An Unexpected Rescue (Oak Springs Series Book 1)

by Sherri McDuffie

  The next time D.C. was up to bat, he struck out. He dropped his head and returned to the dugout. Derik said something to him then ruffled his hair. D.C. looked up and nodded. He was soon cheering for the rest of his teammates as they had their turns at bat.

  When they took the field, D.C. was on second base. The ball came toward him and rolled between his legs. The runner made it to first. On the second play, an outfielder tossed the ball to D.C. He caught it and tagged the runner out. Everyone cheered, but no one as loud as Kelly and Win.

  D.C. did manage to hit a single his next time up. When the next batter put one in the outfield, D.C. was tagged out going to third.

  After the game, he ran to Kelly with a smile a mile wide. “Did you see me hit the ball, Kelly? I made it on base.” He made no mention of getting hit by the ball, or striking out, or letting the ball get past him.

  “Yes, I did. That was a great game. Did you have fun?” His smile told her what his answer would be.

  “Yeah. I’m glad you came,” he said as he slipped his hand in hers.

  The father of one of the team members patted Derik’s shoulder and said, “Great game, Coach. I see you brought a friend with you today.” He nodded toward Kelly. “Nice-looking woman. Boys seem to like her. Is this something serious?”

  Derik watched Kelly and D.C. walk away, hands swinging between them. “It could be, Al. It could be.” The men shook, then he and Win hurried to catch up with the other two. He wrapped his arm around Kelly’s shoulders as they made their way to the truck.

  Chapter 16

  Derik slid into the booth and reached for a menu. He didn’t have time to go home for lunch, like he had been doing for the past few weeks. Kelly was running errands, and he was pretty swamped at the shop, so he decided to eat in town.

  “Hi, Derik,” Penny said. She leaned her hip against his table. “How’ve you been? We haven’t seen you around lately. You must be staying busy.”

  “Yeah, something like that. How about a ham and cheese, fries, and a large tea? And I’ll take a slice of coconut pie, if you have one.” His eyes slid around the room. “You look pretty busy today, too.”

  “We are, but I’m not complaining. My feet may be, but not my tip pocket.” She patted her apron. “I’ll get that sandwich right out to you.”

  Penny left to turn in his order, while he continued to study the crowd. Several men were eating alone. I wonder how many of these guys Penny has invited back on Wednesday to meet Kelly. The idea sent a wave of irritation up his spine.

  “Here you go,” Penny said, as she set his drink on the table. “By the way, are you going to the spaghetti dinner at the Elks Club next Friday? Sounds like it might be fun. Maybe we could go together, if you don’t want to eat alone.”

  “No, Kelly and I’ll probably take the boys bowling again. That’s become sort of a family tradition with us.”

  “Family tradition? That didn’t take long for her to get her claws into you, did it? She’s already got you thinking you’re a happy little family. Well, did she tell you about her fellow?”

  Derik’s head snapped up. “You mean one of those guys you keep trying to set her up with?”

  “No, and I’m not trying to set her up with anyone. I know she’s new in town and thought she might like to meet some people, make some friends. I’m talking about the guy who was in here this morning asking about her.”

  “Asking about Kelly? Who was he? What was he asking?”

  “He said he was a friend of hers, and he’d heard that she moved here not long ago. He said they’d lost touch and he wanted to drop in and say hello. I told him she was your nanny and living at your place. He didn’t seem to like that too much. Anyway, he asked me where you live, and I told him. He said he was a friend. Did I do something wrong?”

  “Penny, did this man tell you what his name was?”

  “Heck, Derik, I see so many guys. It’s hard to keep them straight. If he did, I don’t remember. Oh, your sandwich is ready, hang on.” She stepped to the kitchen window and retrieved his plate. As she slid the food in front of him, she said, “Jerry, I think his name was Jerry.”

  “Jarrod? Did he say Jarrod?” Fear turned his blood to ice.

