Firefly Run

by Trish Milburn

  And hope he was fast enough to catch Eddie before he struck.

  ****

  Through their combined efforts, the cleanup and repair work went quicker than Shelly had dared hope. Soon, sawdust and a large brush pile would be all the evidence left from the storm. The job was manageable enough now that she left it to the two men and returned to neglected office duties.

  But even with Reed only a short distance across the yard, she couldn’t manage to keep her back to the door. Thoughts of Eddie Victor creeping in and slitting her throat before she could scream had her looking over her shoulder every five seconds.

  She watched as the retired Army buddies from Georgia drove out of the parking lot for a day of hiking. She couldn’t believe she had any guests left. She’d spoken with all of them about the potential danger first thing that morning and braced herself for the mass exodus. The two couples with young children and the newlyweds from Kentucky opted to move to other lodgings in Townsend or Gatlinburg. But the two guys from Georgia had gotten an odd light in their eyes, like they were getting ready to go into battle again.

  "Bring him on," Clyde had said. "I might be a little grayer than I was in Korea, but honey I can still shoot the same."

  Shelly had tried to convince him to stay clear should something happen, but he was having none of it. He and his buddy Sam pretty much ignored her after that, and she’d left them to discuss particulars with Reed. Great, just what she needed, guests putting themselves in the line of fire.

  She tried to concentrate on the financial records but gave it up in favor of rearranging the office so she could face forward while working on the computer. She’d just completed rehooking all the assorted wires and cables when she heard gravel crunching in the parking lot. Her heart jumped into her throat despite the fact she doubted Eddie would just drive up and stroll in the front door. She kept the back door to the office locked and barred for that reason.

  Shelly rounded the front counter and stepped to the screen door to find her big brother striding toward the office with a grim look on his face. Her heart skipped a beat. She met him at the top of the porch steps.

  "What’s wrong?" she asked.

  He looked startled at her question. "Nothing, why?"

  "Lord, Sean, you had this look on your face that scared me half to death. I thought something was wrong with Dad."

  "No, it’s you I’m worried about."

  "I’m fine." She pointed toward where the cleanup work continued. "We got through the storm pretty well considering how bad it was. Some people had their roofs torn off."

  "Mother Nature isn’t exactly what brought me here."

  She looked back toward Sean and noticed the bag in his hand.

  "Did Reed ask you to come?"

  "No, but he should have."

  "Why, so you can sit around staring at the woods all day?"

  "If necessary," he said.

  "What about your family, your job?"

  "Tina took Jolee to visit her mother, and I took vacation."

  "Seems everyone takes vacation to come be my bodyguards."

  Sean looked Reed’s direction, nodded at him. "You should be thankful people care about you."

  "I am, but I don’t want anyone getting hurt."

  "Well, I’m not planning on it and I doubt Reed is, so you can just stop worrying."

  "Yeah, right."

  "So, are you going to let me in the cabin or do I have to stand here holding this bag all day?"

  Shelly led her brother to her cabin, all the while trying to figure out a way to get him to go back to Nashville out of harm’s way. Preoccupied with those thoughts, she didn’t think about Reed’s things being in her cabin until she opened the front door.

  "Uh, I’ll have Reed move his stuff into one of the free cabins."Her face warmed despite her best efforts to project a cool front.

  "Should I stay in one of the other cabins?" Sean asked.

  "Why don’t you stay at Mom and Dad’s house?"

  "Well, that would do a lot of good wouldn’t it, being three miles away? But I can stay in another cabin."

  She ignored the question underlying his words. Even though she’d fallen in love again, she wasn’t quite ready to share that knowledge, especially not with her overprotective older brother. "No. Reed insisted on sleeping in here when I was by myself."

  "Oh."

  Shelly pressed her lips together and kept her back to Sean to keep from asking him just what he meant by that "Oh." Instead, she gathered Reed’s things, thankful none were in her bedroom, and shoved them into his duffle bag.

