Plain Target

by Dana R. Lynn

  Efficiently, he called for blankets and clean clothes. Within minutes, Jess was in dry clothes and bundled in blankets, her feet elevated.

  He monitored her closely, relieved to note her color was returning. She was beginning to stir.

  “Jess? Jess? Can you hear me?” He raised his voice. A thought occurred to him. Gently, he reached over and removed her other hearing aid. Cupping his hand over the small microphone, he lifted it close to his ear, listening for feedback. But there was no whistling. The tiny battery was dead, drained by the frigid temperature. Or possibly the device itself had been damaged by being slogged through the wet, muddy terrain.

  But Jess was alive.

  “Why isn’t she answering?”

  He sighed as his aunt’s anxious voice reached his ears. Now that the immediate danger was past, he’d have to deal with her.

  “She’s still unconscious. And without her aids, she can’t hear me calling.”

  Hearing the sharpness in his tone, he sucked in a deep breath of cold, Pennsylvania air to calm himself. None of this was his aunt’s fault. But really, the woman needed to take it down a notch. She was family, but he was this close to publicly disowning her.

  Okay, not really.

  Whispers distracted him. Glancing behind her, he grimaced. At least six other people were standing behind the Taylors. Great. He had an audience to witness the drama unfolding.

  Before he could say anything to the nosy, judgmental crowd, Jess moaned. Immediately the conversation ceased. Seth switched back into paramedic mode and began taking stock of her condition, watching her for any signs of injury or disorientation.

  With a flutter, her eyes opened. His breath left him with a whoosh as he saw the confused, but alert, expression in the hazel depths.

  “Seth?” As she said his name, her eyes widened. “I can’t hear.”

  A panicked expression crossed her face as she moved under the blankets. He understood. She wanted to free her hands to check on her hearing aids. He reached out and touched her shoulder. She stilled, her eyes seeking his.

  “Your left aid was on the kitchen floor, smashed,” he told her grimly, signing and speaking at the same time. “The right one isn’t working, either. I suspect that the battery is dead, but it could have water damage.”

  “Water damage?”

  “You were dragged outside through the rain.” Fury rose up in him. For a second, he couldn’t breathe through the anger choking him. He had never understood the phrase “seeing red.” Now he did. When he could talk again, he continued. “They left you in the freezer.”

  The color that had so recently filled her pretty face drained out again.

  “Someone attacked me in the kitchen. I was looking for you. You sent me a text...”

  Her voice dwindled as he shook his head slowly. Someone was going to pay for this.

  “I never sent a text. My phone is gone.” He cast a fierce glance at the crowd behind him. “Someone took it.”

  “Seth, look what I found in the freezer.”

  Ted knelt down on the other side of Jess. His face seemed to have aged ten years since last night. Just one more reason for Seth to feel guilty about his ill-advised decision to bring Jess here. He heaved a sigh, then glanced down at the object in his uncle’s hand. And did a double take.

  “I’ve seen that hat before!”

  “So have I!” Willa exclaimed, stepping forward. “That’s Lisa Harvey’s!”

  The onlookers began murmuring behind him. Seth looked around, catching sight of Lisa’s pale face as she held up both hands and backed away from the mob.

  “Wait a minute!” she gasped. “I had nothing to do with this!”

  “It wasn’t her.”

  All voices stilled as Jess’s voice, hoarse and raw, remarked from her place on the floor.

  “I saw her out the window just moments before I was attacked. She couldn’t have come back in so fast without me knowing it.”

  Seth wasn’t convinced. If Lisa, or Bob for that matter, had someone working with them, it would have been easy enough for them to make the attack happen without getting their hands dirty.

  “Why attack her here? There are so many people around.” Seth tilted his head at his aunt. Her face was stiff with disapproval. At Jess or at the fact that someone could behave so poorly at her house, he wasn’t sure. Seth had a theory about the attack, but it wasn’t something he intended to discuss in front of a crowd. One of whom might be the person responsible.

