by Dana R. Lynn
When it vanished, he blinked.
“Did you find something?” she asked.
He pulled himself back from the sense of loss suddenly engulfing him. Unable to speak, he nodded and pointed to the window, giving himself time to recover.
Brow furrowed in confusion, she stepped to his side and looked out. When she sucked in a breath, he knew she’d seen the ladder.
Hoping his voice was under control, he asked, “Was that there earlier?”
He wasn’t surprised when she shook her head. “No. I’ll bet when he leaned it against the window, that was the thud I heard.”
“Do you want to call the police?” He was normally reluctant to take that course of action, but when it came to Jennie and LJ, he found he was more than willing to do whatever was necessary to keep them safe.
“Oh, yeah. Definitely.” Her chin quivered before she steadied herself. She was so pale. “Luke, if I hadn’t heard that noise, and if LJ had been sleeping in here...”
“Hey.” Luke pulled her into his arms and held her tight against his chest. “Neither of those things happened. You can’t torture yourself with what might have happened. You’re safe, LJ’s safe and I’m here. We’re going to call the police now, and then we’ll go from there. Jah?”
Her only response was to nod her head against his chest.
He wanted to stay in this position, but knew he needed to let her go. Just one more second.
She pulled back. Reluctantly, he opened his arms and watched as she stepped away.
“I’m good.” She surveyed the window once more before spinning around and striding from the room. He could hear her voice a moment later on the phone with the police. “They’ll be here in under ten, Luke.”
“I’m going to clean up.”
He gathered his bag and went into the bathroom. He arrived back in the living room to find that LJ had woken up and Jennie was opening the front door and standing out of the way so the police trooper who had come to check out the situation could enter. Trooper Carter looked around and waved at LJ, who was sitting in front of the television, watching a video Jennie had put on for him.
LJ waved back and took a bite of toast his mother must have made him while Luke was in the bathroom, his eyes back on the screen.
Luke looked at Jennie and raised his eyebrow.
She nodded her head in LJ’s direction. “He isn’t allowed to watch TV unless it’s a special occasion, so he’s probably not going to move from that spot until the video’s done.”
He approved, he decided. LJ didn’t need to know how worried his parents were. Or how close he had come—
Nee. He hadn’t let Jennie go there earlier, so neither would he. He turned his eyes back to the trooper talking with her.
“You woke when you heard something?” Carter was saying.
“Yes, I wasn’t sure what, but it was a strange sound. One I had never heard before. When I heard another sound coming from the direction of his room...” she lowered her voice and discreetly pointed at the four-year-old engrossed in cartoons “... I came and got Luke. He was sleeping on the couch.”
Carter turned his gaze to Luke, who picked up the narrative. “There was nothing in the room, and I couldn’t see anyone outside. It was still dark. That’s when I saw the ladder.”
Carter’s eyes sharpened. “Ladder? You better show me.”
Jennie’s gaze flashed to LJ.
Luke touched her hand. “Jennie, why don’t you stay with LJ and I’ll take Trooper Carter back?”
Relief flickered across her face and she nodded. He understood. She didn’t trust LJ to be safe alone in a room in his own home anymore. The idea saddened him.
“This way.” Luke led Carter down the hall and stood back while the trooper examined LJ’s room. Carter pulled a pair of latex gloves over his hands and opened the window before peering at the screen. He pushed on the bottom of it. The entire screen came off and crashed into the bushes directly below the window.
That shouldn’t have happened.
Carter looked out of the window and whistled. Luke moved closer. “What?”
The trooper stood up, closing the outer window. Motioning for Luke to follow, he returned to where Jennie stood waiting at the end of the hall. She had a clear view of LJ and the men coming toward her.
“You found something.”
There was certainty, and a tremor of dread, in her soft voice.
“The storm window had been removed. It was lying on the ground, broken. Whether he dropped it or stepped on it when he fled, it’s hard to say. The screen fell when I touched it. He must have been removing it.”
She dropped her head in her hands. “Oh! He was so close.”
“I noticed the lock on the window is ancient. It wouldn’t have taken much for him to have gotten past it.”
Jennie made no protest when Luke slipped an arm around her shoulders to comfort her. In fact, she leaned in, letting him take some of her weight. “I had no idea they were in such bad shape.”
“Well, something must have scared whoever it was away. Did you come into the room?”
She shook her head. “No. I heard the noise, got LJ and brought him out here, then I woke up Luke.”
“You didn’t turn on the light or anything?”
“Just the hall light.”
Luke spoke up. “The bedroom door was half open. Was it that Deets guy, do you think? Could the hall light have been enough to scare him away?”
“Could have been him. And turning on the light might have scared him off.” The trooper looked at Jennie. “Mrs. Beiler, is there anywhere that you can stay for the time being? Until we catch this person, I don’t recommend you remain here. However, if you are determined to stay, I think I can offer you some protection. I can see if the department could have a cruiser drive by several times a day.”
“I don’t know. There are so many people in and out of the building.” She paused.
