Sanctuary Buried WITSEC Town Series Book 2

by Lisa Phillips

  Frannie looked beyond them to the crowd of people watching to make sure everyone got out of the medical center alive. The firefighters, working despite the risk of being exposed to the chemical from the water they were using.

  These people, this town. She hadn’t known before she came here she’d been searching for something—a home, a God who loved her enough to die for her, a man who had stuck with her throughout all the craziness of the last few weeks. And a group of people who had their foibles, but who she was proud to call family.

  She looked back at Matthias, pulling his head close so she could kiss him quickly. “Let’s go see who else needs help.”

  **

  John walked through puddles of poisoned water, praying no one was harmed by exposure. So far a couple of people had been coughing, but Remy had organized a group to take them to the Meeting House. All the medical equipment in town was damaged, but a couple of older folks had volunteered their oxygen tanks. Remy had also explained an elaborate decontamination procedure for those who’d touched the water. John figured if it saved someone’s life, it was worth it.

  The fire was out. The building had been cleared. There wasn’t much left but to figure out how he could have prevented this.

  Andra’s fingers laced between his, and she smiled up at him. “Need anything?”

  John looked around at the chaos and shook his head. “I already put in a call to Grant and explained what happened. There’s a chopper on its way for Mr. and Mrs. Carlyle.”

  “It’s that bad?”

  “Mrs. Carlyle’s room was two doors away from the closet where Wilson planted the bomb. Both she and her husband were pinned under debris from the ceiling. Remy suspects they both have internal bleeding.”

  “Will they be okay?”

  John drew her to him, more for his own comfort than for hers. All of these people had become important to him since he arrived, months ago. Now he was going to lose some of them. “They need surgery, but it’ll be hours before they get it.”

  Andra ducked her head and pressed her forehead to his chest. John held on, squeezing his eyes shut.

  “Sheriff?”

  Tom stood in front of him, but John didn’t let go of Andra. The firefighter cleared his throat. “Fire’s out. Once Dan gets us decontaminated water we’ll wash everything down. Remy gave me the name of a chemical that will kill all traces of Einetine. Dan has the compounds, and she says she can make it.”

  “Can it clear the water?”

  Tom shook his head. “It can’t be consumed, so we can rinse the buildings and the street with it so it doesn’t seep back into the water table. But it can’t be put into the water that’s fed to residences.”

  “Okay.” The genius-IQ woman had been a gift of God. They wouldn’t have been able to get through the night without her.

  “What about the building?”

  “My advice would be, don’t let anyone inside. We have no idea if it’s structurally sound unless we can get an engineer in here to assess the damage.”

  John nodded. “I’ll let Director Mason know, see what he says. I’ll also get some tape and rope it off so no one goes inside.”

  Tom shot a sideways glance at where Maria stood by her mother and sons, and then walked away in the opposite direction.

  The mayor stood at the edge of the crowd, an almost pleased expression on his face. John hadn’t seen the man much since his wife had been killed weeks ago, and he’d blamed Andra for it. Despite his attempts to draw the man out and get him to reconnect, the mayor hadn’t responded. John had figured it was just grief keeping him apart from a town getting on with their lives, but it could be something more. He would have to keep his eye on that.

  Beth and Abigail were here also, along with their old-man protection detail. John needed more information from his brother about the president and Susan’s death. They would also have to prepare for the SEAL’s arrival. That was a sticky situation if ever he’d been in one. The red tape alone was like a spider-web of complications. But if it kept them safe, so be it.

  Andra walked with him to Nadia, still in the back of Matthias’s truck. The lovebirds were there, too, hugging each other and not paying much attention to anything else. Dauntless sat beside Nadia, ears pricked knowing something was going on.

  Remy strode over and hopped up beside Nadia. “Sorry it took so long to get to you. How are you?”

  Nadia blinked. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say that many words at once.”