  “That might be it. Jarrod? Yeah, that could be it. So she’s mentioned him? He said he was an old friend. Maybe he’s an old boyfriend?”

  Derik stood and fumbled for his wallet. He tossed some bills on the table then rushed past her, punching numbers on his phone.

  “Hey, where are you going? What about your lunch?” She was talking to air. Derik was already gone.

  He drove home as fast as he could. He’d called the sheriff’s department as soon as he left the diner then tried to call Kelly, but there was no answer. Her car was still in the driveway when he pulled up. He jumped out of his truck and ran into the house. Everything looked normal. He called for her, but there was no reply. He did a quick look around the living room and found nothing out of place. He took the stairs two at a time and came face to face with Kelly walking out of the bathroom. Earbuds hung from her ears, and she was brushing her wet hair. A bath towel was wrapped around her naked body. She screamed as he grabbed her.

  A voice behind them called out, “Freeze, let the woman go.”

  Derik looked over his shoulder and saw a deputy, with one foot on the bottom stair, aiming a gun at him. When Kelly saw the deputy, she screamed again. Derik released her and raised his hands in the air.

  “Put your hands on your head,” the deputy instructed, as he slowly climbed the stairs without lowering the gun. “Ma’am, step back. Are you okay?”

  “Of course she’s okay,” Derik said. “I’m the one who called you guys.”

  A noise from the bottom floor indicated the arrival of another officer—Sheriff Foster. “What have we got, Tripp?” he said as he climbed the stairs. When he reached the top, he saw the man with his hands on his head. “Derik? What the hell is going on here?”

  “That’s a good question,” Kelly said, clutching the towel to her shaking body. “Would anyone mind if I grabbed a robe?”

  “No!” Derik shouted.

  All eyes turned toward him. Sheriff Foster raised a brow. “And why can’t the lady get dressed?”

  “She can, but one of you needs to check her room first. To make sure it’s safe. There might be someone hiding in there. That’s why I came home, because I was afraid someone was coming here to hurt her.”

  Sheriff Foster motioned with his head, and the man with the gun went into Kelly’s room. When he came out and gave the all clear, she hurried in and closed the door. The man went through the rest of the upstairs rooms and closets, eventually declaring them clear as well.

  While the deputy did his search, Sheriff Foster turned toward Derik. “What’s this all about? Why did you think someone was hiding in your house?”

  Derik tried to explain as quickly as he could, before Kelly came out of her room. “I guess I overreacted. I don’t want to upset her, and right now, I feel pretty foolish about jumping to conclusions.”

  “I remember her face the first time I met her. I’m not so sure you did overreact.”

  After slipping into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, Kelly joined the men in the kitchen. The three stopped talking when she entered the room. “Gentlemen, please allow me to apologize for my appearance earlier. I wasn’t expecting guests.” She glared at Derik.

  Deputy Tripp said, “Quite alright, ma’am. We’ll be getting out of your way now. You folks have a good day. Give us a call if you need us.” The two men tipped their hats as they backed out the door and left the house.

  Kelly swung around with hands on hips, dark wet hair whipping her face. “Would you mind telling me what’s going on? Why were two armed men barging into this house with guns drawn? And what are you doing home? I thought you we
re eating lunch in town.”

  Derik walked over and took Kelly into his arms. He hugged her against his chest and breathed a sigh of relief. He kissed her before pulling out a chair and motioning for her to sit down, then he began to explain what Penny had told him. “I guess I got carried away and thought it really was Jarrod asking about you. When you didn’t answer your phone, I panicked and assumed the worst.”

  After Derik finished his explanation, Kelly placed her face in her hands. “I thought I was through with him.” She looked at Derik. “Don’t worry. If it was Jarrod, and if he shows up, I just won’t answer the door. I won’t let him in, and I’ll call 911 if he doesn’t leave.” She pointed to the counter, where her phone was connected to the charger. “I’m sorry you were concerned. I was charging my phone while I was in the shower. I worked in the yard this morning and was cleaning up before heading into town.”

