“So we’ll get some sleep and deal with it over breakfast,” Landon said, grabbing Bay’s hand and tugging her to him. “It will be easier to wrap our heads around when there’s bacon.”
Bay made an exaggerated face and shook her head. “You have a one-track mind.”
“And believe it or not, you’re that track,” Landon said. “We’ll see you guys in the morning. Try to get some sleep.”
Seven
“Good morning.”
I woke to find Marcus smiling at me from the other side of the bed, Annie’s head resting on his shoulder. He looked adorable, his long hair tousled and his morning beard giving him a devilish quality.
“Morning.”
I shifted so I could run my hand down the back of Annie’s hair, and then linked my fingers with Marcus’ so we could have a moment together before the tempest blew through.
“What are you thinking?” Marcus asked. “Did you have another dream?”
“Not that I recall.” That was the truth. “I think I need to go back to where we found her and search the area.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, but I’m happy to go with you.”
I offered him a rueful smile. “You don’t think it’s a good idea, but you’re happy to go with me? How does that work?”
Marcus shrugged. “I think you’ll be chasing your tail out there, but I know you’re not ready to give it up. I want to go with you to make sure you’re safe.”
It was a sweet sentiment, but that was the last thing I wanted. “I need to know if someone took her. I need to look around when we can actually see the terrain. Bay and Landon said they saw something weird, but didn’t say what it was. I need to see it for myself.”
Marcus’ response was simple. “Then I’ll go with you.”
I shifted my eyes to Marcus’ shirt and focused on Annie’s fingers and the way they were curled into the fabric. She clung to him in sleep, so I knew she would need him when consciousness claimed her. “I think you’re going to be otherwise engaged.”
Marcus moved his eyes to the spot where I stared and patted Annie’s hand until she loosened her grip. “I don’t want you out there alone, Thistle. I love you. That’s just … not going to happen. There are plenty of people here who can watch Annie.”
“She’ll want you.”
“Yes, but I want you.” Marcus’ tone was firm. He wasn’t giving me a lot of wiggle room. “If someone is out there and that person did grab Annie … well, I won’t risk you. It’s simply not going to happen.”
I pursed my lips as I dragged my hand through my Halloween orange hair. He made a good argument, but I didn’t need a babysitter. I decided to appeal to his sense of chivalry. “I’d feel better knowing you were watching her.”
“And I would feel better if we watched her together,” Marcus shot back. “That’s clearly not going to happen, so we’ll have to negotiate. I am not going to sit back and let you wander around the woods alone.”
He was serious. There was no doubt about that. “Okay, well, I want you with Annie because I know you’ll keep her safe. She won’t be tempted to wander if you’re here.”
“Don’t kid yourself. She’s not going to wander today no matter what. I’ll bet she doesn’t leave the house.”
“That’s not what I want.” I played with the ends of Annie’s hair as I furrowed my brow. “I don’t want her traumatized.”
“I know that, but it’s going to take a few days for her to get back to normal.”
“I don’t want her looking over her shoulder as if there is something out there stalking her,” I argued. “Bay and I had the same nightmare. It was tied to Annie and her memories. I will find out what happened and make sure there’s no threat to her in this town.”
“Well, great,” Marcus growled, his eyes flashing. “I’ll babysit the kid while you put your life on the line. That shouldn’t be hard for me to deal with at all.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. There was no need for him to be so dramatic. “I’m not trying to bully you … .”
Marcus cut me off. “That’s exactly what you’re trying to do.”
I pretended I didn’t hear him. “I have to go out there, and you have to stay here with Annie so she feels safe.” I held up a hand to cut him off before he could mount further argument. “I don’t plan on going into the woods alone.”
Marcus was understandably suspicious. “You’re not?”
“Nope. I’m taking Bay and Clove with me.”
Marcus made a face that was so adorable I would’ve kissed it into submission if we were alone. Annie’s presence didn’t allow that, so all I could do was smile.
