Danger on the Mountain

by Lynette Eason

  “I’m fine,” she said. “Shaken, but fine.”

  “I see you’ve met Reese.”

  “Yes.” She tried to smile. “He saved the day, I do believe.”

  Eli lifted a brow. “Oh?”

  Reese shifted, the flush on his face revealing that he wasn’t comfortable with the praise. “Just doing my job.”

  “Not even on the clock yet and already a hero, huh?”

  “All right, that’s enough,” Reese said, his mild tone not hiding his embarrassment. “Maggie’s the one who kept me from getting shot.”

  At Eli’s raised brow, Maggie shook her head and refused to let Reese turn the attention back on her. However, she let him off the hook as she shifted Belle to her other hip. She couldn’t help shivering as she remembered the look in the one robber’s eyes. “He was going to make me go with him,” she whispered.

  “What?” Eli demanded.

  She nodded. “If Reese hadn’t intervened, the robber would have taken me and Belle with him.”

  Eli snapped a look at Reese. “That true?”

  “It sure looked that way.”

  Eli’s frown deepened. “Robbing a bank is serious business, but they were willing to add kidnapping, hostage taking, to it?”

  “They were.” Reese’s nose flared. “And not only that, but one of them threatened Maggie and her baby—and me—as he escaped.”

  Now Eli’s brow lifted and he reached up a hand to stroke his jaw. “Do you feel threatened?”

  Reese looked at Maggie. “I’m not worried for myself, but I think you should make sure you have extra patrols around Maggie’s place.”

  So he was worried about her.

  Eli nodded. “I can do that, but she’s pretty isolated out there on the lake.”

  “The lake?” Reese asked. “Which one?”

  “Rose Petal Lake. Not too far from your place, I don’t think.”

  Maggie spoke up. “I’m staying in my grandfather’s old house. I’m trying to decide if I want to stay there permanently or get something here in town.”

  “Maggie teaches school,” Eli said.

  “Which one?” Reese asked.

  “It’s an online academy,” Maggie said as Belle leaned over, trying to wriggle free of the arms that held her. Maggie expertly kept the baby from tumbling backward and said, “I teach fifth grade. It allows me to earn a living and keep Belle with me.” And allowed her to try to figure out if she’d ever return home. She stiffened her spine. No, that house had never been home.

  For the past six months, Rose Mountain had been home.

  And she didn’t see that changing in the near future.

  Eli scratched the back of his head, and Maggie felt

  Reese’s gaze on her and Belle. And it unnerved her that every time his eyes landed on Belle, he looked away. In fact, other than asking her name, he hadn’t acknowledged her presence. Did he not like babies? Children? Disappointment shot through her.

  Squelching the unexpected feeling, she hugged Belle closer and said, “I’ve got to get her home for a nap. She’s going to start getting cranky if I don’t.”

  Eli nodded, placed the strap attached to his camera around his neck and said, “I just finished a weeklong crime scene processing training class last month.” His lips quirked. “Thought I should update my skills just in case, but the whole time I kept wondering why I was there.” He looked around and shook his head. “Guess now I know.”

  Maggie had lived in Rose Mountain long enough to realize that small town law enforcement officials often had to take care of the forensics side of things. If the nature of the crime warranted a higher level of expertise than the local sheriff, he had to call someone from a bigger city. Eli said, “You’ll need to see the psychologist about the shooting and file a report.”

  Reese grimaced. “I know.”

  Eli nodded. “Why don’t you see the ladies home, and I’ll finish up here.”

  “Uh...yeah, sure.”

  He looked caught, trapped with no way out. She frowned. What was his problem?

  Then he smiled and she wondered if she’d imagined the whole expression. She settled Belle back into her car seat carrier and he led her to the door. Stepping outside, she breathed in the fresh fall air, grateful to be alive.

  “Which one is your car?” he asked.

  “The blue Ford pickup.” He looked surprised, and she laughed. “Didn’t expect me drive a truck, did you?”

