by Dana R. Lynn
His face hardened. He turned away. She knew he was planning on going after whoever it was. Without thinking, she grabbed his arm, letting the basket slide to the ground.
He halted, amazed. His gaze shot to her hand holding his arm, then back to her face.
Backing up like she’d been burned, her face flushed. But she wouldn’t back down. “Think, Abram. He probably has a knife or a gun, if anyone’s there. What would you do?”
“I would give you time to escape.”
Her mouth fell open and she gaped at him. He’d risk his life so she could escape. Had he always been so noble? If only he’d been with her that day...
She shook her head. “Abram. I’m the one with a gun hidden in my apron.”
His face froze. “You have a gun?”
“Yeah.” She picked up the basket and moved toward the house, her eyes still scanning. “I’m a cop, remember?”
She saw the glint of sunlight striking steel.
“Get down!”
A gunshot cracked through the quiet. The taut clothesline snapped as the bullet ripped through it.
She didn’t know how it happened. One moment they were standing side by side, and the next Abram had pushed her down and was protecting her with his own body. She pushed slightly. Abram moved back, still hovering, ready to push her back again if another bullet came flying toward them.
“Into the house,” she whispered.
Abram pulled her to her feet and they both ran through the door. A second bullet smashed into the side of the house.
Kate pulled her phone from the pocket sewn into her apron. She had Marshal Delacure on speed dial, thanks to Captain Murphy’s overzealous need to be organized. Abram rushed into the other room. She heard him ushering the bishop and Edith into the bishop’s office. If she recalled, there were no windows in that room. It was a good choice.
“The marshals are on their way,” she told Abram when he dashed into the room.
He bobbed his head in acknowledgment. “Gut. You weren’t injured?”
Her heart melted the teeniest bit before she shoved the emotions aside. His putting himself between her and the sniper wasn’t sweet. He could have been hurt. Or killed. After all, she was the one in law enforcement.
Thinking of him being injured, she felt like a giant fist had reached inside her chest and was squeezing her heart. She pressed the heel of her hand to her chest to ease the ache.
“I’m fine. What were you thinking?”
He didn’t bat an eye. “I was thinking someone was shooting at us.”
She huffed. Going to the door, she looked out. She couldn’t see anyone. Which meant nothing. The sniper could have moved or hunkered down. Until she saw the flash of the sun’s rays reflecting off the gun, she hadn’t known where he was before. All she’d known was that someone was watching her.
Smirking, Abram left for a moment when the bishop called out to him.
She remembered what the man who’d tried to abduct her looked like. It wasn’t a face she was likely to ever forget.
She frowned. She still had her phone. Could she gain access to the criminal database and search for him, maybe give them a place to start?
Abram stalked back into the room. He speared her with a fierce stare. He was chomping on a piece of gum. Probably a stress reliever for him. “The bishop and his wife are safe. You aren’t, though.”
“I will be once he’s caught,” she said, evading his gaze. “I can’t leave, though. Beth is still out there. I don’t care how suspicious her disappearance is. I think she’s in trouble.”
He took two more steps in her direction, bringing him close enough for her to smell the mint gum he’d been chewing. It was a scent she’d remembered well from their times together years ago.
The sudden yearning for all that she’d lost swamped her. In all the years since she’d left, she’d steered clear of emotional entanglements, except for Shane and his wife. But that was different. He was married and treated her like a kid sister.
She’d tried dating exactly three times. Whenever her date had tried to kiss her, she bolted.
Never had she dreamed of wanting more than she had as a cop. Because while her life was solitary and often empty, it was still safer than letting someone tromp all over her heart or stealing the joy from her soul.
Funny thing was, she hadn’t had much joy, either. Not since she left Abram and tossed God out of her life. He hadn’t protected her when she was at her most vulnerable. It was hard to trust that He would help her now.
A car pulled into the drive.
“The marshals are here.” Abram went to the trash can to dispose of his gum. “Hopefully, they’ll find this guy and you’ll be able to concentrate on finding Beth.”
She moved to the door to greet them without responding. All these strange emotions swirling through her left her unsettled. It would only get worse if she stayed. She was right. She wasn’t the person Beth needed.
A quick glance showed her that Abram was right behind her. Her pulse skipped when his breath washed across her cheek, ruffling the tendrils that had escaped her kapp and laid over her ear. She shivered.
She needed to leave soon before she got in over her head.
If it wasn’t already too late.
SIX
Kate itched to join in the search as the marshals combed through the woods. She was tasked with staying on patrol at the house to make sure no harm came to the bishop or his wife. Scowling, she gazed after the marshals. They’d tagged Lieutenant Greer on the call, which surprised her. She hadn’t thought they were that keen on sharing the case. An active shooting, however, took precedent over a jurisdiction squabble.
“Is your job normally this exciting?” Abram squinted as he stared toward the sun in the direction the marshals had gone.
She scoffed. “Not really. I do take special pride in putting away criminals, especially those who have harmed children. But there’s a lot of paperwork in my job. Lots of small petty crimes, too. Honestly, I think I spend more time behind my desk than on the streets.”
