Love Inspired Suspense December 2013 Bundle: Christmas Cover-UpForce of NatureYuletide JeopardyWilderness Peril

by Lynette Eason

  The officer nodded. “We can do that.”

  Alex opened the car door, leaned in and shook Grace’s shoulder. “Grace, wake up. The officers are back.”

  She bolted into a sitting position and wiped at her eyes. “Oh, I didn’t mean to go to sleep. Did they find anything?”

  “No, but they’re going back with us. Are you ready?”

  She nodded, stepped out of the car and pulled the GPS unit from her pocket. She looked around at the gathered officers and took a deep breath. “Well, let’s go see what our friend has planned for us today.”

  Alex’s heart thudded, and he fell into step with her. The officers fanned out on either side of them and behind as they headed for the path. Alex pulled his gun from the holster and bit down on his lip. They would soon know what Grace’s mysterious caller had in store for them today.

  *

  Grace consulted the GPS coordinates as she, Alex, and the officers stepped onto the paved path that meandered along the banks of the Wolf River. Since she’d been back in Memphis, she’d enjoyed many weekend afternoons walking the pathway. Today was different, and it wasn’t just the December chill in the air. The police officers who provided protection for them were a reminder of the danger involved in what they were about to do.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Alex’s gaze sweeping back and forth across the path and into the forest. He held his gun as if he was ready to fire at a moment’s notice. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Alex spoke. “This is my first time along the greenway. It must be nice out here in the spring.”

  She glanced at him, but he was staring past her into the trees. “You don’t have to try and keep me calm, Alex. I know we’re in a dangerous position out in the open like this.”

  His face flushed, and he glanced at her. “No, I’m serious. I’ve never been out here before.”

  She laughed, and the tension in her body eased a bit. “You need to get out more often. You don’t know what you’re missing. I love walking along this path and looking at the river and the trees and plants all around. It makes me feel good, knowing this is a protected green area where I can enjoy what God has put in the world for us. By the time this project is finished, this path we’re on is going to stretch for thirty miles all the way downtown from Germantown and Collierville.”

  One of the officers walking beside her spoke up. “She’s right. You should get out here this spring and enjoy some of the activities.”

  Grace looked over her shoulder at all the officers and smiled. “Maybe all of you can join me some Saturday for a short hike along this trail.”

  After she spoke the words, she tensed. How would Alex react to her invitation? Would he think she wasn’t taking today’s mission seriously enough? To her relief, he smiled.

  “I hope the next time we’re not after some crazy guy who wants to shoot us.”

  “Me, too.” She glanced down at the GPS unit. “Maybe we’ll catch him before then, and he’ll be safely behind bars.”

  No one spoke again as they continued walking along the pathway. After about a mile Grace stopped and pointed to the trees alongside the paved walkway. “It’s in there.”

  Alex’s gaze drifted over the densely covered area. “I’m glad the leaves are off. Maybe it won’t be too difficult to find whatever’s been left. Let’s see what it is.”

  The police fanned out in a circle, and they all walked into the woods. They’d only been searching for a few minutes when Grace spotted a manila envelope. It stuck out from underneath a large rock that had been placed at the base of a tree. “I think I have something.”

  The officers formed a protective ring around Grace and continued scanning the forest as Alex trudged through the undergrowth, stopped beside her and glanced down. “He didn’t hide this very well, did he?”

  “No. He wanted to make sure we found it. Since there aren’t any other rocks that size around, he must have moved this one from down near the river.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s see what it is.”

  She picked up the bubble-cushioned mailer that looked to be about six by nine inches and ripped the seal open. Then she stuck her hand inside and pulled out an object wrapped in a piece of paper.

  “What’s that?” Alex asked.

  “I don’t know.” Grace frowned and unwrapped the object. A carved wooden wolf lay inside. She picked up the carving and turned it over and over as she studied it. Suddenly she winced. “Ouch!”

  Alex stepped closer. “What’s the matter?”

