Strangers in the Night

by Patricia H. Rushford

  He bent to kiss Emma’s forehead. Then he cupped Abbie’s chin and looked directly into her eyes. “Please do the right thing.” He brushed his lips against her cheek. His kiss went through her like a gentle rain. She could do nothing but stare after him.

  Emma opened her eyes, cuddled for a few moments, and then wanted to know why she wasn’t in her bed. “I wanted you to wake up, sweetheart. Uncle Jake will be here soon and we’re going to spend some time with Nana and Papa.”

  A plan formed as she uttered the words. Perhaps the safest place for Emma right now was at her parents’ home. Perhaps for her as well. With four or five adults present, Emma wouldn’t be alone for a minute, and Tim would be there to provide police protection.

  Jake and Sheriff Moore arrived just as Abbie finished dressing herself and Emma and packing their bags. Dawn showed the note to the sheriff.

  “Abbie.” Jake drew her forward and settled an arm around her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I thought we were in the clear.”

  The sheriff set the note on the counter and shook his head. “There’s nothing I can do here.” Annoyance tinged his gravelly voice. “We have no idea who wrote it. And unless it’s acted on, there’s nothing I can do.” He lifted his belt with both hands, but it quickly settled below his stomach again. “For all we know, you could have written the notes yourself.”

  Abbie gaped at him, too angry for words. How could he be so unconcerned?

  “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” Jake’s nostrils flared as he balled his hands into fists.

  Sheriff Moore shrugged. “Her parents are in show business. These people will do anything for attention.”

  “Thank you for enlightening us, Sheriff.” Jake opened the door and stepped aside. “Sorry we bothered you. We’ll let you get back to work.”

  When the sheriff stepped out, Jake slammed the door behind him.

  “Can you believe that guy?” Dawn asked.

  “He’s an idiot.” Jake stepped over to the phone. “I’m calling Jeff.”

  “What’s the point?” Abbie asked. “The best we can do is to make certain Emma is safe.” She told Jake about her plan to go back to her parents’.

  “That’s a good idea,” Dawn said as she headed back to the kitchen and set out plates for breakfast. “Keith can keep an eye on things out here until Brent comes back.”

  Jake agreed and made his call to Jeff, asking him to meet them at her parents’ place.

  Perkins joined them for breakfast and seemed taken aback about the note. His concern surprised Abbie, especially since he topped her suspect list. Actually, he was her only suspect other than Floyd and Elsie. And maybe Travis, but somehow, she couldn’t see him as a person who would threaten a child. As soon as they’d finished breakfast, Abbie called her parents, who were more than happy for them to stay. Abbie didn’t tell them about Daniel. Time enough to do that when they got there.

  After breakfast, Abbie drove into town with Jake following. She tried to get her mind around this latest threat. The writer hadn’t followed through on the first warning. Several weeks had passed. She had not only purchased Cold Creek, she had begun the renovation. Why wait this long to surface again?

  Once more she thought about Barbara and wondered if there might be a connection. And Brent—had the same person run him off the road? The questions circled around in her head and mingled with Daniel’s ultimatum. Should she forget this craziness and go with him?

  If she did go back to Iowa, it would be a permanent move. She wouldn’t run away this time. And if Daniel didn’t build the house he’d promised, she would do it herself. After all, she still owned Nate’s part of the farm.

  “How can you even think about going back?”

  “Who’s going back, Mommy? Back where?”

  Abbie didn’t realize she’d spoken aloud until she heard Emma’s question.

  She smiled and reached to take her daughter’s hand. “Nowhere, honey. I was just thinking out loud.”

  “Oh.” She didn’t seem convinced. “Can Nana and me go to the ’musement park again?”

  “Nana and I,” Abbie corrected.

  “You want to come too?”

  Abbie chuckled. “Maybe.”

  “Can Unca Daniel come too? I like him.”

  “He’s very nice.”

  “And Unca Jake too?”

