by Mary Alford
He took a sip and sat the cup down. “I still believe we’ll bring Eva home safely.” The tiniest bit of hope appeared on her face, tugging at his heartstrings. “Do you trust me?” he asked.
“I want to,” she murmured, her green eyes huge as she stared into his.
“Then do.”
As he looked at her pretty face, doing the right thing felt impossible, but she needed him to be strong for the both of them.
Picking up his coffee, he stepped away, his hands unsteady around the cup. Bitterness resurfaced inside him.
Help me, Lord...
Returning to his perch at the window, regret weighed heavy on his heart. Across the street, something caught his eye. Movement? He squinted past the furniture store to the woods beyond. A glint of something amongst the trees? He couldn’t make it out.
He dialed Ryan’s number.
“What’s up?”
“It may be nothing, but I see something in the woods behind the furniture shop.”
“I’m on my way,” Ryan said.
Rachel stepped from behind the counter. She’d overheard the call. “Is something wrong?” she asked, her eyes glued to his face.
“I’m not sure.” He continued to watch the woods.
The glint flashed again, and it hit him. It was the barrel of a gun. “Get down,” he said and dove to get her away from the window.
Crack! In an instant, the window shattered. Scrambling to his feet, he pulled Rachel behind the counter and out of sight.
“Stay down,” he warned and unholstered his sidearm, then eased toward the door.
“Ryan, you copy?” Noah asked once he’d redialed.
“Yes. The shot came from behind the store. I’m almost there now. Cole’s on the south side of the building. He has eyes on the shooter and is pursuing. I’m on my way to assist,” he said through the noise of jostling.
“Copy that.” Noah ended the call and hurried to where Rachel crouched.
When he was here last, he noticed a small office to the side of the store. They needed to take cover in case the shooter wasn’t acting alone.
He held out his hand. “Come with me. We need someplace secure.”
She clasped his hand, and they ran to the windowless office where Noah quickly closed the door. There wasn’t a lock. He searched the room for something to secure the door. A desk with a couple of chairs. A file cabinet and a bookcase.
“Help me move the bookcase in front of the door,” he told her and grabbed one side while Rachel took the other. Together they shoved the bookcase in front of the door.
“That should at least give them a challenge,” he said.
“You don’t think this man is alone.”
“I’d say the likelihood is slim. I think the shooter is a distraction to draw our backup away.”
Reality hit hard and she shivered visibly.
Noah gathered her close. “They’ll have to go through me to get to you, and that’s not going to happen.”
A crashing noise at the rear of the store broke them apart. Noah whirled toward the door. A single set of footsteps. Someone had entered the store.
Being as quiet as possible, Noah called the breach in.
“We’re on our way now. The shooter escaped. I’m guessing he was a decoy,” Ryan said.
Noah ended the call and shoved the phone in his pocket. “Get behind the desk and stay there no matter what.”
With Rachel tucked out of sight, Noah eased to the side of the door. What he heard next was terrifying. Two sets of footsteps nearby. Had the shooter doubled back? While the bookcase would hold them off for a while, it wouldn’t take two men long to break through.
Steps halted in front of the door. The knob turned. The door slammed against the bookcase.
“Something is blocking it,” a familiar gruff male voice said. It was one of the men who had run them off the road. “Help me out here.”
Both men threw their weight against the door. It slammed into the bookcase, swaying it forward. Another blow and it would go over.
Lord, we need Your protection. The prayer slipped through his head as he flattened himself against the wall and called Ryan. “They’re inside the store. We need you both right now.” Noah heard Ryan confirm they were close.
“Push harder. We need the woman,” the same man said. They slammed against the door one more time. The bookcase rocked back and forth before it tumbled forward with a loud crash. The bottom side lodged a few inches from the door, still blocking it.
Thank You, Lord.
The door cracked open. One of the men tried to ease through the sliver. His face was obscured by a ski mask, the attackers’ MO from the beginning. Noah pointed his Glock at the man. When he spotted the weapon, he ducked out of sight.
“He’s in there with her. Let’s get out of here before the others return,” the man who’d almost entered the room said. Noah didn’t recognize the second man’s voice. “I’m not going back to jail because of this. I don’t care how much money this guy dangles in front of me to get even with Miller. Let’s go.”
“Are you nuts? There’s two of us. Get out of my way,” the familiar voice said. Dressed entirely in black, a mask over his face, the man tried to squeeze through the crack. He had a weapon in his gloved hand. When he spotted Noah, he aimed, but Noah was ready. Firing his weapon, he struck the man’s forearm. Somehow the man managed to hold on to his weapon. Noah charged at him. Grabbing the barrel of the gun, he pushed it away. The gun went off, and the bullet sped past Noah’s shoulder and lodged in the wall while Noah struggled to get the weapon free.
“Let’s go. I hear the other deputies.” Footsteps hurried away. The other man was leaving his partner. After a second’s hesitation, the first man dropped his weapon, grabbed his injured arm and ran.
