Plain Refuge

by Janice Kay Johnson

  Because she meant to stay, to work on the house with him? He hoped the insecurity was gone, once and for all.

  “Okay.” He kissed her goodbye and drove to work, parking in back.

  The first couple of hours were consumed by administrative necessities. Scheduling for the next week, always a juggling act. Given the current tension, he denied a request for leave. Worked on a budget request asking for some improved technology he intended to submit to the county council, even though he knew it would be denied. All the while, he kept an eye on the clock.

  At nine in the morning West Coast time, he called Estevez.

  “Just walked in the door. I was going to call you first thing,” the detective claimed. “Warrant came through yesterday for Tim and Josh, denied for Gregory senior.” He didn’t sound surprised, as Daniel wasn’t. “We pinged their phones. We got nothing on Griffen’s phone. I did a little leg work. Turns out both Gregorys are here in the city.”

  “You talked to Robert?”

  “Damn straight I did. I got an icy reception. He said his only interest is in his grandson, that he’s ‘pursuing legal remedies.’ Tim was home, said he wouldn’t talk to me again without his attorney being present, but a blind man would have known he’s falling apart. I told him he’s wanted for assault in Missouri. He tried to claim that’s ridiculous, his ex-wife’s bruises were the result of an accident and she’s accusing him maliciously, but he’s scared shitless.”

  “You think he’ll crack.”

  “Oh, yeah. My gut feeling is he got in over his head. He’s furious with Ms. Holt, but the possibility of being implicated in the abduction of an innocent woman and child has him shaking in his boots. I told him to be smart and stay put. That taking off, and especially setting foot in Missouri right now, would not look good to investigators, prosecutors or the judge and jury when he appears in court.”

  “You’ll know if he takes off?”

  “If he flies commercial. I’ll try to keep an eye on him, but you know how overextended we are.”

  It was a sad truth in any jurisdiction.

  “When do you intend to pull him in for an interview?”

  “This afternoon. I’ll call you after.”

  They signed off, Daniel wishing he could feel relief. Josh Griffen, likely still here in the county, was the dangerous one. He was willing to bet the partnership between Josh and Tim was irreparably broken. Tim had gotten greedy, and then panicked and tried to cover up what he’d done. But Josh had killed and was willing to kill again to save his own skin.

  Knowing it was Rebecca whom Josh intended to kill sent rage running like an electric current beneath Daniel’s skin. He had to find the son of a bitch.

  * * *

  THUNDER GRUMBLED IN the distance, increasing Rebecca’s sense of unease. She didn’t understand herself. Daniel had worked yesterday, too, leaving her alone, and she hadn’t felt the tiny hairs on her nape prickling, hadn’t been so aware of how quiet the house was, hadn’t been unwilling to play music to fill that quiet.

  He’d mentioned not having a landline, but she hadn’t expected the lack of a phone to scrape at her nerves. Daniel had tossed the one she’d used to call Tim into a Dumpster, saying it wasn’t safe for her to keep using. She wished she’d thought to ask him to replace it, but she hadn’t expected this uneasy awareness that she had no way to call him for help, or for him to let her know if anything happened.

  She did read, but kept imagining small sounds. Or maybe the house was settling, as old houses did. Each time she heard a noise, she’d walk a circuit through the downstairs, peeking through blinds or around curtains in a way that wouldn’t show if anyone was watching the house. It was dumb to have let her imagination run wild. Tim and Josh couldn’t possibly know she was here. Besides the woods in back, there wasn’t a good place for a watcher to hide, either.

  But instinct said something was going to happen.

  And all she could do was wait and listen as the storm drew closer.

  * * *

  THEY NEEDED RAIN, but did it have to be today? Answering the internal line on his desk phone, Daniel stood at the window in his office looking at the ominous clouds filling the sky to the north.

  “What’s up?”

  Melissa Sue said, “Bert at the corner store called. He says some young guys are hanging out in the parking lot hassling customers. He’s losing business. He sounded mad.”

