Lasting Shadows: Shadows Landing #3

by Kathleen Brooks

Savannah poured more drinks and handed one to Tinsley as they made their way out onto the verandah overlooking the gardens. “Yes and no. After the constant pressure of high society, it’s nice to just be me. It took me a while to find myself again. My ex had cut me off from a lot of my old friends and I realized the only friends I had were through him. When the divorce hit I had no one, no support. So it took a little time to learn to be independent again. To figure out what I liked and didn’t like. To just be me. I’ve found that here in Shadows Landing.”

  “And you found my brother,” Tinsley said slyly before wiggling her eyebrows, causing them both to break out into another fit of giggles.

  Ridge looked at his watch. It was almost five in the afternoon. He’d called and checked on Savannah twice already. He was thinking of doing it again when Tinsley texted a picture of her and Savannah curled up in his hammock together. Ridge let the tension from his shoulders roll off him. They’d run into problems with the electrical lines while doing demo. The house was old and the wiring in the walls was shot. It was a miracle it hadn’t caused a fire on its own. It turned out Ridge was gone most of the day. Even though he was less than ten minutes away, it still felt as if they were a world apart.

  “We’ve got it all grounded now and hooked up to the new wiring and box you did,” the electrician reported as the men began to clean up. The day was done and Ridge couldn’t wait to get home.

  Can you get two seafood delights from Stomping Grounds?

  Ridge read his sister’s text message and wrote back that he’d be home soon with dinner.

  “See you guys tomorrow. Thanks for all your hard work,” Ridge called out as the guys headed to their trucks.

  After they all left, Ridge walked around the site, checking everything one last time before going upstairs and packing a bag for Savannah. He didn’t know what she’d want or need so he grabbed a little of everything and ending up moving up to a giant suitcase. He tried not to think about how intimate it was to pack for her, but he couldn’t help it as he added her toiletries to the suitcase.

  Wade and Gavin had told him they had fallen hard and fast for their wives. Great-Uncle Jake and Great-Aunt Marcy Davies told him the same of their children and grandchildren in Keeneston, Kentucky. When they knew, they knew.

  It wasn’t taking Ridge long to realize it was happening to him. There was just something about Savannah that made him happy. Suddenly images of their future together flashed through his mind. Drinking coffee together in the mornings. Coming home to each other in the evenings. Sharing in the joys of life together.

  After making sure the house was secure, Ridge turned left out of the driveway and headed toward town. He’d already called in their order and pulled to the curb across the street from the courthouse.

  “Ridge!” Granger called out as Ridge was about to open the door to Stomping Grounds.

  Granger jogged across the street to meet him on the sidewalk. “How’s Savannah?”

  “Tinsley is with her. Seems as if the two of them had a great day. And Gavin said she’s healing well,” Ridge told him. “Have you found anything?”

  “Nothing. It’s frustrating. Every lead is neatly wrapped up leading nowhere. Kord told me he mentioned our theory about you being the target. What do you think about that?” Ridge saw that his friend hated to ask him that. But if it was the only possibility left, he had to accept that maybe he was the target.

  “I can’t think of anyone. I mean, I have ex-girlfriends, but I can’t imagine any of them would be so possessive as to try to take out my . . . friend.”

  Granger’s eyebrow rose as if to challenge Ridge’s terminology.

  “Would any of them know about Savannah?”

  “A couple of them were at the auction.” Ridge hoped this wasn’t the case. If Savannah was in danger because of him, Ridge didn’t know what he’d do.

  “I need their names.”

  Granger handed him a pad of paper and a pen. Ridge wrote down their names, numbers, and addresses.

  “I’ll get this out and let you know what I find.”

  “Thanks,” Ridge said weakly as he watched Granger jog back across the street and into the courthouse.

  Ridge turned and opened the door to Stomping Grounds. Mary Jane had dinner all ready to go for him, and in minutes he was headed back down Main Street. He turned left onto Palmetto when suddenly he was thrown. His seatbelt caught him as a large black truck T-boned him in the driver-side door.

