Eli smiled and nodded back, but he felt his smile quickly drift away. All that had happened still disturbed him. He only half listened to the message and struggled through the prayers, trying to stay focused.
“What’s wrong?” she asked as the service ended and people began to filter out.
What could he say? That he believed his insane brother was hanging around? For the first time in years, she felt safe. Who was he to rob her of that on a suspicion he couldn’t confirm?
And being here was by her good graces. He’d seen Officer Reading eyeing him from across the aisle. Kaylee would only have to say one word to the man and he’d be asked to leave town.
Yet, if he told her what he suspected, she’d most likely take off, probably go home. On the surface, it sounded like a good idea, but what about Noah? What would he do?
And he suspected that Kaylee was closer to leaving than she appeared. She had friends and an aunt in Nova Scotia, people in her hometown that cared for her. He’d heard her talking about them to one of the other parishioners, admitting that it was past time to visit them.
“Hello again!” A voice blasted out from behind him. Eli turned. A tall, thin man with a shock of white hair and a ready smile grabbed his hand and pumped it. “Good to see you here. Did you find the provincial walking trail? You really can’t miss it.”
Confused a moment, Eli frowned. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”
“Well, we haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Hec Haines.”
Eli peered at the man, still unsure why he’d asked about the trail. “I’m Eli Nash. I’m staying up—”
“Yes, up at the motel. You told me.”
“I did?”
“Yesterday. So, did you find the trail?”
Eli felt his frown deepen. “I didn’t ask for directions to the trail yesterday.” Kaylee had told him flat-out that she was planning to sleep in and then do housework all day. He’d taken the opportunity to sleep in himself. The only time he’d been out was for a short drive to the local deli.
“Of course you didn’t ask for directions. I offered them. You were looking for a shortcut through town.”
Eli watched Kaylee assist an elderly lady out of the last pew. She was well out of earshot. “When?” he asked.
“Thursday night, late. My dog’s getting old and she has to go out at the oddest times. It had started to warm up with that storm on its way, so I didn’t mind as much. Hate going out in the winter. But then again, I think I told you that.”
Eli straightened and walked out of the pew. “I think you have me…”
Oh. His stomach flipped. He’d been halfway out when he turned back to stare at the man. Someone who looked like him was in town….
Noah.
NINE
“I know I’m not mistaking you for someone else, if that’s what you’re going to say. Not too many men your size around here with that blond of hair.” The man peered at his head. “Mind you, did you get it cut? I thought it was a bit longer.”
Eli swallowed. “How much longer?”
“Not much. A little bit.” The man frowned. “I was sure it was you I spoke to. I don’t usually forget a face. Terrible with names. What did you say yours was?”
“Eli Nash.”
Hec’s face lit up and he nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes, of course. That’s what I thought you’d said. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself, but the dog was pretty excited.”
Eli started. “Did your dog get upset?”
“Yes! You remember! Sorry about that. Sheba usually likes everyone. I don’t know what got into her. She was quite snappy at you. She must not have liked the smell of your clothes. Very odd, indeed.”
“I hope she’s better now,” Eli murmured.
“Oh, she was fine after you left. Crazy old dog. Maybe she’s getting senile. After you mentioned that I would definitely be seeing you again, she just let loose, didn’t she?”
Eli stared at the man. “I don’t remember. I’m sorry.” His heart pounded hard in his chest and he could feel the blood draining from his face.
“Oh, nothing to be sorry about. I feel badly that she acted so nasty. But you probably made it worse by laughing at her.”
Laughing? “Um, that was rude of me. I don’t know what to say.” He didn’t. He had no desire to tell this man someone had impersonated him. The guy probably wouldn’t believe him, anyway.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you were able to make it to church today. We talked about you coming here. Well, only briefly. I had to keep Sheba away from you.”
Eli could hardly breathe. Laughing at an animal, telling a perfect stranger you’d see him again. Ice raced down his spine, delivering a harsh shiver.
“What exactly did he, I mean, I say to you? I’m sorry if I don’t recall the conversation.”
Hec drummed his fingers along the back of the pew. “Not much. Just that you’d planned to go to church. Oh, yes, also something about you being predictable when it comes to Sundays.”
Eli scowled.
As if he felt he’d made a faux pas, Hec hastily glanced over his shoulder. “Well, coffee’s ready. How’s about a cup? We usually fellowship after the service.”
“Thank you. I could use a cup.” Eli followed the man out. If truth be told, he could use way more than a cup of coffee right now. He could feel sweat breaking out on his forehead.
Was it Noah who’d met with Hec? In the darkness, he and his brother could pass for twins. Only the dog got a sense of Noah’s true nature.
Had Noah cut his hair to pass himself off as Eli? Was it possible?
Yes. More than possible, it was downright probable. And knowing Eli would come to church, Noah had grasped the opportunity to send him a message.
I’m here. And people think I’m you.
Kaylee spotted him and smiled before turning her attention back to the older lady she’d helped. She was lovely, her dark hair dancing as she laughed at something the elderly lady said.
