“Mrs. Burgess? This is Charlie Whitmore.”
“Charlie! How are you and Kendra doing up there? Do you know if my boy dropped that cake off yet?”
“He did.”
Before Charlie could add his thanks, she started speaking again. “You know, I always hoped Kendra would take a shine to my boy, but the girl was never in town long enough for him to work up the nerve to talk to her, much less ask her out on a date.” Mrs. Burgess sighed into the phone. “Oh well. At least she’s got you up there to help look out for her.”
“Yes, she does,” Charlie said, not quite sure what to think about Mrs. Burgess’s revelation. Then he clued in on her last sentence. “Did you see the newspaper articles about Kendra?”
“Couldn’t help but see them, but don’t you worry. I won’t tell any of those reporter people where she’s hiding,” Mrs. Burgess promised.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d give me a call if anyone comes looking,” Charlie told her.
“Don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll make sure no one comes calling unexpectedly. Of course, with all this snow, I don’t think you’ll have anything to worry about for a while.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Burgess,” Charlie said. “And thanks for the cake.”
“You’re welcome. You just give me a call if there’s anything else I can do for you.”
“I will. Thanks.”
* * *
He was nervous. Charlie let that thought work its way through his brain before he tried to decipher the reasons behind it. He was man enough to acknowledge his developing feelings for Kendra, even though he knew the timing was wrong for him to act on them. He was also experienced enough in dating to recognize that the attraction was mutual.
What he didn’t have experience with was being attracted to a woman who was off limits. He knew he couldn’t do his job properly if he started thinking of Kendra as more than just a person who needed his protection. He just hadn’t expected his protective instincts to turn so personal.
He had dated Lisa for more than six months, but not once could he think of a time when she had cried in front of him. Not once had she ever really needed him. In just a few days, he could feel the attachment between him and Kendra growing, and it scared him. If she had been a needy sort of woman, he could have brushed it off. In fact, that would have made him want to put some distance between them.
But Kendra wasn’t needy in that clingy sort of way. She just needed someone to confide in, someone to trust. Charlie felt both privileged and terrified that she had chosen him to be that person.
Just another few days, he told himself. A few more days and the storms would be over, the roads would be passable, and, if all went well, Kendra would agree to protection. Then he could tell Kendra the truth. That he was her protection.
He shifted the bag of groceries he’d brought with him and reached up to knock on the door as snow began falling once more. The footsteps sounded immediately, and Kendra didn’t try to hide the relief that showed on her face when she opened the door.
Charlie walked inside and shut the door behind him. He looked down at her, not quite able to gauge her emotions. “How are you doing?”
“Still a little shaky, I guess, but other than that, I’m okay.”
He set down the grocery bag and took off his coat and boots. Then his eyes met hers, and he had to fight the urge to reach for her hand. “I’m really sorry that I upset you.”
“It’s okay.” Kendra managed a smile. “As scary as it is to think that someone would really want to hurt me, it’s better that I know about it.”
Charlie nodded and then picked up the groceries once more. He started for the kitchen and put the food on the counter. Then he turned to face her. “I know you haven’t had much time to think about it, but do you have any idea about what you’re going to do now?”
“You mean now that I know someone is trying to kill me?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know.” Kendra walked into the living room and sat down on the loveseat. She looked a little disappointed when Charlie sat opposite of her instead of taking the seat next to her. “I doubt anyone would look for me here, especially right now with all this snow.”
“What about your dad? Won’t he think to look here?”
“Maybe after awhile.” Kendra shrugged. “I thought about calling him myself to let him know I’m doing okay, but I know my dad. I’m sure he has someone tracking the GPS signals on all of his incoming calls. The minute I call him, he’ll know where I am.”
“And if he knows where you are, he’ll send his bodyguards to find you and take you home,” Charlie finished for her.
“Exactly.”
“Do you really think he’s tracking all his incoming calls? I know it’s possible, but I doubt your dad has the kind of equipment necessary to do that.”
“He doesn’t, but Bruce and Alan do.”
“Bruce and Alan?”
“Parsons.” Kendra nodded. “They’ve been working for my dad since I was a teenager. Dad hired Bruce’s firm right after a threat came in against me.”
“You’ve been threatened before?”
“Dad doesn’t know that I know about it,” Kendra admitted. “Alan let it slip one time after I tried to go to the beach without any bodyguards. Apparently, someone sent a bunch of letters to me, and it freaked Dad out. That was when my dad hired the Parsons.”
“How old were you when that happened?”
“Sixteen,” she told him. “I remember a couple of months after Dad hired them that Alan used the GPS signal on my phone to find me. Then, a few weeks later, I turned my phone off so they couldn’t track me down. I used my girlfriend’s phone to call and let my dad know that I was okay and that I just wanted to go out with some friends for a while. Five minutes later, Alan showed up to take me home.”
“It sounds like this Alan guy takes his job pretty seriously.”
