Midnight Sacrifice

by Melinda Leigh

  A sigh wheezed through Jed’s chest like an inner tube with a pinhole. He coughed. Frothy blood dotted his lips.

  “Stop it.” Tears poured from Mandy’s eyes and blurred her vision. “You are not going to die, Jed Garrett. You can’t leave me. You promised, remember? Through thick and thin.”

  “Sorry,” he whispered. His mouth moved but nothing came out except a hiss of air.

  Mandy leaned over and put her ear to his lips.

  He squeezed her fingers. “Love you. Always have.” His fingers around her hand went limp and slid to the dry earth.

  “No!” She fell forward and sobbed on his shoulder.

  “Mandy, he’s gone. I’m sorry. I tried.” Next to her, Danny wiped his hands on his legs, then pulled gently at her arms.

  She resisted, burrowing her face into the wet flannel of Jed’s shirt. She didn’t want to let him go. He’d been at her side all her life. Her best friend. “No. No. No.”

  A hot, dry wind blew over her skin. Something crackled.

  Whoosh.

  “Mandy, the fire’s spreading to the barn.” Over the roar of the fire, Danny’s voice sounded far away. “Get up.”

  An ember landed on her arm. She could smell the burning of her skin but was numb to the pain. Danny brushed it away.

  She lifted her head. Jed’s face was slack, his eyes open and glazed. No gruffness or impatience or annoyance would ever fill them again. Danny reached over and closed Jed’s eyes.

  “Don’t!” Pressure built in Mandy’s chest until she couldn’t draw a breath. Her vision tunneled and dimmed.

  “We need to get him away from the fire.” Danny hauled her to her feet and gave her a push. She stumbled backward.

  Through misty eyes, she saw Danny lifting Jed under the armpits and dragging him away from the spreading inferno to a safe spot toward the house and drive. “I’m going back to help them get the others out.”

  She watched the rest play out like a movie, her emotions brought to their knees by grief. One by one, Danny and Evan sawed the wood cages open. The two young women clutched each other and stumbled out. Bill jumped down, then half lifted Doug Lang to the ground. The man carried a young boy toward Mandy. He laid him on the ground next to her. They were both streaked with soot.

  Mandy watched the firelight play over Jed’s features. Disbelief hollowed out her chest until there was nothing left but empty space. How could Jed be gone?

  A hand touched her arm. Mandy turned.

  “Do you have some water?” The man coughed. He cradled his son’s head in his lap. The boy’s eyes were closed. His thin chest rose with a breath. He exhaled with a hacking cough. Staring at the child, Mandy’s instinct took over. “Yes.” She stood. “I’ll find it.”

  She found Danny’s pack on the ground and pulled out bottles of water. She slipped out of her jacket and wrapped it around the little boy’s shoulders. Samantha and Victoria dropped onto the ground next to them. Both girls were shivering and crying. They flung their arms around Mandy’s shoulders. Bill half carried Doug Lang. Drugged or hurt, the cop couldn’t stand upright.

  Mandy peeled the girls off her and got them the emergency blanket from the pack. Bill enveloped her in a tight embrace. She pressed her face against his chest. A shudder passed through her. Honey sat at their feet, leaning on Bill’s legs.

  Evan stood a few feet away. His slight body was thinner than she remembered, and his eyes were the bleakest of all the victims. Months of imprisonment at his father’s hands, watching his father disintegrate and commit terrible deeds, had no doubt left a permanent stain on the young man’s soul. How would he recover?

  Danny was on the radio again, but he didn’t look at her as he talked into the handset.

  She tried to move toward Jed’s body, but Bill’s arms held her fast. “I’m sorry about Jed, Mandy.”

  God, how would she recover? Her next breath rattled through her chest. She was choking on loneliness.

  She gave up on leaving Bill’s embrace. The whump of helicopter blades approached. But it was too late. There wasn’t anyone left to save.

  Danny dug into the pile of scrambled eggs Conor dished onto his plate. The smell of bacon overwhelmed the sooty stench stuck in his nostrils even after a shower and fresh clothes.