  "There’s some sandwich stuff and lemonade in the fridge if you’re hungry." She headed for the door, intent on demanding Reed force her brother to go home. It was bad enough that he and Chris insisted on putting themselves in danger to protect her. She didn’t need to worry about her only sibling, too.

  But every time she started in Reed’s direction, something interrupted her. First a UPS delivery, then a call from a man in Ohio wanting to book the entire place for a family reunion in September. One thing after another, including her brother’s constant questions about the business, the latest on Eddie’s whereabouts and some deliberately probing queries about Reed, kept her busy throughout the remainder of the day. When she closed the office, she felt as if she might explode.

  "Will you do me a favor?" she asked Sean when she stepped out on the office porch to find him lounging in the swing, arms along the back of the swing and legs extended as if he really were on vacation.

  "What do you need?"

  "Since you don’t seem to want to help the guys, will you run into town and get us some lasagna from Luigi’s?"

  "I’m not out there working because someone needs to be with you all the time."

  "Good grief, there are two full-grown men right there." She pointed toward Reed and Chris, who could reach her in mere seconds should the need arise.

  "Shel, I—"

  "Don’t worry. If I even breathe funny, Reed shows up closer than my shadow."

  Sean lifted his eyebrows. Once again, she refused to rise to his bait and discuss the topic of her relationship with Reed. It might go nowhere, probably shouldn’t, so there was no sense clueing in her nosey brother.

  "Fine, but I won’t be gone long." He rose and pulled the car keys from his pocket.

  He turned at an angle where she noticed the unmistakable bulge of a gun beneath the back of his T-shirt.

  "Since when do you own a gun, Sean Wynn?"

  "Since a murderer decided to go after my sister."

  She sighed. "I’m sorry about all this."

  Sean stepped toward her and took her shoulders in his hands. "You have nothing to be sorry about. This is not your fault. You’re my only sister. I wouldn’t be much of a big brother if I didn’t protect you."

  "But you shouldn’t have to put your life in danger to do it."

  "And you shouldn’t have to face this alone, shouldn’t have to face it at all. I don’t know if there’s anything going on between you two, and I figure you’re not going to tell me. But I’m thankful that when I asked Reed this afternoon about the seriousness of the situation with Victor, he told me the truth. I know you well enough to know you wouldn’t have."

  "Stubbornness runs in the family," she said.

  "That it does, so you know I’m not going anywhere until this matter is settled. That bastard isn’t getting anywhere near you."

  Shelly looked up at her brother, love rising in her heart. She blinked unexpected tears. "Swear to me you won’t get hurt. You have a wife, a little girl."

  Sean shook her, surprising her. "You have a family, too. Did you think what it would do to us if something happened to you?"

  "I know it would hurt, but it’s not the same as a spouse and children."

  He must have thought of Troy because his hold on her shoulders relaxed. "No, it’s not the same, but that doesn’t mean it would hurt any less. I’ll be careful if you promise me the same thing."

&n
bsp; She nodded, afraid if she opened her mouth she’d start crying. She hadn’t truly realized until that moment how frayed her nerves really were. Sean kissed her forehead before turning toward his car. He stopped at the bottom of the steps.

  "And Shel, I hope you realize your family aren’t the only people who’d grieve if something happened to you."

  She looked in the direction her brother had turned his attention and saw Reed wielding an ax on some of the smaller limbs extending from one of the last of the fallen trees. The temperature had climbed into the nineties, and he’d discarded his shirt. Sweat shone across his strong back, and her body flamed to life. Embarrassed that she’d stared so long at a man who was supposedly only a friend, she returned her attention to her brother to find him watching her with a smile on his face.

  "It’s about time," he said, then walked to his car.

  Shelly waited until both Sean and Chris left before she approached Reed, who sat on one of the downed trees wiping sweat from his face with his balled-up T-shirt. She crossed her arms and tried to sound firm when what she really wanted was to take his face in her hands and kiss him.

