A Dose of Danger (Risky Research)

by Kim McMahill

  Frank paused for a moment, studying the young man. The naïve scientist had let greed cloud his judgment, but the consequences of his decisions were finally sinking in, and he was trying to protect the innocent woman whom he rightly felt concern for. Frank experienced a moment of uncharacteristic remorse, but it passed quickly.

  “You did just fine. Now let’s take a drive. We have a few more items to discuss.”

  “I’m r-really, really tired,” Jonah stuttered.

  “This won’t take long.”

  “I need to get something first,” Jonah lied.

  “I’ve got everything you need right here,” Frank replied, patting his coat pocket.

  Jonah’s eyes widened in panic as his stare fixated on the bulging shape in Frank’s pocket.

  The color drained from the young man’s face, making Frank fear he might pass out before he could get him into the large SUV. He had no desire to carry a limp body across a parking lot. That type of activity had a habit of attracting the attention of anyone who happened to be passing by.

  “Now just be real quiet, do as I say, and everything will be okay,” Frank stated as he looped an arm through Jonah’s and led him away from the building.

  Chapter Twenty

  Every muscle in Grace’s body ached, but she didn’t want this day to ever end. She had convinced herself that having an interesting and rewarding job and a devoted and dependable uncle was sufficient for a happy life, but as she watched Logan put another log on the fire while rehashing the pig incident, she knew it would never be enough again.

  What good are humorous memories if you have no one to share them with?

  She went to the kitchen and poured milk into a pan to heat while rummaging through the cupboards for cocoa. The snowflakes continued to fall, illuminated by the yard light they had been able to fix earlier in the day using the tractor head to elevate Logan enough to change the bulb. She had been terrified while watching him balanced so high in the air at the mercy of a 1957 tractor with no brakes, affectionately known as “The Rustmobile,” and her mediocre ability when it came to driving the worn-out antique.

  On quiet nights like this, she wondered why she ever returned to the city, but this time she wouldn’t. Even if she didn’t get fired, Butch was gone, and Moss needed her. Deserting him was out of the question. He had been there for her, and she would be there for him. Her mind wandered back to that crisp fall evening when she’d arrived at Moss’s door. Her father waited in the car while her mother had marched her up the front porch steps.

  Grace absently ran her right fingers over her left bicep, remembering her mother’s grasp digging into her tiny arm as Grace tried to twist free. Tears had rolled down her cheeks as her mother pounded on the door. Moss answered, and her mother glared at him. After an awkward moment, she heard her mother hiss, “She’s your responsibility now.” Then the woman turned and left without saying goodbye.

  Grace never saw her mother again. She remembered how Moss just knelt down to eye level and said, “You look like you could use a cup of hot cocoa,” and gently led her into the house.

  Every time Grace thought about that night, her mother’s confusing words haunted her. She kept hoping her father would come to her rescue, but he never did, and in the end it was Moss who saved her from a life of pain and loneliness. Shaking herself out of the past, she walked into the living room with two cups of steaming hot chocolate. Grace handed a mug to Logan and sat down at the end of the sofa with her feet tucked under her.

  “Thanks,” Logan stated as he accepted the cup.

  “My pleasure.”

  “Did you talk to Moss today?”

  “Yes, he sounds much better, though still pretty groggy. I’m sure he’s on a lot of medication. I didn’t say anything about the fire or my culpability, since I saw no benefit in upsetting him at this point. The less he knows the better. Maybe I’m a bit of a coward, too. I dread the confession I’ll eventually have to make.”

  Logan nodded, took a sip, and continued to watch Grace. “How are you holding up?”

  “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared and riddled with guilt. I built a career making better vitamins for Fido. Management has always been paranoid about corporate spies and obsessed with confidentiality agreements, but not in my wildest dreams did it ever occur to me I was doing anything worth killing over.”