  While his brother worked the stove, Detective Rossi sat at the inn’s kitchen island. A notebook was open next to a full plate of steaming food. At the other end of the counter, the museum curator, Louisa May Hancock, PhD, sipped coffee and watched Conor with the focus of an archeologist studying a new species. When he slid a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her, her brows crunched together in confusion. Honey stretched out on the floor at Danny’s feet.

  Rossi added cream and sugar to his coffee and stirred. “Evan Hall said his father was keeping him locked up and partially sedated.” The cop forked eggs into his mouth with the zeal of a man who’d been up all night.

  “He was tied to a post when we got there.” Danny drank his coffee black and scalding, but the hot liquid did little to dispel the aching cold lodged in his gut. He glanced at the door to the apartment. Mandy was at the hospital with her brother and mother, who was in ICU after a second heart attack. Even after being Tased and drugged, Bill had appeared to be in better shape than Mandy. The inn had an empty feel without Mandy and her family in it. Even with the guests sleeping upstairs and the four people crowded into the kitchen, loneliness burrowed inside Danny and nested.

  Too much death and despair had that effect on him.

  It wasn’t because Mandy wasn’t here.

  The cop set down his fork. “So, Dr. Hancock, what was Nathan trying to do tonight?”

  “The Celts believed human sacrifices would gains the gods’ favor. Offerings were made to ensure good crops and change the weather. To ensure victory in battle. The Celts drowned victims, slit throats, bashed them over the head, and burned them alive. Nathan built a wicker man.” Louisa’s face smoothed out. “During the Roman invasion of Britain, Julius Caesar wrote accounts of the Druids burning wicker man statues full of prisoners to keep Britain from being conquered.”

  “Did it?”

  Louisa picked at her eggs. “The Romans quit at Scotland. They didn’t think the highlands were worth the effort. The weather and the terrain were factors, but perhaps the ferocity of the Celtic warriors was also considered.”

  Danny gave up on eating and put the dish on the floor for Honey.

  “The thing I can’t figure out is how Carolyn Fitzgerald played in all this. She was helping Nathan?”

  “According to Evan, Carolyn helped them from the beginning. She left the threats for Mandy, including a picture of Nathan and Mandy she’d taken in a fit of jealousy when she ran across them by accident. Carolyn and Nathan had an affair years ago, when her husband first became ill. She broke it off but still had a thing for him.”

  “Who broke into the museum?”

  “That was Carolyn, too. Her son told us she’d been accidentally locked out of properties many times. As long as there wasn’t an alarm, she could usually find a way in. She started leaving one downstairs window unlocked in the vacant houses she listed. That way, if there was a problem with the lock box, she could always get in. We think she visited the museum before closing and unlocked a first-floor window. After dark, she let herself in.”

  Danny remembered the unlocked window in Reed’s house the night he arrived.

  Rossi continued, “Carolyn had the majority of real estate listings in town. People were so used to seeing her everywhere. She was the one who brought supplies. She helped Nathan ditch his vehicle and gave him her son’s ATV. The vacant farm was listed with her realty company. It’s been for sale for years.”

  “Why would she do all this for him if they weren’t together anymore?” Danny asked.

  “Nathan promised her the ritual would cure her husband. His Alzheimer’s disease was progressing rapidly. Carolyn was losing it from lack of sleep and desperation. Her son said his dad was becoming mo
re violent every day.” The cop downed the rest of his coffee. “On another note, I received the arson investigator’s preliminary report on the fire at Reed Kimball’s house. The bedroom windows had been nailed shut. Not sure we can prove Nathan set the fire, but that wasn’t an accident.”

  A fresh case of the creeps crawled around in Danny’s gut.

  “Also, I talked to Ray about your suspicions that he’d been in Nathan’s house. Turns out, Ray is strapped for cash. The last few months of extra business haven’t been enough to compensate for several years of losses. He’s been sneaking into Nathan’s house and the diner and stealing anything of value. He’s been selling it on eBay.” Rossi stood. “If you think of anything else, call me. Otherwise, I’ll be in touch later today or tomorrow.”

  Danny walked the cop to the door. “Thanks for everything. I should have called you earlier.”

  “Yes. You should have.”

  “But we didn’t have anything solid.”

