Plain Danger (Military Investigations)

by Debby Giusti

  “Your father didn’t want this to happen.”

  “But was he involved, Tyler? I keep thinking it can’t be coincidental.”

  “Have you found anything in the journal?”

  “Only that things were hidden somewhere on the property. Charlotte called them her treasures, but she never mentioned gold.”

  “Yet her husband’s letter at the museum mentions coins that needed to be secreted away.”

  “Could all of this—the two murders and the attacks, my tires, the chickens—” She glanced at Tyler, hoping he could make sense of what she was trying to say. “Could they all have been caused by one man’s greed?”

  “I’m not sure at this point. Your father’s death could have been accidental, yet Eli said his friend had seen men fighting. The sergeant major usually carried his rifle when he walked in the woods. It wasn’t recovered when his body was found. Did someone kill him and take the rifle?”

  “Maybe Fellows.”

  Tyler nodded. “That could be, but if so, then who killed Fellows and why?”

  “What if the corporal was searching for buried treasure? Someone else could have been working with him,” Carrie mused.

  “The guy who eventually killed him.”

  She nodded. “If everyone’s after the same thing, and they thought my father knew how to find it, they could have been fighting among themselves.”

  They rode in silence as Carrie thought back over the events that had led to this point in time. Tyler seemed equally lost in thought.

  He let out a deep breath when the outline of the old antebellum home appeared in the darkness. After parking at the side of the house, Tyler opened the driver’s door.

  Isaac walked toward the car, Ruth hurrying along behind him.

  “She is all right?” the Amish man asked.

  “Thankfully nothing was broken. She’ll be sore for the next few days, but it could have been so much worse.”

  “Thanks be to Gott,” Ruth said.

  Carrie could hear them talk even though the windows were raised. Opening the door, she waited. Tyler hurried to help her from the car.

  Ruth stepped closer and wrapped Carrie in her arms. “We were so worried.” The Amish woman’s embrace had a motherly quality that brought comfort and a sense of homecoming.

  “You cannot stay alone in your father’s house,” Ruth said. “Isaac and I both insist that you sleep at our house. We have an extra room. You will be safe there.”

  Isaac nodded in agreement. “No one will think to look for you in our house.”

  Carrie glanced at Tyler. “I don’t want to give in or let the attacker think he’s won.”

  “Your safety is our first consideration,” Tyler said. “I don’t want you staying alone in your father’s house after someone was able to get inside. Tomorrow I’ll fix the back door, install more security and get the power turned on, but for now you need to stay with the Lapps.”

  “What about Bailey?” Carried asked, glancing at the house.

  “I brought him earlier into our home,” Isaac assured her. “I wanted to watch him through the night because of the drugs he had in his body. He didn’t seem as playful as usual, and I was worried about him. He is in Joseph’s room, curled up on the floor by his bed. The boy loves him, and the dog is happy there. I will check on both of them later.”

  Relieved that Bailey was in good hands, Carrie realized she needed to accept the Lapps’ offer and stay with them.

  She turned to Tyler. “You’ll be all right?”

  “Of course. I need to contact the local police and CID on post and try to put together any new information they’ve received. Plus, I’ll keep an eye on your house, Carrie, while you rest.”

  She shivered as wind blew through the trees, and a sliver of moon broke through the clouds. Tyler was right, but she didn’t want to leave him.

  Stepping closer, she said, “Thank you, Tyler, for coming to my rescue today.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close for a moment. His embrace warmed her.

  “I’ll see you in the morning,” he whispered, dropping a kiss on her forehead before he pulled away.

  Ruth took her hand. “Come, Carrie. We’ll go to my house now.”

  Carrie glanced over her shoulder as she walked with Ruth. Tyler waved and gave her an encouraging smile visible in the moonlight.

  For one frightening moment, she wondered if she’d see him again. Then shaking off the thought, she followed Ruth into the house. The smell of fresh-baked bread and the oil from the lamps greeted her.

