by Nora LeDuc
She’d expected a story about an argument or a fistfight, but not attempted murder.
Her aunt’s scolding voice popped into her mind. Gossiping at Lisa’s vigil? And with Stacey!
When they reached the upstairs, the oak door was open and the sounds of outside had grown louder. Ignoring her conscience, she peeked out at the gathering. Stars and a full moon lit up the sky. A crowd filled the front green and stretched from the steps, past the sidewalk to the Main Street curb. The sound of a guitarist played in the background. People fixed their gazes to the right of the church where the speakers’ platform was setup. Portable lights shone on the stage.
“I’ll let Father Matt know you’re ready. Don’t move.” The door swung shut behind her.
She should give her speech a final read. Teagan grabbed her purse from the last pew and slipped her phone inside as Noah entered the church. He was dressed in gray with his badge clipped to his belt. A surge of relief and excitement pumped through her and shoved aside the doubts she’d had about him. She resisted the urge to throw herself against him and soak up the strength he exuded.
“You’re a tough woman to find. Did you call me a few seconds ago?”
“Yes, I’ve something to tell you, but first, what about the search updates?”
“I have one for you, but it can wait.”
Her heart skipped a beat. She looked into his face, trying to judge if it was good or bad news. “You found Lisa?”
“Why don’t we discuss the latest after the vigil?”
“I’m ready.” She curled her fingers into her palm, bracing herself.
“The dogs tracked Lisa from your house to Pretty Park and back to Park View Street. The scent ended there. We now believe Lisa snuck out, went to the park, and got into a vehicle the night she disappeared, Teagan. Kara Linn went missing in the same area.”
Pretty Park, where the happy laughing brides had their pictures taken on their wedding day was now the scene of abduction and terror.
“Has she ever hitchhiked?”
“Not to my knowledge. And Travis doesn’t own a car, but I guess he could have borrowed his uncle’s truck and picked her up.” Who else would give her a ride? “Jake Clark lives on Park View. Have you talked to him?”
“We’ll be re-interviewing him. We’re also exploring the possibility Travis got a loaner from his uncle, who isn’t cooperating at the moment.”
“I’ve no idea why she’d be at the park.” None of it made sense.
The tap of heels announced Stacey’s return. She slowed at the sight of them. Only then did Teagan realize how close she and Noah stood to each other. One deep breath and they’d touch.
Stacey gave them a curious look and pasted on her usual smile. “Father Matt is ready for you. I think he snuck a cigarette while he was waiting.”
“What do you know a priest with a bad habit.”
“Hello, Detective.” Stacey tilted her head and smiled. “Has Teagan told you she locked herself in the basement storage? She’s lucky I went downstairs or she’d still be in there. You could say I saved the day or the vigil, right, Teagan?”
Noah shifted and touched Teagan’s hand briefly.
Stacey’s gaze dipped to their hands and up to their faces with renewed interest.
“Is that what happened to you?” he asked Teagan in a concerned voice.
“Yes and no.” Should she admit the door was stuck? She’d look like a dummy, but she didn’t want to talk about her latest cell phone text until Stacey left. “I had my St. Jude medal with me. He’s the saint who helps when we’re lost and all is hopeless.”
Stacey rolled her eyes. “You weren’t lost or hopeless. I found you.”
He shook his head. “Is your medal some kind of rabbit’s foot?”
“Not exactly. My aunt gave it to me when I first arrived.” She should have kept quiet. Noah wasn’t into saints.
Stacey shook her head. “We’re going to need St. Jude if you don’t get on the stage soon.”
“I want to speak to you in private.” Teagan managed to say before Stacey stepped forward and angled herself between them.
“You two can chat later, Teagan. Let’s go.”
“After the vigil?” she asked Noah, ignoring Stacey’s tugs on her arm.
“You can’t miss me. I’ll be standing behind you. We’ll continue our conversation when you finish.”
