Danger on the Mountain (5 page)

The doorbell rang and she jumped.

Mrs. Adler called, “I’ll get it.”

Maggie relaxed and went back to trying to make a decision about what to do about Belle in the event of her death. Not something she planned on happening, but the bank robbery still had her shaken.

A high-pitched scream echoed through the house. Maggie jerked, bolted to her feet and raced down the short hall to find the woman standing in the doorway, hands clasped to her mouth.

“What is it?” Maggie’s heart thudded as she stepped around Mrs. Adler and stared down at the dead squirrel on her porch. He lay on his back, feet in the air.

The words painted in red next to him read, “You’re next.”

FIVE

M
aggie’s shaky phone call still echoed in his mind as Reese stood on the porch looking down at the dead animal. The bright sun in the blue cloudless sky cast a cheery glow around him. A direct contrast to the chilling message next to the carcass.

Eli stepped forward and placed a hand on Mrs. Adler’s shoulder. The woman still trembled as she twisted a tissue between her fingers. “Let me call Jim to come get you,” Eli offered.

“No, I have my car. I’ll be fine.” She bit her lip. “I’d rather he not know about this. We’re going to Asheville day after tomorrow for some heart tests. This wouldn’t be good for him.”

“I’m so sorry,” Maggie whispered, her face pale and drawn.

Mrs. Adler reached over and took Maggie’s hand in hers. “It’s not your fault, honey. Someone is just getting his kicks in a twisted way.” She fluttered her hand as though to say she was going to try to ignore it.

Reese wished he could.

But the would-be bank robber’s threats still rang in his ears. He hadn’t thought the two who’d escaped would have hung around the area. But maybe one had revenge on his mind. Maybe the person Maggie saw running from her home yesterday had indeed been the robber who’d threatened them. But why go after Maggie? Reese was the one who’d shot him.

Then again, if Maggie hadn’t pulled the rope, everything would have ended differently. They would have gotten away with their money and Slim wouldn’t have a bullet hole in him.

Eli looked up from the squirrel. “He was already dead. Been dead a couple of days, I’d say. Our joker probably came across him and decided it’d be a good way to scare Maggie.”

She grunted. “It worked.”

“Where’s Belle?” Eli asked.

“In her playpen.” Maggie glanced through the door and into the den. “She’s content right now.”

Eli looked at Mitchell, one of his deputies. “Anything on that red substance?”

“It’s not blood.” He held up the cotton swab he’d used to test the writing. “Maybe paint or some kind of marker.”

“Let’s get all this stuff bagged.” He looked at Maggie. “We’ll have to send it off to the lab in Asheville. It may take a while to hear back.”

She nodded and ran a hand through her blond hair. She looked tired, the gray smudges under her eyes attesting to the fact that she hadn’t gotten much sleep since the robbery. She asked, “What do I do now? If this person is determined to get to me, how do Belle and I—” she shot a glance at Mrs. Adler “—and everyone else in my life, stay safe?”

Reese’s jaw firmed. “I live right across the lake, so I can help keep an eye on things.” He looked at Eli. “Would it be possible to have deputies on duty drive by every couple of hours for the next few days?”

Eli blew out a sigh and was quiet while he thought about it. Then he said, “Fortunately, we’re not short-staffed anymore. At least we won’t be when Cal and Abby get back from Washington. They’re due home any time now.” Reese nodded. Cal McIvers was also a deputy on the small Rose Mountain police force. Abby, Cal’s wife, was Reese’s former sister-in-law. Their unconditional love and support had been instrumental in influencing his move to the mountain.

“That’ll help.”

Eli pulled out his notebook again and wrote as he spoke. “I’ll set up a schedule for the drive-bys.” He looked at Maggie. “And we can set up a check-in schedule for you.”

“What’s that?” she asked.

“You call either Reese or me throughout the day at designated times to let us know you’re all right. It doesn’t have to take long, just a simple, ‘I’m fine.’”

Reese nodded. “She can call me.” He looked into her eyes. “I’ll be available, day or night. If you even feel uneasy, call.”

He saw her throat work, the protest form on her lips. Before she could utter a word, he stated firmly, “It’s not an imposition. Let me do this. If something happened to you—or Belle—I’d...probably blame myself for letting you talk me out of it. So let’s just save me the guilt, okay?”

