Race Against Time

by Christy Barritt

  “You sure you’re okay?”

  She nodded and stepped away, wiping at her tears. “I’m fine.”

  “Why do I feel like you just put a huge wall up, then?”

  Madison shrugged. Even if she didn’t lose Brody to death, there was a good chance that she would lose him once the newness of their relationship wore off. Brody wasn’t the type to commit. He’d said so himself. “I can’t do this, Brody.”

  “Do what?”

  “Us. I’m just…” How did she explain? She couldn’t find the words. “I’m glad you’re okay, Brody, but I have to go.”

  She fled before he could see anymore of her pain or try to change her mind.

  * * *

  Brody stared after Madison. What had just happened? One moment he’d been convinced that his relationship with Madison was the real thing and could go the distance. The next minute Madison was fleeing from the room like Brody himself was her attacker.

  What had spooked her? Had she changed her mind? Realized how mixed up he really was and decided he didn’t deserve a chance? He punched the pillow behind him, trying to ignore the thud that came with each heartbeat. He hadn’t realized how empty his life felt until he met Madison and Lincoln. Now they’d both just slipped away.

  A knock sounded at the door. His heart sped as he wondered if Madison had returned. His hope faded when Sheriff Carl stuck his head through the doorway. “Knock, knock. Mind if I come in?”

  Brody shrugged. “Not at all.”

  Sheriff Carl noted Brody’s cuts and bruises a moment before frowning. “This wasn’t an accident.”

  “No, someone cut my brake line. God must have had his angels watching out for me to be able to walk away from that accident with only a few scrapes.”

  “God’s always watching out for us. He would have been watching out for you even if the results today had been different. We have to trust that He’s with us in the good and the bad times.” Sheriff Carl stopped beside the bed and heaved in a breath. “I’ll need to take a report from you on what happened.”

  “Of course.” Brody didn’t care at the moment. All he wanted to do was to chase after Madison, to find out the reasoning behind her change of heart, to see if he could convince her otherwise.

  “I thought I’d give you a ride back home.”

  “I’d love one.”

  Sheriff Carl paused, and Brody knew he wanted to say something. He braced himself for whatever that might be. “Ran into Madison leaving the hospital.”

  Brody tensed at the reminder, and he scowled. “Yeah, she came for a few minutes.”

  Sheriff Carl nodded in what appeared to be a nonchalant manner. Brody had a feeling he was trying to make this conversation appear casual when it was anything but. “You seem to be getting close to her lately.”

  “She’s an incredible woman. I want to see whoever is doing this to her brought to justice.”

  “And that’s it? This is just a matter of justice?”

  Brody shrugged. “I thought maybe there could be more to the story than that, but after today, I guess there isn’t.”

  Sheriff Carl nodded to the hospital room. “This is the hospital where Reid was brought.”

  “He was in…a car accident.” Was that what this was about? His heart ached for Madison. Today must have been like one big, bad flashback.

  “Yes, he was killed in an auto accident on the way home from work one day.” Sheriff Carl shifted. “I’m not speaking for Madison. Maybe her reaction had nothing to do with Reid’s death. But I know there are places where your memories are brought back so vividly that you feel like you’ve been taken back in time. The place where your spouse died is likely one of them.”

  “I can only imagine. That must have been terrible.”

  “Beyond terrible. I was the one who called her to the hospital. I saw how her life was changed in the blink of an eye.”

  “We see that every day on our jobs, don’t we? It’s always hard, no matter how many times you see it.”

  “Brody, I think it could be a good thing if you don’t spend any time with Madison for a while. Besides the fact that she needs space right now, I’m afraid that if the killer is targeting you next that Madison is only going to get swept up in the whole mess to an even greater extent. Maybe distance is the best thing for both of you now. I’ll assign someone else to watch over her until this man is behind bars.”

  Brody nodded. He couldn’t even argue about that point because the sheriff was right. If he really loved Madison, then he had to let her walk away.

  But letting her walk away was the last thing he wanted to do.

  NINETEEN

  The next morning Madison stared numbly at the TV as twenty-four-hour news coverage of the possible hurricane filled the airwaves. She barely heard anything. All she could think about was Reid, that day when she’d received the news about his accident. They’d loved each other so much and when he was taken from her, her whole world felt as if it was crashing around her. Why would she ever want to put herself through that again? Besides, she should be content with life as it was. She had Lincoln and he lit up her life immensely. She had a career she loved, even though she did struggle a bit with her bills sometimes. But life was good…wasn’t it?

  The wind blew a smattering of debris against the house. She couldn’t stay here tonight. The area along the bay where her house was located had a tendency to flood with major storms, and she didn’t want to be stuck here with no electricity. Kayla had said they could stay with her. Apparently she and Daniel had had a huge fight after the church picnic and had decided a relationship wouldn’t work out, so it sounded as if Kayla wouldn’t mind the company, anyway. A small knot of apprehension tightened in her stomach when she remembered how she’d sent home the deputy stationed outside her house. She knew his wife needed help battening down the hatches, so to speak, before the storm hit. He’d promised to meet her back at Kayla’s house in an hour. Madison should be able to manage just fine for an hour…but the knot in her stomach didn’t go away. Thinking about that decision now would do no good, however. Instead, she turned her thoughts back to the storm.

