by Terri Reed
Dread seized Kris by the throat. Sadie spoke as if she hadn’t seen Kris in weeks rather than just yesterday. And she did sound weary. “I’ll be right over,” she promised, even as a worried little voice inside her head reminded her that Gabe had asked her not to leave until she’d heard from him. She pushed the thought away. He’d only said that because he wanted her to stop treading on his investigation. Visiting Grams didn’t constitute snooping.
She decided to drop the envelope off at the client’s downtown office before heading to Miller’s Rest. But maneuvering through traffic took longer than she’d expected. Anxiety mounting, she called the client’s office to ask the receptionist to come out to receive the package of photos so Kris wouldn’t have to find a place to park.
Once the pictures were delivered, Kris wound her way through the late morning traffic and onto the highway leading toward Miller’s Rest.
Outside, snow began to fall in big, fluffy flakes. Her windshield wipers had trouble keeping up with the deluge falling from the sky.
She concentrated on the road ahead.
Suddenly, a bump jarring enough to pitch her body forward shuddered through the vehicle. She gasped as her nose barely missed slamming into the steering wheel. Had she run over something?
A quick glance at the rearview mirror sent a chill of terror raging through her. The white van from before was behind her, so close she couldn’t see the bumper.
Oh, Father, help me.
She sped up. He did, too.
Panic slicked her hands on the steering wheel. She adjusted her grip the best she could. She knew from having driven this road so many times that up ahead the road curved and on the right side the ground gave way to a deep ditch.
The van moved over into the oncoming lane and drew alongside her car. Oh, no! He was going to push her off the road.
“Lord, help me. What do I do?” Her voice bounced around the interior of the car.
Lightning fast, a plan formed. She didn’t hesitate to examine or analyze, simply acted.
With one hand, Kris grabbed the emergency brake and pulled just as both feet stomped down hard on the brake pedal. The car slipped and skidded a few feet as the Volvo’s ABS brakes fought to do their job. The car came to a screeching halt. The van shot past her and barely missed her front bumper as it veered into her lane. With tires spitting up snow, the van skidded around the turn then disappeared out of sight.
She let go of the e-brake, cranked the wheel to the left and punched the gas, sending the coupe sliding into a semicircle so that she was facing the other direction. She pressed the gas and sped toward the city as fast as the falling snow would allow, the whole while checking her rearview mirror for the van.
Tears of relief and panic slid down her cheeks.
“Thank you, God. You’re awesome.”
There was no doubt in her mind He’d just saved her. And she suspected some of Gabe’s quick thinking was rubbing off on her. She sent up a prayer of thanks for bringing Gabe back into her life.
She looked for her cell phone but it must have slid to the floor.
As she entered the city limits, she slowed and drove directly to the Boston Police Department. She parked in the front and searched the backseat floor until she finally found her cell phone wedged under the passenger seat. With trembling fingers, she dialed Gabe’s number.
Hopefully he was there and could come out so she didn’t have to go in. She felt safe locked inside the car. The voice mail picked up on the third ring. Disappointment and panic made her voice wobbly. “Gabe, I need you to call me ASAP. I was on my way to visit Grams—” Her sentence broke on a sob. “Call me.”
Not sure what else to do, she ran inside the police department, her knees shaking.
“Can I help you?” an older, uniformed man behind the front desk asked. He was the same officer who’d escorted her to Gabe the last time she’d come to his work.
“Detective Burke,” she managed to say. Her heart was beating so fast, she was having trouble catching her breath. Her hands were quivering. She jammed them into her coat pockets.
“He’s out on a call. Can someone else help you?” He searched her face, concern etched in the deep lines at the corners of his brown eyes.
“I don’t…” She felt slightly dizzy. She grabbed the desk for support.
“Miss, are you all right?” He came around to her and led her to a chair. “Sit here. Let me get you a glass of water.”
Kris put her head between her knees to stop the spinning.