“There is that. Also, your apartment is on the side of the building. It would be harder to see from the street. Which brings me back to my first question. Is there somewhere else you could hole up for a while until we catch this guy?”
She floundered, tears shimmering in her brown eyes. “I don’t know. My brother is away. I have a key to his place. Maybe we could stay there.”
Trooper Carter appeared to consider the idea for a moment. Finally, he shook his head. “I don’t think that’s the best plan. If you’re right, and your stepfather is behind these events, it’s possible he may look for you at your brother’s house.”
Her shoulders sagged beneath Luke’s arm. He tightened his hold for an instant, a silent reminder that he was there for her. He agreed with the trooper. If his sister Theresa was in trouble, she came to either he or Raymond for help. He had no doubt Steve would search for her at Aiden’s place.
She couldn’t stay here. Jennie hadn’t been able to identify the man who had nearly run her over, nor could she identify the man that had tried to get in through the window. It could have been Steve, though Luke didn’t think so. It seemed unlikely that the man would have been able to travel this far already. It was almost two hundred miles on foot. Even if he had a driver, it appeared he had recruited others. There was no way to know how many people were involved. Jennie could be talking with one of the man’s henchmen and not even know it.
“I know where you could stay,” Luke stated. “You could stay at Onkel Jed’s haus.”
Jennie blinked at him, her face blank for a moment. “Your uncle wouldn’t want some stranger interrupting his life.”
“Onkel Jed is not a stranger to you. You’ve met him before. And unlike me, he has never lost his memory.”
Carter’s eyebrows climbed nearly to his receding hairline.
“It’s been years since I saw him. He had no idea that we were getting married. You s
ort of broke all connection with your family at that time,” Jennie said.
Was that regret he heard?
“He might not have known about us, but he is a gut man. I know he would want to help if he could.”
“It might not be a bad idea,” Trooper Carter broke in. “You have to go somewhere. If the man’s willing to help, and if he’s someone that no one would think of, it’s a good plan. I would need the address. To keep in touch and to check in with you.”
“I can give you that.” Now that the idea had been accepted, Luke actually liked the idea of her coming to stay with his family. At the same time, he wondered if it was a horrible idea, having her staying so close. He could stay elsewhere, put distance between them.
That was what he would do. He would see Jennie and LJ safely to his onkel Jed’s haus, then he would find another place to stay. Somewhere close enough to keep in touch daily, but far enough away to help him resist the lure of this lovely woman.
He needed to start distancing himself now. Casually, he dropped the arm that was still about her shoulders. It hung at his side, feeling empty and useless. He ignored the temptation to put it back.
He missed them already.
SIX
She didn’t like the empty look that flickered over Luke’s face. Wherever he had gone in his mind, it was a dark place. She wished he hadn’t moved away. His touch had been comforting and warm.
“Luke.” She reached out and touched his arm. When he stiffened, his face tightening as if in pain, she dropped her hand like it had been burned. Her face flushed in embarrassment. Then anger stirred.
“Get me that address,” Trooper Carter was saying.
“Do you have paper?” Luke asked. “I can write it down for you.”
“If you know it, just tell it to me. I’ll put it in my phone.”
Luke rattled off the address from memory.
“Phone number?”
“Um, my onkel is Amish. He doesn’t have a phone number.”
Carter waved that away. “He must have a business phone.”
“Jah. I don’t know that number. I’ve never had a reason to use it. We’ll have to contact you with it later.”
Jennie stared at Luke. “So we’ll just appear on his doorstep?” That seemed rude.
“He’s my onkel. It won’t matter what time of day or night we show up.”
“Whatever you do, do it quick.” Carter turned to leave. “I suggest you leave ASAP.”
The next forty minutes were a flurry of activity as Jennie packed for her and LJ and Luke kept the child entertained and out of the way. As they were packing everything into her car, she had a thought. She had no way of knowing how long they’d be gone. Grabbing her purse, she retrieved her wallet. Just as she feared. It was almost empty.
“We’re going to have to stop at the bank.”
Luke stopped in the middle of loading her bags into the trunk. “Now? Can it wait?”
“Nope. Sorry. I’m out of cash, and I’m not comfortable relying on my bank card.”
He sighed. “Jah, I can understand that. It is always best to use money.”
Luke had never liked the idea of bank cards or credit cards. Was that his personality or his Amish upbringing? Not that it mattered. She shrugged and finished buckling LJ into his booster seat and got in behind the wheel. She backed out of her parking space. It was a good thing the plows had already come through. The roads, although clear, were still slippery. Frustration bit at her as she drove. Her instinct told her to move, but caution made her keep her speed well below the speed limit. She hated driving in the winter.
“Do you miss driving?”
Where had that question come from? But now that she had asked, she found she really wanted to know.
“Nee. I don’t remember driving, so I can’t miss it.”
She nodded. “You used to complain that I drove too fast.”
He tossed her a quick smile. “I still don’t like being in a car when it’s going too fast. I use a driver when I need to, but I prefer the simple pleasure of driving a buggy. I can think better and take time to appreciate the world Gott created.”
