She didn't flinch or tense. Maybe his confession was a step in the direction of healing their broken relationship. He felt lighter as hope renewed within him.
“Thank you.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
He reached out and brushed a lock of hair from her face, letting his fingers gently brush her check.
She stepped away from him. “I’ve listened to what you had to say. Now will you listen to what I have to say?”
He nodded. He wasn’t sure where the conversation would go, or if he really wanted to hear what she had to say. He was afraid whatever it was would only break his heart further, but he owed her enough to listen.
“All these years, I thought I was the flawed one. That I wasn't good enough for you. That you dumped me because I wasn't what you wanted.” Tears flowed freely.
“Oh, Magpie.” He stepped forward to offer comfort, but she waved him off.
“Let me finish. I loath to admit it, but I allowed that night to affect me in such a great way. I lost faith in myself.”
He grimaced as her words stabbed his chest. That hadn’t been his intent.
“I had never let what anyone thought about me define me before. But it was different with you. I can’t explain why. Maybe it was how our relationship had started. I had been drowning in despair after my mother's death, and you were there to help me see the light again. You had thrown me a life preserver. You showed me that there were still so many great things.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and stared off to the right. “You reminded me of some verses in Ecclesiastes 3. To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die.” Her hand found its way to the cross that hung at the hollow of her throat. “A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to gain, and a time to lose.”
She looked him in the eyes, holding his gaze. He knew the verse and knew what was coming next. Guilt roiled in his stomach.
“A time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
“I remember that. I drew you a picture of our favorite spot at the creek and wrote the first verse in calligraphy for you to keep as a reminder.”
“I placed it in my Bible for safe keeping. After you ended things, I moped around in self-pity for a while. When it was time to leave for college, I hoped you would at least come say good-bye. But you didn't. My first few weeks of college were rough, but one night while I was reading my Bible I came across that picture and remembered. There was a time for everything. The time for love with you had come and gone, and I would start a new time. But first I would need to let go. And I did. Or I thought I had until I came back to Whitehaven.”
He didn’t know if he should be grateful that she hadn’t let go. Her pain only intensified his, but there was a small glimmer of hope for him in her words.
“I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I know now that I should have talked with you first and not just dumped you. Hindsight is twenty-twenty. If I could take it back I would.” He never imagined that his actions that night would have such a profound effect on her life.
“I wouldn’t want you to.”
He stared at her, knitting his eyebrows, shocked at her words. She admitted he’d caused her great pain, but she wouldn’t want it taken back? Why would anyone welcome pain? He was sure he would prefer to live without it.
“Everything that I’ve gone through, every pain and joy that I’ve felt, all of my experiences have made me the person I am today.” She closed the distance between them and grabbed his hand. “I forgive you.”
A huge weight was instantly lifted from his chest. He was free for the first time in a long time. “You do?”
“Yes. Colossians 3:13 says, ‘Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.’ Now. If you don’t mind. I’d like to be alone.”
“Thank you.” He bent over and lightly kissed her cheek before stepping back. “I still don’t think you need to be alone out here. Especially after today.”
“I know how you feel, but I’ve taken every precaution to make sure I’m safe. The security company will be here tomorrow, and I’ll be getting a state of the art alarm system. Besides, you being here isn’t going to deter whoever is doing this. Remember they took a shot at both of us?”
“Yes, but at least I could slow them down a bit.”
“I’m fine. There’s no need for you to sleep in your car in the drive tonight. Thanks for that, by the way.”
He smiled wryly. She could read his thoughts. “Well, I’ll leave the house, but I’m going to hang around outside for a bit.”
She sighed before leading him to the door. “Good night.”
“Good night.”
He took the flashlight from his utility belt and clicked it on. He circled the house and garage, searching for any signs that someone had been there. Not finding any, he turned his attention to the forest line. He walked the perimeter, shining his light into the woods.
After he finished, he returned to his cruiser and climbed in. He sat there staring at the large, white house. Maggie had forgiven him. Incredibly, she seemed able to appreciate that the struggles she’d endured had gotten her to who and where she was now. The more he thought about it, the more he was able to apply that thinking to his life. Everything he had gone through, good and bad, had cumulatively developed the man he was today. If he hadn’t grown up with an absentee father and drunken mother, he might not have been attracted to the stability of Jake’s family and may never have met Maggie. And he may have not have gone into law enforcement, if he had not had such an example of how not to live.
Letting her go had hurt both of them. He hoped that he could eventually get over her and fall in love again. But, if he were honest, he still loved Maggie and didn’t know if there would ever be a time he didn’t.
Now that she had forgiven him, was there a possibility that they could rekindle what they once had? He hoped so, but first he had to catch whoever was after her.
He put the cruiser in reverse and backed up, turned around, and exited the driveway. He breathed a heavy sigh. Finally explaining his actions and getting the opportunity to apologize to Maggie had been freeing. But her confession of the negative impact his actions had had on her life grieved him deeply. He’d wanted to protect her, but by assuming that he knew best, he’d taken away her chance to decide for herself. That trust and respect, the ability to discuss things openly, should have been part of their relationship. He would take her words to heart and learn from them, making him a better person in the future.