Someone had tried to run her off the road. Tried to kill her. Again.
She had to find Gabe. What if he were in danger, too? Oh, no. Grams! What if that van headed to the center? What if whoever wanted her to stop looking for the missing people did something to Sadie? Fresh panic halted her breathing. She concentrated on filling her lungs and slowly letting the air out as the world continued to spin.
When the officer came back bearing a plastic cup of water, she straightened to ask, “Is there any way to contact Detective Burke?”
“I can have Dispatch reach him.” His bushy white eyebrows drew together in concern. “Are you sure no one else can’t help? You’re awfully pale.”
How could she begin to explain? “No. I need to go.”
She had to get to Sadie. She raced out of the building and to her car.
Behind the wheel with her hand on the ignition, she froze. Did she dare drive the same car back toward Miller’s Rest while that van was still out there?
What were her options?
Sit tight and wait for Gabe to call. Or go to her parents and use one of the other cars to drive to the center, hoping she arrived before the van? Not likely.
She cringed at the thought of facing her parents with this information but decided she would have to tell them what was going on eventually. They would want to know why their car was all banged up.
Fear for Sadie wormed through her mind. She yanked out her cell phone and dialed Sadie. The phone just rang.
Shaking with thoughts of horrible things that could be happening to Sadie, Kris called the retirement center.
“Miller’s Rest Retirement Center,” said the receptionist in a soothing voice.
Kris could picture the pretty brunette. “This is Kris Worth, Sadie Arnold’s granddaughter. Could you please connect me with her nurse?”
“I’m sorry. The residents don’t have private nurses. Let me see who is on duty. Just a moment please.”
Muzak filled the phone line while Kris waited; her heart pounded in her chest, making her ribs ache. The cold air bit into her skin. She started the engine and cranked up the heat.
“Miss Worth, this is Nurse Cathy, how can I help?”
“I really need you to check on my grandmother. She called me earlier and didn’t sound…normal. I just want to make sure she’s all right.”
“I saw Sadie in the common room with the other ladies having tea barely five minutes ago. She seemed perfectly fine to me. Would you like me to have her call you?”
Relief oozed over her frayed nerves. “Actually, yes. That would be great. Also, could you keep an eye on her? Make sure she isn’t left alone.”
“Okay. I can do that. Is everything all right?”
“I’m just worried about her.”
“Very well.”
Kris hung up. Okay, Sadie was safe. For now. She turned off the engine and went back inside the police station. She could at least get the ball rolling on finding out who owned the white van.
“Unbelievable!” Charles Worthington proclaimed as he stared at Kris. “You’re saying someone deliberately tried to run you off the road. And yesterday someone took a shot at you? Is that how Burke got injured?”
Cringing, Kris nodded. “Yes.”
“Oh, my poor baby.” Tears welled in her mother’s eyes as she put one hand to her mouth as if to keep from throwing up.
Kris grimaced. Her parents were taking the news as she’d expected. Her father with righteous anger
and her mother with worry that any moment would turn into smothering concern.
They were gathered in the living room. Kris and her mother were seated on the couch, her mom looking regal in a red sweater, pearls and black wide-leg pants. Her father paced in front of the fireplace, his blue oxford button-down dress shirt as crisp as if he’d just put it on rather than having come home from his office after a day of managing the family’s wealth.
“The police are searching for the van right now and I had a police escort here. I’m fine. Gabe will be stopping by as soon as he can,” Kris detailed.
She’d finally connected with Gabe via cell phone. He’d had a long night at a crime scene and she’d felt bad telling him of her near-death collision but his distress and anger warmed her. She didn’t doubt he cared about her safety. But did he care about her in other ways? She really, really hoped so.
A look passed between Meredith and Charles. “We can’t rely on the police to keep you protected,” her father said.
Kris’s own gaze narrowed. “We can’t?” Kris plucked at the collar of her sweater. It was hot in the house, especially under her parents’ scrutiny. “I trust Gabe to put a stop to this.”