  “No, I was looking for a minivan or something.”

  Maggie clucked her tongue. “Shame on you. Stereotyping?”

  He grinned, and she felt that tug of attraction she’d been hoping she wouldn’t feel again. The last thing she or Belle needed—or wanted—was a man in their lives. His eyes held hers a bit longer than necessary. She looked away as he said, “Yes, I guess so. Sorry.”

  Maggie settled Belle into the back of the king cab and opened the driver’s-side door. Climbing in, she noticed Reese watching. He gave her a nod and let her lead the way. Pulling out of the bank, she turned right onto Main Street. As she drove, she listened to Belle chattering in the backseat. At least she hadn’t suffered as a result of their scary adventure this morning.

  Soon, she’d have to feed the baby her afternoon bottle or her sweet chatter would turn to demanding howls.

  Maggie headed up the mountain, the short mile to her home seemed to take forever. Pulling into the gravel drive, she cut the engine and waited for Reese to drive up beside her.

  He climbed out and looked around. He pointed. “See that house just across the lake?”

  “The one with the white wraparound porch?”

  “Yeah. That one’s mine.”

  “It’s beautiful. I noticed it the day I moved in.” Maggie pulled the carrier with the sleeping Belle from the backseat with a grunt. She slid the handle onto her arm up to the crook of her elbow. “She gets heavier every day, it seems like.”

  He shut the door for her and asked, “Where’s Belle’s father?”

  “Dead.” She heard the matter-of-fact tone in her voice.

  When she turned, surprise glistened in his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said.

  “I am, too. Sorry he’s dead, not sorry he’s out of my life.”

  TWO

  The woman just kept surprising him. The gentle, mommy demeanor hid a spine of steel. Also evidenced by her cool-under-fire reaction at the bank earlier.

  Opening the door, she led the way inside, holding the carrier in front of her. “I’m surprised she’s still sleeping.” She set the baby carrier on the kitchen table and opened the refrigerator to pull out a bottle filled with milk.

  “Why aren’t you sorry he’s out of your life?”

  While Maggie placed the bottle in a pot of water she began heating on the stove, she kept her back to him. He wanted to turn her around so he could see her face. When she didn’t answer, he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms, wondering why he was asking questions that were none of his business.

  At first he thought she was going to pretend she hadn’t heard him, but when she turned, she said, “I shouldn’t have said that.”

  Reese lifted a brow at her.

  She shrugged and grimaced. “He wasn’t a very nice person.”

  He’d abused her. She didn’t say so, but she didn’t have to.

  His gut tightened as visions of women he’d pulled out of domestic violence situations crowded his mind. Their bruises, their damaged faces, bodies...souls. The ones who had died. He blinked the images away and focused on Maggie.

  “When did he die?”

  “About a month after Belle was born.”

  “Car accident?”

  Maggie sighed. “Not exactly.”

  She didn’t want to tell him?

  Belle woke suddenly and let out a howl. Reese flinched and watched Maggie calmly unbuckle her daughter from the car seat and pick her up. She then pulled the bottle from the heated water, tested the temperature of the milk on her wrist and stuck it
in the squalling mouth.

  The silence was sudden.

  “You’re good at that.”

  Maggie laughed. “I’ve had a lot of practice.”

  As the baby ate, Reese took in his surroundings. “Nice place.”

  She looked up from Belle’s face to smile at him. “I like it. It’s simple, functional and pretty much everything Belle and I need.”

  He nodded. “You said you were an online teacher.”

  “I am. I teach learning disabled students online. It’s perfect for us. I get to make a living and Belle gets to stay home with me. So far so good.”

  “What about when you have to teach and Belle doesn’t want to cooperate with your schedule?”

  Maggie grinned. “I have a neighbor who comes over. Mrs. Adler. She’s a retired nurse and lives twelve hours away from her grandchildren. She loves Belle and acts as if every moment she gets to spend with her is the highlight of her day.”

