She’d save them both a lot of heartache if she would just muster up the strength to cut things off and stop seeing Brad completely. But she couldn’t do it. He and Jennie were much too important to her. She wanted to carry as many memories of them as possible with her when she took off. Maybe memories would help her get through the lonely years ahead. Maybe not. The night at the play rehearsal three weeks ago had driven it home to her. She’d fallen in love with Brad.
A shiver went through her whenever she remembered how he’d looked at her that night. Incredibly, he seemed to love her, too. Oh man, she hadn’t wanted it to happen. After the loss of her baby, she’d built a wall around her emotions so she’d never have to experience the pain of loving and losing again. Brad had slipped past her defenses and gently torn down the barriers with his sweet smile and gentle ways.
But she couldn’t tell him. She had to keep him at arm’s length so he wouldn’t even suspect it. He and Jennie would be hurt by her leaving, but they’d be alive. If she caved in and stayed, Jeffrey might harm them to get back at her. She couldn’t let it happen. In order to protect them, she’d leave. It would only be a couple more weeks at the most.
She would love to accept the invitation to spend Easter with them. It would be so much fun to color eggs with Jennie and see the precious little girl all dressed up in the frilly dress Brad had bought for her. But not at his parents’ house. His mother and aunt would take one glance at her and would sense something was wrong. Women just knew those things. She couldn’t risk it.
“Brad, I can’t. I told you I already promised Myra and Ed I’d go to Easter services and have dinner with them. They’ve been so good to me since I came to Grandville, I just can’t disappoint them. I’m sorry…”
“No, no. It’s my fault for not asking you earlier than last week. I just assumed…” Brad’s voice trailed off, and the disappointment in his tone tugged at Anne’s heartstrings.
“Well, I won’t make the mistake again. I’m inviting you right this minute to join us at my family’s lake house for their Fourth of July party,” he said.
“Fourth of July? Isn’t it a little early to start making those plans?” she asked, hoping he didn’t notice her evasion.
“I’m not taking any chances. So mark it in your appointment calendar, Ms. Brown. And while you’re at it, put down Thanksgiving dinner. Christmas, too.”
Anne giggled at his playfulness. “Brad!”
“What? Don’t tell me you’re already booked up for those holidays.”
“No, but I—”
“Good, then it’s a date,” he said. “But I still wish you’d—”
“Wish your family Happy Easter for me, will you?” Anne paced the length of her kitchen and concentrated on keeping her tone light and cheery.
“Will do,” he promised. “You do the same for me with Myra and Ed.”
“Of course. Have a safe drive, Brad.”
“Will do,” he said again. “Can I call you on Saturday?”
“Of course. And make sure you take lots of pictures of Jennie at the Easter egg hunt for me. And some of her in her Easter outfit, too.”
He laughed “It would be easier if you just came along and—”
“Goodbye, Brad.”
“Fine. I’ll take plenty of pictures, and I’ll text some to you. But you can’t fault a guy for trying.”
“Well, you are very trying,” Anne teased then glanced at her watch. “You should get on the road if you want to avoid the rush hour traffic.”
“Wait a minute. Jennie says she needs to talk to you. Here she is.”
A moment later, the child’s voice came on the line. “Miss Anne?”
“Hi, Jennie. Are you excited about your trip to your grandparents’ house?”
“Uh-huh. But it would be more fun if you were coming.”
“I wish I could, sweetie, but I already made plans with Mrs. Hodges and her husband.”
“I know. Daddy told me,” the little girl said. “It’s why I asked to talk to you. I want you to come to my piano recital. It’s special for Mother’s Day, and since my mommy is in Heaven now, I need you to come.”
Anne took a deep breath. Mother’s Day was the week after Jeffrey’s earliest release date. She hated to make a promise to the child and not be able to keep it. “Jennie, I’ll put it on my calendar, but I might have to—”
“Oh, please, Miss Anne,” the child pleaded. “It’s my very first recital, and I’m really, really scared. I’ve never played in front of other people before. It would make me feel a lot better if you were there to cheer for me.”