But the real question was, was she brave enough to trust him with her heart?
“I’m sure they’ll do the best they can, but you can’t expect the city police to assign someone to be with you at all times. It’s just not feasible,” Charles explained.
She had relied on Gabe more than was reasonable. She couldn’t keep monopolizing his time, no matter how much she’d like to. “Of course not.”
“Do you know why this is happening?” her mother asked.
“Maybe,” she hedged. How did she explain? She might as well just get it over with. She braced herself for their reaction. “I think it might be because…” She swallowed. “Well, see, there have been some residents from Miller’s Rest who have, uh, gone missing. And I’ve been trying to find them.”
“Missing?” Her mother’s voice rose an octave.
“What?” Her father’s voiced deepened. “You’ve been trying to find them? What exactly do you mean?”
“I’ve been asking questions. Following Frank, the center’s janitor. Going to visit one of the missing people’s relatives,” she confessed. It was better to get it all out in the open now rather than later in bits and pieces.
Her father ran a hand through his still-thick silver-flecked hair. “This must stop. You must let the police do their job.” He pinned her to the couch with a stare. “And Burke knows all of this?”
Uh-oh. “Uh, well, yes, but he—”
“Unbelievable. I’m going to fry his—”
She jumped up. “No. He’s been telling me to back off from day one. He doesn’t like what I’ve been doing any more than you do. But even when he didn’t believe anything bad was going on, he has been protective and kind to me and Sadie.”
“Hmph. He should have told us when he was here yesterday,” Charles countered, though clearly not appeased.
“I asked him not to,” Kris declared.
Her father’s irritated expression made Kris feel like a nuisance. She swallowed hard and straightened under his glare.
“What does my mother have to do with this?” Meredith asked, her wide-eyed gaze a bit frantic. “She’s not missing, is she?”
Redirecting her attention, Kris answered, “No. Grams is fine. She’s the one who alerted me to the missing people.”
“And what does the center say about these missing individuals?” Charles inquired.
Hiking a hip on the arm of the couch, Kris said, “The director has an explanation for every one of them.”
Her father frowned and eyed her intently. “But you don’t believe the explanations?”
She shook her head. “No. I don’t.”
Charles looked thoughtful for a moment. “Okay then.”
“Okay?” Kris wasn’t sure what he meant by that.
“An associate of mine, Gordon Trent, his eldest son is a personal security specialist. I’m going to call him right now,” he stated and walked toward the door.
Meredith brightened. “Oh, good idea.”
Annoyance shot through her as once again they were ready to barge forward, interfering in her life without so much as asking permission. “Wait. What do you mean ‘personal security specialist’?”
“A bodyguard,” her mother clarified. Taken aback, Kris jumped to her feet. She didn’t like the idea at all. “Really? That’s a little extreme.”
“Actually, it’s a very good idea,” came a familiar deep voice from behind her.
She whirled around to find Gabe in the arched doorway of the living room, his suit looking rumbled and his tie askew. He’d lost the sling but she could still make out the bulge from the bandages wrapped around his upper arm. He looked tired, but determined. She drank him in, wanting nothing more than to fly into his arms where she would be safe.
“You agree I need a babysitter?” Kris asked.
“You need protection,” he said.
Right. A bodyguard to protect her person, but who was going to protect her heart?
NINE
Gabe walked forward to take Kris’s hands, grateful to see her healthy and safe. The second he’d heard about the van trying to run her off the road, everything inside squeezed tight until his lungs were devoid of breath. He hadn’t been able to take a full breath since until now. “Look, your parents are right to worry. And having you protected by a bodyguard would free me up to do my job.”
Disappointment flashed in Kris’s eyes. Gabe resisted the need to take her into his arms and tell her how important her safety was to him. How important she was. But with her parents watching, their disapproving gazes boring into him, he contented himself with giving her hands a gentle squeeze.
