Living in Shadow

by Georgia Florey-Evans

  “It’s no secret.” Mitch’s forehead furrowed. “One of our classmates--Luke, Holly, and I graduated together--one of our former classmates was obsessed with Holly. He kidnapped her. Luke and I found them, and during my struggle with the kidnapper, his gun fired and Luke got hit.”

  The question came out before he could stop it. ”Do you feel guilty?”

  Mitch’s gaze leveled on him. ”I did at first. If I’d have gone for his right arm, maybe I would have been able to get the gun pointed at the floor.” A light appeared in his eyes. “But I prayed. I prayed a lot. And now I realize it could have gone a million different ways.”

  “You’re human, though. You had to wonder why the whole thing happened.”

  “Looking at the what-ifs won’t do anybody any good. Luke has never blamed me. In fact, he thanked me for saving Holly. He helped me see even though things didn’t go the way I wanted, it worked out just fine. With Luke’s support and God’s presence, I could let go of my guilt and be thankful my friends are okay.”

  “That’s all well and good.” Hardy wasn’t convinced. “But if God were there, why did he let Luke get hurt? Why did he let Holly be kidnapped in the first place?”

  “That’s not the way it works.” Mitch seemed certain of his statement. “We all have free will, and I’m sure God is often telling us we shouldn’t do something. But we don’t listen.”

  God talking to him? Hardy didn’t believe it was possible.

  “Holly’s kidnapper is a troubled man who either couldn’t, or chose not to, listen to God. Instead, he believed he should have Holly just because he wanted her. We all have to deal with the consequences of his choice, but God is with us, and helps us every day.”

  Hardy knew what he was saying but in his case . . . “I’m sorry, but I just don’t buy it.”

  Mitch’s brow furrowed. “Maybe I didn’t explain it right. Why don’t you talk to Pastor Rollins? He’s a lot better at making sense.

  Pastors. “That’s okay. I’ve done fine so far, and I’ll keep doing fine.” That was enough talk about God. “So, did I hear you’re getting married soon?”

  Hardy watched as the change in topic moved through the sheriff’s eyes. He slowly smiled. “Not quite sixteen weeks."

  "Have you been together long?"

  "Tessa and I have known each other since junior high, and I’m pretty sure I’ve loved her that long. It just took me a long time to work up the courage to ask her for a commitment.”

  “You didn’t date each other in school?”

  Mitch shook his head. “I didn’t date at all. I don’t believe in dating simply for the fun of it. I decided to date only if I thought it would develop into something permanent. God has to be in the relationship with us, and I have to feel like it’s what he wants. When I told Tessa how I felt and what I wanted, and she said she felt the same way, it was like God was right there, telling me our relationship has his blessing.”

  There he went with God-talk again. “Do you have any family here in Shadow?” And if Mitch Landon’s father was a local minister, Hardy was getting up and leaving.

  “Have you met Melissa?”

  Hardy searched his highly efficient memory for that name. He placed it on a petite, auburn-haired beauty. “She’s been out to the farm with Holly before. They went on a walk together.” He remembered because Melissa, or Missy, as Holly had called her, insisted they walk on the gravel lane, to “stay away from the creepy crawlies and poison ivy.”

  Mitch’s grin grew. “Believe it or not, that little gal is my twin sister. I’m a whopping seven minutes older than she is.”

  For the first time since the sheriff sat down, Hardy produced a real smile. “You’re right. I’d never have guessed it.”

  “Our parents moved to Kentucky to manage a cabin rental business.” He chuckled. “You want to see something funny, you should see Missy visiting Mom and Dad. She makes Dad or me go into the cabin with a broom to check for spiders or any other type of pest. And her idea of nature walking is the sidewalk between the cabins and lodge.”

  “Your sister sounds like a city girl.”

  There was that smile again. “Yes. A city girl getting married to the owner of the nature preserve.” Mitch chuckled. ”Joe Willis can’t even get her to walk any farther than the pond with him. I wonder what it’ll be like when their children play outside.”

