can work, because if it is something to do with Robert then they'll know that Gregory is also involved so might be watching his places"

"I know just the place. It's somewhere that Greg is a silent partner with, but his name isn't recorded publicly. The building would be safe and there's equipment there that we can use"

That seemed like the answer to all of our problems, well until Xander mentioned the name of the city.

"Atlanta. I know it's a long way but it's ideal"

I was probably frowning for Xander to guess why I was uneasy. It wasn't the distance that had me worried it was that I was sure that Ranger had once had offices there. I was aware that he'd sold out and that he no longer had anything to do with the company but would some of the men who worked there still talk to Ranger? That was if I was even right. I mean it could be any office, couldn't it? Yeah right, and with my luck!

"What exactly is Gregory's business interests"

Because it was something that had never been discussed and to be honest, I hadn't thought about it. Maybe I should have. The office in Seattle had resembled Rangeman and Gregory had been able to bring together a response team to rescue Robert and have those men arrested. Was I being paranoid that I thought that I'd dropped into the circle of a company that operated in a similar way to Rangeman?

"He works with the police and alphabet agencies in collating evidence when they struggle to do it themselves"

Okay, not into security then, but there were aspects that to me seemed similar to what Ranger had sometimes done. Then again there were probably a lot of companies out there that provided that service.

"He also has teams that he, err, uses abroad"

Xander must have thought that I was stupid if he thought that I didn't know what he was referring to. I watched films and read books, so I wasn't naive, okay maybe I was because as far as I knew they only existed in fiction, didn't they?

"Mercenaries?"

"That's a strong word to use and Greg would definitely object to being associated with it. Mercenary refers more to paid armed soldiers where morals and ethics don't have as much influence as the money paid"

An ethical mercenary, well that was a new notion and maybe I had a biased opinion as to what a mercenary was. Yeah, I was sure that an ethical mercenary wouldn't make for a good storyline in a film or book.

"Are you okay going to Atlanta or is it a problem for you?"

I thought through that trying to weigh up whether or not I was okay with going to Atlanta. Then I remembered what had been a part of our conversation yesterday, that I needed to stop running and hiding. To hell with Ranger or if he discovered that it was me there. He didn't own the company anymore and it was none of his business if I was there, besides Gregory could pave the way for us.

"Let's do it but next time you talk to Gregory have him clear the way and for him to use the name Annie"

I was pretty sure no one would recognize me or know of me and wasn't I being preemptive in assuming that it was the same company?