Plain Protector

by Alison Stone

  Nick didn’t mind. He hadn’t seen Sarah in a few days, and time was slipping away. He couldn’t help but fear Sarah and her mother would be moving back to Buffalo soon.

  When Nick stepped through the front door behind his sister, he noticed Sarah look up from her book on the couch, a smile brightening her face.

  His heart stuttered in his chest. Man, he had missed her.

  “Good afternoon,” Christina said cheerfully. “How is everyone doing?”

  Sarah placed her book facedown on the side table to hold her page. “Hello. Fine, thanks. I didn’t realize it had gotten so late.” She blinked a few time as if trying to focus after being lost in a good book for a long time.

  Maggie sat next to Mary Ruth at a large piece of fabric stretched across a wood frame. “We’re doing great. Mary Ruth is teaching me how to quilt. By hand!” Maggie raised the thread and needle eye level and smiled. “Not with one of those fancy machines my friend Barbara is always going on about. The workmanship in this is incredible.” She beamed with pride.

  Nick leaned in to study the fabric. “Nice. Very nice.” His gaze drifted to Sarah, and she glanced away.

  Christina put her medical bag down on the table and studied her patient. “You do look well. The question is, how do you feel?”

  “It feels great to be away from the hospital and all the treatments.” She slipped the needle through the fabric to keep it in place. She set her hands in her lap. “You don’t have to run out here. I promise I’ll call if I’m not feeling well.”

  Suddenly realizing what she had said, Maggie threw up her hands. “Of course, we’d love to have either of the Jenningses visit us at any time, but it doesn’t have to be an official visit.”

  Sarah drifted into the kitchen while Christina and Maggie chatted about her health. Nick followed her.

  Sarah turned on the faucet and filled half the sink with soapy water. She set a few dishes in the water and turned around.

  Nick held up his hand toward the sitting room. “My sister needed a ride.”

  “That was nice of you.”

  “I haven’t seen you in town lately.”

  Sarah pulled her hair into a ponytail and wrapped an elastic band around it. She slumped back against the counter. “I’ve been seeing a few clients, but mostly I’ve been spending time with Mom.”

  “I’m glad you can enjoy this time in peace.”

  Sarah bowed her head and wiped at a tear that had trailed down her face. She pressed her lips together. Nick wanted to pull her into an embrace. To tell her everything was going to be okay. But it wasn’t his place.

  And it wasn’t a promise he could make.

  “I’ve spent so long running away from Jimmy that I missed precious time with my mom.”

  Nick swallowed hard, his heart breaking for her. “What’s important is the time you have now.”

  Sarah looked up, her eyes shiny with tears. “It’s hard. I still can’t seem to totally let my guard down.”

  Nick cleared his throat. “How long do you plan to stay in Apple Creek?” He finally asked the question that had been heavy on his mind.

  “Until the weather gets bad. My mom likes it here.”

  “It’s not a bad place.” Nick ran the back of his knuckles across her cheek.

  Her face flushed.

  “My parents were in town for a few days. They come home every so often to recharge, as they like to say.”

  Sarah brushed past him and sat down at the kitchen table. “Where are they now?”

  “Jetted off to Paris.” He waved his hand. “Or some other international city. They’re semiretired now, so most of their travel they claim is for leisure. But knowing my parents, they’ve got their hands in different business ventures.”

  “I would have liked to meet them.” She dragged her hand down her ponytail. “How did two wealthy entrepreneurs raise a police officer?”

  “What about my sister the small-town doctor?”

  Sarah raised her eyebrows. “But she’s still a doctor.” She laughed and shook her head.

  “You need to meet our little sister, Kelly,” Christina wandered into the kitchen. “Smarter than both of us combined.”

  Nick laughed. “Thanks, sis.”

  Christina smirked. “Hey, if Sarah hasn’t already realized what a numskull you are, then...well, then I underestimated her.”

  Sarah rubbed the back of her neck, obviously feeling self-conscious.

