by Mary Manners
At the top of the landing, she pressed her ear to the door and listened as her heart raced and her lungs burned. Nothing but the incessant patter of rain on the roof and the sound of Brent’s voice down the hall as he tried to reason with Jason Sloane. Tessa eased open the door, cringing as the hinges gave a little squeak of protest, and scanned the length of the hall. She gasped and stepped back as Colin turned to glance at her. Light spilled from Brent’s cracked office door, and Colin’s eyes glittered as he pressed a single finger to his lips while his other hand poised at the holster on his hip.
Tessa pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle a scream, sucked in a breath, and froze.
****
How did Tessa get in here?
Colin grimaced as he turned back to the office. Through a slight opening in the door, he saw Brent Peterson on the edge of a chair behind the polished mahogany desk. Jason Sloane paced the room, babbling incessantly. Though nearly an hour had passed since Sergeant Becker began the difficult task of coaxing him from the room, Sloane just wouldn’t budge. Every so often, he punctuated his tirade by raising his voice and threatening to catapult himself from the window, taking Brent with him.
Now Tessa crouched down the hall, further complicating things. Colin seethed. The foolish woman had no idea the danger she was in. He still hadn’t determined whether or not Sloane had a gun. He didn’t see one, but a bulge beneath the hem of the dirty gray T-shirt spoke otherwise.
Sloane raked a hand through matted hair and wiped his mouth on his forearm. As he turned his back to the doorway, Colin stepped into the light just enough to make eye contact with Brent. Their gazes locked, and Colin nodded slightly. Brent’s eyes narrowed and in one quick motion, he leapt from the chair and lunged toward Sloane, knocking him off balance. In a flash, Colin kicked the door wide and plowed into the room. The stench of alcohol and sweat nearly knocked him back as Sloane stumbled and spun, growling. Colin rushed him as he toppled onto the tile floor like a felled tree, jarring a display of photos from the desk.
“Hands behind your back!” Colin trained his weapon on Sloane. “Now!”
Sloane’s gaze challenged only a moment before he took a nose dive and pressed his face to the tile. Brent scrambled as Colin holstered his gun and clamped handcuffs on Sloane, then engaged his radio and summoned backup. “Target in custody, all safe.”
“He doesn’t have a gun.” Brent pushed past and dropped to his knees beside Sloane. “Jason, what has gotten into you?”
“Step back,” Colin urged, wedging himself between them. “The scene isn’t fully secured.”
“Regardless,”—Brent glanced up at Colin—“just give me a minute, here.”
Colin’s gaze shifted as Tessa stumbled through the door, her bare feet slapping the tile. Her cheeks blazed crimson. Walnut hair tumbled over her shoulders in a damp, tangled mess and her honey eyes were wide and wild. Colin drew his gaze from the damp blouse that clung to flushed skin, outlining ample curves, and stretched his arm out to stop her as she rushed to Brent’s side. “Brent, are you OK? What happened? We’ve been frantic.”
“Give him a minute. Don’t get any closer.” Colin shook his head in disbelief. Might as well be part of a three-ring circus. If this was the way things were run in Mount Ridge, he just might hightail it back to Atlanta. “You’re breaking all the rules, Tessa.”
“Just get Brent out of here…please. My sister…Grace…”
The tone of her voice startled Colin. He nodded slightly, and placed a hand on Brent’s shoulder. “You’ve said your piece. Let me finish here.”
As Brent stood, Jason Sloane burst into tears. His entire body quaked as he fought the cuffs Colin brandished. As the cuffs locked into place, Sloane turned his head and spat. “You should have stayed out of my business, Peterson.”
“Helping families in crisis is my business.” Brent drew Tessa close and backed her toward the doorway as Colin jostled Sloane to his feet.
“My wife might leave me because of your help.” Sloane dipped his head and brushed his chin across his dirty T-shirt. The odor of sweat clung to his skin.
“It’s not too late for you, Jason.” Brent took a step toward them, then stopped when Colin shook his head sharply. He wondered why Brent cared even an ounce about the man who’d held him captive for the last two hours, frightening the wits from his sisters-in-law and most likely his wife, as well. Go figure.