  She shook her head. “I’m okay. There’s a sharp edge on the wolf, and it pricked my finger.”

  He frowned. “Does it hurt?”

  “No, but it startled me.” She turned the carving around in her hand again, careful not to touch the edge, and then glanced at the paper it had been wrapped in. She swallowed hard at the words on the page. “He’s left me another note. It says, ‘Some ancient people thought the wolf represented danger. Landon found out it did. Are you next?’”

  Alex raked his hand through his hair. “Okay, that’s it. This guy is getting too vocal in his threats. You are getting out of this investigation right now before it gets more dangerous.”

  Grace glanced down at the wolf and the note again. “Don’t be ridiculous. We must be getting closer, or he wouldn’t feel the need to voice these threats.”

  Alex shook his head and glanced around the area. “We don’t know if he’s out there in the trees watching us or not. He could have you in the sights of a rifle right now.” He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her toward the pathway as he called out to the officers. “We’re leaving. Let’s get out of here now.”

  Propelled by Alex’s grip on her arm, Grace stumbled forward as she stuck the note and the wolf in her coat pocket. Once on the pathway, Alex didn’t slow down but kept a tight hold on her arm as they strode back toward the entrance. She glanced over her shoulder, and the officers hurried along the path behind them.

  After about half a mile Grace winced at the numbing pain radiating through her trembling legs. What was Alex’s hurry? Her chest heaved, and she panted for breath. “Alex, please slow down. You’re walking too fast for me.”

  His gaze swept the pathway and the trees beside it. “We need to get out of here, Grace. There are too many places someone could be hiding. We’ll slow down when we get to the parking lot.”

  She nodded and allowed him to pull her forward. By the time they’d gone five hundred feet farther her heart pounded so hard, she thought her chest might explode any minute. Her rubbery legs wanted to collapse, but she pushed on.

  A sudden crushing pain gripped her chest, and she gasped for breath. A sound from somewhere in her head filled her, and she glanced toward the trees. She shook her head to clear away the dizziness and squinted at the image staring at her from between two trees. With every ounce of strength she could muster she pulled free of Alex. “Look who’s here,” she mumbled.

  Alex jerked to a stop, whirled to face the trees, and pointed his gun in that direction. “Who is it?”

  The other officers surrounded them within seconds. “What’s going on?” she heard one say.

  “Something’s wrong with Grace,” Alex said, but his voice seemed to be coming from far away.

  She frowned at the gun in Alex’s hand. There was no need for that. She glanced back at the familiar face in the trees staring at her, held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. “It’s all right. You can come to me.”

  Alex turned back to her. “I don’t see…” His eyebrows drew together as he scanned her face. “Grace, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” She looked up at Alex. “Why won’t he come here?” She closed her eyes as another wave of dizziness swept over her. She reached for Alex, and he caught her in his arms when she toppled toward him.

  “Grace, what’s the matter?” He knelt down and cradled her in his arms. “You’re not making any sense. Who did you see?”

  She raised a shaking finger and pointed to the
trees. “Snowball. I’ll ride him home.”

  “The pony you had when you were a child?” Alex turned his head to stare in the direction she pointed, then back to her. “Where is he?”

  “Right there,” she gasped. “Don’t you see him?”

  “There’s nothing there, Grace.”

  What was the matter with Alex? Didn’t he recognize the pony they’d ridden together when they were children? She struggled to push to her feet, but Alex’s strong arms held her still. “He’s there. I want to ride him.”

  Her eyesight blurred, and she blinked to clear her vision. When she reopened her eyes, the pony had disappeared. She frowned and glanced up at a strange man who hovered over her. Several other faces looked down at her. “Wh-who are you?” she stammered.

  “Grace, it’s Alex. Don’t you recognize me?”

  She shook her head and tried to pull from this stranger’s grasp. “Don’t touch me,” she screamed. “Alex, where are you?” she yelled.

  “I’m right here, Grace.”