A surge of emotion swelled in his throat. She was so oblivious to any danger. And so much in denial. He should tell her. He could make her believe him, but it would send her flying from here.
That would keep her safe, right?
Maybe, maybe not.
What it wouldn’t do was get him closer to Noah. Or Phoebe.
And, he told himself, above everything else, he needed to find Phoebe.
He’d given up everything to find her. He owed it to his parents. They were the ones who’d missed her the most.
Finding and freeing Phoebe would be a big blow to Noah’s control over his cult. With his most ardent follower gone, the rest would really be lost sheep and Noah might be forced to give up this little game.
Eli walked slowly up the center aisle toward Kaylee. He had to find Phoebe.
But with Noah out there impersonating him, would finding Phoebe be at Kaylee’s expense?
Kaylee was nearly dead and desperately needed to go home. Friday night had really drained her, and though she’d spent Saturday resting, exhaustion still lingered heavily. Her doctor had told her that she’d lost a lot of muscle and would tire easily, but it hadn’t been until she tried to get out of bed Sunday morning that she really believed him.
Now, as she hung on to the chair she’d snagged for Lois, who had looked as if she wasn’t feeling well herself, Kaylee noticed Eli making his way to her after talking to Hec Haines. His eyebrows had knitted together and a grim line replaced his mouth. What was the matter? Had he noticed her fatigue, too?
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m absolutely wiped. I was just about to tell Lois not to bother making any tea for me this afternoon, but she’s left with one of the other ladies. They must be going out to lunch.” She frowned. “She usually has me over.”
“You can see her later. Let’s go.” He took her arm with his left hand and thrust open the vestry door with his right.
She threw him a curious look as they weaved throug
h the parked cars toward his. First Lois was acting somewhat short and now Eli was acting as if church was the last place he wanted to be. Had he realized he was losing valuable time here, when he should be heading south?
Did she want him to go?
She refused to answer her own question, choosing instead to study his chiseled features. More refined than Noah’s, Eli’s face bore a warm concern. She let her gaze drift down, along the strong arms and out to his long, tanned fingers.
Why was he here, wasting his time and probably his hard-earned money? Surely not for her?
She climbed wearily into the passenger seat of his car. “Oh, dear, I forgot my paycheck at work. I don’t feel like it, but I should stop by and pick it up.”
With a nod, he swung the car around. Minutes later, as they entered the rec center’s office, she stifled a yawn. “Sorry. I really am tired.”
“You can rest when you get home.”
“Yes, I will.” She sniffed the air. “It smells funny in here.”
Eli inhaled. “I smell candy.” He sniffed again. “Maybe from that candy store? They must be making a batch of candy.”
“It’s strong today.”
Nodding, Eli scanned the office. She found her own eyes roaming over the desks and chairs and counters.
Several candy wrappers were tossed aimlessly on the floor in front of Jenn’s desk. She must have called in a few kids to read them the riot act for kicking volleyballs. A big no-no in her books.
Kaylee walked over to the mail slots at the far side. Among the pigeonholes was one for items such as scissors and rulers and a magnifying glass because Jenn claimed she wasn’t paid enough to buy reading glasses.
The bright blue scissors that always caught her eyes were gone. She turned, skimming each desk and the credenza. They must be away in a drawer.
“What’s wrong? Your check isn’t there?”
“No.” Absently, she drew out her envelope and waved it. “But the scissors are gone. Jenn must have moved them.”
“Do you need them?”
She cleared her throat. “My fingernails are too short to open the envelope. Phoebe was in charge of making sure all the women’s nails were trimmed, not that we were healthy enough to grow them in the first place.”
When she noticed his darkening look, she added, “The doctor said they’ll grow back, but it may take several months and I’ll probably see a ridge in them when they do. As a result, I’ve taken to using the scissors to open envelopes.”
Eli looked around, then bent over to scoop up some candy wrappers. He dropped them into the wastebasket beside the desk. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Jenn’s hid them away. Kids have a habit of ‘borrowing’ things.”
“That’s a possibility. The kids aren’t supposed to come in here, but Jenn is usually alone in the office, so if she had to leave…” She shoved her paycheck in her small knapsack and walked into the corridor. “I’ll open it at home. It’s no big deal.” She let out a derisive noise. “The most exciting part of my afternoon is reading my paycheck.”
Eli followed her out, shutting off the light and closing the door behind him. She watched him. The smell of candy remained stronger out there, the corridor being closer to the shop next door.
Kaylee locked up in silence. The moment she was done, Eli took her hand to study her short, well-filed fingernails. She tugged back her hand, hating the way her fingers looked.
Eli dropped his arm. “It’s a wonder he didn’t cut your hair.”
“He seemed to favor long hair. He had his long enough.”
Without warning, he wove his fingers through her hair and allowed the strands to slide free. Her breath stalled in her lungs as he spoke. “You have beautiful hair, even after being malnourished.”
Then, as suddenly as he’d fingered her hair, he shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’d like to see it in a year.”
Would you? Are you planning to stay that long? Or are you coming back?
She dropped the internal questions as soon as they arrived. The sooner she was done with the Nash siblings, the sooner she’d be able to get her life back on track.
