Gemma kicked out. She opened her mouth wider, forced the bile back down, and bit Terrence’s arm with every ounce of strength she could muster. He cried out and let go of her.
Gemma kicked him. She gripped her arm, but there was no relief for the burns which marked her skin. Four of them. Every time the inside of her bicep touched her shirt she had to bite back the cry. She could still taste him in her mouth.
“Hey!” Someone yelled from the end of the alley.
Terrence threw the cigarette at her along with a nasty word and ran off in the opposite direction.
“You’re safe.” Hands gripped her shoulders, and her head swam as the present blurred with the past. Boots slapped the concrete in a retreat, but there was someone in front of her. Cologne.
Gemma pushed off the wall, out of the person’s arms. She shook off the feeling of unwanted touch and glanced around. “Where is he?”
“Who was that?” It was the mayor.
Her arm was on fire. She was aware of every second of what happened, exactly what Terrence had done, even while her mind had been elsewhere. She hated the fact she’d frozen like that.
“Who was that with you? You didn’t look like you were okay, so I called out. He ran off, but I didn’t see his face.”
Gemma looked at the mayor. She couldn’t really see him and couldn’t hear anything but plain sincerity in his words. Had he simply stumbled upon her and Terrence? She hated that she was backing up again, but Gemma pushed the feeling aside and started walking toward Main Street. “I have to go.”
**
“I hardly think she’s been murdered,” Mei said, shooting Maria a disapproving look. The room was in chaos. Dan couldn’t move for the press of people.
He got up from the chair and turned back to take Olympia’s hand. “I’ll be back soon, but I just have to—”
She nodded. “Find her.” Olympia sniffed and pressed the tissue to her nose. “Go find her. Don’t let Gemma end up like my…” Her voice cracked, her face screwed up, and she began to cry again.
Dan didn’t want to leave. They needed quiet to pray, which meant all the people crowding in the sheriff’s office needed to vacate. Dan clapped his hands. The noise level dropped almost immediately. Mei shot him a look much like the one she’d gifted to Maria. Apparently the woman just enjoyed seeing other people as a disappointment.
“Okay, listen up. We don’t want this tragedy to beget yet another tragedy on top. If you’re able, I’d like you to pair up, or groups of three. Go out and walk the town, see if you can see Gemma. If you do, find the nearest phone and call the sheriff’s number.”
People began to dissipate.
“Since when do you get to decide what people do?”
Dan ignored Mei’s stance. “Who took her?”
“She was beside those old-lady twins, then she was gone.” Mei gritted her teeth. “I only lost sight of her for one second. I cannot believe someone hauled her out. Could she have just left and not told us? Maybe she just walked off.”
“There’s no way,” Dan said. “She would’ve said something.”
“You realize she can just do whatever she wants, right?”
“Sure, she could have left because she felt like it. But some people tell a person, ‘bye.’ Especially friends. My guess is you haven’t met too many nice people in your life.”
Mei didn’t even respond. “Right. So people are looking. What are we doing?”
“Looking for her as well.” He sighed. “There’s something I need to tell you about Gemma.”
Dan led the way out the back door. He quietly explained as they walked about Hal, his relationship to Gemma, and that room full of documents.
“You think she’s being targeted?”
“I think it’s possible at least,” he said. “Someone might know Hal was hiding something, and she doesn’t even know what it is yet. All we have right now are a whole lot of questions.” Most of them about Hal’s connection to Dan’s father.
“Any of those questions have to do with Antonia?”
“I would’ve said no two hours ago. Now I have no idea.”
He’d have to tell Gemma that Mei knew about the radio station room. He hadn’t told Mei the location, just the fact it existed. Gemma was going to have to forgive him for telling the deputy sheriff, but if her life was in danger because of what her father had left her then he wasn’t going to feel guilty for doing it.
Help me find her. Lord, keep her safe.
“Over there.” Mei pointed with one hand and with the other dragged him over to the back of a building, where she hugged the wall. “Who is that she’s talking to?”
“It’s the mayor.” Dan didn’t like this, not one bit. If that man had hauled her from the sheriff’s office there had to be a reason. And it wouldn’t be good.
“Let’s get closer.”
**
The mayor held out his elbow. “It would be my pleasure to escort you to your residence.”
Yeah, like she was going to buy his suddenly chivalrous act. Gemma took his arm like it was a snake in danger of biting her and said, “I appreciate it.”
Tension tightened every inch of her body until she thought she would snap. Her arm hurt like she couldn’t believe. She needed Shelby and her creams and sticky things like giant bandages, but her friend was on her honeymoon.
She needed to talk to John and tell him what had happened with Terrence, but the sheriff was at the lake taking care of Antonia’s body. Olympia was grief stricken. Gemma couldn’t burden them with this right now. It had to wait.
“Of course, you’ll have to remind me where you live.” His white teeth flashed in the dark. A shuffle behind them made her glance back. “Probably a cat.”
Ah, yes. One of the new residents had brought a cat with them, an old and mean tabby that did not like the tuna she’d set out at the library to try and win it over. Hadn’t worked, and she’d been scratched for her troubles.
