Megan didn’t have a leash with her. The thought made her hesitate letting Lady outside, but a series of yaps urged her to move faster. The second there was room, Lady bolted through the narrow opening. She found a patch of green grass near the verandah and relieved herself.
“I’m glad you got some rest,” Luke said in a deep, husky voice coming from the left.
Her breath caught for a few seconds before she remembered to exhale. She turned in his direction.
“You didn’t get any rest?” Luke sat in a white wicker chair in a grouping at the far end of the verandah.
“Am I that obvious?”
“Did something happen? You were so tired when you went upstairs to take a nap, I thought you might sleep for hours.”
After glancing over her shoulder to make sure Lady was still nearby, Megan moved toward him and took a seat with an end table between them. “I had a weird dream. It seemed so real.”
“Maybe it was. What was it about?”
Megan told him about going to the school and seeing a man coming out of the women’s restroom. “I couldn’t make myself open the door. I wanted to go in, but fear paralyzed me. Then I woke up. Do you think it could have something to do with my kidnapping?”
“Did you recognize who the man was?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t see his face.”
“How did you know it was a man?”
“Well…I don’t know. Maybe it was his build and the way he walked.” She shrugged. “It was probably nothing.”
“Or your subconscious is trying to tell you something, possibly about yesterday.”
“And I’m blocking it?”
“Maybe. Let’s see what the local news says this evening. You went through a traumatic incident, and your mind is trying to protect you by keeping you in the dark.”
She smiled. “You sound like a therapist.”
He scrunched his forehead, and his eyes clouded as though he was remembering something in the past. “I had one tell me that once.”
“Did you eventually remember?” She wanted to ask him what happened, but she didn’t want to pry.
He stared at the front yard. “Yes, when I was better able to deal with it.”
The sadness in his expression made her wonder if he had really dealt with it, but it wasn’t her place to ask. She wished she could help him. He’d certainly been there for her when she needed it. “But I have to remember now, or I’ll never feel safe.”
“You’re not alone.”
The intensity in his eyes gave her a feeling of security. Thank You, Lord, for sending him to rescue me.
Lady’s high-pitched yelps filled the air. She swiveled her attention in the direction of the sound and stood as her poodle charged Shep, who was lying on the grass.
“They’re all right. I’ve been watching them. They’re playing.”
Lady jumped over Shep’s back then ran around the German shepherd several times, barking the whole time as though challenging the bigger dog to get her. Instead, Shep rolled over, his tail wagging.
“He has the patience of Job.” Megan took a seat again.
“Yes, and he’s teaching me the importance of it.”
“My students do that every year.”
“What grade do you teach?”
“Third, for the last few years.” She panned the landscape of gently rolling hills and pastures full of horses. “Your farm is beautiful.”
“Would you like a tour?”
“Yes, but what about your employees seeing me? They might recognize me from the news?”
He frowned. “Surely we can come up with something to disguise you as a precaution.”
“Great! Will I get to see Lightning Bolt?”
“I think I can manage it.” Luke rose. “Let’s round up the dogs then go see what Liliana has that you can use.”
“I thought she was going to the stables.” Megan pushed to her feet.
“That’s right. She won’t mind. I know just what I’m looking for.” He whistled. “Come, Shep.”
The German shepherd jumped up and made a beeline for Luke, and Lady followed the big dog.
Fifteen minutes later, Megan stood before a mirror in the entry hall, staring at the image of her as a light brunette with red highlights and a mop of long curls. She’d never worn a wig before. When she slipped on a pair of large, dark sunglasses, she didn’t even recognize herself. She turned toward Luke. “How do I look?”
He chuckled. “That can be a loaded question for a man. The disguise is good. Where’s Lady?”
“I left her in my room. I don’t have her leash, and I certainly don’t want to see her challenge a horse. It might not be as accommodating as Shep.”
“True. We have some temperamental Thoroughbreds. But I will say, Lightning Bolt loves Shep.”
