Plain Cover-Up

by Alison Stone

  Something flashed in her eyes that he couldn’t quite read. The sudden need to confess, to tell her his true feelings swept over him. A realization that had solidified over the past few days.

  “One of the biggest mistakes I ever made was letting you go.”

  Christina tipped her head and studied him. “God had a plan. I don’t think we were meant to be together then. You were meant to be an FBI agent and I was meant to focus on my medical career.” She smiled sadly. “Besides, we were babies back then. We didn’t know what love was.”

  Dylan took a step closer. But maybe now they were meant to be together. He brushed his knuckles across her cheek. His heart started racing when she didn’t back away.

  “I’ve missed you,” he whispered.

  She looked away briefly, then lifted her eyes to his and cupped his cheek with the palm of her hand. Her lips curved into a small smile. He took this as an invitation. An invitation he had long been waiting for. He leaned forward and brushed his mouth against her warm lips, then lingered.

  She smelled the same, tasted the same, felt the same.

  A rustling in the nearby orchard had him pulling away. He glanced around but all he saw were trees. Acres and acres of trees.

  “We probably shouldn’t have done that.” The smile in her eyes told him she was kidding.

  He laughed. “I disagree. Now don’t go overanalyzing everything.”

  “I haven’t gotten where I am today without carefully considering my actions.” Dylan smiled as Christina’s cheeks grew red.

  “Maybe this is God’s plan.” He knew it wasn’t fair of him to use her words against her and he still wasn’t one hundred percent sure where he stood with this whole God thing. He hadn’t grown up in the faith until his mother died and mostly he was only mildly interested in Christina’s devotion to her faith. It’s obvious it had given her focus, contentment, a direction.

  He shook away the thought. One mystery to solve at a time.

  Christina took a step and stumbled. “Oh, my shoe is untied.” She bent over to tie it and something zinged over her head. Dylan spun around to see an arrow sticking out of a tree.

  Christina straightened, her eyes wide with shock when she noticed the arrow. Dylan lunged forward, took her under his arm and moved her toward the house.

  “Go! Go! Go!”

  ELEVEN

  Christina’s chest heaved as she struggled to catch her breath when they reached the safety of her childhood home. Dylan slammed the French doors closed and turned the lock.

  “What was that all about? Did someone try to hit us with an arrow?” She couldn’t process what had happened. “Does Roger even know how to do that?” Her mind’s eye traveled back to the targets set up outside the barn in the back of the Everett’s home.

  “Stay here. I’m going to go out there and see if I can track the person down.”

  Christina grabbed Dylan’s arm. “No, let’s call the sheriff’s office. Roger has to be out of his mind if he’s out there with a bow and arrow. Please, stay put. You need rest after your concussion.”

  Dylan glanced toward the locked French door and the orchard beyond. He ran his hand over the back of his neck. “The only hope we have of catching Roger—or whoever it is—is if I go out there now.”

  “But—”

  Dylan tipped his head in her direction. “I’ve been trained by the FBI, remember? I can handle myself.”

  “You’re not going to be dissuaded?” Her tone was laced with hope and fear.

  Dylan turned the bolt on the French door. “Lock up behind me,” he said, ignoring her plea to wait for the sheriff or one of his deputies. “Go ahead and call the sheriff. Tell them the shot came from the southwest corner of the orchard.”

  With that, Dylan turned and headed out the door with his gun at the ready. For some reason the fact that he was carrying caught her off guard.

  The reality of that made her sadder than it should have. He was meant to be an FBI agent. He would go back to being one when his leave was over. And her life was here in Apple Creek at the clinic.

  She touched her lips, thinking about his gentle kiss, and a hollowness expanded inside her.

  It all circled around again to the reasons they couldn’t be together, not the least of which was her most immediate concern. Someone was out to get her.

  All indications pointed to Roger Everett.

  Christina bolted the door and tracked Dylan’s movements across the thick sloping grass until he disappeared into the orchard.

  Please keep Dylan safe...

  The memory of the arrow zinging over her head made her nerves hum with anxiety. A strange sense of being watched made the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on edge. She moved to one side of the French doors so that she’d be out of sight.

  Then, snapping out of it, she ran to get her smartphone from the kitchen island. She called her brother’s number directly. After she told him about their emergency, she hung up.

  Panic and a lack of patience surged through her as she pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut.

  “What’s wrong now?”

  Christina startled at Franny’s voice. She was standing only a few feet away.

  Christina’s hand flew to her throat and she let out a tiny squeak. “Oh, you scared me.”

  Franny rocked back. “Is it Roger again?”

  “It could be.” It has to be. Christina tried to shake her nerves. “Dylan and I were taking a walk in the orchard and someone shot an arrow near us.”

  Franny pursed her lips. “An arrow?”

  “Do you know anyone around here or on the neighboring properties who practices archery?” Even as she asked the question, her memory flitted back to the day she walked toward the Everetts’ barn with Roger stalking behind her. Targets had been tacked to hay bales.

