by Dana R. Lynn
“He killed your brother!” she choked out, horrified.
“Yes, he did. At my orders.” She sneered at Lizzy. “My brother had wasted the opportunity I had given him. Our uncle had left me the bakery.” She flicked her fingers lazily at the logo on her shirt. “It was the perfect cover-up for the operation I ran. Bill had somehow gotten wind of it, and he wanted a cut. I told him not to cross me, and he promised to toe the line and keep himself off the radar. The fool couldn’t even handle it. Then he thought he’d cheat me by trying to cut deals on my property. When he met Zave there, though, he was supposed to make sure there were no witnesses to his death.”
She had seen it, though. Why had Sue let her live?
Abruptly, Sue unlatched her seat belt and exited the car. Lizzy tugged at the ropes holding her wrists together, and she felt the nylon shift. Had it loosened? She couldn’t be sure. If it had, it still wasn’t enough for her to get herself free. Fear skittered through her whole system. A quick glance up told her that Sue and the man were still occupied talking. Actually, it seemed as though they were arguing. Hopefully, they would argue long enough for her to make some headway on her ropes.
She desperately wished she could find some way to reassure Rebecca. Even if she could turn and face her sister, she knew her sister did not read lips, so there was nothing she could say to her without the ability to move her hands. From the backseat, she could hear a flurry of movement, which let her know that Rebecca was also working on her bindings. Rebecca was not one to quit. She had fought for her life, and had too much to lose now to give up.
Isaac’s face came to her mind. She had not told him that she was falling in love with him. If she ever saw him again... No. Even then, she would have to keep those feelings secret. Because it would not be fair to burden him, to make him feel pressured to choose her and the Amish faith.
Would he choose it on his own?
It didn’t matter right now. Nothing mattered except finding a way out of this horrible situation. She refocused on the task of freeing her hands, furiously working on the nylon ropes. So intent was she on her business that she started when the driver’s door opened again.
“I figured you’d be trying to get free,” Sue said, amused. “It’s no use, Lizzy. You’re stuck right where I put you, but don’t worry, I don’t plan on leaving you in the car.”
The passenger’s side door next to her opened. Horror clawed through her as the man she’d watched shoot a man in cold blood bent to pick her up out of the car. Lizzy fought as best she could, trying to kick out with her legs. He merely laughed.
“You keep fighting, and I will shoot Rebecca.”
Sue’s words stopped her movements. Rebecca! Lizzy was able to twist her head around enough to see that Sue had pulled her sister from the car and was again holding a gun to her. Lizzy had no choice. There was not a single doubt in her mind that Sue would shoot Rebecca like she promised. She’d probably shoot them both soon. If she’d have her own brother killed, she’d probably be willing to kill anyone. But Lizzy wasn’t going to make it happen any sooner, not if she could help it.
The two women were brought inside the old building. The dank scent of mold and rotting wood, accompanied by some scents that Lizzy would prefer not to identify, assaulted her senses. She gagged, causing Sue to laugh harshly. The man carrying her, however, wasn’t amused.
The light filtering in from the single window was dim. Sue’s face was in shadows. The jolting motion of being carried was making Lizzy’s already stressed-out stomach churn. She gagged again, and choked back the bile that threatened to rise.
“You throw up on me and I’ll make you regret it,” he growled.
She gulped in the dirty air through her mouth, hoping that smelling it less would quell some of the nausea roiling in her stomach. Behind her, she heard Rebecca gag and retch. A slap followed the sound, and she cringed to hear her sister gasp.
Lizzy bit the inside of her cheek to help her keep her silence. The tinny flavor of blood filled her mouth. God, please help us be strong. Be with us. Protect us. She kept the litany of silent prayer running as she was carried back, deeper into the bowels of the wrecked building. The scuffling of steps behind told her that Sue was bringing Rebecca along, as well.
