Hidden in Shadow

by Georgia Florey-Evans

  Clarence yawned in response.

  “Why are you sleepy? You were home. I was the one in the hospital all night.” Luke hadn’t planned on spending the night at Mercy General, but when he started to say good night, something in Holly’s eyes wouldn’t let him. No matter what she said, she was frightened. And for whatever reason, it seemed to make her feel safer when he was around. Besides, he had been too tired to think rationally himself, and couldn’t get the image of Jack Wallace slipping into her room out of his head.

  He started the motor and turned to make sure Clarence was situated before he took off for the field.

  As bad as Holly having the accident was, it was still better than if she had given in to Wallace and stopped the car. Luke had no doubt the man had evil intentions toward Holly and would have acted on them. The fact he choked her like he did was proof of that.

  Thank You, Lord, for telling Holly what to do. Without Your Presence, I know it would have been worse.

  He had a lot of work to get done today. Susan had invited him for supper on Holly and Tessa’s first night there. He meant what he said when he told Holly he would have camped in her driveway. He could kick himself thirty ways from Sunday for not running to the hardware store himself. They all knew there was a man out there who wanted Holly. And what had he done? Sent her into the night alone.

  She was already talking about going back to work, elated that Dr. Potter told her, as long as she didn’t lose consciousness or become disoriented again, she could resume her daily routine on Monday. Holly cared deeply for the students she counseled. Luke didn’t know for certain, but he figured it was probably mutual.

  Maybe with the class reunion coming up, they would be able to focus on something besides the stalker. Luke didn't think of him as only being Holly’s stalker because he also felt like a target. He no longer went to bed without double checking the doors of all of his buildings and making sure the garage door was locked. He couldn’t protect his truck tires from a knife, but at least the Jeep was safe.

  Of course, there was no way he would share his perspective on the situation with Holly. It would only add to the guilt she couldn’t seem to let go of. In her eyes, she had to have done something to attract this guy’s attention in the first place. Then she was upset the stalker had turned his attention to Luke. And now she was beating herself up because she panicked and didn’t check her backseat before she got into an unlocked car.

  Like she didn't have a lot of stuff on her mind? Nobody was infallible, and she should realize Jack Wallace would have been able to overpower her right there in the parking lot if she discovered him.

  Then there was the mystery man in the parking lot. Mitch brushed it off as Holly’s fear causing an overreaction to someone walking or jogging by. Luke disagreed. He didn’t know why, but he just had a feeling the other man was dangerous for Holly, too.

  The thought of two men there, ready to attack, caused a burning sensation in Luke’s chest. Holly was alone and virtually defenseless.

  He doubted if there would have been anyone around to help in the hardware store parking lot on a Thursday evening. He once more said a fervent prayer of thanksgiving before forcing his mind to his current task.

  He stopped short of where the goats stood, munching merrily on their free smorgasbord. It surprised him when his dog stayed on the vehicle and watched as Luke circle around to the fence. Ordinarily, Clarence would be strutting around the farm animals like a general inspecting the ranks. “Clarence, get off there and help me chase these goats back home. Come on!”

  Clarence looked at Luke like he had to be kidding and yawned again. Luke climbed on the ATV and gunned the engine. As soon as the first goat began to run, Clarence got the idea. He hopped out of the trailer and tore out after another one. Between the vehicle and yapping dog, they soon had the goats back on their own property.

  “Now, would you mind keeping them over there while I fix this fence?” Clarence looked from Luke to the goats and flopped onto his stomach.

  “Don’t let me disturb your morning nap. You just lie there and sleep while I chase goats away and fix a fence at the same time.” Luke seriously considered giving Clarence a little nudge under his hind end to see if he could get him up and going. It appeared the goats were content in the tall grass on Mrs. Pickler’s property for the time being, so he spared his dog’s posterior.

  It took nearly two hours before he had the fence back up and sturdy enough to keep out the uninvited munchers.