Stacey led her outdoors. The gathering was larger than she expected, spilling out into the sidewalk by the street. She scanned it, but most of the solemn faces belonged to strangers. One of them could be a kidnapper.
Chapter 19
Stacey and Noah lingered near her. The chief of police sat on the stage with a man Teagan recognized as FBI. Matt stood at the mic. He threw her a nod of encouragement, and then asked for the crowd to bow their heads for a moment of silence. Only the sound of cars passing broke the quiet.
Teagan couldn’t restrain herself from skimming over the throng one more time. Seth Bodell had positioned himself in the second row behind the media. Unlike the others, Seth’s head was not bent, and he met her gaze with a scowl. A chill shot through her. Why was Seth always angry? Was he still claiming his nephew had disappeared and blaming her, or was it a trick to hide the truth that Travis had something to do with Lisa’s disappearance?
Matt began speaking again in his low, somber voice. Someone brushed against her elbow, and she looked up to find Noah beside her.
“Doing all right?” He sent her a searching look.
She nodded. The music ended, and Matt introduced her. She targeted the spot in front of the microphones and headed to it. Lights glared in her eyes. She squinted to look beyond the press lamps, but her audience was a sea of strangers. Had one of them come to watch her beg over what he’d done to Lisa?
Doesn’t matter. Speak to Lisa.
Teagan squared her shoulders, but her nerves seemed to revolt. Her mind went blank. No. She couldn’t mess up.
“Lisa, please come home,” Teagan forced the plea out of her dry mouth. “We love and miss you. I want us to celebrate your birthday together the way we planned. Call and let me know you’re safe. To anyone who has her—” Teagan gulped a breath. If you have her, are you watching me and enjoying my pain? No. Don’t go there. This might be my only chance to reach Lisa’s abductor.
“If you have Lisa, please keep her out of harm's way and let her return to us. Thank you.” She turned away as tears rolled down her cheeks. At least she’d gotten through her speech, although she’d skipped most of what she’d practiced all day. Unnerved, she climbed down the steps to retreat to the church and take a few minutes to compose herself.
“Miss Raynes. Miss Raynes,” a man yelled to her.
Her throat clogged with a multitude of emotions: fear, sadness and hope.
On the stage, Matt introduced the police chief who would update them on the progress of the search.
“Miss Raynes.” A man wearing a press pass lanyard dodged in front of her. “I’m Vic Taylor, an editor for the Hawick Falls Citizen.”
He was bald, fortyish and dressed in a blue short sleeved shirt and tan pants, not much taller than Teagan.
“I’ve been writing pieces about my missing niece, Kara Linn. She was last seen in April. You can read my print column in the paper or my blog if you need more information.”
“I’m sorry about Kara, but I can’t talk at the moment. Excuse me.” She ducked around him, but he cut in front of her again, using his square, broad build to stop her.
“Let me be clear. I want to bring both girls home.” He pushed wire rimmed glasses up on his nose. “We should band together. Women get more sympathy and air time. My sister…” His lower lip quivered. “She’s too upset to help.”
“Miss Raynes is finished speaking to the public.” Noah was next to her, a scowl on his face. “Sir, step behind the line for the media.”
“He wants to discuss his niece, Kara, Noah.”
“This is not the place. Too risky. W
e don’t know who’s in the crowd.” When Vic Taylor didn’t move, Noah waved an arm, and two uniformed men flanked Mr. Taylor.
Taylor raised his hands. “I’m leaving. I don’t need armed guards.”
Noah gripped Teagan’s elbow and rushed her forward.
“Call me at the paper, Miss Raynes,” Vic yelled. “We must join forces to uncover who took our girls.”
Before she could answer, Noah escorted her up the church steps. He shut the doors and then steered her into the center aisle, where he faced her. “Are you okay?”
“Give me a second to unwind.” She became aware of their solitude and the stress from the past few minutes eased from her.
She inhaled once more the odor of candle wax and the sweet fragrance of roses that floated through the open windows. Night had fallen and the pendant lights glowed like candles over their heads.
