* * * *
They collected some of the necessities for Jake and spent the afternoon visiting with him in the hospital. When the doctor came in, he’d spoken optimistically of the possibility of Jake being released the next day. Cody hoped that was true, both for Jake, and because it was plain that Maggie was drowning in guilt and concern over Jake’s hospitalization. The ride back to their hotel was silent. Maggie sat in the passenger’s seat, forehead against the window. Cody pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine as his cell phone rang. “Grainger, tell me you got Dee in custody.”
“No such luck. She hasn’t come back yet. I was thinking maybe I could drive around town and look for her car.”
“It couldn’t hurt. If she’s figured out we know, she’s not gonna come home, especially if she recognizes a deputy’s car staking out her place.”
“I’ll drive around. I’ll call if I find her.”
“Call for back up if you need to, then call me.”
“Ten-four.” Grainger disconnected the call.
Cody turned to Maggie. “Let’s go inside.”
They climbed the stairs to their floor. Pulling the key card from her back pocket, she stuck it in the slot. Before she could pull it out, he wrapped his hand around hers.
“Maggie, let me go first.”
Wearily, she pulled the key card out and let Cody enter the room first. He stepped over the threshold. Walking through the room, he looked in the closet, bathroom and even peeked under the bed. He wasn’t going to take a chance. Satisfied her room was safe, he opened the adjoining door and disappeared into his room, checking it.
Maggie sat at the table, head resting on her folded arms. When he returned, he reached out and squeezed her shoulder. His attempt to offer support backfired, though. She jolted straight up.
She felt so close to tears, his affectionate gesture almost broke her. The fear and worry had made her brittle—emotionally vulnerable. If she wasn’t careful, she would throw herself into his arms, her heart his for the taking. She had to keep her distance.
“I know this week has been rough, Magpie. Definitely not your best birthday, but I promise after this is all over, I will make it up to you with lots of balloons and a giant cake.”
“Honestly, I’d rather just forget this whole summer.” She stood and walked to her overnight bag, pulling out clothes.
“What can I do to help? You didn’t have any dinner. How about I order us something?”
“I’m not hungry.” She walked past him and stopped at the bathroom door. “I’m going to take a shower, and then I’m going to go to bed… G’night.”
Chapter Fourteen
Cody sat on the bed letting the television watch him. He’d turned it on intending to watch the ten o’clock news but instead got lost in thought. Maggie had been so dejected tonight, it had nearly broken his heart. She’d moved around the room so stiffly, as if a light breeze could break her. He prayed that a good night’s sleep would help.
He thought of her cupping his face, defending him fiercely against his own guilt. And he remembered their fingers intertwined as they sat together in the car. Despite her continued distance, he felt she was slowly warming back to him.
Sudden pounding on the door between their rooms, along with Maggie’s muffled voice, sent adrenaline racing through him, propelling him off the bed and to the door. No sooner did he have the door open than Maggie was in his room. In pajama pants and a t-shirt, she was fresh from the shower, damp hair flying loose around her face.
Her eyes were full of fire. “She’s been here. Dee was in my room.”
“What do you mean? Everything was fine when I did a walk-through. I even looked under the bed. I didn’t see any signs that someone had tampered with anything.”
“Yeah, well, she left me a present under the blanket! Go in and take a look for yourself.” She waved her arms wildly in the direction of her room.
He entered the room and could immediately see something dark contrasting with the crisp white bed sheets. Loose black rose petals and a dark gooey substance that spelled out the next line of the rhyme. Five for silver. A simple white card lay to the right of the creation. Taking his multipurpose tool from his pocket, he used the plier portion to open the card. Here lies one whose name was writ in water.
What does that mean? This isn’t water.
He wasn’t going to stick around to find out. He grabbed Maggie’s shoes and took them with him to his room. “We need to leave. I’ll call someone to contain the scene once we’re on the road.” He barked as he handed her shoes to her. “Did you touch anything other than the blanket?”
She sat on the edge of the bed and shoved her feet into her shoes. “No, I’m not stupid.” The tone of her voice indicated she thought his order barking and question had been uncalled for.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. Did you see what was written on the card?”
“No, I saw the mess and came straight to your room. I didn't stick around to see what sick note she left.” She stood and marched to the door, but before she opened it, she turned to him, deflated. “I don’t have anywhere else to go. I’m not sure I really want to run again. I mean, she’s just going to follow me until she’s caught. Maybe if we stay here, she’ll come back, and you can arrest her, and this thing will all be over.”
“I think Dee is too smart for that.”
He grabbed his belt, containing his holster and gun, and put it on. Grabbing his wallet, keys, and cell phone from the dresser, he met her at the door. “I’m going to keep you safe. We have to pray and ask God to help us end this.” He squeezed her shoulder.
“What about my stuff?”