  “Are you really that tired?” Luke asked Clarence incredulously. While he wasn’t a blue-ribbon farm dog by any stretch of the imagination, it wasn’t like Clarence to be this lazy either. “Come on, Clarence, let’s go home.”

  Clarence raised his head for a moment and then dropped it back to the ground.

  “Clarence, I mean it. Get on.” Luke couldn’t believe his dog was just lying there looking at him.

  Wait a minute. His dog was just lying there looking at him. He hopped back off the ATV and hurried over to Clarence.

  “Come on, boy. Get up.” Clarence only managed to raise his head again.

  “Clarence!” Luke hurriedly pulled his phone out and dialed the vet as quickly as he could.

  “Shadow County Animal Clinic.” Tina, the vet’s assistant answered the phone.

  “Tina, this is Luke Walker. There’s something wrong with Clarence. We’re at the south edge of my farm, and he can’t get up. I’m going to try to get him onto the ATV and back to the house. Is Doc Waters there?”

  “He’s out on a call at the Kitner farm. Let me see if he’s almost done. It may be easier for him to come to you than for you to try to bring Clarence to the clinic.” Tina was known for a calm head and efficiency.

  There was silence for a few moments while he was placed on hold, and then Tina was back. “He said if you can get Clarence to the house, he’ll be there shortly. I hope your dog is okay, Luke. I know how much he means to you.”

  “Thank you, Tina.”

  Luke pocketed his phone and went to the Gator. He wouldn’t be able to carry the large dog very far, but he thought he could lift him to the box bed. At least, there were only the few tools left. He shoved them to the side before he climbed on and pulled the vehicle as close beside his dog as he could.

  “Come on, Clarence. Help me out as much as you can.” Luke’s heart went into his throat when he felt Clarence try to get his legs under him, and they buckled. It took all of Luke’s strength, but he finally managed to lift him into the trailer. “Lie still. I’m going to get us to the house as fast as I can.”

  Luke drove at the highest speed he thought possible without jarring Clarence off the vehicle. Dr. Waters’ blue van was pulling into the lane when he parked the ATV in front of the house.

  “Good morning, Luke.” The friendly, ever cheerful vet in his bright blue bib overalls walked toward him. “What’s going on with Clarence?”

  “He’s been drowsy all morning, and now he can’t do more than lift his head.”

  “Let’s have a listen.” Dr. Waters set his bag on the bed beside Clarence and pulled out a stethoscope. After he had listened to his heart and lungs, the vet felt his ribcage and examined his eyes.

  “What has Clarence eaten lately?” The doctor was prodding the dog’s stomach.

  “Dog food.” That was one rule Luke never broke. Dogs might enjoy table scraps, but it wasn’t healthy for them.

  “Where do you keep his food?”

  “On the back porch. His bowl is in the kitchen. Why?” Did Clarence have a food allergy or something?

  “Is your porch locked?” Dr. Waters rubbed Clarence’s head between his ears and murmured to him.

  “Yes. It’s part of the house, my mud room."” Luke couldn’t wait any longer. “What’s the matter with him? Why are you asking about his food?”

  The vet’s kind eyes met Luke’s. “I’ll have to get him to the clinic and run some blood work, but I’m ninety-nine percent certain your dog has been poisoned
.”

  “Poisoned?” Luke’s mind raced as the grim reality hit him. “How?”

  “Somebody could have left Clarence what he thought was a treat, when, in reality, it was laced with something. I need to get him to the clinic and run some tests so I can get him on the right medicine.” Dr. Waters returned the equipment to his bag.

  Luke put his hand on Clarence’s back. “He’s going to be okay, isn’t he, Doc?”

  “I think so.” The vet smiled kindly. “I don’t think he was fed a lethal dose. He just ate enough to make him good and sick. We need to get it out of his system, though. Let’s get him into the back of my van.

  Luke shook his head. “I’ll put him in the backseat of my Jeep. He likes to ride there.”

  Dr. Waters looked like he was going to object, but thought better of it. “Pull your Jeep as close as you can get, and between the two of us, we should be able to transfer him.”

  Within minutes, Luke and Clarence were following the vet to the clinic.

