by Laura Scott
Merry saw the Jeep he meant, but it was already pretty far up ahead, and she found herself pressing her foot to the floor as if she had an imaginary brake. “Do you really think that’s him?”
“Yes, I do. We already know Caruthers has used his friend’s ID to rent the boat, so why not drive his vehicle too?”
Zack pressed steadily on the accelerator, pushing the speed limit.
A chill lifted the tiny hairs along the back of her neck. The face in the window must have been Blake’s. A small part of her didn’t want to believe it. Oddly enough, she would have almost preferred some other stalker rather than knowing for sure Blake was after her again.
“Come on, where did you go?” Zack muttered, as they pulled up on the crest of a hill.
She scanned the area, looking for the Jeep even though, deep down, she didn’t really want Zack to find him. “Maybe he turned off on one of the other highways?”
A muscle jumped in the corner of Zack’s jaw. “I can’t lose him this time.”
Zack sped up and she silently prayed for their safety.
“No way! You’ve got to be kidding me!” Zack exclaimed in frustration.
She turned in her seat and saw the flashing red and blue lights growing brighter as the sheriff’s deputy gained on them. Zack’s lips thinned as he slowed down and then pulled off on the side of the highway.
“Of course I don’t have my badge with me.”
“Maybe once we explain about the black Jeep, you won’t get a ticket.” She felt bad for Zack who was only going out of his way to try and help her.
“I don’t care about the speeding ticket,” Zack said, reaching over to open the glove box. He pulled out the vehicle registration, and then rolled down his window. “We’ll have no chance of catching up with the Jeep now.”
Merry couldn’t help but let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“Do you have any idea how fast you were going?” the sheriff’s deputy asked.
“Yes, Officer, I was doing seventy-five in a fifty-five mile speed zone.”
Merry leaned forward, trying to get a better look at the deputy. “Deputy Armbruster? Hi, it’s me, Merry Haines from the Hope County ER. How are you?”
“Merry?” Deputy Devon Armbruster bent down further so he could see her. “What are you doing with someone driving so recklessly?”
“This is Zack Crain, Julie Crain’s brother,” she explained. “He wasn’t speeding on purpose. We were trying to catch up with a black Jeep.”
Deputy Armbruster glanced between the two of them and frowned. “I guess I should have recognized you, since you resemble your sister. I’m the one who was hired after you left. Aren’t you a cop in Madison, now?” he asked.
“Yes, but I took a few days off to spend time on the lake.”
Merry could see the indecision reflected in the deputy’s eyes. “Regardless of the reason, you were still speeding. And just because you used to be a cop here, doesn’t mean I can let you off the hook.”
“I know.”
She had to give Zack credit for not arguing in an attempt to get out of the ticket. Of course, as a cop himself, Zack had probably heard every excuse in the book, and then some. She tried to catch Deputy Armbruster’s gaze. “Listen, Deputy, you might be able to help us. You see, we have a good reason to believe that one of my former boyfriends is stalking me. We think he was driving that black Jeep. Zack was only trying to get the evidence we need to prove that Blake is violating his restraining order.”
“Stalking? Restraining order?” This time Deputy Armbruster’s eyebrows pulled together in a deep V. “You better come with me down to the department headquarters.”
Zack scowled at her before turning back to the deputy. “Look, I acknowledged I was speeding, you can just write me the ticket and let me go.”
“Zack, we need the police to help us,” she said, striving to remain calm and reasonable. “We should tell them what we know.”
“Yes, you should,” Deputy Armbruster agreed in a stern tone. “I’d like you to come down to headquarters, now.” The deputy’s tone did not offer any room for negotiation.
“Fine.” Zack seemed resigned to his fate.
While Deputy Armbruster returned to his squad car, she gave Zack directions. “Make a U-turn and head back toward town.”
“I know where the sheriff’s department is located,” he said as he proceeded to make the U-turn. “I used to work here, remember?”