“Bay and Clove will get you into trouble,” Marcus argued.
“I’m not looking to stay out of trouble,” I reminded him. “I’m looking to make sure that other trouble, worse trouble, isn’t lurking out there. Bay, Clove and I can handle anything when we’re together.”
Marcus didn’t look convinced. “Thistle, I don’t like this. I’d prefer leaving Bay and Clove here with Annie while I go with you. I have a cooler head.”
“Than who?”
Marcus was unruffled and answered right away. “Any of you. Your entire family is prone to theatrical fits.”
“Only my mother is prone to theatrical fits,” I countered. “Everyone else is quite normal.”
Marcus cocked a challenging eyebrow. “Aunt Tillie is normal?”
“I … .” He had a point. “She’s normal-ish,” I said after a beat. “Bay, Clove and I will be perfectly safe in the woods. Why can’t you trust us?”
“Because I love you and am looking forward to the day when we move in together,” Marcus replied. “That’s coming sooner than you realize. It’s right around the corner, in fact. I’m not losing you before it happens.”
It’s hard to be angry with a man when he’s so stinking cute and earnest. “You’re not going to lose me.”
“I know.” Marcus bobbed his head. “That’s why you’re taking Landon and Aunt Tillie, too.”
I opened my mouth to argue but didn’t get a chance. Marcus firmly shook his head to make me aware of exactly how serious he was.
“That’s the only way I’ll agree to this,” Marcus said. “I want Landon and Aunt Tillie there, too.”
“But … why?”
“Because Landon is an FBI agent and he often has a cool head when it comes to this stuff,” Marcus replied. “As for Aunt Tillie, well, if you do run into someone out there she’ll go for first blood. She loves Annie more than just about anyone. She’ll curse first and ask questions later.”
He had a point. Still … . “What if I don’t agree to your terms?”
“Then I’ll steal Landon’s handcuffs and attach you to me. Good luck getting anything done if that happens.”
I blew out a sigh, my bangs fluttering, resigned. “You drive a hard bargain.”
“Do we have a deal?”
Marcus waited as I chewed my bottom lip. Finally I bobbed my head. “We have a deal.”
“Good. The handcuffs thing sounds good in theory, but it would be nothing but a nightmare after an hour or so.”
I chuckled. I couldn’t help myself. “I love you.”
Marcus squeezed my hand. “I love you, too. We’ll figure it out. We got Annie back. That’s the most important thing.”
I wanted to agree with him, but something niggled the back of my brain. “We got Annie back, which is important, but now we need to focus on keeping her safe. I think something is out there.”
“Then I trust you and the rest of your crew to find out what it is and put an end to it.”
“Oh yeah. You can count on that.”
“GOOD MORNING, sunshine.”
By the time we made it to the dining room table – Annie’s hair standing on end as she refused to change out of her pajamas – Marcus and I had come to an agreement. even though he wasn’t keen on separating for the day.
Annie was an entirely different stor
y. From the moment she opened her eyes she wouldn’t stop clinging to Marcus. He couldn’t even sit in his own chair. She insisted on being on his lap and he was forced to feed her breakfast and forgo nourishment of his own because she kept burying her face in his shoulder when anyone else tried to speak to her.
Winnie, who was carrying the bacon platter, frowned when she saw Annie’s reaction. “Sweetheart?”
“She’s having a tough time getting going this morning,” Marcus said, flashing an apologetic smile as he rubbed her back. “She’s … still tired, I guess.”
“Yes, that must be it.” Winnie didn’t look convinced, but knew better than to push the issue. “I’m sure a good breakfast will help.”
“Of course it will,” Landon enthused, moving through the swinging door that separated the dining room and kitchen with Bay on his heels. “I smell bacon. There’s nothing in the world that’s not better with bacon.”
Despite herself – Annie couldn’t refrain from glancing over Marcus’ shoulder and staring at Landon. Her eyes widened when Landon grabbed a handful of bacon strips and moved them to his plate, but otherwise she remained silent.