“Why’d you leave here?”
His question slammed into her, stealing her breath. She should have been expecting it. If she’d been in his shoes, she would have asked him before he’d even said hello. Really, he’d been extraordinarily patient.
Regardless, she wasn’t ready to answer. Not yet. Maybe not ever. She opened her mouth. Closed it, then tried again. Nothing. She had nothing to give him, no excuse, because she couldn’t lie to him. “I can’t tell you yet.”
She winced. Yet, made it sound like she’d tell him someday. But how could she? She’d borne her parents’ disgust before their deaths. She didn’t think she could handle Abram’s.
Abram nodded like he’d expected that reply. “Ja. Now isn’t a gut time, with the marshals and the bishop and Edith here. I can wait.”
The words twisted inside her like a blade, slicing deeper into her already-shredded heart.
Lieutenant Greer jogged toward them, his face set.
“You didn’t find anything,” Katie commented.
“Well.” The lieutenant halted before them. “Yes and no. We didn’t find a trace here, but if it’s the guy from the hospital, we have an ID.”
Her heart thumped and adrenaline shot through her. “Who?”
He pulled out his phone and showed her a picture.
“Yes.” She jabbed her finger at the familiar face glaring out at her. “That’s the man who grabbed me.”
Lieutenant Greer pocketed the phone again. “His name is Evan Stiles. He was a local college student busted last year for dealing drugs as well as assault. Some believe he had ties to a local drug ring that was broken up a few years ago.”
“I know about that one,” Abram interjected. “My brother Levi got caught up in that when they went after Lilah, his wife. This
was before they were married. I thought the ring was finished. The leader and several of his underlings were arrested.”
“Yep. Same crime ring. It was bad. Drugs, possibly even some ties to human trafficking. No proof, though. I’ve had my doubts that the ring was truly gone. Looks like they might have a new leader.”
“Hold on.” Kate left the men when Marshal Delacure motioned her over.
“He got away,” the marshal said, “but we know who he is. I really need you to dig deep and find any clues about what happened to Beth. How was she connected with all this?”
She had to say something now. Her emotions were too close to the surface. What if they caused her to make a mistake? She was no longer confident in her ability to compartmentalize them. “Actually, Marshal, I’m wondering if I’m the right person for the job, now that someone is after me.”
The marshal shook her head. “No. I actually think you’re still the best person. I meant what I told Tim. You grew up here. These people will be more willing to talk with you than someone like me. Your connection could be our only chance of finding Beth. Especially when people see you with Abram. He’s a respected member of the community. I talked with the bishop earlier. His brother is an elder of some kind. No, you are the best choice. I’m convinced that the time it takes to find someone else and make inroads would come at the cost of Beth’s life. Our only hope of getting her back alive is using the advantage you bring.”
She couldn’t say no. Even if staying resulted in her shattered heart. Surely, saving the other woman’s life was worth more than her own private pain?
Nodding, she turned from the marshal and returned to Abram’s side. He was frowning as he scanned the sky.
“Something wrong?” Tipping her head back, she sighed as she saw the dark clouds rolling in. She’d forgotten that rain was on the horizon.
“I think we’re going to be driving into a storm.” Abram shrugged. “We can’t do anything about it.”
Less than an hour later, Abram had the buggy hooked up and was waiting for her so they could go to the bed-and-breakfast. The sun was completely hidden behind the dark cover of clouds. Kate shivered as the wind picked up. The temperature was dropping, too.
The bishop and Edith had urged her to stay with them, but she wouldn’t budge. Her being there had already brought violence to their home.
Hugging Edith, she swallowed the lump in her throat and turned away, hopping up on the bench of the buggy. Too late, she realized she should have ducked inside. The buggy was turning onto the road.
Awkward. That described her current situation, sitting next to Abram. It didn’t feel like it was ten years ago since they’d been planning their first date. They both acted like they didn’t have a history. Except they did, and it was stealing her focus.
Two minutes into the drive, the wind picked up and a cold rain fell. The icy drops were spitting in her face. She shivered, crossing her arms over her chest. She cast a glance at the overcast sky. It was growing darker by the second. Great.
“There’s a blanket behind the seat.” Abram’s voice broke into her thoughts of gloom and doom.
“Oh, thanks.” She reached behind and grabbed one, pulling it around her shoulders. When it snagged on his toolbox sitting behind the seat, he released the reins with his right hand. His fingers grazed her arm when he reached back, unsnagged the blanket and handed it to her. Her cheeks flared red. Her breath hitched in her throat.
This needed to stop. Maybe if she concentrated on her case.
“Tell me about Beth,” she said to him.
“Shouldn’t you already know about her?”
She turned to scan his face for any sign of snarkiness. When their eyes met, all she saw was remote curiosity. It was, she supposed, a fair question. “You’d think, right? But no, the marshals gave me very little information about her. Only that she lived here and worked at the B&B.”
“You said you’d met her.”
So he’d been paying attention at the hospital.
“I met her once, several years ago. She was battered and nearly half dead after her crime boss ex-boyfriend tried to kill her. She had information that could, and did, put him in jail. Hopefully for the rest of his life.”
