by Terri Reed
He needed to go back to his calling of helping people. He was really good at it. She hurt to think he blamed himself for the teenager’s death. A burden Sean shouldn’t have to carry. A burden she wanted to help him lift, as he had done for her.
The jarring intensity of the siren grew louder and closer.
Something was wrong.
She slipped from the bed and hurried to the door. As she exited, Detective Jarvis charged out of his room, wearing plaid drawstring pants, a T-shirt and no shoes. He clutched his sidearm in his hands.
“Get back inside your room until I know what this is about,” he ordered and ran down the hall, nearly colliding with Sean as he hit the bottom stair. “Keep an eye on her,” Jarvis barked before flinging open the front door and barreling out.
Flashing lights of emergency vehicles penetrated the curtains on the front side of the bed-and-breakfast. Lauren sucked in a sharp breath, fighting flashbacks to her nightmare.
The door next to her burst open. Lauren let out a startled squawk.
“There’s a fire at the neighbors’,” Mary said, as she hustled out of her room. She secured the sash on her pale yellow robe.
Fire. A horrified shudder ripped through Lauren.
Sean took Mary by the elbow and led her toward Lauren’s room. “You two stay in here. I’ll be right back.” He rushed out, shutting the door behind him.
Feeling trapped and helpless, Lauren tried to keep calm for Mary’s sake, even though she wanted to run as far as she could in the direction opposite the fire. But fear kept her frozen in place.
There was one thing she could do. She could pray. The need to reach out to God filled her soul.
“Mary, will you pray with me?” she asked, uncertain that her own prayers would be heard.
“Of course,” Mary responded and took her hands.
With hesitation, Lauren began to speak and, as words of faith rolled off her tongue, her voice grew stronger, more vibrant. A sense of wholeness expanded in Lauren’s chest, pushing out all the old anger and blame. Her pleas for God’s protection, her declaration of love for Him filled the room and then slowly quieted to a hushed reverence as she finished with Amen.
Tears misted Mary’s eyes. She squeezed Lauren’s hands. “Thank you, dear. That was lovely.”
Taking a cleansing breath, Lauren felt God’s love in her soul.
Several minutes later, Sean opened the door. “The fire department has the fire under control. The family got out unscathed.”
Relieved by the news, Lauren asked, “Do they have any idea how it started?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Jarvis will have more answers,” Sean replied.
“Well, we won’t be getting any more sleep tonight,” Mary stated briskly. “I’ll put on a pot of coffee.” She moved out of the room. Lauren and Sean followed. “Sean, invite the Krinkles in,” Mary suggested. “We’ll make room for them here. We can’t have them spending Christmas in some generic hotel.”
“That’s generous of you, Aunt Mary. I’ll go extend the invitation,” Sean said and headed back outside.
“What can I do to help?” Lauren asked, hoping Mary’s gift for hospitality would rub off on her.
“There are some blankets in the front closet,” Mary said. “We should get those out and ready.”
As Mary headed for the kitchen, Lauren hobbled toward the front of the house. She shivered as a cold draft hit her exposed skin. She flipped on the light next to the closet, found the blankets and turned with her arms full when her gaze landed on the canvas and easel still set up in the formal dining room.
The blankets fell from her arms as horror iced her veins.
Deep slashes cut the seascape painting to ribbons.
Sean sucked in a sharp breath as he viewed the destruction of Lauren’s work. “How did this happen? How could Posar have gotten in?”
“He jimmied open the dining room window.” Jarvis slammed his fist on the dining table. “The man’s a viper and moves just as sneakily. He most likely set the fire next door as a diversion so he could get in here while we had our guard down.”
“But why do this? Why not come after me?” Lauren asked. She leaned against the wall as if she needed the support. Her brown eyes stood out in her pale face.
“Because he’s a coward,” Jarvis said. “He’s just playing with us now. Trying to unnerve us.”