“Do you want some?” Landon asked, snapping a strip in half and crunching into it. “It’s like a magical elixir. It will fix whatever is bothering you.”
I considered warning Landon about pushing her, but there was something about the way Annie watched him that made me realize Landon knew what he was doing. He was with the FBI, so I figured he was trained to deal with all sorts of witnesses – including traumatized children. He seemed to have a relaxed air about him, all the while exuding confidence, and Annie couldn’t take her eyes off of him.
“Do you want eggs?” Winnie asked, her eyes narrowed as her gaze bounced between Landon and Annie. She seemed to sense that he was the magical powerhouse this morning, too, and she was eager to make things easier.
“I would love eggs. Thank you.” Landon beamed, making a show of swatting Bay’s hand when she attempted to snag some of his bacon. “That’s not for you. There’s an entire platter right there. You can grab your own.”
Bay made a petulant face. “I thought you loved me.”
“I do.”
“You love me but you won’t share bacon with me?” Bay apparently understood the game Landon was attempting to play. I had a feeling it had something to do with acting as normal as possible. I could only watch, fascinated, as Annie stared in their direction.
“I would die for you, Bay,” Landon replied simply. “Bacon is sacred, though. It’s magical. You need to get your own bacon.”
“That’s so hurtful.” Bay sniffed and shook her head. “I can’t believe you prefer bacon to me.”
“I didn’t say I preferred bacon to you.” Landon squeezed Bay’s knee under the table. I recognized the action for what it was: reassurance that they were doing the right thing. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. “I merely said that you need to get your own bacon.”
It was a goofy conversation, but it was also flirty, mundane and familiar. It was something Annie saw at least three times a week. She seemed happy to witness it now.
“I think I’m going to make a bacon cake at some point and not invite you to have a slice of it. How does that sound?” Bay challenged.
Landon pursed his lips. “That’s kind of a mean thing to say.”
“You started it.”
Landon held out a slice of bacon, taunting Bay with it as he made his fingers dance. Bay tried to snag the bacon slice, but Landon was too quick. “What are you going to give me for this bacon?”
“A kiss.”
Landon smirked. “That’s a nice start. I get kisses every single day, though. I want something else.”
“Like what?”
“Like … tell me something important,” Landon suggested. “Tell me what you saw in your dream last night.”
That’s when things clicked into place for me. Landon and Bay were trying to cajole answers out of Annie. To do it, they talked about their part of the story first. They were doing it in front of her so she could listen and be up to speed on the investigation, but they were also doing it without talking down to her and treating her as a child. I had to admire the effort.
“I was in the woods,” Bay replied. “It was dark and all I could hear was the rustling of the leaves and someone whispering. I knew I was being chased … that someone was following me … but I couldn’t seem to find my way out of the darkness.”
Annie leaned forward, putting a little bit of distance between Marcus and herself. “You got lost in the woods?”
They were the first words she’d uttered since we found her. She did a bit of crying – and a whole lot of clinging – but she hadn’t spoken. Until now. I sucked in a breath as I watched her, letting Landon continue his questioning in his easygoing manner.
“I did,” Bay confirmed, acting as if Annie speaking wasn’t some sort of miracle. “I couldn’t find my way, and I knew someone was following me. It was creepy.”
“But it was a dream, right?” Annie’s gaze was intense.
Bay shrugged. “It felt very real. It almost felt as if I was someone else, though.”
“Maybe you were me.” Annie’s words were barely a whisper. “I had that dream, too.”
“You did?” Bay feigned surprise. “Did you see who was whispering in your dream? You have younger eyes and probably got a better look at the person. It was too dark for me.”
“I … .” Annie licked her lips, absently accepting the slice of bacon Landon slid in her direction. “There’s a woman out there. She lives in the trees.”
I tilted my head to the side, confused. “A woman lives in the trees?”