  "I wish you hadn’t told Sean the truth. He shouldn’t be here."

  "Neither should you. Must be a family thing. And for the record, I tried to convince him to go home, but he’s not budging."

  She sank onto the log beside him. "I hope this is over before Mom and Dad come home. I couldn’t stand it if they were put in danger, too."

  Reed took her hand in his, a bit tentative as if he thought she might jerk away. Instead, she leaned against him. "I packed your bag. The second cabin down is free," she said. "I...I’m not ready to..."

  He shushed her by placing his fingers over her lips. "You don’t have to explain. He’s family. He should stay with you." He nuzzled the hair at her temple. "If you need to talk to me, call me, no matter how late. I don’t want you walking outside alone, especially at night."

  Her skin crawled. "I feel like he’s out there somewhere watching me. I keep thinking he’s going to shoot us before we even know he’s there."

  Reed slipped his arms around her and pulled her closer. "I’m watching and walking through the forest several times a day. With Sean here, I can do that more often. Thankfully, the trees are thick enough that you have to be pretty close before you can even see the clearing and the cabins. But don’t go outside any more than you have to, especially at night."

  "What about you?"

  "I’m pretty good at not being detected."

  She wrapped her arms around his waist. "I wish..." She didn’t finish the thought, still uncertain where they stood.

  He caught her lips with his for a quick, soft kiss. "All you have to do is call me, and I’ll be there. And I don’t care what your brother thinks."

  She almost took him up on it, but the thought of taking Reed into her bedroom with her brother sleeping on the couch made her face burn. Sure, they were adults, but she didn’t want to share this fragile thing between Reed and her with anyone, least of all her know-it-all big brother.

  At the sound of Sean’s car returning, she pulled away. Thankfully, Reed seemed to understand.

  Sean got out of the car and lifted the large to-go bag. "Come on, you two, I got three helpings of the best lasagna in the South."

  The three of them shared dinner and light-hearted conversation about sports, Jolee’s latest antics and how Shelly put all her guests to work. For short periods, Shelly forgot about Eddie, but then some harmless noise would make her jerk in fear that he stood right outside the front door. She could only eat a quarter of her dinner because her stomach began to turn with the building anxiety as darkness fell.

  When Reed rose to go to his own cabin, she almost grabbed his arm and begged him to stay. A nearly blinding fear filled her that as soon as he stepped outside a shot would ring out, taking yet another man she loved away from her. It took several deep breaths and considerable willpower to let him go. At the front door, she ached to step outside with him, if only for a moment to kiss him the way she wanted to. But her brother’s presence and her sudden fear of the night kept her rooted firmly inside.

  "Good night." She looked up into his eyes, hoping he could see how much she cared for him.

  For a brief moment, he took her hand and stroked her palm with his thumb. "Remember what I said."

  She nodded and let him go. She stood there for several seconds, her body tense and her ears straining.

  "You love him, don’t you?"

  She thought of denying it, but it would be a waste of time. From the time they’d been children, she’d never successfully lied to Sean.

  "Yes."

  "I’m glad. I like him."

  She turned toward Sean and leaned on the door. "Listen, I don’t want you saying anything to him."

  "You don’t think he feels the same?"

  "I’m not sure. He feels something, but neither of us has even hinted at any type of long-term relationship. And that means no prodding from you."

  "Who, me?" he asked, feigning innocence.

  "Yes, you, Mr. I-Have-To-Run-My-Sister’s-Life-For-Her."

  "I object to that characterization."

  She smiled despite herself. "Overruled."

  Sean chuckled, then sobered and looked at her more seriously. "I hope it works out. Reed’s a good man, and I think you’ve been alone long enough. Tina and I have worried about you. So have Mom and Dad."

  "I know." She approached and hugged him. "Thanks for being such a good big brother, even if you are a bit nosey at times."