“Well, he’s certainly doing a bang-up job,” Lauren remarked dryly, but with a fragility Sean doubted anyone else noticed.
He moved to her side. “You should sit.”
She took his hand. “What I need to do is leave. This was close. The poor Krinkles. What if he decides to attack Mary next? I can’t stay here any longer. I need to go away. Find a new hiding place.”
Jarvis nodded. “I can get you to a safe house.”
Sean’s heart twisted in his chest. “But what if he finds her there? What then? You keep moving her?”
“If need be,” Jarvis answered, though Sean could see he wasn’t happy with the idea.
Squeezing Lauren’s hand, Sean’s heart twisted. “That’s no way to live.”
“I know,” she said. “I hate that my life has come down to this. But what choice do I have?”
Sean didn’t have an answer. He only knew he didn’t want her to leave. But the alternative did put her and his aunt in danger. “There has to be a solution.”
He’d come to respect and care for Lauren in so many ways. Her courageous, generous spirit brought light to the dark places in his heart. He wanted to protect her, yes, but more than that, he wanted to have her near him always. Wanted to be needed by her for more than just a barrier between her and evil. Selfishly, he longed to have her see him as a man worthy of loving.
But sadly, he knew he didn’t deserve her love. He turned to the detective. “Can you get more protection here?”
“Already done.”
“So then I become a prisoner here until Posar messes up or loses interest?” Lauren said. “No, thank you. There has to be a way to flush Adrian out when and where we’re ready for him.”
“We are not using you as bait,” Jarvis said, his tone hard.
“But that’s exactly what we need to do,” she said, excitement vibrating in her voice.
Dread slithered down Sean’s spine. “Lauren, what are you thinking?”
“That we bait him.” She implored him with her beautiful eyes. “Set a trap. It’s the only way I’ll ever get my life back.”
“I’m not going to put your life at risk,” Jarvis said. “If you don’t want to stay here, I’ll move you. But I’m not going to allow you to do something so dangerous.”
“It’s not really a matter of you allowing me,” she said, her tone full of determination. “But you can help me. Both of you. I need to take my life back.” She met Sean’s gaze. “I’ve learned I’m more capable than I thought I was. And God willing, we’ll take down Posar.”
Horrified, Sean stared. “It’s not a matter of your capabilities. We’re talking about using you as bait. No way!”
She stepped to him and took his hands in hers. “I have to take control of my life. As long as I’m hiding, looking over my shoulder, wondering when he’s going to strike, he’s won.”
The truth of her words were like a knife to Sean’s chest. And yet, if something happened to her…he didn’t think he could survive it.
He’d just have to make sure nothing happened to her.
“The plan is simple, really,” Lauren muttered under her breath as she ducked into a toy store to get out of the drizzling rain.
This morning when Jarvis had said those words as he had explained the plan, she’d agreed, but now, not so much.
After spending time hobbling around town, making herself as visible as possible, Lauren would seemingly move back to her cottage. She would wear a wire all the time and have an undercover police officer shadowing her. Jarvis and several other officers, including a female officer who would pose as Lauren, would hide out in
her cottage, so when she arrived there, she could be spirited back to the relative safety of the bed-and-breakfast.
Unfortunately, the wire taped to her chest and attached to a two-by-two square transmitter at her waistband itched, the rain wouldn’t let up and Lauren’s ankle ached. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been babying her foot until she’d spent several hours using only the crutch to support herself on the concrete and wood slated sidewalks of Cannon Beach. Even ducking into stores for some much-needed breaks from the rain and some Christmas shopping did little to alleviate the pain and fatigue, not to mention the stress of knowing that Posar was out there. Hopefully, watching her.
Her colorful sweat suit topped with a bright yellow rain slicker were hard to miss.
So here she was, pretending to be interested in a locally crafted toy when all she wanted to do was lie down in a hot bath and soak away the stress of the past few days. But that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.
