She cast a terrified look behind her, able to see a bit now that the fire was illuminating the stairwell. There, a chair to stand on. She moved it under the window and hopped up on it. It was hotter higher up, harder to breathe, and her lungs burned as she hoisted herself up and through the window.
The smoke swirled around her, choking off all thought, all reason. Panic flared again as she got partway through the window. The ground outside rolled uphill, and she couldn’t get any purchase to pull herself the rest of the way through the opening. Her strength was fading, hunger, thirst, and stress having taken their toll.
Breaking the window had fed the fire, and it roared louder behind her, like something out of a nightmare. It was coming. She had to get free. The smoke rolled her way, enveloping her head. Her vision wavered, winking out as the smoke smothered her.
She laid her cheek on the cool grass outside and closed her eyes.
Lights flashing on his SUV, Sheriff Colton had broken all speed limits on the way to Alligator Lake. Shouting at him to go faster, Kevin rode shotgun and pointed out every turn. He caught a glimpse of Carol’s strained white face in the back. Her lips were moving, and he knew she was praying. They were on the final track back to the house. As they got closer, a strange glow lit the horizon, and he squinted at it. Wrong time of year and wrong direction for northern lights.
Then it hit him. “The house is on fire! Go-go-go!”
If he could have gotten there faster, he would have jumped out of the speeding SUV and ran the rest of the way, but it was all he could do to sit there gripping the armrest. He pulled out his cell phone and called for an ambulance and fire trucks.
“Please, God, please,” he whispered as the SUV pulled to a stop in front of a fire that appeared to have fully engulfed the two-story house. He leaped out of the SUV and ran toward the house with Carol on his heels. “Go around the other side!” he yelled to the sheriff.
The intense heat drove him back as the front of the house collapsed, shooting flames high into the night air. Smoke billowed out, choking his lungs. “Mallory!” He screamed her name over and over as loudly as he could. How could anyone live through such an inferno? He had to find a way in.
He ran toward the side of the house. Maybe the fire was less intense at the back, but the flames were high here too. As he neared the back, he heard a moan and saw a figure lying half in and half out of a window. Flames flickered in the basement, and he rushed to touch the inert figure. He recognized the dark-brown hair in a braid.
“Mallory!” He grabbed her under the arms and dragged her the rest of the way out of the basement. Sparks flared on her jeans, and he smothered them with his hands, then carried her farther away from the intense fire.
The fire’s roar was deafening as more of the house fell into the consuming cauldron of flames. He put her down on the cool grass, then pulled up the jeans on her legs to inspect her skin where the denim had been singed. There was some redness and blisters, but no third-degree burns.
He knelt by her head and lifted her onto his lap. She smelled strongly of smoke and was covered in soot—her face, her arms, her clothing. “Wake up, baby.” The skin on her face looked tight and shiny, and he knew she’d be feeling first-degree burns there too. She needed a hospital and oxygen.
Tears streaming down her face, Carol knelt on the other side. She patted Mallory’s face. “Wake up, honey.”
He looked toward the front of what remained of the house. “Sheriff, over here!”
Colton came running from the back of the house toward Kevin and Mallory. “Is she alive?”
“Yeah. I think she’s suffering from smoke inhalation, and she has some first- and second-degree burns, but I think she’ll be okay. We need to get her to the hospital.”
The sheriff nodded. “I’ll help you carry her. Taking her ourselves will be faster than waiting for the ambulance to arrive. We can call them and arrange to meet them to begin treatment.” He whipped out his phone and spoke into it.
Kevin didn’t need any help carrying Mallory’s slim frame. He lifted her in his arms and held her close, thanking God she’d survived as he headed toward the vehicle. What had happened in there? He suspected the ordeal had been hideous, but his girl was a fighter.
Carol opened the back door of the SUV, and he got Mallory into the backseat, then climbed in with her while the sheriff went around to the driver’s side. The overhead light revealed her bloody wrists.