  One thing was sure. He didn’t plan on giving the attacker another opportunity to harm Jess.

  “Seth.” Jess reached out a hand, slowly, her reflexes still sluggish, and touched his face. “You’ve been hurt.”

  He wanted to close his eyes and enjoy the feel of the hand on his face. For so many years, he’d pushed away women. Now this girl from his past was getting under his skin. Gently, he removed her hand from his face. It was too intimate. But he couldn’t bring himself to let go of her hand completely. It might have been the selfishness he inherited from his arrogant father, but he craved the comfort she brought.

  “I’ll tell you about it when we’re alone. Don’t worry about it. I’m more concerned about the fact that someone in my uncle’s house tried to kill you.”

  SIX

  An hour later, once Jess had recovered enough to move, Seth and Jess retreated back to her room. Seth had warned Jess about the mess Bob had made of her things, but she still blanched when the door swung open. It looked a whole lot worse in the morning light than he had imagined. The fancy dress she had brought was crumpled in a heap on the floor. Those big hazel eyes puddled and blinked. Seth prepared himself for tears.

  She surprised him, though. Her hands clenched into fists and her jaw tightened. “I thank You, Father, that Seth and I are alive.”

  What? Her room had been trashed and she was thankful? He tried to wrap his brain around that.

  Turning his attention back to Jess, he saw that she had stiffened her resolve and was moving toward the pile of her belongings, which were still dumped on the bed where Bob had left them. Methodically, she sorted the items, her eyes fierce. With a glad cry, she located her batteries. Her hands shook so hard she dropped the tiny, round battery while trying to insert it into the hearing aid. Thankfully, it landed on the bed and didn’t roll off.

  “It works!” she sighed a minute later.

  Seth dug out the other one. “Sorry, Jess. This one’s toast. Fixing hearing aids wasn’t taught in paramedic school.”

  To his astonishment, she gave a dry chuckle and shook her head. Why had he never noticed that dimple on her right cheek? It was adorable. The sudden urge to run his finger down her cheek shook him. He reminded himself that he was not here to romance her.

  Pulling his mind back to the matter at hand, he tried to work out the best course of action. It was imperative that he keep Jess safe. That much was clear. Also clear was the fact that it wasn’t going to be easy in this house.

  An idea began to form in his mind. But would it work?

  “We can’t stay here.”

  Nice. Just blurt it out, Travis.

  Her wide eyes spoke of her surprise. But she said nothing. He switched to sign, just in case there were ears at the door.

  “I’m serious, Jess. We have to leave. I think our being here has scared whoever is after you past the point of caution. If that fall down the stairs had killed you—” she winced, but he kept going “—that would have looked like an accident. But it didn’t, and you were able to tell someone you were pushed. Someone who believed you. And obviously, Uncle Ted believes you, and his opinion carries a lot of weight in the horse community. I don’t know. But knocking you out and locking you in the freezer wasn’t subtle at all, so apparently they’re done making any attempts a secret. We’re sitting duc
ks here.”

  “And how are we supposed to leave? And, even if we do leave, where would we go? The power is still down and the creek’s still flooded,” she countered, following his lead and signing.

  She had a point. The situation wasn’t ideal, but he wasn’t an Eagle Scout for nothing. He was always prepared.

  “We’re just going to have to rough it,” he announced. Now she was looking worried. “I have my camping pack in the bed of my truck. It has my rock-climbing equipment, camping gear, and stuff like that. I will get it and we will leave quietly at the first opportunity.”

  “Rock climbing?” Her eyebrows disappeared under her bangs. Again, he fought the urge to brush the soft fringe aside. What was the matter with him?

  “Yeah. Rock climbing. I’m an assistant scout master with the local troop. I teach the rock climbing and rappelling merit badges. Just did it last weekend, in fact. Which is why I have the pack in my truck.”

