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

by Patricia Bradley

  Ben couldn’t let Franks take her on the lake. He staggered to his feet and stumbled back to his knees. Blood streamed into his eyes. He touched his head, his fingers finding a gash. Franks . . . the gunshot. The bullet must have grazed him. He wiped the blood from his eyes.

  Get up!

  His gun. He needed his gun, and he felt for it, finding only sticks and rocks. The motorboat roared to life, freezing his heart. He stumbled toward the dock. “No!”

  Franks raised his gun, firing.

  Bullets dug into the wooden pier, and then the boat shot forward.

  He searched frantically for a way to stop Franks. His gaze landed on two jet skis moored near the ramp, and he sprinted toward them. Icy shivers chased down his spine.

  Water. Deep water.

  Ben pushed the thought away. He had to save Leigh.

  He leaped on the nearest jet ski and stared at the controls. He’d never driven one, but it couldn’t be harder than a motorcycle, and he had driven those. He felt for the ignition and pressed the button. The motor rumbled and caught. He looped the plastic coil that hung from the kill switch around his hand. He’d seen enough safety films to know if he went in the water he didn’t want the boat to run over him. He pressed the throttle, and the jet ski almost shot out from under him.

  Four teens raced toward him on the pier. “Hey! Where are you going with my jet ski?”

  “Sheriff!” he yelled over his shoulder. “Don’t follow me!”

  Dizziness threatened to send him over the side of the jet ski, but he held on. Ignoring the pain that shot through his brain, he pressed the throttle again, and the nose of the jet ski shot out of the water as it raced forward. As he roared across the lake, wind whipped his face. Franks’s boat had a good lead on him, but the jet ski responded to more pressure on the throttle, bouncing against the boat’s wake. Ben steered to the right of the wake and gained on the boat.

  Suddenly the boat seemed to stall. Ben drew closer, close enough to see Franks’s silhouette on the back of the boat as he stood with Leigh in his arms.

  Leigh’s scream stopped his heart as Franks threw her overboard then jumped back in the seat and roared off.

  Ben killed the motor, and the jet ski coasted to the circle of waves where Leigh had disappeared. He looked up at the roar of another jet ski. The teenage boys had followed him.

  He tried to swallow but couldn’t get past the ball of fear in his throat. His breath came short, shallow.

  Tommy Ray’s face reflected off the moonlight in the water.

  An image flashed in his mind. Leigh just before she went into the water with her hands tied. She couldn’t save herself.

  The water wrapped around Leigh, cold and dark as death. She held her breath, struggling against the rope, but there was no give to the nylon. She kicked, trying to slow her descent, but still she sank.

  TJ. What will he do? Ian’s plane. No! Franks will get away . . .

  Her lungs hurt, demanding air. Pain rocked her head. Darkness encroached the edges of her mind. Slowly she relaxed, giving in to the water.

  An arm grasped her waist, jerking her upward. Franks had come after her. She fought, kicking and bucking until she broke the surface of the water.

  “Leigh! It’s me, Ben. Stop fighting me.”

  She gasped for air. “Ben?”

  He’d come into the water after her? She gulped more air as he pulled her toward some sort of boat. Strong arms lifted her from the water.

  “Thanks, guys.” Ben’s voice sounded far away. “Get her to shore.”

  “Wait!” She fought the fatigue that threatened to shut her down. “He can fly . . .” She caught her breath. “Pilot. Ian’s plane.”

  It was the best she could do.

  28

  Leigh shivered under the blanket one of the teens had offered her. Someone, probably one of Ben’s deputies, had built a fire, but the heat didn’t touch the cold inside her. Her wrists burned where she’d struggled against the cord, even though one of the paramedics had put lidocaine on them. Randy Jenkins held out her purse that she’d asked him to get from her car.

  “Th-thank you,” she said against her chattering teeth. With trembling fingers, she dialed Sarah and asked about TJ.

  “Still sleeping. There’s a deputy outside the door. What’s going on? Where are you?”