“Sweetheart, you’re going to do just fine. You and Mrs. McGuire have worked on your piece together for so long you could play it with your eyes closed.”
“But everyone else will have a mom in the audience to cheer for them,” the little girl said in a sad voice that tugged at Anne’s heart. “But I won’t. I’d feel so much better if you were there. Please.”
Swallowing hard against the lump that suddenly clogged her throat, Anne nodded. “I’ll be there, Jennie. I promise. Whatever it takes, I’ll be there.”
****
Anne spent the next ten days sorting through the things in her apartment, deciding what she would take with her and what to give to friends or donate to Goodwill. She’d arrived in Grandville with little more than the clothes on her back, but now she eyed the growing piles of belongs and realized she’d gotten much too lax. If she’d kept her belongings to a bare minimum, leaving would not have been this complicated.
Remember that for the future, she thought as she considered a rose pink sweater she’d recently bought. Should she take it with her or leave it? It would help if she had any idea where she was heading since she wouldn’t need heavy, winter clothes if she ended up down south. But Brad had liked this sweater. When she’d worn it, his eyes had lit up, and he’d called it sexy. Anne closed her eyes and hugged the sweater tightly as she remembered the long kiss that had accompanied his proclamation.
When she opened her eyes, she took a deep breath then put the sweater on the discard pile.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
The high school auditorium filled quickly as students and parents found their seats. Brad and Jennie had seats in the center of the front row. They had arrived early in order to get a good spot to set up the video camera for the best shot of the piano. And to save seats for his parents and his aunt and uncle. He’d saved a seat on his right for Anne, too, but it remained empty as curtain time approached.
Where was Anne?
“Where is she, Daddy?” Jennie’s question echoed his thoughts as she twisted in her seat to study the auditorium.
“I don’t know, Princess.”
Brad felt nearly as anxious as his daughter sounded. He’d called Anne earlier in the day to confirm the time of the recital, but she’d been hesitant in her response. When he’d asked if she was okay, she’d dismissed his concern with a little laugh. However, she’d sounded odd, and his stomach had been churning ever since. Now, he asked himself why it mattered so much. He and Anne weren’t a couple. He didn’t have any hold on her or vice versa. Brad told himself he was simply upset on Jennie’s behalf. Anne had made a promise to his daughter and had backed out on it. She’d said things she didn’t mean.
It’s a good thing you didn’t invest your heart in her.
If only he could convince his heart that was true.
Jennie turned and stared at the doorway. “Daddy, she’s going to miss the recital.”
“It’s okay, honey. See, Grandma and Grandpa just came in, and so did Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Ted. We’ll all be here cheering for you, and I’ve got my video camera all set up so we can show your piece to Miss Anne later.”
Jennie slouched in her seat and whispered, “It’s not the same.”
His heart ached for Jennie. His little princess had suffered so many disappointments in her short life. Far too many. Still, she greeted their family warmly and returned their hugs even if it wa
s a bit less enthusiastically than normal. They settled in the row with his aunt in the seat on one side of Jennie and his mother in the next one over.
“I saw you watching the door when we came in,” his aunt commented while his mother set up her own video camera. “Were you afraid we weren’t going to make it on time to see you, sweetheart?”
“No. Daddy said you called to tell him you got stuck in traffic but were almost here,” Jennie answered. “I was looking for Miss Anne. She promised she’d come tonight, too.”
“Maybe she had to work late,” Aunt Bonnie suggested.
“I guess. She was in charge of the whole shop most of the winter because the owner lady went on vacation. Maybe she had to be in charge again.”
“Well, there you have it,” his mother said, joining the conversation while she focused the camera on the stage. “Running a store is a big responsibility, Jennie. I’m sure Miss Anne would be here if she could.”
His daughter nodded.
Against his better judgment, Brad glanced at the entrance one last time. His heart leapt excitedly at the sight of a familiar figure slipping into the auditorium to stand against the back wall. Anne had arrived. She’d kept her promise. Relieved, he nudged his daughter’s hand. When she turned to him he tilted his head toward the doorway.
