Danger on the Mountain (8 page)

Maggie swallowed hard. Not just at his words, but at the trail of heat that followed his finger down her cheek. She wasn’t sure what to think about her reaction to this man. “What about you?”

“I’ll be careful, too.”

Belle jabbered at him and after a moment of hesitation, he reached out and tapped her nose. “How are you this morning, Belle? Did you let your mama get some sleep after all the excitement?”

Belle ducked her head into Maggie’s shoulder, and Maggie let happiness push aside the fear for a moment. Maybe he could learn to love Belle as well as...

She put a halt to those thoughts as she carried Belle into the kitchen. “She did. We both slept pretty well, considering everything that happened last night.” She shook her head. “I moved her into my room, though. The terror I felt when I first saw she wasn’t in her crib is still there.”

“It may take a while for it to go away.”

Maggie bent her head as Belle’s bottle warmed on the stove. “I’ll never forget that feeling,” she whispered. “It’s the same feeling I had once before, and I...” She trailed off and shuddered as she remembered the time she’d turned around in the grocery store for a bare minute. By the time she’d turned back, Belle and her stroller were gone. She’d found her the next aisle over, safe and sound with Shannon, her sister-in-law, hovering over her, but the feeling had been horrifying.

Another tremor rippled through her.

Reese’s hands settled on her shoulder and she closed her eyes, relishing the comfort. Then Belle squirmed in her arms and reached for the bottle. Reese’s hands fell away as Maggie juggled the baby and tested the milk on her wrist. She handed the bottle to Belle who promptly stuck it in her mouth.

“Let’s go in the den so we can sit down.”

He followed her and settled on the love seat while she took the recliner. Belle nestled in the crook of her arm, Maggie slowly rocked while the baby ate. He said, “Eli called me about an hour ago and said they got some footage off the bank’s video cameras. It’s not great, but he’s hoping to get a response so he’s circulating a picture of the robber I shot. His name may be Douglas Patterson, otherwise known as Slim. He’s been known to hang out with Berkley and Compton. It looks kind of like him, but I couldn’t say it’s him for sure. Eli’s also checked all the hospitals within a two-hour radius of us, but no one recognized Compton or the wounded man.”

“He didn’t get help, get his wound taken care of?”

“Probably not. The crime scene unit found the bullet in the wall by the door. It went straight through. I’m guessing Compton played doctor and patched him up.”

Maggie shuddered.

Reese said, “We may even have a positive ID on the guy. Eli’s checking it out.”

“Who recognized him?”

“A gas station clerk in Asheville saw the newscast early this morning showing Compton’s face and the picture from the bank camera. He called it in about three this morning.”

Maggie felt a seed of hope sprout. “Maybe they’ll catch them and this will all be over soon.”

“I hope so.” Reese was silent for a moment as he watched Belle eat. The creases in his forehead said he was thinking about something pretty deeply.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I was just wondering about you. We’ve spent quite a bit of time together, but I don’t know a whole lot about you.”

She lifted a brow at him. “I could say the same about you.”

A flush appeared on his cheeks and she bit her lip on a smile. He nodded. “True enough.”

Maggie studied him then said, “What do you want to know?”

“How did you come to live here? Where’s your family?” He swallowed. “And if you don’t mind my asking—what happened to your marriage?”

Maggie blew out a sigh. “You don’t pull any punches, do you?”

Reese winced. “Sorry if that’s too direct. I just... I want to know you.”

And she wanted to know him, too. “My family is all gone. First my mother, then my grandmother. I never knew my father—he left when I was two.”

“I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. “I never missed him. My grandfather was there for the first eleven years of my life. He was my father figure.”

“And he died, too?”

“No, he disappeared.”

Reese lifted a brow. “Where’d he go?”

“I didn’t know it at the time, but he came here. He left my grandmother for another woman.”

“Ouch. That had to be awful for you all.”

She nodded and ran a hand down her thigh. “It was. My grandmother was very angry, even bitter for a while, but then as the years passed, she gave it to the Lord and let Him heal her. I’ve never forgotten that.”

“What about Belle’s father’s family?”

