Surrender My Love (41 page)

“Go!”

“What the fuck is going on, Chloe? What’s all that noise?” Paul turned, his curly hair whipping about his head.

“
Just go! Go!”

He was already
pulling out as she screamed instructions. Her thoughts were scrambled with fear, jumbled from the adrenaline that quaked her body. She had to get to Brad. He was in danger. She hiccupped a cry, praying she wasn’t too late.

Brad stared in disbelief as
Nigel rushed up to him. The man’s face was scrunched with alarm, and terror swam in his eyes.

“You have to get out of here, now! You’re in danger!”
Nigel hissed quickly.

Brad blinked rapidly, trying to process his words and stave of
f his shock. “What are you talking about?”

“There’s no time.
Chloe needs you.”

The mention of Chloe’s name snapped him out of his
confusion and he felt his muscles tighten beneath his suit.

“She’s in trouble. There’re men waiting for her at her mother’s apartment.”

“But she’s not going there.”

“Yes, to meet her brother!”
Nigel’s head swung towards the building. “I don’t have time. I have to go!” He took Brad’s hand and pushed something into it. “Here is the information you wanted. This will help her. There’s also proof that he killed Gordon.”

“I thought you worked for Omega. What are you doing here?” Brad stuttered, still confused.

“I do, but I
’ve also been working for Fusso for the past couple months. Phillips wouldn’t test the Memoram. He was too afraid of getting caught. He didn’t want to put his company in jeopardy. Fusso’s been doing it on his own. One of the scientists from Omega is giving him the drug. Phillips knows nothing about it. Fusso hired me and some others to test it, to see if it would work, then he planned on jumping back in on the project and demanding a higher percent.”

Brad shook his head, trying to assimilate the information. “But, I ran into Phillips a
t Silo. He said he wanted to talk to me. He seemed glad that Gordon is dead.”

“He
is glad. Gordon was a thorn in his side, but he didn’t kill him. He was probably trying to get you to invest. That’s all. He’s been asking around for support since Fusso dropped out.”

“
Shit!” Brad frowned sternly. “It was Fusso who framed Chloe?”

“
It was Fusso.” Nigel nodded. “We didn’t think anyone would die. I swear. Now he’s just trying to clean up this mess. Go! Now! He’ll kill you like he did Gordon.”

“Wait!”

“Tell Chloe I’m sorry.”

Nigel
rushed out the words then disappeared through the door. Brad looked down at the flash drive in his palm, then squeezed it tight, his gaze scanning the lot. He kept his head down and ran back to his car, his breaths coming quick, and his heart bursting with morbid emotion. A second later, he was careening out of the lot, his cell phone in his hand. Brad bit hard on his lip and prayed, afraid to confront the dread stacking like heavy cement blocks and weighing down his limbs. No way would Chloe go to her mother’s! She had promised him! She’d looked him in the eyes after they’d made love and fucking promised him! But as the phone rang and rang in his apartment, he got his answer.

“
Fuuuuuuck!”
he bellowed with rage, beating his hand against the steering wheel. He hit it hard and kept hitting until his flesh hurt.

How could she fucking do this?
How could she do this to me? To us?
The betrayal he felt was wretchedly enlightening. She would
never
let him in. She was too independent, too used to being on her own. She’d never trust him to take care of her, never surrender her heart again. The pain from her broken engagement had crushed her willingness to love or let anyone get close. She’d grown a tough shell from her life’s battles that he could never penetrate.

A sexual relationship seemed all she was willing to offer.
He should be happy. He’d been sworn to the bachelor life and maybe that’s where he belonged. He could focus on his career and not have to deal with these wretched emotions that tied him in knots! This woman defied him at every turn and showed how little she cared! He’d had enough! He was done!

Brad looked towards the glove compartment where he’d stored the flash drive. He had the information now that they needed to get the charges dropped and he
had to get to Chloe before any harm could come to her. A romantic relationship may not be in their future, but he still needed to make sure she was safe. Pain staked through his heart and he tried not to think about the future, because deep down he knew he would never stop loving her.

His gaze darted back to the glove
compartment. He needed help. He fished his wallet out of his pocket and pulled out the card Detective Sullivan had given him and dialed the number.

The detective answered on the first ring.

“I know where Chloe Bennett is,” he said immediately.

“Is that so
?”

Brad frowned
. Detective Sullivan did not seem surprised to hear from him.

“I need you to get to her mother’s apartment right away. She’s there.”

“I can’t do that right now.”

He
almost bit through his lip and somehow relished the pain. “Did you not hear what I just said? She’s at her mother’s!”

“I can’t do that because I’m in the car right behind you.”

“
What!”
Brad’s gaze flew to the rear view mirror and he spotted the car. A black Grand Marquis not far behind him. He couldn’t believe the police had been tailing him. How long? Since the visit to his office? It didn’t matter now.

“Just fucking get
someone there! She’s in danger,” he yelled into the phone, his gaze bouncing to the mirror.

“Pull over. You’re
gonna fucking kill someone with how fast you’re going.”

Brad slammed on the b
rakes and skidded onto the shoulder. He reached over and grabbed the flash drive, then jumped out of his car just as the black car pulled up beside his.

“Get in,
” Detective Sullivan shouted through the rolled down window, and Brad slid into the passenger side of the car.

“So, it looks like you and
the nurse are a lot closer than you claimed.”

“How long have you been tailing me?”