  She looked up into the face of the man who spoke, but she didn’t know him. “Do you know Alex?”

  “Grace, I’m Alex.”

  She saw his lips move, but the ringing in her ears drowned out his words. He leaned closer, and she tried to speak. Her breath hitched in her throat, and her words died on her lips.

  The man moved slightly, and she saw a cell phone in his hand. With a sigh she surrendered to the darkness that crept over her.

  *

  Alex started to punch in 911 on his cell phone, but one of the other officers was already calling on his phone. Alex cradled Grace’s limp body in his arms as another officer helped him to his feet. He glanced at the man on the phone. “Tell them to meet us at the parking lot. We’re almost there.”

  He held her close as he ran down the path that led back to where he’d left his car. He heard the sirens just before he and the officers reached the entrance to the greenway and stumbled into the parking lot at the same moment the ambulance pulled to a stop.

  The EMTs were out of the ambulance almost before they’d come to a stop, and Alex laid Grace on the gurney they pulled out. Alex stepped back and watched Grace’s pale face as the two men began to check her vitals.

  One of them glanced around at him. “Are you the officer who called this in?”

  The man who’d called stepped forward. “No, I did.”

  The EMT turned his attention back to Alex. “Did anything unusual happen to cause her to faint?”

  “No. We were on our way back to the parking lot when she collapsed. She started breathing heavily, and she became disoriented. She didn’t recognize me and thought she saw a pony she had when she was a child.”

  The second EMT pulled the stethoscope he’d been using to check her heartbeat from his ears and glanced at his partner. “Heartbeat is weak and breathing is shallow. Let’s get her on some oxygen and put her in the ambulance. We need to get to the E.R. right away.”

  Alex nodded. “I’ll follow in my car.” He turned to the officers who’d accompanied them on the greenway. “Thanks, guys. I appreciate all your help today. I need to go to the hospital.”

  The officer in charge nodded. “You go on. I’ve never seen anything like what happened to her out there. Let us know how she gets along.”

  “I will.”

  He cast one last look at Grace before he ran back to his car. Within minutes he was headed up the street. The ambulance’s siren and the wail of the one on his unmarked police car split the afternoon air. Traffic pulled out of their way and allowed them to speed unchecked along the street.

  Alex roared into the hospital parking lot and jumped from his car as soon as it came to a stop. He knew from experience he wouldn’t be allowed through the bay where the EMTs took Grace, so he paused in the parking lot long enough to call his office and alert his partners, Brad and Seth, to what had happened before he ran toward the doors of the emergency room waiting area.

  He rushed inside, came to a stop at the desk and held up his badge. “The EMTs just brought my friend Grace Kincaid in. I followed the ambulance here.”

  The receptionist peered over the rim of her glasses, which sat propped on her nose. “I’ll let you know when there’s any news.”

  He opened his mouth to protest, but he realized it would do no good. As difficult as it was going to be, he had to wait until the doctor had determined what had happened to Grace. He groaned and slunk off to find a seat in the crowded room.

  He’d barely settled in his chair before he thought of Grace’s parents. He’d promised them he would keep their daughter safe and he hadn’t. The bad thing was that he had no idea what had happened to her. Had their mysterious caller with his GPS puzzles been able to cause Grace’s collapse?

  “Alex.” The sound of his name being call jerked him from his thoughts, and he found Laura Austin, his partner Brad’s wife and Grace’s best friend, standing in front of him. He jumped to his feet, and she threw her arms around him. “I just finished a counseling session upstairs, and Brad called to tell me Grace has been brought in.”

  He released her, and they sat down together on the couch. “I’m glad he did. I didn’t know if you were working here or at Cornerstone Clinic today. Thank you for coming down.”

  Laura smiled. “Where else would I be? I’ve always been there when Grace has gotten into scrapes. But tell me what’s happened. Brad said she’s unconscious.”