  “You know as well as I do that your parents own acres and acres. No one else should be around. Not for quite a distance.” Franny moved in front of the French doors and squinted, not able to see anything out of the ordinary. “I can have Henry look around. He’s been tinkering in the basement workshop all morning.”

  “It might not be safe. Dylan’s out there now searching for the person. I called Nick, too.”

  “Good, good,” Franny said, assuming everything had been settled since Christina had called her brother, the deputy. “He’ll get to the bottom of this.”

  Christina let out a long sigh. “Everything has gotten out of control. I haven’t handled this well at all.” Maybe she should have held her accusations close to the vest. Maybe they shouldn’t have gone to the school.

  How could they not have gone to the school?

  Now everyone was on the defensive.

  Now, after the way she had handled things, Roger was stirring the pot.

  And coming after her and those she cared about.

  Did she care about Dylan?

  The realization pierced her heart like the arrow that had pierced the bark inches from where she had stood in the orchard.

  She couldn’t deal with that thought. Not now.

  Christina feared the price one had to pay for revealing the truth might not be worth it.

  Her life and the lives of those she cared deeply about were at risk.

  * * *

  Franny paced the kitchen, not used to all the commotion. “I don’t think Christina should go back to the clinic. She should hunker down—”

  “Um, guys, I’m right here. I’m a big girl,” Christina said, mostly because she hated when people talked about her as if she weren’t there but partly because she liked her independence. She didn’t want anyone to steal that from her.

  But day by day, incident by incident, someone was stealing it from her. And if they couldn’t find evidence, it
would continue.

  Roger would continue.

  “Whoever’s harassing you isn’t fooling around,” Nick said, in the way older brothers tended to talk to little sisters. Christina resented that, too. Inwardly she shook her head. She was in one grumpy mood and none of this was helping.

  “Whoever? Don’t you mean Roger Everett?” He was the only one who made sense. She threatened his future, so he was going to ruin hers.

  “Right now, we have no evidence tying Roger to the assaults and harassment,” Nick said. “But based on information you gave us, he’s our best lead.”

  “Any word after checking the kids’ phones from the accident at school? They video everything,” Christina said.

  “We’re still running through it, but nothing new. No one captured the car that nearly ran Dylan over.”

  Dylan watched Christina, his expression unreadable. Her brother’s pointing out that there was no real evidence against Roger and Dylan’s silence seemed to bring back all sorts of feelings of insecurity and pain.

  Was I responsible for the attack? Am I to blame?

  She refused to go back there.

  Christina clenched her fists. “Who else would be coming after me? I finally revealed Roger’s dirty little secret and now he’s angry. He’s doing everything he can to silence me.”

  Nick slouched on the stool. He pushed his hand through his hair, mussing it. He looked at her. “I don’t doubt your story for a minute...about what he tried to do to you when you were in college. What I’m struggling to grasp is that he’d gain by going after you now.” Nick cleared his throat. “He got away with it. Why stir things up?”

  Christina slid off the stool and went over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. “Because he’s afraid I’ll no longer remain silent. Because maybe this is bigger than me. What if he had attempted to attack the young Amish girl on his property?” She locked gazes with Dylan. “We have to stop him.”

  “What happened when you called Roger this morning?” Dylan asked.

  “Yeah, I reached Linda about an hour ago. I think I woke her up. She sounded tired.” Nick’s tone was strained. “Linda’s not doing well.”

  “That’s what makes this so hard. She doesn’t need this stress. It’s not good for her.” Christina set her bottle of water on the island and rested her hip against the edge of the counter. She tapped her fingers on the granite.

  “Was Roger with Linda?” She found herself holding her breath, waiting for the answer. If Roger was with Linda, what did that say about the arrow that almost pierced her head? Could he have gotten home before Linda missed him?

  “Linda said Roger was tied up with some city council stuff.”

  “Had she or Roger seen the news?”

  “Yes, she said it was all lies. She said the truth would come out.”

  “What does that mean?” Christina asked.

  “Linda wouldn’t elaborate.” Nick shook his head in disbelief. “When I pressed for more information, she said she wasn’t feeling well and ended the call.” The stress was evident in the lines around her brother’s mouth and warm eyes. “I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place, here. Roger’s been my friend for years.” He shook his head in despair and disbelief. “Linda’s had a rough go of it health-wise. Roger and she have had their differences in the past, but I thought they had worked things out.”

  Christina approached her brother and placed her hand on his back. “I never wanted you to know,” she whispered, feeling Dylan’s eyes on her from across the kitchen island. “You and Roger were like brothers.” She tilted her head and mustered a smile.

  “You shouldn’t have kept that secret. I feel horrible that he hurt you.” Nick leaned back and took her hand in his. “I thank God every day that he didn’t hurt you worse. But he needs to be punished for what he did to you. And if he hurt anyone else.”

  “I fear there’s no evidence from back then, but he’s so reckless now. We’ll catch him.” Christina squeezed her brother’s hand in a show of confidence. “Listen, no more blaming one another. Roger’s the one who deserves the blame. Let’s find a way to get him.” She left out the part about getting him before he got her.

  Something on the television caught Christina’s eye. She moved closer and turned up the sound. There, standing in front of the town hall on Main Street, were Roger and Linda Everett.