  Listening to Mitch talk about his sister made Hardy think of Callie. ”My sister and I aren’t that close.”

  “Does she live nearby?”

  “She and her husband live west of Chicago.” And, he’d visited their place a grand total of two times.

  “Does your sister have any children?” Mitch asked.

  “She has a boy, Blake. He’d be . . .” Hardy had to think. “I guess he’d be five or six now. And her daughter is four, I think. Her name is Tabitha.” Guilt filled him as he realized he hadn’t seen his niece or nephew in over two years.

  He had finished his dinner. Usually, Hardy would have a slice of whatever pie Maisie, the cook, had baked fresh that morning. Tonight, after the discussion with Mitch, he wasn’t hungry.

  “I’d better get going. Early start in the morning.” He stood up and dug out his wallet.

  “I’ll see you.” Mitch’s voice dropped. “And you have my word. I’ll let you know if anything I can’t contain happens. I’ll make sure you have plenty of time to clear out if it's necessary.”

  Thank you.” Hardy dropped enough money for his meal and a generous tip for Nancy on the table before he turned and walked out of the diner.

  It was probably too much to hope Mitch Landon had been the only person to watch that show and recognize him as Harding Davis. The agent in charge of his case must not have seen it, because if he had, Hardy would already be arguing about being relocated.

  Despite Elliott’s support, Rich Stephens, the agent handling his protection, had tried to move him to Boise, Idaho, of all places. Hardy flat out refused. He just couldn’t bring himself to be that far away from his family.

  Now, if too many people had seen him on that show and identified him as Harding Davis, he would have to move again, like it or not. Because if his past caught him, his life would end. And he wasn’t ready for that to happen. He wasn’t ready for that at all.

  Chapter 2

  “Hank, you there?” Haley Johnson absent-mindedly tightened the clasp in her ponytail as she spoke into the radio microphone of the base unit.

  “Just got back in the car.” Hank Snow, the youngest deputy in Shadow County, answered her.

  “Betty Livingston just called. Her weekly complaint, a three-eleven.”

  Amusement was warring with frustration in Hank’s voice as he responded. “If she’d quit peaking around the bushes, she wouldn’t see Hubert.” A deep sigh came over the radio. “I’ll go talk to her. Maybe she’ll be satisfied if I just warn the old guy. I hate to write him another ticket.”

  “Good idea. Base out.”

  Haley sat back in her chair. She had been the chief dispatcher for the Shadow County Sheriff’s office for nine years, and most of the calls that went out were something similar to the one just made. Poor Hubert Belton was in his nineties and liked to take sponge baths in his front yard. There was plenty of foliage around the place, but about once a week one of his neighbors, usually Betty, would call and complain. An officer went out every time. They used to bring him in regularly until Mitch said it was getting ridiculous and told them to either give the old guy a warning or ticket. Haley was just waiting for the day when the elderly man showed up to pay his fine wearing nothing but a smile. That would make people talk.

  The non-emergency phone rang and brought her out of her daydreams.

  “Shadow County Sheriff’s office.”

  “Is Sheriff Landon in?” The caller was a female, but Haley didn’t recognize her voice right off.

  “Yes.” She looked through the glass separating Mitch’s office from the rest of the squad room. He was looking at files o
n his desk. “May I say who’s calling?”

  “This is Jennifer Ewing. It’s important that I speak with Mitch.” The woman, who Haley knew tended to be a bit of a busybody, seemed to be growing agitated.

  “Just one moment.” Haley put the caller on hold and paged Mitch. He looked out the window at her as he picked up the phone.

  “What do you need, Haley?”

  “Jennifer Ewing is on line one. She says it’s important she speak to you. Should I put her on through?”

  Mitch groaned. “She probably wants to tell me about Craig Reynolds’ new car. He’s been pushing that Corvette right to the limit. Just take a message, and tell her I’ll call back.”

  “Okay.” Haley didn’t think this would go over well at all. She pushed the button to open the line. “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until he can return your call.”