  A deputy. Bless Ben’s heart. Leigh informed Sarah that she was all right and with Ben and would explain later. After she hung up, she looked around for Ben. She hadn’t talked to him since he saved her life. He was probably hopping mad at her. She buried her head in her hands. He’d probably never forgive her, and she didn’t blame him. She’d made such a mess of things. How different it could have been if she’d told the truth long ago and trusted God with the outcome.

  “Hey.” Ben’s voice was as soft as his touch. “You okay?”

  She raised her head. A bandage covered his head. His eyes glinted in the light from the fire, and she threw her arms around him. “Oh, Ben! I’m so sorry.”

  He wrapped her in an embrace and held her while tears rolled down her cheeks. “It’s going to be okay,” he murmured against her wet hair. “How is TJ?”

  “Sarah said he’s sleeping still.” She licked her lips. “I’m so sorry I lied to you all these years. And to TJ. I—”

  “Shh.” He pressed his finger against her lips. “We’ll talk about this later. I know what my dad did, and I need time to process everything. Then we’ll decide together how to tell TJ.”

  She caught her breath. “What if Franks tries to get to him?”

  “He won’t.” Ben lifted a wet strand of hair from her cheek. “I never would have thought to look in the air. Thanks to you, we’re tracking him. It looks like he’s headed to Mexico. He’ll have to come down to refuel, and based on Ian’s projection of how much fuel the plane had when Franks stole it, we have a good idea of where he’ll land.”

  The band around her heart loosened. “Are you hurt bad?”

  “I’ll have a headache for a few days, but the bullet just grazed me and knocked me out for a bit. Why didn’t you call me?”

  “I tried.” Her voice cracked. “It went to voice mail. Wade’s too. I was scared he’d follow through on his threat if I didn’t give him the flash drive. And I was trading it for a recording. I . . . I heard the man who blew up our car admit it.” She felt in her pockets and pulled the recorder out. “It’s probably ruined.”

  “Jonas Gresham blew up your car,” Ben said. “He’s on his way to the hospital. If he lives, he’ll spend a long time in jail.”

  “You . . . caught the man?”

  He nodded. “Not that he’s talking. And one of the Maxwell Industries’ trucks was pulled over tonight, and authorities found two cases of AR-15 rifles without serial numbers on them. And those cases? They were labeled with a Blue Dog sticker. That’s what Tony was trying to tell me. Your brother is a hero. Just wished we had that flash drive, but even if we can’t pin Tony’s murder on him, Franks will spend a long time in jail for attempted murder.”

  Leigh leaned into him, and he wrapped her in his arms. She wished he’d hold her forever. But that was a wish that would probably never come true. He never said that he’d forgiven her.

  Probably because he hadn’t.

  29

  Leigh closed the door behind Ben and took a deep breath. She wasn’t ready for this, and she didn’t understand why he insisted on being here. It was almost like he didn’t trust her to tell TJ.

  “How does he feel today?” Ben asked.

  “Good.” It amazed her how TJ had bounced back from the bomb blast and surgery. Better than she had. Every time she thought about it, her mouth became so dry she could barely swallow. If any of them had been ten steps closer . . . the thought turned her stomach. “You don’t have to be here. I’m perfectly capable of telling him by myself.”

  “Don’t fight me on this, Leigh. It’s time for TJ to know I’m his dad.”

  “I don’t know if he’s ready
.”

  “You said he was doing better.”

  She closed her eyes briefly. “I’d rather not have an audience.”

  “I’m hardly an audience.”

  She turned as her son called her name. “Be right there, TJ.”

  “Is that Ben?” Excitement rang in his voice.

  Ben looked at her. “Ready?”

  “He’s in the den.” She led the way, dread dogging every step.

  TJ looked up from the game he was playing on the iPad. “Is something wrong, Mom?”

  She pasted a smile on her lips as Ben sat in the chair nearest the couch. “No, nothing is wrong, but we do need to talk. There’s something I need to tell you.”

  “We need to tell you,” Ben corrected.

  She took in another breath and let it out. It was time. “You’ve always believed your dad died before you were born, but that’s not true . . .”