He curled his hands into fists. She must have been chained down there. If he got his hands on Frank Richards, there wouldn’t need to be a trial.
“The ambulance is on its way. I’m keeping them on the line so we can coordinate when we are approaching each other,” the sheriff said.
As Colton drove away, Kevin heard the scream of fire trucks, but it was too late for this house. The second floor had collapsed, and soon there would be nothing left but ashes.
He pulled Mallory closer and willed her to stay asleep a little longer. The burns would be painful.
Her lids fluttered and her dry, cracked lips parted. “Haylie?” Her voice was a hoarse croak.
He touched her reddened face. “She’s fine, sweetheart, just fine. She’s waiting for you at my dad’s house. She wasn’t hurt.”
Her dark eyes peered up at him from her dazed face, then softened with a tenderness he’d been yearning to see. He gathered her closer. “It’s me, baby. You’re safe.”
Panic flared in her eyes and she struggled to sit up. “The fire! It’s coming!”
“You’re out of the fire, safe in the sheriff’s car. The house is gone, but you’re fine. A few burns are going to hurt some, but you’ll live. Thank the good Lord.” His voice broke, and he swallowed hard.
She relaxed back against his chest with a sigh. “You’re sure Haylie is all right?”
He pulled out his cell phone. “I’ll call her right now. She’s waiting to hear that you’re all right. Carol’s right here too.”
Mallory turned her head and reached a hand toward her mother. “Stay with me.”
Tears rolled down Carol’s face. “Always, honey, always.”
Kevin called his father’s phone and it rang only once. “Did you find her, Kevin?”
“I got her, Dad. She’s all right. We’re on our way to the hospital. Mallory’s got a few burns, but she’s okay. I’ll tell you all about it later. She needs to hear Haylie’s voice.”
“Of course. Girlie, here. Your mom is on the phone.”
“Mom!” Haylie’s voice was full of tears.
Kevin handed the phone to Mallory and watched the tears slide down her cheeks as she spoke with her daughter. Up ahead a siren screamed toward them and the ambulance would take her away any minute.
But they had all the time in the world now.
FORTY-TWO
The hospital hallway hummed with activity, and Mallory heard the distant rattle of food trays and the squeak of nurses’ shoes as she lay in her room with her hand in Kevin’s. Haylie was on her way, but right now Mallory was content to rest. The pain medication had numbed her burns some, but the relief of knowing Haylie was all right did far more to bring her peace.
Kevin lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. “There’s so much to tell you. Some of it needs to wait until Carol gets back with coffee and Haylie arrives.”
Any idea of sleep vanished, and she raised the head of her bed. “Tell me.”
Kevin ran through what he knew of Julia’s actions and Ian’s involvement.
“Oh my word.” Mallory couldn’t quite take it all in. It was too much. So much evil in one person. “So she killed Dad, then burned down our house and hired someone to kill me while she took care of Haylie.”
“Yep. She abducted Haylie, then couldn’t kill her as she’d planned.” He leaned over her bed and smoothed her hair back from her forehead. “I couldn’t have endured losing you again.” He buried his face in her neck.
She clung to him, even though his five-o’clock scruff rasped
against the tender burned flesh on her face and neck. It was a delicious pain that proved she was still alive. Her fingers found the thick brown hair at the nape of his neck and squeezed. She never should have left, but they had a second chance to do this right.
“Mom!”
Kevin released Mallory at the sound of Haylie’s voice, and Mallory turned her head toward the door, then held out her arms. Haylie flung herself on top of her. Sobs shook her body, and Mallory held her close and kissed her forehead. She hadn’t been sure she would ever have the opportunity to hold Haylie again. The despair had been hard to hold at bay in the basement.
Haylie finally got up, wiping tears from her eyes. “I was sure you were dead. I’m sorry, Mom. Sorry I’ve been such a jerk to you.”
“I know.” Mallory patted her hand.
