Now she lay somewhere beneath the surface of the water, life ebbing away with every second that passed.
He skidded to a halt at the edge of the lake, weapon drawn. “Freeze! Police! Hands in the air!”
Eugene raised his head and jerked upright, lifting Melissa from the water and holding her in front of him. The coward was using her as a shield. Chris lunged forward, determined to reach them before Eugene could pull a weapon. But his legs felt as if he were moving through gelatin with a fifty-pound weight attached to each ankle. He was still twenty feet away when Eugene lifted his arm. In his hand was a pistol.
“No, you raise your hands. And drop the gun. Now!”
Chris slowly released his weapon, letting it fall into the lake with a splash. And that splash represented the death of his last opportunity to save Missy.
He raised both hands and stared at Eugene, mind stalled out. He needed to think of something, something brilliant and persuasive, but his brain was working as efficiently as a computer with a virus, its operating processes shutting down one by one.
Then there was movement beside him, and Kevin stepped forward. “Come on, Eugene, let her go. You don’t want to do this.”
Kevin became the pistol’s new target, and Chris sent another prayer heavenward. This was his and Missy’s battle. He should never have gotten Kevin and BethAnn involved.
“Don’t interfere.” Eugene’s tone held a steely core of determination. “We have to make our passage. And I will spill the blood of anyone who tries to stop us.” The gun moved back and forth, always keeping one of them in its sights. “Melissa is mine. I have fought and been deemed worthy. We have made our vows before the gods and all our loyal subjects. What we have done cannot be torn asunder by mere man.”
Without lowering the pistol, he took a step back, then another and another, pulling Missy with him. The water at her waist slowly moved up her chest to cover her shoulders. Panic pounded up Chris’s spine. Eugene was going to drown her right in front of him. And there was nothing he could do to save her. Dear God, please help us.
He glanced over at Kevin, silently pleading with him to do something, and hope spiked through him. Beyond Kevin, near the pavilions, was the answer to his prayer—one shadowed figure and another and another...five in all. The police. Maybe even a SWAT team.
Relief clashed with rising panic. They would be there in seconds.
But what would Eugene do when he saw them?
* * *
Melissa continued to suck in huge gulps of air. Every cell in her body screamed for oxygen. Eugene held her pinned against him, which was probably a good thing. Otherwise, she would have collapsed and sunk beneath the surface. Her bones had turned to chalk, her muscles to gelatin.
When Eugene had suddenly hoisted her from the water moments earlier, confusion had tumbled over relief. Had he changed his mind? Was he going to let her live? It wasn’t until she’d wiped the water from her eyes and looked toward the shore that she’d understood. Chris had come for her. So had BethAnn and Kevin.
But the gun was no longer tucked into the waistband of Eugene’s pants. It was drawn, cocked and ready to fire. And it was leveled on Chris. Her heart almost stopped. She had pleaded with God to send someone. Was that prayer going to cost Chris and her friends their lives?
As Eugene pulled her deeper, farther and farther from Chris, determination coursed through her. It couldn’t end like this, with Eugene winning while Chris, Kevin and BethAnn helplessly looked on. She clawed and pinched and delivered several ineffective elbow jabs to the muscled abdomen against her back. But Eugene only tightened his hold, cutting off what little air she had left. Icy water splashed against her face and into her eyes.
She stopped her struggling and met Chris’s gaze across the expanse of murky water. His face was shrouded in shadow. But each detail was etched in her imagination, and she clung to the image as if it were her lifeline. Did he have any idea how much she loved him? Probably not. And she would regret it all the way to her grave.
Eugene took another step back and another, until the water covered her mouth. She tilted her head back, just enough to still be able to breathe, and without breaking eye contact with Chris, mouthed the words, “I love you.” Then she touched her fingers lightly to her lips and angled them toward him in the gesture of a blown kiss. But it was too little, too late. She had passed up every opportunity to tell him how she felt. Suddenly all her reasons for guarding her heart seemed petty and insignificant.
“Freeze!” The single word rang sharp and clear, jarring her to her toes, and she scanned the bank, searching for its source. Five figures approached, clad in black, weapons drawn. Eugene must have been as shocked as she was, because for a fraction of a second, the steel band loosened, the miracle she had prayed for. She twisted free, dropped beneath the surface and swam for all she was worth. Her lungs burned, her arms ached and her legs began to cramp. But she pushed beyond the bounds of her endurance and made for the shore, praying all the while that Eugene would be subdued before she had to come up for air.
The instant her head broke the surface, her blood turned to ice in her veins. Screams pierced the stillness of the night, high-pitched wails of agony that rattled her bones and shredded her nerves. Someone was hurt. She wiped the water from her eyes and searched the bank, disoriented. Her blind swim had taken her far to the right. When she found Chris, Kevin and BethAnn, she heaved a sigh of relief. They were fine.