  Ridge slammed on the brakes, but the truck revved its engine and pushed him into the swampy part of Shadows Park. Ridge tried to get control of his truck, but the other vehicle was much larger than his. He looked into the tinted window as the truck backed up. The engine revved again and Ridge didn’t have time to take in anything other than a shadowy outline of a person as the truck charged toward him.

  Ridge unbuckled his seatbelt and lunged for the far side of the cab just as the black truck’s reinforced grill rammed into the driver’s door again. Ridge was thrown against the window as his truck was lifted up with the force and suspended on two wheels before it lost its battle with gravity and flipped the rest of the way over onto the roof. Ridge landed with a thud as his truck began to sink into the loose mud. It was high tide and water lapped at his busted window and began to trickle in.

  “Ridge!” He heard his name being shouted over the engine of the truck that had hit him. Then there was gunfire, the distant sound of sirens, and the roar of the engine revving again.

  Ridge didn’t wait to see if he’d survive the hit. He scrambled back to the driver’s side window, now the farthest window from the attacker’s truck. He used his booted foot to kick out the rest of the broken window and climbed out. He was bruised and bleeding, but adrenaline had him keeping low as he dove into the marsh waters. Snakes and gators were the least of his concern as the truck slammed into his again, sending it sliding deeper into the mud, grasses, and water.

  Ridge swam for his life until he knew he was safe and took cover behind the thick spartina grass. The attacking truck spun its tires, sending mud and sand flying as people raced toward it. Gil from Gil’s Grub and Gas wielded a large tire iron and Darius Foster, owner of the Pink Pig, carried a massive butcher’s knife.

  Ridge could see that black truck had no license plate on it as sped right for the group running to Ridge’s aid. “Look out!” Ridge yelled as he began to slog his way through the marsh.

  Gil and Darius leapt out of the way as the truck barreled past them, clipped Granger’s SUV, sending it spinning, and sped off down Main Street. Granger spun his tires and took off after truck.

  “Ridge!” Gil and Darius shouted as they both hurried toward him.

  “Savannah! I have to see if she’s hurt.” All thoughts of himself had vanished the second the truck began to race away.

  “We’re on it!” Gil yelled as he pulled out his phone and began running as fast as he could toward the intersection.

  Seconds later, Miss Ruby’s old tank of a sedan skidded as it took the corner of Main Street and Palmetto practically on two tires.

  “Are you okay, sonny?” Darius called out as he hurried into the marsh and reached out to help Ridge. Mud and muck were pulling on his feet as if he were walking in wet cement.

  “I think so. I know I’m banged up, but I don’t think it was anything worse than that. I managed to not hit my head.” Ridge grabbed Darius’s hand and Darius yanked him free from the marsh.

  Ridge looked down at his feet. One of his work boots had been sucked off and would forevermore live in the marsh. “I saw Kordell take off after Granger. And here comes your cousin,” Darius told him.

  Ridge looked up and saw Gavin’s car coming to a sliding stop at the park entrance where Gil was waving him down. His door was flung open and Gavin shot forward with his medical bag in hand. “Are you hurt? What happened? Good God,” he said all at once.

  “My truck is shot. I have to check on Savannah!” Ridge yelled as he began an uneven run toward his
cousin.

  “You shouldn’t be running. Let me check you out first.”

  “Gavin,” Ridge warned.

  “Right, Savannah first.” Gavin turned directions, got back in the car and drove it through the playground and right up to where Ridge was running. “At least I can restrain you from running.”

  Ridge looked down at himself covered in smelly mud. “I can’t ride—”

  “Get in,” Gavin ordered as he spread a medical journal on the seat. Ridge ripped off his shirt, kicked off his other shoe, and sat on the medical journal.

  Gavin peppered him with medical questions as he raced down Palmetto Drive toward Ridge’s house.

  “Are you sure you didn’t hit your head?”

  “I’m sure. Now hurry up.” Gavin did as Ridge ordered. He was going so fast he almost missed the turn. Neighbors walking dogs and pushing strollers yelled as Gavin flew by them through the quiet neighborhood streets.

  Miss Ruby’s sedan was in his front yard. She’d jumped the driveway, drove through the front yard, and parked at the steps leading up to his front door.

