A Promise to Protect (Logan Point Book #2): A Novel

by Patricia Bradley

  Face it. It was his responsibility. He didn’t need to add additional work on his deputies. He dialed her number, his heart quickening when she answered.

  “Thought I’d let you know what time I’d be there to escort you to the game.”

  “That’s not necessary. Ian is taking me.” Her cool, professional tone raked his nerves like squeaky chalk. First a picnic, now he was taking Leigh and TJ to the ball game? The muscle in his jaw twitched, and he eased the pressure on his molars. “He doesn’t have the train—”

  “He has plenty of training—I’ve seen his self-defense certificates, and he has a permit to carry a gun. Not that I think he’ll need it.”

  “Well, I’ll be around anyway.”

  “Ben, don’t bother.”

  “I’ll see you there.”

  The sun dipped below the horizon as Ben leaned against the bed of his truck. What little breeze there’d been died a long time ago, and sweat dripped down his face. From his position behind the center field fence, he could keep an eye on traffic in and out of the park as well as on Leigh.

  He directed his gaze away from Ian and Leigh on the front row of the bleachers, past Sarah, who sat apart from them, to the mound as TJ shook his head at the catcher’s signal. The home team trailed by one run. Only two more outs and Andre’s team would take their last bat and try to score. He glanced toward the dugout where Martin cheered on his team. He’d recovered sufficiently from the snakebite to suit up, but not to play. Wade paced the sidelines, yelling encouragement while Andre motioned for one of the other boys to take a few warm-up pitches.

  “Stee-rike!” The umpire clenched his right fist.

  TJ had a good arm. Ben needed to caution Andre about letting him overuse it. TJ threw a change of pace, and the hitter popped the ball up. The runner on first stayed put as one of the twins got under the ball and caught it. Two outs, one to go. TJ wound up once more and let the ball fly again. Crack. Uh-oh. Ben recognized that sound. He held his breath as the ball sailed to the center field fence. Home run. His heart broke for TJ as Andre headed out to the mound.

  They talked, and Ben knew TJ was asking his coach to leave him in the game. Finally Andre nodded and walked back to the dugout. TJ rolled his shoulders and kicked the mound, then turned to the next batter. Five pitches later, he struck him out, and the home team came up to bat three runs behind just as the night-lights flooded the field.

  If he were coaching . . . Ben caught himself. He wasn’t coaching. But maybe he could. How hard would it be? If they won this game, he could give them a few pointers, show the boys how to tighten up their double play . . . teach TJ how to throw a slider or how to tell if a runner was going—

  No.

  What if he had a panic attack in the middle of a practice? His mouth went dry just thinking about it, and he stepped toward the cab of the truck, half tempted to leave. But he couldn’t as long as Leigh was here. Maybe he’d patrol the area. Check on the carnival that had set up at the edge of the park. Be useful.

  With one last look at the ball field and a check to see if Leigh was okay, Ben strode toward the walking trail and picnic area. It gratified him to see families picnicking, enjoying time together. He trekked on to the carnival, just to let his presence be known, nodding at one or two of the carnies.

  One of them threw up a hand. “Howdy, Sheriff. Reckon how much longer before the ball games end?”

  A tattooed snake started at the man’s wrist and wrapped around his arm, the tail ending at his shoulder. Ben could remember when the carnie would’ve been one of the sideshows.

  “Probably in the next half hour,” Ben said. Very few of the rides were engaged. “Then you ought to have plenty of customers.”

  Near the entrance, an ice cream truck pulled in and parked. Rich’s Ice Cream. Rich had been in business when Ben was a kid. In fact, the van looked like the same one Rich drove all those years ago. A long-haired, pimply-face teenager stepped out of the side door. Rich was scraping the bottom of the barrel to hire this guy. As he raised the awning, Ben nodded to him. “Should be a big crowd in here soon.”

  The driver gave him a blank stare, and Ben noticed the ear buds. He waved and walked back toward the ball fields. The boys’ game should be wrapping up soon. As he neared the field, yelling and cheers met him. Maybe the boys had scored, and he picked up his pace.

  “Come on, TJ, you can do it!” Leigh’s voice rose over the crowd.