They continued along the street.
He said, “How have you been recently?”
“Fine, thank you.” Like she was going to answer that for real? She nearly snorted out loud.
“It’s okay to be honest, Gemma. I’m aware you’ve had…difficult news. That Hal Leonard was your father, and that you never knew this fact. How is that possible?”
He sounded so genuine, so caring. Gemma steeled herself against getting sucked into it and ignoring the fact he’d just parroted all that off like it was common knowledge. “He never told me, and neither did my mother. So how did you know?”
He tsked with his mouth. He’d been speaking to her mother earlier. Had they talked about it? Collins was precisely the kind of man who kept relevant information to himself until it suited him, so he might not have found out tonight. Either way, he was probably here to gather more information. It certainly wasn’t about being a gentleman. She didn’t believe that for one second.
“And you?” she asked. “You seem to be feeling better.”
“I’ve gained a new lease on life.”
But not from that pseudo-relationship with Antonia. She hadn’t believed for a second that it had been genuine. Gemma didn’t want to be the one to tell him the woman was dead. Good thing she had no problem keeping secrets exactly the way the mayor did. It didn’t bother her one bit to leave the job of informing him that Antonia was dead to someone else. It wasn’t like he’s actually cared for the woman.
So Gemma changed the subject. “I heard that you’re actively seeking a replacement for the mayor position.”
“I have been.” He patted her arm with his free hand. “And I think I’ve found the perfect person to take over for me.”
“Isn’t it typically a position where people vote for the candidate they feel would represent their beliefs and oversee the town in a way they agree with?”
“That’s precisely what’s wrong with the electoral system in this country today. People don’t know what they want, and if they do they don’t do the requi
red research to be well-enough informed to make an intelligent choice.” He snorted a laugh that actually sounded gentlemanly but also incredibly snooty. “That’s why my choosing a successor will yield much better results. Everyone will be considerably happier after I make the announcement and turn the office over to my choice of mayor.”
“So who is it?”
“Ah, my dear. I do not reveal secrets until the time is right.” His eyes gleamed, and he winked at her. “I’m sure you can understand the need to conceal certain things.”
“Um…sure.” He couldn’t have known she’d just been thinking about that very thing. This was way too bizarre, and she was sweating. It was cold. Her arm hurt, but they weren’t far from her house. Gemma needed to sit down.
“Secrets. They make the world go round,” he said. “Much like what brought us all to this town—though not yourself, I suppose. Your father, your mother. They arrived separately, did they not? Years between.”
“That’s right.” The mayor had only been here maybe a decade. She remembered seeing him for the first time. She’d had exactly the same impression of him back then as she did today.
Totally hiding something.
He said, “And do you know what brought Hal here?”
“Why would I? I had no idea he was even my father.”
He nodded slowly, his face thoughtful. “That’s a shame. Not truly being able to know someone who meant something to you.”
“Many people in Sanctuary wished to leave their pasts behind when they came here. It seems Hal was no exception.”
“And others have plenty of secrets, new ones made in this place.”
Gemma didn’t know who he was talking about unless he was referring to himself.
“Take you for example.” They stopped outside her house. “An incredible author, each of your pennames in their own right have made a mark on the world.”
Maybe in the sense that her art had been appreciated by someone, somewhere in the world. “Sure, I guess.”
She’d had books that sold well, and ones that didn’t sell at all. It was the nature of it, but it kept her from being bored. Had Collins actually read any? She doubted it. He’d probably searched for one of her names online and read some reviews on one of those sites where people happily trashed the author’s character, forgetting that they were a real person with real feelings.
“Well,” she said. “This is me. Thanks again for walking me home. I’ll be talking to the sheriff about what happened, and he’ll likely want to speak with you and get your take on it as well.”
“Don’t hold your breath on that.” The mayor held his body still. “The sheriff seems to devote entirely too much attention to the things he wants while ignoring every other valid case. I’m sure he won’t care that Terrence hurt you.”
A trash can fell over. There was a scuffle across the street and a thud.
“Good night, Gemma.” The mayor bowed and walked away.
Gemma turned to her front door, ready to bolt every lock she had and hide under her covers until daylight.
It was open.
Chapter 10
Dan rubbed his aching head. Mei had actually hit him, just to keep him from running over and walloping the mayor. Or going after Terrence. He hurt her? Rage burned through Dan’s body. Rage upon rage at what might have been done, and the fact he hadn’t been there fast enough. Hadn’t known she was taken. Hadn’t helped her.
He needed to get to her. Gemma!
Dan scrambled off the ground, unable to believe Mei had seriously punched him because he’d wanted to help Gemma. Because she wanted to be the one to go to Gemma and talk to her. What did Mei think was wrong with Gemma that she needed Mei right now, not him? And why couldn’t he go have a man-to-man chat with Terrence about how one treated ladies?
“I don’t think I can handle another conversation.” Gemma’s voice was distorted, but he could hear the edge of fear. “This has been the longest night ever.”
Mei didn’t stop until she was within arm’s reach of Gemma. “You don’t need to wait for John. You tell me what Terrence did.”