  “But this is . . . Oh, never mind. Tell him I saw a man on TV Sunday night, and he looked familiar. I just figured out who he is, and he’s living right here in Shadow under a different name.”

  She’d need more information than that. “Please tell me which show you were watching and who you’re referring to.” The woman had probably been watching too many forensics shows and let her imagination get away from her.

  “Just tell Mitch to call me.”

  Jennifer Ewing hung up before Haley could get any further information out of her. As daffy as the call seemed, Haley’s job wasn’t to analyze complaints. She just made sure they were reported. She pushed the button for Mitch’s office again.

  “Let me guess. Reynolds blew dust on the clean laundry she had hanging on the line.” Mitch spoke drolly.

  “No. I’m not sure if I completely understood her, but it’s something about somebody in town not being who he says he is. She thinks she saw him on a television program. That’s all she’d tell me. I told her you’d call her back.”

  Haley was totally unprepared when her boss abruptly told her he’d take care of it and hung up. She watched in disbelief as he looked up a number and dialed it. Evidently the message made more sense to Mitch than it did her.

  “Hey, Blondie.” Haley looked up to see Wayne Daniels, one of the deputies, heading her way.

  “Hi, Wayne.” The tall, black man was one of the nicest people Haley knew.

  He paused in front of her desk, a big grin on his face. “I heard the radio chatter. Hank’s visiting Hubert Belton again.”

  She returned his smile. “Don’t be too smug about it. You’re up for the next call on him.” Since none of the deputies liked to confront the elderly man about his bathing habits, Mitch had come up with the solution of rotation. So far, it had worked well.

  “Maybe Mrs. Livingston will stay on her own side of the hedges for a couple of months.” Haley laughed at the hopeful expression on the man’s face.

  “You can dream.”

  Wayne’s smile returned. “I didn’t stop by to jaw about our outdoor bathing problem. Lori wanted me to invite you to dinner this evening.”

  Wayne and Lori Daniels regularly invited Haley to their house for dinner. In the past few months, they seemed to have had ulterior motives.

  “Who else would be joining us?”

  The sheepish expression on Wayne’s face told Haley she’d hit a ringer. “Just one of the men Lori works with.”

  Haley mentally ran through the list of employees at Shadow State Bank. “Wayne, the only men who work with Lori are either married or old enough to be my father.”

  His smile widened as he explained. “Wyatt is new. He’s only been there a couple of weeks.”

  And the poor guy was already being set up on a blind date. “I doubt if he’d want to meet me. You know with my work schedule, it’s next to impossible for me to date.”

  “Lori already told him all about you.” Wayne looked altogether too pleased with himself. “He can’t wait to meet you.”

  “I don’t like to be set up,” she reminded the deputy. “And that's exactly what this sounds like."

  “It’s for your own good.” Wayne wasn’t giving up easily. “It’s not right for you to be alone all the time. You need a social life.”

  “I have a social life.” Haley wasn’t quite ready to surrender just yet. “I belong to the ladies group at church, and I’m starting to teach the kindergarten Sunday school class next weekend. I have lots of friends at church.”

  “That’s good,” Wayne acknowledged, “but you need more than work and church. God didn’t put you on this earth to turn into an old maid.”

  She burst into laughter. “I don't think very many people would classify a thirty-year-old woman as an old maid.”

  He sighed. “Just come to dinner tonight. If you don’t like Wyatt, you’ll never have to see him again—except at the bank. Please say you’ll come.”

  The leftover tater tot casserole she’d been planning to warm up wasn’t something she would necessarily mind missing. “What time should I be there, and what should I bring?”

  “Six-thirty and a positive attitude. I believe Wyatt Millan might be just what you need.”

  Wayne had just said his goodbyes and left for traffic supervision duty when “Haley, can you come in here for a minute?” As was often the case, Mitch didn’t bother with the intercom. He just yelled.

  She looked at him, only to see him studying something on his desk. The last time he’d called her to his office had been to instruct her to write an official reprimand for one of the dispatchers she supervised. She warily walked over and opened the door to his office.