  A shadow moved across the window right in his line of sight. He straightened and narrowed his eyes. She caught his expression and frowned. “What is it?”

  “Probably nothing,” he said. “Just thought I saw something move outside of your window.” He walked over to it and, out of habit, stood to the side, keeping himself from being a target should someone other than a friend be out there. The blinds were open, the sun high in the sky.

  What had he seen?

  Anything at all?

  Or was he still jumpy from this morning? He saw Maggie settle into the rocking recliner next to the couch, Belle’s small hands clasped firmly on the bottle she eagerly devoured. In his mind’s eye, he replaced the scene with one containing Keira and his own baby girl. But that wasn’t to be. Sorrow clamped hard on his heart, and he had to make a supreme effort to shut the feeling down.

  He was in Rose Mountain, making a new start. There was no place for sorrow or sad memories. Two things he’d been desperate to get away from back in Washington. “I’m going to check outside around your property.”

  Her frown deepened. “You think someone is really out there?”

  “I don’t know, but it won’t hurt to check.”

  Worry creased her forehead as her eyes followed him out the door.

  Once outside, he stood still, taking in the sights and sounds he’d become familiar with in such a short time. Nothing seemed out of place. Nothing set off his internal alarm bells.

  He made his way over to the window in the den. The open floor plan had allowed him to be standing in the kitchen, looking into the den. If he’d kept his eyes on Maggie and her daughter, he’d never have seen the shadow.

  If that’s what he’d seen.

  Circling the perimeter of Maggie’s house, he kept an eye on the area around him and on the ground in front of him.

  With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the air had a bite to it. He shivered, wishing he’d grabbed his coat on the way out. The hard, cold ground held no trace of any footprints. No evidence at all that anyone had been in front of the window.

  Then what had caught his attention? Anything? Or was he so on edge that he was now seeing things?

  He frowned, shook his head and walked back into the house to find Maggie still holding Belle. The baby swiveled her gaze to him and he swallowed hard when she grinned. Two little white front teeth sparkled at him.

  Maggie asked, “Did you find anything?”

  “No. It was probably just nerves left over from this morning.”

  She shot him a doubting look. Fear flickered in her eyes before she turned back to Belle, who’d finished her bottle. Maggie settled the baby into a sitting position and started a rhythmic patting on the small back. Her actions were automatic, but her eyes said her thoughts were on their conversation. She asked, “You think it could be the man who said he’d kill us?”

  Did he? “I think that guy’s long gone.”

  Maggie bit her lip and he wondered if she believed him. And he couldn’t blame her. He wasn’t sure he believed it himself. She sighed. “So what’s next?”

  “We’ll question the robber in custody, see if he’ll talk for a deal.”

  Maggie shuddered. “Did you see his face? His eyes? They were hard. Empty. I don’t think he’ll be talking any time soon.”

  “Don’t be so sure.” He glanced again at Belle who stood on Maggie’s thighs, holding on to her mama’s hands. Reese averted his gaze. “I’m going to head back to the station and see if he’s said anything.”

  “All right.” Maggie stood and shifted Belle to her hip. “She’s got a nap to take, and I’ve got an afternoon class to teach.” She paused. “Will you keep me updated on what happens? I’m still a little nervous about that threat.”

  He smiled, hoping to reassure her. “Sure thing.”

  * * *

  Maggie walked him to the door and locked it behind him. Then she walked into Belle’s room and placed the sleepy baby in the crib. Even though Belle had fallen asleep for a short time on the ride home from the bank, she needed a real nap or by the evening, she’d be so cranky Maggie wouldn’t know what to do with her.

  Belle protested for a while, but she finally fell quiet, her cries fading as she slipped into sleep.

  Maggie smiled. It had been so hard to learn to let the baby cry, but once she’d tamped down her instinct to hold Belle every time it was naptime, they were both a lot happier. Belle slept better, and Maggie was able to get a few things done.

