Five minutes later with his heart pounding, Connor hopped into his Jeep and drove toward the woods off the highway between here and Clear Branch. He knew the area but hadn’t been there in years. Dense forest and dirt roads. Sean was right behind him with an ambulance coming from Silver Creek as well as Doc Sims. He had to be prepared for anything.
He picked up his cell again and said, “Cara, are you there?”
Still nothing.
Pain nibbled at Cara’s consciousness. She needed to open her eyes and do something. What? For a moment she wanted to snuggle down into the darkness—except the throb in her shoulder demanded her attention.
Easing her eyelids up, she took stock of her surroundings, noting the vinyl interior of an older car. She peered toward the driver’s seat but saw no one in it. Or the front passenger’s seat.
A breeze drifted over her from the door—a door she now remembered opening for air that was near one hundred degrees. She welcomed the gentle caress even though it was hot.
Then she spied the cell on the floor near her. Where she must have dropped it after calling Connor. She’d passed out from exhaustion and pain after working her arms around to her front so she could dig her phone out of her pocket. She rolled over, moaning from the shift, and tried to reach her cell. Shivers racked her body even though the air around her felt like the blast of a furnace. She gritted her teeth and stretched another few inches. Her fingertips grazed the edge of her phone.
“Cara! Are you there?”
The most beautiful voice sounded from her phone.
“I’m here, Connor. Where are you?” Her voice barely worked. She hoped he heard.
“I’m almost to your location. Hang in there, hon.”
“Poisoned,” she managed to get out, trembling even more.
“You’ve been poisoned?”
“No. Dad. Get him help.” Shock was setting in. She prayed Connor wasn’t far away.
“I don’t want to hang up.”
“Please.” She had to save her father. Protect him if possible.
“Okay. Five minutes away.”
The sudden silence gnawed at her composure. He’d come for her. It was usually the other way around. Her helping others.
In the distance the blare of sirens echoed through the forest surrounding her. She was safe. Closing her eyes, she relaxed against the backseat. Would her warning about her dad be in time to stop what was happening to him? Did her attacker go back to Sunny Meadows to finish her father off?
I can’t protect him right now. Please, Lord, watch out for him.
The prayer flowed through her thoughts as though she hadn’t spent the last years denying He existed. After all she’d seen, it had been hard to reconcile herself to the fact He would let such evil in the world. Whereas Connor had grown closer to Him. What she’d been doing hadn’t worked. Was Connor’s way better?
The sound of a motor followed by the slam of a door echoed through the woods. From what she had seen the assailant had driven this car into the forest to this small clearing. A green wall surrounded her. Would Connor see the car through the trees?
Cara struggled to sit up. Finally in an upright position, she fortified herself with several shallow gulps of hot air. Through the open door she glimpsed Connor barreling into the clearing. He was at the vehicle, leaning inside, when others burst through the trees.
She smiled at him. “It’s about time.”
His chuckle bathed her in warmth that had nothing to do with the hot temperature.
After spending the night at the hospital in Silver Creek, Cara was back at Mike’s house the next afternoon, trying to get comfortable in a lounge chair with her feet up in the living room. A large glass of ice water sat next to her on the end table. She couldn’t drink enough and had already downed what seemed like a gallon. Across from her Mike and Sean sat on the couch while Connor paced in front of the mantel.
She’d been very lucky. The Lord had been with her in that car. The bullet had gone clean through her shoulder.
Connor combed his hand through his hair and held up Gramps’s laptop with a picture of John Smith on the screen. “Let me get this straight. You don’t recognize John Smith, Beau’s father.”
“No, I haven’t seen him around town or at Sunny Meadow.” Cara took a long sip of her water, its coolness sliding down her throat. By the time she’d reached the hospital the day before, she had been dehydrated, which had been more serious than her gunshot wound. She’d lost some blood but not enough for a transfusion. Armed with antibiotics and pain medication, she had been sent home a few hours ago.