  Ben positioned himself where he could see. The bases were loaded, and TJ was up to bat. Ben glanced at the scoreboard. They were still three runs behind with two outs. The game rode on TJ’s shoulders. Adrenaline surged through Ben’s veins. He knew how the boy felt.

  “Get the bat off your shoulder,” he muttered.

  Almost as if TJ heard him, he lifted the bat, waiting for the pitch.

  “Stee-rike one!”

  TJ stepped away from the batter’s box and looked at his bat. Then he stepped back into the box and tapped the bat against home plate. Finally he lifted it and waited, poised to swing. The ball came in low and fast.

  “Stee-rike two!”

  Ben’s heart faltered. Come on, TJ. Keep your eye on the ball. Be ready for a change of pace. Evidently TJ expected it as well, because he planted his feet wide. Sure enough, the ball sailed lazily toward the plate. At the right second, TJ swung, and the bat connected with the ball with a solid thwack.

  Ben followed the arc of the ball over the fence. Yes! He pumped the air with his fist as pandemonium erupted on the field and in the stands. The boys whooped and pounded TJ. The team was going to the State playoffs in September. With a grin stretching his mouth, Ben turned to see Leigh’s reaction, and his smile faded as she and Ian hugged each other.

  This thing with Ian was starting to look serious, and regret tugged at his heart. But what had he expected? Well, he hadn’t expected her to fall into Ian’s arms so soon. God, just one more chance with her . . . He shook the thought off and trotted over to congratulate Andre and the team. Then he could leave Leigh in Andre’s or Wade’s care.

  He grabbed his deputy’s hand. “Great game, Andre.”

  His deputy’s smile stretched almost from ear to ear. “They did good.”

  Behind Ben, a cell phone rang, and he turned around just as Ian answered it. Leigh had left his side and was talking to TJ at the dugout.

  “I’ll be right there,” Ian said and slid the phone in his pocket then looked around for Leigh.

  “She’s probably not ready to leave,” Ben said, pointing toward the dugout. When Ian frowned, Ben said, “I couldn’t help but overhear. Feel free to go and take care of whatever the problem is. I’ll make sure Leigh gets home all right.”

  A slow flush crept up Ian’s neck. “You may be right, but I think I’ll check and see.”

  Ben followed as Ian walked toward Leigh. After Ian spoke to her, her brows creased in a frown. He moved closer. “I can take you home, if you want to stay.”

  The frown deepened.

  “Or one of my deputies, if you’d rather.”

  “I’m truly sorry, Leigh,” Ian said. “But Uncle Phillip wants to see me now.”

  She patted his arm. “I understand. I think I will stay a little longer, celebrate with the boys. I can always ride home with Sarah,” she said with a pointed glance at Ben.

  “I’ll check with you as soon as the meeting with my uncle is over. If you’re still here, I’ll swing by and pick you up.”

  Leigh nodded her agreement, and for a second, Ben thought that Ian was going to kiss her, but Leigh forestalled the action by stepping back. Maybe she wasn’t as interested as Ian was. Hope beat in his heart.

  “Mom!” TJ pulled at Leigh’s hand. “Everybody is going to the carnival. Can I go? Please?”

  Leigh looked from TJ to Josh and Jacob at his side, their eyes pleading with her to say yes. “Oh, okay. But don’t get too far ahead of me.”

  Her words were lost as they took off running. Waving to Ian, she hurried to catch them, and B
en fell into step beside her.

  “You don’t have to stay,” she said. “Andre’s here, Wade too.”

  “I know. But Andre and Wade have their hands full with the rest of the team.”

  Leigh looked around. “No, they don’t. Most of the boys’ parents are here. Look, there’s Emily.” She waved, and his sister waved back.

  “Well, I’ll feel better if I stay.”

  She shot him an odd look and shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

  TJ returned, asking for money to buy tickets for the rides just as Sarah joined them.

  “Twenty dollars,” Leigh said. “Choose wisely because that’s all you get.”

  “Here’s ten more.” Sarah pulled a bill from her purse.

  Leigh shook her head. “You’re spoiling him.”

  “I know.” Sarah looked pleased with herself.