  “You would like something to eat before you go to bed?” Ruth asked, her eyes filled with concern.

  “I’m fine, but tired. Are you sure you have room for me?”

  Ruth nodded. “Upstairs. I have a nightdress you can wear and soap and water if you would like to wash your face and hands.”

  She lifted a small lamp from the nearby table and motioned Carrie to follow her up the wooden stairs.

  The door to the first room was open. Ruth paused and pointed to the bed where Joseph slept. “Look where Bailey is.”

  Carrie peered inside. The dog rested on a small rug at the side of the boy’s bed.

  Ruth smiled. “Joseph will be surprised when he wakes in the morning.”

  Bailey opened his eyes. Spying Carrie, he walked to the door, tail wagging as he nuzzled her leg. She bent to pat him, finding comfort from his welcome.

  “Good to see you, boy,” she whispered so as not to wake Joseph. “I was worried about you.”

  “Your room is this way.” Ruth pointed to the end of the hallway.

  Bailey followed the two women into the small but pretty guest room. A single bed was covered with a quilt. Two fluffy pillows were encased with white pillowcases embroidered with tiny spring flowers. A newly laundered nightdress lay folded on the nearby washstand that also held a basin and pitcher of water. A package of wrapped toiletries added a thoughtful touch that Carrie appreciated.

  Curtains covered the windows in a delicate subdued print that matched some of the quilted patches on the spread. Wall pegs provided a place where Carrie could hang her clothes.

  “If you need anything, just call for me. I will be sleeping across the hall. Isaac will be watchful throughout the night. You do not need to worry. Our doors are locked, and Isaac will not let anyone intrude. You are safe here.”

  “Thank you, Ruth. You and your husband have done so much for me.”

  “We are grateful for your friendship. Your father helped us when we first moved here. He sold some of his land so Isaac could have a nice farm. That meant so much to us.”

  She placed the lamp on the stand.

  “Sleep well,” Ruth said as she left the room and closed the door behind her.

  Bailey whined.

  “You want to go back with Joseph?” Opening the door, Carrie watched the dog walk to the end of the hallway. He glanced back as if to ensure that she was all right before he entered the boy’s room.

  Overcome with exhaustion, Carrie went to the window and pulled back the curtain. She could see her father’s house and a corner of Tyler’s one-story ranch beyond. A light came on in one of the rooms, and even from this distance, she could see someone standing at the window and staring out into the night.

  She doubted Tyler could see her, and she wondered what he was thinking. She didn’t know her own mind at this point, but her heart reached out to Tyler. Grateful as she was for the Lapps, she was even more grateful for him. Tyler had tried to protect her and keep her safe. But someone was still out there.

  Her gaze moved to the dark stand of trees at the rear of her father’s house and the spot where she’d stumbled upon Corporal Fellows’s body. After all that had happened, the police were no closer to finding his killer. Nor did they fully understand the reason for her father’s death or who was attacking her.

  Should she stay longer and risk her own life? Or should she return to Washington? In DC, she wouldn’t have to worry about
a killer in the night, but that meant leaving Tyler.

  Would he care if she left?

  Carrie thought again of the comment he’d made when she mentioned not wanting to leave the Lapps. “What about the neighbor on the other side?” Tyler had asked.

  Perhaps he wanted her to stay after all.

  * * *

  Tyler looked out the window and stared at the Amish house. While most of the dwelling was blocked from view, he could see one of the upstairs rear windows where a faint light glowed. In his mind’s eye, he envisioned Carrie at the window staring back at him. Foolish to imagine such a thing. Tired as she was, Ruth had probably already tucked her into a bed piled high with handmade quilts and fresh, dried-on-the-line linens.

  As much as Tyler wanted to believe otherwise, Carrie wasn’t thinking of him. If she was thinking of anything, it would be her job in DC and the speech she needed to write for Senator Kingsley.

  Had the senator changed over the years? Surely since his drinking had been such a significant problem back then, he would have sought treatment and stopped the addictive behavior by now.