  Before Gavin had completely stopped, Ridge was out the door and running up the front steps. He twisted the door handle and then banged on the door when he found it locked. “Savannah!”

  His keys were still in his truck and he couldn’t unlock the front door. “I’ve got it!” Gavin called as he ran up with Ridge’s spare key. Everyone had keys to each other’s houses. Ryker’s was a black key and a complex security code specific to each cousin. Tinsley’s was a deep purple. Everyone else’s were the standard hardware store key so it took Gavin a couple tries until he got the right key.

  “Savannah! Where are you?” Ridge yelled again as he unlocked the door. He went to open it and it only opened an inch before it slammed against something heavy and wouldn’t open farther.

  “Savannah! Tinsley! Anyone here?”

  “Ridge?”

  “Miss Winnie?” Ridge asked when he heard the elderly Southern voice. “I thought Miss Ruby was here.”

  “You bet your biscuits I’m here too.” He heard Miss Ruby then. “But how do we know you’re Ridge?”

  “Excuse me? You’ve known me my whole life.”

  “That’s right, but you could be some impostor here to hurt Savannah and our Tinsley. Gil called us and said she was in danger and not to let anyone in the house.”

  “Ruby,” Ridge groaned, now at least feeling the relief of knowing Savannah was safe. “You always slipped me candy in church. I built a doll house for your granddaughter.”

  “Oh, do me, do me.”

  Gavin snickered next to him at Miss Winnie’s voice coming through the crack.

  “You smacked my hands with a Bible when I acted up in church, causing Miss Ruby to feel bad and give me the candy. What you didn’t know was I knew that, so I acted up to get the candy.”

  There were some grunting noises and then Miss Ruby’s rounded face came into view. “We can’t move this. I’ll open the garage door. Welcome home.”

  11

  Savannah and Tinsley were huddled in the pantry. They were smashed together as Savannah used a hand towel wrapped around the door handle to try to prevent the doors from being opened. She tightened her grip on her towel and kept it pulled tightly. Tinsley had her gun out and the safety off. Neither of them spoke. Savannah was pretty sure neither of them even breathed. Her heart had stopped as soon as she’d learned Ridge had been run off the road.

  A softly rounded, elderly black woman in a yellow dress and a pale elderly white woman who resembled a chicken had burst into the house yelling that someone had tried to kill Ridge and they were in danger.

  The women ordered Tinsley and Savannah to move large pieces of furniture across the front and back doors and then had literally shoved them into the pantry when there was banging on the front door. Everyone paused except the chicken-like woman who had shoved them into the pantry. “We’ve got this,” she had told them. “Ruby brought the cutlass from the church.” She gave them a wink and shut the door on them.

  Next to her, Tinsley’s knees might have been shaking but her aim was steady as she held the gun pointed at the door. There was more of a commotion but Savannah couldn’t make out the words.

  They heard footsteps coming toward them and then, “Yoo-hoo! It’s safe to come out now.”

  Tinsley didn’t drop the gun, though. “Open the door slowly,” she told Savannah. Savannah let go of the towel and slowly turned the knob. Her heart was beating, yet it felt as if all the blood had left her body.

  The door opened slowly. “Ridge is home,” the chicken lady said with a smile as she reached out her hand for Savannah. “I’m Winnie.”

  “Savannah Ambrose,” Savannah said automatically as she shook her hand. “Does your friend really have a cutlass?”

  “Sure do. I’m Ruby,” the woman who was softly rounded and resembled the ideal, iconic granny image said, and sure enough, she was holding a cutlass.

  “Savannah!”

  Savannah turned to see Ridge and Gavin shoving their way in through the garage door. “Ridge! Oh my gosh! Are you hurt? Why are you covered in mud?”

  Savannah ran into his arms. She was so relieved he was there that she didn’t care about the muck or the smell. She was too busy trying to check for wounds.

  “I will explain everything,” Gavin said calmly as he took control. “While I do, Ridge, go take a shower and use this antiseptic wash. Then I want to examine you both.”

  Savannah began to pull away, but Ridge wouldn’t let her go. “Not yet,” he whispered. “I was so scared you were hurt.”