The room they were led to was dark. A single window high up on the wall was the only source of light. The fading sunlight cast a dim ray into the room, barely cutting a slice through the shadows. Soon, she knew, even that light would be gone. Sue and the man’s faces were in shadows.
“Zave, set her down over there,” Sue ordered.
Zave set her down on the floor hard enough to jostle her bones. She hissed as her head bumped the wall behind her. Sue pushed Rebecca down beside her. At least they had enough mobility to reach and grab each other’s hands. It was an uncomfortable position, and Lizzy winced as her leg was twisted at an unnatural angle. She couldn’t bring herself to let go of her sister. Rebecca’s grip on her hands intensified. This had to be even more terrifying for her deaf sister, unable to even hear what was going on.
Keeping her gaze locked on Sue, she saw the woman lift something and place it on a table on the other side of the room. A single click, shockingly loud, and then light flared upward into the room. Sue had some sort of lantern in the room.
She had prepared a space for this purpose. Never would Lizzy have believed the woman to be so cold-blooded as to plan the atrocities she now knew she had committed. And continued to commit.
She picked up the gun that was lying on the table next to the light. This was it. Lizzy tightened her grip on her sister’s hand, trying to tell her through her touch that she loved her. Tears tracked from her eyes, and she knew without looking that Rebecca was weeping softly beside her. Whirling to face them, Sue held the gun steady, a malicious smirk on her face.
“I have not worked so hard for anyone to take what I’ve built from me. Not anyone.”
Without warning, she turned the gun on Zave and fired. It was so fast Lizzy didn’t even have time to blink. The man gaped at Sue as his body slid down the wall. He was still alive. She could hear his gasping breaths.
“Why?” he choked.
Sue took a step toward him. “You failed me, Zave. You bungled the whole affair, and then didn’t get rid of the witness. Because of your failure, she was able to go to the police. And she would be able to identify you. I knew that she had to be taken care of. But you have become a liability, as well. It would have been too time-consuming and risky to do the job one at a time. It might also have led the police to me. This way, I will eliminate all the loose ends. This building will be torched, and no one will connect it to me.
“Goodbye.”
* * *
Lizzy must have had her phone on her. The signal from the phone was moving, allowing the cops to follow it and zero in on where they were heading.
“The car was spotted entering the Carstairs place ten minutes ago.”
Isaac listened to the dispatcher’s voice, relief and dread mingling. A lot could happen in ten minutes. He jabbed a trembling finger at the button to respond. “We’re on our way,” he yelled into the microphone. “Car six is en route and will be on scene in five minutes.”
Or less, if he could help it.
“Ryder, we need to move.”
Nodding, his face grim, Ryder hit the sirens and shoved his foot down hard on the gas. The cruiser jolted forward, engine revving as it roared past the cars pulling to the side of the road. Isaac sat beside him, hands fisted. It was no time for jokes or pleasant conversation. Two women were in mortal danger. A thought occurred to him.
“Rebecca’s husband is in the area. I’m going to contact him and let him know our location.”
A minute later, he disconnected his phone. “Done. Miles Olsen is en route, even as we speak. Lieutenant Anderson is bringing him along.”
The drive to the Carstairs place
was just up ahead. Ryder steered the car into the parking lot. Isaac kept his eyes moving, scanning the area. The car that his sister had said Lizzy’s sister arrived in when she came to visit his mamm’s house was there. Another car was also there.
Ryder radioed in the other license plate. “Xavier Daniels,” he reported back.
Isaac’s eyes widened. Xavier Daniels had been in and out of the prison system since he turned sixteen.
Weapons out and at the ready, the two men approached the building. “We’re on scene and entering the building,” Isaac said softly into the radio hooked to his shoulder. They eased through the opening in the front door, then paused, listening. No sounds. Keeping their steps as quiet as possible, they entered, peering around the corners.