  Okay, so he was trying to impress her. Just a little.

  Her brows lowered. Her teeth gnawed at her full lower lip. Determined to avoid her brand of distraction, he turned his gaze out the window. Still raining. Although, it seemed to have let up some. Maybe things would look up soon.

  “Seth.”

  Her voice made him turn around. “Yeah?”

  She reverted back to sign for her next words. “We’re about five miles out from where Rebecca’s parents live.”

  “Do you trust her family?” He was pretty sure he already knew the answer, but needed to make sure.

  “Yeah. I’m sure her family would help us if we could just get to their house.”

  He considered it. “Where do they live?”

  She told him. “Most of the houses on their street are owned by the Amish. And the lumber mill Levi works at is close by. We could probably get over there and use the business phone to call the police.”

  “Tomorrow—”

  She interrupted him. “Tomorrow is Sunday. The family is very strict about no work on Sunday. We will have to wait to call until Monday.”

  Another day lost. Except at least they would be away from Jess’s attacker.

  “Better there than here. If we can sneak into the woods without being seen, we have a chance.”

  He waited for her slow nod.

  “Let’s do it.”

  Decision made, they made their way quietly downstairs, careful to keep away from the parts of the house where the rest of the guests were congregated. Ted had decreed that he wanted the others to stick together in the main part of the house. No one alone, just in case someone else were to become a target. Not that anyone believed for a second that anyone was in danger except for Jess.

  Ted had told Seth privately that he wanted to keep an eye on the Harveys. And on Vic Horn, the cowboy who had accosted Jess in the hall and the one who was seen talking with Lisa Harvey just minutes before the attack. Ted had recognized him by Jess’s description. Trouble was, no one seemed to able to find said cowboy. Vic Horn was nowhere to be found.

  Which, in Seth’s mind, put him at the top of the list of suspects. Just above the Harveys.

  Muted voices drifted from the main part of the house. Even from a distance, it was clear the day’s events had put a damper on everyone’s spirits. Lifting his hand, he signed to Jess that the others were in the front room area. She nodded, hazel eyes shadowed, but made no reply. What was going through her mind?

  Footsteps were headed toward them. He could hear the heels of cowboy boots on the wooden floor. Uncle Ted. He was the only one who dared wear shoes on Aunt Willa’s pristine floors. He smirked, and glanced back at Jess. Then did a double take. She grabbed his hand, eyes wide.

  “Someone’s coming, I can feel the vibrations,” she signed with her other hand, her movements jerky.

  “It’s okay,” he reassured her, “it’s Ted.”

  “Oh.”

  Her cheeks warmed and she dropped her eyes, obviously embarrassed by her reactions. When her eyes landed on their hands, still joined, her flush deepened and she tugged her hand away from his. Reluctantly, he let her go.

  Ted rounded the corner, his face one dark thundercloud. The expression was so different from the normal jovial uncle he was used to, it gave Seth pause.

  The warmth at his back increased. Jess had moved in closer, tucking herself neatly into his protection. Seth almost smiled. He liked the thought of her turning to him as her knight in shining armor. Except his armor was tarnished.

  The thought wiped any smile off his face. He was no one’s hero. He had learned long ago that he had too much in common with his father, no matter how hard he tried to be different. If he said he’d do something, it was as good as done. He never broke his word. Nor was he scared of hard work. But he’d hurt Jess. He’d let down his former fiancée when she’d needed him years before. When it came to women, he knew he couldn’t be trusted.

  Ted stomped to a halt in front of him.

  Seth waited.

  “Those people in there are driving me nuts,” his uncle finally said.

  This time, Seth cracked an amused grin. “Those people always drive me nuts. But what’s getting to you?”

  Ted gave him a glare for his trouble. “Well, Vic Horn still hasn’t shown up. And the Harveys are apparently everyone’s scapegoat for what happened. Not that they don’t look the guiltiest, especially with Bob’s antics. What was he looking for in her room, anyway?”