  The memory of his father’s death returned with the screech of tires, the crash of metal and the horrific sound of his father’s scream as he called Tyler’s name. Along with the wail of sirens and the flashing lights came the memory of a closed-casket funeral and of a young boy who wanted to see his father again.

  Tyler turned from the window as his cell rang.

  Seeing Everett’s name, he connected and raised the phone to his ear. “Anything new on the case?” he asked in greeting.

  “I got a call from the first sergeant at the engineer battalion. One of the guys in the unit started talking. Evidently a few of the men had visited a cabin not far from Amish Road. They’d check out of post on a three-day pass to work for a guy in town who flips houses. He’s got a cabin where the soldiers stay so they don’t have to drive back and forth to Fort Rickman. The construction boss stocks the fridge with beer and wine, and provides X-rated movies to entertain the men at night. From the way the soldier talked, it sounds like it’s in the vicinity of the Harris home.”

  “Was Fellows involved?”

  “He helped sometimes. Guess the money was good. They were paid in cash so everything went into their wallets with nothing taken out for Uncle Sam.”

  “Is the soldier willing to share names?”

  “Not yet, but we plan to haul him in for questioning.”

  “I’ll head to post sometime tomorrow.” Tyler filled Everett in on what had happened at Carrie’s house. “She’s staying with one of the Amish families tonight. I need to find out more about that cabin. I’ll call the local police and see what they can uncover.”

  After disconnecting, Tyler called Phillips. “You’re working late,” he said when the cop answered.

  “Sounds as if you are too. How’s Ms. York?”

  “I’m guessing that she’s fast asleep at the Amish neighbors’ house. Staying in her father’s place again was too risky.”

  Tyler explained about the soldiers and the cabin where they crashed and then asked, “Do you have any knowledge of a cabin and who might own the property?”

  “I’ll search the county records and get back to you,” Phillips said. “We don’t show anything on our maps of the area. The guy must keep information about the cabin off the radar. As you know, there are a number of dirt roads that twist through that area. They have to lead somewhere.”

  “Check out Nelson Quinn.”

  “The real estate agent?” Phillips asked.

  Tyler nodded. “Quinn sometimes flips houses. Also check on Mrs. Gates and the mayor’s wife.”

  “Will do. By the way, I contacted a friend who will reconnect the power first thing tomorrow.”

  “Thanks. That saves me time and means I can hike Harris’s property in the morning.”

  “Let me know what you find, and, Tyler—”

  “Yeah?”

  “Watch your back,” Phillips warned. “The attacks are escalating against Ms. York. I have a hunch the killer’s becoming desperate, and we both know that when a killer’s cornered, he often strikes again. I don’t want you in his crosshairs.”

  “I’ll be careful. My main concern is Carrie. She didn’t plan on being a target and keeps wondering if it involves her father.”

  “That’s been my question as well,” the cop said. “But everything I’ve learned about Jeffrey Harris is positive. The guy kept to himself, was unassuming and was the first to lend a hand when someone was in need.”

  “Let’s hope you’ve got it right.”

  Tyler disconnected and began searching the archives of the local paper for any history of the area that might have a bearing on the investigation. Sometime after midnight, he found a picture of the Harris home as it was when the sergeant major’s elderly aunt had lived there, until her death.

  By then, the house had fallen into disrepair. The restoration must have been extensive and costly. How had Harris, on a sergeant major’s paycheck, afforded the work? Maybe Carrie’s hunch would prove true. Maybe her father was involved in something corrupt. Could he have taken part in the weekend construction projects that involved the soldiers in his former unit?

  As much as Tyler didn’t want anything negative to surface, he needed to learn the truth.

  Reading through a feature story about the renovation, he found mention of a builder, named Ulmer, who had helped with the project.

  Where had he seen that name?

  Tyler poured a cup of coffee and stared again at the house next door. Once he’d downed the strong brew, he grabbed his jacket and walked around the Harris home, checking that the doors were locked and the property secure.