Chapter Ten
She’d managed to doze on and off for a couple hours, but now she lay in bed listening to the orchestra of crickets and other night creatures. No sense in tossing and turning. She decided she might as well get up and get some work done.
She slid her feet into her duck slippers and shuffled to the bathroom, where she flipped on the bathroom light, covering her eyes from the blinding brightness. Her father’s insistence that they have fluorescent lights in the small white bathroom made her giggle.
The bathroom was a good place to start, so she swung open the medicine cabinet and took in the medicines that lined the shelves. They ranged from pain relievers to antacid to a prescription of antibiotics. She grabbed that one first. Prescribed in January of 2014.
“Geez, dad, that’s only four years old.” She tossed it in the trashcan, along with several others, including the antacid whose expiration date was last year. “That’s not too bad.” It was amazing he lived as long as he had with all this expired medic
ine.
She grabbed a washcloth from the linen closet and retrieved the bleach cleaner from its home under the sink. After cleaning the shelves, she moved to the cabinet top. A familiar bottle caught her eye. She picked it up and unscrewed the lid, breathing deeply. Warmth filled her chest as nostalgia swamped her. Every memory of hugging her father and smelling his cologne collided in her mind.
“Definitely keeping this.” She put the lid on and took it to her room. She spent the next hour sorting and cleaning. She had a pile of things to donate and gobs of things for the trash man. Her father never threw anything away.
Time for a break. She padded down the stairs, intent on going to the kitchen to get a soda pop. Some people had to have coffee first thing in the morning. Not Maggie. She needed an ice-cold soda pop. As her foot hit the bottom stair, a low moan cut through the quiet. It sounded like it came from the front porch. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Someone or something was here.
Perhaps it was a wild animal. That had happened on occasion—an injured raccoon or a laboring feral cat would hide under the porch and make all kinds of noises. She tiptoed to the front window to catch a glimpse of whatever it was, but she didn't see anything. Maybe her imagination was getting the better of her. She turned to go to the kitchen and heard it again. She dashed to the couch and grabbed the cordless phone from the cradle on the end table. She dialed Cody's number.
“Hey, Maggie. How are—”
“There's a moaning noise coming from my porch.” She didn't give him time to finish what he was saying. “I didn't see anything. I thought maybe I had imagined it, but I heard it again.” She could hear rustling in the background.
“Maggie, do not go outside. Go upstairs and get your father's gun. I'm on my way. I was already on your side of town, so I’ll be there soon. Stay on the phone with me, okay?” His cheerful voice disappeared and was replaced by the professional tone she noticed he used when he was working.
“Maggie.”
She whipped her head to the front door where the voice had come from. Goose bumps sprang up on her arms. The voice was vaguely familiar.
“Cody, I heard my name.” The panic welling up inside of her was ready to burst.
“Magpie, I am on my way. Do as I said and go upstairs, please.”
She paused.
“Maggie.” The voice. It was Jacob's voice calling to her from the other side of the door. Her anxiety quickly deflated.
That was just like him. Trying to scare her. She remembered the time that he and Cody had lured her out the front door and she’d almost stepped on a dead snake they had placed there to scare her.
“Cody, it's Jacob, it's his voice. Oh, I am going to kill him!” She stomped to the front door and disabled the alarm before yanking it open.
A blood curdling scream ripped from her throat, and the phone fell from her hand. She bent down in front of her brother’s crumpled body. His hair was wild, and his clothes were torn and bloodied. Scratches and bruises riddled his exposed skin. She felt his neck for a pulse, it was there but shallow.
“Maggie!” Cody yelled from the phone. “Maggie. Answer me!”
She picked up the phone and tamped down the rising panic. “Cody, it's Jacob! He's hurt. He's bleeding. I need help!” Her heart raced, and her voice rose with each word.
“Maggie, I need you to calm down, okay? Can you take a deep breath for me?” He was in full cop mode now, trying to keep her calm. She wouldn't be any help to Jacob if she hyperventilated and passed out. She took a deep breath. And then another.
“Please, hurry,” she whimpered.
“I am almost there. Can you tell me if he's breathing?”
She stared at Jacob’s chest, seeing it rise and fall. “Yes, he's breathing.”
“Do not hang up. I am going to set the phone down so I can radio for an ambulance and backup. I'll be right back.”
She listened to him giving directions to his dispatcher. She didn’t know what to do for Jacob, so she took his hand. He was covered in scratches and dried blood, but she couldn’t see any open wounds. Lord please be with Jacob. Let help get here soon. Keep him alive and heal his wounds. Amen.
“Maggie, are you still there?” Cody’s voice was back on the line.
“Please, hurry.” Her voice sounded fragile.
“I’m turning on the drive now. I’m almost there. EMS is on their way.”