  “Hmm.” Abbie made the noncommittal sound, wishing she and Emma had driven with Jake as he’d wanted, but she thought she might need her car. Somehow being with Jake gave her stability and made her feel safe. She sure could use some of that stability about now.

  After seeing Abbie safely to her parents’ place and waiting there to talk with Jeff and Tim, Jake had gone to work. Perkins had made yet another appointment, and he had plans to meet three other potential buyers as well. “I’ll be back after dinner,” he said as he kissed Abbie good-bye. She hugged him, wishing he would stay and shelter her against the tide of confusion that threatened to wear her down.

  “Are you going to be all right?” he asked. “I could cancel…”

  Please stay. I need you here. Aloud she said, “You don’t need to do that. I’m shaken up, but I’ll survive.”

  “I’ll see you as soon as I can get away.”

  He kissed her again and as he drove away, Abbie ached with the realization that she might have to say good-bye forever.

  That afternoon, after Abbie had put Emma down for a nap, she made iced tea and joined Skye on the porch swing. Most of the swelling had gone down on Skye’s face, but the bruises had grown darker, more purple, blue, and green.

  “You look better.”

  “Liar.” Skye’s mouth slanted in a lopsided grin.

  Abbie sipped at her tea, glad her sister was there and safe.

  “What are you going to do?” Skye asked after a long silence.

  “About the note?”

  Skye nodded and pressed the chilled glass against her jaw.

  “I don’t know.” Should she tell her about Daniel? “I need to do whatever I can to keep Emma safe.”

  “Are you going to run away again?”

  Abbie shook her head. “Not this time. But… there is a chance I’ll need to go away for a while.”

  “Like where?”

  “Iowa.” Abbie told Skye about Daniel and the court order.

  When Abbie finished, Skye leaned her head against Abbie’s shoulder. “You can’t go, Abs. It’s not fair. Leah can’t do that to you— to us. And what about Jake?”

  Abbie sighed. “I haven’t had a chance to tell him.”

  The swing stopped and Abbie set it to rocking again.

  “He won’t let you go.”

  “He won’t have a choice.”

  “Daniel’s a jerk.”

  “He’s doing what he thinks is best for Emma.”

  “Humph. He’s following mommy dearest’s orders. And to think I used to have a crush on him.”

  “Really? I didn’t know that.”

  “You were too starry-eyed over Nathan. Daniel danced with me at the wedding.” Skye sat up. “He was so cute. I wrote to him for a while—before I went south.”

  “South?”

  “That’s how Dad refers to my…indiscretions.”

  “Hmm.”

  “I really messed up, didn’t I?”

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t go with him, Abs. Stay here and fight.” She frowned. “Hey, I just thought of something. Don’t you think it’s strange that you get this note threatening to hurt Emma the same time Daniel shows up to take her away?”

  “Are you suggesting that Daniel wrote that note?”

  She shrugged. “Do the math.”

  Abbie was just about to retire for the night when Jake showed up. He was wearing his tennis shoes and casual slacks and had a sweater over his shoulder. “Ready for that walk?”

  She smiled. “I am. I got your telepathic message just as you pulled into the driveway.”

  “I’m sorry I’m late. One of
the couples I showed houses to today decided to buy.”

  “And Perkins?”

  “Perkins is still looking for the perfect place.”

  “Maybe he’ll get his wish. Maybe if I sell Cold Creek to him the threats will stop.”

  “Are you serious?” Jake took her hand as they descended the stairs and headed for the beach.

  “Daniel is here.”

  “I know. Dawn told me last night when I called. I wanted to come out, but I was over at Brent and Peggy’s taking care of the kids.” He pulled her closer. “How did they find you?”

  Abbie told him.

  “Great. So much for confidentiality.”

  “None of that really matters, does it? He has a court order to take Emma.” By the time she finished telling him about Daniel’s offer, she was in his arms sobbing. “What am I going to do, Jake? I can’t lose Emma and I need her to be safe. Right now going with Daniel seems like my only option.”