“She’s afraid of people. But she’s lonely. She doesn’t like being alone.” Annie’s eyes brimmed with tears and Marcus pressed a kiss to her forehead. “She gave me a doll, but I dropped it when I was trying to find you.”
“We saw the doll,” Landon said carefully. “We found it I the woods last night.”
Was that all they found? I didn’t ask the question out loud.
“I don’t want to see the doll again,” Annie warned. “I don’t like it. I don’t like the tree woman either.”
“You’re very brave telling us this,” Marcus prodded. “Did the woman take you from the store?”
Annie shook her head. “I walked out the back door because I was bored. I thought I would hide so you could find me, except … except someone was there and she made me go with her. I tried to call out for you, but she put her hand over my mouth.”
Annie balled her fist up and pressed it to the corner of her mouth.
“I knew I was in trouble, and it was all my fault,” she continued, tears coursing down her cheeks. “I shouldn’t have snuck away. It was my fault.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” I argued, grabbing her chin so she had no choice but to focus on me. “I swear it wasn’t. I should’ve been watching you. You saved yourself, though. You were a big hero. We’re so proud of you.”
“But … she’s still out there,” Annie protested. “She kept saying she wanted me to live with her and that she’d been looking for me for a long time. I waited until she wasn’t looking and ran. She chased me through the trees, but I ran forever. Then I heard you guys and … I just ran some more.”
“You did well,” Landon said, pointing toward the hand with bacon. “Eat that to build up your strength.”
Annie did as she was told, mustering a small smile when Landon gave her another piece of bacon. “What about Bay? Are you going to give her some of your bacon?”
“Bay can always have some of my bacon,” Landon answered. “You can, too. Only the two of you, though.”
“I don’t think anyone would risk touching your bacon,” I pointed out.
“I’m just making sure I stated it for the record,” Landon said, flashing a smile for Annie’s benefit. “I have one more question: Did the woman take you to a house? Did she have a place where
she was living?”
“It wasn’t really a house,” Annie answered. “It was kind of like a playhouse more than anything. It was in the middle of the woods. You would almost miss it if you weren’t looking right at it.”
“How close was it to where we found you?”
Annie shrugged. “I felt like I was running forever, but I don’t know which way. I … got lost and I could hear her behind me. She was following me.”
“It’s okay.” Landon rested his hand on Annie’s head and smiled. “We’re going to find the woman. We’re going to make sure everything is okay.”
Annie widened her eyes, fear finding a foothold. “I don’t want to go back!”
“You don’t have to go back,” Landon said smoothly. “You’re staying here with Marcus, Winnie, Marnie and Twila. The rest of us will handle the situation.”
“Even Aunt Tillie?”
Landon nodded. “Especially Aunt Tillie. She’s going to be very interested in our excursion today. Speaking of that, where is Aunt Tillie?” Landon glanced around the room. “I can’t believe she’s missing bacon.”
“She’s in her greenhouse,” Marnie replied. “She seems agitated. I thought it was because Annie went missing yesterday and she was still riled up, but now I’m starting to wonder if she suffered the same dream Bay had.”
“Now there’s something I didn’t see coming,” I muttered, rolling my neck as I stood. “I didn’t consider that. We need to find her and get this party started. I think it’s going to be a long day.”
“Then let’s do it,” Bay said, pushing herself to her feet and snagging a slice of bacon from Landon’s plate. “Come on, Romeo. We’ll need your expertise to get through this.”
Landon snagged the back of Bay’s shirt before we headed toward the greenhouse. “Tell me about that bacon cake you mentioned. That sounds … intriguing.”
Bay rolled her eyes. “There’s no such thing as a bacon cake.”
“I think if you put your imagination behind it you’ll come up with a different answer.”
Bay blew out a sigh and shook her head. “Seriously?”
Landon nodded.
“Fine. I’ll figure out a way to make you a bacon cake. Are you happy?”
Thistle While You Work: A Wicked Witches of the Midwest Short Page 6