  “Ready to go?” Christina asked Nick.

  He nodded, then turned to Sarah. “Hope to see you again soon.”

  Sarah stood. “Thanks for taking such good care of my mom. We both appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome.” Christina squeezed Sarah’s arm. “Make sure you take care of yourself, too.”

  Christina turned and grabbed her brother’s arm. “Let’s go.”

  Once they got outside and into his car, Christina didn’t give him a chance to start the car before she started in on him. “If you let Sarah Gardner go, you’re a bigger idiot than—”

  “Sisterly love,” he muttered.

  Nick turned the key in the ignition and headed out onto the country road.

  “Sarah’s not Amber. You need to move past her.”

  Nick cut her a sideways glance. “You think I’m still pining away for Amber?” Forced disgust edged his tone.

  “No, she wasn’t right for you. But I think you’re afraid of taking a chance. Amber said she’d wait for you when you were deployed. But she didn’t. Now you’re afraid to make a commitment to Sarah because you’re...oh, I know...you’re afraid she’s going to leave.”

  “She is going to leave.” Nick ran a hand over his jaw. “Besides, she’s had her fill of cops.”

  “You’re not like her former boyfriend. Any more than she’s like your former girlfriend.”

  Nick tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “It’s not going to work.”

  “You know best,” his sister said in the way little sisters talked to big brothers. “Like always.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice. “But relationships—solid relationships—don’t come around that often.”

  “Perhaps you should work on your own personal life,” Nick said, feeling defensive.

  “When I’m not saving the world,” Christina replied in a mocking tone. “When I’m not saving the world.”

  FOURTEEN

  After enjoying a late dinner of takeout pizza, Mary Ruth and Sarah’s mother went back to quilting. “Wow, you guys are determined.” Sarah ran a finger over the delicate stitching.

  “It’s relaxing. You should try it,” Maggie suggested. “Besides, what better thing to do on a rainy day?” The past few days had been rainy, and the two women had made a lot of progress on their quilt.

  Mary Ruth looked up. “I’m enjoying this single life. If I were married, my husband would be looking for dinner and I’d probably be doing dishes—” she got a faraway look “—chasing after a toddler.”

  Maggie made a tsk-tsk sound. “Marriage is more than cooking dinner and doing dishes.” She shook her head briefly as if stopping herself from saying more. “Just you wait until you meet the right man. A man who makes your heart go pitter-patter.” Her mother met Sarah’s gaze and lifted an eyebrow.

  “Really now, Mom. Can we have one night where you guys aren’t hounding me about Nick?”

  “So, he does make your heart go pitter-patter.” Mary Ruth broke down in a laughing fit, her porcelain cheeks turning a bright red.

  “You guys joke all you want. I’m going to stretch my legs. I need to work off all that pizza. Anyone want to join me?”

  “This quilt’s not going to make itself.” Her mother tilted her head back and looked at the stitching through her readers.

  “I’ll
be back shortly. The rain’s let up for now.”

  Sarah slipped on a light jacket, and Lola jumped at her feet, eager to go outside. Once on the back porch, Sarah admired the magnificent view. Instead of walking along the country road—she had spent enough time doing that during the months she was trying to stay under Jimmy’s radar—she decided to take a walk along the property’s edge and farther along the creek. Maybe she’d find some of those wildflowers she promised to get so her mom could make a wreath. She hoped it wasn’t too wet. Either way, she’d collect a nice bouquet of flowers.

  Lola enjoyed exploring every inch of the path. The creek was babbling and racing downstream like Sarah had never seen it before. There were talks of floods in the next county.

  As the long grass tickled the back of her legs, she tuned in to her strong muscles. Having lived with her mother these past few weeks made her appreciate every moment. Every full breath.

  Pushing her shoulders back, Sarah strode farther along the edge of the creek. The rush of the water filled her ears. She understood why her mother was so at peace here.

  Can I stay in Apple Creek?