  Remy laughed, a tinkly-bell sound. “It seems like a night for firsts all around. How are you feeling?”

  “Bruised, but not worse than that. Thank God.”

  Remy nodded. “You have someone who can stay with you tonight?”

  “That’s me,” Andra said. “I’m staying with her until the wedding.”

  “Right.” Remy didn’t especially look like she thought the idea of anyone getting married was a good idea. She shined a pencil flashlight in Nadia’s eyes. “If you get any dizziness, nausea, disorientation, slurred speech, any of those things, let me know. I’ll be by my phone.”

  Nadia nodded. Andra said, “Got it.”

  John gave his wife-to-be a squeeze, but asked Remy, “How’s Bolton?”

  She glanced at the rancher, a frown suddenly marring the skin above her hideous glasses. “He needs tests from equipment I have no access to, but he’s refusing to leave Sanctuary for treatment. He wants to wait until the swelling goes down and accept the consequences of his injuries.” She sighed. “He has some sensation in his feet and legs. There could be more when the bruises heal, or he could be immobile.”

  Nadia Marie gasped.

  “It’s an old injury, but that’s all I can tell you.”

  Apparently sensing the gravity of what was happening, Dauntless shifted his head to sniff Remy’s hair. She chuckled. “Don’t get fresh with me, boyo.” She pushed his muzzle away, froze, and then turned her full attention to the dog.

  Seconds later, she shook off her reaction and said goodbye.

  John looked around, but no one had seemed to notice. Matthias and Frannie were oblivious to anything but each other.

  Andra caught his gaze and nodded slightly. John shrugged with his mouth.

  A helicopter flew overhead. Even in the darkness it was obviously a military chopper.

  “Gotta go.”

  Andra pulled him close for a kiss. “I’ll be praying for the Carlyle’s.”

  “As will I.”

  **

  Remy strode back to the spot where the Carlyle’s lay ready to be transported to hospital. She would pray they made it, but they might not want to. She didn’t pay much attention to the people in Sanctuary, choosing instead to concentrate on her work. If that made her awkward and anti-social, so be it. She was at her limit of what she could handle from people.

  But the dog? That was a whole other story.

  He’d recognized her scent—that much had been obvious from his reaction to her. She didn’t know why, but it pleased her the animal remembered.

  She couldn’t forget.

  When every piece of information she’d ever taken on board was stored in her brain, the one thing that eclipsed it all was a pair of dark brown eyes. She should be above it, and the fact she wasn’t grated on her. Romance wasn’t part of any equation. Infatuation, regardless of the fact it refused to die, wasn’t going to get her anywhere.

  Not when the report said that he was missing in action.

  **

  John saw the helicopter off and then drove back to the sheriff’s office. It was going to be a long night writing reports and talking to people who didn’t plan on sleeping because a bomb had just gone off in their town.

  Tomorrow he and Andra were supposed to have another pre-marriage counseling session with Dan. John twisted the door handle, wondering if the farmer was going to take over leadership of the church. It seemed like a simple enough idea to him, since Dan had been doing a lot of the heavy lifting already. Now Wilson
had been exposed as a killer, it made a whole lot more sense. But maybe it was more complicated than Dan just taking over the position. What did John know about church leadership?

  The office smelled. John’s gut clenched, knowing immediately what had happened. Father Wilson hung from the bars in the cell, his feet hanging inches off the ground. John covered the distance between them with no rush, knowing it was too late.

  He was dead. Wilson had killed himself. Hung from his cell with his own shoelaces.

  John rubbed his face with his hands and reached for his phone.

  It was going to be a really long night.

  Chapter 26

  Matthias perched on the dresser in Bolton’s room where his friend was laid up on the bed. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

  Bolton didn’t look happy, but he also didn’t shift like he was going to be evasive. Probably because he couldn’t move. “Maybe. Probably.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “I doubt it.”

  “We’ve worked together for years. I could have taken some of your duties so you didn’t have to face the threat of being paralyzed every single day.”

