Nowhere to Hide

by Debby Giusti

  Tyler slipped. She grasped his hands.

  If only he’d wrap his legs around my waist. Tell him what to do, Lord.

  Instantly, his legs circled her.

  Once he was secure, she dived deeper and entered the opening.

  Froth from the angry surf bubbled around them, like when she was a child.

  She struggled. Tried to kick through the opening.

  Jagged rocks surrounded them. Something tugged against her foot. She tried to pull free. Her leg caught.

  Suddenly, Matt was beside her in the water. She unlocked Tyler’s hands from around her neck and shoved her child into his outstretched arms.

  Matt kicked to the surface, carrying Tyler to safety. The current pushed her against the submerged boulders, her arms scraping the rough stone.

  She yanked her foot but couldn’t free herself.

  What held her? She looked down, peering through the murky water.

  The rope still tied around her ankle was caught on a rock.

  She shoved her hand in her pocket and pulled out the knife. It slipped from her fingers and dropped to the rocks below.

  Her lungs burned. Fatigue overwhelmed her.

  Tyler was safe. Matt had saved him. That’s all that mattered. Matt would take care of Tyler. She didn’t need to worry. She closed her eyes. All she wanted to do was sleep….

  Matt broke the surface of the water with Tyler in his arms. He handed the boy to Sam and dived back down for Lydia.

  What happened? She had almost cleared the entrance when he took Tyler from her. But she never surfaced.

  He swam deeper.

  Overhead, Sam adjusted the beam of light.

  There, Matt saw her. Her body hung suspended in the water.

  Matt spied the rope, grabbed it and tugged.

  The rope held.

  He yanked again. No change.

  Wrapping his arms around Lydia, he spied something on the rock below.

  A knife.

  Thank You, Lord.

  He cut the rope and kicked, breaking the surface, her limp body in his arms.

  “Take her, Sam,” he called out, lifting her into the boat.

  Matt climbed in, knelt beside her and felt her carotid artery. No pulse.

  Opening her mouth, he checked for an obstruction.

  “Head for the mainland, Sam. Radio the sheriff’s office. Tell them we’ll need an ambulance.”

  He cupped his mouth over hers and blew. Her chest rose ever so slightly. Two more quick breaths.

  He felt for her sternum, fisted his hands and pushed down. “One and two and three…”

  The storm raged. Rain pelted them. The wind howled. Waves splashed against the boat.

  Over and over again, he pushed air into her lungs, willing her to live.

  “Mama.” Tyler cried, huddled in the corner of the boat. “Don’t die, Mama.”

  The sound of the boy’s pleas broke Matt’s heart. He couldn’t lose Lydia. He told her she’d make it to safety. She trusted him.

  “Lydia,” Matt screamed over the wail of the wind, knowing all was lost.

  TWENTY-THREE

  Matt stood in the hallway of the pediatric intensive care unit and stared through the glass window. Tyler looked pale as death.

  A nurse checked the ventilator humming next to the boy’s bed. A tube ran into Tyler’s nose, sending oxygen to his body—oxygen he needed desperately but his lungs weren’t able to provide.

  Matt’s heart hung heavy in his chest. Pneumonia, the doctors had said when they arrived by ambulance at the hospital. The boy’s temperature had hovered at 105 degrees, causing him to shake uncontrollably. The doctors gave him a twenty-five percent chance of surviving. If he made it through the first twelve hours, the odds would double in his favor.

  Matt felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Wayne Turner.

  “What a night,” the mainland sheriff said.

  “And it’s not over yet.” Matt glanced back at the small child struggling to live.

  “How’s the little guy?”

  “Fighting hard.” Matt swallowed the lump that had taken residence in his throat ever since they had arrived at the hospital.

  “Savannah law enforcement arrested Jackson and Griffin,” Turner said.

  Matt turned to face the mainland chief. “Now that’s good news.”

  “Seems Lydia managed to make a 9–1–1 call. The operator heard the distress in her voice. He kept the line open. Once you notified us of the situation, we were able to track down the boat, using the signal from the cell. Seems Jackson thought they could escape up the coast to Savannah. Coast guard picked them up.”

  “What about the situation in Atlanta?” Matt asked.

  “That late night call you made to the chief of police paid off. He pulled Roger Harris in, wanted to know why Harris hadn’t told him about your visit. Seems Harris was involved from the start and had something to do with that Miami situation that killed your partner.”