  Logan set his cup down and held out his large, calloused hand toward Grace. She needed no more coaxing. She laced her fingers through his and let him lead her into his arms. Nestled against his chest, wrapped in his strong embrace, gazing at the flickering flames in the fireplace, Grace didn’t feel as frightened.

  “You are not responsible for the greed and violence of others or their actions. I’d try to convince you none of this is your fault, but I’d fail.”

  “You say that with authority and, I would assume, from experience,” she replied, not expecting him to elaborate but hoping he would trust her enough to share his pain, acknowledging the hypocrisy in her desire.

  She felt his arms tighten around her, and after several minutes, he spoke.

  “When my partner was gunned down on the border, I couldn’t stop blaming myself for his death…still haven’t, really. Intellectually, I know the eight agents who faced down twenty heavily-armed drug dealers that night did all we could. We were outnumbered and outgunned, and it’s a miracle any of us survived. There was nothing we could have done differently to change the outcome, but I still relive that night over and over again, searching for that elusive maneuver which could have saved his and three others’ lives.”

  “How did you cope?”

  “I moved and switched jobs. I will never be able to truly put the tragedy behind me. The worst part was, and always will be, facing his widow and son, wondering why he died and I lived. She didn’t blame me or anyone else, claimed he knew the risks of the job, but she couldn’t hide the pain in her eyes. I couldn’t leave for a while. I felt as long as she suffered I should, too. In the reception line after my sister’s wedding, she smiled and hugged me and told me it was time to move on. So, I packed my bags and left…haven’t been back to Arizona since.”

  “Your brother-in-law.” Grace gasped in disbelief.

  “My sister is happy with her new husband. They’ve moved to California and have a baby on the way, but when we see each other it’s still awkward. She tries not to let the lingering pain show. Thank goodness my nephew was too young to remember the tragedy. I can’t help but wonder if she ever wished it had been me, not him, because I do nearly every day of my life.”

  Grace ached for him, but understood why he hadn’t judged her nor given her any unrealistic advice about how she should be feeling. He had lived through a tragedy and bore the burden of misplaced, but unavoidable, guilt. His pain broke her heart. The shared emotions made her feel even closer to this man whom she met just days before.

  Now she feared losing him.

  “I’m so sorry for what you went through. I’m sure talking about it is difficult, but I appreciate knowing you understand I need the guilt right now. The blame will have to subside in its own time. I doubt it will ever completely go away.”

  “No, I’ll never stop beating myself up. The change of scenery has helped, especially this scenery,” he said as he twisted one of her golden curls around his finger.

  Grace wasn’t sure what else to say, so she relaxed and relished the comfort of a kindred spirit. With Logan’s arms wrapped securely around her, the only light coming from the replaced outdoor light filtering in through the window and the glowing flames from the fireplace, she drifted off to sleep.

  The shrill sound startled Grace out of a deep sleep. Disoriented, she bolted upright and rolled off the couch, hitting the floor with a painful thud before an equally startled Logan could stop her momentum. Several more seconds elapsed before Grace realized the phone was ringing. Glancing at the clock, she scrambled to her feet and stumbled toward the noise. Panic nearly paralyzed her… Good news almos
t never came at two a.m. unless it involved the birth of a baby. Unfortunately, she didn’t know anyone who was pregnant.

  “Please don’t let it be Moss,” she whispered as she reached for the handset.

  “Grace, thank goodness you answered.”

  “What is it? What’s happened? Stephen, it’s two in the morning.”

  “I didn’t know who else to trust or who to turn to. Grace, I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.”

  Logan reached over Grace’s shoulder and pushed the speaker button on the phone.

  “Dr. Clark, this is Deputy Carlson. What’s going on?”

  “Kathleen has been in a t-terrible accident, at least that’s what the police are saying. She d-didn’t make it,” he stammered with hysteria clear in his voice.

  Grace gasped. Even with no details, she felt as certain as Stephen that Kathleen’s death was no accident. Logan’s arm encircled her shoulders, and he pulled her close. She was thankful for the support.

