Threat of Darkness

by Valerie Hansen

  When he turned back to face her, he looked more irate than she had ever seen him. That impression was so strong it caused her to cringe when he reached toward her.

  “I’m not going to hurt you, Sam,” he said, dropping his hand to his side and shaking his head soberly. “I’m not like your father, okay?”

  “I know.”

  “Then stop looking at me as if you expect me to start yelling and swinging.”

  “Sorry. Old habits die hard.”

  “That, they do.” A smile lifted the corners of his mouth but the emotion didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  He offered his hand to her, waited a few heartbeats then started to pull back.

  Samantha moved quickly to grasp it before he could change his mind. The feeling of safety and concern in John’s tender touch was all-encompassing and so comforting it nearly brought tears to her eyes.

  Holding his hand like this was dumb. Foolish. Ridiculous, given their stormy history. It was also something she was not ready to relinquish. Not yet. Not when the police were still at her house searching for her erstwhile attacker.

  The phone in John’s pocket jingled and he flipped it open to answer. “Waltham.”

  Samantha’s pulse was hammering in her ears so loudly she could hardly hear anything else. The expression on her companion’s face was enough to tell her the officers had not found a prowler.

  “Okay,” John said into the phone. “We’ll be right up. Don’t go into the house until we get there. She’s got a watchdog the size of a pony inside.”

  He ended the call and started toward his truck, still holding her hand and dragging her along so fast she had to practically jog to keep pace.

  “What is it? What did they see? There has to be someone up there. I know there does.”

  “Not now,” John said, sounding cynical. “They spotted tracks from an all-terrain vehicle. Looks like your prowler made his getaway on an ATV.”

  “I didn’t hear anything like that, did you?”

  “We probably wouldn’t have when we were both concentrating on your wild driving. Apparently, while you were going one way, your druggie friend was headed in the opposite direction. He could be miles away by now.”

  “I certainly hope so,” Samantha said. She scooted into the truck on the driver’s side, then slid over to make room for John.

  The grim look he shot in her direction was unsettling. Nervousness kept her talking. “What? You don’t want him to go away because you want to capture him? I get it, believe me. What I meant was I hope I never see him or his cronies again.”

  “That’s not likely,” John warned. “As long as they think you took some kind of package from the Boland kid they’ll keep coming after it. And you.”

  “What can I do? I told you, Bobby Joe didn’t give me a thing.”

  “Is that the truth?”

  She bristled. “Of course it is.”

  John’s smile grew sardonic, as if he wanted to believe her but couldn’t quite manage it in spite of his earlier claim that she was a poor liar. She could sort of understand that point of view. Perhaps it was time for a more detailed explanation of her motives.

  “I would have gotten around to telling you about what the purse snatcher said,” Samantha insisted. “Honest I would. I was just worried about Bobby getting in more trouble because of me. I know his whole family. He’s not a bad kid at heart.”

  “He’s an addict who probably sells the stuff to innocent little kids to support his habit. Is that the way you want to take care of the children in Serenity?”

  “Of course not. I was planning to talk to Bobby’s folks but I wanted to wait and see what the actual charges were before I said anything, that’s all. This whole drug-conspiracy idea might be nothing more than a big misunderstanding.”

  “Even if it is, there’s still somebody out to get you, Sam. All the good intentions in the world won’t protect you from evil if you don’t use your head.”

  “Humph. I thought you believed in God taking care of His own.”

  “I do. But I also know He gave us brains and expects us to think with them. I may be a Christian but I still put bullets in my gun. It would be idiotic not to.”

  “Okay, you’ve made your point.”

  She settled back against the seat as John started the truck and headed up the hill toward the old farmhouse. He was right, of course. It made perfect sense to use the capabilities each of them had been given. That was what she was doing when she volunteered through CASA. And that was the same thing John had been doing when he’d put himself in place to protect her.

  That action wasn’t out of the ordinary. It was merely what he did. Who he was at heart. He would have done the exact same thing for anyone he felt was in danger.

  Her conclusion about not being special to him was so obviously correct, it hurt.

  * * *

  First out of the truck, John trusted the other officers to have done their jobs so he didn’t order Sam to stay put. His opinion seemed to have little effect on her and the way he saw it, the less he tried to control her unnecessarily, the less they’d butt heads.

  It didn’t surprise him that she was at his elbow when Walter showed him the tire tracks. John crouched. “They’re from an ATV, all right. There are probably hundreds just like this in Fulton County. You got pictures?”

  “Yep. Measurements, too.” The grizzled, older man’s attitude clearly showed a chip on his shoulder. John understood. He’d returned to his former hometown with a degree in law enforcement and big-city experience that Chief Kelso had bragged of as an asset when he’d reintroduced him to the men he’d be working with. Given the fact that they had remained local and he was now viewed as an outsider, it was normal for them to feel a little put out.

  “I’m sure you did everything by the book,” John assured him. “How about footprints?”