Maggie snorted and pursed her lips. “Kent’s parents didn’t like me and didn’t want anything to do with Belle. He married beneath him, you see.” Reese grimaced. Then her face softened. “But his sister, Shannon, was pretty good to me. And Belle. Especially Belle. She loved and accepted her from the moment she was born.” Shame filled her. “When I left, I never told Shannon where I was going. I was so filled with hurt, anger, uncertainty. I just wanted to leave it all behind and start over. Start fresh.” She paused. “I probably should have told her what I was doing.” Maggie sighed. “But I didn’t. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, to see anyone, to explain anything to anyone. I just wanted to be alone.”

“Any brothers or sisters?”

“No. I was an only child of only children. As I said, my father left when I was two. My mom told me he’d been killed in car wreck when I was about six, I believe. My mother died of a rare heart disease just after my twenty-second birthday and my grandmother died in her sleep shortly before I met Kent four years ago.”

“I’m so sorry.”

So she’d been lonely and still reeling from all the tragedies in her life. Easy pickings for the wrong kind of guy.

Maggie pulled the empty bottle from Belle’s hands and placed the baby on the floor. Maggie handed her a toy that made a quiet noise every time Belle shook it.

Then Maggie began to pace. Belle looked up and watched for a moment, then went back to the book she now had clasped in both hands. She shook it and laughed as she shoved a corner into her mouth.

Maggie said, “Long story short, I was an abused wife. By the time I woke up and realized what I was allowing Kent to do to me, I had no real friends left. I was spending most of my time alone in my house, becoming a shell of the person I used to be. When I found out I was pregnant with Belle, Kent reacted horribly. He ordered me to get an abortion. I refused. For the first time since I’d known him, I stood up to him.” Just remembering that feeling brought a smile to her lips. “It felt good. He threatened to cause me to have a miscarriage. I went to Shannon, and she was outraged at her brother’s behavior—and thrilled that she was going to be an aunt. She let me stay with her.”

“So you left him.”

“Briefly. Kent found me there and started hitting me. Shannon called the police and he left. I told Shannon I couldn’t stay there any longer. She begged me not to leave, but I couldn’t put her in danger. I had a friend who was a police officer. Practically the one friend I had left from the church I had attended before I married Kent. At her house I was able to finish the last two classes I needed for my degree to teach. And Kent knew better than to harass me while I was with Felicia.” A frown puckered her brow. “At least I thought he did. But a few months later, Kent came knocking on my door, begging me to come back, wanting to prove he was a changed man. Shannon came with him and vouched for him.” Tears flooded her eyes. “He promised he was once again the person I’d dated and fallen in love with. I wanted to believe him,” she whispered.

“But he hadn’t changed.”

“No.” She cleared her throat and frowned. “Well, yes, he seemed to. He never laid a hand on me the rest of my pregnancy and we got along pretty well. But two days after Belle was born, the abuse started again. I knew then I had to leave for good or I was dead. And I couldn’t leave Belle with him.”

Reese felt his gut clench. How he wished Kent Bennett wasn’t dead so he could plant a fist in the man’s face and give him a taste of his own medicine. Reese unclenched his fist and forced his fingers to relax.

“So...” she paced to the small table next to the fireplace and looked at the pictures she’d arranged in a nice display “...there you have it.”

“But you left and ended up here.”

She sighed and settled back into the recliner. Belle crawled over and pulled herself up on her mother’s knee. Maggie stroked the baby’s head as she talked. “When Kent started hitting me shortly after we were married, I knew I’d messed up and that at some point I might need a safe place to go. The only person I could think of as a possibility for refuge, someone Kent didn’t know about and couldn’t threaten, was my grandfather. But I had no idea if he still cared about me.”

“So you found him.”

She shrugged. “It wasn’t that hard.”

“You contacted him?”

“No, not at first,” she whispered. “I couldn’t work up the courage. I walked around the house with his number in my pocket for weeks.” She gave a watery laugh and blinked back tears.

Reese swallowed hard. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s part of who I am. I’ve moved past it, but I can’t deny it.” She pulled in a deep breath. “So then I found myself pregnant, abused and basically lost. At some point, I knew I was going to die if I didn’t get out. I called my grandfather. He was thrilled to hear from me. Apparently, he’d been forbidden to have any contact with me after my grandparents’ divorce and he went along with it. His new wife didn’t want him involved with anyone from his old life and he agreed. She died the year I married Kent.”

“So he wanted to see you?”