Kendra nodded. “His dad owns the company. Sometimes I think my dad trusts Bruce and Alan more than he trusts me.”
“I’m sure he’s just worried,” Charlie told her.
“You know, I probably should check in with my grandfather so I don’t have to worry about the Parsons trying to track me down. I’m sure he can get a message to my parents.” She reached for her purse on the end table and dug through it for a minute before she shook her head. “I think I might have left my phone in my car.”
“Do you want to borrow mine?” Charlie asked and pulled his phone out of his pocket.
“That would be great. Thanks.”
Charlie handed his phone to her. As he watched Kendra dial the phone number from memory, Charlie found himself smiling. He had a feeling that he was about to see a very accurate picture of exactly who Kendra Blake really was.
* * *
Kendra smiled the moment her grandfather’s voice came over the phone. “Hi, Grandpa.”
“Kendra? I was hoping you would call,” William told her. “I was starting to worry about you.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you back sooner. I think I left my new phone in the car, and I haven’t wanted to go out in the snow to dig it out.”
“If you aren’t using your phone, I guess you met my friend up there.”
“Yes,” Kendra answered, once again suspicious of her grandfather’s motives. “In fact, Charlie’s planning on making me dinner tonight.”
“I see.” William seemed to consider for a minute. “You know, I don’t know if I adequately interrogated him before letting him get to know you. He is a returned missionary, isn’t he?”
Kendra rolled her eyes and looked over at Charlie. “Grandpa wants to know if you went on a mission.”
He nodded. “I served in Quebec.”
“Yes, he’s a returned missionary.” Kendra smiled into the phone. “Better now?”
“A little.” William chuckled. “You can’t blame me for worrying. I hadn’t planned on setting you up with a new boyfriend, but maybe I should have.”
&
nbsp; The image of Charlie holding her earlier flashed into her mind, and she could feel the blush rising in her cheeks. She shifted on the loveseat and tried to push aside the hope that had swelled in her, concentrating instead on the current status of their relationship. Then she realized that her grandfather was fishing for information. “Are you trying to interrogate me?”
“I’m just making conversation.”
“Right,” Kendra said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “Look, I’ll call you again in a week or so. Can you just let everyone know I’m okay?”
“I will, but you be careful.”
“I will,” Kendra said. “I love you.”
“Love you too, pumpkin.”
As soon as Kendra hung up, she handed the phone back to Charlie and caught him trying to smother a grin. “What?”
“It’s just that your grandpa is a lot like mine.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Charlie nodded. “He can give you the third degree in fewer than sixty seconds, but the minute you have his approval, you feel like all is right with the world.”
Her smile bloomed. “That’s exactly how it is. He’s still raw about the fact that most of his children have fallen away from the Church. Out of seven kids, only two are still active.”
“That would be tough.”
She nodded. “I think he and Grandma have pinned their hopes on converting their grandchildren, even if they have to do it one at a time.”
“It seems to have worked with you and your sister.”
“Yeah, it has.” She let out a little laugh. “I think back to growing up, and the one thing I loved more than anything was going to visit my grandparents. I just always knew what to expect, you know?”
“Yeah.” Charlie nodded, and his eyes met hers. “I know.”
Chapter 17
His patience was going to pay off, he assured himself. He tugged off his gloves, plugged his iPod into its docking station, and turned up his music. He closed his eyes and let the music sweep over him. She was singing to him, and he could already imagine what it would be like if she were here right now.
Impatience clawed at him, but he fought it back. Kendra wouldn’t be like the others. She was the one he was waiting for. She would understand that they were meant to be together. This time, everything would be different.
Kendra might be out of reach for a few more days, but he could wait that long. He had waited for years already.
* * *
Her bedroom was blindingly bright when Kendra managed to force her eyes open. After hearing the wind howl with the storm last night, she hadn’t expected to awaken to sunlight streaming through the windows. She had no idea what time it was, nor could she be sure what time she’d finally gone to bed the night before. She only knew that Charlie had stayed most of the day yesterday, not leaving her alone until after ten.
She stared up at the ceiling as she remembered the events of the day before. She still couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the facts laid out in the news article Charlie had given her. Rather than focus on the fear that threatened, Kendra thought of her time with Charlie. She couldn’t figure out what it was about him that made her let her guard down. Not since high school could she remember having any friends with whom she could really share confidences and who accepted her for exactly who she was.
As much as she hated to admit it, she hadn’t done much to keep those high school friends from being driven away over the years, first by the strict security her father had imposed and then by the demands of her career. Occasionally, she would still hear from old acquaintances, but those times were usually just a quick phone call that included the inevitable request for concert tickets.
Charlie was the first person in years who didn’t seem to want anything from her. Yesterday they’d talked for hours about his family and hers. He told her about his mission in Canada. She told him about the strain of being on the road.
Somewhere in this adventure of running away, she’d found a precious gift. She’d found a friend.