Jennie glanced over her shoulder then gave a shriek of delight. Before he could stop her, she slipped from her seat and dashed up the aisle. He watched Anne scoop the little girl into her arms and give her a long embrace. She whispered something in Jennie’s ear then set her back down and kissed the top of her head. Jennie gave Anne a final hug then scooted back to her seat.
“Miss Anne said she’s sorry she was late. She’s going to stand in the back to watch me play then she has to leave.”
“I’m glad Anne could come tonight, Princess,” Brad replied, giving his daughter’s hand a squeeze. “She probably has to go back to the shop for her quilt group.”
The little girl shook her head. “No, Daddy. She’s going on a trip.”
“A trip? Where?”
“I don’t know.” Jennie shrugged. “She just said she has to go far away for a while, and she is going to miss me a lot. So she wanted to hear me play before she went.”
Anne would miss her a lot? Brad didn’t like the sound of that one bit. He suddenly had a bad feeling. Something was wrong, he was certain of it. He met his aunt’s gaze over his daughter’s head and saw the same concern in Aunt Bonnie’s eyes.
“Daddy, I hope Miss Anne isn’t in trouble,” Jennie whispered.
He leaned toward his daughter, curiously. “Why would you think she’s in trouble, Princess?”
“Because she’s afraid. She was shaking when she hugged me. And her voice sounded funny, like she was trying to sound happy, Daddy, but I could tell she was really sad.”
Brad gave his daughter a reassuring smile despite the alarm bells going off in his head. “Tell you what, Princess. You stay here with Grandma and Aunt Bonnie, and I’ll go talk to her. Okay?”
“Okay, Daddy. And tell her we want her to stay.”
“I’ll do my best,” he promised. But would that be good enough?
Late arrivals blocked the walkways, trying to find their families or available seats before the recital started, so Brad took the side aisle and made his way slowly toward the back of the auditorium. He was halfway there when he saw a slender, well-groomed man walk in one of the doors. The stranger glanced around then made a beeline for Anne. A glower darkened his features as he reached her side and grabbed hold of her upper arm. When Anne winced and turned to the newcomer, Brad saw her expression turn to shock.
Who was this guy, manhandling her like that?
Brad quickened his pace. As he pushed his way through the crowd, the glimpses he caught of Anne convinced him she was not happy to see the stranger. She was angrily shaking her head and trying to tug her arm free of the man’s hold. As Brad got closer, he could hear her whispered but heated words.
“I’m not going with you, Jeffrey. I told you we’re through.”
Jeffrey? Could this guy be Anne’s ex-husband? Impossible. She’d said he was in prison. Had she lied to him? Brad recalled the confusing signals she’d been giving him lately. Sometimes, she’d seemed glad to see him; other times, she’d almost pushed him away. Had she been playing him like Sarah had played him? Brad hesitated, listening.
“We aren’t through by any means,” the man told Anne, leaning into her face. “You owe me, woman.”
“I don’t owe you a thing.”
“Oh, yes, you do. How do you think it made me look to my friends when my flippin’ wife wouldn’t stand by me while I was incarcerated?”
“I’m not your wife,” she bit out. “You divorced me, Jeffrey, and couldn’t bother to even tell me. Instead, you beat the crap out of me and left me for dead by the side of the road. Why would anyone expect me to stick around after that?”
She jerked the arm he still held, trying to get free. “I wanted you to rot in jail, Jeffrey. You were supposed to be there for years and years. How did you get out? And how did you find me so quickly?”
“I’ve known your whereabouts for months. The private investigator my father retains has a colleague who happens to live near here. He saw you go into that shop where you work and recognized you. He’s been watching you for me ever since.” He gave a sinister laugh that raised the hackles on Brad’s neck. “In fact, Kyle helped me to send you roses for Valentine’s Day and had lots of fun leaving little offerings on your doorstep.”
“But… how?”