  “I’m sorry I got mad at you, boy. I thought you were lazy. I didn’t know you were sick.”

  Who would have poisoned his dog? Why...Luke’s fists clenched on the steering wheel. He barely controlled this never-before-experienced, intense rage when Holly told them Wallace hit her, and now it was back. The stalker or Jack Wallace—maybe one and the same—poisoned his dog. A defenseless animal that had done nothing to deserve this.

  Please, Lord, help me stay in control. You don’t ever give us trials that you don’t give us the means to deal with, but Father, I don’t know how much more I can take. The woman I love has been hurt and is still in danger. And I don’t care about my things. They can all be replaced. But Clarence—he can’t be. Please help me know what to do...How to deal with the anger inside me.

  He’d call Mitch as soon as he got to the clinic. This had to stop. Please, God, it had to stop.

  Chapter 19

  “I like blue, but that shade of pink looks fantastic with your complexion.” Tessa scrutinized the garments Holly held.

  Are you sure we have to wear dresses to the reunion? Maybe it’s casual.” She could hope so, anyway.

  “I asked Jennifer, and it’s semi-formal. Dresses and suits. Now, pick one of those. They both fit like they were made for you.” Wow. Tessa was pulling out her teacher's voice.

  Holly looked from one to the other. “You’re buying the powder blue, right?”

  “You told me it made my eyes light up.” Tessa seemed quite pleased by the compliment.

  “It does,” Holly assured her. “If you’re going with blue, I’ll go with pink. We don’t need to be wearing the same color.”

  Tessa nodded. “Good choice. Now let’s look at shoes. Our men are both more than tall enough we can wear high heels.”

  The men. Luke. Clarence. Holly lowered the dress she was still holding as tears filled her eyes.

  “How can we be shopping like nothing is wrong when Clarence is in the animal clinic because somebody poisoned him?” She should have known better than to leave home.

  “Stop it, Holly.” Tessa walked over and took the dress out of her hand. “Luke said he wanted you to have an ordinary day. The reunion is two weeks away. We need new dresses so we can stun our classmates. Now, please do what Luke asked, and relax and enjoy yourself.”

  Holly gestured toward the red-haired man standing in the entry. “How can I relax when I know Hank is following us everywhere?”

  “That’s exactly why you can relax. Besides, Hank is enjoying himself. He’s young and unattached. He’s been standing there checking out every female in the mall.” Tessa grinned. “And getting paid to do it.”

  That finally brought a smile to Holly’s face. “You’re right. Mitch went to the trouble of putting Hank on plainclothes protection detail, and Luke did ask me to have a good day. So, lead the way to the shoe department.”

  Nearly an hour later, Holly sank gratefully into a chair in the mall’s small food court. She placed her bags on an empty chair next to her before she looked at her friend.

  “I still can’t believe I let you talk me into buying those pink shoes. Do you know how impractical pink shoes are? You can only wear them with pink clothes.” While Holly had protested, the shoes actually looked good on her, and the insole was soft enough, even with three-inch heels, they were comfortable.

  “Oh, phooey.” Tessa set her own packages down. “People wear pink shoes with all kinds of colors. I’ve even seen women wear bright green clothes with pink shoes.”

  “Well, I’m not that daring.” Holly was self-conscious enough, without fearing she resembled a clown. “I wear colors I think should go together.”

  “Then, I guess we’ll have to look for some more pink dresses.” Tessa’s eyes sparkled with humor. “We can get you a pink negligee, and you can walk around the house in your heels. We’ll let you answer the door in it a few times, and before you know it, you’ll be the talk of the town.”

  “Right. Me and Hubert Belton. He got picked up for indecent exposure again, you know. It was in this morning’s paper.”

  Tessa nodded. “Maybe the man is afraid of bathtubs.” Mr. Belton let anybody who’d listen know he liked to air dry as he bathed, hence the practice of outdoor sponge baths.

  “I wonder why he keeps doing it when they arrest him nearly every week.” They were joking, but she actually felt sorry for the elderly man.