Colin thought of his sister, Bailey. Hotheaded guys like Jason Sloane were dangerous. The guy should be put away—for good.
“Your family needs you,” Brent continued to coax from the doorway. “Your kids and your wife need you. Your daughter’s been sick, and doing something foolish to harm yourself and the strength of your tight-knit family won’t help anyone. If you agree to counseling, for you and your family, I won’t press charges.”
The words punched a hole through Colin’s heart. He thought of Bailey, and how her life might have been spared if criminal actions were dealt stiffer penalties…at least in the case of the guy who took his sister’s life like it meant nothing at all. Suddenly he missed her so much his gut ached.
“You all need to wrap up this soap opera quick.” Colin fought the lump that engulfed his throat and reached for his radio. “The other officers are on their way.”
3
The warmth inside Sweet Treats soothed jangled nerves as Tessa gathered with her sisters and their families around three tables that had been shoved into a make-shift circle. Moonlight spilled through the display window as Tessa poured a round of hazelnut coffee and set out a platter of teacakes. The clock above the showcase ticked off the minutes toward midnight. Police interviews had been conducted, reports filed, phone calls made. The crowd that had gathered at the crisis center had long since dispersed.
There was no point in heading home yet, since Tessa knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. Her sisters seemed to feel the same, so they sipped coffee and chattered about other things...anything, but how close they’d come to losing someone they loved—to losing Brent.
The scent of strawberries wafted, and Tessa glanced at the platter in the center of one table. She’d gleaned the delicious teacakes recipe from her late grandmother’s files, and now indulged in a pair of the sweets washed down with hot, black coffee before her heart rate eased back to normal.
“Tessa, are you still trembling?” Mattie’s gaze felt like a heavy weight. “Your hands are shaking.”
“I’m fine.” Tessa clasped cool fingers together and slipped her hands beneath the table. Yes, she was shaken, but the fact that Mattie, Kate and Grace still worried over her just confirmed the fact that she had to get away from Mount Ridge—and their oppressive doting—as soon as possible. Since she’d graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in marketing last May, they’d done nothing but treat her like she was fifteen all over again instead of nearly twenty-three. So she’d been actively pursuing management positions out of state, and one had come through from a prominent bakery in New York. She’d tell her sisters the bakery’s owner had offered her the job of her dreams as soon as things settled down. But it would have to be quick—she was due to leave in less than a month. “It’s Brent you should be concerned about.”
Grace took the bait. “Are you sure you’re OK, honey?” She pressed a hand to Brent’s cheek and the tenderness in her expression caused Tessa’s heart to stir. What was it like to feel such deep love for a husband? Tessa’s gaze swept to eight-year-old Adam asleep in the chair beside Brent. His blond head was tucked up tight against Brent’s shoulder and his favorite soccer jersey covered his pajama top. Tessa felt a lump form in her throat at the sight of the little family, so deeply committed to one another. And soon a new baby—Brent and Grace’s child—would join them.
“Of course.” Brent ran his fingers through Grace’s hair and leaned in for a kiss. Tessa sighed as her belly tumbled. Would she ever know what it felt like to be so loved? “I’m just a bit worried about Jason Sloane and his wife…and t
heir kids.”
Leave it to Brent to worry about others, even when his own life was in danger. Grace once confessed that his compassion was one of the reasons she’d fallen in love with him.
Tessa straightened and placed her elbows on the table, leaning toward Brent. “What do you think is going to happen next?”
“Well,” Brent leaned back in his chair and looked at Tessa. “Jason will spend the night down at the county jail, cooling off, and tomorrow he’ll go before Judge Harris. Pastor Blevins promised to counsel him, as well.”
“Well, if anyone can talk sense into him, it’s Pastor Blevins.” Tessa sighed. “What do you think the judge will say?”
Brent scratched the stubble across his chin. “I’m not sure, but Jason needs help—not jail time.”
“And you’ll push to make that happen, despite his reckless actions tonight?” Tessa fought to keep bitterness from her voice as the memory of Brent’s danger chilled her once more.