Dan stretched out his tweaked muscles and felt the pull of the scar tissue on his back. His cheekbone smarted where Mei had planted her tiny fist in his face. The woman had upper body strength for sure.
“I—” Gemma’s voice was tentative. “Maybe we could go inside, but…”
Dan walked over. She looked seriously shaken.
“The front door is open.” Mei glanced at him. “Stay with her—” She drew her weapon. “—I’m going inside to check things out. I’ll put the call out that we found her.”
Mei walked inside, and he gathered Gemma into his arms. He felt more than heard her sigh. “Is someone in there?” Did Mei think it was a break-in?
Only one of her arms was around him, the other was tucked close to her side. “I really want to go in my home. I need sleep.” There was something in her voice, something he couldn’t decipher.
He shifted his hand up and rubbed the back of her head. Her hair smelled fruity and made him want to close his eyes and stay there for a while. “If you can’t get in there or don’t want to now, I’m sure your mom will let you stay on her couch.”
Gemma nodded against his chest. “I didn’t need this.”
Antonia hadn’t needed this night, either. None of them had. Papa, a woman is dead. Help us figure this out. “What happened in the sheriff’s office? Who took you?” He wanted to ask why she hadn’t called out, said something.
“I was listening to Mei, watching what was going on with everyone in the sheriff’s office. Terrence touched my arm, said he wanted to talk to me but we wouldn’t be able to hear each other. He didn’t grab me until we were outside.”
She shivered, and he collected her close to him again. They’d shared a kiss earlier that evening but affection could wait. Right now she needed support, and in a short while she would need space.
What Dan needed was answers. “No one standing close to you saw him?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “He pulled me through town to the alley between one of the offices and, I think, the laundromat? No one saw us, no one even looked. He—” Gemma’s voice broke.
Dan didn’t want her back on that whole ‘I’m invisible’ thing she used to talk about. No one missed Gemma. If they ignored her it was because they were intimidated. She was a knockout, and she didn’t try to hide it. Her tattoos weren’t about drawing more attention, and they weren’t a statement against authority. He hadn’t figured them out. But Dan was still blown away by her half the time, and they’d been best friends for years.
“I want you to talk to Mei about what happened, okay?”
She had to tell someone, and there might be too much pressure with him. She’d leave parts out because of the need to have be careful with his feelings. Mei was an impartial third party. She could take the statement, build a case. As much as Dan wanted to get his shotgun and… Terrence needed to be behind bars. Dan wasn’t going to kill him. He hadn’t pulled a trigger to kill anything bigger than a cougar in years.
“Tell her everything that happened. And call someone if you don’t want to be alone later.”
Gemma pressed her lips together, then said, “I’d rather go to the tent.”
He stared at her. “You want to be in the woods by yourself?”
“I didn’t say I wanted to go there alone.”
Dan sighed. “Gemma—”
“I know.” It was her turn to sigh. “That was a long time ago, and we were kids hiding from the world. We didn’t know it was weird that we were alone for long periods of time.”
He shifted again and touched her cheeks. “I would know now that it was fine, but others wouldn’t.” When her face changed, he added, “I have to care about other people’s opinions. At least to an extent. There will always be someone that isn’t satisfied, but I have to keep things as open and honest as I can. If there’s nothing to hide, then I don’t have to work at hiding anything
.”
“Dan. You hide everything.”
He dropped his hands and stepped back. She was right. No one knew how hard it was for him to function, or how difficult it was to maintain a balanced normal without the assistance of meds.
It was so bad it had led to him confessing to Antonia’s murder when he’d had nothing to do with it. Papa, help John figure this out. Help Mei see the truth. Did he want to come clean and tell everyone about his past? No. But maybe he should tell his closest friends. Shame and fear had covered him like blankets for so long, would he finally be able to throw them off and stand free of their weight?
Dan needed to go and pray about telling John and Matthias.
Mei stood at the door, then came toward them. “It’s clear. No one is inside now, and nothing looks disturbed.” She glanced at Gemma. “Are you sure you didn’t just leave your door open by mistake? It happens.”
“I remember locking it.”
“Then if someone took the trouble to break in, it wasn’t to take anything. Unless they knew exactly what they wanted and took nothing else.”
Dan said, “Or they didn’t find it here.”
“Could this be about the room of papers at the radio station?”
Gemma gasped. She looked at Dan, at Mei, and then back at Dan. “You told her?”
“You’d been abducted! We didn’t know where you were or who took you. Mei is a police officer, and she needed all relevant information.”
“You told her.”
Why did she look like he’d betrayed her? That wasn’t what had happened. “Gemma—”
“No. Don’t give me excuses. I trusted you, and the first chance you got you told someone?”
“Gem—”
Mei cut in. “Enough. He told me, it’s done. Now answer the question, do you think this break-in could be about the papers?”
Gemma thought for a moment. “I don’t know how someone would even know about them.”
“The mayor did ask about Hal,” Mei suggested. “It’s conceivable Terrence and the mayor planned that whole episode just to draw you away so that someone could enter your house and search for anything related to Hal.”
Sanctuary Forever WITSEC Town Series Book 5 Page 11