And it was a shame. She’d enjoyed getting to know Jaxon this morning. But her time in Fog Lake would be coming to an end.
She needed to figure out a way to get out of town. How she was going to do that, she didn’t know. But there had to be a way.
Jaxon sat beside Abby in Luke’s office. The message left on her windshield had been unnerving, to say the least. Had it been written in blood?
He had no idea. The liquid would need to be tested. And, even if the substance was blood, it wasn’t necessarily human.
But that didn’t make Jaxon feel any better.
“When did you first start receiving these threats from the man referred to as the Executioner?” Luke sat at his desk, an intimidating figure. It came with the job, though part of Jaxon wished he’d cut Abby some slack. She’d already been through a lot.
Abby rubbed her hands against her jeans. Jaxon thought some color had begun coming back to her cheeks earlier this morning. But now she looked paler than ever. Seeing that message would have shaken anyone.
“It started about two months ago. This man goes by the name of Judge, Jury, and Executioner. I guess I just shortened it to the Executioner.”
Disgust trickled through Jaxon. Whoever this person was they were dealing with, he was sick. Totally sick.
“Tell us about the first time you ever heard from him,” Luke said.
Abby drew in a long, shaky breath. “The first time I heard from him was through an email. He said he knew who I was and that he would personally see to it that I paid for my sins.”
“Any idea what that means?” Luke tilted his head.
Jaxon knew his brother. He was not only listening to every word Abby said, but he was also watching her body language, looking for any sign she wasn’t telling the truth. Their dad had taught them how to be observant. He’d been sheriff here before Luke—before cancer had taken him away too early.
“I’ve made my fair share of mistakes in life, but he never said anything specific about how I was a sinner,” Abby said.
Was Abby being vague on purpose? Jaxon wondered. That’s what Jaxon had to assume.
“What happened next?” Luke asked.
“I kept getting the same type of emails, with the same types of threats.”
“Did you go to the police?”
Abby shrugged. “They didn’t seem all that concerned, especially since nothing else happened.”
“Then what?” Luke continued.
“I began getting text messages also. Somehow, this man got my phone number. Somebody began following me. I thought I was just being paranoid, especially since I never saw anyone’s face and nothing specific happened. But the feeling always remained with me.” She ran a trembling hand through her hair.
Luke picked up a pen and jotted something on a pad of paper in front of him. “Do you still have copies of these messages or texts?”
Abby swallowed so hard that Jaxon saw her throat tighten. “I deleted them.”
“And why would you do that?”
Abby shrugged and began rubbing her hands on her jeans again. She seemed to do that when she was nervous. “They bothered me. I found myself staring at them all the time. And, like I said, the police in my hometown didn’t seem to be willing to help me.”
Why would the police ignore those threats? Jaxon wondered. It didn’t make sense.
“Is your computer with you?” Luke asked. “Maybe we can still access them.”
“I left my computer and my phone back at home.”
Jaxon glanced at his brother’s face and saw the doubt in his eyes. This wasn’t going the way Luke had hoped. Jaxon, too, had hoped Abby might be forthcoming with her answers, but that didn’t appear to be the case. Despite that, the picture that formed wasn’t a good one.
“Did things continue to escalate?” Luke asked.
“I came home from work one day and noticed that someone had been in my apartment. I didn’t think anything was taken, but later I found a snake hiding under my bed.” She shivered as she talked about it. “I had to call an exterminator to get rid of it. It was poisonous.”
Instead of rubbing her jeans, she touched her head. Jaxon remembered the doctor’s instructions. She was supposed to take it easy.
This didn’t qualify.
“Anything else?” Luke’s eagle-eyed gaze remained on her.
Abby drew a deep breath. “I kept having the feeling that somebody was coming and going from my place. I even had the locks changed. After a while, I went to stay with a friend. I continued to get emails and texts and to feel like somebody was watching me. Also, the threats became more detailed. This man talked about what he was going to do when he finally decided to exact his judgment on me.”
Luke leaned forward “And what was that?”
“He was going to break one of my bones for every sin I’d ever committed. He was going to keep me alive so he could delight in my cries of pain. And he would make an example of me for all the world to see.”
Chapter Twelve
Jaxon and Luke met in the hallway after Luke finished questioning Abby.
“So what do you think?” Luke asked, his gaze on Jaxon.
There was a time when Luke would have never asked for Jaxon’s opinion. Maybe things had changed while he’d been away. Maybe he was no longer viewed as just a little brother.
“There’s obviously something she’s still hiding,” Jaxon finally said.
Luke rubbed his jaw. “That’s what I think too. But what? Everything she said was so horrific. I can’t imagine what she wouldn’t be telling us.”
“Maybe there’s some kind of sin she’s ashamed to mention.”
“Possibly.”
“Either way, the danger this woman is in is real.”
Luke glanced down at his phone and frowned again.
“Everything okay?” Jaxon asked. Whatever message was there had obviously distracted Luke from his investigation into Abby. What else could possibly be going on?
“A woman here in town with a corporate getaway for her law firm disappeared last night. None of her colleagues have seen her since then, and they’re getting worried.”