  “Get ready and I’ll follow you in,” he said.

  She put her phone in her purse and they walked to her car. Derik scanned the area while she buckled her seatbelt. He gave her a quick kiss and then trailed her out of the drive. He never noticed the black car hidden in the shadows past his driveway.

  Derik was edgy the rest of the day and called to check on Kelly twice. She told him he was making her nervous and threatened to turn her phone off if he called again.

  He didn’t call back, but he did leave work early. When he went home, he suggested they go for pizza. When they returned to the house, everyone headed upstairs. Derik began running the bathwater for the boys, while Kelly went to her room. He stepped into the hall and noticed her frozen in the doorway. He walked up behind her and looked over her shoulder. The space was as neat as she always kept it, except for the long, jagged slashes in the comforter and pillows. Stuffing from the bedding bulged out of the cuts and lay scattered on the floor. At the sound of the children’s voices, he pulled the door closed.

  “You get the boys in the tub and stay in there with them while I check the house. Then I’ll give Foster a call.”

  Kelly’s hands were shaking as she helped the boys bathe and dress for bed. She read a story, tucked them in, and joined Derik in the kitchen, just as Sheriff Foster walked into the house.

  The sheriff spoke to them a few moments then went upstairs to look at her room. Derik ran to the boys’ rooms and kissed them goodnight while the officer looked around. The adults sat at the table when Sheriff Foster returned to the kitchen. “There’s no question that this was done deliberately, and that it was directed toward you, Kelly. No other room in the house was touched, and nothing else was damaged. I have to tell you, this was personal, as you probably already know.” He pulled a pad from his shirt pocket. “What can you tell me about Jarrod?”

  Kelly placed her elbows on the table and rested her forehead in her hands. She began to tell him about Jarrod and their history. Sheriff Foster interrupted occasionally to ask a question, but otherwise he let her talk.

  “You say he was arrested after assaulting you? Good, there’ll be a report on that. I’ll call and get a copy faxed to my office. Now, you try to get some sleep, and try not to worry. We’ll increase patrols in this area for a while. Call if you need us. Good night.” He tipped his hat and pushed away from the table. Derik stood and followed him to his car.

  “Like I said, we’ll increase patrols around here, but you keep an eye out. Do you have any weapons in the house?”

  “No, I’ve always hated the idea of guns in the house with the boys here.” The sheriff gave an understanding nod. Derik laughed. “But Kelly has mace in her purse.”

  “Actually, that’s good, if she knows how to use it,” Foster said with a chuckle of his own. “You folks just keep your ears and eyes open. He got in some way. I couldn’t find where he’d broken any windows. He probably just picked a lock. It’s not that hard to do.”

  “We’ll be careful. Thanks for coming out. I’m sorry we had to bother you again.”

  “That’s what I’m here for. I’m not taking this lightly. I’d rather be called out here for nothing, than not be called until it’s too late. Try to get some rest.”

  Derik entered the house to find Kelly rinsing their coffee cups at the kitchen sink. He walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Are you okay?”

  “No, I’m not,” she said in a shaky voice. He noticed her hands were trembling.

  He turned her around and took her into his arms. “What do you say we try to get some sleep?”

  “Okay, sounds like a good idea. Do you happen to have an extra pillow?” They walked upstairs, holding on to each other for support.

  When they reached Kelly’s room, she hesitated before stepping inside. She gathered the shredded bedding and tossed it into a corner. Derik went to the linen closet and returned with a pillow and quilt.

  He found Kelly standing in the middle of the room, chewing on her bottom lip, her arms wrapped around herself. “I don’t know if I can sleep in here.”

  “You don’t have to. Take my bed, and I’ll sleep on the couch.”

  “Downstairs? But what if something happens? What if the boys need you, or there’s a noise?”

