Chapter Four
The next second he was back in the room, looking for a hideout. Cara eyed him conspiciously.
"Pretend to be tidying up. I've left, you don't know where I'm going. You are angry because I went against your better advice...ok?"
Jarod stuffed his bag into the cupboard and slid in after it. He hoped Parker and Lyle wouldn't check the cupboard.
Cara shot him an uncomprehending glance but didn't say a word. Jarods actions didn't make sense to her, but if he wanted to play she wouldn't be spoilsport.
She turned around to the bed and grabbed the sheets just when Miss Parker and Mr. Lyle entered the room. She spun around, pretending to be frightened off.
"Where is he?"
Miss Parker snapped. She scanned the room quickly then shot her glance back at Cara. Cara saw her cold eyes and and immediately felt dislike. She didn't like her companion either.
"You are looking for Jarod?"
She said without emotion, remembering Jarods words...pretend to be angry. Miss Parker nodded curtly. Lyle said nothing.
Cara turned back again and tore off the sheets and blankets of Jarods bed.
"Well, he isn't here anymore. I don't know which demons are hunting him, but he left about half an hour ago almost panically..."
She had an annoyed undertone in her voice, on which she congratulated herself. She hoped her pretend would be convincing.
"Jarod left. Where did he go?"
Lyle took action now. He was angry that they had missed him again. Cara watched him come closer and retreated from him.
"He didn't say. I was not willing to let him go, because his injuries are not even healed halfway. He's risking his life to run away and I really don't like that fact. I like my patients to recover from their injuries. I mean I don't spend three weeks fighting for his life only to have him go suicidal afterwards..."
Cara met Miss Parkers gaze.
"So he is injured, still? What happened?"
From the information Lyle had, Jarod was in a hospital. But they didn't say why. Jarod injured and nearly dead was a new experience for Miss Parker.
"He convicted a murderer and his accomplice. But as far as the papers mentioned it, Jarod seems to have trusted the accomplice who betrayed him to the murderer. Jarod caught three bullets and it's a miracle he's still alive."
Jarod almost winced in his hideout. His leg was throbbing and it sounded so stupid the way Cara described the events. But he was glad Miss Parker and Lyle seemed to accept Caras story.
"Why are you looking for him? Did he do something wrong?"
Cara was curious about Jarods reason. Maybe he wasn't as innocent as he seemed.
"Jarod killed three people. Executed them. We've been following him for more than three years now and he always convinces people to help him escape. Did he convince you as well?"
Miss Parkers voice was full of sarcasm, while Jarod sat stunned in his hideout. Why did they tell this story? Last time he had heard them give explanations it was him being mentally ill or confused. Why changing to murder? To get assistance in the chase?
He couldn't see Caras reaction but he hoped that she trusted in her knowledge of him. Otherwise his escape would have failed.
"Are you FBI-Agents?"
Cara asked with a tight voice. Miss Parker snorted.
"Not directly. We are PIs. One of the victims family engaged us to find him..."
Jarod shook his head. He bet she wasn't even blushing telling these lies.
Cara breathed deeply. She didn't know what to do. Whom should she trust? Jarod, the man she got to know so well during his recovery or the PIs, claiming to be running him down for brutal murder?
"I don't know where he went. But I don't think I would have told you if I knew."
Cara let her breath go. Miss Parker and Lyle groaned and Jarod relievedly let go of his fear.
"Why would you help a murderer, Doctor?"
Miss Parker spat the word murderer out, so that Jarod got the feeling she kind of really believed what she was saying.
"Because I don't believe in accusation unless I get proof. And if I'm not wrong you have no proof, no wanted for murder poster or else. So, I don't believe Jarod has done what you accuse him of. It's that simple!"
Miss Parker looked at her in sheer disbelief. Lyle enjoyed that rare sight. But before Miss Parker could get angry, he said:
"Thank you, Doctor. You were a great help. Have yourself a good day."
He grabbed Miss Parkers arm and puller her out to the corridor before she could explode.
Cara stood there and silently watched their retreat. She began to shiver.
"You better have a damn good explanation for this, Jarod."
She stated matter of factly. Jarod realized she was under shock.
Carefully he climbed out of the cupboard and left his bag behind. He saw she was shivering and took her in his arms.
"Shhh!" He gently embraced her until she stopped shivering.
"What was that about, Jarod? Are you a murderer?" Cara whispered.
Jarod shook his head and held her away, so she could see his eyes and the truth in them.
"No, Cara. I never murdered anyone personally. Usually they use another story, like I'm mentally ill or confused. I don't know what made them change that."
He prayed she would believe him. She held his gaze and finally sighed.
"In your eyes there is only innocence, Jarod. As I told them, I don't believe you did, what you're accused of."
Jarod smiled relievedly.
"I'm glad you do, because you just saved my life. I don't know how to thank you enough, Cara."
"Well, your welcome, Jarod. It would be nice if you could give me a short explanation of your situation...."
"I will, promised!" Jarod said.