“Doesn’t she have to be gone for twenty-four hours before you can do anything?”
“That’s what people say, but we will initiate something sooner if we feel the need. That’s what we’re going to have to do here. Her car is still at her chalet, and she’s not answering her cell phone. Everyone says this isn’t like her.”
“It sounds like you have a full plate today.”
“Yes, not to mention that we have Harper’s birthday party tomorrow night. You’re still coming, right?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Jaxon shifted. “So what are you going to do about Abby?”
Luke frowned and glanced at his office, where Abby waited. “All I know to do is to continue investigating and keep my eyes open. I sent one of my guys over to her cabin to see if there was any other evidence there. I hope to hear back from him soon.”
“Is she free to go?”
“She’s free to go. Are you going to let her keep staying at your place?” Luke studied Jaxon’s gaze, and he almost felt like he was being tested.
Jaxon shrugged. “I don’t mind if she uses the apartment above mine. It seems a shame to let it sit empty when she needs help.”
Luke nodded, as if he wasn’t surprised. “Just be careful.”
“You think she’s dangerous?” Jaxon honestly wanted to know what Luke was thinking. His brother was more objective in this situation than he was.
“I didn’t say that. But, like we both said, she’s hiding something. We don’t know what that information is.”
Jaxon nodded, unable to argue with his brother’s assessment. “Will do. I’ll keep an eye on her. Especially until we know what’s going on.”
He hoped he didn’t regret it.
Abby jerked her head up as Jaxon and Luke stepped back into the office. She could only imagine the conver
sation they’d been having. No doubt, it had centered around what she’d just told them.
Did they buy her story? She’d told them the truth—just not all of it.
Guilt pressed in on her at the thought, but she needed to stand by her convictions. As a matter of self-preservation, there were some details she needed to keep quiet.
She wasn’t good at playing games. Her natural inclination was to be an open book and freely share details about her life.
That would be foolish right now, though.
“Listen, how about we grab a bite to eat?” Jaxon suggested. “We didn’t finish our breakfast, and it’s lunchtime now.”
“I don’t have my purse . . .”
“I can cover you.”
That wasn’t even her biggest concern. Being out in public brought an entirely different kind of anxiety. However, with Jaxon by her side, she somehow felt safer. Which was ridiculous. She didn’t know the man. She shouldn’t depend on him. Yet, part of her already trusted him.
She and Jaxon walked down the street. The day around them was still gray, and something in the air seemed to promise snow soon. She tightened the scarf that Jaxon had loaned her, thankful for the warmth.
Two blocks later they reached the Hometown Diner. The inside looked like she had stepped back in time to the sixties, and it smelled like all the goodness of her childhood. French fries and hamburgers and sizzling crispy chicken tenders.
“It’s not much, but it’s one of my favorite places to grab a bite of comfort food here in town.” Jaxon followed her gaze. “I figured some comfort food might do the job right now.”
“Sounds great,” Abby said.
They were seated at a booth in the corner of the room as strands of The Contours’ “Do You Love Me?” played from the jukebox.
A few minutes later, Abby had ordered a crispy chicken sandwich with buffalo sauce and some french fries with ranch. The meal wouldn’t be great for her waistline, but her mouth was watering for it. Comfort food sounded like the perfect remedy right now.
Abby hadn’t eaten much over the past week. Suddenly her appetite was coming back strong. Which made no sense. She’d think she wouldn’t want to eat anything after seeing that cryptic message left on her car.
She shoved the thought aside and tried to pretend this was just a normal lunch with a new friend. A moment of normal might do her a world of good.
“Is this your first time in Fog Lake?” Jaxon asked before taking a sip of his sweet tea.
“It is. I’ve been to Gatlinburg before but never Fog Lake. But I’ve always heard good things about it.”
“It’s quite the place. In the summer, people camp, fish, zipline, and hike. The lake is busy with watersports and houseboats. Then there’s the fall . . . when the leaves are changing and the harvest festival takes place, Fog Lake is the place to be.”
“I just saw the advertisement for a Hills, Hollows, and Hearts celebration . . .” Abby had passed some signs on the street corner advertising the Valentine’s Day event as they’d walked here.
“That’s something new that the town is trying this year,” Jaxon said. “They are going to set up some outside heaters and some bonfires. A local band, Rosie and the Men Who Stole My Land, is going to open for Dirk Watson.”
“The country singer?”
“He’s buying a cabin out in this area and offered to do the concert for free.”
“Nice.”
“It should be. There will be food and a dance in the town square. It should be a good time.”
“It sounds charming.” It was too bad that Abby wouldn’t be here for that. Or, even if she was, no way she would find herself enjoying an evening like that—not with the imminent threats she faced.
She hadn’t enjoyed herself in such a long time. For that matter, she couldn’t even remember when the last time was. If Abby had to guess, it would be the last date she and Patrick had together. They’d met down in the Florida Keys—Patrick had paid—and they’d gone snorkeling.
That seemed like another lifetime . . . or a bad dream.