  Jake gathered her in his arms and held her until the sobbing stopped. “You can fight this. We’ll fight it together. We’ll talk to Leo in the morning. Just remember, no one is better able to take care of Emma than you are. You’ve provided a good home for her. Your parents and your sister don’t factor into the equation.”

  “You make it sound as though I have a chance.”

  “You do.”

  “What about the note? Skye thinks Daniel might have left it for me to convince me to leave.”

  “Would he do that?”

  “No. Daniel adores Emma.” She sighed. “But I do feel as though I’m being manipulated.”

  “Maybe you are. Who else knows that Daniel is here?”

  “Dawn, of course, and Keith. Keith asked him if he wanted to work. He said he’d talked to Travis about having Daniel help. They don’t know why he’s here though.” She frowned. “Perkins. He was at dinner last night.”

  “That’s strange—Keith asking Daniel to work with them. Did Daniel give any indication that he planned to stay more than a day or two?”

  “He’s leaving tomorrow—I have to decide by then.”

  “I don’t want to lose you.” His voice cracked.

  “Jake.” His head lowered until his lips met hers. She melted into him, matching him need for need. When they finally drew apart, Abbie thought her heart would break. How could she ever consider leaving him?

  “Abbie, I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  He kissed her again as though to seal the bond that had grown so strong between them. She did love Jake, but love might not be enough. She should walk away now. But as she had ignored the warnings all those weeks ago in that dimly lit ballroom when he’d asked her to dance, she also ignored the voices telling her to run now. She closed her eyes and her mind to what lay ahead and immersed herself in the here and now. Tomorrow would be soon enough to worry about tomorrow.

  For Abbie the day of worries came too quickly. She awoke in a panic. Jake had gone home at midnight with the promise to call her attorney first thing in the morning. There had to be something they could do to stop the court order and keep Daniel from leaving with Emma.

  Abbie prayed it would be so but didn’t hold out much hope. “Have faith,” Jake had told her. She was trying.

  Her father had the coffee percolating when she ventured downstairs. She’d told her parents everything the day before. “Jake called.”

  “Already? It’s only seven.”

  “He wants you to meet him at the lawyer’s office in an hour.”

  “I’d better get dressed.”

  “Sit. Have a cup of coffee with your old man.”

  Abbie settled into a chair at the table. “All right, but just for a minute.”

  “I’ve been thinking about your situation here.”

  “And?”

  He sighed heavily as he placed two cups of coffee on the table. “Your mother and I feel badly about what’s happened. We had no idea buying Cold Creek would cause so much trouble for you.”

  “You couldn’t have known. And turning Cold Creek into an artists’ colony was a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, someone doesn’t think so.”

  “And then there’s this crazy custody thing.” He rubbed the lines in his forehead. “That woman has a few screws loose.”

  “Dad.”

  “I know. I shouldn’t be badmouthing her, but she’s got no business taking Emma away from you.”

  “She thinks she does, and she may be right. We’ve inadvertently gotten ourselves into a dangerous mess. If we can’t keep Emma here, I’ll have to go with Daniel.”

  “You and I both know that’s not the answer.”

  Abbie sighed. “What would you suggest?”

  “Maybe going back to Grand Forks for a few weeks until this thing blows over.”

  “It’s tempting, but running away isn’t an option anymore. Jake is right. I’ll talk to the attorney this morning and hopefully send Daniel on his way without Emma. If I have no choice in the matter, I’ll go to Iowa with Daniel and fight Leah from there.

  “I need to get dressed.” She drained her cup and took it to the sink.

  Before leaving the house, Abbie went back to Emma’s room to check on her.

  Emma, looking like a princess, lay in a cloud of pink sheets and ruffled comforter. Abbie kissed her forehead and brushed back her silky hair. Her stomach recoiled at the thought of someone cutting her baby’s hair. Who would be so evil, so desperate to threaten a child?