  Ben laughed as TJ ran off again to find the twins. “How about you two? Care to ride something?”

  Leigh looked at him as though he’d lost his mind. “Hardly.”

  “What? Are you scared?”

  “No. I just don’t want to ride anything.”

  “Oh, go ahead,” Sarah said. “Ride the Ferris wheel.”

  Leigh glanced toward the towering wheel, and for a second her eyes lit up before a mask slid in place. “No.”

  “Chicken.” He took her hand. ”Come on. You too,” he said to Sarah.

  Sarah waved him off. “No, sir. I’ll leave that to you young people. I’ll watch TJ.”

  Leigh held back as he pulled her toward the Ferris wheel.

  TJ appeared beside them. “Are you going to ride, Mom?”

  “Yeah, Doc! Are you?” One of the twins echoed TJ’s question.

  “No!”

  “Yes,” Ben said, overriding her. He tamped down the whisper in his heart that this wasn’t a good idea.

  “Come on, Mom, you can do it!” TJ grabbed her other hand and helped Ben pull her toward the line.

  With a red face, Leigh gave up. “Okay. Okay.”

  As the attendant snapped the bar in place, Leigh decided she’d lost her mind, agreeing to go on this ride. Next to her Ben sat entirely too close. The seat jerked as the wheel moved, and they were lifted a few feet off the ground. It stopped for more riders, moving them higher, until finally all the seats were full. Her stomach tickled as they made the rise to the top. One of her favorite memories was rocking at the top of the world with her father beside her. At least it seemed like the top of the world in her six-year-old mind. At the bottom, she waved to Sarah, who was talking to the attendant.

  “Now aren’t you glad you agreed?” Ben said.

  She gave him a smile for an answer. The wheel made several revolutions then stopped at the top, rocking them back and forth in the seat. They were above the lights, and stars twinkled in the black sky. She could ride this contraption all night.

  “My daddy used to take me to the fairgrounds in Memphis, and we’d ride that big old Ferris wheel as long as I wanted to.”

  “I don’t remember your dad.”

  “You never met him. When he died, we moved to Logan Point to live with my grandparents.” His death was her fault, at least according to her mother.

  “Did he have a heart attack?”

  “Car accident coming to pick me up at school. He’d forgotten me and was in a hurry.” Forgotten. The story of her life. She picked out a star and focused on it. “The janitor found me outside, waiting in the dark. He called the principal, the principal called my dad, and in his haste, my dad ran a stop sign, and someone T-boned him.” The star seemed to dim. “My mom never forgave me.”

  “Surely you’re mistaken. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “You didn’t know my mom. She never wanted me, anyway.”

  “Leigh, every kid thinks that at one time or another. I’m sure your parents loved you very much.”

  “You don’t understand. I heard my mom tell my dad that having me was a mistake. She only wanted one child. Actually, as far as I could see, she never had but one child, and even Tony couldn’t keep her from committing suicide.”

  A breeze chilled her skin, and she shivered. Why wasn’t the wheel moving? They’d been stuck at the top for what seemed like forever. Ben put his arm around her, and his touch sent shivers through her heart.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

  “You couldn’t have.” Other than Sarah, she’d never shared this part of her life with anyone. “I don’t want TJ to ever think he’s a mistake.”

  “Leigh, you are not a mistake. You are an incredible, beautiful, caring woman. A woman that I . . .” Ben groaned. “God help me, Leigh, but I love you.”

  When she realized what he’d said, she waited a second for him to take it back. Instead he lifted her face until she stared into his warm brown eyes.

  He loved her.

  “Are you sure?” she whispered.

  For an answer, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers, gently at first, then as she closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss, he groaned and pulled her close. He kissed her again.

  The seat lurched as the Ferris wheel moved. She blinked her eyes open, and Ben laughed. “I wonder who paid the attendant to keep us at the top.”

  She quirked a corner of her mouth. “Sarah, I’m sure.”

  When the attendant unhooked their bar, he winked at Leigh. “Enjoy your ride?”

  She felt heat rising in her face. “Did someone pay you to stop us at the top?”

  He held his hands up. “I know nothing.”