  “Take a deep breath and stay calm. Now, tell us what happened, and why you don’t believe it was an accident if the local authorities do?”

  “Kathleen was run off the road. Her car rolled multiple times down a steep embankment. The rescue workers were able to reach the car with repelling gear and extract her body, but haven’t been able to retrieve the vehicle from the gully since it’s so deep. The driver responsible hasn’t been located. How can you call it an accident if witnesses saw a truck run her off the road, and it didn’t stop? I called Jonah to warn him to stay put, lock the doors, and be extra careful just as soon as I heard the news. I got no answer. So I went to his apartment, and he’s gone.”

  “Did you notify law enforcement?”

  “No. They won’t take me seriously. Would you do anything if I told you I went to a twenty-six-year-old single man’s apartment at one a.m. to let him know that his co-worker had been in an accident, and he wasn’t home?”

  “Okay, I see your point. We need to get you under police protection. I’ll have the sheriff contact the authorities there. I’m sure we can convince them to help, even if they have to lock you up for twenty-four hours. How far are you from the police station now?”

  “Which station? After I left Jonah’s place I took the first on-ramp to I-80 heading west. I haven’t seen a town in a while. I had little confidence I could get help without any evidence of foul play. No offense, but do you really think these big city police officers will be easily convinced by a rural sheriff hundreds of miles away that Kathleen’s wreck wasn’t an accident? Jonah’s been abducted. Someone may be trying to kill me, and all three incidents are related to a burnt-out barn in the boonies? I don’t want to die.”

  Grace knew she should say something, but felt emotionally paralyzed. This couldn’t be happening. She was a researcher. Her colleagues were businessmen and scientists. They weren’t the type anyone would want to hurt, and they definitely didn’t have the street smarts to go “underground.”

  “Oh, and did I mention when I tried to make a copy of the data backup, I got a critical error message and was unable to access the files?” Stephen added. Hysteria was evident in his voice.

  “No, you didn’t. But don’t worry about that now. We can have an IT expert see if it’s a legitimate glitch or if the system has been tampered with, and if the data can be restored. In the meantime, do you have much cash on you?”

  “A few hundred.”

  “Well, if you want to stay off the radar, and you don’t want to go to the police, I suggest you keep a very low profile. Avoid credit cards and ATM’s. Don’t email Grace or anyone else using your existing email account, and stay away from family and friends until we figure out what we’re up against. Not knowing how sophisticated ‘they’ are, or even who they are for that matter, it might not hurt to buy a disposable cell phone and quit using your usual one. You can also set up a new email account under a bogus name and use that to contact me. Remember, send nothing to Grace in case her accounts are being monitored.”

  “Okay, I can do that,” Stephen replied, sounding somewhat calmer.

  “I want you to call me once you purchase a new cell phone and find some place safe to rest. Hopefully we’ll know more by then, and we can develop a plan to keep everyone alive and figure out who is behind this mess,” Logan said.

  There was a brief pause. “Deputy, please don’t let them hurt Grace.”

  Before Logan could answer, the call cut out. He prayed Stephen had entered a tunnel, passed under a bridge, or entered an area with no cell coverage.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Grace added an extra scoop of grounds to the filter and started a pot of coffee. Even though the clock read two ten a.m., she was certain neither she nor Logan would be able to go back to sleep. An extra jolt of caffeine was definitely in order.

  After letting the dogs out, she stoked the fire and threw another log on the glowing embers. Leaning against the doorway into the kitchen, she observed the tension in Logan’s stance as he held the phone to his ear. His back was toward her. She listened, waiting for him to speak, memorizing every feature of his profile, from the way his dark brown hair curled slightly at the collar of his flannel shirt, to the way his jeans hugged his narrow hips. Caving to temptation, she walked toward him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her cheek to his back. Immediately she felt his body relax.