With a resigned sigh, she made her way back to the boardwalk, awkwardly clutching the bags of her day’s Christmas gift purchases and heading toward the south end of Cannon Beach’s main street.
It was late in the afternoon when Sean picked her up in his truck in front of Cannon Beach Playhouse. Once she hit the seat, exhaustion settled in. She leaned back and closed her eyes for the short drive to her cottage.
Sean helped her to the front door. “I’ll be waiting for you in the truck.”
The arrangement was for Sean to wait on the street behind her house. An officer would escort Lauren out her back door, across both her backyard and the neighbor’s and around to the street with Sean’s waiting truck. Then he’d whisk her to safety.
With a hand on his arm she stopped Sean from walking away. “Thank you for everything.”
“You don’t need to thank me. I’m glad to help.”
“And you have,” she stated. Her gaze caressed his handsome face. “You’ve helped me in so many ways. You’ve given me the strength to face my fear of painting again. Helped me find the courage to go through with this plan. But more importantly, you helped me to fully accept God back into my life.”
With a gentle hand, he touched her cheek. “I’m glad.”
“I just wish you’d take your own advice and let God heal you.”
His expression closed and he stepped back. “I’d better go.”
A shaft of frustration arced through her. She grabbed his hand. He paused, his gaze questioning.
Emotions welled in her chest. This man had taught her about living life, about seizing back what was lost. He’d taught her to face her fear and to trust God’s plan for her life, for her heart. Clarity sharpened her focus to one single thought. She loved him. That both terrified and delighted her.
Tugging him closer, she murmured impulsively, “Kiss me.”
His eyes widened, the color deepening to a blue that matched the churning surf.
“Gladly,” he said and captured her lips.
The soft pressure ignited a firestorm of yearning through Lauren just as it had before. Only then she’d been so emotionally distraught and so in need. Now, she could truly appreciate the sheer happiness she felt in his arms, for as long as it lasted. She longed to deepen the contact, to linger in the sensations. She could easily romanticize their kisses, make them mean something more. Something real and permanent. Could almost convince herself that he loved her back.
But she didn’t. She knew better. There was no future there. Nothing good would come of wishing she could be more than a friend or an obligation to Sean.
She broke the kiss. And felt like she’d just broken a piece of her heart.
Keeping her gaze downcast so he wouldn’t see how affected she was by the simple caress, she said, “See you at the truck.”
She rushed inside the cottage.
The last of the sun’s rays winked out as Adrian slowed the white utility van to a stop at the street corner to watch Lauren climb out of the jogger’s truck and hobble toward the front door. Pulling the brim of his navy cap lower, he sliced a glance toward the two cops sitting in the unmarked car on the opposite side of the street. Better play the part, he thought.
He picked up the clipboard from the passenger seat and pretended to write as if he were nothing more than what he seemed, a common Joe doing his job. His gaze slid back to Lauren.
His blood boiled. She allowed that man to kiss her.
She’d pay for that.
The quick rap of knuckles on the driver’s side window jerked his breath out of his lungs. Slowly, so as not to reveal how frantically his heart was beating, he turned his head just enough so he could see who was there. One of the plainclothes officers stood beside the van, his badge visible. He was older, with graying hair and a trim physique.
Adrian rolled the window down. “Problem, Officer?”
“What are you doing here?” Sharp gray eyes assessed him.
Keeping the scarred side of his face turned away from the window, Adrian said, “Had a report there was a downed telephone line on this street, but I don’t see it. Do you?”
“No downed lines. Move along.”
The jogger left Lauren to enter her home, drove his truck to the intersection and turned. She was alone. The timing couldn’t have been better.
“Yes, sir.” Adrian started the van.
The officer stepped back as Adrian pressed on the gas and eased the van away from the curb. He slowly drove down the street, keeping a good distance from the black truck as he followed it around the block to make sure the jogger was really leaving. When the truck doubled back and turned down the street that ran parallel to the back of Lauren’s house, Adrian rolled past. The truck stopped in front of the house whose backyard adjoined Lauren’s backyard.