  Hank seemed to appear from nowhere. “Would you ladies like me to watch your packages while you get your lunch?”

  “Will you answer a police-related question for us first?” Tessa asked him.

  “Tess, that’s not the kind of—”

  “Why do the police keep arresting Hubert Belton for indecent exposure when you know he’s going to do the same thing the next time he needs a bath?” Holly wanted to crawl under her chair and hide as she watched Hank’s ears turn red before his face flushed to the color of a beet.

  “Uh, we only arrest him when somebody complains. You have to look behind his bushes to see him, but every so often one of his neighbors complains, so we have to do something.” If Hank turned any redder, he would make a nice six-foot-tall flare.

  “I apologize for my friend’s impolite question when you so nicely offered to watch our packages.” Holly kept her tone light so her words wouldn’t be taken as criticism. “And we’ll take you up on your kind offer because I’m starving, and I don’t want to try to juggle three sacks and a tray of food.”

  “Can we get you anything?” Tessa, having embarrassed the poor young man beyond words, was considerate enough to offer.

  Hank’s easy-going grin was back in place, even if his face was still a little pinkish. “No, thank you. I’ll wait until you’re both situated, and then I’ll get my own lunch.”

  Holly stood up to leave, but then she had a question she simply had to ask.

  “Hank, if we do run into Jack Wallace, what are you going to do? He’s a big man.” Hank was lean and muscular, but a match for the man who sent Mitch flying? Luke had told her about the fugitive’s size, but she knew his strength firsthand.

  The young police officer turned sideways so nobody except the women could see what he showed them. Then he lifted his jacket to display a stun gun strapped to his waist. “I’m going to arrest him.”

  His quiet confidence spoke volumes and impressed Holly. Luke had wished for her to have a normal, happy, safe day, and Mitch made sure to keep it that way. She was grateful to all three men.

  “Mitch wants to take me out this weekend,” Tessa said, once they were in line at the Chinese restaurant.

  Holly looked quizzically at her friend. “Isn’t he going to?”

  Tessa solemnly shook her head. “He’s not going to have any spare time until Jack Wallace is safely behind bars.” She didn’t give Holly time to so much as draw a breath. “You can’t feel bad, either, because you’re not the only one in danger from him now. He’s tried to hurt Billy again, and probably poisoned Clarence. Face it, Holly
. He sees any of us around you as fair game.”

  Once again, Holly couldn’t help but feel like this was somehow all her fault. It seemed like everybody who cared about her was in danger. At least, the worst that had happened to her parents was the one phone call. She was thankful for that blessing.

  “I’m sorry, Holly.” Tessa gave her a gentle hug. “Here you are all sore and bruised, and I’m making you feel bad again, aren’t I?”

  Holly managed to push her aches away but hadn’t been able to completely ignore the looks her bruised face garnered. A couple of times she had the urge to wink at the gaping people and say, “You should see the other gal.” At least the scarf she wore covered the fading welt on her neck. It would have to be gone in order for her to wear her new dress to the reunion. “It’s okay, Tess. You have every right to feel disappointed. I know how excited you are to be in love, and now you can’t do anything about it.” Her friend must be longing for a flowers and candy kind of date.

  Tessa smiled bravely. “This won’t go on forever, though. And then Mitch and I will have all the time in the world.”

  “Do you think you’ll like being a sheriff’s wife?” Holly, herself, couldn’t picture living with the knowledge her husband was in danger every day.

  “He hasn’t proposed yet.” A hint of color highlighted Tess’s cheeks.

  “But he pretty much laid it on the line,” Holly reminded her. “He’s ready for romance because he sees a future together.”

  “I know.” Tessa seemed to consider her words carefully. “And the answer to your question is if I’m meant to be Mitch’s wife, God will give me the strength to accept his job. Don’t you agree?”

  Holly was moved by her friend’s quiet conviction. “I think that‘s a wonderful way to look at it.”

  They finally reached the counter and were able to order their lunches. Hank smiled broadly at them when they returned to the table.