  “It’s pretty dry and dusty. Not much to see.”

  “Okay. We’ll put the dog out and let you in.”

  “House is locked. I already tried the door.”

  “Right.” He looked to Samantha. “You’ll need to open the door for us.”

  Eyes widening, she stared at the porch. “Oh, no. My keys are still in the car. So is my purse.”

  “Okay.” John rolled his eyes and sighed noisily. “Wait here with Glenn and Walter. I’ll be right back with your stuff.”

  There was no way he would have considered leaving her at the farmhouse if she hadn’t had the companionship of veteran officers. They might look and act like good old boys most of the time but they were both plenty sharp. Sam would be safe with them, at least for the few minutes it would take him to retrieve her keys.

  John made the trip down the hill quickly and easily. Stopping next to Samantha’s car he left his truck idling and stepped out. Everything looked the same as it had earlier.

  He leaned in and reached around the car’s steering column, expecting to find the keys dangling from the ignition. That slot was empty. So where were her keys? Had Sam dropped them when she’d bolted?

  Scowling, he squinted at the floor mats, then probed the slashes in the messy seat, finally scanning the bare ground outside the car. No keys. No purse, either. There was nothing left in Sam’s car but a worn, leather-covered Bible.

  John straightened and carefully studied his surroundings. Had there been time for whoever had left the house on the ATV to have circled around and cleaned out the car? Maybe. Maybe not. It hardly mattered how many thieves were involved at this point. Someone had stolen everything except Sam’s Bible, including the keys to her house.

  If the criminals came back, and John was positive they would, they could simply unlock her doors and walk in. Not only was Samantha in worse danger than before, it was at least partially his faul
t.

  * * *

  Samantha could tell from John’s closed expression and stiff body language upon his return that all was not well. The moment she saw him climb out of his truck and start toward her carrying her Bible, she assumed that that was the only thing he’d managed to retrieve.

  “My purse?” she asked, trying not to sound as if she were making any kind of accusation.

  “No sign of it. This was all there was left in the car,” he said, handing her the Bible. “I’m sorry. I should have made sure you had all your things with you before we came up here. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

  “I wasn’t, either.” The unshed tears that misted her vision were unacceptable. She blinked them away. “I’m sorry to cause all these problems.”

  “It’s not like you went looking for trouble. At least not this time.”

  Samantha was relieved to see a smile start to tease one side of his mouth when she said, “Thanks, I think.”

  The more John’s expression softened, the easier it was for her to begin to smile at him—and at the other officers. “So, gentlemen, what do I do next?” She checked her watch. “I see we’re already too late for church.”

  “Maybe we’ll take in the evening service,” John said. “Do you still hide a spare house key in the old barn?”

  “Yes! I’d forgotten all about that. I’ll go get it.”

  “No. I’ll go. You stay out here with Walt.”

  “It’s on a nail, just inside the door to the left.” Samantha wasn’t about to argue with John this time. The notion of having her private space invaded so easily gave her the creeps. In mild weather she liked to throw open all the windows to let in fresh air. That practice was probably going to have to stop, at least temporarily. Moreover, she’d need new locks on her doors, not to mention doing something about changing the ignition, door and trunk locks in her car. This was getting complicated. And worse by the minute.

  Returning with the single key, John unlocked the door and controlled Brutus’s exit so the other officers could enter the kitchen.

  The mostly black dog bounded off the back porch and gamboled up to greet her. Just as delighted to see him, she bent to stroke his broad head and rusty-colored eyebrows, then ruffled his darker ears, speaking soft encouragements and enjoying the uncomplicated companionship while she bided her time.

  “I am glad about one thing,” Samantha told John when he finally rejoined her. “They didn’t hurt Brutus. They could have. I let him out the front door this morning and if he’d realized someone strange was in the backyard he might have gone after them. No telling what they’d have done to him then.”

  “Really? He was outside earlier?”

  “Of course. No way was I going to leave for the morning without giving him a chance to go out first.”

  “Just making sure.”

  Judging by the way her old friend was scowling at her he had come to some conclusion. Since he didn’t seem inclined to share his thoughts she decided to probe for answers.

  “Okay. I can see the wheels turning in your brain, Waltham. So, give. What are you thinking?”

  “A couple of things. First, if Brutus was outside and the perp was still hanging around, why didn’t the dog alert?”

  “Good question. Are you saying you think he recognized somebody?”

  “It’s certainly possible. Have you had any work done around this place recently? For instance, did you hire any handymen, any strangers?”

  “No. None.” She sighed thoughtfully. “Brutus may be an old dog but you saw how well he remembered you. If he did notice someone messing with my car it didn’t have to be anybody he’d recently met. He’s with me whenever I run errands and he always attracts plenty of attention. He probably knows at least half the people in town.”

  “True.”

  “You said you’d thought of a couple of things. What else?” When John stepped closer and leaned in to speak more quietly she immediately sensed the gravity of what he was about to say.