“You’re right, I’m sorry.” She sensed he was angry with her but she didn’t regret her decision to speak up. “We didn’t have enough proof before, but surely we do now that we’ve seen the black Jeep racing away from the church parking lot.”
“I bet there’s more than one black Jeep in the state of Wisconsin.”
“Too bad we couldn’t get the license plate number,” she murmured.
“The Jeep was perpendicular to us in the parking lot, and by the time I got out on the road to follow him, he was too far away. You can bet I wish I had the plate number, too.”
She sensed Zack was still beating himself up for not noticing the Jeep sooner. “The deputies will have a better chance of finding the Jeep than we will.”
“Maybe.” The doubt in Zack’s tone wasn’t reassuring. “Or they’ll think we’re crazy, seeing threats that aren’t there.”
She couldn’t argue his point, because the first time she’d gone to the Minneapolis police they told her she didn’t have enough evidence to file a petition for a restraining order. It seemed that they didn’t want to be bothered with her complaint.
It hadn’t been until Blake attacked her that they’d taken her concerns seriously, although, by then, it had almost been too late.
She could only pray that the Hope County Sheriff’s Department wouldn’t make the same mistake. Because she knew very well just how dangerous Blake could be. Especially when he wasn’t taking his psych medication.
____________
Zack tried to harness his temper as he drove to the sheriff’s department. Merry was probably right to include them in what was going on, but he still couldn’t help thinking that he needed more proof before going to the sheriff’s department.
Merry kept glancing at him, clearly worried, so he forced himself to let go of his frustration. “I’m sorry. I’m not upset with you. I just wish I could have at least gotten close enough to get his tag number.”
“I understand.” Merry’s smile was a bit strained, and he mentally kicked himself for being a jerk. “But, you have to understand that I’m worried about you, too. By now, Blake knows that you’re spending time with me, and he’s not going to like that. You think he’ll come after me, but if that were true, he’s already had plenty of time to make his move. Now that he has seen you hanging around, I’m worried he’s more likely to take his anger out on you.”
Zack was deeply touched by her concern for his welfare. He hadn’t wanted to get involved, but he knew that he’d do whatever was necessary to keep Merry safe. “Hey, I’m happy to hear that he might come after me. As far as I’m concerned, that’s way better than going after you.”
Merry rolled her eyes, but didn’t say anything more as he pulled into the parking lot of the sheriff’s department. Deputy Armbruster was standing near the door waiting for them with a serious expression on his face.
Zack climbed out from behind the wheel and joined Merry to walk up to the building.
“Follow me,” Deputy Armbruster said.
Blessedly cool air washed over him as they walked inside. Deputy Armbruster led them over to a small conference area, gesturing for them to take a seat.
“Now then,” Deputy Armbruster said as he pulled out a small notebook. “Why don’t you start at the very beginning?”
Zack nodded for Merry to start. She did her best to give the short version, describing how she’d dated Caruthers, but when he turned violent took out a restraining order against him.
“And what makes you think this Blake guy is in Crystal Lake
?” Armbruster asked.
Now it was Zack’s turn to describe how he’d found the boot print beneath the bedroom window. He pulled out his phone and showed Armbruster the photo he’d taken, and then described the redhead they saw on the lake. “We’re fairly certain Blake has rented a fishing boat under the name of Calvin Reynolds, who apparently spent time with Caruthers in prison. We also believe the black Jeep we were following belongs to Reynolds as well, although we didn’t get the plate number yet.”
He’d caught Armbruster’s attention now. “So you believe Caruthers is here, pretending to be Reynolds in order to harm Merry?”
The familiar use of Merry’s first name wasn’t lost on Zack. She must know him pretty well from his frequent visits to the ER. “Yes, I do. I’ve been doing my best to protect her, which is why I drove her to choir practice.”
“I see.” Deputy Armbruster turned toward Merry. “Have you been able to identify Caruthers?”