She nodded. “But I couldn’t let him come to my house. I put him off, not daring to introduce him to Kent. Kent didn’t like people in his house unless he’d invited them.” She paused. “And I didn’t want Kent to know about Grandpa.”

“You were already planning to get away from Kent and go to your grandfather.”

Maggie gave a slow nod. “But I had to be careful. If I moved too fast or left a trail, I knew he’d find me and kill me.”

EIGHT

A
nd he would have, too. She had no doubts about that.

Her phone rang, distracting her from her thoughts. Reese motioned for her to answer it. She glanced at the caller ID.

“Hello, Mrs. Adler.”

“Hello, dear, how are you? I heard you had some excitement out there last night.”

“We’re fine. Have you recovered from finding that nasty little gift on my porch? I guess some teenagers are the same all over and like to have fun at other people’s expense.” She gave a small laugh that fell flat. Primarily because she didn’t believe her own words. Most of the teens she worked with were great kids and would never do something like leave a dead squirrel on someone’s doorstep with a threat attached. But Maggie tried to make light of the incident, not wanting the woman to be worried or scared.

“I don’t know who would do a thing like that, but you definitely need to be careful, dear.”

“I know.” She glanced at Reese. “Deputy Kirkpatrick is working on helping me get a security system installed as soon as possible. In fact, the installers should be here soon.”

A pause. “That’s good.” Another pause. “I, um... Well, the thing is, Maggie, ah...”

Suspicion hit Maggie. “Is there something you need to tell me?”

In a rush, the words came. “Oh, Maggie, Jim doesn’t want me to come out to your house anymore because of everything that’s happened. He’s afraid I’ll be involved and get hurt.”

Maggie caught her breath. Then let it out slowly. “Oh.”

“I’m so sorry. I tried to talk to him about it, but he was adamant and getting himself all worked up. I had to agree so he’d calm down. With his heart the way it is...”

“It’s all right, Mrs. Adler. I really understand.” Maggie didn’t like it, but she did understand. “You have to take care of Mr. Adler.”

“But what will you do with Belle while you’re teaching?” she fretted.

“I...I’ll figure something out. Your first priority is your husband. Once the police catch those bank robbers, all of this will stop and you can come back. I can make temporary arrangements for Belle.”

“I’m just so sorry.”

Maggie could tell the woman really was. Reassuring Mrs. Adler one more time that all would be okay, Maggie hung up, wondering what she was going to do about child care.

“You okay?”

Maggie picked Belle up and settled her into her lap. “Because of all that’s happened, Mrs. Adler’s not going to be able to take care of Belle while I teach anymore. I’m going to have to find someone else to watch her.”

Reese frowned. “I’m sorry.”

She gave a small shrug and frowned. “I’ll figure something out.”

“Are you still planning on going to the potluck dinner tonight?”

She bit her lip. “Should I?”

Reese didn’t answer right away. Then he gave a slow nod. “I think it’s all right. We’ll be in public, and this guy’s after you or me. No one else.”

“But what if he does something that puts other people in danger?” She shook her head. “I don’t think I should go.”

Reese rubbed his chin and studied her. “No. You need to go. I want to watch the people there. I want to see how people interact with you.”

She lifted a brow. “You mean use me as bait?”

“No, absolutely not. I just want to observe those you interact with. I’m not trying to catch anyone tonight.” He paused. “And if I think there’s even a hint of danger, I’ll get you out of there faster than you can blink, all right?”

Maggie gave a slow nod. “All right.”

The knock on her door pulled Reese to his feet. “Your alarm installers are here.”

* * *

After the alarm system was installed, the afternoon passed in a blur of teaching and taking care of Belle. Finally, it was five o’clock and Reese would be there in fifteen minutes to take her and Belle to the potluck dinner. At the thought, her stomach rumbled in anticipation. But her nerves trembled.

Was she making a mistake? Should she stay home? But what was she going to do? Stay inside the rest of her life? Constantly worry that the bank robber would show up and make good on his threat?

Maybe.

Anger swelled inside her. Why did it seem as if the people who tried to do the right thing always got knocked down while those who did everything they weren’t supposed to do got off scot-free?

It wasn’t fair.

Then again, nothing had been
fair
since she’d met and married Kent. And, truly, it wasn’t about fairness. It was about living her life the way she’d determined to live it the day she’d decided to get away from the abuse.