  “But I didn’t get hurt ranching, I got hurt because the medical center exploded.”

  Matthias studied his friend, laid up for at least a week or two waiting for the swelling in his spine to go down. “I really don’t think this is safe. What if something goes wrong?”

  “It’s not ideal, I’ll give you that. But it’s the best I’ve got, Matt.” Bolton shrugged one shoulder. “I can’t leave Sanctuary. Ever. Not even for a major medical emergency. The threat is sufficient no one can even see me outside this town.”

  “Seriously?”

  He nodded.

  “Wow.” Matthias scratched the back of his head. “So you just lay here, and I pray?”

  Bolton’s face morphed into a half-smile that said he was definitely up to something. “I’ll need some T-L-C, of course.”

  “Let me guess, Nadia’s coming over?”

  “I can’t be alone, you know.”

  “Right.” Matthias huffed out a laugh. The man was incorrigible. “All this time and you’re using an injury to get her here?”

  Bolton pretended to be offended. “I’m hurt over here.”

  “And I’m perfectly able to help you.”

  “Sure, I’ll need you for the…uh, delicate stuff.” It probably galled the big man he couldn’t use the bathroom or shower by himself. “But I’ll need someone to bring me meals. And keep me company.”

  “In your bedroom.” Matthias shot his boss a look.

  “She’s made the boundaries clear. That’s why Dan’s coming, too. There’s actually a whole schedule your mom worked up, as well as Remy checking in every day.”

  “Good.” The rancher was usually so removed from town, rarely driving the short distance unless there was a meeting or other community event he couldn’t get out of. Unless, like rehearsals, Nadia was part of it.

  Matthias was glad he was relying on people, because if personal experience had taught him one thing it was that he could be around people his whole life and never really connect. Not until he made the decision to let them in.

  “I should go and check on Frannie.”

  Bolton waved him off. “Fine.”

  A dog barked from the front of the house.

  “Sounds like your company is here.”

  Bolton huffed. “That dog doesn’t like me at all. He’s pushed me away twice.”

  **

  The bakery kitchen was packed Friday morning. Frannie stood elbow-to-elbow with women from town, all pitching in to help her fill the Thanksgiving orders. The room was saturated with the smell of apple pie, pumpkin pies and all kinds of bread for rolls.

  Frannie looked up from her cheesecake filling at Olympia, making some kind of complicated Greek dessert she’d never heard of.

  Matthias was at the door, arms folded and leaning against the frame. He shot her a wink and several women in the room sighed.

  Frannie’s shoulders shook, and she smiled. “Come in.”

  All of her assistants were doing a wonderful job. She almost didn’t need to be back in the kitchen, a fact which would have bothered her only a week ago. Frannie removed her apron and smoothed back strands that had come loose from her pony tail. She washed her hands at the sink and then said, “I’m going to go out front. Give me a shout if you need anything.”

  Her helpers waved her off, and Frannie went out to the packed customer area. Despite the small crowd, the noise level was surprisingly low. She spotted Beth and Abigail in the center, ensconced at a table surrounded by people giving condolences.

  Frannie ducked back into the kitchen and pulled a chilled bottle from the fridge and grabbed a stack of small clear-plastic cups. She set them on the table between Beth and Abigail.

  “Everyone grab a cup. Let’s make a toast.”

  Beth looked up, tears in her eyes. Abigail smiled, but it was plain she didn’t know what to make of the people in Sanctuary. Frannie poured a cup for everyone in the room and then lifted her glass. The kitchen doors swished open, and all of her helpers poured out to watch.

  Frannie lifted her cup. “Susan Sheraton was a wonderful woman I was proud to call my friend.”

  The room was silent.

  “And I never met the president, but he seemed like a pretty cool guy.”

  A ripple of chuckles moved through the room, and Beth smiled.