  Should she remind Brody about the flooding tendency on their street? No, she was sure he’d figure it out on his own. There was no need to see him and stir up all of those crazy emotions again. Besides, he probably wouldn’t want to speak with her again after how she’d handled herself yesterday. She could have at least given him a ride home, but when she’d realized she needed to put distance between herself and her handsome neighbor, she knew if she didn’t do it then that she could change her mind. Changing her mind wasn’t an option. She had to stay strong.

  Lincoln bounced back into the living room with his backpack on. “I’m ready!”

  Madison ran through a checklist with him to make sure he’d packed everything he was supposed to. When she was satisfied, she clicked off the TV and reached for her son’s hand. “Let’s get out of this house before the storm blows in, then.”

  Outside the breeze tugged at her, whipping her hair and clothes and bags in different directions. This was going to be some storm. What had the weatherman said? A category three? It could be downgraded before reaching land, though. She only hoped it didn’t cause too much damage.

  As pellets of rain began plopping around them, they raced to the SUV and climbed inside. The moisture from their clothes met with the stifling heat of the vehicle’s interior and steamed the windows around them. Ominous thunder boomed in the not-so-far distance.

  “Mom?”

  Madison cranked the engine and blared the AC. “Yes, honey?”

  “Is Mr. Brody going to be at Ms. Kayla’s?”

  Her heart felt a pang momentarily and she glanced back at her son as she pulled from the soggy driveway. “No, sweetheart. He
’s not going to be there.”

  Lincoln frowned. “Why not?”

  “Because he’s a smart man. He’ll figure out that being on the water during a hurricane isn’t wise and he’ll find someone else to stay with.” As they passed Brody’s house, Madison noted that his truck wasn’t there, anyway. He was probably already somewhere else, ready to camp out for the night.

  “I like Mr. Brody.”

  Madison gripped the wheel as pine straw and leaves whipped under the vehicle and across the windshield. “He’s a nice man, Lincoln. I’m glad you like him.”

  “Is that what Daddy was like?”

  Madison sucked in a breath and she braked momentarily at the surprise of the question. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, did Daddy like to play baseball? And would he have given me big hugs every time he saw me? Do you think he would have taught me to draw my favorite cartoon characters, just like Mr. Brody? And would he have played video games with me where I could beat him every time?”

  Madison held back the tears that now rimmed her eyes. Her throat burned with emotions she tried to suppress. “I’m sure he would have, Lincoln. He loved you very much. You were one of the best things that ever happened to him. He was so happy on the day you were born. He couldn’t stop staring at you and saying how beautiful you were.”

  “Mommy?”

  “Yes?” She braced herself for Lincoln’s next question, unsure if her heart could take any more. Lincoln wanted a father in his life so badly. He wanted that affirmation, that love that only a father could give.

  “I don’t want Mr. Brody to stop playing with me.”

  Her last conversation with Brody filled her thoughts. He definitely wasn’t going to be around as much anymore. Lincoln would get over it with time—at least that’s what she hoped. “Brody has to work, Lincoln. His job keeps him busy. I’m sure he’ll still play with you some. Maybe not as much as he’s played with you last week, though.”

  “Why can’t he be my new daddy?”

  Madison blinked. “Your new daddy?”

  “I like him, so why not?”

  “It doesn’t work that way, honey. It’s a little more complicated.” A lot more complicated, actually. If only life were as easy as four-year-olds thought.

  Madison breathed a sigh of relief when her cell phone rang. She’d gone into town today and replaced the one the killer had taken. She didn’t feel comfortable not having a phone with her at all times, especially considering everything that had happened. She looked at the number and saw that it was her reporter friend Mark. She hesitated a moment before answering.

  “Hey, Mark. What is it?” She forced herself not to sound chummy, lest Mark think he was going to use her for one of his news stories.

  “Madison.” The noise in the phone made it sound as if wind hit his mouthpiece. “I’m covering a story down here at the docks. I could really use a photographer.”

  “Then ask the editor to send one out.”

  “I can’t get ahold of him. He doesn’t even know I’m doing this story. But the story is nothing without a picture.”

  She tapped her finger impatiently against the steering wheel. “What could be so important?”

  “Madison, you’ve got to see it. The hurricane is rolling in and you can see the edge of the storm over the water. The boats are rocking back and forth in the waves so hard it looks like they could tip. The birds are all scattering.” What sounded like another burst of wind shot through the phone. “It’s incredible. Just your speed. I know you love nature and all of that junk.”

  It did sound intriguing. But could Mark be trusted? What if he was the one behind these attacks? She had to be careful. She also had to live her life without grasping on to the fear that those who lived without Christ seemed to embrace. “I appreciate you thinking of me. I’ll think about it.”