“We’ll get it later. There’s no telling if Dee is still here and whether or not she’s left any other surprises in your room.” He motioned for her to step behind him as he slowly opened the door and cautiously took in the surroundings. There wasn't a soul in the parking lot or anywhere he could see. He stepped out onto the walkway and told Maggie to stay behind him. They quickly made it to his car. He started the engine and wasted no time leaving the parking lot. He pulled his cell from his pocket and dialed the station.
“Dale County Sheriff's office, this is Angie.”
“Hey, Ang, it's Sheriff Smith.”
“Hey, Sheriff, it's a little late for a call from you.”
“Yeah, well, I need you to alert Whitehaven PD about another crime scene at the Lone Star Inn connected to Maggie Jones. Someone got in and left Maggie a message. She was in room two-oh-three.”
“Yes, sir.”
He hung up and started going over the latest note in his head.
“Maggie, the rhyme was five for silver, but the card said, ‘Here lies one whose name was writ in water.’ Do you know what that means? Do either of them make sense, either together or separately?” Based on her silence, he assumed she didn't. “I’m also pretty sure that the gooey substance was blood.”
She didn’t flinch or take a sudden inhalation of breath like he would expect her to. She was becoming used to this. A memory of Iris’s undaunted reaction to the last note flashed in his mind. He had to find Dee; he couldn’t let Maggie get to the point that Iris had. The sound of her voice whispering toward the window pulled him back to the moment.
“When I have fears that I may cease to be,
before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,
Before high-piled books, in charactery,
Hold like rich garners the full ripen'd grain;
When I behold, upon the night's starr'd face,
Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,
And think that I may never live to trace,
Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;
And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,
That I shall never look upon thee more,
Never have relish in the faery power
Of unreflecting love—then on the shore,
Of the wide world I stand alone, and think,
&
nbsp; Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.”
“What is that?” He reached over and touched her arm, afraid she was going into shock and rambling nonsense.
She turned to face him. “When I Have Fears that I May Cease to Be is a poem by John Keats.”
He looked at her blankly. What does a poem have to do with what I asked her? “I don’t get it.”
“John Keats was a poet that lived in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.”
He cocked an eyebrow at her and then returned his attention to the road. “I'm still not following. I don't need a literature lesson right now.”
“‘Here lies one whose name was writ in water’ is engraved on his tombstone.”
“Oh, okay. So, what does a poet who died three hundred years ago have to do with you?”
“Keats contracted tuberculosis, a nasty disease that eventually led to coughing up blood and death. He died when he was twenty-five. Today is my twenty-fifth birthday. I guess Dee wanted to be clever.” A single tear slid down her cheek.
Without thinking, he pulled the car onto the shoulder, reached over the console, and pulled her into his arms. For a moment, she sat there, rigid and uncomfortable. Just when he was about to let go, she relaxed into his embrace. He rubbed her back, willing his strength to her.
He had seen Grainger doing the same thing for Iris when she’d endured taunting notes and veiled threats. She had even been physically attacked. Through it all, Iris had been strong, not showing a lot of emotion. He had admired the strength he thought she had had… that is until he found the note next to her lifeless body.
He shook the image from his mind. He would not let Maggie get to that point. He would find Dee and end this horrible game.
He closed his eyes and rested his cheek against her soft hair. “Lord, give Maggie strength. I pray for protection. For not only Maggie but for everyone involved. Lord let us find Dee and get her the help she needs. Amen.”
“Amen,” she whispered against his chest before pulling out of his arms and leaning into her seat, resting her head on the headrest. Turning to Cody, she gave a weak smile. “Thank you.”
“I'm not sure what you are thanking me for, but you're welcome.”
“For being here, and for helping me.”
“Anything for you, Magpie.” He reached across the console and squeezed her hand. He didn't let go immediately.
She moved her hand, breaking the connection and wrapped a loose curl around her index finger and started twirling it.
“I guess we'll go back to my house.” He put the car in drive and merged back onto the deserted road.
“We've already been through this, Cody. I'm not going to stay at your house.” Exasperation filled her voice.
“Stubborn as ever. Where else do you suggest?”
“I can go stay at Jacob's house. He's still in the hospital, and I’m sure he won't mind.”
He shook his head. “I don't like it. Dee knows where your brother lives. We can't risk going somewhere she could find you. That also means all the resources of the Dale County Sheriff's office are out, too.
“Well, see, then going to your house wouldn't be a good idea, either.” She crossed her arms over her chest, claiming her small victory.
“You’re right. It's after midnight. I think we should go to a hotel in one of the neighboring towns. I can call Grainger from there.”
She leaned back into the car seat and closed her eyes.
Cody drove them to the Tumbleweed Inn, a small hotel set up much like the previous one, in Prairie's Grove, a city north of Whitehaven. He spoke with the night manager and checked them in under an alias. He was being careful. He had kept an eye on the rearview mirror the entire trip to make sure they hadn't been followed.
Their rooms were joined by a door like the last hotel. “I’ll leave the adjoined door unlocked should you need anything.” He made sure she was comfortable in her room before returning to his own. He had phone calls to make to find out what evidence—if any—the police had found in Maggie’s hotel room.