The sirens were faint but grew louder. Cody’s cruiser flew into the drive, sending dirt and gravel everywhere. He killed the sirens and tore from the car. He raced up the steps and knelt by her side, his attention fully on Jacob.
Bending over Jacob’s lifeless body, Cody appeared to be listening for breaths. “Jake, it's Cody. Buddy, can you hear me?”
When he didn’t respond, Maggie stifled a sob. Lord, please let him be okay.
Cody had reached to feel the beat of Jacob's pulse when he grabbed Cody's arm.
“Don't let her get Maggie.” Jacob spoke hoarsely, never opening his eyes.
She reached out and touched Jacob’s arm. “I’m right here.” Her voice was equally as hoarse.
“Who? Don't let who get Maggie?” Cody prodded.
“Don't let her get Maggie.” Jacob's hand released Cody's wrist and fell lifelessly to the porch. Cody reached to feel for a pulse.
Maggie gasped. “Jacob!”
Cody leaned back on his haunches. “Jake obviously couldn't have made it here by himself, so someone had to have dropped him off. That someone could still be here watching.” His gaze roamed every inch of the property visible from the porch. Without taking his eyes off his surroundings, he spoke. “Maggie, go inside.”
“But, I can’t.” She couldn’t leave Jacob laying on the porch.
“Don't argue. Go inside. Now. Leave the door open so I can carry Jake in.” The tone of his voice didn’t leave room for argument.
Maggie did as she was told. Cody reached down, placed his forearms under Jacob’s armpits, and lifted his upper body off the ground. He dragged Jacob into the house, never turning his back on the forest. Once they were in the house, Maggie shut and locked the door.
“I'm going to go get a wet washcloth.” The tremble that was in her voice when she first found Jacob was gone. She was almost to the kitchen sink when Cody’s booted footfalls echoed behind her, and then he grabbed her shoulder, stopping her from going any further. “What's wrong? Is Jacob—?” Emotion clogged her throat, and she couldn't even finish the sentence.
He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, trying to comfort her. “No, he's still breathing. I want you to stay away from all the windows. Jake was clutching a note. Four for a boy.”
Maggie’s knees gave out, and she started to sink to the ground. She never hit the floor. Instead, she was scooped up and cradled to Cody’s chest. He carried her to the couch, laid her down, and placed a throw blanket over her. She knew what he was doing, and she knew she needed to do something to help Jacob, but her body and mind were frozen. She couldn’t move or speak.
“Maggie, you’re in shock. I need to check on Jake, but I want you to stay here okay?” He stepped out of her line of sight.
The wail of sirens broke into the fog she was in. Thoughts whirled in her head. She couldn’t lose her brother, too. He was all she had left. It wasn’t long until paramedics were at Jacob’s side. This was all her fault. Nausea rose up, and she took off for the hall bathroom. After flushing the toilet, she splashed cold water on her face.
“Maggie?” Cody knocked on the door. “Are you okay?”
Her stomach no longer ached, but her heart continued to do so. “Yes,” she lied when she opened the door.
He pulled her close and walked her down the hall. “They’re loading Jake into the ambulance. Go with them. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
She finally got control of her body as Jacob was loaded onto a stretcher. She nodded to Cody, climbed up beside her brother, and rode in the ambulance to the hospital.
* * * *
She’d been in Whitehaven for three days, and she was already relying on him. She didn't want to. She didn't want to get hurt again. Yes, he'd explained why he'd dumped her, and he was sincere in his belief that he thought he was doing what was best for her at the time. He even seemed like he wanted to rekindle their relationship. But she wasn't sure if she was ready for that. Plus, she lived over a hundred miles away. Could a long-distance relationship really work? What are you thinking? Your brother is laying in a hospital bed fighting for his life and you're thinking about love.
She looked over at Jacob's unconscious body. “What happened to you?”
She remembered Cody stopping her before she’d made it to the kitchen sink. He'd said Jacob had been clutching a note. A note from her stalker. God, please be with Jacob. Lord, heal his body. Bring him back to me. I can't lose him, too. Please.
There was a light knock on the door. Cody stood in the doorway, looking like he'd aged ten years since she'd seen him this morning. She couldn't help herself. She jumped from the chair and ran to him. He wrapped his arms around her, and she buried her face in his chest. The floodgates opened, and sobs racked her body. He didn't try to calm her like most people would. He held her and let her cry.
She wasn't sure how long he'd stood there and let her cry. She took several breaths, allowing her heart to slow before stepping back, instantly missing the warmth of his embrace. She swiped her hands across her eyes, drying her tears.
"Did you find anything?" She didn't look him in the eyes. She was sure they’d be full of compassion and that would cause another round of waterworks.
"Just like all the other incidents, we got nothing. We have no fingerprints, no trace evidence, nothing to go on. I'm beginning to think our guy has law enforcement experience or is a real CSI buff. But Jake called his assailant a she, so we could be looking for a woman. How is Jake?"
Hidden Danger Page 7