A sense of anticipation rushed through her, and she forced herself to acknowledge that she was hoping Charlie would become more than just a friend. Admittedly, he hadn’t really done anything to indicate he was romantically interested in her, but she certainly couldn’t have been the only one who’d felt a spark between them when he held her. The intense look that sometimes came into his eyes had to mean something beyond simple friendship.
Her mind still churning, Kendra sat up in bed. When the down comforter shifted off of her, the sudden chill surprised her. She quickly pulled a quilt from the bed and wrapped it around her before heading for the bathroom. She flipped on the light switch, but the bathroom remained dark.
She stared at the light fixture for a moment, shaking her head as she guessed that the light bulb must have burnt out. Turning away from the bathroom, she headed out of her room and down the hall. That’s when she noticed the light she’d left on the night before was also out. She reached for the hall light switch, flipping it on only to see that it didn’t yield the desired results either.
“Great,” Kendra muttered under her breath. “My first sunny day here, and now I lose the electricity.”
Gripping the blanket tighter, she turned back to the bedroom and gathered up some clean clothes. Uncertain of how long the electricity would be out, she decided to use what she could of the hot water before it was too late. She showered in record time—under three minutes—and managed to keep the hot water for almost all of it.
She quickly dried off and changed into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. Still chilled, she grabbed a hooded sweatshirt and put it on too. After donning a pair of wool socks she’d bought at the general store, she wrapped her wet hair in a towel and went into the living room to check on the fire.
After stirring it back to life, she retrieved the comforter off her bed, curled up on the chair nearest the fireplace, and wondered how the pioneers survived without hair dryers.
* * *
Charlie heard the knock at the door and forced himself awake. Three seconds was all it took for him to push the sleep from his brain and realize that it had to be Kendra who had woken him. The realization that the electricity had gone out sometime during the night took nearly twice that long.
He had been up until nearly four in the morning reviewing case files and trying to find a common link among the victims, apart from the obvious factors of physical description and location. Now he wondered if the batteries on his laptop and phone had charged before the power went out.
Already dressed in the sweatpants and T-shirt he’d slept in, he raked his fingers through his hair and jogged to the front door. A pitiful amount of heat was still coming from the wood stove in the front room, and it obviously needed a fresh log or two to get it going again.
Charlie pulled open the front door to find Kendra bundled up and standing on his front porch, the hood of her parka covering her hair. “Hey, there.” Charlie stepped back from the door and waved her inside. “Come on in.”
“Did I wake you?” Kendra asked. “Normally you’re up before me.”
“I put in a late night last night. I had some work I had to finish up.” Charlie raked his fingers through his hair again and turned to deal with the fire. “What time is it anyway?”
“Almost eleven,” Kendra told him, her eyes narrowing. “I thought you were on vacation. How come you had to work?”
Charlie stoked the fire and closed the stove before turning to face her. “It was just some research for a case I’ve been working on.” He gave a casual shrug. “You know how it is. The new guy always gets the grunt work.”
“Oh,” Kendra said, shifting her weight.
“I’m sorry.” Charlie motioned to the couch. “Did you want to sit down?”
“Sure.” Kendra nodded. She sat and rubbed her arms against the chill.
Charlie sat on the couch beside her, noticing that her hair didn’t look completely dry. “I gathe
r your electricity is out too.”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “I’ve never had this happen during the winter before.”
“Me neither.” His stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since dinner the night before. “I’m starving. Have you eaten yet?”
She shook her head. “It was too cold in my cabin to even think about food.”
“Once the fire gets going, it’ll warm up in here.” Charlie stood up and crossed to the kitchen. “It’s been awhile, but I can probably fix some ham and eggs on the stove.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Without electricity?”
He pointed at the wood-burning stove. “On that stove.”
“You can really cook on that thing?” Kendra asked skeptically.
Charlie nodded and lifted the kettle off the electric stove. He filled it with water and dug out a skillet. He then put them both on the wood stove to heat. “I stayed at a cabin for a few weeks after I finished law school. It was pretty rustic. There wasn’t a regular stove, so I didn’t have much of a choice but to learn how to cook on the old-fashioned kind.”
She smiled at him. “Sounds like it was an adventure.”
“I guess you could call it that,” Charlie said, still sensitive about the events that had led him to that mountain cabin a couple of years ago.
Kendra must have sensed his change in mood because her smile faded. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just thinking.” Charlie started to brush off those memories, but something in Kendra’s expression made him reconsider. “I actually went to that cabin to get away for a while after my old girlfriend and I broke up.”
“Had you been together long?”
“Not really,” he said as he struggled against the familiar feelings of failure. He crossed into the kitchen, giving himself a minute to organize his thoughts. He retrieved the ham and eggs out of the refrigerator and then walked back to where Kendra was still watching him with interest. He didn’t know why he felt compelled to explain his failed relationship to her, but he let himself continue. “I guess it was what you’d call a whirlwind romance. We were only together about six months before we got engaged.”
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