Merry slowly shook her head. “Not exactly. He has bright red hair, but he’s always been too far away to get a clear look at his face. Even yesterday, when I saw his face pressed up against the kitchen window, he had his hands cupped around it, and the image was so fleeting I couldn’t swear under oath that it was really him.”
Deputy Armbruster slapped his notebook shut. “That’s enough to convince me,” he declared. “I’ll see what I can dig up on this guy Reynolds. We’ll be able to get his tag number from the system and from there we’ll put out an all points bulletin for the rest of the deputies to keep an eye out for him.”
Zack couldn’t hide his surprise. “Thank you. I have to tell you that one of the Madison cops, Colton Wallace, has been helping me investigate, too. He’s trying to find Calvin Reynolds to validate that he loaned his driver’s license, credit card and Jeep to Caruthers.”
“Good, I’d like you to keep me updated on what Wallace uncovers.” Armbruster pulled out his business card and handed it over. “Call me any time.”
Bemused, Zack tucked the card in his wallet. “I will.”
He’d told Merry that he thought the sheriff’s department would likely take her concerns more seriously, but he hadn’t expected it to be this easy. Clearly Deputy Armbruster cared about Merry, although he didn’t get the vibe that the deputy wanted to date her. More that he cared about her like a sister.
Zack tried to remember the last time he’d felt remotely involved with any of his victims in Madison. He always took his job of bringing criminals to justice seriously, but he’d kept his emotions deeply hidden. A much easier task in a big city like Madison compared to the small town of Crystal Lake.
“Thank you, Deputy,” Merry said, taking his hand in hers. “I’m glad to know that you’ll be looking out for Blake.”
The tips of Deputy Armbruster’s ears turned bright red, and Zack revised his previous opinion. Armbruster didn’t consider Merry a sister at all. He was just too polite to flirt with her while on duty. Or in front of Zack.
Zack’s gut clenched at the thought of Merry finding someone else to share her life with. There were plenty of single men in Crystal Lake, and even in Madison, who’d obviously like to date her. Colton, Daniel, and even Deputy Armbruster. Men who wouldn’t balk at the idea of giving her what she deserved, including marriage and a family.
He never should have kissed her. No matter how much he’d wanted to. No matter how much he’d enjoyed holding her. No matter how much he thought about kissing her again.
Now that the sheriff’s department was on the case, Zack figured it wouldn’t take long for them to find the black Jeep and, hopefully, arrest Caruthers, sending him back to jail or to a psychiatric hospital where he really belonged.
And the minute that happened, he wouldn’t need to stay in Crystal Lake any longer. He could return home, avoiding the sweet temptation of kissing Merry.
But for some odd reason, the idea of leaving Merry alone, even once Caruthers was no longer a threat, didn’t make him feel better.
In fact, the ache of loneliness in his chest only seemed to spread, encapsulating his heart.
____________
Merry was relieved to know that Deputy Armbruster whole-heartedly believed them, and he’d never given Zack the speeding ticket. In fact, Deputy Armbruster seemed to be a man on a mission to find Blake and to bring him to justice.
Once they were back in Zack’s truck, her stomach rumbled loud enough for him to hear, judging by the quick glance he sent her way.
“How about we eat lunch at Rose’s Café?” he suggested. “It’s well past noon, and I know you’re probably as hungry as I am.”
She was surprised by his offer and refusing seemed pointless, considering her grumbling stomach. “That would be great, thanks.”
Neither one of them said much on the trip into town but Zack’s previous sense of urgency to find Caruthers seemed to have evaporated. She wondered if he was secretly relieved to have handed the investigation off to the sheriff’s department. After all, Zack had taken a few days off work to relax and enjoy the lake, not to work.
Merry found it hard to believe that just a few days had passed since Leonard had knocked her against the nurse’s station. Being in Zack’s company these past few days had changed her. She glanced at his handsome profile, remembering their heated kiss. She told herself that she had purposefully avoided relationships over these past two years, but now realized that wasn’t true.