  “God, please keep her safe. Please don’t let Leah take her away from me.” Abbie tiptoed out of the bedroom and made her way out of the house and to the car. Jake had written the directions to the attorney’s office on one of his business cards the night before. A few minutes later, she pulled in front of an older building on the wharf that looked as though it had been recently remodeled. The building housed a bookstore, a boutique, a café, and several offices.

  Jake must have seen her park, because he stepped out of the office to escort her in. He introduced her to Leo, and after a few brief pleasantries, they sat down. “I have some great news for you, Abbie. I pulled in a couple of favors. We’ve secured a date for a custody hearing for two months down the road. It will give Child Protective Services here in Lincoln County a chance to assess your situation and determine whether or not you should maintain custody. The injunction from Iowa has been lifted.”

  If Abbie hadn’t been sitting, she might have collapsed in a puddle on his floor. “How did you… I mean, thank you.”

  “I’ve been working on your case since Jake first told me about it,” Leo said. “I’m sorry about stirring up the waters in Iowa and giving away your whereabouts, but we eventually would have had to contact Mrs. Campbell anyway.”

  With the necessary paperwork in hand, Jake and Abbie left Leo’s office and headed to Cold Creek to give Daniel the news.

  He was working with Travis on the hotel when they caught up with them. Hands gray with dust, he took the form from Jake and began to read.

  A smile worked its way into his lips as his eyes met hers. “You may not believe me, Abbie, but I’m glad for you.”

  Abbie stretched up to kiss his cheek. “I know.”

  “Mom will fight this, you know.”

  “I’m sure she will. I know how much she must miss Emma. Why don’t you tell them to come here to see us? We can have a nice visit and—”

  “I’ll tell her, but I doubt she’ll come.” He frowned. “What about that threat? It seems to me you’d want to get as far away from here as possible. My offer still stands.”

  Jake stirred. “There’s no way I’d let—”

  Abbie hushed him. “Hopefully the police can figure out what’s going on. I’ve decided to keep moving forward with my plans for Cold Creek. Emma and I should be safe staying with my parents.” She told Daniel about Tim being with the state police.

  Daniel grinned and seemed to have lost some of the moodiness he’d exhibited before. “I’d like to see him. In fact, maybe I could s
tay here awhile longer. I want Emma to know me better. I could help out around here.”

  “I’d love to see you stay. In fact, why don’t you plan on coming to dinner at the house tonight?”

  “So you’re not mad at me?”

  “I knew from the beginning you didn’t want me to lose Emma. You didn’t have to offer to take me with you. I have no animosity toward you. You are and always will be my brother.”

  He hugged her and accepted the dinner invitation. “I guess I’d better call Mom. Let her know I won’t be bringing Emma home.”

  “Daniel.” Abbie touched his arm. “Emma is home.”

  After a week, Daniel had become part of the family. He seemed happy and in no hurry to leave. He worked with Travis on remodeling the hotel and spent a fair amount of time at the Grant house playing with Emma and talking with Skye.

  There had been no further threats, but Abbie wasn’t about to let down her guard. Perkins was still staying at the B&B and Abbie had yet to understand why.

  Brent had been released from the hospital and with the help of crutches went back to work on the Victorian. It was later that they made a startling discovery at the old house. While he’d been in the hospital, Brent had looked over the floor plans again and determined that Abbie’s suspicions were correct. There seemed to be a secret panel behind the cupboards in the pantry that had been built between the kitchen and living room. Abbie insisted on being there when they tore down the wall.

  Samantha speculated that the secret wall space might be where Gunnar had buried Jeb’s money. Dismantling the cupboards to get to the inside space proved quite a task. Travis had taken over the task for Brent and began knocking out the plaster and brick of the façade. When the opening was large enough, he poked in a flashlight and began to examine the inside. “It’s narrow—only about a foot wide.” He moved the flashlight beam around the walls and down. “Uh-oh.”

  What started out to be a curious adventure ended in a grisly discovery.

  “What?” Abbie moved forward, but he stopped her.

  “Trust me, Abbie. You don’t want to see this.” He backed away and added, “There’s a skeleton in there. We need to call the police.”