Noah tucked the gun in his holster. As much as he wanted to go after them, he wouldn’t leave Rachel alone.
Closing the door, he grabbed his phone and called Ryan to tell him the men were leaving through the back entrance.
“We’ll see if we can head them off before they get away.”
Rachel left her hiding place and rushed to his side. “Did you hear what he said? What do you think he meant when he said he didn’t care how much ‘this guy’ wants to get even with Miller?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know, but we need to find out who has a grudge against Allan Miller, and soon.”
TWENTY-THREE
A rap on the door sent Rachel jumping. Her heart flew to her throat.
“Noah, it’s me.” With Rachel’s help, Noah was able to push the bookcase out of the way and Cole came in. “Are you two okay?” he asked, glancing from Noah to Rachel.
“We’re fine,” Noah assured him. “Did you see the two men?”
Cole shook his head. “We traced their footsteps through the woods. I’m sure the shooter had a vehicle waiting there for them. Ryan’s following the car tracks in his cruiser.”
“I recognized one of the men’s voices. He’s one of the thugs who ran us off the road. He mentioned something that may be the biggest clue yet.” Noah told Cole about the man’s comment. Turning to Rachel, he said, “We should get you to the station. It’s not safe here.”
Shaken by the harrowing experience, her thoughts scattered. “But I will need to do something about the window. We cannot leave it like this.”
“We’ll put some cardboard across the front for now. I’ll call the hardware store in Eagle’s Nest and have them come replace the window.”
While Noah and Cole taped cardboard on the window, Rachel locked the front door and put out the closed sign.
“That should keep the weather out for now.” Noah stood back and surveyed their work before pulling out his phone. “I know the owner of the hardware store, and he owes me a favor. I’ll have him stop by after we leave and star
t the repair.”
Rachel couldn’t stop shaking. No matter how hard she tried, all she thought about was what the man had said. Was it possible that all of this was because of someone wanting to get even with Allan Miller, and if so, how did she and Eva fit into their plot?
She couldn’t get over how familiar Allan Miller seemed. It was too much of a coincidence to be her imagination, but why couldn’t she remember how she knew Miller?
“We should go,” Noah said and watched her closely. “We can’t wait around for the window to be repaired.”
She nodded, her troubled thoughts working overtime.
They headed out to the patrol vehicle. The fear spiraling inside her had her glancing around nervously. Noah opened the car door and waited. Their eyes met. He must have seen something in hers because he drew her close and held her for a while. In his strong arms was the only place she honestly felt safe.
She pulled away, her gaze tangling with his. He was so handsome and it broke her heart that they’d been dealt such a cruel blow. She gently touched his cheek, then slipped inside the back seat. A moment passed, and he closed the door and got into the front passenger side.
Cole got behind the wheel and started the engine, pulling out of the alley while Rachel struggled for calm.
With Noah’s and Cole’s attention on the road ahead, Rachel leaned against the seat and closed her eyes. Exhausted both physically and emotionally, her body craved rest.
Someone gently shook her. Her eyes drifted open, and she stared up at the sheriff’s station.
Turning her head, she found Noah watching her. The tenderness on his face made her chest tighten.
“I must have fallen asleep,” she murmured, drawing his attention to her mouth. Rachel looked away. They were heading down a dangerous path.
“You’re tired,” he said, his voice husky. “The sofa in Walker’s office is pretty comfortable.”
She managed a nod. After another searching look, he opened the door and left the vehicle. While he crossed in front, Rachel covered her warm cheeks with her hands and tried to compose herself. Life could be cruel at times. She and Noah had been kept apart when they were younger by forces out of their control. Now that they’d found each other again, her infertility separated them.
He opened the door and she climbed out next to him. He looked into her eyes without moving. She sensed there were so many things he wanted to say to her. So many things she longed to hear.
“Let’s get inside. I don’t feel comfortable being out here like this for long.”
Reality intruded between them once more and she realized there would never be a right time for them.
Janine met them at the door as if she’d been watching for them. “Are you both okay?” she asked, concerned.
With her heart breaking, it was impossible for Rachel to find words.
“We’re fine. It’s just been a very long day,” Noah said.
“I can imagine. I put on a pot of coffee. It sounds like it’s going to be a long night, as well.”
“Has something broken on the case?” Noah asked, picking up on the excitement in Janine’s voice.
“I’ll say. When Aden came on duty, he went to work on finding former employees with a grudge against Allan Miller, and it sounds like he found someone who was angry enough to want Miller dead.”
* * *
Noah faced Rachel. As much as he wanted to find out what Aden had discovered, he was worried about her. “Why don’t you try and get some rest? I can update you about the case later on.”
She shook her head. “This is my family. I can’t rest without knowing what’s happening.”
Her response wasn’t a surprise. He clutched her hand and smiled. “All right. Let’s go find out.”
“Stephanie and I ordered sandwiches. As soon as they arrive we’ll bring them in along with the coffee,” Janine told them.
Noah stopped and turned back to the woman. “Aren’t you supposed to be off duty?”