At Julie and Derek’s wedding, she’d been immediately attracted to Zack, even though she knew he was still grieving the loss of his wife and daughter. But now that he’d kissed her, she understood that she wasn’t interested in other men because she cared about Zack.
Far more than she should.
There was nothing she could do though, if Zack didn’t return her feelings. Was this how Blake had felt when she explained she didn’t love him? She couldn’t help the flash of guilt. She tried to concentrate on scoping out a parking space, which were nonexistent on a Saturday afternoon with all the summer tourists flocking to the lake.
“We’ll have to walk a ways,” Zack said as he reached the end of Main Street. “I should have just stayed in the sheriff’s department parking lot. We could have walked from there just as easily.”
“I don’t mind walking. I’ve been feeling like a slug, and I obviously won’t be able to do my usual exercise routine for the next few weeks.”
“All right.” Zack parked the truck and pocketed his keys. They walked back up Main Street, weaving around tourists to make their way to Rose’s Café.
Merry hoped it was just her imagination that made her feel like everyone inside the Café stared at them as they walked in. Having lunch with Zack two days in a row would surely start the small town tongues wagging. Then she spotted Dr. Katy’s auburn hair across the room and rushed over.
“Hi, Dr. Katy.”
“Merry!” Dr. Katy gave her a quick hug. “I’m so glad to see that you’re feeling better.”
“I’m fine. But tell me, how is Leonard? I know you managed to sedate him, but I’m hoping he didn’t have to end up being transferred to the psych hospital in Madison.”
Dr. Katy’s smile faded. “Unfortunately, that is where he ended up. When we finally tracked down his mother Doreen, she was in the cafeteria and had no idea how she’d gotten there. I conferred with several of my colleagues and we agreed she wasn’t capable of taking care of Leonard any longer.”
“Oh no, that’s terrible,” Merry whispered. She’d been praying for Leonard and his mother, but hearing that he might have to spend the rest of his life in a psych hospital was discouraging. “I feel so awful for what happened.”
“It’s not your fault.” Dr. Katy’s smile was sad. “Most physicians across the country will agree that the current way of providing psychiatric care isn’t meeting the needs of our patients. I know locking up Leonard isn’t the answer, but most halfway house facilities don’t want to take a chance on taking him in because of his history of violent outbursts. It’
s a lose-lose situation all the way around.”
Merry knew Dr. Katy was right, but that didn’t make her feel any better. “I know, thanks for the update.”
She turned around to join Zack, only to find him right behind her. The dejected expression on his face confirmed that he’d overheard Dr. Katy’s remarks.
“I’m sorry to hear about Leonard,” he murmured as they slid into a vacant booth.
“It’s not your fault any more than it’s mine,” Merry pointed out. “All we can do now is pray for him.”
“Okay.” Zack shocked her by bowing his head. “Dear Lord, we ask You to heal Leonard and to provide him the comfort he deserves, Amen.”
She stared at Zack in shock, awed and humbled that he’d pray for Leonard when he hadn’t prayed for himself.
And in that moment, she began to hope that Zack might just find his way back to faith and God after all.
Chapter Ten
Zack wasn’t sure why he’d felt the need to pray for Leonard, other than he felt guilty for the role he’d played in the poor guy ending up locked up in a psychiatric hospital. But the pleased expression on Merry’s face made him feel good. As if she approved.
However, mere seconds later, the familiar guilt began to creep in. He knew he was fast losing control of the situation, but somehow he couldn’t seem to make himself stop the downward spiral. Praying had opened up a fissure in his heart he’d thought he’d firmly cemented shut. But, thankfully, he didn’t feel the same deep, stabbing pain that he had during those first few months after losing Amelia and Suz.
A sign that he was finally healing, the way their church pastor had once told him he would? Maybe. But Zack wasn’t certain that it was a positive sign.
Shouldn’t a man who’d promised to love and honor his wife stay true to her, even after she was gone? Was he betraying Suz by wanting to kiss Merry? And what about his daughter? How could he ever bring more children into the world after losing Amelia? No child could ever replace Amelia in his heart.