  “No one was here except Miss Winnie and Miss Ruby.” Savannah leaned around Ridge’s shoulder to look at the two old women who didn’t seem the least bit upset. “Thank you for rushing to protect us.”

  “Anytime, dear. We were at the church for our women’s group and Mildred was droning on and on. You did us a favor,” Miss Ruby turned to Miss Winnie. “Are you having a craving for apple pie?”

  “You know I am,” Miss Winnie said, nodding her head. “I might even slip that sexy Mr. Gann a piece tonight. Do you know he sat me on his lap for the after-church rush to lunch? His scooter with the custom-built engine zoomed past everyone. He even let me hold his cane to knock the fast ones out of the way so we could be first in line.”

  “Now that’s a gentleman,” Miss Ruby decisively said as she picked up a purse that had to weigh thirty pounds. “Y’all call us if you need us. We’ll drop by with some pie real soon and a welcome basket for you, hon.”

  “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.” Savannah might have been in danger, but there was no place she rather be. Good manners didn’t go away just because of an attack or two. Shadows Landing was everything she dreamed of. Well, as soon as they caught the person after her . . . or was the person after Ridge?

  “You’re both in good shape.” Gavin closed up his bag and Savannah finally relaxed. She wasn’t worried for herself, but for Ridge. He was starting to bruise, but other than a couple scrapes and bruises, he was going to be fine. Gavin turned his head and looked out the window. “Looks like Granger and Kord are here.”

  “I’ll let them in,” Tinsley said as she carried her cup of tea with her. She was acting tough, but Savannah wouldn’t soon forget the way Tinsley’s body shook with fear.

  Ridge reached his hand out across the kitchen table and covered Savannah’s as they waited for Granger and Kord to join them. It didn’t take long, but when they walked into the kitchen Ridge didn’t let go of her hand. His large, warm, callused hand covered hers as if he were protecting it.

  “Did you catch him?” Ridge asked. Savannah heard the tension and worry in his voice and also saw the way both men frowned and knew the answer before it was said.

  “No. When he rammed me, it blew my tire. I was able to give chase but then it exploded and I spun out,” Granger told him. “Kord found the truck in an empty field off the main road behind a row of bushes. He onl
y found it because it was on fire. Whoever had been driving, and I honestly couldn’t tell if it was a he or a she, was long gone.”

  “Dammit.” Ridge said as he squeezed her hand and clenched his jaw. “What do we do now?”

  “Now I’m inclined to think this has something to do with you,” Granger told Ridge. Savannah didn’t know whether she felt relieved or not. What she did feel was helpless, and she didn’t like that one bit.

  “Well, whatever it is, I want to help.” Savannah looked at Ridge and knew that she’d do anything for him. Here was a man who lifted her up, not held her down. She wanted to do the same for him.

  “I think it might be wise for you to go home tonight. If I am the target, I need you safe.” Savannah began to shake her head, but Ridge looked so torn up that she stopped.

  “If you think that’s best. I want you focused on finding this person. I want a another date.” Savannah tried to lighten the mood and it worked. Ridge leaned forward and kissed her quickly on the lips. It was so fast she didn’t have time to register it, but as soon as he pulled back, her fingers went to her lips. She could tell Ridge hadn’t planned that kiss because he stood looking nervously at her. “I take it that’s a yes to a date?”

  Ridge’s look of nervousness faded into a smile. “Yes. I would be honored to take you out on a date.”

  “Now we have that scheduled,” Granger said with a smirk, “let Kord take you home, Savannah. We’ll have a deputy outside your house tonight just in case.”

  “That’s nice and all, but what about Ridge? Isn’t he in more danger than I am?” Savannah asked worriedly.

  “Ridge gets to have me spend the night. Not as romantic as you, but I do make a good spaghetti dinner.” Savannah laughed as Granger slapped Ridge’s back. “And I refuse to cuddle.”

  Ridge spun and grabbed Granger in a tight hug. “But I love to cuddle!”

  Savannah and Kord busted out laughing. The laughter chased away the darkness of the fear. She refused to give into the fear. This was her fresh start and she was going to take it.