  Ben took her hand as they walked in search of Sarah and the boys. “I’d like to do that again sometime soon.”

  She glanced up at him. “What? Kiss me?”

  Now it was his turn to blush. “That too.”

  “Leigh!”

  The panic in Sarah’s voice turned Leigh around. She searched the crowd for her friend and spied her hurrying toward them as fast as her seventy-three-year-old legs would go. Leigh met her halfway. “What’s wrong? Where’s TJ?”

  “I can’t find him . . . or the twins.” Sarah wrung her hands.

  Leigh jerked her head around, searching for the boys in the crowd that filled the park. What if someone had kidnapped him? She never should have left him.

  “Where did you see them last?” Ben stilled Sarah’s hands.

  “They were right here.” Tears rimmed the older woman’s eyes. “They asked if they could get some of those frozen beads from the ice cream truck. I told them to come right back. When they didn’t, I went looking, but I couldn’t find any ice cream truck.”

  “It was near the entrance earlier. Maybe they’re with Emily.” Ben took out his cell phone and dialed his sister. Leigh held her breath as Ben spoke to her. “TJ and the twins are missing. Are they with you?” His face lost some of its color. “Maybe they’re with Wade. I’ll let you know.”

  Leigh tensed as Ben called his deputy and repeated the same question. Her throat tightened when he turned even paler.

  Ben spoke into his phone again. “Meet me at the entrance to the park. Sarah said they went to get ice cream, and that’s where I last saw Rich’s truck.” He turned to Leigh. “Stay here in case they come back.”

  “No. I want to go with you.”

  “They’ve only wandered away, that’s all,” Ben said. “You need to be here in case they return to the Ferris wheel.”

  “What if someone has them?”

  “Don’t borrow trouble. I’ll call you as soon as I find them.”

  Leigh nodded, swallowing her fear. “Hurry.”

  Two minutes after Ben left, her cell phone rang, and she yanked it out of her pocket. Maybe it was TJ.

  “If you don’t want your son hurt, cooperate with me.” Slow and deep, the warbly voice screeched from her phone.

  Leigh’s breath left her. No, not again. “Where’s my son!”

  “I want Tony’s flash drive.”

  “You’re crazy. I don’t have it, and I don’t know where it is.�
��

  “Find it. Until then, your son isn’t safe. I can find him, no matter where he is.”

  “What did you do with him? With the twins?” She gripped the phone when he didn’t answer right away. “Don’t hang up. Tell me where they are.”

  “Do what I say.” The words stretched out and ended in strangled laughter.

  Sarah grabbed her. “Who is it? What are they saying?”

  Leigh pressed her hand across her mouth. Where could the flash drive be? She didn’t know, but she had to find it. And when she did, they could have it. Anything to keep TJ safe.

  18

  Ben jogged toward the entrance. He should’ve expected something. This week had been too quiet. When he reached the place he’d seen the ice cream truck, the spot was empty. The pimply-faced teenager hardly seemed the type to kidnap three boys. He scrubbed his jaw. He had to call Emily.

  His stomach roiled as he made the call. “Keep looking and call if you find them.”

  He disconnected and called dispatch for backup and issued a Be On the Lookout for the ice cream truck.

  “Ben, what’s going on?” Wade yelled, jogging toward him.

  “I don’t know. Josh, Jacob, and TJ are missing. Sarah said they came after ice cream, but the truck is gone. I’ve issued a BOLO for it.” He raked his hand across the top of his head. How had he lost three boys? “Fan out. Wade, you take the left, and Andre, you take the right. As soon as more deputies arrive to secure the entrances, I’ll comb the center.” Sirens sounded as he spoke.

  “Ben, have you found TJ and the twins?” Leigh’s ashen face sent his heart spiraling.

  “Not yet. We’re spreading out, checking all the vendors. I told you to stay—”

  “I received another call. Just like the one before, but this time the caller mentioned the flash drive, said if I didn’t hand it over, TJ would die. Ben, I don’t have it.” She gripped his arm. “What if he doesn’t believe me?”

  Ben would’ve liked to tell her not to worry, but he couldn’t. “We’ll find them, Leigh. I promise. Could the voice have been that of a teenager?”