“That’s because he knows how to behave. Lady doesn’t.”
Luke held the front door open for Megan, and she exited first. The sun, heading for the western horizon, looked as though it was floating on top of a grove of tall trees near one of the Riverdale’s stables, their destination.
“We’ll need to be back for the local news. I wonder if the authorities have figured out the dead body at my house isn’t me. Maybe they already have, and that’s why I’m a person of interest?”
“That’s a possibility. I have a good friend who’s part of the state police. I thought I’d call him later and see what I can find out about the case.”
“What about Chief Franklin?”
“Let’s see what Clay tells me. After seeing your burned down house and learning there was a dead body in it, my gut tells me to be cautious with whom we trust. Remember when I first mentioned contacting the police chief, you didn’t want me to.”
“But I don’t know why I didn’t. Maybe I was just panicking. I know who Chief Franklin is, but I don’t know him other than casually. I keep trying to remember yesterday, but I get nothing—other than that dream I told you about. I don’t even remember going by the school as one of my errands.”
“Tell you what. For the next hour while I give you the grand tour, let’s not talk about what happened to you. Sometimes when you try too hard, your mind shuts down. No pressure here. It’ll come to you when you’re ready.”
“That’s just it. I am ready. I want this behind me. I want my normal, rather dull life back.”
A few feet from the entrance into the stable, Luke stopped. “It’s good to know you don’t normally live all the time on the edge with men wanting to kill you.” He swept his arm across his body. “After you, Meg—what name should I call you, so people don’t suspect?”
“Kate. Kathleen is my middle name, but few people know that.”
“Okay. Kate it is then.”
Liliana led a beautiful, large dark brown Thoroughbred from a stall.
Megan came to a halt a few steps inside the stable. “That’s Lightning Bolt! I saw him win the Triple Crown three lengths ahead of the second-place horse.”
He leaned close to her. “Don’t tell anyone, but I forgot to breathe when he ran that home stretch.”
His nearness sent Megan’s heartbeat racing. She was glad Luke was on her side. He gave her a sense of security, and he certainly wasn’t bad looking. He carried himself with confidence, but there was no arrogance in his bearing.
Liliana walked the champion horse in their direction. She paused near Megan, a twinkle dancing in her eyes. “You look better in that wig than I ever did. I bought it when I thought I wanted my hair to be auburn, leaning more toward the redhead side. After wearing it for a few weeks, I decided I liked how I am.”
Luke’s sister had the same dark brown, almost black, hair he did. In fact, the two looked a lot alike, especially in the gray color of their eyes and dark, long eyelashes.
“It was a shock when I put it on, but it does change my appearance, so hopefully, no one recognizes me,” Megan said.
“I heard you wanted to see Lightning Bolt. I was on my way to let him lo
se in his paddock.” Liliana shifted her attention to Luke. “The farrier changed his shoes.”
“That ought to keep him for a while.” Luke took the reins from Liliana. “We’ll take him to his pasture.”
“Thanks. I don’t want to be late for my date.”
Luke raised his eyebrows. “Date? This is the first I’ve heard about you dating anyone.”
Liliana settled her fists on her waist. “You may be my big brother, but you are not my keeper.”
He laughed. “I know how to rile you. You’re a grown woman and can certainly choose your own date, but I can still check out the guy when he comes to pick you up. We’re a small family.”
“Not this time. I’m meeting him in Lexington at the horse sale at Keeneland.”
“Who is he?”
“Our vet, and it really isn’t an official date. I just wanted to see your reaction.”
Megan enjoyed the teasing exchange between Luke and his sister. She’d lost her sister so long ago, she’d forgotten what it was like.
“Bye, y’all.” Liliana headed for the exit, stopped, and twisted around. “When I was putting the load of wash in earlier, I found a ring with two keys on it. They were in your jeans’ pocket. I left it on the table in the laundry room.”