On track to where? Since meeting Eli, she’d never felt so…at loose ends.
At home, after a quick bite to eat, she lay down on the couch. To her surprise, she awoke to find night already settling on her house.
The wind rattled the siding outside. Her house stood high on a knoll and her backyard dipped dramatically into the ravine that arced around the cul-de-sac before making its way down to the river. When coming from the south, as it was doing now, the wind found little opposition until it hit her house. The Saint John River valley acted like a wind tunnel, with her house a block through the middle of it.
Wearily, Kaylee rose. She hadn’t planned to sleep so long. A quick check of the time on the wall clock told her that she’d slept past five. A glance outside on her way to the kitchen told her that a thick blanket of clouds aided the early dusk.
She grabbed some bread, preparing to make a sandwich for herself but stopped at the sink. The kitchen window looked out onto her back deck. She looked forward to next summer when she could sit out there and enjoy the warm sun.
A flicker of bright red danced upward in the breeze. Kaylee stretched up on tiptoes. The wind drove it down and then up, a flashing dance around the wood rails.
Curious, she walked to the sliding door. Finding a break in the clouds, the sun made one last attempt to shine. A single yellow ray struck the house.
The red fluttered again. A ribbon? No, a leash. Lois’s dog leash?
Kaylee stepped onto the deck. The wind buffeted her. She grabbed the leash and tugged, but it had wrapped itself around the rails.
Stooping, she began to untangle it, only to find the knot tighter than she expected.
Something moved under her. Under the deck. She froze. Then, in a moment of bravery that seemed to come from nowhere, she called out, “Eli?”
A familiar voice answered her. “Hello, Kaylee. It’s me.”
TEN
Eli stepped out from under the deck.
She sighed, sagging enough to feel relief turn her bones to jelly. Her hand went to her heart. “You scared me! I didn’t know what was underneath.”
The sun relented in its fight against the storm and the yard around them dulled into windy darkness.
“Sorry.”
“Why are you here?”
“To keep an eye on you.” Evenly, he surveyed the short backyard, especially where the drop off to the ravine began. “And to check the area out.”
She bit her lip. To keep an eye on her? For how long?
Her heartbeat bumped up a notch. “Is everything all right?” She wanted to ask him what he meant by his words, but what if he wasn’t staying? What if this was the last time she’d see him?
Disappointment caught in her throat, but she forced it down again. He was itinerant and Phoebe needed him. She didn’t.
She toyed with the idea of inviting him for supper, but held back. With just a minimum-wage job, she had very little in her house to feed him. She didn’t even have enough money to order in pizza.
Not a good idea, anyway, whether or not he was leaving Riverline.
She grabbed the leash still tangled around the wood. “Help me with this leash. It must belong to Lois’s dog. I’ll give it to her tomorrow.”
Without speaking, Eli stepped closer to the deck and began to untangle the leash. She watched the cuff of his jacket catch slightly on the wood. Uncertainty floated through her as she looked down through the deck boards at him. The sun tried one more brief attempt to break up the clouds and in that moment, the yellow rays turned Eli’s skin a pale color. Pale like Noah usually was, made worse by the faded blue jacket. Eli was more tanned, no doubt spending more time outside than his brother did. The weak fall sun, however, wasn’t doing him the justice he deserved.
She should really offer him something, she thought as he reached through the deck to pass her the leash.
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Maybe just a cup of coffee?
She stooped to take the leash and their fingers brushed at the tips. She pulled hers back, feeling foolish that she’d even noticed it. “Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?”
The sun retreated behind a bank of rain-laden clouds. The only light came from the kitchen, now casting a dull glow onto them. She waited for his answer.
A small smile tugged at his mouth, nothing like she’d seen before. So like Noah’s she had to shake off the mental image. “Would that really be a good idea?”
“It would only be a coffee. I know you want to maintain a certain decorum. Pastor Paul talks about that sometimes, but surely you can spend some time alone with a woman.”
He laughed and tilted his head down. She couldn’t see the expression well, especially in the encroaching darkness.
He shook his head. “Kaylee, all men are alike. Never forget that. We have our own individual standards, yes, but inside, we’re all the same.”
“You’re not the same as Noah!”
“We’re more alike than you realize. Growing up together, it wasn’t hard to see we were cut from the same cloth, as my grandmother used to say.” His smile drifted off. “She didn’t like Noah, said he was bad. But she liked me. Said I wasn’t the same.”
“You aren’t.”
“No. I am the same as he is. Saved, yes, but always one step from sliding into the evil that is Noah. Always remember that, Kaylee.”
He looked up at her and a shiver danced down her spine. So like Noah. And yet, here was Eli, the kinder, gentler brother, warning her that he was just as bad as his brother was. That kind of honesty was touching.
And true, maybe? Was she getting involved with a man who was so much like the very man who’d killed her sister?
The wind slid across him and up toward her as she remained bent down. She caught the sweet scent of gum or candy. And something else, too. The smell of cooked eggs, or matches just lit? What was it?
Desperate Rescue Page 9