  Like teach her online class. She still had about ten minutes before she had to sign in. Mrs. Adler should be arriving soon. The woman lived just a few houses up from Maggie and often walked over to be there in case Belle woke up while Maggie was in the middle of a class. Maggie paid her a weekly wage, and Mrs. Adler was thrilled to be making money and honing her grandmother skills.

  With Reese’s dominating presence gone, she now felt an absence she’d never noticed in the small house before. What shocked her was her lack of nervousness when he was around. She’d actually let him in the house. The fact that he was a cop helped. She felt safe with him in a way she didn’t feel with other men who were not in law enforcement. Officers had helped her when she needed it most. Like Felicia Moss, the officer who’d listened to Maggie’s story and then taught her how to hide once she escaped from Kent.

  All that knowledge, and she hadn’t needed it. Kent had been killed before she could put into practice everything she’d learned.

  Gulping, she pushed aside the memories and booted up the computer. Signing in, she greeted the students already in the room and got started.

  Forty-five minutes later, she signed off, thanked God once again for the ability to work from home and got up to check on Belle. Sleeping soundly.

  Mrs. Adler had slipped in and was sitting in the recliner reading a book. “Hello there.”

  The woman set the book in her lap and looked up to smile at Maggie. “Hi. Belle’s sleeping away, and I’m enjoying a good book. How’d your class go?”

  “Great. I only had three show up today, and we had a fascinating discussion about right angles.”

  Mrs. Adler grimaced. “Please don’t talk about math. I still get hives if I have to think about numbers without a calculator in front of me.”

  Maggie laughed. “I love math. I actually prefer it.” A noise outside the door made her jump and turn. “Did you hear that?”

  “Hear what?”

  Shivers danced in her stomach, but she didn’t want to alarm Mrs. Adler unnecessarily. “Um...I thought I heard Belle. Do you mind checking on her?”

  “Sure, hon.” Mrs. Adler walked down the hall and Maggie swiveled to stare at the front door.

  She slowly walked over to it.

  The knob jiggled and she stepped back, heart thumping. “Who is it?” She hated the tremble in her voice, but after this morning, the bank robber’s threat loomed close to the front of her mind.

  The knob stilled. Faint footsteps reached her ears, and she felt her pulse kick it up a notch.

  Maggie went to t
he side window and looked out just I time to see a slim jean-clad figure race around the side of the house.

  Slim, tall, ragged, loose-fitting jeans.

  Slim? The man from the bank?

  Her breath snagged in her throat and fear thumped through her.

  Fingers fumbled for the phone. Finally, she wrapped her hand around it then punched in 911.

  * * *

  Reese slapped the pen down onto the desk. He’d prefer to work with a computer, but his hadn’t been set up yet. Looking around, he smiled. Not that much different in this office than the one he’d come from. Washington, D.C., was just bigger and louder.

  Eli shoved a ragged-looking man in front of him as he escorted him down the hall to the holding cell. The man let loose a string of curses that didn’t stop even when the door clanked shut.

  Reese’s radio crackled on his shoulder.

  Nope, not that much different. And maybe just as loud.

  He looked at Eli and gestured toward the prisoner. “That Pete?”

  “The one and only.”

  Pete Scoggins. The town drunk. Reese had heard about him five minutes after being in town.

  Pete wilted to the floor of the cell and Eli slid into the desk opposite Reese. “Anything on the bank robbery?”

  “No. Anything on the identity of the man who cracked his head on the floor?”

  Eli shook his head. “He’s awake and released from the hospital and into our custody, but he’s not talking.”

  “She said he wouldn’t,” Reese murmured.

  “What’s that?”

  “Maggie. She said the man wouldn’t talk.”

  Eli blew out a sigh. “Well, she’s got it right so far.”

  “Anything on a gunshot wound coming in at any of the hospitals?”

  “Nothing.” Eli pursed his lips and ran a hand over his chin. “I’ve gotten the word out to be on the lookout for the two other robbers, one with a gunshot wound in his shoulder. So far, we’re batting zero.”