  Leigh zipped the suitcase closed. A lot had happened in the two weeks since she and Ben had told TJ the truth. He’d been ecstatic Ben was his dad. Which made him even more resistant to the move.

  This weekend away from him would be good for them both. Ian was flying her to Baltimore to finalize the paperwork at Johns Hopkins. TJ wasn’t happy about that. Neither was Ben, for that matter.

  She sighed, counting her blessings. She had her life, and TJ was no longer in danger. She should be grateful for that, and she was. Just like Ben promised, Franks had been caught when he landed to refuel, and now he sat in a jail cell, awaiting trial along with Jonas Gresham, who was now claiming an insanity plea. And after Gresham’s fingerprints were found on one of the rifles, he was awaiting a federal indictment along with Franks. At least they had turned on each other, and the whole story was coming out.

  She paused, thinking about her brother. It was no wonder he’d had nightmares. The letter he’d sent to Ben was an apology for not coming forward after Tom Logan was shot. Seems one night he’d been playing cards with Gresham and the old man was drunk, bragging to Tony how he’d shot the sheriff. Once Tony became a Christian, he couldn’t live with himself and not tell Ben. And because of the letter, Ben was checking Gresham’s rifles to see if any of them fired the bullet that hit his dad.

  The doorbell rang, and she went to answer it. With TJ staying at the Logans’ this weekend, Sarah had returned home to Jackson for a few days. Leigh had asked her to consider moving to Baltimore with them, but so far Sarah had not given her an answer.

  “Ian, you’re early,” she said when she opened the door.

  “I thought you might want to get a head start. The plane is fueled up and ready.”

  She smiled at him. No matter how many times she told him there was no future for them, he ignored her, saying her friendship was enough. “Then, I’m ready.”

  Two days later, Leigh sat in Dr. Meriwether’s office. Two days of whirlwind tours at Johns Hopkins and evenings out on the town with Ian. Both had been amazing.

  She raised the pen to sign the contract. She couldn’t believe it was about to happen. Johns Hopkins. Dad’s dream come true.

  30

  Hey, do you want to go fishing?” Ben asked. The twins had kept TJ company most of the day, but now it was just the two of them. They both were still exploring this new relationship. The amazing thing for Ben was that the panic attacks had almost disappeared. Occasionally anxiety would grab his heart, but one look from TJ’s admiring eyes, and Ben could let it go.

  TJ tore his gaze away from the retreating taillights of Emily’s car to stare at him. “How about my cast?”

  “No problem. I’ll take lawn chairs, and we’ll fish from the pier. Just you and me.”

  TJ tilted his head then nodded.

  Ben gathered the chairs and fishing tackle and loaded everything in his truck before he lifted TJ up into the seat. The boy had lost weight since he’d broken his leg, something Ben’s mom had tried to remedy this weekend.

  When they pulled up to the pier, he breathed a prayer of thanks for the shade covering the end of the dock. After he had TJ settled, Ben took out a wrapped box, his heart swelling as he handed it to the boy. His first gift to his son.

  “For me?” TJ’s eyes lit with excitement. “Cool paper.”

  Ben smiled. He’d scrounged around in his mom’s recycled paper until he found last week’s comic pages. “It’s a fishing rod just like the one my dad gave me when I was ten,” he said, unable to wait.

  The boy’s fingers stilled on the wrapping string. “Why didn’t you want me before now?”

  Ben couldn’t speak for fear his voice would crack. He swallowed hard. “I didn’t know about you. Remember, your mom told you that.”

  “I know,” he said. “But why didn’t she tell you?”

  “It’s complicated, TJ.”

  He seemed to consider what Ben had said. TJ looked sideways at him. “Are you going to marry her?”

  Ben swallowed hard. “Uh, we, uh . . . I don’t know.”

  “Are you still mad at her?”

  “No.”

  “Then you can marry her, and we can stay in Logan Point.”

  “TJ, it’s not that simple. Sometimes people make mistakes that can’t be undone.”

  The boy’s shoulders sagged.

  Great. Now he’d made it sound like it was all Leigh’s fault. “It wasn’t just your mom who made a mistake. She did the best she knew how, and sometimes we just have to forgive people and put it behind us.”