  “Come in and close the door.” There was definitely something bothering her usually easygoing boss.

  As soon as she’d sat down, Mitch lifted his gaze to her.

  “This stays between us.” His tone of voice brooked no room for argument. “The call we received from Jen Ewing . . . We might get more calls like that. Knowledge of them has to stay within the

  department, and I need you to make sure I’m notified of every one of them. It’s crucial.” The last time Haley had seen him this serious was when Holly Walker was being stalked.

  “Can I ask what’s going on, or is it secret?” Although it rarely happened, Haley was always aware that Mitch could decide to keep things from her.

  He studied her face for a moment before he spoke. “All I can say is we’re protecting one of the county’s residents. There aren’t any laws being broken. I just need to be aware of calls like Jan Ewing’s.”

  “How do you want me to handle the other dispatchers?” They both knew what Haley was really asking. Ray Fine and Mavis Shepard would follow orders and keep everything under wraps, but Crystal Stanley was another story. She was one of the biggest gossips in the county and had been written up for sharing official information outside the office more than once.

  “I hadn’t thought about that.” Mitch sighed as he ran his hand down his face. “I’ll talk to all three of them, and I’ll lay it on the line for Crystal. If I find out she’s breathed one word about any of this to anybody besides me, she’ll be job hunting.”

  Something occurred to Haley. “Mitch, Jan Ewing didn’t identify the man she was talking about, but other callers might. What am I supposed to do if you don’t want me to have that information?”

  He closed his eyes, and as she saw his lips move, Haley knew he was praying. When his eyes once more met hers, determination, or possibly resignation, was evident. “The person they’ll be calling about is Beau Harding, the man working for Luke and Holly Walker. All you need to know is I’m aware of the situation, and it’s being handled. Fair enough?”

  “Yes.”

  A few minutes later, though, back at her station, Haley’s mind was troubled. She hadn't exactly met Beau Harding, or Hardy, as most people called him. But she'd heard from several people that he was stand-offish. Haley was prepared to like him if for no other reason than he was helping the Walkers.

  She pictured the tall, muscular man with grayish-blue eyes and couldn’t stop the shiver that sho
t up her spine. Haley wasn’t the type of woman to be attracted to a man because of his looks, but she wasn’t blind, either. And Beau Harding was easy on the eyes.

  “Hey, Haley, I’m going to need you to sign for this.”

  The male voice startled Haley out of her musings. She looked up and smiled at the man standing there.

  “Hey, Will.” She stood up and walked the few yards between the dispatch station and counter. “Have a package for us?”

  The mail carrier, William Baxter, held up a shoebox sized box. “It’s special delivery.”

  Haley waited while he placed the package on the counter and prepared his hand-held computer for her signature. “How’s the weather out there, Will?”

  The burly man who somehow always made Haley think of Barney Rubble, looked up as he held out the device. “It’s pretty warm for an October morning, but it seems like the leaves are

  falling like crazy. I lost count of how many people are burning them today.”

  She wrinkled her nose as she signed her name. “I hope my neighbors don’t burn theirs. My apartment will smell like smoke for two weeks if they do.”

  Will nodded. “The city needs to come up with an ordinance. Most towns don’t allow leaf burning within city limits.” He tucked the computer back in its holster and adjusted the bag on his shoulder. “It’s too bad I don’t have your side of town on my route anymore. I could drop off your mail with the sheriff’s.”

  “That’s okay.” Haley picked up the letters beside the package. “I’m not in that big of a hurry to see my bills.”

  “I know what you mean.” His eyes practically disappeared under his brows. “Those doctors are killing me.”

  “How is your mom?” Haley felt guilty. She should have asked about Lydia Baxter first thing.

  He shrugged. “As well as can be expected, I guess. I think she’s getting used to the nursing home. They take better care of her than I could at home.”

  She smiled gently. “Is the money a problem again? I know your mom’s insurance ran out, and it’s been nearly six months since we had the fundraiser. We can have another one if you need it.” Bone cancer was an expensive disease.