“Want to sit?” Concern lowered his voice.
She shook her head and tried not to cry. What was wrong with her? “If someone took Lisa, would he or she listen and bring her back?”
“We videoed everyone who came tonight and we’ll review it. You can relax. No one will bother you while I’m here.”
His powerful stare made her self-conscious, but she was unable to glance away, and she felt the warmth of a blush.
She fumbled for words as a new tension filled the air. “I’m…fine.” What would he say if she told him the truth? She wasn’t fine. She was a mess who barely remembered the speech she’d practiced and forgot the notes in her pocket. Worse, she was thinking how attracted she was to him when every thought should be devoted to Lisa, a girl who had seemingly vanished off the Earth.
What kind of selfish person was she? More tears burned her eyes. Guilt, regrets, and the urge to be closer to him grew inside her until she was unsure what to say or do. So her feet stayed glued to the floor.
She blinked and focused on the shadow of blond stubble on his jaw and the scent of his soap.
“I have officers posted outside the building. You’re safe.” He leaned toward her. Her heart thudded faster against her ribs. He brushed his knuckles across hers cheek, causing her skin to tingle, and she welcomed the realization. He was going to kiss her, here in the church. Sacrilegious. But the thrill of anticipation spiraled through her.
Teagan’s body warmed, aching for his touch. His thumb skimmed her lower lip as he stepped closer, ending the distance between them. Slowly. Slowly, as though he wanted to give her a chance to turn away, say no.
She held her breath until their bodies met, and then he wrapped his arms around her. Heat radiated off him, merging into her when he kissed her.
She shut off the weak voice that whispered, wrong, and became aware of the hollow of his throat, the roughness of his chin against her skin, and the increased pressure on her lips until she opened her mouth. The voice in her head tried once more to warn her to stop, but the light play of his tongue against hers urged her to taste more.
The building, the background drone of voices outside and the entire night faded away. For one memorable moment, no more pain, no suffering. The world was only about them.
She tightened her arms around him, wanting to hold on forever.
Sirens shrieked in the distance. Their wails grew louder and stronger as though they were meant for her, screaming she’d entered dangerous territory.
“Fire.” Noah pulled away. “They’re coming closer.” He was already ahead of her, walking into the vestibule. She ran across the aisle and entryway to stand beside him on the front steps. On the street, two red engines approached and raced past the vigil with their alarms blaring.
The throng in front of the platform was a sea of flickering light. She hooked a strand of hair behind her ear to give herself a second to compose her thoughts.
“The blaze is close.” Noah pointed to the south end of the village where smoke billowed into the air. His phone buzzed. He paced a few yards from her and answered. She fought the urge to join him. She didn’t want him to leave her side. Her craving for him still hummed in her blood.
Don’t think about the kiss. Teagan focused on the gathering of town people, media, and police. The flames of the candles illuminated people’s features with an eerie glow. Nowhere did she find a face that matched Lisa or her mother’s.
Seth was gone, but in the middle of the mass stood Jake Clark. He was staring at the street along with many of the others, following the engines until their taillights vanished.
Even from the distance of fifty feet, she recognized the apprehension in his stiff body when he turned and their gazes met. He whirled around to the sidewalk and worked his way through the mass of people to exit.
Noah pocketed his phone and returned. “We need to go. Where’s your car?”
“I parked in the rear lot. Noah, Jake is out there. Did you want to speak to him?”
“I do. Where is he?” He snapped his attention to the pack of people.
“He headed away from the vigil.” She pointed in the direction. “He’s probably gone.
Seth was out there, too, wearing his usual scowl.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get you an escort. Wait a second.” He ran down the church steps to his men standing at the bottom.
On the stage, the FBI consultant was discussing the five-mile radius that had been searched and asking for any tip, large or small. Teagan ducked inside the church and grabbed her purse. She paused to stare at the center of the aisle where she and Noah had kissed. One moment gone forever. She hurried back to him.