“She was attacked?”
She glanced at him, catching an odd note in his voice. Maybe it was an illusion, but he appeared to be a shade paler. Her belly clenched. She’d wondered how he’d react. Was he blaming Beth for what had happened to her?
She’d made the correct choice not to tell him about Gary the Shark. It had been hard enough dealing with her mother’s lamentations and disgust. His rejection would have killed her.
She locked up those thoughts. They served no purpose.
“When did Beth disappear?”
“No one knows exactly,” he said and maneuvered the horse to turn right. “She had a weekend off. It was a visiting weekend, so no one noticed if she was gone or not. The next day, she was supposed to work. She never showed up. When my onkel went to her haus, there was no answer. He went back and checked again two days before you arrived.”
“Wait. Did he go to the back door?”
He gave her a strange glance. “Ja. We always use that door. You know that. Most of the Amish around here only use the front door for visitors.”
She waved that aside. “I know. This is important, Abram. When my partner and I went there yesterday, we went to the back door, but the door was open.”
His head reared back, shocked. “Nee, it was closed when my onkel checked on her. I’m sure of it.”
“So, someone has been in and out of the house since she’s been gone. The bishop and your onkel have both been out there, and neither of them were caught in an explosion nor noticed the open door. So that means whoever was there went after your onkel had left, within forty-eight hours of my arrival. That was when the bomb was put in place.”
Was the bomb for Beth? Had someone wanted her dead? Or had Beth planted the bomb? It was hard picturing the former socialite making an explosive. However, the blast hadn’t been effective. Possibly because an amateur made it. Whatever had happened, she needed to begin her investigation. Anyone willing to rig a bomb had to have a reason.
The wind had picked up by the time they arrived at the bed-and-breakfast. Kate tugged the black bonnet she wore over her kapp closer to her face to avoid getting hit in the face with flying dust or debris. She flicked her gaze over the bed-and-breakfast. It was a large, sturdy structure, built to resemble an oversize barn. They walked under a hanging awning to get to the front door. She didn’t remember Abram’s relatives owning a bed-and-breakfast ten years ago. It was probably a relatively new business. Of course, her daed would have frowned upon it. He was uncomfortable living so close to the Englisch.
Abram opened the door for her and followed her inside. For a second, she was tempted to tell him she was fine and he could go. It would be a waste of breath. Abram had always done what he wanted. Ridiculously, the thought cheered her somewhat.
She nodded her thanks and preceded him inside the building. It was cheerful and bright. And dry. A sigh of pleasure escaped before she could contain it. Moving to the counter, she introduced herself. The young Amish girl’s eyes widened slightly. She glanced at Abram quickly before she smiled and checked her in, making polite conversation. She was a cute little thing with big brown eyes and dark hair peeping out from under the kapp. When Abram stepped up to the counter, her smile widened and warmed. Kate fought back a hot wave of jealousy. She had no right to feel that way.
Kate thanked the girl behind the check-in counter and gathered her key. Did the girl think it was strange to have someone dressed Plain staying at the bed-and-breakfast instead of in a relative’s home?
Turning away from the reception desk, she walked toward the stairs.
Abram waved at the girl. “Later, Adele.”
“Ja
. Tell Aenti Fanny that Mamm enjoyed the pie she made.”
“Will do.”
The jealousy drained. She was an idiot. She’d not even recognized Abram’s younger cousin, Adele. No wonder the girl had looked at her. Did Adele know about her relationship with Abram? She’d have to apologize later for not greeting her.
As she walked toward the hall, the front door opened, letting in a blast of wind.
“Hi, Adele. Where do you want these?”
That voice. The chill that shuddered through her had nothing to do with the cold. Dodging into the open door of the library, Kate huddled against the wall, a prisoner of her own terror as memories recalled by that voice pelted her. She squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears, begging them to stop.
She no longer knew, or cared, where she was or who was with her.
All her terrified mind could comprehend at the moment was that the man she called Gary the Shark was here.
* * *
Abram had no idea what had happened. One minute, Katie was stalking toward the stairs as if she were on a mission, and then in the space of two heartbeats, she was huddled down against the wall. Her face was colorless. Squatting down, he stared into her huge haunted blue eyes. His mouth went dry. The terror etched on her face was the scariest thing he’d ever seen in his life.
Did she even know he was there?
He called her name, softly.
After the third time, she turned his way, her hands reaching out, feeling the air in front of her as if she’d gone blind. What had happened to her?
“Abram!” Her voice was a harsh whisper. She choked on the rest of her words.
“Shush. Katie, I’m here.”
Please, Gott, let me help her. In that instant, he dropped the bitterness he’d been carrying around like a shield. The Katie he’d known had been fearless and indomitable. This woman was terrified beyond reason.
A deep male laugh rolled through the establishment. Katie’s hands clenched around his. She shuddered so hard her head hit the wall behind her.
It was him. The man talking to his cousin. Something about that man scared her half to death. He had to get Katie out of there. But he couldn’t leave his cousin with a man who had this effect on his former love. However horrible Katie’s connection with him was, the scars went deep.