“No, I’ll push to make it happen, because of what he did tonight.” Brent brushed the hair back from Adam’s flushed cheek. “The man needs help to keep his family together. He’s going through a rough patch, that’s all. His wife needs him, and his kids, too…just like this little one—and the new baby to come—need me.”
Grace smiled, and her love for him was evident. Tessa felt a little pang, and wished, for just a moment in time, that she could know what it felt like to be in Grace’s shoes. Leaving Mount Ridge—and her family—to pursue the management job in New York was going to be hard. But she knew she had to go if she was ever going to break away from their doting and gain the work experience she needed to make it on her own. Being the youngest of the four sisters…losing her parents just as she’d entered high school…was not an easy road. She’d fought—continued to fight—for independence at every turn, through every roadblock her sisters tossed her way.
Kate nibbled a piece of gold cake Grace had set on the table. “Who is that new officer—the one that Tessa said took matters into his own hands when Sergeant Becker failed to make headway with Sloane? Is it true he burst into Brent’s office and took Jason down?”
“It’s true.” Brent nodded. “Things might have ended badly, if not for his quick and selfless action. Tessa might have been hurt, too, sneaking into the building the way she did.”
Tessa cringed. Mattie had let her have it for that. Tessa’s head still reeled from the tirade. If not for the fact she was now—and had been for several years—legally an adult, Mattie might have grounded her for life. Now that the danger was passed, Tessa realized her actions were reckless, But she’d do the same again, if it meant getting Brent—or anyone she loved, for that matter—to safety.
“You mean Colin Phillips?” Logan reached for one of the chocolate-cherry kisses Kate had mounded onto another platter—his favorites. “He’s a new recruit out of Atlanta.”
Tessa’s breath caught at the mention of Colin’s name. She blew a stray curl of hair from her eyes, remembering how he’d burst through Brent’s office door to tackle Sloane. The mere thought sent a bite of electricity down her spine. “He wasn’t scared at all.”
“He shouldn’t be.” Logan glanced at Tessa. “He’s trained with Atlanta’s SWAT team.”
“Well, I could have done without his bossiness.” Tessa lifted her chin.
Kate’s laughter sounded like tinkling glass. She cuddled Micayla, barely six months old and crowned with dark curls the same glossy hue as Logan’s. “Got under your skin, did he?”
“I’m sure the feeling’s mutual.” Mattie’s gaze speared Tessa over the rim of her cup. “But he got the job done, didn’t he?”
“Thank God. I can’t bear to think about what might have happened…” Grace shivered as if an arctic wind swept through. “We owe him a huge debt of thanks.”
“Maybe Tessa can make him dinner,” Mattie suggested. “Since the two of them seemed to hit it off so well.”
The idea made Tessa’s heart do an unexpected little jig. The idea of her and Colin…no, it could never be. She waggled a finger at her sister. “You’re a real comedian, Mat, suggesting I make dinner. You know I can’t cook.”
“These mouthwatering confections prove otherwise.” Brent popped a whole teacake into his mouth and spoke around the crumbs. “Maybe Colin likes sweets for a main course.”
“Were about to find out.” Kate nodded toward the glass-paneled shop door, to a figure bathed in floodlights at the bakery’s entrance. “Here he comes.”
****
A chill licked the nape of Colin’s neck as he paused outside the display window to watch the cozy group for a moment. They seemed so at ease together that it almost made him ache. He remembered the times he’d spent laughing with Bailey, talking about everything and nothing, and he missed her so badly it hurt.
Three tables were pushed together, and platters of sweets toppled among foam cups he imagined brimmed with rich, hot coffee. He drew a sigh and pulled his rain slicker tight to ward off the bite of a cool autumn chill. He could use a shot of caffeine to get his engine going again, and a bit of food to ease the unrest in his gut.
The warm glow of shop lights glinted off the women’s glossy hair as they leaned in together, laughing at something the one named Mattie quipped. He recognized Logan as an architect who’d talked with the chief just yesterday about an expansion to the police department, and Brent was the soft-spoken one who wanted to save the world—and Jason Sloane.