A sudden shot rang out from the back of the building. “Shots fired!” Isaac snapped into his radio. Then he and Ryder were moving back in the direction they’d heard the shot. His blood was pounding in his veins and his gut clenched. He pushed all thought of Lizzy out of his mind. If he let his emotions lead, she would die, without a doubt. Keeping a cool head was the only way he could bring her out alive.
He blocked off the thought that he might be too late. He couldn’t go there.
Voices. A harsh feminine laugh. He looked back. Ryder nodded. He’d heard it, too.
They continued to make their way to the back of the building. A woman’s voice pleaded. Lizzy. A surge of relief billowed up inside him. She was obviously still alive. Although she was also still stuck in the room with two killers, so they weren’t out of danger yet.
The voices were coming from a room off to the left. They peered around the corner. It was clear, so they continued on. Ten seconds later, they moved into position to see into the room. Sue was right ahead of them, pointing her gun at a young man on the floor.
Xavier Daniels. He wasn’t moving. Sue was still moving, though, her gun skimming over until Lizzy was in its path.
They were out of time.
“Police! Drop your weapon!” he shouted into the room.
Sue didn’t drop her weapon. Instead, she whirled to point it at him. The first shot went wild. He and Ryder both dodged the bullet, and it thudded into the wall in the hallway. The raging woman made to aim again. His gun was already up, and he aimed to shoot. At the same time, Lizzy and Rebecca made an odd movement together, and Rebecca’s leg kicked out, sweeping Sue’s legs out from under her.
Shrieking, she dropped the gun to catch herself as she hit the ground. Before she could recover, Isaac was there, flipping her over and putting the handcuffs on her as she bucked and yelled. He raised his voice to recite her rights even as he felt the satisfying click of the handcuffs locking into place. She continued to rant as he dragged her to her feet, while avoiding her feet as she kicked out at him.
“I’ll take her,” Ryder said, coming up beside him. “Daniels is dead. It looks like she shot him twice. I hear sirens, hopefully the ambulance crew. I will direct them down. You see to your girl.”
My girl. He wished with all his heart that was true, but knew it was an impossible dream. Still, he was so grateful she was alive. That was the most important thing. He pulled his pocketknife out, carefully sliced through the nylon bindings on Lizzy and her sister. With a cry, Lizzy lurched forward and threw her arms around his neck, weeping into his shoulder. He held her tightly, squeezing his eyes tight. He had come so close to losing her. At least when she leaves, I’ll know she’s well.
Her head lifted from his shoulder. He wanted to kiss her, but set her away from him instead. Now was definitely not the time and place for that, nor did he have that right. It hurt, but he had to keep his distance.
The sounds of voices broke into the silence. Then the sound of running feet. Miles Olsen burst into the room, his gaze skipping over everyone and zeroing in on his wife. She pushed herself off the floor and was in his arms. Miles, unlike Isaac, didn’t hesitate to kiss the woman he loved.
It hit him with enough force that he rocked back on his heels. He could no longer deny it. He loved Lizzy Miller. She was the woman he had been waiting for.
And she was from the world that he had left. He couldn’t have her without her world.
Which meant he had to let her go.
For the next few hours, he focused his attention on collecting statements and booking his prisoner. Lizzy and Rebecca had been unharmed, although he knew that the trials they’d been through would cause their own scars. His heart lurched. Lizzy had been through so much in her life. Would her panic attacks return?
He hurried to see her as soon as his duties were done. “Lizzy—”
She stopped him with a wide smile. “I’m fine, Isaac. I can see that you’re worried about me, and yes, I will never forget this ordeal. I may even have a bad dream now and then. But, Isaac, did you see it? Rebecca and I had promised to look for any opportunity to help ourselves, and when it came, we took it. Sue would have killed us. But she didn’t. You saved us, and we also saved ourselves.”
He blinked. This exuberant woman was not what he expected, although he was happy to see her reacting this way.
“So, you’re okay?” He thought she was, but he needed to make sure.
She nodded. “Absolutely. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I had some control. That, and I knew that Gott was with us.”