“Take another good look at him. From the pictures we’ve found, his build is the same as your assailant.”
“Along with a lot of other men in the state of Virginia,” Cara said when Connor settled the computer on her lap. She stared at the man with brown hair in a buzz cut, brown eyes and average height and frame. “He’s pretty nondescript. Nothing stands out.”
Sean snorted. “Yeah, the kind that fades into the background easily. I have the police in Arlington looking for him, but so far he hasn’t been at his apartment. According to the neighbors, he’s been gone for several weeks. Said he was taking a camping trip.”
“Another reason he’s the most obvious one to be behind the murder attempts,” Mike said. “Besides the fact that his son, aka Beau Jones, was found a month ago in the trunk of a car, shot and left to die. The ME estimated the young man’s body had been there for several weeks. Beau was involved with the Black Serpents. That gang is into drugs and hits in the Washington, D.C., area. C.J. broke the story right before his stroke. From what C.J. told you, this man was your father’s informant.”
Cara had read the newspaper article when it had first been printed. No matter what was between her and her dad, she usually followed his pieces. He was very good at his job. One of the best. His exposé led to the arrest of the two top members of the gang for the murder of a judge. They were in jail awaiting trial.
Connor returned the laptop to Mike. “See if you can find any other photos of him. That one is several years old. He might have changed.”
“What if he was wearing a disguise? His Facebook lists one of his hobbies as acting in local theater productions.” Shifting, Cara winced when she moved the wrong way and jolted her arm, bandaged and in a sling to keep it immobile. She was glad to be at Mike’s. This was the only place she felt safe even though Connor had stood guard over her while at the hospital. His presence allowed her to sleep without any fear.
“That could be it. I have a friend who can change photos around to show a person with a beard, different hair, stuff like that.” Sean scrubbed his hand along his jaw.
Mike peered at the sheriff. “What’s his email address? We can send him these photos and see what he can come up with.”
“I’ll have to call him and get it from him.” Sean started to retrieve his cell.
Mike rose. “Let’s go into the kitchen. I want to print some of these photos, too.”
“Does he have to hook the laptop up to the printer?” Cara watched the two men disappear into the hallway.
“No, he went wireless a long time ago.” Connor finally settled on the coffee table across from Cara. “My grandfather isn’t too subtle. I guess he sensed I wanted to talk with you alone.”
“Why?” Her pulse rate kicked up a notch.
“Ever since I found you yesterday afternoon, you have to admit things have been hectic, starting with you going to the hospital in Silver Creek. You should have stayed longer than overnight.”
“I’m okay. I need to be here. I was a little dehydrated, but my gunshot wound was a through and through. I bled but it didn’t damage any vital organs or hit a bone. I grant you I’ll be sore for a while, but it could have been a lot worse.” Sore was too mild a word, but she didn’t want to dwell on the pain, dulled by the medication she was taking.
“Yeah, you could have been trapped in the trunk and ended up like Beau Smith.”
; “Which is probably exactly what my assailant wanted. It has to be John Smith. He told me what he was doing was poetic justice. That would be something Beau’s dad would say.”
“Your man knew too much about Sunny Meadows. He couldn’t have been a casual observer, especially since your father was poisoned. There wasn’t any way John Smith could have done it without being very familiar with the place.”
Cara checked her watch. “I expected Doc to call by now.” Before she’d left the hospital, Connor had wheeled her to her father’s room to see how he was. “He told me he would keep me informed of how Dad was responding to treatment for arsenic poisoning.”
“We’ll give him a little longer, then I’ll let you bug him.”
“Chicken. Remember I’m the injured one here.”
Connor pushed to his feet and covered the space between them, his large frame hovering over her. “It’s not something I’m going to be able to forget anytime soon.” A serious expression darkened his eyes. “This just as easily could have ended badly.”