  He patted her back. "I just want you to be happy, whatever that takes."

  Shelly knew what it would take, but he would be sleeping two doors down tonight. Maybe that was for the best. If he was going back to Dallas soon, their budding relationship had to end. But how did a person stop feeling a certain way?

  Reed had said it best. Feelings weren’t a faucet. You couldn’t just turn them off. If only it were that easy.

  ****

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Eddie huddled beneath the thick brush, not daring to move. The occasional car passed by on the road a few yards away, but he wouldn’t risk one of the drivers seeing him. It was almost impossible to be patient, to not rush in and be done with the deed now that the time was near. But he had to wait for the right opportunity. The morning would be soon enough, and this time his plan wouldn’t fail.

  Besides, he kept telling himself that the longer he waited, the more pleasure he’d take from watching his victims’ lives slip away. His blood surged with excitement.

  He stayed seated with his back to a sturdy tree and the rest of him surrounded by a thick weave of undergrowth that seemed inherent to southern forests. It was the devil to walk through but provided more than adequate cover. Night fell, but he moved no closer, even though the gravel drive back to Shelly’s home and business lay within sight.

  He knew cops well enough to deduce Tanner would be more alert to potential danger at night. And despite the fact nearly three weeks had passed since his release, he knew Tanner wouldn’t have lessened his guard. During his previous forays into this forest and the tiny community nearby, he’d not encountered anyone other than friendly locals. But today, he’d seen several deputies pass slowly down the road near where he sat. The time for stringing Shelly Myers along was nearing its end.

  As the night deepened, fewer cars passed. In truth, the lights from a passing car worried Eddie much less than the occasional thumps and rustles in the forest. He gripped the reassuring butt of the gun, ready to use it if a bear suddenly decided he looked like a tasty midnight snack. He’d take a dark alley in Dallas any day.

  Eventually, even the forest noises quieted, lulling Eddie to sleep.

  The passing of a mufflerless pickup truck woke him with a start. He squinted, at first thinking he’d been discovered and someone was shining a spotlight in his face. After several instinctual blinks, he realized it was the sun. Though it seemed as if he’d just closed
his eyes, several hours had elapsed. He was more tired than when he’d fallen asleep.

  The ache in his back and the gnawing in his belly combined to further sour his mood. Today was the day he finished things. He glanced at his watch. Almost time.

  He carefully crawled to a spot where he could see the cabins. A patrol car sat parked in front of the office, and a deputy stood talking to Tanner. Poor yokel didn’t know his morning was about to get way more interesting.

  Eddie glanced back at his watch, at the seconds ticking by Three, two one.

  A distant boom followed by a rumble through the earth beneath him made Eddie smile.

  The downshifting of a motor caught his attention. He peeked out of his cover to see a drink delivery truck turning into the gravel drive.

  Perfect.

  ****

  The windows shook in the office, causing Shelly to look up from writing Chris’s paycheck. She rose, then walked out onto the porch where Reed was talking to Robbie Carnes, one of the county deputies.

  "Did you all feel that?"

  Before they could answer, Robbie’s car radio squawked to life and he went to answer the call. She and Reed watched and listened to Robbie’s half of the conversation. Shelly knew it wasn’t good when she heard Robbie say, "Good Lord. Is anyone hurt?"

  "We don’t know yet," the dispatcher said. "We need all available units."

  "On my way." Robbie stepped outside his door. "I gotta go. There’s been an explosion at Mountain Gas."

  Shelly prayed no one was hurt or worse as she watched Robbie’s cruiser spit gravel and nearly collide with the Coke delivery truck.

  Jack pulled into his customary spot, then jumped out with his clipboard. "Where the heck was Robbie going in such a hurry?"

  "There’s been an explosion at the gas company. Evidently, it’s pretty bad."

  "Man, I hope everyone’s okay. I just drove past there not half an hour ago."