  “Sorry to wake you, Sheriff, but Grace just got a hysterical call from her boss. One of her colleagues has been in a fatal car accident, and the other is missing. Dr. Clark doesn’t believe the crash was an accident, even though that’s what the local authorities claim. He’s fled. He refused to go to the police, fearing they wouldn’t take him seriously without evidence to corroborate his story. I offered to call and arrange something, but we really don’t have much either. He’s on I-80 heading west as we speak.”

  Logan didn’t say anything else, but was clearly getting instructions. When he hung up the phone, he turned while maintaining contact with Grace. His expression was calm and confident. As his strong arms held her, the contact instantly eased her fears.

  “The sheriff wants us to hang tight for now and let him know if Dr. Clark calls again. He’ll contact the Salt Lake Police Department first thing in the morning and talk to the investigating officer. If he doesn’t get anywhere with that call, he has another contact in the city he can tap. He’ll see what he can find out about the accident and have them try to locate Jonah. Maybe the guy just got lucky last night.”

  “He’s a microbiologist who reaches to about here,” Grace replied as she tapped the underside of her chin and looked at Logan with an annoyed expression. “He works long hours and plays interactive video games in his living room in his off time. If he wasn’t home at that hour, Stephen had reason to worry.”

  “We’ll still check. Despite any concrete evidence anyone is after you, Sheriff Harris believes we need to move you and Charlotte somewhere safer, and I agree. He’s also requesting the hospital provide twenty-four hour security outside Moss’s room, starting tonight. The sheriff will get in touch with the Billings Police Department in the morning, fill them in, and see what they can do to help.”

  The thought of someone targeting Moss in the hospital made Grace’s head spin. She took several deep breaths to calm her nerves and pulled two cups from the cupboard. Setting the mugs next to the dripping coffee pot, she followed Logan out of the kitchen.

  “Surely no one would think Moss has the secret formula to riches? That’s absurd.”

  “I doubt he’s in any danger, but there’s no sense in taking chances. It’s you I’m worried about. The sheriff is making a few calls, and as soon as he works out the logistics, we’re getting out of here.”

  Grace dropped to the sofa and ran her hands over her face. “I can’t just leave. I’ve got a responsibility to Moss. I’ve caused too much damage to go into hiding and leave the animals to fend for themselves against Mother Nature. Financially, he could weather the cost of losing a few cows.
Emotionally, he’s lost enough already, and the animals are important to him.”

  Logan sat down next to her and pulled her close. “Maybe we can get one of the neighbors or Harold and Red to do chores, and as soon as you’re somewhere safe, I can come back and check on things myself.”

  Grace leaned her head on his shoulder. “I brought this tragedy to Moss’s door. I can’t walk away. I owe him everything. He saved my life when I realized my parents didn’t want me. I was a mess…angry, hurt, convinced I was unworthy of love, but he turned a bitter, insecure little girl into a strong, independent woman. He didn’t put me in therapy, which is what my teachers encouraged him to do. He used the animals here, and a lot of patience, to bring me out of my shell and teach me how to care for others and how to give and accept love.”

  “Grace,” Logan whispered her name and took in a deep breath. He admired and understood her family loyalty and her feeling indebted to her uncle, but he didn’t want anything to happen to her. He felt certain she was more important to Moss than every last animal on the ranch. “You can’t repay Moss if you’re dead. Losing you would be an unimaginable tragedy for the old man. It’s clear how much he loves you. I’ve been a little curious about you ever since I moved here. You’re a bit of an enigma in the valley. I hear speculation here and there about you, but when I’m around Moss, he brags about you to no end. His eyes just light up. You’re his world.”

  His words cut through her fear. He was right. Moss always made her feel as if she were the most important person in the universe to him, so her death would hurt him irreparably. She feared Logan couldn’t accept another loss on his watch, even though they had only known each other for a short time. She didn’t want to put him in that position or be responsible for deepening old wounds.