Haylie smiled and beckoned to Carol, who had stepped inside with a tray of coffees. “I knew Grandma would take care of me.”
Grandma. Mallory’s gaze found Carol’s face. There hadn’t been time to talk about their new relationship.
As Carol came toward her, Mallory reached for her hand. “Whatever led you to me, I’m grateful. I . . . I don’t quite know how we’ll find our way through this, but we’ll figure it out as we go. That’s what families do.”
Carol’s fingertips brushed the hair back from Mallory’s face with a tender touch. “That’s right, Mallory. That’s what families do. I’m content with whatever role you can give me.”
Mallory reached out with her other hand and took Kevin’s hand. With his strong fingers encasing hers, she just might find the strength to get through this maze.
From the cliff Mallory could see the lights of Hotel Tourmaline. Kevin had taken Sadie there to stay with her mother and grandmother for the weekend. The ocean waves rolled to the shore in the golden glow of the pinkish haze over the moon. A mermaid moon was the perfect time for what she intended to do. A new life and existence awaited her.
Scissors in hand, she stood on the seawall staring out at the waves. Her mom’s spirit felt close right now. Was she looking at her from heaven? Mallory pulled one lock of hair over her shoulder.
The spicy scent of Kevin’s cologne alerted her to his presence before he touched her arm, and she turned to smile up at him. “You must have sensed I wanted you here. How did it feel to drop Sadie off for the weekend? Are you surviving it?”
“It was easier than I thought it would be. DeAnn’s mom was so eager to see her, and Sadie was so excited that it made up for my reluctance.” He cupped her face in his palm. “You sure you want to do this?”
“You don’t want me to?”
“I’ve never been a guy who cared about hairstyles. Far be it from me to dictate how you wear your hair, or anything else. You’d be gorgeous, sweet, and kind even if you were bald.” His smile flashed in the moonlight.
“Spoken carefully like a man who doesn’t want to get in trouble.” That was one of the many things she loved about him. He gave her the freedom to be herself, to choose.
His grin widened. “I’m telling you the truth though. Short hair might suit you. I could see that long neck of yours. And kiss it to my heart’s content. That might take awhile.”
“You can have all the time you want to do that.” She shivered as he lifted the heavy hair from her neck and nuzzled it. The delicious sensation of his warm lips on her skin about derailed every other thought as she snuggled into his embrace. “I don’t have to do this now.” She pulled his head down for another kiss.
“Yeah, you do.” He lifted his head and stepped back. “I want to watch.”
“Crazy man.” She stepped closer to the edge of the cliff and lifted a long lock of hair, then brought up the scissors.
For a long moment, she wasn’t sure she could do this. Mom’s voice sounded in her head, telling her never to cut her hair, that it was her one true beauty. What if she hated it after she did it? She’d had long hair for nearly twenty years.
She could grow it long again if she hated it. The guilt she’d hugged around herself like a cocoon had nearly smothered her, and it was time to let it go. All of it. Time to forgive herself for her own mistakes. Time to face a different kind of future. Time for a new start.
Snip, snip.
The hair fell onto her hand, then she tossed the tufts into the waves and watched them waft down to the clear water. She cut another lock, then another, until she could feel the breeze on her back. The sound of the waves seemed to roar the ocean’s delight at her offering. The weight of her guilt fell off with the weight of her hair, and she felt lighter, younger, released.
She dropped the scissors to the ground, then ran her fingers through her thick hair. It barely touched her collar now, and she liked the way it felt.
She turned to face Kevin. “I’m free, Kevin! Free to forget the past, free to move forward.”
“I hope that means what I think it does.” His hands settled gently on her shoulders, and his gaze searched hers for confirmation.
She soaked in the love radiating from his face, the possessive touch on her shoulders. This was where she belonged, right here with Haylie, Kevin, and Sadie. And there was room for Carol too. “Do you think it’s possible to really start over? To leave the past in the past?”
“I know we can. We were always meant to be together, Mallory. You captured my heart all those years ago and have never let it go.”