“Let him do it, honey,” Mrs. Adler chimed in. “With the crazy stuff happening in this town lately, it wouldn’t hurt.” She shook her head. “First Eli has to take over for a crooked sheriff, then drugs being funneled through the elementary school then someone chasing down that sweet Abby McIvers and trying to kill her...” The woman trailed off, her muttered words making Reese wince.

He’d been part of Abby O’Sullivan McIvers’s grief. His sister-in-law. He’d blamed her for his wife and daughter’s deaths and she’d run from him. Straight to Rose Mountain, where she’d met and married Cal McIvers, one of Rose Mountain’s deputies. Now she had a flourishing pediatric medical practice and the residents of Rose Mountain kept her busy enough that she’d started looking for a partner. Thankfully, Reese had been able to be friendly with her and Cal.

Maggie looked confused. “Dr. Abby?” So she hadn’t heard the story of how he’d come to Rose Mountain.

He nodded. “Yes.”

Before Mrs. Adler could add to her dialogue about all the bad things happening recently on the mountain, a cry sounded from inside the house.

Belle.

Maggie darted inside while Eli walked Mrs. Adler to her car. “Why don’t you call it a day?”

“I believe I will.” She climbed in and drove down the drive that would lead her to the two-lane mountain road.

Reese watched her go. The storm door squeaked open and Maggie stepped outside with Belle on her hip.

His heart flipped then settled.

Why was he reacting this way? He hadn’t felt anything like attraction for a woman since Keira’s death. And now this. He was developing feelings for the mother of a baby. He shook his head at himself and decided he’d better focus on her safety and not the fact that he wanted to push aside his insecurities and fears and lose himself in the possibility that God might have something planned for him and Maggie.

The thought was almost too much right now and something he would have to take the time to think about later.

Belle babbled, and Reese reached out to touch her cheek. When she grinned, he found himself smiling back. Then the sadness hit him once again. But the surprise in Maggie’s gaze and the warmth that filled her eyes at his gesture helped ease the grief.

And he wasn’t sure what to do about that, either.

“Reese?”

He spun to see Eli standing beside his cruiser. “Yeah?”

“I’m going to see how backed up the lab is.” His gaze darted between Maggie and Reese. “Why don’t you hang around here for a while and make sure everything’s all right.”

“Sure, I can do that.” Reese felt the heat at the back of his neck and cleared his throat.

Maggie said, “Thanks, Eli.”

“Anytime.” Everyone cleared out and the sudden silence echoed around them.

Then Maggie nodded toward the door. “Come on in. I was just going to fix some lunch. You hungry?”

“I could eat.”

She smiled. “Then let’s see what we’re having. I don’t have another class for two hours. I can catch up on the paperwork tonight.” She smirked. “Or at least attempt to. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever be caught up.”

Thunder rumbled in the distance and he looked over his shoulder at the sky as he followed her inside. “It’s going to rain tonight. You don’t have to go anywhere tomorrow morning, do you?”

“No, why?”

“Because there’ll be ice on the roads.”

“Oh. No. I’ll be right here teaching my classes. Mrs. Adler usually walks over, though. I’ll give her a call and warn her not to come if it’s icy. For her to fall is the last thing she and her husband need right now.” She placed Belle in the high chair and gave her some Cheerios.

Reese stood awkwardly in the doorway. “What can I do to help?”

She studied him for a moment as though weighing whether or not he really wanted to help. “Do you like salad?”

“If it’s got meat on it.”

She laughed. “A chef salad it is, then.”

He got the lettuce from the fridge and found ham, turkey and all the trimmings for an excellent salad. While Maggie sliced and buttered bread, Belle watched him with curious eyes.

And he found himself returning her stare, wondering what his little girl would have looked like if she’d lived. She would have been almost two years old by now. Biting his lip against the sharp slice of pain, he turned back to chopping the lettuce.

Maggie said, “It’s weird having help in the kitchen, but you don’t get in the way.”

His pain faded and he grinned. “I love to work in the kitchen. Cooking, grilling...” He shrugged. “I like to eat good food and since I’m on my own, I’m responsible for it.”

“Where’d you learn to cook?”

Maggie set the two large bowls of salad on the table while he grabbed the dressing and the jug of tea she’d pulled from the fridge. “Will you hand me those two jars of baby food by the microwave?”

He did and they settled down at the table with Maggie seated next to Belle so she could feed her daughter while she ate her own meal.

He blurted out, “I...grew up in foster homes.”

She started and stared at him. “Oh. I didn’t realize...”