  She listened as Alex related the events earlier on the greenway. When he got to the part about how she had become delusional and passed out, his voice grew husky. He swallowed before finishing his story. “I’ve been over everything that happened on the greenway, but I can’t figure out what caused her attack. It was like some allergic reaction.”

  Laura pursed her mouth and frowned. “Could it have been something in the environment? A tree or plant?”

  “I thought of that, but it’s December. There’s very little vegetation out there.”

  Laura thought for a moment. “Then did she touch anything?”

  Alex shook his head. “Nothing but the…” He stopped in midsentence, and his eyes widened. “The wood carving!”

  His loud words startled Laura, and she jumped. “What are you talking about?”

  “The envelope contained a carving of a wolf and a note. She touched those. The carving had a sharp edge on it, and she pricked her finger with it. That has to be it!” He sprang from his seat. “They’re still in her pocket. I need to tell the doctor to test them.”

  He took a step to go to the desk, but Laura grabbed his arm to stop him. “Wait, Alex. You can’t go back there, but as a nurse, I can. I’ll go tell the doctor. You sit tight, and I’ll let you know what he says.”

  He nodded. “All right, but tell the doctor to be careful. He needs to wear gloves before handling those items.”

  “I’ll tell him and be right back.” Laura strode across the room, stopped at the desk and spoke with the receptionist. She nodded and pushed a button, and the entrance to the treatment area opened.

  Alex sat down and waited for Laura to return. It seemed like hours before he saw the door open again and Laura emerge. He was on his feet before she reached him. “How is she?”

  “She’s still unconscious.”

  “What did the doctor say when you told him about the note and the carving?”

  “The doctor found both of them in Grace’s pocket. He’s sent them to the lab for testing. They should know something in a little while. In the meantime, we just have to wait.”

  He sank back on the couch and raised a shaking hand to wipe his forehead. “Waiting has always been hard for me to do, but I’m glad you’re here.”

  She sighed, glanced at her watch and rose to her feet. “I wish I could stay, but I need to get back to work. I’ll check with you later to see how Grace is doing. When she wakes up, tell her I was here.”

  He stood and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for coming, Laura.”

  She
smiled before she turned and walked down the hallway that led into the hospital proper. He stared after her for a moment and then stepped to the side of the room and pulled out his cell phone. There was no putting off the inevitable any longer. He had to call Grace’s parents and tell them he hadn’t been able to protect their daughter the way he’d promised.

  SIX

  Grace opened her eyes and frowned as she tried to determine where she was. She lay in a bed, but this wasn’t the comfortable mattress she was so used to. She squinted at a small light shining through a cracked door that led into another room, a bathroom perhaps. A soft snore alerted her she wasn’t alone, and she turned her head to look to her right.

  In the darkened room she could make out the form of her mother in the chair next to the bed. She tried to raise her head, but it was no use. She slumped back, her head against the pillow and moaned.

  Her mother jerked upright and was on her feet in one swift move. She leaned over the bed and gazed down at her. “Grace, are you awake?”

  She licked at her dry lips and struggled to speak. “Wh-where am I?”

  “You’re in the hospital.”

  Grace closed her eyes and tried to remember what had happened. The greenway popped into her mind, and her eyes blinked open. “Alex?”

  Her mother patted her arm. “Alex is fine. You collapsed while the two of you were with the police officers at the greenway. They called 911 and got you here in time. You’re going to be fine.”

  A memory of running along the path returned, but nothing else. “Wh-where is Alex?”

  “He called us after you were brought in, and your father and I came right away. When the doctors told us you were going to be all right, Alex took your father home so I could stay. He’ll be by in the morning to see you.”

  She nodded and closed her eyes. She wanted to talk more, but she couldn’t concentrate. Right now she wanted to go back to sleep. There would be time later to find out why she was in the hospital.

  The next time Grace opened her eyes, the sun streamed through the windows. She turned her head toward where her mother had sat the last time she awoke and saw instead Alex reading a newspaper in a chair next to her bed.