  Daniel sighed. “I’ll walk over.”

  Forget what he’d been thinking about the storm. With some luck, he decided, the skies would open up and soak the little jackasses. A lightning bolt somewhere in their vicinity wouldn’t be a bad thing, either, so long as nobody was hurt. He looked up at the sky as he turned the corner. How about it, God? he asked, while acknowledging that He had more important things to do. If this is my purpose, then He trusts me to do my job, he reminded himself.

  His jaw tightened when he recognized Billy Shaver at the center of the cluster of young men, pants hanging low, cigarettes dangling from several of their mouths. Damon wasn’t with them—maybe he’d acquired a little sense. A woman had pulled up to get gas in front, but two of the boys circled her car, slapping hands on the roof, hood and trunk. She jerked in fear with each ring of metal, afraid to get out. Daniel couldn’t figure out why terrorizing a woman on her own could possibly be fun.

  The boys saw him approaching and retreated to their pack. The woman seized the chance to drive away without filling her tank. Daniel saw Bert, the stocky store owner, standing behind the glass doors, arms crossed, glowering.

  Not boys, Daniel told himself. Not this group. He knew them all. They were troublemakers, none younger than eighteen. At least two, including Billy, were over twenty-one. Old enough to know better. An Amish man of their age would have committed to his church, be marrying and starting a family, working hard at his profession.

  He knew they’d seen him across the parking lot, but Daniel turned when he heard the fast clop of horses’ hooves on pavement and the hum of wheels. Not much reason for Amish to be passing down this road.

  It was Samuel Graber who reined in the horse at the curb beside Daniel. This couldn’t be chance.

  “Amos says Rebecca is with you. Mamm sent me to find you, to say that Ephraim has died peacefully, and at home, God be thanked. If she can come, the funeral—” He stopped midsentence, his gaze going past Daniel, who swung around in alarm.

  Oh, damn. He hadn’t seen Billy break away from the group, or heard his approach.

  “The sheriff has hisself an Amish girlfriend,” Billy taunted. “She putting out, Sheriff?”

  Ignoring the rest of the crowd, which was growing brave enough to swagger forward, too, and arrange themselves behind Billy, Daniel skewered the punk with a hard stare. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Back off. You and your buddies.”

  Hate flickered in Billy’s brown eyes. “We’re just being friendly. Curious, you might say. This the lady some men want to find? You ought to be more careful, Sheriff.”

  Temper filled Daniel, as dangerous as the storm but slow moving, too. He had always been able to control it. He took out his phone, wishing he’d called sooner for backup. He hoped Bert had made the call for him.

  But he kept his voice calm in hopes of preventing an escalation. “I’ve tried to work with you, Billy. Give you a fair chance. But that’s not what you want, is it?”

  “Fair chance?” Billy snarled. “That what you call it? Riding my ass, sticking your nose in my business?” He spit a glob of something brown in Daniel’s direction, then told Daniel where he could put his fair chances.

  Would Samuel’s presence make any difference? The horse was shifting uneasily, hooves clattering and harness creaking. Samuel stayed silent.

  Daniel looked from one to another hostile face. “You boys need to go home. This is yo
ur warning. You have no reason to be here. I can arrest you for trespassing if you don’t get moving, now.” He made sure they heard the steel.

  Billy didn’t even blink. Daniel didn’t dare look away. He felt as if he was engaging in a staring contest with a venomous cottonmouth.

  A couple of the others were backing away, and a guy right beside Billy said, “Hey, man, what are you doing?”

  Billy shrugged insolently. “Must be the girlfriend that has the sheriff so hot and bothered. I’m going.” He started to turn away, then, with the speed of a striking snake, he lashed out, sending Daniel’s phone flying. He took off running, followed by the others.

  Daniel growled something Samuel would find abhorrent, but let them go. He could track them down later. It was the threat that mattered.