  “Still, would it have done any harm? What’s the worst that I could’ve said? No?”

  Danny sighed. “You’re right.”

  “Of course, we would have taken over the search and maybe not found Nathan at all. Who knows?”

  “You’re OK, Rossi.” Danny shook the cop’s hand.

  After the cop left. Louisa excused herself for the night. Danny had given her the key to the inn’s only empty room.

  “You should get some sleep.” Conor dried the frying pan and hung it on the overhead rack. He draped the dish towel over his shoulder.

  “You sure you don’t want the bed? I doubt I’ll sleep.”

  “Nah. The couch’ll be fine.” Conor slapped Danny’s shoulder, then pulled him in for a full hug. “I’m glad you’re not dead, baby brother.”

  “Me, too.” Danny hugged him back. He trudged up the narrow staircase to his room. Stretching out on the bed, he stared at the ceiling. Jaynie was safe. She could live like a normal person now that Nathan was dead. He’d accomplished his goal.

  But the business with Mandy had left a hole in him. He wasn’t angry that she’d slept with Nathan. He’d manipulated the whole town. Mandy was lonely, overworked, and stressed. She was vulnerable to a predator like Nathan.

  But her lie still stung.

  Sunlight streamed through the dining room windows. Blinking, Danny walked in. Guests were tucking into a full breakfast. A rush of nervous energy prodded his blurry brain. Mandy must be back. He continued through to the kitchen.

  Disappointment stopped him like a smack on the chest. Conor was at the stove. He had a griddle going and pancakes stacked everywhere. Louisa shuttled a platter of bacon to the dining room. A few strands of hair had escaped the cool blonde’s super-tight bun and frizzed around her face.

  “Your curator looks a little frazzled.”

  Conor gave him his up-to-no-good grin. “I know.”

  “Did Mandy come home?”

  “I didn’t hear anybody come in.” Conor grabbed a pair of tongs and turned slices of bacon in the frying pan. “People were hungry, so…”

  The hell with propriety. Danny opened the door to the apartment. The quiet was disturbing. “Shit.”

  “She’s probably at the hospital with her mother and brother. Why don’t you just go find her?” Conor turned off a burner. “This is hardly rocket science, Danny. You obviously have feelings for her.”

  “It’s complicated.” Danny told him about the blackmail. “She lied to my face. I’m having a hard time with that.”

  “Do you think if Jed had lived and you had died, that he’d be having this discussion?”

  Danny looked out the window. The clear air and bright sunshine held the promise of a beautiful spring day. New beginnings. He had no doubt that if the situation had been reversed, Jed would be with Mandy now. Jed had loved Mandy with his whole heart, enough not just to forgive her, but to die for her. Did Danny have that kind of love in him?

  “Two questions.” Conor wiped his hands on the dish towel hanging over his shoulder. “Do you love her? And would you have done the same for Jaynie?”

  “You know I’d do anything for Jayne.” Not excluding die, cheat, lie, and kill.

  “Then what about the first question? Do you love Mandy?”

  “Probably.” But the certainty of it bloomed in his chest like spring blossomed outside the window. No matter how cold and dark the winter, it didn’t last forever. “Yeah. I think I do.”

  Conor leaned back on the counter. “Danny, I have no doubt you would give anything, including your life, without hesitation for the people you love. I know you. You would have taken that knife for Mandy if that’s the way things worked out. Why is forgiveness so much harder to give?”

  Suddenly, the desire to see Mandy nearly overwhelmed Danny. He grabbed his keys and reached for the doorknob.

  “If you really love her, be there for her. Don’t fuck this up. You’ll regret it for the rest of your life.” Conor turned to the piled-high sink. “How do you think Louisa feels about scrubbing pots and pans?”

  Mandy got out of the car. Every movement of her body was slow and painful, as if she were riddled with arthritis. Looking up at Jed’s cabin, grief hit her, a relentless wave of despondency that threatened to knock her to the ground. Every time she got up, it came back.

  Barking echoed from the kennels. Mandy forced her legs to move forward. Though one of Jed’s friends had already taken care of the dogs early that morning, she checked water bowls, patted heads, and cleaned cages. Anything to avoid facing Jed’s house alone.