His gaze trapped her much like she’d felt in the trunk. The smoldering look stripped away her defenses as he knelt next to the lounge chair. He ran his forefinger over the curve of her jawline.
The caress sent a spiraling sensation through her, luring her closer to him. She couldn’t resist the enticement of his lips, so near she could brush hers over his. All thoughts of her throbbing shoulder fled as she leaned toward him.
Their gaze still bound, he whispered against her mouth, “We’ll find John Smith. I’m not letting him harm you or your dad any more.”
She was the one used to protecting someone, not the other way around. But listening to Connor’s husky declaration cloaked her in comfort. Her emotionally and physically exhausted body needed that. He’d been by her side for the past twenty-four hours, and it had felt so right.
“At least we have something to go on.” She inched nearer to his mouth, his mint-laced breath spicing the air.
He lifted his hand to cup the back of her head. Every sense was on alert as she waited for him to end her torment. His lips feathered hers. Her stomach plummeted, and if she hadn’t been seated, she would have collapsed from the weakness that flowed through her. When his mouth took full possession of hers, she knew she’d never stopped loving Connor.
At the doorbell chiming, they broke apart. When footsteps sounded in the hallway, he rose and moved quickly back to his spot at the mantel. Mike passed the living room entrance on his way to answer the door. His glance thrown toward them glinted with a knowing twinkle. The heat of a blush infused her cheeks. Probably beet-red.
From the foyer Mike greeted Doc Sims and two seconds later they came into the living room followed by Sean.
The tired lines on Doc’s face mirrored how she felt. He put his black bag down by the coffee table.
He plopped onto the couch with a deep sigh. “These past couple of days I don’t wish to repeat.” He looked right at her. “As I imagine you don’t, either.”
“Not in the next hundred years or so. How’s Dad responding to the treatment?”
“We caught it in time. He should be all right.”
Cara thought of all the stories about people in history being poisoned with arsenic. It wasn’t something you heard as much about now, however. “So how was Dad poisoned with the arsenic?” Was it the apple juice? The empty pitcher flashed in her mind.
A scowl slashed Doc’s thick white eyebrows together. “Through his food or something he drank most likely—quite possibly the juice that tipped you off in the first place. The first reaction that kept him at Sunny Meadows could have been due to his medication but after that it was the arsenic.”
“All Dad drank was water and apple juice. The past couple of days, he ate very little because he was sick to his stomach, but he did have liquids.”
“It could have been in either one or both.” Doc let out a heavy sigh. “Thank the Lord you noticed that your dad’s symptoms were similar to what you read about.”
“When can we bring him here? I don’t want him in the hospital or Sunny Meadows any longer than is absolutely necessary.” A dull pain still tap-danced against her skull.
“Only trusted people are in contact with your father, but I understand why you feel that way. Since we caught this early, I’ve treated him and should be able to discharge him tomorrow. I’ll drop in each day and check on the both of you.”
“We can’t bring him here now?” Cara put the legs of her lounge chair down and then scooted forward. The brief effort siphoned her energy.
“I want to make sure he’ll be all right. I’ve put him on some medication to counter the arsenic poisoning.” Doc shifted his attention to Sean. “Sheriff, we need to find this person. He may still be at Sunny Meadows. What if he harms someone else?”
“We’re working on it. We think we know who’s behind this. Let me show you a picture of the man and see if you recognize him.” Sean went into the kitchen, brought back a photo of John Smith and gave it to Doc.
He shook his head. “But let’s show this to the staff at Sunny Meadows. What about Mark, the orderly that was with your dad that day you were taken?”
“I don’t think it’s him. He doesn’t fit the physical description of my attacker in the hotel or at Sunny Meadows.”
“Still, we’ll check him out. We’re taking a look at all the new male employees.” Connor leaned back against the mantel, his arms folded over his chest.
“Good.” Doc peered at her. “How are you doing?”
“Okay.”