  This the lady some men want to find? You ought to be more careful.

  If Billy knew who to call...

  The horse danced, Samuel murmuring reassurance. Even so, the buggy rocked forward and back—and Daniel saw his phone just before a steel wheel rim rolled over it with a crunch.

  Daniel’s decision to arrest the punk set, concrete hard.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  THUNDER RATTLED THE window glass. Rebecca cringed. No more than a second later, the shocking flash of light momentarily blinded her. Rain hammered on the roof and enveloped the house in gray sheets. The light was murky, even if it was only five thirty and sunset was almost two hours away.

  With her ears still ringing, she wasn’t positive she’d heard the car engine, but then the door rattled and Daniel walked in. He was drenched—hair plastered to his head, uniform to his body.

  Stopping just inside, he said, “Would you mind getting me a towel? I don’t want to drip all the way through the house.”

  Rebecca ran upstairs and brought a couple of towels. Daniel was already stripping. She watched as he tossed the shirt to one side in the tiny mudroom that also held a stacked washer and dryer. The chill she’d felt all day lessened at the pleasure of seeing that muscular body as he scrubbed himself with the first towel, ending up with his hair poking every which way.

  And then she really looked at his face, and the chill returned. “What’s wrong?”

  “You mean, what new and fresh disaster do I have to report?”

  She nodded.

  “I have to move you again. A conversation I had with your uncle was overheard by an ex-con who hates me.”

  “But he couldn’t know—”

  “He does.” Definitely grim. “He instantly associated you with ‘the lady some men want to find.’”

  She dropped into a straight-backed kitchen chair. “Right now?”

  He unbuckled his belt and dropped his holster and gun on one end of the counter, then stripped off his shoes, socks and soggy pants, leaving him in nothing but shorts. “By morning. With this weather, I have to stay available. Creeks and river were so low, we shouldn’t have any flooding, but there’ll be car accidents and fires. I need to change, get out my rain gear and go back to headquarters.”

  Leaving her here, alone. But she could only nod because, of course, he had to do his job.

  “You’ll have to come with me,” he added. “I hate to stick you in that conference room again, but you’ll be safest there. If you don’t have something warmer to put on, I’ll find you a sweatshirt. I have an extra rain slicker, too.”

  Not alone. Thank you.

  Thunder rolled, but not overhead. The lightning flash wasn’t as immediate or as bright. And...had the rain let up a little, too?

  “The pisser is, I lost my phone,” Daniel grumbled. “Should have stopped for a new one, but I was too worried about you. I’ll have the police radio once I get back to the station, but—” His expression changed, the compassion as powerful as a touch, and somehow she knew what he would say.

  “Samuel drove to town to let me know your grandfather died, Rebecca. Peacefully, he said.” Daniel padded across the kitchen to her and crouched beside the chair, laying a cold hand over hers. “I’m sorry.”

  Tears threatened, but she held them back. She bobbed her head. “It was coming.”

  “Yes.” His blue eyes searched hers. “Samuel sounded almost relieved. His daad went the way he should, at home, his family around him. It would have been harder on all of them if Ephraim had died that night at the hospital.”

  “Hooked up to all those machines.” She still wanted to cry, but Daniel was right.

  “You okay?”

  She pulled herself together. “Yes. Go change.”

  After another, thorough scan of her face, he rose. “I need to take a quick shower. Then we can go.” He grabbed his gun and took it with him.

  Rebecca followed him upstairs and went into the guest room to dig through her duffel bag. Fortunately, she had jeans and athletic shoes. T-shirt, with a hoodie over it, she decided, pulling out what she needed.

  She heard the shower across the hall and indulged herself in the sensual memory of showering with Daniel before she sighed, stepped out of the skirt and reached for the jeans.

  More thunder, and the rain was still coming down, but she went still, listening. Was that a car? Maybe a deputy coming to get Daniel because he couldn’t call?