  She stopped in front of the first cage. Bear cocked his chocolate-colored head. His tail thumped on the concrete. Mandy opened the cage door. “Come on, boy.”

  He fell into step beside her. Side by side, they walked toward the house, her hand trailing on the dog’s head. The door wasn’t locked. She opened it, but Bear hesitated at the threshold. The only dog Jed let inside the house was Honey. He’d been adamant the rest were hunting dogs, not pets.

  “It’s OK.” She patted her thigh. “Come.”

  He trotted in. Mandy left the main door wide-open and closed the screen door. Pine-scented air filtered into the house.

  The kitchen, dining area, and living room were one open space. Bear trailed through, sniffing the wood-paneled perimeter. Mandy stood in the center, lost in memories.

  Just lost.

  Her imagination could place Jed cleaning his guns at the oak table or pulling a beer from the fridge.

  She went to his desk and sat down. Mail was stacked on the blotter. Next to it, a shipping box lay open. A black box with a large white button was nestled inside the Styrofoam packaging. She unfolded the packing slip and read the invoice. K-9 rescue phone.

  She thumbed through the stacks of mail. A cream envelope had a logo of a dog next to the return address. Mandy slid the letter out. Across the top, SERVICE DOG CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS was typed in bold print. The application was half-completed in small block letters. She read through the form.

  It was no accident Honey knew how to comfort Bill or that she stuck by his side and could find him on command. Jed had been training Honey to be Bill’s service dog.

  A fresh current of grief swamped her. She’d thought she was lonely before Jed’s death. Sitting at his desk, with the evidence of his selfless love for her in her hand, sadness swelled until the pressure constricted her heart and lungs.

  Someone knocked at the door. She looked at Danny through the screen. Her heart bumped. The door squeaked as he pushed it open and walked in.

  He squatted in front of her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left your side last night. You shouldn’t have been at the hospital alone.”

  “Mrs. Stone was there. She still is.” Mandy looked down at her clenched hands. “I should have told you. You saved my life in December. I should have trusted you. I was just so afraid.”

  “I wouldn’t have taken any chances with Jayne’s life either.” Danny took her hands in his. She was careful not to sque
eze the new bandage.

  Her conscience sighed in relief, but her heart started crying all over again. She shut it down. Danny’s forgiveness didn’t change the fact that he’d be leaving soon. And she’d be alone again. In fact, letting herself think otherwise just left her open to additional pain when she couldn’t handle one more ounce. She stared at the certification letter in her hand.

  Danny put a finger under her chin. She closed her eyes and leaned her cheek against his palm. She was going to miss him.

  “What’s that?” He nodded toward the letter.

  “Jed was getting Honey certified as Bill’s service dog. That’s what he was doing all winter. He knew how difficult Bill’s anxiety was to manage. He was going to give me his most prized possession to make my life easier.”

  “He loved you.”

  “I loved him, too.” Tears burned Mandy’s swollen eyes. “Just not the way he needed me to love him.”

  Danny didn’t respond with words. He pulled her to her feet and wrapped her in his arms. “Do you need to do anything else here?”

  She shook her head.

  “Then let’s go back to the inn.”

  “God, the inn. I just let everything go. My guests—”

  “Are fine,” Danny assured her. “My brother is holding down the fort.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.” Danny steered her toward the door. “You won’t have to run the place alone anymore.”

  Mandy stopped. “What do you mean?”

  “I can run a tavern. An inn can’t be that much different. I thought I’d stick around for a while.”

  “You’re staying?”

  Danny frowned. “Why wouldn’t I? I don’t know exactly what we have here, but it’s something I’m not just going to walk away from. I have feelings for you I can’t verbalize yet. We need some normal time to sort things out.”

  “But no one stays in Huntsville.” She’d spent her whole life wishing she could leave. “Won’t you miss Philadelphia?”

  They stepped out onto the porch.

  “Sure, but it’s just a place. It’s people who matter. It’s only a day’s drive if I want to see my family.” Danny stopped and turned her to face him. “Unless you want me to go. I’m sorry. I didn’t even ask. I assumed you felt the same—”