“Are you kidding? I can’t relax until Eva is safely home.” She squeezed Rachel’s arm.
“Denki,” Rachel murmured with heartfelt gratitude.
Walker and Aden were quietly talking when he and Rachel entered the conference room.
“I hear there’s been a break in the case,” Noah said the minute he stepped inside.
Walker motioned them over. “We believe so. Hargrave sent us the names of some of Miller’s former employees. He said after he had time to process what happened to his stepfather, he realized there were several men who had a beef with Miller in the past. One in particular stands out.”
Noah peered over Walker’s shoulder. “Gary Wilson,” he read aloud. “What’s his story?”
“For starters, he has a long rap sheet,” Aden told him. “Similar to the thugs who attacked you both. Lots of assault and battery charges that landed him in prison for five years. When he was released, Miller gave him a job roughnecking for him. I guess Wilson had some previous experience, and according to Miller’s stepson, he always helped out former prisoners. Had a soft spot, I guess.”
Walker handed Noah a copy of Wilson’s rap sheet. It was lengthy.
“Anyway, it appears Wilson wasn’t rehabilitated after all, and it wasn’t long before he started stealing from Miller.”
Noah’s brows slanted together. “Stealing? What type of things?”
“At first, little things, like tools and such. Soon, he graduated to oil rig fittings. He even broke into the office onsite and allegedly stole some money.”
“And that’s when Miller fired him?” Noah asked.
Aden nodded. “That’s right. Miller let him go. According to witnesses, Wilson was furious. He threatened to mess Miller up. The Billings Police Department got called out to remove Wilson from the site, but that’s not where it ended.”
“Wilson stalked him,” Noah supplied, reading the restraining order Miller filed.
“Yep. Miller filed that restraining order because, according to Hargrave, he felt threatened by Wilson.”
“I can understand why. This guy has a long history of violence.” There was a photo of Wilson’s mug shot attached. Noah stared at it, trying to fit the pieces together. He showed the photo to Rachel. “Do you recognize him?”
She studied the picture, then shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
“Wilson appears to be in his midtwenties. Do you think this could be the young man Eva was seeing?” Noah asked the occupants of the room.
Walker scratched his head. “It’s possible, I guess. I understand this fella had a beef with Miller, but I don’t understand how he fits in with Eva or Rachel.”
Noah didn’t, either. He turned to Aden. “Were there any other incidents after the restraining order was in place?”
Aden studied his laptop. “Nothing that could be substantiated. A couple of letters left in Miller’s mailbox...” Aden let out a whistle. “A dead rat on his doorstep with a note reading, ‘This is what happens to rats.’ Man, this guy is messed up.”
“Unbelievable.” Noah shook his head. “We’re still missing the connection to Rachel and her sister. So assuming Allan Miller is the A. Miller in Eva’s note, this ties him to Eva, but it doesn’t give us a reason. We have to find out why Miller wanted to meet with her.”
“I had Sheriff Solomon ask Beth if she knew an Allan or A. Miller. She said the name was not familiar,” Walker said. “I think Eva may be the only one who knows what the connection is at this point.”
“Does anyone know where this Wilson person is?” Noah asked.
Walker shook his head. “Not really. His last known address was a vacant lot. The Billings police are looking for him, but no one has seen him in more than a week.”
“Around the same time Allan Miller plunged into the lake,” Noah said, and all eyes locked onto him.
“Accor
ding to the records, Wilson never worked on the rig here,” Aden said, staring at his laptop screen.
“No, but if he had a grudge against Miller, I’m guessing he was here at some point, watching the man’s every move,” Noah said.
“See if you can find any sightings of Wilson around town. Let’s get some photos printed out and show them to the businesses here and around the Amish community. If he was here, someone had to see him at some point.”
“I’m on it,” Aden said, and started working on the laptop.
Janine carried in a tray of sandwiches and coffee. “Food’s here. Time to refuel.”
“Thanks, Janine,” Noah acknowledged with a smile as Janine left the room.
Something still troubled him and he couldn’t let it go. “Did the police find anything useful at Miller’s home?”
“Not a thing,” Walker told him. “Everything appeared in order. No signs of a struggle.”
Which seemed to indicate Wilson accosted Miller after he left for his hunting trip.
“I think we need to dig deeper into Miller, as well,” Noah said on a hunch. “Find out who he associated with and if he had an assistant who might know something about why he was reaching out to Eva.”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll get in touch with the Billings chief of police.” Walker grabbed his phone and turned away to make the call.
Noah breathed out a huge sigh. For the first time since this began, he believed they might be able to unravel what was going on.
TWENTY-FOUR
Snow continued to fall harder, blanketing the street in front of the station. An uneasy feeling skipped along Rachel’s spine. She couldn’t help but believe time was running out for Eva...and her.
“There’s been another accident off Mountain Drive.” Walker came into the room while putting on his jacket. “A car slid off the road and flipped. I’m heading that way. I’ll take Megan with me.”