“I told you my family has friends in high places. But you were always too stupid to listen. Well now, I’m here to take you back where you belong. And this time, I’ll make sure you listen.”
Anne tugged her arm again. “Let go of me, Jeffrey,” she said in a near hiss. “I’m not going anywhere with you. You left me for someone else. Even if you hadn’t, I still wouldn’t want to be with you. You tried to kill me.”
“A pity I failed. If I’d done the job right, I wouldn’t have had to come after you to rectify matters. So let’s just head out the door and not disturb these nice people by making a scene, shall we?” He wrenched Anne’s arm up behind her back forcing her to her tiptoes.
Brad saw the pain etching Anne’s pale features and rushed toward her. “Anne. Are you all right?”
The stranger spun to confront him, jerking Anne’s arm in the process. Her soft gasp brought a satisfied smirk to the man’s lips. “This is none of your concern, buddy. So just back off.”
“I heard the lady tell you she didn’t want to go with you.”
“You heard wrong. So just beat it!”
Brad felt someone step up beside him, and his anxiety lessened a bit to find Detective Moore standing beside him with his arms crossed on his chest. “I heard the lady say it, too. And when a man tries to force a woman to go somewhere she doesn’t want to go, it is our problem.”
“We take such things seriously,” George Connors said, joining the other cop.
“Well, well, well. It seems my dear wife has found herself a bunch of admirers in this little hick town. Is that why you settled in this backwoods, sweetheart? Because these yokels wouldn’t notice your lack of breeding?” Jeffrey sneered. He slipped his hand into his jacket pocket then jerked Anne against him with his other hand. “Enough fooling around. You don’t want any of your new friends to get hurt now, do you? So why don’t you just tell all your boyfriends to go take a flying leap so you and I can leave… or do I need to convince you?”
Anne paled as he pressed the hand in his pocket against her side. “Jeffrey! “ She gasped. “You didn’t bring a gun in here around all these children, did you?”
“He better not have. It’s against state law to bring a weapon into a school building,” Mario said, all trace of his jovial accent gone as he joined Brad and the others to form a loose half-circle around Anne and the stranger, effectively screening them from the rest of the audience.
“Not to mention a violation of your parole,” Brad added.
Jeffrey’s eye’s narrowed dangerously at Brad. “Since you obviously know who I am, you should know I don’t need any flippin’ gun to deal with my wife. This is between the two of us. So why don’t you and your little posse just back off and let us leave?”
“I see you didn’t learn much during your incarceration, Mr. Harper,” said a stern voice behind Brad.
“Aunt Bonnie?” Anne gasped.
“J-J-Judge Ames?” For the first time, Jeffrey’s confidence seemed shaken. He stammered and removed his hand from his pocket. “What—what are you doing here?”
“The better question, Mr. Harper, is what are you doing here? And where is your electronic tether? It’s a violation of your parole to remove it, you know.”
Detective Moore’s gaze went from Aunt Bonnie to the man still holding Anne then back. “Ma’am—I mean, Your Honor, I’m Detective Moore and this is George Connors. We’re both with the Grandville P.D. and Mario Falcone is a part-time deputy with the county. If you suspect this man is violating a parole, the three of us can run him in until you sort things out.”
“Do it,” Aunt Bonnie ordered. “But try not to make a fuss. My grand-niece’s recital is about to start, and I fear the audience is already curious about what’s happening back here.”
Moore nodded and took a step forward. “Okay, buddy, you heard the judge. Let go of the young lady then we’re going to take a little walk out to the hallway.”
In a matter of moments, the lawmen hustled Jeffrey from the auditorium, cuffed his hands behind his back and began to do a pat down. A small crowd of onlookers had followed them into the hallway, so George scooted everyone back against the far wall. Brad’s aunt stood with Anne at the opposite side of the corridor, watching the proceedings.
“No weapon. Just a roll of mints,” Mario announced, pulling the cylinder from Harper’s jacket pocket and tossing it to the detective.
“I never said I had a weapon,” Jeffrey protested.
The Friendship Star Quilt Page 26