“Sure you are. It’s okay to tell me it hurts like the dickens. When I stop in each day, I’ll be checking up on you, too. You need to take it easy, at least for a few days. If you don’t take care of yourself, you’ll be back in the hospital.” Doc shoved himself to his feet and grabbed his bag from the floor. “Now this old man is going home to a well-deserved sleep.”
Cara watched Doc Sims shuffle toward the foyer with Mike. “Sunny Meadows is one of his pet projects. Someone being poisoned there has hit him hard.”
Sean nodded. “I know how he feels. My great aunt is there. The place has been so good for her. I hate the idea an employee would do that. I realize your dad was targeted for revenge, but the thought of it happening chills me. All Doc has ever wanted to do was take care of people who can’t take care of themselves. Give them a nice healthy environment where they are treated with dignity.” Sean started for the hallway. “Don’t get me started, or you’ll never get the rest Doc wants you to have. I’m leaving to double-check that your father is protected, then pay Sunny Meadows another visit. I’ll feel better when he’s here.”
“So will I.” Cara rose slowly, realizing she meant every word of what she said. She needed her father safe, where she could protect him.
She was going to use the time to forge a father-daughter relationship with him if it was at all possible. Connor was right. She needed to put her past behind her. Otherwise she couldn’t move forward. Connor’s kiss today made her realize until she had her life in order she couldn’t explore these feelings she’d thought had died years ago. And she certainly wouldn’t say anything to him until she had figured everything out. She never wanted to be responsible for hurting him again.
NINE
“Sean wasn’t kidding when he said Dad would have more than one guard at the hospital.” Cara stepped off the elevator and headed toward the room where two Silver Creek police officers were standing outside the door.
“Your father knows a lot of important people in Washington, D.C., and Virginia. The governor wasn’t too happy when he heard about him being poisoned at Sunny Meadows. In fact, there will be a state trooper posted outside my grandfather’s house.” Connor showed the two police officers his badge while Cara presented her driver’s license. “We’re here to pick up Mr. Madison. This is his daughter.”
“How did the governor find out about it?” It still amazed her that her father knew people in positions of power. But then she s
houldn’t be surprised because one of those gifts sitting on the dining room table the day the pipe bomb went off had been from a former president of the United States.
“The press got hold of the story. This morning Sean called to tell me that John Smith’s pictures have been plastered all over the news as a person of interest. If he’s out there, hopefully that will help us find him.”
“But remember Mike said John Smith was a character actor who specialized in transforming himself into different roles.”
Connor opened the door to her dad’s hospital room. “That’s why we’re having an array of different photos done of our suspect in various disguises. Sean’s bringing them by this evening for you and your dad to look at. Maybe one will trigger a memory of seeing this guy.”
Moving through the entrance, Cara glanced back at Connor. “What if the assailant isn’t John Smith?”
“The evidence is pointing to him.”
Cara looked toward her father’s bed. His eyes were closed so she lowered her voice. “Evidence can be manipulated and planted.” A faint memory tickled the edges of her mind, taunting her.
“My, Miss Madison, you didn’t used to be this cynical.”
She grinned at him. “I didn’t used to be a lot of things.”
“Yeah, a bodyguard isn’t what I saw you becoming when we dated.”
“I know. I used to bury myself in research. What did you think I would become? A librarian?”
“No, my wife.”
The words hung in the air between them. The expression on his face went blank. When her father cleared his throat, Cara swept around to face him. No matter how much she loved Connor now, she wouldn’t let him know. She’d hurt him a lot once, leaving town without talking to him about her decision. She’d been a coward then because she’d been afraid Connor would talk her into staying. And she’d known she couldn’t stay because she’d had something to prove to herself—and her dad. Sending Connor a letter had been wrong. The least he deserved was her telling him face-to-face. Sometimes loving someone wasn’t enough to make a relationship work. She’d seen her mother’s love for her father, and that hadn’t been enough to make their marriage work.
Protecting Her Own (Love Inspired Suspense) Page 12