Chapter Fifteen
After lying on the uncomfortable bed for what felt like hours, Maggie finally drifted to sleep, but it wasn't restful. She kept drifting in and out of consciousness.
Finally, after the second nightmare and a trip to the bathroom, she admitted defeat. She was wide awake. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t go back to sleep. Rolling over, she looked at the clock on the night stand—6:15 a.m. She wasn’t going to be going back to sleep anytime soon. Swinging her legs off the bed, she planted them firmly on the carpet and stretched her arms over her head, working the kinks from her back.
When she stood, she saw her reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall. A pale face with dark circles under her eyes, hair sticking up in all sorts of directions—the woman staring back at her was a stranger.
She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she walked to the bathroom. After splashing cold water from the bathroom faucet on her face, she ran her wet hands over her hair trying to tame any flyaways as she gathered the unruly mess into a somewhat contained bun. She ran her tongue over her teeth and felt a thick coat of fuzz. Okay, she was mentally exaggerating, but she wished the hotel provided complimentary toothbrushes and toothpaste.
She walked to the adjoining door. It was no longer closed, but slightly cracked. He must have checked on her during the night. She stuck her ear to the door, listening for any noise. Silence. He must still be sleeping.
“You can come in.” His voice startled her. She must not have been as quiet as she thought.
She pushed the door open. She didn't know what she expected, but it wasn't to see Cody sitting at the little breakfast table with an open Bible in front of him.
He hadn't looked up, so she took a moment to take in his relaxed features. The tension that had been radiating off him for the past couple of days was absent. His blond hair swept just above his eyebrows, masking the scar he had gotten from one of his and Jacob's rough games of basketball. The circles under his eyes were slightly darker than hers. His face was beyond the five o’clock shadow stage and well on its way to a beard.
It suited him. He was no longer the fresh-faced teenager she’d fallen in love with. He was a rugged man full of strength and determination. One who would do anything to protect the woman he loved. Did he love her?
“It's rude to stare,” his husky voice interrupted her appraisal.
“Uh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you.” She glanced at her feet, knowing her pale skin once again betrayed her embarrassment at being caught all but ogling him. “I couldn't sleep.”
He shifted in his chair and ran his hand through his hair then turned his compassionate eyes to her. She held his gaze, noticing something hidden in his eyes. She couldn't quite figure out what it was, but before she could study them any longer, he cleared his throat and looked away. When he looked back at her, whatever had been hidden there was gone.
“Grainger called. A deputy was stationed outside of Dee’s house last night while he looked around the area for her car. She never showed up. I’ve had them issue an APB on her. The substance in the bed was definitely blood. From the basic field test we can do, we know it’s not human blood.”
The news that Dee was still out there knotted in her stomach. Cody must have sensed her discomfort because he gestured for her to have a seat next to him at the table.
“I picked this Bible up off the night stand. I've heard it said that do not fear or fear not is in the Bible three hundred sixty-five times, one for each day of the year. I'm not sure if that's true, but I do know that Proverbs 18:10 says that The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe. I know right now is rough, Maggie. I know you've got to be afraid. But you can call on the Lord. He can give you peace and comfort in this time.”
He took her hand and looked her in the eyes. “Can we pray?”
She nodded, unable to speak. He had quoted the exact scripture she had ru
n across days ago while she was staying at her father's house.
He closed his eyes and bowed his head. “Lord, thank You for Your love and Your saving grace. Lord I pray that You will help us find Dee and put an end to her sick game. I pray that You will be with Maggie, Lord. I pray that You will wrap Your loving arms around her and give her the peace and comfort only You can. I pray that she will rely on You, that she'll know that You are here. Amen.”
“Lord, thank You for sending Cody back into my life. I pray that You will be with Cody and his deputies as they search for Dee, Lord. Give them wisdom and keep a hedge of protection around them. Amen,” Maggie added.
They sat silently at the table, studying each other. Still holding her hand, he used his free hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Moving his hand to her cheek, he stared intently into her eyes. Searching them. Giving her a chance to protest.
She wouldn’t. She wanted him to kiss her. Her heart fluttered, and tingles rippled down her spine at the thought. He leaned closer, slowly. She parted her lips and closed her eyes, giving him permission. His lips gently brushed hers, igniting the old flame she thought had blown out.
Just as he leaned forward to deepen the kiss, his phone rang, ruining the moment. She pulled her face from his hand, stood, and started pacing next to the bed. She told herself she was glad for the interruption. Sure, in the moment and maybe even right now, she wanted him to kiss her, but she knew she was only going to get hurt again. It was best that nothing happened.
“Hello?” He answered the phone, and his face brightened at whoever was on the other end. “Jake, man, you sound much better. How are you feeling?”
When he said Jacob's name, she quit pacing. She was anxious to talk to Jacob, but it wouldn’t be very nice to rip the phone from Cody’s hand.
“Yeah, she's right here. It's good to hear you're feeling better. Here's Maggie.” He handed the phone to her.
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