  “Linda must be feeling better.” The old song, “Stand By Your Man,” floated through Christina’s brain. Something about a woman having to put up with a man’s garbage just because she was unfortunate enough to have picked a loser always unnerved her.

  No wonder Christina was still single.

  Her eyes were locked on Linda on the TV screen. Better single than to be hitched to a man like Roger Everett. Something niggled at her. Maybe Linda had realized that. When she’d first met the woman, she seemed to be distant from Roger and talked about their marriage in the past tense.

  Maybe they could use that...

  Since Christina was lost in thought, it took a moment for Roger’s words coming from the TV’s speakers to seep into her brain. He yelled them, more than spoke them.

  “It pains me to come forward,” he said, the P sounding like a sharp puff of air in the reporter’s mike that Roger grabbed and pulled closer to his mouth. “I’ve been a friend, serving two tours of duty, with her brother, Sheriff’s Deputy, Nick Jennings, who I’m sure will be just as hurt by this discovery.”

  Sweat trickled down Christina’s back as she drew closer to the TV screen. Her frustration grew as Roger, basking in the attention, kept talking around his point. “...I’m sure many people are appreciative of the free healthcare clinic...” The walls of the room grew close.

  What is Roger talking about?

  She didn’t dare verbalize her question for fear she’d miss what Roger had to say.

  “My wife went into the clinic recently...”

  Christina’s pulse whooshed in her ears.

  “...and Dr. Christina Jennings offered her pain medication. With the condition that she fill the prescription, then give back some of the meds to Dr. Jennings.”

  “What are you suggesting?” the reporter asked.

  “Dr. Christina Jennings is dealing pharmaceuticals. What else would she be doing with the extra pills?”

  Christina’s heart sunk. “What? No, no, no...”

  “Needless to say, my wife wanted nothing to do with this. There’s an epidemic of unscrupulous doctors illegally prescribing controlled substances and unfortunately, Apple Creek is not immune. I wouldn’t doubt if we found out her clinic is providing these drugs to our young people.”

  A hot and cold sweat washed over Christina. “He’s lying,” she whispered. “He’s lying.”

  “Dr. Christina Jennings is an unethical doctor. And until people like my wife and I are brave enough to stand up to such misdeeds, they will continue.”

  The pretty reporter smiled awkwardly into the camera. “Do your accusations have anything to do with the allegations that you’ve had inappropriate contact with young women? Some students place Christina Jennings at the high school prior to those reports being made public. Was she the person who accused you of inappropriate conduct with young women?”

  Roger gave her a stiff smile. Linda was off camera. “That’s the thing. Those accusations against me were made because I vowed to fight this drug problem head-on. Dr. Jennings threatened to cause trouble for me, but this is too big an issue for me to be bullied into silence.”

  The walls heaved and Christina swayed. Dylan put his hand on the small of her back. “Sit down.” Dylan tried to guide her away from the TV to a nearby stool.

  Christina stepped away from his touch, anger, frustration, disbelief tangled inside her. “I’m not going to sit.” She jabbed her finger at the TV screen while the newscaste
rs went on to report on something else, the weather, the high school sports team, whatever. She couldn’t think straight.

  She spun around to face Dylan. “Roger Everett’s lying. And I need your help to prove it.”

  TWELVE

  Dylan tried to guide Christina to a chair with a gentle touch to the small of her back. During the brief moment before she brushed him off, he could feel the subtle tremble coursing through her.

  Roger Everett was backed into a corner and had come out swinging. His blow had struck Christina square on the jaw, sending her reeling.

  Dylan turned off the television and Christina stood staring at the blank screen. “I can’t believe Roger accused me of pushing painkillers. Of being unethical.”

  Nick exhaled between tight lips, his frustration evident. “I had always considered myself a good judge of character. This guy—” he shook his head, the rage rolling off him “—Roger and I were the best of friends. We served in the army together.”

  Dylan watched Christina, ready to catch her as she swayed on her feet. She finally sat on a stool and leaned forward, folding her arms around her middle. He wanted to wrap his arm around her, comfort her, but the invisible wall she had erected left him feeling helpless and angry.

  Christina had accused Roger of inappropriate behavior and now he was going to do everything he could to push back.

  “This stops here. I’m going to talk to Roger and his wife. You stay here with my sister.” Nick pulled out his car keys.

  Christina looked up, a weary expression in her eyes. “What are you going to do? What are you going to say?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

  Nick sat next to her and put his hand on her back. She leaned into him briefly, then sat up straight. “I’m going to talk to Roger. I’m going to treat him as I would any other person who made an accusation. I have to separate my job from my personal life. I have to hear what he and Linda have to say.”

  Christina swiped away a tear that slid down her cheek. “But you don’t...” Dylan suspected she was going to say, You don’t believe him, but something stopped her. The pained expression on her face tore at Dylan’s heart. Even if he hadn’t known Christina, truly known the type of person she was, the type of physician she was, the hurt in her eyes would make any observant person with any amount of compassion realize she had been falsely accused.