Keys? To what? The school and her classroom? When she saw them, she should know—she hoped. “Thanks. I’ll get them later.”
Megan slowly placed her hand on Lightning Bolt’s neck and stroked the big, dark brown stud. When she stopped patting the stallion, he looked back at her and nudged her arm.
“He likes you. You found the special spot he enjoys being rubbed.”
“He’s a beauty.”
“Shh.” Luke grinned and winked. “Don’t let him hear you. He’s all male. I don’t want him thinking otherwise.”
“Then he’s handsome. Is that better?”
“Much better.” Chuckling, Luke walked toward the rear exit, passing and nodding to an employee in a stall.
“Who’s he?” Megan asked when they stepped outside.
“My foreman, Malcom Wright. He worked for my dad, and I was thrilled when he said he would stay on when my parents turned over the farm to Liliana and me. His presence allows me to leave when Shep and I are needed for a search and rescue.” Not far from the stable, Luke opened a gate to a field and released Lightning Bolt.
As the stallion trotted off, Megan scanned the other paddocks. “Are all of these for stallions?”
“Yes. Most of these horses are part of my stable, but there are a few that are boarded here. I have another barn where I keep my horses that are still racing. Slowly I’m changing over totally to a stud farm.”
Megan gestured toward a big red stallion in the field next to Lightning Bolt. “Who’s that?”
“Red Clover. He’s been retired for years and his lineage has proven to be excellent. His son won the Kentucky Derby this year.”
Megan covered the distance to another paddock where a white horse loped along the perimeter. “He’s—handsome. What’s his name?” She leaned against the wooden slats, painted black as all the fences were at Riverdale Farm.
“Snow Storm.” The stallion stopped, looked at them, then turned in their direction and charged forward. Luke clasped her shoulder and pulled her back. “He’s temperamental and a loner.”
Snow Storm veered off to the right. Megan watched him, her heart thumping against her ribcage. When she turned toward Luke, she caught sight of a vehicle coming toward the stable—a sheriff’s car. Her pulse raced, and sweat beaded her forehead.
Chapter Five
Why was Sheriff Clinton coming to Riverdale?
Luke strode toward the front entrance into the stable. He hated leaving Megan alone outside the back door, but he didn’t want to test her disguise. Right before he’d left her, she gripped his arm and told him in her dream that the man leaving the women’s restroom at school had been dressed in navy blue slacks and a short sleeve shirt like a Sweetwater City police officer. She couldn’t remember if he wore a gun belt or not. But Luke didn’t want to take any chances until he knew more of what was going on.
He put on a neutral expression and shook hands with the sheriff. “What’s brought you to Riverdale?”
“I got a call from the police chief in Sweetwater City. A neighbor said you came by Megan Witherspoon’s house and ended up taking her dog that you found out back.”
“Yes. Louise told me about the fire, that a body, tentatively identified as Megan, was found inside, and that Lady was missing. I searched for the poodle and found her cowering under a group of bushes. I didn’t want to leave a dog homeless. Why in the world would the police chief send you out here for Lady?” Especially since Chief Franklin knew Luke’s phone number and could have called himself. “Megan was a friend, and I was stunned to hear about her house burning down.”
“How did you know Megan?”
“We met on a rescue. She loves dogs like I do, and we hit it off. I dropped by to see how things were going.” Luke met the sheriff’s gaze to gauge any reaction to his next question. “Have the police learned anything new about the fire, the body found?”
“The body in Megan Witherspoon’s house fits her height and other indicators like a ring she was wearing. Her car was in the garage, but there’s another missing woman in Sweetwater City. She’s of similar height to Megan. The police are trying to ID the body to make sure it’s Megan, so they’re chasing down any leads.”
Luke’s gut tightened. “Who’s the other missing woman?”
“The school nurse, Shelly Baird. Her husband reported her missing early this morning. The last place she’d been seen yesterday was in her office at the school. Her car hasn’t been found, and no one in town has seen her in the past twenty-four hours.”