  The sounds of the night surrounded him. In the distance, an owl hooted, its deep call adding to the sense of unrest he felt. He glanced at the wooded area behind the house and the hill beyond. Was there a cabin out there someplace, and if so, was the killer holed up inside, waiting and perhaps watching?

  Lord, help me solve this case. The words slipped through Tyler’s mind and surprised him. He had closed the Lord out of his heart since his father’s death, but being with Carrie had renewed his faith, at least a little.

  He stared at the Lapp house. His gaze homed in on the upstairs rear bedroom where he’d sensed Carrie’s presence.

  He had changed since her arrival. For the better.

  Maybe after all these years, it was time to leave the past behind and make his way into the future unencumbered by the anger and distrust that had hovered over his heart for too long.

  “Forgive me, Lord, for not being able to forgive another.” Perhaps forgiveness would come in time. Right now he was grateful for being open to the Lord.

  If he remained around Carrie, he might find his heart soften even more. She had an effect on him. A good effect. She forced him to look beyond his own broken past and see the potential of a future free of resentment, a future based on love.

  He shook his head. Carrie brought feelings of protectiveness and an almost constant desire to be near her. Was that love?

  Only time would tell. Would she stay in Freemont long enough for Tyler to make sense of his emotions or would she return to DC and to the senator who wasn’t worthy of her attention?

  SIXTEEN

  Carrie woke with an aching body. The bumps and bruises she had received from the intruder seemed even more painful this morning. Groaning, she dropped her feet to the floor and stood, feeling the blood leave her head. The room swirled around her. She grabbed the headboard and waited until the dizziness passed. As if sensing her presence, Bailey pushed open the door and stepped into the room.

  “How are you?” Carrie patted his nose and scratched his back. “Did you sleep well in Joseph’s room?”

  Hearing his name, the boy knocked lightly on the door and peered into the room. “Is Bailey with you?”

  “Come in, Joseph.” The boy was all smiles as he entered and knelt on the floor. Wrapping his arms aro
und the dog’s neck, he whispered, loud enough for Carrie to hear, “I couldn’t find you, Bailey.”

  The boy’s words touched Carrie’s heart. That was how she felt about her father. She couldn’t find him, couldn’t find who he really was. Then she thought of everything people had told her. Why couldn’t she accept what they had said? Instead she continued to question whether her father was involved in something corrupt and illegal.

  How foolish of her. As if blinders were removed from her eyes, she saw more clearly. Her father was a good man. He had wanted a relationship with his only child, but he had honored her mother’s wishes. Perhaps he felt at fault for not being the father he should have been, for not marrying her mother and for forcing her to raise a child outside of marriage. For a man who embraced the Lord and scripture, that could have been a heavy burden to carry that would have brought a sense of unworthiness.

  She felt unworthy as well and was overwhelmed with a desire to connect with her heavenly Father. Lord, forgive me for accusing You of not loving me, when I was the one who rejected You. Open my heart to love You more.

  Thoughts of her mother came to mind, a lonely woman who was never satisfied with her life or her daughter. Carrie didn’t feel anger or resentment, but a sadness that her mother had never experienced the peace Carrie felt at this moment.

  Joseph leaned back against the bed and brushed against her leg. Bailey snuggled close, enjoying the boy’s hugs.

  Carrie’s heart opened even more completely to the goodness she felt in this house, to the warm embrace of love from the Lord and her new appreciation for both her earthly father as well as the God of heaven and earth.

  Love filled her for her father, for the Lord and—

  The face that came to mind made her startle.

  Tyler?

  He had worked so hard to protect her and keep her safe. He made her smile, and she felt protected and totally at home in his embrace.

  Was it... Could it be love?

  “Joseph,” Ruth called to her son.

  The boy jumped to his feet. “You’re staying for breakfast?” His eyes were wide and hopeful.

  “I would like to, Joseph.”