“What the hell is going on? What happened to Nick?” she demanded, her voice rough. I could hear squealing tires in the background.
I had cried so much, I didn’t think it was possible to shed another tear. My mind was numb and my whole body hurt. “Someone broke into my house and shot Nick and Scott. Scott didn’t make it. They told me to run, and . . .” I stopped and threw a hand over my mouth. The guilt came rushing back. I hated myself for putting them in that situation. “They told me to run and I did. Scott would be alive if it wasn’t for me. And who knows about Nick,” I sobbed.
“It’s not your fault. Nick will be okay. We have to believe he’ll be okay.” We cried together until the police chief, Robert Wilson, cleared his throat.
“Felicity, call me as soon as you find anything out about Nick. I have to go.”
We said our goodbyes and I turned to face the chief.
“I know this is a difficult time for you, but I need to ask you some questions,” he said. Robert was a middle-aged man with salt and peppered hair and almost a head taller than me, which was pretty tall considering I was five foot ten. I looked up at him and nodded.
“Okay. But I should probably call my dad before this gets onto the news.”
He shook his head. “No need. I called him already.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Does he know about Scott?”
He sighed and when I opened my eyes, he nodded. “He was a good friend of your father’s, just like I am. George and I go way back, Miss Rivers. And with everything that’s happened, I have a solution to keep you safe. Now follow me. We have a long night ahead of us.”
“You’re moving me where?” I gasped, shooting to my feet. Robert sat back in his chair while I paced his office.
Before he could respond, my father spoke up first, his deep voice resonating out of the telephone speaker. “I’m sorry, pumpkin. I know this isn’t want you want, but we have to keep you safe, at all costs.”
“I understand the concern, but why do I have to go all the way to Wyoming? Why can’t I stay in California, somewhere closer to home?”
“Because,” Robert interrupted, drawing my attention, “we need you in a safe place; where no one will recognize you, and no one would look for you. Even your father isn’t going to know exactly where you’re going.” He leaned forward, his gaze serious. “With that being said, no one can know of your location, not even your friends. Understand? You will be going dark until we catch this bastard.”
My gut clenched and I nodded, tears springing to my eyes at the thought of not seeing Nick, or going to Scott’s funeral. My mind shifted to Scott’s family, and the pain they’d be going through. I wouldn’t be around to tell them how sorry I was. Then there was Nick, who was going to be fighting for his life without me to help him through. He’d always been there for me, and now I’d be leaving him in his greatest hour of need.
My dad sighed and the sound startled me. “Not to mention, sweetheart, your tour will have to be put on hold.”
I gasped, I’d totally forgotten about my upcoming commitments across the country.
“There’s just no other way. Once word gets out to the media, your fans will understand. You’ll be too easy of a target if that bastard knows where to find you.”
Exhausted, I sat in the seat across from Robert. “When do I leave?”
“Tomorrow morning, once all your papers go through. You’ll no longer be Hadley Rivers. We’ll have to give you a new identity.”
Nodding, I wiped at the tears sliding down my cheek. I would be abandoning everyone I cared about, while they dealt with my mess. “How long will I be gone?”