Jennie squirmed in her seat. She wasn’t sure she wanted to bring God into their conversation, not when He hadn’t protected them.
Or maybe He had.
Her glance slid to Luke. His appearance had been timely. She couldn’t deny it.
She tossed her head, trying to dislodge the idea. It was so disconcerting to think that after she’d been ignoring God for years, He was still reaching out to be a part of her life.
They arrived at the bank just as the doors were being unlocked. She’d forgotten how early in the morning it still was. She’d been up for so long it felt like it should be nearing lunchtime.
The reason why she’d been up so early made her stomach clench.
No time to think about that now. She parked the car in front of the bank and shut off the engine. Luke looked at her in surprise.
“I thought you’d go to the ATM machine.” He pointed to the drive-thru line.
She shrugged. “I don’t trust the things. Working with technology the way I do on a daily basis, I’ve seen too many systems get hacked.”
He looked thoughtful but didn’t argue. Instead, he unbuckled his seat belt and opened his door. She climbed out her side and popped open the back door.
“Let’s go.” She grabbed up LJ and the three of them went into the lobby. They were the first customers for the day. As she stepped up to the counter, Luke wandered over to the small sitting area on the left, looking over the complimentary coffee and tea selection.
The pretty clerk at the counter, Brenda, greeted them. “Good morning, Jennie. LJ.”
“Morning, Brenda.” Jennie kept her voice light and friendly. She didn’t like the way Brenda was looking at Luke. He was a handsome man, and the clerk was definitely noticing.
“Are you going on a trip? Or just getting ready to go Christmas shopping, something like that?” Brenda’s chatty voice didn’t disguise the avid curiosity in her face. She wasn’t asking out of politeness.
“Something like that,” she hedged. Sudden suspicion tugged at Jennie, cautioning her to mind how much information she gave out. Could Brenda be involved? She immediately scoffed at herself. Brenda was harmless. Chatty and somewhat flaky, she was well-known in town for her love of gossip.
Efficiently, Brenda counted the money back to Jennie. Thanking her, Jennie shoved the money into a bank envelope and put it in the purse slung across her body. She zipped it and smiled at Brenda, preparing to leave.
“So, Jennie.” The clerk leaned closer, pitching her voice low. Her heavy floral perfume hit Jennie’s nose, causing it to itch. She was afraid to breathe in too deep, fearing the thick scent would send her into an asthma attack. “I can’t help but notice that good-looking man you came in with. Who is he?”
Jennie backed away, keeping her smile in place with an effort. “Just an old friend. Look, I’d love to chat, but we’re on a schedule today.”
As she backed away, she nearly ran into Pete Walsh. Pete worked at the local auto parts store. He’d asked her out a few times. Jennie had always refused, politely, telling him she had no time for dating. Something about the way his expression always seemed to border on a leer had made her uncomfortable. He was eyeing Luke, his expression bitter.
“You won’t go out with me, but you’ll hang out with some Amish dude?” he asked.
“It’s not what you think,” she began.
The ringing of her phone cut her off. Randi. Finally.
“Hey, Randi,” Jennie said, turning away from Pete. “What’s up?”
“Jennie. You have to come over. Now. I found something you need to see.”
Click. She’d disconnected.
“Jennie?” Luke had returned to her side and was gentl
y taking her elbow and leading her toward the door. LJ was clinging to his other hand.
Jennie looked around. Both Brenda and Pete were still watching. It was like being in a fishbowl. Everywhere she turned, someone was looking at her. Despite her dislike of ATMs, she wished she’d used one today.
She left the building, not trusting herself to talk until they were back in her car. Once the doors were shut behind them, she turned to Luke. “My friend Randi has been trying to call me for the past day. We’ve been playing phone tag.” She bit at her lip. “I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that she’s in trouble. Anyway, she called while I was in the bank.”
“I was there. I heard her call.”
“Well, she said she found something I needed to see. Her voice sounded weird. I can’t explain it. I know something’s wrong with her. Is it all right if we stop by her place for a few minutes before heading to your uncle’s?”
For a moment, she thought he’d refuse. It might have delayed them, but she had a nagging sense that something was really wrong with Randi.
“Jah, we can stop. If you’re worried about your friend, then let’s go.”
She nodded, then pulled out of the bank parking lot. With each minute, her tension ratcheted higher. The twenty-minute drive seemed to take an hour.
Twice she wondered if they were being followed. When the cars turned off each time, she scolded herself for letting her paranoia get the best of her.
When they arrived at the house, she pulled into the drive. The fresh snow was marred by tire tracks. There were footprints leading to the garage, which was closed.
She frowned.
“It’s not like her to have the curtains still closed at this time of day.” She glanced down at the clock. “It’s almost ten in the morning. She’s always up and about by seven at the latest.”
“What do you want to do?”
She looked back at LJ. “Honey, Mama’s going to go knock on Miss Randi’s door. You stay here with Daddy, all right?”