Yes, he thought. He felt the same way.
Grinning at the beautiful blonde beside him, he beckoned to her. “Come on. I promised to get you to your cousin’s house. How about I do that?”
She nodded.
“Oh, do we need to wait for your sister?”
“No, we’re leaving now.” Miles and Rebecca met them in the hallway. The men watched as the sisters embraced. Miles and Isaac shook hands and Miles kissed Lizzy’s cheek. Then the couple departed, Miles keeping his arm firmly around his wife’s shoulders.
Isaac’s throat ached. Not with jealousy. With regret. He wanted what they had, but knew that he wouldn’t get it because Lizzy was the only woman he wanted it with.
* * *
Lizzy stayed with Addie for the next two weeks until her baby girl came, right on schedule. She assisted with the birth the way she’d promised, but within a day or two, she was ready to go home. Her cousin told her that she had made plans for a driver for Lizzy.
Lizzy was surprised to find Isaac waiting to drive her home in his truck. She gulped in a deep breath as she took in his familiar and beloved face. Then she frowned. Something was different. His hair. Isaac had his hair cut down to a mere half inch. The color left her face at the obvious sign that he was not even thinking of rejoining the Amish church.
“Why are you driving me home?” she asked bluntly. Not that she wasn’t happy to see him. She was. But it was also bittersweet, knowing he’d never be hers.
He shrugged. “I wanted to see you one last time. Besides, I thought you might be uncomfortable hiring an unfamiliar driver after the recent events.”
And just like that, the wall of ice she had tried to build between them melted into a puddle inside her. He might have decided that they had no future, but he was still looking out for her. She would treasure this drive together, this last gift of his time and his caring, and hold it dear in her memories forever.
The drive started out uncomfortable, mostly because she was trying so hard to keep the silence from growing between them too long. Finally, he reached out and gripped her hand with his. She jumped at the unexpected contact.
“Liz, it’s okay.” He squeezed her hand before releasing it and putting his hand back on the wheel. “We don’t need to talk the whole time. Let’s just enjoy the trip. It’s nice to finally be able to breathe, knowing that the bad guys have been taken care of and you are safe. I know that I’m grateful that both you and your sister are safe.”
“Me, too,” she whispered, her throat tight as she reflected on how close she had bee
n to dying.
Suddenly weary, she relaxed back against the seat and closed her eyes. The swaying of the vehicle lured her into a deep sleep. When she woke up, she was startled to find that they had already entered LaMar Pond. Dismayed, she sat up straight. She had slept through most of what was likely her last time with him.
Before she knew it, they were pulling up in front of her house. Mamm, Dat and her siblings flowed out of the house and swarmed over her, exclaiming over her and touching her kapp to ensure her safety. Mamm caught her up in her arms and embraced her tightly.
“Rebecca told me about what had happened. Are you well, daughter?” Martha Miller’s kind eyes searched Lizzy’s face.
She cleared her throat to get rid of the constriction forming there. “I’m well, Mamm.”
Her voice sounded like she had swallowed cotton.
Her mother gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead, then peered over her daughter’s head to the police officer who had brought her little girl home.
“Officer, thank you for returning Lizzy to us. You are welcome to stay and eat dinner with us. There’s plenty.”
Lizzy ducked to hide her smile. There was always plenty. Her mother still cooked as though all six of her children were at home, regardless of the fact that Rebecca, Thomas and Joseph were all married and had homes and families of their own.
Her smile faded as she saw him shake his head out of the corner of her eye.
“No, thank you, ma’am. I need to be getting back to Ohio. It was a pleasure to meet you all.” He nodded at Lizzy. “Lizzy.”
That was going to be all the farewell she would receive. There were so many words dammed up inside her, words that she could never say with her family here. And her family was making no move to go inside and give them privacy. She understood that. Given what she had been like before she left for Ohio, they would have no way of knowing that a different Lizzy, one that had learned to love and trust, had come back to them.