She hadn’t run from her marriage. In fact, she’d never planned to marry again as long as Kent was alive. But she wasn’t going to be his punching bag, either.

Maggie lifted her chin as she thought about the dead squirrel and the nasty threat. Well, if she was
next
as the note said, she wasn’t going down without a fight.

Maggie gathered Belle’s bag of baby essentials and her purse and set them on the floor beside the door. Belle played in her playpen, happy to clean it out by throwing the toys on the floor. Then she’d yell and Maggie would fill it up again. Only to begin the game all over again.

But Maggie didn’t mind. Belle was happy, and that was all that mattered.

When Reese’s knock came, she was ready. She opened the door and swallowed hard. He had on jeans, a pullover sweater with his heavy coat thrown over it, but not zipped.

And he looked good.

Ignoring her heart’s sudden increase in beats per minute, she smiled. “Right on time.”

“I was ready to see you.” His bluntness made her blink but his grin set her at ease.

“Well...thanks.”

He laughed and bent to pick up her purse and baby bag. “I’ll carry them to the truck while you get Belle.”

She handed him the items. “I’ll drive if you don’t mind. I’ve already put the beans in the back of my truck. I don’t want to have to transfer her car seat base to your truck and then back to mine. It’s just easier to drive.”

Reese nodded and walked to her truck. She unlocked it with the remote then went to get Belle.

The baby grinned up at her and Maggie felt love consume her. She picked up Belle and set her on her hip, saying a prayer of thanksgiving to God for blessing her with the child. Then she went to meet Reese.

In the car, she drove automatically while she noticed Reese watching the mirrors. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” she asked, her fingers tightening around the steering wheel as her stress level increased at the thought of being followed to the church.

He didn’t take his eyes from the rearview mirror. “I think you’ll be fine, Maggie. This guy has shown himself to be sneaky, preferring to leave things on your porch or try to get to you in the middle of the night. I really don’t think we have anything to worry about at a church full of people.” He reached over and covered her tense, cold fingers with his warm hand. “And don’t forget, the entire Rose Mountain police force will be there. On duty and ready for trouble if it happens.”

That did make her feel a bit better. “All right.” She forced a smile. “Then let’s go have a good time.”

* * *

Reese wasn’t quite as sure about the man who’d threatened Maggie as he’d led her to believe. Not that he doubted his reassurances, but he was making his judgments based on experience. Everything he’d told her was true. He just hoped this time didn’t turn out to be the exception to the rule.

No, there was no hoping for that. He firmed his jaw. He’d make sure of that. He’d stick with Maggie and Belle like superglue to ensure they were safe and had a good time. In the meantime, he’d do his best to put her at ease. She needed to relax. But...he looked at her and said, “I meant what I said about believing you’ll be safe, but...”

“But what?”

“But don’t go anywhere alone. Even to the restroom, okay?”

Worry wrinkled her forehead once again and Reese grimaced. But as much as he wanted her to enjoy herself, she had to keep her guard up. Her lips flattened but she gave a short nod.

When Maggie pulled into the parking lot, Reese was surprised at the number of people there. “This must be a popular activity for the church.”

Maggie nodded. “Holly said it’s an annual tradition. The church supplies the turkey and everyone brings enough side dishes to serve a cruise ship.”

Reese smiled at that picture. Maggie unbuckled her seat belt and climbed out to get Belle from the backseat. “But,” she said, “the good thing about this is the church invites everyone in the community. They even have volunteers who deliver meals to people who can’t get out to come eat. Which is why I brought that huge thing of green beans.”

She set Belle’s carrier on the ground beside her.

“Nice.” He frowned. “I didn’t realize that or I could have helped.”

“I think you get a pass your first visit.”

“This is your first dinner here and you didn’t take a pass. You brought beans.” She smiled at him and pulled the beans from the truck. His breath seemed to lodge somewhere between his chest and his throat as her eyes crinkled at the corners. She really was a beautiful woman. And a strong one, he thought, as, with beans in one hand, she lifted Belle’s car carrier in the other. He quickly offered, “You want me to carry her?”

She lifted a brow at him. “Would you?”

“Sure.”