“With this town’s history, it’s good to find some joy, you know?” Jaxon continued.
Abby realized he was still talking about the Valentine’s celebration. “The town’s history?” she questioned.
Jaxon shrugged. “You heard about the Native American massacre here, right?”
“Now that you mention it, it does sound vaguely familiar.”
“It was terrible. A lot of people feel like this town will never be the same because of it.”
A pretty woman with curly dark hair wandered over to them just then. She was dressed like a businesswoman in her black slacks and button-up blouse. Her eyes were warm on Jaxon’s.
Abby wondered if this might be someone Jaxon was interested in. Certainly someone like Jaxon had a long line of women waiting to date him. She’d yet to see one reason he’d still be single.
“Hey, Jax.” The woman paused at their booth. “Good to see you out and about.” The woman’s gaze turned to Abby, and she extended her hand along with a wide smile. “I’m Harper, Jaxon’s sister-in-law.”
“And Sheriff Wilder’s wife,” Jaxon added.
Abby sat up a little straighter. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Abby.”
“Nice to meet you. I was just grabbing lunch to go.” She held up the bag in her hands. “I saw you over here and wanted to swing by to say hello. By the way, I heard about that missing woman.”
Missing woman? What was she talking about?
“Scary, huh?” Jaxon glanced at Abby, as if trying to read her expression.
“I hope they find her. The attorney who organized the retreat has called Luke multiple times as well as City Hall. He’s not going to let this drop until she’d found.” Harper shook her head. “Anyway, I’ll talk to you two later. Nice to meet you, Abby.”
After Harper left, Abby looked back at Jaxon. “Missing woman?”
“It could be nothing.”
“It doesn’t sound like nothing.”
Jaxon shrugged. “Luke is handling it.”
Abby forced herself to nod and drop the subject. Jaxon obviously didn’t want to talk about it. But curiosity burned in her mind. Could this be connected?
“Harper seems nice,” Abby finally said.
“She’s very nice. Luke was really lucky to find her. She’s a former journalist, but now she helps out with public relations here in town. I am nearly certain Hills, Hollows, and Hearts was her brainchild.”
Journalist? Abby hoped the woman didn’t still have a nose for story leads. If so, Abby had walked right into the middle of trouble.
She hardly had time to think about it, though.
Across the restaurant, Abby felt someone’s gaze on her and tensed. She scanned the patrons inside, searching for the source of her discomfort.
Her eyes stopped on a man sitting by himself in the diner.
She hadn’t been imagining things. The man, probably in his late forties, sat on the other side of the room. When he saw Abby looking, he quickly glanced away.
He fit a basic description of the Executioner. He was the same height and stature. Probably the same age, and definitely the same ethnicity. He didn’t have a beard, but he could have shaved.
Abby tried to pull herself together before her actions revealed too much of her and her thoughts. She didn’t want Jaxon asking more questions. However, if this man was the Executioner, not only was she in danger right now, but so was Jaxon.
Suddenly, her appetite disappeared.
Just as the thought entered her mind, the waitress set their food in front of them. Jaxon lifted up a prayer before digging into his burger. Abby picked at her fries, but her gaze continually went back to the man across the restaurant. Whenever he thought Abby wasn’t watching, he stared at her again.
“Is that man giving you trouble?” Jaxon asked.
Abby should have known that he was studying her, watching her expressions and practically reading her tho
ughts. The man was too observant for his own good.
“It’s nothing,” she insisted. “I’m just on edge.”
“Do you recognize that man?” Jaxon obviously wasn’t buying her excuse.
“I don’t. But I did notice him watching me. Doesn’t mean anything.”
Jaxon’s hard gaze crossed the room. Abby looked back at the man again and saw him turn back to the newspaper in his hands.
Unease sloshed inside her.
In a situation like this, how exactly did she know whom to trust?
Chapter Thirteen
Jaxon needed to make a choice. Should he confront the stranger across the restaurant, or wait to see how things played out?
He’d been watching the man also, and he’d seen him looking at Abby. The man looked harmless on the outside, like a businessman having a casual lunch. Nothing about him screamed menacing. But that didn’t mean he was innocent. Nor did it mean he was guilty.
Just as Jaxon started to rise from the booth to strike up a conversation with the man, his phone buzzed. He looked down and saw a text from Ansley.
She’s the other woman.
What in the world was his sister talking about? He typed back:
???
Before he could see Ansley’s reply, the man across the restaurant stood and strode toward them. Jaxon bristled, waiting for trouble and preparing himself to act.
Across from him, Abby froze. Her breathing became fast, shallow. Sweat sprinkled across her forehead.
The man offered a sympathetic smile as he approached. “I’m sorry to be staring. It’s just that you look like someone familiar.”
Abby offered a weak smile, but her breathing seemed to even out some. “I get that a lot.”
“I could tell I was making you uncomfortable, so I wanted to apologize. I was just trying to place who I thought you might be.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Abby rushed.
The man’s gaze lingered on her a moment longer before he nodded and took a step back. “Well, enjoy your lunches. I’m sorry to interrupt.”
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