  Frannie lifted her cup higher. “Here’s to parents who love fiercely and without condition. To people who stand up for what they believe in and have the courage to make our world a better place.”

  Beth and Abigail both stood.

  “To Susan and Thomas.” Everyone in the room echoed the words. Beth moved to Frannie, circling her with slender arms.

  “Thank you.”

  Frannie smiled, trying not to get choked up. “You’re very welcome.”

  Matthias came over and pulled her into his side and whispered, “Good job.”

  “You really think the world is like that?”

  Everyone turned. Mimi stood in the doorway in her trademark outfit. But Frannie was not in the mood for another showdown, least of all one that took place in public.

  Mimi set one hand on her hip. “The world you live in isn’t a real place, it’s nothing more than a childish fantasy. No one “makes the world a better place” like that. They’re all just in it for themselves. Nothing more.”

  Frannie shook her head. “It’s Sanctuary.”

  Mimi really wanted to do this where everyone could see them?

  Frannie said, “It is a real place, where good people live.” And finally she felt like she was one of them. “Maybe it’s not the world you’re used to, but I want to live here.” She slipped her arm around Matthias’s waist and hugged him back. “I want to build a family here.”

  “Father Wilson was a murdering psycho. He tried to kill you!” For the first time it almost seemed like her mom actually cared she’d been hurt.

  “If he hadn’t tried, I would never have had the opportunity to hear Dan tell me about what Jesus did.” Her mom started to roll her eyes, but Frannie wasn’t going to stop. “He told me what a great sacrifice it was, all because God loves me.” Frannie took a breath. “I know you don’t want to admit you need help, but I’ve found peace. I feel secure now, and I know my strength isn’t enough. God’s strength is what brought me through this, not my faith in myself.”

  “You’re right. I don’t want to hear it.” Mimi’s hard stare flicked through the room and came back to rest on Matthias. “I’ve already started the paperwork. As soon as I get my money I’m out of here.”

  The door clicked shut behind her.

  “She’s never going to yield, is she?”

  Matthias’s soft gaze was all for her. “Maybe not, but it doesn’t mean you stop believing it’s possible.”

  Louis strode over. Frannie saw him beside them and jerked around. “You need something?”


  He motioned with his head to where her mom had gone. “You want me to whack her before she leaves? Or after. I still have connections.”

  “Uh, no. But thank you for your kind offer.”

  He nodded. “No problem.”

  Sonny came to stand by him, looking down at Louis like a king does an unruly subject. Louis slinked away, and Sonny turned to her. “Money?”

  Frannie leaned in to Matthias’s body. He said, “We’re fine.”

  “However much it is, the chamber of commerce will pay half.”

  “No, you won’t.” Matthias shook his head. “I’ve got it covered, but if you want to help, Frannie needs a new oven.”

  “Tias!”

  He lifted one eyebrow.

  Frannie sighed. “He’s right. I didn’t want to ask for help, but I guess its past time to admit I need it.”

  Sonny touched her face then, something he’d never done before. “Don’t do that again.” He walked away, leaving Frannie to listen to the rumble of laughter in Matthias’s chest.

  “He’s right, you know. If we’re going to build that family you’ll need more staff.” Matthias’s face dared her to challenge him.

  “I wanted to do this on my own. The guys approached me initially. They helped out, investing so I could buy the bakery. I paid the loan off as fast as I could, and I promised myself I wouldn’t ask them for more money.”

  “Maybe in the real world. But this is Sanctuary.” His eyes gleamed. “We help each other out here.”

  “I know that.”

  “Which is why I think you should hire me as your office manager. I’ll do all the books, invoices, accounting. All of it. And I can split my time between here and the ranch.”

  Frannie eyed him. “And how am I supposed to pay you? You’ll need it, after you’ve given all your money to my mother.” She still wasn’t happy about Matthias funding her mom’s departure, but Mimi wouldn’t be able to ask for more, and he’d said he was comfortable giving it to her.