  TJ lifted his face, his eyes locking on Ben’s. “Do you forgive her?”

  Ben searched his heart. Did he? What he’d said was true. Another thought niggled in his brain. Why hadn’t he gone after Leigh ten years ago? Because he was too wrapped up in himself, and if he admitted it, her rejection had made him angry. If he’d known about TJ, would he have done the right thing? Been the father the boy needed?

  Shame for his hard heart pierced Ben. He’d made as many mistakes as Leigh.

  “Do you . . . Dad?”

  Dad. The shell encasing his heart crumbled, and he swallowed the lump that almost choked him.

  “Yeah, TJ. I do.” The words rasped from his lips.

  “Good.”

  Ben ruffled TJ’s hair. “I’m glad we have that settled. Now open your present so we can get to some serious fishing.”

  For the next half hour, Ben showed his son how to use the rod and reel. For a short time his heart was lighter, then a weight wrapped around it again. Forgiveness was a choice. But so was receiving it. What if Leigh refused his forgiveness?

  Ben scanned the water beyond their little cove. The water he’d feared for so long. What if Leigh believed she didn’t deserve forgiveness? Like he believed he didn’t deserve it for what happened to Tommy Ray? He had to make her understand that she did deserve it. That like he’d told TJ, it wasn’t all her fault. That people make mistakes, mistakes that had to be put behind them.

  Isn’t that what God wanted to do for him?

  If Ben could forgive Leigh . . . then why was it such a stretch to believe God could forgive his mistake?

  “Dad! I caught a fish. Look!”

  “Hey, that’s a catfish! You’re a natural-born fisherman.” When TJ reeled the fish in close enough, Ben scooped it up with a net. He glanced toward the lake once more. “You know, TJ, after you get that cast off, how about we do some lake fishing?”

  “Really? I’ve never been on the lake!”

  TJ’s shoulders slumped. “Oh, but I won’t be here. We’re moving to Baltimore.”

  Ben had almost forgotten that. He pressed his lips together. He hadn’t found his son only to lose him. Or Leigh, either. “I hear there’s pretty good fishing up in that area. Maybe we can even fish on the ocean.”

  Leigh unlocked her door and took the suitcase from Ian. “Thanks so much for everything.”

  “Doing things for you is easy. Want me to come in and wait with you until TJ gets home?”

  She shook her head. She’d called Ben on the drive from Ian’s private airst
rip to let him know she was back. “I need a little time by myself. This weekend was a big step.”

  “You made the right choice, Leigh.”

  She sighed. “I know.”

  He kissed her on the cheek, and she waited until he drove away before going inside. Maybe she could get unpacked before TJ got home. A car door slammed before she reached the foot of the stairs, and she set her bag down. Ben and TJ were early. She smoothed her blouse as the door opened, and he swung through on his crutches with Ben behind him.

  “Mom! I caught a fish!”

  She took a step forward as he hopped toward her. TJ sounded different. She knelt in front of him. Laughter was in his eyes. “Really? So you had a good time this weekend with your dad?”

  “Yeah, and we’re going fishing in a boat as soon as I get this cast off. Dad said he’d come to Baltimore. He said he would move there!”

  She lifted her gaze. Ben’s dark chocolate eyes were unreadable. Ben was willing to give up his dream of being sheriff? For them?

  “Mom, why are you crying? That’s a good thing.”

  She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. “I know. But he’d be up there by himself.”

  “What?” Ben and TJ stared at her.

  She looked into Ben’s eyes. “I’m not taking the job at Johns Hopkins. I’m staying in Logan Point.”

  Ben took her hands and pulled her up. “But I thought . . . I thought it was your dream.”

  “So did I. But when I picked up the pen to sign the contract, I couldn’t. It was my dad’s dream. Logan Point is where I belong. Where TJ belongs.”

  She didn’t have to practice at Johns Hopkins to prove her worthiness. Ben’s strong arms drew her close, and she laid her head on his chest, feeling the pounding of his heart. Or was it hers?

  “Eww! You two are mushy. I’m going to my room to play a video game.”