“Let’s go, and stay beside me.” He turned on his heel.
“I want to tell you something.” She caught his wrist and dropped it when he faced her with a question in his eyes.
“Someone sent me a text when I was stuck in the basement.” She dug out her phone and scrolled to the message.
Noah looked over her shoulder at the screen. “Latin again? Did you figure it out?”
“I think it says ‘I have the body’.”
“Right, that’s the literal translation. The phrase has a legal meaning too, but if it’s a threat, I’d go with your interpretation.”
“I guess the texter wanted to make sure I was able to translate it.”
Noah’s phone buzzed. She started to move away to give him privacy, but he hooked his arm around her waist and tugged her to his side. Surprised, she glanced up at him. He was listening to the caller and not paying attention to her.
He hung up and released her. “I’ll drive you home.”
“I don’t want to leave my car here.” The idea of being stranded filled her with another fear.
“Hand over your keys, and I’ll assign an officer to bring your vehicle to your house.”
The pressure of his hand on her arm alerted her he wouldn’t stand around discussing it. She passed him the key ring.
“Come with me.” He steered her inside the church and to the exit at the other end of the building, where they exited.
Father Matt’s closing prayer carried over the bent heads of the gathering. The odor of ashes and soot choked the night sky.
Noah paused. “Where’s your car?”
A mass of vehicles parked at odd angles filled the rear parking lot. Anyone could hide behind an auto, or truck, spring out, and attack her. Teagan’s teeth began to chatter with stress. She pressed her lips together and pointed toward her hybrid a few feet away.
Noah spoke to an officer, who suddenly appeared, and passed him her key along with her address. Noah guided Teagan to his vehicle parked behind the stage. He opened the passenger door, and she slid inside.
In the closed quarters, the smell of smoke clung to her clothing and to her hair. She angled her head to glimpse the dark cloud rising skyward. The woods below the mountains must be burning.
Noah climbed into the driver’s seat. He gripped the steering wheel in a white-knuckle clench. They rode in silence until they reached her house, where he parked in her driveway. He shifted and looked beyond her out her wi
ndow. “Teagan, remember the dogs tracked both Kara and Lisa into Pretty Park? Our new theory is that someone is hunting girls at the park.”
Chapter 20
Teagan focused her attention on the shadow of the smoke spiraling past the mountains. The rest of his words became lost as fear grew in her mind.
The gray cloud billowed higher and higher and disappeared into the heavens, but not before they marked the spot. The woods at Pretty Park were on fire. Was the clue to bringing Lisa home going up in smoke?
Noah escorted Teagan into her home. “I have to go to the fire. I’ll need your cell before I leave. The techies will work on tracing your last call.”
He held up his hand when she started to protest. “We’ll pick up another one when I get back.”
“Never mind. I’ll use Aunt Sophia’s phone.” Hers was still in service. “I’ll give you her number.” She plugged her aunt’s digits into his cell when he passed it to her. “When will you return mine?” Not that she was up for chatting or texting, but what if a miracle happened and Lisa called her phone? At least the tap was still on her phone and all calls recorded.
“Depends on backlog at the lab, but we’ll hope for forty-eight hours.”
Jogger appeared in the hall and meowed at them until Teagan bent and patted the cat. “You’ll keep me company, right?”
“I’m not reassured.” Noah muttered. “Remember, no one enters.” He reached for the doorknob and hesitated.
“What is it?” Had he more to report?
“I’ll check the house first.”
“I’m starting to feel OCD about my locks.”
“You can never be too careful. I’ll do a walkthrough. Wait until I’m finished to enter.” He marched into the living room.
She turned her attention to the outside and the stray ashes that blew her way. The longer she watched the smoke, the more her anxiety built.
“All clear,” he said, coming back into the hall.
“Noah, if the dogs found traces of Lisa at the park, she might have gone back to hide in the woods.” Teagan rubbed her arms that were chilled and whispered, “I pray she’s safe and not in the area that’s burning. Please, go look for her.”