  Quickly fastening the jeans, she sidled until she was beside the window and dared to take a peek. The sedan that blocked the garage was silver, not sheriff’s department green and white. And a dark-colored SUV was coming up the driveway, going fast. It veered to cross the lawn, disappearing around the front of the house. Car doors opened and men climbed out, carrying rifles.

  Heart drumming, she tore across the hall. The bathroom door opened just as she reached it and Daniel walked out.

  “There are men with guns outside,” she gasped. “They’re surrounding the house.”

  Daniel said a word she’d never heard him use. He ran to the bedroom, eased the shade aside and swore again. A second later, he had a big, evil-looking weapon in his hand.

  “Look in my closet,” he said. “There’s a gun safe. I have a backup handgun and ammunition in there.” He told her the combination, which she dialed with a shaking hand.

  The smaller gun was already loaded but only held six bullets, he told her.

  “I need to call—” He gritted his teeth. “No phone. That punk did it on purpose.”

  Rebecca didn’t ask for explanation. “Your tablet?”

  “Kitchen.”

  She vaguely recalled seeing him set it down.

  They were completely isolated.

  Glass shattered downstairs.

  “The bathroom is the safest place for you,” he told her with unnatural calm, gaze steady. “Sit down in the tub. It’s cast iron, and will stop bullets. I’ll identify myself if I open the door. If somebody else tries to come in, shoot them. Aim for the torso. It’s hard to miss at close range.”

  “What about you?”

  Even as she asked, he pulled on a vest, fastening it with Velcro tape. She’d seen those before, black with POLICE in white across the back. Thank God he had one here, only...it didn’t seem to protect enough of his big body.

  A voice came up the stairs and she knew her chance of scuttling into the bathroom had been lost. “Rebecca, you know what I want.” Josh. “Hand it over, and we’ll go away.”

  Sure they would. But when her lips parted, Daniel shook his head. So softly she barely heard, he said, “They can’t be sure you’re here.”

  Oh.

  Daniel stood just inside his bedroom door, where he could see the hall and staircase. He raised his voice. “You’re armed and you’ve broken into a police officer’s home. If you thought you were in trouble before, it was nothing.”

  A shot rang out. He didn’t even flinch, although she heard wood splinter and plastic crumble. Daniel leaned fo
rward and fired. One, two.

  Swearing came from down below.

  He looked at her with those eerily calm eyes and whispered, “Lie down behind the bed.”

  She did, her head at the foot of the bed where she would see approaching feet. And then she waited.

  * * *

  HE SHOULD HAVE gotten her stowed in the bathroom quicker.

  But—shit. He had a ladder in the garage. If they found it, they could climb the side of the house and come in through one of the windows. There were at least four of them, one of him. And no way for him to call for help.

  He peered around the door frame and saw the top of a head. This time, he deliberately aimed high as he took a shot.

  After hearing an obscene word and a clatter on the stairs, Daniel raised his voice. “Last warning.”

  He faced the knowledge that he might have to kill, something he’d avoided in his career so far. Fighting back was one thing. Taking warning shots. But killing another human being? Even cops with no religious faith struggled after having to commit that act. For him, it could be soul destroying.

  His jaw tightened as he pushed the devastating realization away. To keep Rebecca safe, he’d do whatever these men forced him into. Even as a boy, he hadn’t been able to turn the other cheek. Now, the weight of the gun in his hand told him what he had become.

  A barrage of gunfire had him stepping back. Then he thrust his hand around the door frame and opened fire blindly.

  “Daniel?”

  He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Rebecca had risen to her knees to look out the window. Damn it, she knew better.

  “There’s a horse and buggy coming.”

  “What?”

  In a voice filled with fear, she said, “I think it’s Onkel Samuel.”

  Had he come to apologize for betraying Rebecca’s location today? Or had he heard something? Please God, he prayed, don’t let them kill such a good man, and in front of Rebecca.