“Then, thanks.” She started toward the church and Reese glanced down at Belle, who looked like a miniature mummy wrapped in blankets. The small pink hat came down over her ears. Brown eyes studied him. He grasped the handle and lifted her. Carrying a baby in a carrier was different than carrying one in his arms. With his fingers wrapped around the handle, he didn’t feel the sharp pang of grief and remembrance he did when he held a small body in his hands.

A small, fragile body, devoid of life—

He inhaled, his lungs protesting the sudden intake of frigid air. As he exhaled, he noticed Maggie almost to the door. She turned. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” He forced a smile. “We’re coming.”

She waited until he caught up then held the door open. He let her pass in front of him and followed her inside.

Smells of home cooking tantalized him and his stomach rumbled. Home-cooked meals were few and far between unless he put forth the effort—which he rarely did. This was a real treat. He looked at the woman beside him and the baby carrier in his grip.

And swallowed hard at the picture the three of them made.

If the people in the small church didn’t know the truth, they would probably think Reese, Maggie and Belle were a family.

The thought didn’t bother him nearly as much as he thought it might. In fact, it just occurred to him that his first impulse had been to volunteer to carry Belle—not the beans.

He smiled and hope stirred. Maybe the big hole in his heart would one day heal after all.

* * *

Maggie set the green beans on the table with the other food. She unwound the scarf around her neck and shrugged out of her heavy coat. Pegs lined the wall near the door and she hung everything on one.

Reese stood beside her holding Belle, and she shivered at how they must look.

They could be a family.

Her stomach flipped at the idea and a small smile curved her lips. Then a niggling of doubt pressed in, causing her smile to droop. Memories of a bad first choice threatened to consume her. She refused to let it happen.

“Thanks for carrying her. She gets heavy.”

“No problem.” He set the carrier on the nearest table as people stopped by to speak to them. Holly and Eli were the first to greet them. Eli clapped Reese on the shoulder. “Glad you could make it.”

Maggie released Belle from her safety restraints and smiled as Mrs. Adler started toward her, arms open, delight—and determination—in her eyes. “Jim may not want me to come over and watch her at your house anymore, but I can enjoy her here at the church all I want. I’ll take her while you eat if you like. I’m not the least bit hungry right now.”

“Nibbled a little too much when you were helping put the stuff out?” Maggie teased.

Mrs. Adler grinned. “You know it.”

“Then, sure, I’d love for you to entertain Belle for a while. Thanks.” Maggie watched the sweet woman take Belle over to another woman with a baby about the same age as Belle. She couldn’t begrudge Mrs. Adler time with Belle just because her husband was worried about her being at the house where all the strange things were happening.

She knew Mrs. Adler loved Belle as if she were one of her own grandchildren.

Grief pierced her with a sudden jab. It should have been her mother, Belle’s natural grandmother, coddling and kissing her.

Reese’s hand on her arm pulled her from her sad thoughts. “Are you all right? Something wrong?”

Maggie shook her head. “No. It’s nothing. Nothing I can do anything about.” She pulled in a deep breath and smiled at Holly. A pale and wan-looking Holly. “How are you feeling?”

“Sick.” The woman grimaced then grinned as her eyes trailed after the teen who had volunteered to entertain her almost three-year-old son, Daniel.

Maggie felt her heart lighten. “I remember the feeling well.”

“But I’m glad to be here where I can let someone else chase that rascal for a bit.”

A pretty blond woman walked up and gave Holly a hug. She looked at Maggie and offered a friendly smile. “I’m Paige Seabrook.”

“Dylan’s wife. I’ve heard about you. Nice to finally meet you,” Maggie said.

“I hear you’re having some trouble since the bank robbery,” Paige said, then grunted as a toddler hurled himself at her legs. She bent down and picked him up as a boy about ten years old came rushing up.

“I was chasing him. He’s fast!”

Paige grinned. “Maggie, these are my two boys, Will and David.”

Will held out a hand and Maggie shook it. He smiled. “Nice to meet you.” Then he was gone, chasing after a buddy who’d tagged him, leaving David for Paige to wrestle with as he wanted to go with Will.

Paige shook her head, motioned to Dylan to watch the boy as she set him on his feet and watched him go. Dylan started off after him. “They grow so fast.” Then her expression turned serious as she returned to the conversation they’d been having before the interruption. “Have you had any more incidents since yesterday?”