Mesmerized, she gazed at his face, the strong planes and angles, his firm nose, the full mouth that was always ready with a smile and a word of encouragement. This was her man. He always had been, but she’d been too stubborn to admit it. Too set on punishing herself for something she could never go back and change.
She reached up and clasped him around the neck, then pulled his head down. “I’ll be yours until the moon doesn’t shine anymore.”
His breath whispered across her face just before he kissed her. “I’m not sure that’s long enough, but it’s a wicked good start.”
Dear Reader,
Shew, we made it through another book together! It was great fun for me to go back to Maine in this story. Have you ever been there? It’s like stepping back in time, and I love that beautiful, wild coastline.
I wanted to explore second chances in this book and how too often we are paralyzed by mistakes we’ve made. God doesn’t want that for us! It’s way easier to forgive someone else than it can be to forgive ourselves. If you’re in that place right now, stop right now and resolve to let it go. (Cue up music from Frozen! J) When we’re stuck in unforgiveness, we can’t be completely free in our lives because we’re too worried about making mistakes. But mistakes are part of life. We learn and grow from them. Embrace the journey and make those mistakes. Become better and stronger through them!
I love hearing from you! I read and answer all my own e-mail, so let me know your thoughts anytime.
Much love,
Colleen
www.colleencoble.com
[email protected]
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Have you ever dealt with guilt you couldn’t get rid of? How did you finally resolve it?
2. What is a perfectionist? Is it good or bad and why?
3. Have you ever had a rebound relationship? What drove it?
4. Do you know anyone who is adopted? Did they want to find their birth parents or were they reluctant?
5. Family relationships can sometimes be the trickiest of all. How do you navigate rough waters in a relationship?
6. Who was your first love? Do you have any regrets?
7. Have you ever had to deal with a surly teenager? How did you handle it?
8. Have you ever done something to symbolize a decision the way Mallory did when she cut her hair?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I received great help on this book from some Maine friends. A special thanks to Rachael Farnsworth-Merritt, who gave me great Mainer tips. Thanks so much, friends!
I’m so blessed to belong to the amazing Thomas Nelson drea
m team! I’ve been with them for twelve years, and it’s been such an inspiring time as I’ve learned more and more about the writing process from my terrific team. This is the first novel where I’ve collaborated with editor Amanda Bostic and publisher Daisy Hutton, both brilliant minds with great insights into story. The journey couldn’t have been more wonderful for me!
Marketing director Katie Bond is always willing to listen to my crazy ideas and has been completely supportive for years. Fabulous cover guru Kristen Ingebretson works hard to create the perfect cover—and does. You rock, Kristen! And of course I can’t forget the other friends in my fabulous fiction family: Becky Monds, Jodi Hughes, Kerri Potts, Heather McCulloch, Becky Philpott, Karli Jackson, Kristen Golden, and Elizabeth Hudson. You are all such a big part of my life. I wish I could name all the great folks at Thomas Nelson who work hard on selling my books through different venues. I’m truly blessed!
Julee Schwarzburg is a dream editor to work with. She totally gets romantic suspense, and our partnership is pure pleasure. She brought some terrific ideas to the table with this book—as always!
My agent, Karen Solem, has helped shape my career in many ways, and that includes kicking an idea to the curb when necessary. And my critique partner, Denise Hunter, is the best sounding board ever. Thanks, friends!
I’m so grateful for my husband, Dave, who carts me around from city to city, washes towels, and chases down dinner without complaint. My kids—Dave and Kara (and now Donna and Mark)—and my grandsons, James and Jorden Packer, love and support me in every way possible, and my little Alexa makes every day a joy. She’s talking like a grown-up now, and having her spend the night is more fun than I can tell you. And you know how I love coffee! My son-in-law Mark has a coffee roasting business now, CaptainDavysCoffeeRoaster.com, and he sends me the most fabulous IR roasted coffee. J
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