  “Rodriquez?”

  “Harris tipped off the Miami drug ring that your partner was on to them. They were waiting for him.”

  Matt had trusted Harris in Miami and then again in Atlanta. And Harris had recommended Griffin, who had been involved in the Men’s Club from the beginning.

  “Another interesting fact,” the sheriff continued. “The guy who killed your partner—”

  “Ricky Gallegos?”

  “That’s right. Seems Jackson worked with him. Gave the police enough evidence to nail the guy. They hauled Gallegos in for questioning about an hour ago. Looks like they’ll put him away for life.”

  Relief swept over Matt. The Miami case was closed. Harris had set Rodriquez up. If Matt had answered his cell and joined his partner, he would have seen the same fate as Pete.

  “What about the people Sonny named in the Web site?”

  “They’re being questioned. My guys are searching the O’Connor house. Funny, her home didn’t have any damage. Jackson’s house next door was leveled by the storm.”

  Before Matt could comment, the sheriff’s cell phone rang. He pulled it to his ear, grunted a few words back to the caller and hung up.

  “More good news. Seems Tyler threw a disc away.”

  “Probably from his Action-Pac,” Matt said. “His dad gave him the toy the night of the fire.”

  “The disc must not have worked so the kid tossed it. Luckily, we found it in the bottom of his trash can. Plugged it into a computer and hit the jackpot—enough information on the Men’s Club and the associated operations to nail everyone involved.” Wayne slapped Matt’s back. “Keep me posted on the boy’s progress.”

  The sheriff walked down the hall just as the doctor slipped into Tyler’s room. He checked the bedside monitor and listened to the child’s lungs.

  Matt’s chest tightened. He closed his eyes, afraid of what the doc would find.

  When he looked up, he was filled with relief.

  Tyler’s eyes blinked open. The doctor smiled and gave Matt a thumbs-up.

  The nurse stayed at the boy’s bedside while the doctor stepped into the hallway. “He’s a strong kid. He’ll be breathing on his own in no time. His temp’s still elevated but his white count has come down.”

  The doctor put his hand on Matt’s shoulder. “That’s a good sign, Chief. Means the antibiotics are controlling the infection. Give him a day or two, and we’ll have to hold him down.”

  Smiling for the first time since the storm, Matt headed for the elevator. On the second floor, he stopped at Room 225 and stepped into the darkness.

  “Good news,” he said.

  Lydia lay on the hospital bed, her legs bandaged, her face splotched with tears. She looked up with expectation. “Tyler?”

  “His infection’s better. The pediatrician said he’s going to pull through.”

  Tears welled up in her eyes. “Thank You, Lord.”

  She grabbed Matt’s hand. “When can I see him?”

  “We’ll ask your doctor w
hen he makes rounds.”

  Matt stroked her cheek. “Last night I thought I lost you, then Tyler’s pneumonia. I prayed so hard. I was afraid I’d lose both of you.”

  She squeezed his hand. “You saved us, Matt.”

  He shook his head. “You were the one who swam Tyler to safety.”

  “And then I got hung up on the rocks. If you hadn’t been there, we both would have drowned.”

  “We’re a good team.” He smiled down at her. “Maybe we should team up on a permanent basis.”

  She laughed through her tears. “Is that what I think it sounds like?”

  “If you mean a proposal, that’s it exactly. I’ve got a pickup and enough stuff to fit in the truck bed. Not big on possessions, but I’ve got a heart overflowing with love for you and Tyler.”

  “That’s all we need.”

  He squeezed her hand. “Katherine sends her love. I talked to her a few hours ago.”

  “And her house?”

  “Made it safely through the storm. Jackson’s wasn’t so lucky.”

  “Fate?”

  “More like divine justice.”

  He reached in his pocket and pulled out the knife. He handed it to her. Sonny’s name was engraved on the handle. “God works in mysterious ways.”

  She took the knife and studied it. “Butch said the night he burned our house, Sonny was worried about us. Maybe he did love us, after all.”

  Matt rubbed her hand. “I love you, Lydia.”

  She smiled as he lowered his lips to hers.

  The sun peeked over the horizon. A new day dawned. A very bright new day.