“Listen to the detective, Kristina,” her father urged. “Let him do his job and find the person trying to hurt you.”
Her mouth twisted. “And find the missing people.”
“Of course. He can do that, too.”
Kris took a deep breath and exhaled with a nod. “All right, Dad. Call Mr. Trent.”
“Is my mother in danger?” Mrs. Worthington asked, her voice full of anxiety.
Gabe shifted his gaze from Kris’s blue eyes to meet Mrs. Worthington’s. “I can’t say for sure. We haven’t established that any crimes have been committed against the missing residents.”
“But you’re concerned,” Mr. Worthington stated, somehow reading Gabe’s feelings so easily.
Gabe nodded, surprised by his perception. “We have a BOLO out on the van that tried to run her off the road.”
“BOLO?” Kris asked.
“Means ‘be on the lookout.’ The department dispatcher types the information you gave us in to NLETS—” Seeing her questioning look, he explained, “National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System. This is connected to NCIC, National Crime Information Center and is sent immediately to other agencies. It’s our best chance of finding the van.”
“Wow. I didn’t think I had remembered enough to be helpful.”
“Hey, you got the first two letters of the license plate and gave a good description of the dents in the front. There can’t be that many white panel vans matching what you’ve given us. We’ve had success with less.”
She looked pleased. “Good.”
Wanting to make sure she didn’t become complacent about her or Sadie’s safety, he said, “But until we find this guy, I would feel better if Sadie was removed from Miller’s Rest.”
Kris pulled her hands out of his. “You can’t take Grams away from her friends. She likes it there.”
“It would only be temporary,” he assured her.
“But where would she go? I’m not set up at my place for her. She couldn’t manage the stairs. And she’d feel trapped,” Kris explained, her growing agitation evident with every wave of her hand emphasizing her words.
“She’ll come here, of course,” Mrs. Worthingto
n asserted, her tone reflecting her indignation that Kris suggested otherwise.
Kris faced her parents. “What? I thought you wanted her where you wouldn’t have to deal with her. You never visit her. Rarely ask her to visit you.”
Her mother looked hurt. “I’ve never wanted her anywhere but here. She didn’t want to live with us. And believe me, I pleaded and begged for her to move in here but she said she’d rather spend her time with others her age. I tried visiting in the beginning, but she’d get so agitated. The center director thought it would be better if I didn’t come unless my mother invited me. She never has.” Mrs. Worthington’s voice broke. “I’ve never cared for that place she picked. Not when there is a much nicer one closer to us.”
Kris’s anger visibly left her. Compassion filled her expression. “Oh. I didn’t know. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“The director asked you not to visit?” Gabe asked, growing more and more certain Ms. Faust was up to something.
Mrs. Worthington gave a delicate shrug. “She said upsetting Mother wasn’t good for her. Ms. Faust suggested having Sadie come here for visits, but the few times we tried were a disaster. Mother didn’t like the food or the house was too hot or too cold.” She shook her head. “I was so thankful when Kris returned from Europe. Mother was on her best behavior when Kris brought her over.”
Kris moved to sit beside her. “I’m so sorry. I just didn’t know. I thought—” She made a helpless gesture. “I’m afraid Grams’s mind is…” She took a deep breath, hating to even admit it but she had to. She had to start coming to terms with the fact that Sadie’s mind was slipping. “Dementia is setting in.”
Sadness entered her mother’s eyes as she lifted a trembling hand to her mouth.
“I don’t know how Grams will take living here,” Kris stated.
“Believe me, we have no illusions. She’ll hate it. But we’re family. We take care of our own,” Mr. Worthington stated, putting his hand on his wife’s shoulder.
Gabe swallowed back the rising emotion churning in his gut. The Worthingtons were turning out to be so different than he’d remembered. And different from the way Kris described them. Seeing how they were pulling together made him ache like he hadn’t since he was a child and had watched other kids with their parents. He’d longed to have a family with a mom and a dad. Parents who cared. Parents who were involved.