  Seth shook his head. He wasn’t in the mood to go over it right now. “Later.”

  Ted shrugged. “Fine. Anyway, Bob is trying to divert blame from his wife by insisting that your girl there locked herself in the freezer to make us feel sorry for her.”

  Jess gasped. “I did not!”

  Holding up his hands and wagging his head, Ted shushed her. “Honey, I know you didn’t. It’s not physically possible to lock the door from the inside.”

  “I need to get her outta here,” Seth declared, keeping his voice low. “Can I borrow your hip-waders? I need to get stuff from my truck and it’s still surrounded by water.”

  “Yep.”

  Wearing the hip-high boots and suspenders, Seth stole from the house and splashed his way over to the truck. Twice he started to slip as his boots squished on the drenched grass beneath his feet. He couldn’t afford to walk down the meandering driveway...too out in the open for anyone looking out the windows. Arriving at the passenger side of the truck, he reached in behind the seat for his backpack. In his mind, he debated whether or not he should go through the pack, just to lighten the load, getting rid of anything unnecessary. No time, he decided. Mind made up, he hauled it out and strapped it around himself. Done. He glanced up. And frowned.

  Jess was standing outside of the house, her back pressed against the bricks.

  Why hadn’t she stayed inside?

  * * *

  Every nerve was on high alert as she watched Seth grabbing his pack. He was staying low, but she could still see him over the window.

  A gasp left her when he suddenly motioned for her to hide, then ducked behind the truck himself.

  Hide? Where could she go? And what was coming?

  That’s when she picked up the indistinct murmur of voices. For her to be able to hear them with only one hearing aid in place meant that they were closer than was safe. She wasn’t able to isolate individual voices, but the group was heading her way.

  Keeping her back against the wall, she pushed herself into the bushes lined up parallel to the house, wincing as branches scraped her face. She was small, but the space between the shrubs and the building was practically nonexistent. She found herself literally between branches. She had no idea how she’d escape without being flayed or getting her hair pulled out.

  If she escaped.

  The voices came closer. She e
dged farther into her hiding place. Three figures rounded the corner. Bob and Lisa Harvey, and...Willa Taylor? Leaning in, she tried to catch part of their conversation. But between having just one aid, the loud roar of the rushing creek, the rain and the pounding of her own heart, she was only able to catch a random word here and there. And she couldn’t lip read from this distance.

  They seemed to be arguing. Willa’s long face was pinched, her lips pursed. Lisa was stomping along beside her, mouth screwed up in an angry scowl. Both women appeared to be unhappy with whatever Bob was telling them. His loud voice boomed out, and Jess was able to hear part of what he said.

  “...thief. Only way... Not going to jail for murder.”

  Jess shuddered. Had the trio tried to murder her? Were they responsible for the attacks and accidents?

  Another thought hit her hard. Willa was Seth’s aunt. What if he had lead her into an ambush deliberately? Sure, she had asked him to bring her to the party, but he hadn’t protested that hard. Not really.

  But he’d wanted her to go to the police. Yeah, but he’d picked his brother-in-law, who conveniently wasn’t home.

  And he had admitted his father used people to forward his own agenda. It was possible that Seth was like his father in that way.

  No, it wasn’t.

  He could have let her die in the freezer, she argued with herself. Could have let her fall to her death down the stairs. But both times, he had saved her. And he had protected her all night. Back and forth, she went over the incidents in her mind. Her heart said to trust him, that he had changed since high school, and was now a man of his word. Her mind, though, urged caution. She couldn’t allow herself to be blinded by her emotions.

  Thinking of Seth, she worried that the trio walking past would see him and catch on to their plans to get away. Craning her neck, she peered toward the truck, only to become frustrated when the prickly branches blocked her view. She had no idea if he had been found or not. Nor, she realized, did she have any way of knowing when it was safe for her to rise from her hiding place.