  “Okay. Since your car had already been thoroughly ransacked, why did the man or men stick around? Why didn’t they make their getaway long before you came out of the house?”

  “How should I know?”

  “Think carefully, Sam. Whoever vandalized your car was waiting.”

  He paused and lightly touched her shoulder before he added, “Waiting for you.”

  FIVE

  He’d hated to be so blunt, to purposely frighten her, but as John saw it, there was no other way to make Samantha take his warnings seriously enough. She’d lived her whole life in this same small town. That made her both naive and overly complacent. He was neither.

  Noting her lingering expression of astonishment he slipped an arm lightly around her shoulders and gave her a friendly squeeze. “Don’t worry, Sam. I’ll stick around until things settle down for you.”

  When she replied, “That’s what I’m afraid of,” he had to grin.

  “I see you haven’t lost your sense of humor.”

  “More like my sense of irony,” Samantha quipped back. “Has it occurred to you that everything that’s been happening has been contrary to what I told you when you first showed up?”

  “You mean the part about not wanting me around? Yeah, I did think of that.” It was a struggle for him to keep smiling when what he wanted to do was pull her closer and promise to keep her safely by his side indefinitely. “Don’t worry. I know you’re only tolerating me because you need protection.”

  She made a silly face and arched her brows. “I wouldn’t put it that bluntly. I’m not trying to be cruel.”

  “I know you’re not.” John’s smile returned in full and he could feel his pulse starting to speed, meaning it was high time he released her and stepped away.

  “Okay. What do we do now?”

  “As soon as Walt and his partner finish searching your house you need to get in touch with your credit-card companies and cancel all the cards that were stolen.”

  “Um, okay. Any chance I can borrow your cell phone? Mine bit the dust, remember?”

  “Right. I’ll drive you over to Ash Flat later and you can pick up another phone. We’ll need new lock sets for your front and back doors, too. The car will need to be towed in and checked for prints before we do anything else with it.”

  “We?”

  “Yes, we. Get used to it, Sam. After I advise Chief Kelso of your problems I imagine he’ll let me hang around. At least I hope so.”

  “What about asking Adelaide Crowe to keep me company? You remember her, don’t you? She’s a sheriff’s deputy now. I worked with her on one of the CASA cases I told you about.”

  That suggestion, sensible though it was, hit John like a punch in the stomach. “You really do want to get rid of me, don’t you?”

  “I didn’t say that. I was just thinking it would be easier on both of us if we weren’t forced to spend so much time together.”

  Forced? Shrugging, he had to accept her logic. “All right. I’ll look into it Monday morning and see if your house is within her jurisdiction. In the meantime, do you think you can grit your teeth and put up with me a little while longer?”

  Samantha’s widening smile and the twinkle in her dark eyes lifted his spirits even before she said, “I guess I can manage. And in case I didn’t mention it earlier, thanks again for rescuing me, Officer Waltham.”

  He smiled back at her. “Actually, it’s Detective, although I don’t plan to ask anyone to use my rank, at least not until I’ve been here long enough to feel accepted.”

  “You don’t think you are?”

  “No. I was gone too long. Too much has changed. I can’t say I blame the men who stayed behind for being a little jealous.”

  Samantha’s smile began to w
ane and she glanced toward her back door, obviously deep in thought. When she arched a brow, cocked her head and asked, “Is there any chance one of the guys you work with might be stirring up trouble to try to discredit you?” he was floored.

  Being a veteran of undercover work, he was able to mask his surprise. At least he hoped he was. “No way. I’ve known all those men since before I went away. I do wish the chief hadn’t insisted on reciting my credentials and experience in front of everyone after he hired me, but that’s no reason for longtime police officers to start pulling pranks.”

  “Pranks?” Samantha faced him, hands fisted on her hips. “Are you saying what happened to my poor car was some kind of stupid joke?”

  “Not at all. We’re talking about two totally different things here.”

  “I disagree. Whatever began with Bobby Joe is still going on. Whether or not some of your fellow officers may be throwing in false clues to drive you crazy is a fair question. I doubt old Walter would give you grief but I can’t believe all cops are as upstanding as you are.”

  The sound of the back door screen slamming kept John from the rebuttal he’d intended to give. There was no way any of the men he worked with would be mixed up in actual crime, although he wouldn’t put it past them to conduct a little harmless hazing. Samantha was right about that. He just didn’t intend to let her influence him against men he had to rely upon day after day.

  He left her and approached the others. “Find anything?”

  They both shook their heads.

  “Okay. Make arrangements with whoever you usually use to have Samantha’s car towed and impounded. We’ll finish up here and then I’ll bring her to the station.”

  Glenn winked at him before glancing past to focus on Sam. “Sure you don’t need a little help here, Detective? I’m happily single again. I’d be glad to pitch in and give you a hand.”

  Although John felt an instant surge of animosity he hid his ire behind a casual smile. “Thanks for the offer, buddy. I’ll keep it in mind in case this victim starts to give me too much grief.”