He glanced over the seat at her again, and she felt her heart contract. She loved him. Was in love with him. She’d dreamed her entire life of finding him. And when she had, she’d thrown his life into chaos. Here they were on the run because of her. Harlan would have never found him if not for her. And she’d never even known the other man was watching.
What did he want with Tah? Obviously, Harlan believed her stories now and thought Tah was the descendent of the alpha lion. But what did he want with Tah? Why had he tortured and shot him with adrenaline? She’d always thought Harlan was mean and selfish, but she’d never thought of him as smart. And what was the comment about hunting he’d thrown out to her? She couldn’t shake the feeling that Harlan was just a finger of a greater hand that was reaching for them.
“Let me see the phone again, Tah. I want to ask the Professor to bring some of his journals and collections with him. I’ve got some specific ones I want to look at.”
“Here use mine,” Reno said and handed his phone back to her.
She quickly dialed the number the Professor had given her, but no one answered. He probably wouldn’t answer again, since he’d told her to meet him. Pulling the number for his office from her memory, she dialed it next.
“Professor Mueller’s office,” a woman answered, and she sounded like she’d been crying and maybe still was.
“Is Professor Mueller in today?”
No question whether or not the woman was still crying now, as a sob carried over the phone.
“I’m sorry. I guess you haven’t heard. The Professor’s home blew up this morning. The police think it was a gas leak. They…they found his body inside.” The woman began to cry harder. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I shouldn’t be telling you this. I just can’t believe it. He’s gone. He’s gone.”
“Professor Mueller’s dead.” The words left Abby’s lips, and she could sense Tah turning toward her.
“I just can’t believe it.” The woman was still mumbling when Abby disconnected the call.
She went numb. She could hear Tah calling her name, but she couldn’t respond. He was dead. Because of her. Another person dead because of her and her obsession. How many more would die? She thought of Reno and Logan, of Tah. Would she be the cause of his death too?
She would have to leave him. As soon as they got to the Professor’s safe house, as soon as she knew he was going to be okay, she would leave. It was the only way to really protect him.
“Abby, look at me!” Tah’s command pulled her from the pain of her thoughts. “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but forget it. This is not your fault.”
“He’s dead. I just talked to him this morning.” She laughed without any mirth. “I thought he was paranoid.” She let her inner turmoil reflect in her eyes. “I just thought he was paranoid.”
“Pull over, Reno.”
She felt the truck move as he followed Tah’s demand. The truck had barely stopped when Tah threw his door open and shifted the seat forward to reach Abby. He pulled her out and sat again, cradling her on his lap in the passenger seat. “This isn’t your fault. So stop thinking that.”
She shuddered. Her teeth clenched as she fought to hold the tears at bay. Professor Mueller had been her family. And Jess. How did she tell her friend she was the reason he was dead? They’d all gone their separate ways after Africa. Jess off to follow a lead on her wolves and Professor Mueller back to his papers and stuffy office. And she’d started her search for Tah. But she’d always known they were there if she needed them, just as they knew she was.#p#分页标题#e#
“Abby.” His eyes flashed brown, yellow, brown, yellow. His shoulders twitched as he rolled his neck as if fighting to keep control. “I don’t know what’s going on or why I feel like you plan to run. But I promise you, if you run, I will hunt you and find you. I will find you and do whatever I need to, to make sure you never leave me again.”
Her eyes widened. How had he sensed that? “I don’t want to be the reason you die,” she whispered.
“Then don’t leave me, Abby. Never leave me. That’s the only thing that will kill me. You’re my life. My reason to keep fighting. I’d lose everything if I lost you.” He kissed her softly on the lips. “Do you understand me? I’d cease to exist if I lost you. There is no me without you.”
Her shoulders shook with the force of her emotions, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “I won’t leave you. I promise.” He held her while she cried.