The next second he was back in the room, looking for a hideout. Cara eyed him conspiciously.
"Pretend to be tidying up. I've left, you don't know where I'm going. You are angry because I went against your better advice...ok?"
Jarod stuffed his bag into the cupboard and slid in after it. He hoped Parker and Lyle wouldn't check the cupboard.
Cara shot him an uncomprehending glance but didn't say a word. Jarods actions didn't make sense to her, but if he wanted to play she wouldn't be spoilsport.
She turned around to the bed and grabbed the sheets just when Miss Parker and Mr. Lyle entered the room. She spun around, pretending to be frightened off.
"Where is he?"
Miss Parker snapped. She scanned the room quickly then shot her glance back at Cara. Cara saw her cold eyes and and immediately felt dislike. She didn't like her companion either.
"You are looking for Jarod?"
She said without emotion, remembering Jarods words...pretend to be angry. Miss Parker nodded curtly. Lyle said nothing.
Cara turned back again and tore off the sheets and blankets of Jarods bed.
"Well, he isn't here anymore. I don't know which demons are hunting him, but he left about half an hour ago almost panically..."
She had an annoyed undertone in her voice, on which she congratulated herself. She hoped her pretend would be convincing.
"Jarod left. Where did he go?"
Lyle took action now. He was angry that they had missed him again. Cara watched him come closer and retreated from him.
"He didn't say. I was not willing to let him go, because his injuries are not even healed halfway. He's risking his life to run away and I really don't like that fact. I like my patients to recover from their injuries. I mean I don't spend three weeks fighting for his life only to have him go suicidal afterwards..."
Cara met Miss Parkers gaze.
"So he is injured, still? What happened?"
From the information Lyle had, Jarod was in a hospital. But they didn't say why. Jarod injured and nearly dead was a new experience for Miss Parker.
"He convicted a murderer and his accomplice. But as far as the papers mentioned it, Jarod seems to have trusted the accomplice who betrayed him to the murderer. Jarod caught three bullets and it's a miracle he's still alive."
Jarod almost winced in his hideout. His leg was throbbing and it sounded so stupid the way Cara described the events. But he was glad Miss Parker and Lyle seemed to accept Caras story.
"Why are you looking for him? Did he do something wrong?"
Cara was curious about Jarods reason. Maybe he wasn't as innocent as he seemed.
"Jarod killed three people. Executed them. We've been following him for more than three years now and he always convinces people to help him escape. Did he convince you as well?"
Miss Parkers voice was full of sarcasm, while Jarod sat stunned in his hideout. Why did they tell this story? Last time he had heard them give explanations it was him being mentally ill or confused. Why changing to murder? To get assistance in the chase?
He couldn't see Caras reaction but he hoped that she trusted in her knowledge of him. Otherwise his escape would have failed.
"Are you FBI-Agents?"
Cara asked with a tight voice. Miss Parker snorted.
"Not directly. We are PIs. One of the victims family engaged us to find him..."
Jarod shook his head. He bet she wasn't even blushing telling these lies.
Cara breathed deeply. She didn't know what to do. Whom should she trust? Jarod, the man she got to know so well during his recovery or the PIs, claiming to be running him down for brutal murder?
"I don't know where he went. But I don't think I would have told you if I knew."
Cara let her breath go. Miss Parker and Lyle groaned and Jarod relievedly let go of his fear.
"Why would you help a murderer, Doctor?"
Miss Parker spat the word murderer out, so that Jarod got the feeling she kind of really believed what she was saying.
"Because I don't believe in accusation unless I get proof. And if I'm not wrong you have no proof, no wanted for murder poster or else. So, I don't believe Jarod has done what you accuse him of. It's that simple!"
Miss Parker looked at her in sheer disbelief. Lyle enjoyed that rare sight. But before Miss Parker could get angry, he said:
"Thank you, Doctor. You were a great help. Have yourself a good day."
He grabbed Miss Parkers arm and puller her out to the corridor before she could explode.
Cara stood there and silently watched their retreat. She began to shiver.
"You better have a damn good explanation for this, Jarod."
She stated matter of factly. Jarod realized she was under shock.
Carefully he climbed out of the cupboard and left his bag behind. He saw she was shivering and took her in his arms.
"Shhh!" He gently embraced her until she stopped shivering.
"What was that about, Jarod? Are you a murderer?" Cara whispered.
Jarod shook his head and held her away, so she could see his eyes and the truth in them.
"No, Cara. I never murdered anyone personally. Usually they use another story, like I'm mentally ill or confused. I don't know what made them change that."
He prayed she would believe him. She held his gaze and finally sighed.
"In your eyes there is only innocence, Jarod. As I told them, I don't believe you did, what you're accused of."
Jarod smiled relievedly.
"I'm glad you do, because you just saved my life. I don't know how to thank you enough, Cara."
"Well, your welcome, Jarod. It would be nice if you could give me a short explanation of your situation...."
"I will, promised!" Jarod said.