Eugene wasn’t. He was bent at the waist, left hand pressed against his right shoulder, sending up a series of shrieks that didn’t die until two officers led him out of the water. Then something snapped, and the howls of pain became sobs of despair.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this,” he wailed. He dropped to his knees on the grassy bank. “She was mine. Now everything is ruined.”
The officers pulled him to his feet and half dragged, half carried him toward the waiting patrol car. Melissa turned from the spectacle on shore to look at Chris. He was already rushing clumsily toward her, lunging, diving, swimming. Her knees buckled, and darkness began to roll in. She felt herself falling...deeper...deeper....
Her face never touched the water. Instead, strong arms encircled her, lifting her from the lake, holding her tightly.
And she lost herself in the safety of those arms.
Because this time they belonged to Chris.
TWENTY
Chris reached the hospital elevator just as the doors opened. An older gentleman stepped in, then turned toward him, smiling. “Which floor?”
“Four. Thank you.” He grinned at the old man. “I guess I got a little carried away.”
He had gone into the hospital gift shop planning to get a card and some flowers. He came out with both. A mixed bouquet of roses, daisies, lilies and some kind of small lavender flowers occupied one hand. The other held the card—along with a heart-shaped box of chocolates and a small weight connected by a ribbon to a get-well-soon balloon. A teddy bear was tucked under one arm.
“She must be one special lady.”
“That’s an understatement.”
The elevator door opened, and he nodded to the man and stepped into the hall. Missy’s room was three-quarters of the way down on the left. He had visited her briefly last night. But by the time they finished running tests and moved her there from the emergency room, it was almost midnight, far past visiting hours. As much as he hated to leave her, he had to agree with the nurse—she needed her rest.
From the moment he left the hospital, time had passed at a snail’s pace. One scene played over and over in his mind—her head tilted back, face awash with the silver glow of the moon, lips moving in a silent “I love you.” And just in case he wasn’t sure what he saw, she followed it with a kiss.
Would she still feel the same way in the stark light of a new day? Now that the da
nger was over and she had her whole life ahead of her, would she still be willing to drop her guard and let him in? Or would the walls go right back up?
He approached her room and stood in the doorway for several moments, not yet alerting her of his presence. The TV was on, its volume hardly above a whisper. But her attention wasn’t on the screen. Her face was turned away, toward the window. Morning sunlight streamed in, bathing her in its warm glow. The back of her bed was raised to an almost upright position, and she sat unmoving, hair flowing in waves over her shoulder and down her arm.
Emotion surged up from within, a love so powerful it almost took his breath away. He had come so close to losing her. Another two or three minutes was all it would have taken. He drew in a shaky breath and, for the hundredth time since holding her against him, wet and unconscious, he thanked God for sparing her life.
He cleared his throat and stepped into the room. A lingering pensiveness marked her features for just a moment before being replaced by a bright smile.
“How do you feel?”
“A little stiff. Ready to go home. Happy to be alive.” Her gaze dropped to her hands, folded in her lap. “Terrible that I blamed Dennis. Mrs. Johnson will never forgive me.”
“She already has. I went over and talked to her this morning, and she fully understood. All the clues pointed to Dennis. She said to tell you not to feel bad about it.”
“Well, I definitely owe him an apology, and somehow I don’t think he’s going to be as forgiving as his grandmother.”
“Well, hopefully this will cheer you up.” He placed the bouquet, chocolates and balloon weight on her bedside table and handed her the card and the bear.
“Couldn’t decide what to get, so you got it all?” She grinned up at him.
He returned her smile. “Something like that.”
She hugged the teddy bear and opened the card. When she had finished reading it, she looked up at him, eyes moist. “Thank you.”
Doubt began to chew away at his optimism. He had searched until he found a card that told her exactly how he felt. And he was pretty sure he knew what she felt. He had seen it in her gaze last night. How could he convince her to trust him with her love?
“Any idea when they’re going to let you go home?”
“The doctor said he’s going to release me later today. Other than a concussion and a rather large bump on the side of my head, he said I’m doing all right. Pretty good news, considering the circumstances.”
“It sure is.” He sat in the chair next to her bed. “Well, I got some good news this morning, too. The detectives investigating my case haven’t found Donna, but the paper trail led them to an offshore account. A lot of the money is gone, but there’s still enough that if I put it on the mortgage, I should be able to get a new loan for the rest.”
“That’s awesome. See, God really does answer prayer.”
“I have no doubt about that. Last night He was working overtime.” He fell silent as memories bombarded him—the fear, the anguish, the total sense of helplessness. “Things were pretty grim there for a while. After all I had done to protect you, it looked like I was going to lose you anyway.”
“I know. And all I kept thinking about was how I was going to die without ever telling you how I feel.” Her gaze again dropped to her hands.
His heart rolled over, and he held his breath, waiting for her to continue. Say the words. “And how is that?” he prodded.