Tessa leaned back in the chair and stretched long legs. She’d put the sandals back on, and the heels, he knew, added a few inches to her already-ample height. Rich walnut hair cascaded over lean shoulders as she shook her head, and slender fingers brushed sweaty blond curls from the forehead of a kid tucked up against Brent, sleeping soundly amid the chatter. Like a scene from a Currier and Ives painting, the family seemed to fit together nicely. Longing nudged Colin, and he turned from the window to open the door.
A bell jangled overhead, startling him, and in unison, all six adults turned to gape at him. He nodded, shrugged. “Too late for a cup of coffee?” His voice was gruff.
Tessa’s gaze locked with his, her startled honey eyes full of questions. She wound a strand of dark hair around one finger. “Might be a cup left.” Her eyes darted to his uniform then back up. “If you’re not here to arrest one of us.”
“Don’t think I haven’t considered it, at least as far as you’re concerned.” His tone matched hers. “Breaking through a police barrier is a punishable offense, as is hindering an investigation. But I guess, given the circumstances, I can let it go—this time.”
“Might as well not even entertain the thought.” Logan cleared his throat. “Couldn’t confine Tessa anyway, even if you wanted to.” He covered a grunt with the palm of his hand. “Anyone who knows her, knows that, too.”
Colin shrugged from his rain slicker. The bakery warmed him with homey scents of cinnamon and vanilla mixed with a hint of strawberry. His stomach growled, and he realized he hadn’t had a bite to eat since breakfast. Maybe that was the reason he felt so…jittery. “I imagine so.”
“Come sit with us.” Mattie poured him a cup of hazelnut while the others scooted to make room at the table. “Have something to eat, too. There’s plenty, if Brent stops shoveling the teacakes into his mouth.” She gave Brent’s hand a playful smack.
“I’ve never had teacakes.” Colin laughed and slid in beside Tessa. The soft peach scent of lotion mingled deliciously with a blend of lemon, cherries, and chocolate. “Don’t mind if I try one.”
“Oh, you must have more than one. Tessa made them,” Mattie informed him. “A new recipe she’s trying out. If it’s good enough, we’ll add it to the menu.”
“In that case…” Colin reached for a cookie, took a bite, and groaned with pleasure before he could stop himself. “I give it my stamp of approval. Melts in your mouth.”
Tessa tossed him a sidelong glance. He was startled to see tear stains on her cheeks and he suddenly sens
ed the full extent of the trauma the evening had caused. A fingertip disappeared between her lips, and she gnawed the nail. Her silence concerned him, because in the short time since he’d first met her, she’d been anything but quiet.
“Thank you, Colin, for what you did tonight.” Brent leaned in and grasped his hand. “This is my wife, Grace, and our son, Adam.”
Grace’s blue eyes filled with tears. “And we have another on the way…due in May.”
“Glad to help.” Colin nodded when she took his hand, squeezed gently. “Just doing my job.”
“This is Kate, holding Micayla,” Brent offered, motioning toward the petite woman with cinnamon hair rocking a sleeping baby. “And her husband, Logan.”
“We met yesterday at the station.” Logan tipped his head.
“Of course.” Colin reached for the creamer, added a healthy splash to his coffee. His hand brushed Tessa’s as she handed him the sugar dispenser and he glanced at her, wondering if she felt the same telltale jolt that flashed through him. He had difficulty keeping his voice steady. “You’re heading up the new expansion.”
“Town’s growing.” Logan reached for another chocolate kiss.
“I gather.” Colin sipped coffee and the heat soothed the turmoil in his gut. What was he doing at Sweet Treats, at half-past midnight, trying to keep his eyes off Tessa and wondering why it was so difficult? “That’s why I came here—to work on the force, I mean.”
“Well, your timing is impeccable.” Mattie crossed the room and slipped behind the counter to brew a fresh pot of coffee. Her gaze seemed to drink everything in, and Colin wondered if she sensed what he was feeling. “A gift from God.”