  “Look, Madison, it will only take a few minutes of your time. And you won’t even have to come near me. I know you had me investigated…but I’m not the killer. I feel bad about cornering you earlier. I want to make it up to you and give you this great photo. I think it will get you noticed.” The phone line crackled. Was Mark telling the truth?

  Before she could say anything else, the line went dead. Must be because of the storm moving in.

  She tucked her phone back into her purse. Several minutes later she pulled up to Kayla’s place. The rain had stopped again amidst the churning clouds. She helped Lincoln from the SUV and made a run for Kayla’s front porch. Madison was surprised to see Daniel pull up at the same time. Young love. It could be like a soap opera sometimes, Madison mused.

  Madison paused on the porch and pulled her hair out of her face. Kayla grinned broadly from the doorway. “Kayla, I don’t want to impose on you. I know I’ve already done that enough. But I need to go take a quick picture. Could Lincoln stay here just a few minutes until I get back?”

  Kayla looked at the darkening sky. “Are you sure it’s safe to go out there?”

  “I’m just headed to the docks for a moment. I want to take a snapshot for the newspaper.”

  “If you think you’ll be okay. Of course Lincoln can stay here.”

  “How about if I ride with you?” Daniel asked, stepping out of his car. “You can never be too safe in times like these.”

  Did he mean with the storm or with the serial killer on the loose? Either way his point was a good one. Besides, he was strong and athletic and, if Mark was behind the recent attacks, then Madison would feel safer if Daniel were along.

  “I’d appreciate that, Daniel. You’re right—you can never be too safe.”

  He kissed Kayla’s cheek, and she grinned up at him. “I’ll see you in a few.”

  They hurried to the SUV and climbed inside. Madison resisted the urge to ask what was going on between him and Kayla. Kayla would tell Madison in time, she supposed. Besides, she didn’t know Daniel well enough to ask a question like that.

  “You ever been through a hurricane before, Daniel?”

  “No, not really. I’m from up north originally. We get nor’easters mostly. But I never lived on the coast. I hear flooding can be bad here.”

  “I never knew you were from up north. How long have you been here again?”

  “Almost eight months. Seaford’s a great place. I love it.”

  “I like it, too. Good place to raise a family.” She glanced over at him. “Rumor has it that you played for a baseball farm team before coming here. That true?”

  “I was actually a gymnast.”

  “A gymnast? Wow. I would never have guessed.”

  “I had an injury and had to stop competing. I went into sports medicine, instead.”

  “And now you’re a teacher? I’d say you’re pretty well-rounded with all of those careers under your belt.” She pulled up to the docks, her gaze grazing the area. There was a banquet hall, a bait and tackle shop and a small marina that all shared a beat-up parking lot. She didn’t see Mark anywhere, but any of the boats in the distance could obscure her view of him.

  She put the SUV in park, strung her camera around her neck, and stepped outside for a better look. She grabbed her hair and raked it back from her face as the wind beat against her. She appeared too late for the picture that Mark had promised her. The clouds in the distance still looked ominous, but not exactly photogenic.

  Daniel appeared beside her, following her gaze. “See him?”

  “No, I assumed he’d be in the parking lot. I’m not really fond of searching for him with this storm coming.”

  “I’d feel the same way.” Daniel turned toward her and tilted his head. “Did I ever tell you that you look just like someone I used to know, Madison?”

  Madison turned toward him, still clipping her hair back with her fingers. “Do I? W
ho’s that?”

  “My sister.”

  She smiled. “I always wanted a sister or brother. You’re lucky to have one.”

  “She passed away last year, actually.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. That must have been terribly hard.”

  “Beyond words.”

  Her heart beat with compassion. “I know all about that kind of grief.”

  “Because you lost your husband?”

  “Yes. There are no words to describe how much that hurts.” And remember, you never want to go through that again, even if Lincoln is totally taken by Brody.

  “I knew there was something special about you the first time I saw you, Madison.”

  Her compassion turned to unease. She swallowed, but the lump in her throat remained. “There’s nothing special about me. I’m just a single mom and a photographer. Pretty boring by most standards.” She stepped away. “I really need to find Mark and let him know I got here too late for a photo.” She glanced around, but saw no sign of him. “Better yet, maybe I’ll just take this picture and get back to Kayla’s. The sky looks like it’s going to burst any time now.”

  “Good idea.”

  She held up her camera and snapped her first picture. Daniel’s odd actions wouldn’t leave her mind though, and she was painfully aware of his presence. She wanted to run, to escape. But Daniel could easily catch her. Instead, she’d try to play it safe, to act like his words hadn’t strung her nerves like a tightrope.

  Did the man simply have an odd crush on her? Or was there more to it than that?

  Based on the level of fear she felt at the moment, she thought she had her answer.

  * * *

  Brody tried to immerse himself in his work at the station. At least that way he’d forget about Madison and the fact that he had zero chance with her. How could he ask her to risk so much again? He knew the answer. He couldn’t.