  EPILOGUE

  Matt held Lydia’s arm and helped her up the steps of the Community Church. The burns on her legs had almost healed. Tyler waved at Chase Davenport when they entered the sanctuary and slipped into a pew.

  Matt nudged Lydia and discreetly pointed to the opposite side of the church where Natalie sat holding her infant daughter. Jason cooed at the baby, his arm around Natalie.

  “Looks like they’re trying to straighten out the past,” Matt whispered in her ear.

  Lydia smiled, happy to see the couple together. Turning to face her son, she brushed Tyler’s hair out of his eyes and hugged him close.

  “When’s Bobby coming to visit?” he asked.

  “Next Sunday, honey.” Right arm around Tyler, she reached her left hand out to Matt.

  He rubbed his fingers over hers, the diamond engagement ring sparkling in the light.

  If Jason and Natalie set a date, the Community Church would see two weddings in the near future. Lydia turned as Katherine walked down the aisle on the arm of an elderly gentleman.

  Make that three weddings.

  Katherine and her Irish beau were as giddy as schoolkids. The older couple spied Lydia and waved before they settled into a pew.

  “Turn to page 105 in your songbooks,” the organist announced as the service began. “‘Give Thanks To The Lord With All Your Heart.’”

  Yes, Lord, so much for which to be thankful. A man to love, my beautiful son and our new home in Sanctuary. But most of all, thank You for allowing me to be secure in Your love. I can now say without reservation, Jesus, I trust in You.

  Dear Reader,

  No matter how strong our faith, often the first inclination when problems arise is to wonder whether the Lord will hear our cry for help. If we’re under undue stress, prayer can be difficult, and sometimes just a few simple words may be all we can manage.

  When all seems lost in Nowhere To Hide, Lydia remembers the words stitched on the sampler: “Jesus, I trust in you.” As she repeats that little prayer, she puts her trust in the Lord and finds the strength to save her son.

  Those same words have helped me through difficult times, bringing me peace and a confidence that the Lord is in control. If you’re facing problems, I hope you’ll turn to the Lord. He is the sure foundation who will never let us down.

  Thank you for reading my debut novel. My second Love Inspired Suspense book, Scared to Death, will be in bookstores this August. Be sure to visit me online at www.debbygiusti.com and write me at debby@debbygiusti.com.

  Wishing you abundant blessings,

  QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

  The title Nowhere To Hide has both a metaphorical and literal meaning. How is the island a place of sanctuary for both Lydia and Matt? From what or whom are they trying to hide? When we try to hide from the Lord, we know He seeks us out. How is that especially true for Lydia?

  Lydia allowed her relationships with her father and husband to adversely affect her relationship with God. Have there been times in your life when problems with family or friends changed the way you felt about the Lord? How were you able to move beyond those problems?

  Like Lydia, sometimes we find it hard to trust. What are some of the reasons in your own life that keep you from trusting completely? How can a loving church community help you open your heart to Jesus?

  Matt feels responsible for his partner’s death. He can’t forgive himself and feels the Lord can’t forgive him, either. What happens in the story that allows Matt to accept the Lord’s forgiveness? Why is it so hard to forgive ourselves?

  The painting of Jesus calming the sea and the cross-stitched sampler serve as visual reminders to Lydia of a God in whom she can put her trust. What do you have in your home that reminds you of the Lord?

  Katherine and Connie are women of faith and serve as Christian role models for Lydia and Matt. Have there been strong Christians in your life who have been examples to you in times of need? Or have you been that solid foundation to someone facing a difficult situation? Discuss.

  Lydia fears water because of what happened in her childhood. Matt encourages her to learn to swim, knowing that if she faces her fear, she’ll be able to control its hold on her. Do you believe Matt’s advice is sound? Do you have an example that shows how you faced and eventually conquered your own fear?

  Lydia turns to God to overcome her fear of water and save her son. When has the Lord helped you overcome a seemingly insurmountable obstacle? How did you find the courage and strength to persevere?

  What is the turning point in Matt and Lydia’s relationship? When does Lydia start to trust Matt and why?

  At the end of the book, Lydia sees Sonny’s name on the pocketknife. Why is the knife important? Do you think Lydia was able to forgive her husband?

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-4560-4

  NOWHERE TO HIDE

  Copyright © 2007 by Deborah W. Giusti

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This edition published by arrangement with Steeple Hill Books.

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