So probably the woman in Megan’s house was the school nurse. Megan should be safe as long as the would-be killers thought she was at the bottom of the Kentucky River. “Shep is a good tracker. I’ll call Chief Franklin and offer my services if he needs Shep’s expertise.”
“Thanks. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it if there’s a need. The police are looking for Shelly Baird’s car. When they find it, maybe he’ll need your dog. I was near here when I got his call, so I told him I’d swing by and see about Lady.”
“I’ll get in touch with him. I don’t mind keeping her for the time being. My sister’s already fallen in love with her.”
Sheriff Clinton nodded. “Good day.”
Luke stayed in the entrance until the sheriff’s car disappeared. Then he swung around and started for the rear door but collided with Megan who had come up behind him. He quickly grasped her upper arms and steadied her. “I didn’t hear you.”
“Sorry. I saw the sheriff drive away. What did he want?”
For a few seconds, he wanted to pull her against him and wrap her in his embrace. To make sure no one harmed her. Instead, he released his hold on her and stepped back. “He thought I knew where you might be because I have Lady. Louise told the police about me finding and taking Lady, but I didn’t tell her my last name.”
“Louise is known for keeping an eye on the street, especially during the day when most of the people are at work. She might have jotted down your license plate number when you drove away.”
“I wish she’d been that vigilant last night.”
“So do I. I grew up in that home.”
Her expression made Luke wish he didn’t have to tell her what else the sheriff had said, but she needed to know. It might help her figure out what happened. “Your car was in your garage, and there’s another missing woman—Shelly Baird.”
Megan sucked in a deep breath, her color flushed from her face.
“Do you remember seeing her at school yesterday?”
She closed her eyes and dropped her chin. When she raised her head, she shook it. “The only memory is what I told you about my dream. I don’t even know if that’s right.” She scrubbed her hand across her forehead. “Shelly is one of ou
r school nurses. She’s one of three for the main campus. I’ve seen her a couple of times this summer. While summer school was going on, she was usually on duty.” As Megan stared over Luke’s shoulder, she chewed on her lower lip. “Her office is in the administration building next to the elementary school. I don’t know why she would be in the bathroom near my room yesterday. In fact, I thought I was the only teacher in my area. The halls were dark and deserted.”
Luke came to Megan’s side and slung his arm over her shoulder. “C’mon. Let’s go back to the house. The news should be on soon. We’ll see what, if anything, is said on the local station.”
As they emerged from the stable, Luke made a slow sweep of the landscape. Everything seemed all right, but if the police knew he’d picked up Lady, that could mean Megan shouldn’t stay here. What if an officer with SCPD heard about her dog coming with him? Who else could Louise have told besides Chief Franklin?
* * *
Megan sat next to Luke on the couch in the den as the local news came on the large flat-screen on the wall. When the newscaster began a story in Sweetwater City, Luke covered her hand with his. On the TV screen, Megan and another woman’s photo was displayed.
“The Sweetwater City Police Department are looking for two missing women: Megan Witherspoon and Shelly Baird, both employees of the school system in their town. If anyone knows the whereabouts of these two women, please notify the police at the number on the screen. If anyone has seen a white 2016 Saturn S-Series with the license plate number on the screen, please contact the police. They think foul play is involved in their disappearances. Megan Witherspoon’s house burned down last night shortly after nine o’clock. An unidentified woman’s body was found among the rubble. Please come forward if you have any information about the fire.”
As the newscaster moved onto the next topic, Luke clicked off the TV. “After the visit by the sheriff today, my connection to you has been revealed. Granted the thugs who tossed you off the bridge think you’re dead. But we may still have visitors come to check out the farm. I think it’s time for you to move to another place. I know of a cabin, not too far from where we were that I can use. I also think we should contact Chief Franklin and meet with him away from the police station.”
Hunted Page 4