For several moments, she didn’t respond. When she finally lifted her eyes to meet his, they glistened with meaning. And he knew. Even without the words, he knew.
She drew in a deep breath. “I love you. I don’t believe I really ever stopped loving you. I was so hurt and angry and didn’t want to forgive you. And then when I found out that Adrianne had lied, that you hadn’t been unfaithful, I was afraid. I was afraid that, as deeply as I loved you, if you ever left, it would destroy me. And I just wasn’t willing to take that risk. But the moment I saw you unconscious in your truck the day of your accident, I realized something. I would rather risk a broken heart than face an empty future without you.”
He pushed the table aside and pulled his chair right next to her bed so he could take her hands. “What can I do to show you how much I love you, to assure you that I’ll never let anything come between us ever again?”
She squeezed his hands, a warm smile lighting her eyes. “You already have.”
“No, there’s one more thing I can do.” He stood, pushed the chair aside with his leg and got down on one knee. “Missy, will you marry me?”
She pulled him closer, until she could wrap her arms around him and pull him closer still. “Yes,” she whispered against his neck. “I would love to marry you.”
For several moments, she held him tightly. Then her hands moved to cup his face, holding it about six inches from her own. He had said he wouldn’t push. He had promised her that the next time he kissed her, it would be initiated by her.
And it was.
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story by Carol Post,
be sure to check out the other books this month
from Love Inspired Suspense!
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt of Betrayal on the Border by Jill Elizabeth Nelson!
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading Midnight Shadows, my first published book. I hope you enjoyed it. Melissa and Chris were fun characters for me to write, because I could empathize with both of them. Forgiveness and trust are so important in a relationship, but aren’t always easy to achieve. When others hurt us, it’s sometimes easier to hang on to the hurt and put up walls than to work through the pain and let it go. And that’s true no matter where we are in our spiritual walk.
In Midnight Shadows, Melissa had a relationship with the Lord, but she had to deal with unforgiveness. Chris believed in an all-powerful but disinterested God who has no concern for our daily problems. Throughout the story, he grows into a relationship with the Lord and finds that God isn’t the distant force he once thought. In Melissa’s words, “He’s close and personal and cares about every aspect of our lives.” According to Matthew 10:30, He has the hairs on our heads numbered. You can’t get more close and personal than that! God calls us “friend” and wants an intimate relationship with each of us. And that is my prayer for you—that God will make Himself real and that you will experience an ever-deepening friendship with Him.
For more information about me and my books, you can check out my website at caroljpost.com, or email me at [email protected]. I love to connect with readers!
May God richly bless you.
Carol J. Post
Questions for Discussion
Melissa has taken care of herself since she was a child and has difficulty leaning on others. Can you relate to her? Why or why not?
Throughout most of the story, Chris views God as a distant, all-powerful force who has no interest in the concerns of individuals, while Melissa believes God is “close and personal and cares about every aspect of our lives.” What are some ways to reach a person who holds Chris’s impersonal view of God?
At the beginning of the story, Melissa thinks she has no hard feelings toward Chris, but seeing him again brings all the anger and resentment bubbling to the surface. What scripture passages could she find healing in reading? Are there any wrongs that you find unforgivable? What are some benefits of living without bitterness?
Chris regrets letting Melissa go five years earlier and not spending more time with his father. Some regrets in life are inevitable, but what are some ways people can eliminate the likelihood of regrets later on?
When Chris believes he has lost Melissa and finds out that he is on the verge of bankruptcy, he feels his life is spiraling out of control. Have you ever had adverse circumstanc
es hit one after the other? How did you cope?
Melissa believed for five years that Chris was unfaithful, then learned she was wrong. Have you ever believed something bad about someone then found out you were wrong? How did you feel?
When Melissa finds someone has been coming into her house, she believes her stalker is Dennis, which seems confirmed when they find the sketchbook. She doesn’t realize she’s wrong until Eugene gets into her car. At what point did you know her stalker was Eugene?
BethAnn is a true friend, always ready to lend support and encouragement, but not afraid to give Melissa a push when she needs it. What special friends do you have who have made a difference in your life? What are some qualities that you look for in a true friend?
Chris’s mother abandoned him and his father, and Melissa’s father was unfaithful to her mother. How did these experiences affect them in their relationship with each other? How have your childhood experiences shaped your life as an adult?
Mrs. Johnson is a sort of grandmother figure to Melissa. Have you had anyone in your life who, though not related, stepped into a grandmotherly or grandfatherly role? Is there a younger person you know who could benefit from that type of a relationship with you?
Melissa has responded to the hurts she has experienced by building protective walls around her heart. Is that something you can relate to? How can being guarded hurt a relationship? Do you believe a certain amount of vulnerability is necessary for true intimacy? Why or why not?
When in the story does Melissa first realize the depth of her feelings for Chris? When did you first fall in love with your significant other? Were you willing to admit it at the time?
Midnight Shadows (Love Inspired Suspense) Page 20