Adrian barked out a laugh as he pressed on the gas and drove away.
They thought they were so smart. Ha! He’d show them. He’d show them all just how clever he was.
Lauren entered the dimly lit cottage and tried to catch her breath. What had she been thinking, asking Sean to kiss her again?
A moment of insanity, for sure, because as soon as it was done, she became more acutely aware of how much she loved him and how hard it would be when they parted. What she felt for Sean was deeper, more mature than anything she’d ever felt before. And the loss would be that much greater.
She shook off the disturbing thoughts brought on by the kiss and focused on Detective Jarvis, who was introducing her to the other officers in her living room.
“Officer Garrett will escort you back to the bed-and-breakfast and stay there with you,” Jarvis explained.
Lauren extended her hand to the officer. He was tall, with wide shoulders and a chiseled jaw. She estimated he was in his late thirties, possibly early forties. “Thank you.”
“Not a problem,” he said in a deep tone.
“You met our decoy, Officer Rachel Sims, earlier.” Jarvis gestured toward the pretty, dark-haired woman who rose from the couch and glided forward.
There was a resemblance, Lauren thought. Rachel was the same height as Lauren, had a similar pale complexion and wide-set dark eyes. Lauren found it disturbing to see another woman wearing her favorite sweats outfit. “Officer Sims, I appreciate you taking this risk.”
She inclined her head. “It’s my job.”
Lauren turned to Jarvis. “Should she have the wire now?”
“She has her own.” Jarvis reached to Lauren’s side and fiddled with the transmitter, then took her elbow and guided her toward the back door. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”
Officer Garrett went through the door first then motioned for Lauren to join him on the porch. She stepped out and then, as hurriedly as her twisted ankle would allow, followed the officer down the stairs, across the small expanse of lawn to the back fence.
“You’ll have to squeeze through,” he said as he pried several wooden slats away from the rails.
Biting her lip, she asked, “What will the neighbors think?�
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“They’ve been sent out to dinner, compliments of the Cannon Beach Police Department.”
“Nice, but you’re destroying the fence slats.”
He waved away her concern. “They can easily be nailed back on.”
Ducking beneath the middle rail, she squeezed through the opening. The Ace bandage wrapped around her foot snagged on the bottom rail and she tripped, going down on her hands and knees.
Tennis shoes appeared in her line of vision and hands reached for her.
She sucked in a breath as Sean helped her to stand. In the waning light of the day, his handsome face showed concern.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Just clumsy,” she replied, feeling heat creep up her neck.
“We should get moving,” Officer Garrett prompted.
Sean looped his arm around Lauren’s waist and half carried her across the neighbors’ mushy lawn toward the gate that led to the street. Sean’s truck stood at the curb. The three of them piled into the cab with Lauren in the middle as Sean drove to the bed-and-breakfast. When he pulled the truck to a stop, Lauren’s gaze was drawn to the white utility van on the corner. It looked just like the one that had shown up the other day. She glanced at the dashboard clock. It was after five. The workday had ended.
She touched Sean’s hand before he climbed out of the truck. “Seems a little late in the day for the repair guy to be working, don’t you think?”
Officer Garrett opened the passenger door. “You two stay put. I’ll go check it out.” He climbed out, shutting the door behind him.
With his hand on his gun, the officer approached the van from the driver’s side. He peered through the window. Apparently there was no one in the front seat. He rounded the front end and disappeared from view.
The passenger side door of Sean’s truck jerked open. Lauren let out a startled yelp as someone slid onto the seat next to her. Something hard pressed into her ribs. She froze.
“Drive, or I shoot her now,” a familiar, deep voice barked.
Lauren gaped at the man dressed in blue coveralls with a navy cap pulled low over his dark, menacing eyes.