He shrugged. “It’s all right. In one of the homes, my foster mother was a gourmet chef.” A smile curved his lips as he remembered. “She used to let me help her in the kitchen, and she taught me the ins and outs of cooking.”

“How long were you there?”

His smile faded. “Long enough to get attached. Then my foster father died suddenly, and my foster mother sort of fell apart.” He cleared his throat. “But it was a good place for about three years. I think I stayed there from the time I was fourteen until I turned seventeen. After that, the state sent me to live with a family who were nice enough, but it was clear that as soon as I was eighteen and finished with high school, I was on my own. After graduation, I joined the army. They paid for my college.”

“How old are you?” she asked as she spooned another small glob of something green in Belle’s waiting mouth.

He grimaced and answered, “Thirty-three.”

Maggie caught his look and grinned. “I know it looks gross, but she likes it.” After another spoonful and a bite of her salad, she asked, “And when you got out of the service, you decided to become a detective?”

He took a sip of tea and nodded. “Well, a cop first, then a detective.”

“Why are you here in Rose Mountain, Reese? A big-city detective doesn’t just one day decide to move to a small mountain town and become a deputy. It doesn’t make sense.”

He froze. But she deserved an answer. “I...was going through a tough time when Eli called and asked if I was interested in the job.” Sympathy flashed in her pretty eyes, compelling him to tell her, “My wife and—” He let his gaze land on Belle and couldn’t form the words. “My wife died about eighteen months ago.”

She gasped. “Oh! I’m so sorry.”

He blew out a breath. “After that, I sort of fell apart. I needed a change of pace. When Eli called, it was like a gift. I packed up and haven’t looked back.” At least not on purpose.

Belle thumped her cup on her tray and he flinched. The sippy cup spun on the edge then hit the floor. Belle let out a squeal. He bent to pick up the cup the same time Maggie did and they knocked heads.

Maggie yelped and jerked away from him.

Reese saw stars for a moment then turned his concern to her. “Hey, I’m sorry. Are you all right?”

Maggie held a hand to her head and he reached up to touch the small knot forming on her forehead. She opened her eyes and tears hovered on the edge. She blinked them back and gave a watery laugh. “Sorry, I don’t know why I’m crying, but that stung a bit.”

He winced. “I know. If I didn’t want to permanently alter your perception of me as the tough cop, I’d shed a few tears myself.”

That made her laugh and his heart twisted at the sound. He slid his hand from her small wound to cup her cheek. “You should do that more often.”

* * *

Maggie’s breath caught in her throat, and she stared up into his eyes that seemed so deep, if she wasn’t careful, she’d find herself drowning in them. She swallowed hard. “What’s that?”

“Laugh.”

“Oh.” She moved away from his touch and handed the cup back to the squirming, cranky Belle.

Who promptly tossed it across the kitchen.

Maggie pulled her child from the high chair and said, “It’s nap time, I do believe.”

“I guess I should leave.” He looked at his watch.

Fear immediately settled around her like a wet blanket on a cold day. Unwanted and uncomfortable. She wanted to toss the fear aside, but wasn’t sure how to go about doing that. She forced a smile. “Thanks for coming to the rescue.”

Reese nodded and paced to the front door. “You know, why don’t you put her down and I’ll just hang around a few more minutes.”

Relief slid over her, but she said, “Sometimes she’s hard to get down. I might be a little while.”

He pulled out his phone. “I can answer a few emails. It’s no problem. I want to talk to you about some safety concerns.”

So that’s why he was offering to stay. Well, whatever the reason, she was glad. She hurried down the hall and into Belle’s little room, which she’d decorated with such care. Kent, her husband, hadn’t wanted Belle. And he sure hadn’t wanted Maggie to spend time and money on decorating a nursery.

A shudder ripped through her as she remembered his violent anger when she’d told him she was pregnant.

Belle yawned and settled her head on Maggie’s shoulder. That simple action by her sweet baby settled Maggie’s nerves as she lowered herself into the rocker. Usually this was her favorite time of the day, rocking the child, but she now wanted Belle to hurry up and go to sleep. Her mind clicked as she wondered what Reese wanted to talk about. The fact that he’d been open with her and had discussed the loss of his wife was touching. Sympathy made her ache. They’d both lost a spouse.

Only Reese had loved his wife.

By the time Kent had died, the only things Maggie had felt for him were hate and fear.

And then she couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to be loved by a man like Reese Kirkpatrick.