  Apprehension and a bubble of excitement swirled in her belly.

  Should she take the risk?

  The creek edged the back of the Zooks’ property and disappeared through the woods. She had never ventured this far, but she was enjoying being alone with her thoughts and was curious where the path led. She decided she’d follow it a little way until the bugs got to be too much.

  As she followed the trail along the creek, she swatted at a few insects swarming around her head. “Maybe we should turn back,” she said to the dog. “It’s awfully buggy out here.”

  A twig snapped behind her, and she spun around and came up short. Ruben was standing in her path. The way he stared at her made her skin crawl, far more than any bugs flitting around her face.

  “You should have turned back a long time ago,” he said, his voice even. Lola yapped at his feet.

  “I’m...” Her head swirled in confusion. “What do you need, Ruben?”

  Ruben pushed the dog aside with his foot, and Sarah opened her mouth to protest when he took a step toward her. Instinctively, Sarah took a step back. A million crushing moments flashed through her brain. Moments when Jimmy had intimidated her. Had kept her in her place. Had chased her away.

  But Jimmy was dead.

  And here another man made the same horrible feeling snake up her spine.

  “I’m walking on my property,” Ruben answered with a snarl.

  Panic bit her fingertips and raced up her arms. Lola’s incessant barking amped up her alarm. “Excuse me. I have to get back.” She attempted to brush past Ruben when his arm snaked out and caught her wrist.

  “You should have left a long time ago.”

  Sarah yanked her arm, but Ruben tightened his grip.

  “Let go!” she demanded. She forced a confidence in her voice that she didn’t feel.

  “No. You should have left Apple Creek a long time ago. What does it take?” He gritted his teeth. “I’ve tried everything. A dead snake. Pushing you off the ladder.”

  Sarah gasped and tried desperately to wrench out of his grasp.

  “Yah, well...you’re going now.” Ruben took his other hand and shoved her shoulder and let go of her wrist at the same time. Sarah lost her footing and tumbled into the swollen creek. The last thing she saw before the black water swallowed her up was Ruben’s icy gaze.

  * * *

  Nick had been thinking nonstop about Sarah these past few days. When he arrived home and glanced around, he had a startling realization: he had a house. It had everything he needed to live, but it never felt like home.

  When do I most feel at home?

  The answer hit him like a bullet between his eyes. He felt like home with Sarah. He dropped into the oversize chair parked in front of the television and picked up the remote, but he didn’t turn it on. That’s all he did when he was home. Watch TV. He supposed it was his way of avoiding the loneliness.

  Nick leaned over and opened the drawer in the side table. He pulled out a framed photo of him and Amber that had been taken at the airport, him in his army fatigues, Amber in her skinny jeans and sweater, an expensive handbag hanging over her arm.

  He had cared for her, but even before he got a Dear John letter from her when he was hunkered down in a tent in the middle of the desert, he had sensed it was over. Sure, the way she had done it tore his heart out.

  What kind of woman broke up with her boyfriend when he was on a tour of duty? And it reinforced some trust issues.

  But Sarah wasn’t Amber.

  Nick had been blinded by the type of women he met in his parents’ affluent circles. But Sarah was the kind of woman he could fall in love with...

  Fall in love...

  Nick tossed the framed photo back in the table drawer and slammed it shut. He got to his feet, hurried to change his clothes, then grabbed his car keys from the table.

  Nick had to tell her how he felt before she left Apple Creek for good.

  * * *

  For a man who claimed to have nerves of steel under a stressful situation, Nick Jennings thought his heart was going to race out of his chest as he stood on Sarah’s porch with a bouquet of wildflowers in his hand.

  He knocked and Mary Ruth answered. Her eyes dropped to the flowers in his hand and amusement danced in her eyes. “Hello, Deputy Jennings.”

  “Hello. Is Sarah here?”

  “Who’s here?” Maggie called from inside the house.

  “It’s Deputy Jennings. I think he’s sweet on our Sarah.”