  “Okay, I’ll sleep in your room, and I’ll leave the door open. You can scream if you hear anything.”

  She grabbed her t-shirt and robe and started across the hall.

  “Oh, by the way, where’s your mace?”

  She dug in her purse and found the canister then waved it in the air. She placed it on his bedside table.

  Derik had followed her into his room. When she turned the bed back, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I guess I’ll turn in. Are you going to be okay?”

  She nodded.

  “Do you need anything?”

  She nodded again.

  “What?”

  “You.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as her foot pushed the door closed.

  Chapter 17

  There were no further signs of Jarrod, and when Friday arrived, they went bowling as usual. Derik and Win won the first game and gloated about it. Kelly took D.C.’s hand and said, “Come on, partner, we don’t have to take this abuse. Let’s go to the concession stand and get something to drink.” She looked over her shoulder and winked at Derik as the two maneuvered through the crowd.

  “I like Kelly,” Win said as he sat on the floor, tying his bowling shoe. “She’s nice. Even when she gets on to us, she’s still nice.”

  “Yeah,” Derik said as he watched the back of her head disappear from sight. “I like her, too.”

  Kelly and D.C. were waiting in line behind a couple of teens who couldn’t decide what they wanted to order. “We’ve already had dinner, so we’re just getting drinks right now. If we win the next game, maybe we can talk your dad into—”

  “Kelly,” said a deep voice beside her ear. She recognized it immediately. A hand slid around her elbow as Jarrod leaned toward her. “I want to talk to you. Let’s go outside. You can’t hear yourself think in this place. Come on, it won’t take long.”

  Kelly tried to pull her arm away. “No, Jarrod. I don’t have anything to say to you. Leave me alone.”

  The grip on her elbow tightened until Kelly cried out in pain. “I said we’re going to talk. Don’t make me hurt the brat. Let’s go.” Jarrod pulled her out of line.

  “Kelly, where are you going?” D.C. asked, following her and Jarrod toward the front door.

  “Get lost, kid,” Jarrod shouted over his shoulder. “Kelly and I have some talking to do. It’s private, for adults only. Isn’t that right, Kelly?”

  “D.C., get your dad. Tell him Jarrod’s here. Hurry!” she yelled as Jarrod yanked her out of the building.

  Derik was sitting in one of the plastic chairs, waiting on Kelly and D.C. to return, when the boy almost fell into his lap.
He had tears streaming down his face and couldn’t catch his breath.

  “Daddy. Kelly. A man. He took her.” The child burst into tears. “Kelly said Jarrod was here.”

  Derik took the boy by the shoulder and grabbed Win’s hand. He led them to the front counter and shoved them toward Ray, the owner. “Watch them for a sec. I’ve got an emergency,” he said as he squatted in front of D.C. “Where did they go, Son?”

  The boy was still crying as he pointed toward the door. “Outside. Hurry, Daddy. Kelly looked scared.”

  As Derik sprinted toward the front door, he took his cell phone and called 911. When he stepped outside, he scanned the parking lot. All he saw were people coming and going. A patrol car arrived with lights flashing. Derik immediately ran to Sheriff Foster as he exited the car.

  “What’s going on?” he said, his hand on the butt of his gun. Another patrol car pulled in behind Foster’s, also with lights flashing. Derik told the two men what D.C. had said. Foster sent the deputy inside to talk to the child. While they talked, Derik scanned the parking lot. “I don’t even know what the bastard drives,” he said under his breath.

  “Black BMW,” the sheriff answered, also searching the lot. He glanced over his shoulder at Derik’s raised brow. “It was in the report.”

  A piercing cry ripped through the air, followed by another. Both men turned toward the side of the building where the screams came from. Sheriff Foster keyed the walkie-talkie on his shoulder and spoke to his partner, who was still inside. “Stay here,” he told Derik as he drew his gun and ran toward the noise.

  “Like hell I will,” Derik said, close on the man’s heels.