“Since you gave me that bullshit in your office. I figured you’d lead me right to her.”

Brad’s mind was racing,
focused on a singular intent. He had to get to Chloe. His shoulders sagged with relief when the detective pushed a button and turned on the siren and flashers. Detective Sullivan floored the gas and they zoomed ahead as traffic made way.

“She didn’t do it,” h
e told the detective.

“I had my doubts
. I could tell from questioning her she didn’t have it in her. But all the evidence pointed neatly to her…also something I didn’t like.”

Brad did a double take at the officer, staring at his harsh profile.

“It was Mr. Fusso.”

The detective frowned, now turning to look at him.

“The investor? I was wondering why you were at that building.”

“Yes.
” Brad nodded firmly. “He got the drug that killed them from Omega.”

“
You got proof?”

The detective was already reaching for his radio, speaking into it.

“Yes. It’s on this flash drive.” Brad heard him asking for backup to go to Epic Enterprises. “Nigel will tell you all you need to know.”

“
Nigel really exists?”

Brad nodded. “He was the one drawing the patients’ blood.
Fusso hired him. Fusso framed Chloe and now he’s trying to silence her.”

Brad braced himself in his seat, listening as the detective got his captain on the line. They were also sending officers to Rose’s apartment
. As his pulse slowed a moderate degree, he prayed they’d get there in time. That they weren’t too late.

Chloe sat in Paul’s car, wringing her
cold fingers. Her knuckles were white with tension. She needed to get to Brad. Had Phillips found him already? Was he hurt? Worse? Tension threatened to snap her spine. Brad was in trouble and it was all her fault! She should never have gone to his apartment and put him in such danger.

Her heart overflowed
with her feelings for him, a soft warm euphoria edged with blinding panic. She was falling in love and she surrendered to the quintessential joy of it. She paused, her eyes flaring.
Surrender.
That’s what he’d asked her to do. She understood now and embraced the overwhelming emotions. She needed him desperately, needed his love and his unwavering strength. After everything he’d done for her, she knew she could trust him. She didn’t know what the future held, but his emotions were honest and pure and gave sustenance to her wretched soul.

Tears brimmed on her lids and her blurry gaze sidled to Paul. He hadn’t said much during the car ride
, and she wondered if he was regretting his offer to drive her to Fusso’s. He’d seemed terrified as they’d pulled away from her mother’s apartment. She didn’t want him getting in trouble for helping her though. She’d have him drop her off and then send him on his way. The police could charge him for his part in this. Chloe knew the location of Epic Enterprises from the research she’d done online and they were headed north towards the highway, weaving in and out of traffic.

She saw Paul’s knuckles grip the wheel and he leaned forward, peering out the front window.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, following his gaze.

“There’s som
e traffic up ahead. I heard sirens.”

Chloe followed his gaze as the sirens grew louder. “That’s on the other side, going in the oppo
site direction,” she said as a black vehicle whisked by them on the other side of the highway divider, flashing lights and ringing loudly.

He visibly relaxed
when they got off at the next exit. The area they drove through was mostly industrial with a few office buildings scattered along the streets. They turned a corner and Chloe could see a building that reminded her of a bank with tall columns and a stately façade. The sign proclaiming it Epic Enterprises glittered in the late afternoon light, but what drew her attention was the commotion of police activity out front. There were police cars everywhere, and directly ahead of them was some sort of road block with yellow police tape and orange pylons. The sight of the cop cars beat dread in her bosom and her first thought was of Brad. Was he hurt? Did something happen? She wanted to jump out of the car to go find him in the melee.

“Oh my God! Something’s happened!” Her head
twisted towards Paul as she unhooked her seatbelt. “Let me out! I have to find Brad!”

Paul
stared directly ahead of him, his face sculpted in granite and his fingers clutching the wheel. Instead of slowing the car for the cones and yellow tape ahead, he accelerated. Chloe was thrown back against the seat, the jolt loosening the air from her lungs.

“What ar
e you doing?” she yelled. “You have to stop the car!”

She wa
s screaming the words, gasping for breath as they barreled through the road block and continued up the street. Shouts from the policemen behind them got carried away in the wind as the car sped farther away.

“Oh my God! What are you doing?” she yelled again, her body seizing with fear
and disbelief. “
Paul! Stop this car!
”

But her friend
kept going, hooking a sharp turn that had her tumbling over in the vehicle. Chloe’s heart thundered in her chest, her hands shaking so badly she couldn’t manage to fasten her seat belt.

Why was Paul doing this? Why was he not listening? Why was he running from the police? In one terrifying instant
, she had a moment of omniscient clarity and she knew.

“You were helping them administer the
Memoram, weren’t you?” she asked, her voice calmer than she felt. “You are always on the wards bringing up medication from the pharmacy. No one would question your presence.”

“Shut up!”

“Oh my God, Paul! It would be so easy for you. No one would know. How could you do such a thing?”

“N
o one was supposed to die! I know the drug worked! It was working at first. He promised me a portion of the profits. The plan sounded so simple.”

“Those poor patients! Gordon Shaw! Lots of people died, Paul!” she yelled, hysterical now.

“We didn’t mean for them to die.”

“So you blamed me?
You put potassium in my locker?”

“That was
Fusso’s idea. Nurse Wall planted it as a favor to me.”

Chloe
frowned, not surprised that Nurse Wall would do such a thing. “Fusso is behind this?”