  Maggie appeared behind Mary Ruth, a colorful bandanna wrapped around her head. “Well, it’s about time.” She smiled and reached around Mary Ruth to squeeze his arm. “Sarah went for a walk. I expect her back any minute.” Maggie waved her arm. “Come in. Wait for her.”

  Nick rolled up on the balls of his feet. He couldn’t wait inside. He’d go stir-crazy. “Where does she normally walk?” He hadn’t noticed Sarah walking along the road on his drive over.

  Mary Ruth smiled and pointed with her thumb toward the back of the house. “I believe she took a walk along the creek.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”

  “Be good to my daughter,” Maggie hollered after Nick as he pivoted on his heel and jogged down the steps, still holding on to the flowers. He figured the flowers would be an ice breaker when the right words wouldn’t come. Besides, he didn’t want an audience, even if it was in the form of sweet Maggie and Mary Ruth. What he had to say was between him and Sarah.

  A nervous bubble exploded in his gut, and he picked up his pace before he lost his nerve.

  Some tough guy.

  He jogged around to the back of the house and followed the path until he reached the woods. He swatted at the mosquitos buzzing around his head.

  In the distance he could hear barking.

  Alarm spiked his pulse.

  Nick wanted to call out to Sarah, but something kept him silent. He tossed the bouquet of flowers aside and ran. Something in his gut told him Sarah was in danger. Lola wouldn’t be barking like that otherwise.

  The gray shadows of dusk hovered over the path. The creek churned on his right, angry from the constant rains of the past few days.

  Around the first bend, an Amish man in a straw hat held a long branch in his hands and was beating at something in the creek.

  Instinctively, Nick’s hand hovered over the gun he always carried on his belt, even when he was off duty. “What’s going on?”

  The man turned his head, and Nick recognized him. Ruben Zook. He lived on the neighboring farm. Nick’s posture relaxed, but then a trickle of unease wound its way up his spine when he tuned in to Ruben’s angry gaze. Lola barked frantically at somet
hing in the creek.

  “Get out of here.” Ruben lunged toward Nick.

  With one hand on his gun and the other out in front of him, Nick shouted, “Step back.”

  A bloodcurdling scream ripped from down below, along the steep edge of the creek.

  “What’s going on?” Nick repeated, easing his gun out of the holster and pointing it at the young Amish man.

  “She ruined my life by putting stupid ideas in Mary Ruth’s head.”

  Nick’s finger twitched, millimeters from the trigger. He didn’t have to ask who she was. His heart pulsing in his ear, Nick grabbed Ruben’s stick and shoved the Amish man, making him land on his backside. Nick tossed the stick aside and handcuffed Ruben to get him out of the way.

  Nick jabbed his finger in his face. “Don’t move.”

  Nick proceeded to the edge of the creek near Lola, careful that the earth didn’t crumble underneath his footing. “Sarah!” he called, but all he saw in the gathering dark was the churning waters.

  “Sarah!”

  With trembling hands he flicked on the flashlight on his cell phone and scanned the waters. He glanced over his shoulder at Ruben, who was sniveling under his straw hat.

  “Did she go into the creek?”

  “Good riddance,” Ruben muttered.

  “Sarah!” The swollen creek could have carried her a long way down. But instead of running downstream, something kept him there. He moved the beam of the flashlight along the tangle of tree branches lining the edge, and that’s when he saw her.

  Sarah was caught up in the branches. Her face pale. Her eyes closed. Her lips blue.

  His heart sank.

  Dear Lord, please give me the strength to save her. Let her be okay.

  Nick slid down the embankment. Holding on to a root, he leaned precariously over the raging creek toward Sarah. With all his strength, he pulled her toward him and out of the water. “I gotcha. I gotcha.”

  Help me, Lord.

  He put Sarah over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold and used the branch to pull himself back up to the pathway. He laid her down gently and smoothed her wet hair out of her eyes.