The Stranger's Sin

by Darlene Gardner

  “You’re lying,” he said.

  She flinched, alerting him that his barb had hit the mark. She pressed her lips together and dropped her gaze. He waited for the inevitable denial, but she surprised him.

  “You’re right,” she said. “I am lying.”

  KELLY WAS GOING TO tell Chase about everything. The kidnapped baby. Agreeing to babysit for Mandy. The arrest. Skipping out on bail. Everything.

  It wasn’t surprising that he’d accused her of being untruthful. In fact, she’d been waiting for the charge. After enduring round after round of interrogation with the Wenona cops, she recognized when somebody didn’t believe her.

  She’d gotten a reprieve last night when his father had stumbled into the room clutching his chest, but now was her time of reckoning. She had no choice but to trust him.

  “The reason I’m looking for Mandy has nothing to do with that necklace,” she said.

  A clattering at the opposite end of the bar interrupted her. The man with the scraggly beard, the one accused of moving in on his friend’s girl, lay sprawled on the floor beside an overturned bar stool.

  The man with the goatee stood over him, shouting, “I told you not to touch her!”

  “It was just a little kiss! It didn’t mean anything.” The petite woman pushed at her boyfriend’s chest, but he didn’t budge.

  “You shouldn’t have got me mad.” The man on the floor rose unsteadily to his feet, lending credence to his statement. He was about five inches taller and forty pounds heavier than his friend. He raised his fists, boxer-style.

  “Somebody should call the police,” Kelly said.

  “No need. I got it.” Chase left his bar stool and strode toward the men.

  “What do you mean you got it? It’s a bar fight!” Kelly called after him, but he didn’t turn back.

  She watched in horror as the gap between Chase and the two men narrowed. The bigger man cocked his right fist, looking able to mow down everything in his past. First his buddy with the goatee, then Chase. Just as the big man was about to let his fist fly, Chase pounced. He intercepted the big man and twisted his right arm behind his back.

  “Ow,” the big man cried. “That hurts.”

  The man with the goatee took a step forward, as though he meant to smack the other man while he was effectively immobilized.

  “Do it and you’ll spend the night in jail,” Chase told him in a gruff voice. He looked tough and in control, a startling contrast to the gentle man who’d pretended his oatmeal-filled spoon was a UFO that morning.

  The man with the goatee retreated, his palms raised in surrender. “We don’t want no trouble. Right, Frankie?”

  “Right,” Frankie parroted in a pain-filled, high-pitched voice, his arm still pinned behind his back. “No trouble.”

  “Then get out of here and get some black coffee into you.” Chase released Frankie, who stumbled backward, rubbing his arm. “Any more trouble from either of you, and I’ll arrest you for being drunk and disorderly.”

  “No. No. We’re going.” The instigator turned into the peacemaker. He took some bills from his wallet and threw them on the bar before grabbing his girlfriend’s hand and slinging an arm around his buddy’s shoulder. He set a quick pace to the exit.

  Chase returned to his seat, looking as though the miracle he’d just accomplished was all in a day’s work.

  “That was impressive,” Kelly said. “You really had them believing you could arrest them.”

  “I can arrest them.”

  She thought over their first meeting when he’d confirmed he wasn’t a cop. His badge still said he worked for the Department of Fish and Wildlife. “I thought you were a forest ranger.”

  “I’m also a law-enforcement officer,” he said. “I deal mostly with fish and wildlife regulations, but if I see the law being broken, it’s my job to enforce it.”

  Violating her bail after being arrested for kidnapping would constitute breaking the law.

  Kelly’s heart pounded so hard if felt as though her rib cage might splinter. Her first impression had been correct. Chase Bradford was a danger to her. If he discovered she was in violation of her bail, he’d be duty bound to turn her in. She felt sick when she thought about how close she’d come to sealing her own fate.

  But maybe she was overreacting. She was an innocent woman and by all accounts Chase was a decent man. She could possibly convince him she’d been wrongly accused and enlist his help in clearing her name. She just had to summon the courage to tell him and pray he wouldn’t go by the book.

  He always tries to do the right thing.

  Charlie Bradford’s words about his son resonated in her mind even as she thought about confessing. Could she really take the chance that Chase’s interpretation of the “right course of action” would coincide with hers?

  “Getting back to what we were talking about,” Chase said, “you were about to tell me why you’re really looking for Mandy.”

  She couldn’t tell him the truth. The realization hit her with enough force that she recoiled. The stakes were far too high to gamble away her freedom.

  “Well?” he prodded. “Why are you looking for her?”

  “She stole money from me.” Kelly forced herself not to squirm. Neither did she drop her gaze nor let guilt over her dishonesty creep into her consciousness. This was about survival. She couldn’t let him suspect she was about to tell another lie.

  “I thought you met her at a coffee shop.”

  “I did.” Kelly paused, trying to remember what she’d told him previously. “And she did ask if she could sit at my table. It wasn’t until later that I discovered it was because she planned to empty my bank account.”

  “I don’t understand,” he said.

  “I didn’t, either. At first. But she must have been standing behind me in line and saw my password when I used my debit card.”

  He was quiet, waiting for her to continue. Now that she knew he was in law enforcement, his silence reminded her of the tactic one of the Wenona cops had used. Instead of peppering her with questions, he’d said nothing, waiting for her to grow uncomfortable and blurt out something incriminating.

  “My purse was on the chair between us,” she said. “Mandy must have slipped the debit card out of my wallet when I went back to get extra napkins. That’s the only thing I can figure.”

  He still said nothing, but Kelly wasn’t about to offer any more information unless he asked for it. She’d come up with the story on the fly, figuring that money was always a good motivator, and was mentally reviewing it for loopholes.

  He finally broke the silence. “Isn’t there a limit to how much money you can withdraw from an ATM?”

  “She made two withdrawals and only the first one was at an ATM. She must have gone inside a bank and found a teller who didn’t ask questions because she just about cleaned me out.”

  He narrowed his eyes and shook his head, but she held his gaze, refusing to look away.

  “Why didn’t you go to the police?” he asked.

  Of course. She should have anticipated that question.

  “I called the police,” she said. “But the cop I got on the phone didn’t give me much hope I’d get my money back. Especially because it was pretty clear Mandy wasn’t a local. That’s why I decided to look for her myself. All the ATMs have cameras, so if I can find her I can prove she stole my card.”

  “Then why make up the story about the necklace?”

  “I didn’t make it up,” she said. “She really did lose the necklace.”

  “You know what I mean. Why not just say you were looking for her because she stole from you?”

  She made herself laugh, hoping she’d injected the right amount of disbelief. “I’m a stranger in town. I didn’t know how people would react if I accused one of their own of stealing.”

  “But why not tell me?”

  “You lived with her. You’re the last one I’d tell.” She took a deep breath. “Besides, you didn’t tell me why
you were looking for her, either. I had to find out from your father it’s because you want custody of Toby.”

  “My father talks too much,” he said. “But it’s not the same thing. You lied to me. I failed to tell you something you didn’t need to know.”

  “If we’re going to be a team, it is something I need to know.” The words were out of her mouth before she considered their wisdom. Did she really want to join forces with a man who had the power to arrest her?

  His brows drew together. “What do you mean, ‘a team’?”

  “I’m not sure either of us can find Mandy on our own. Together, we have a pretty good shot,” she said, thinking aloud. Yes, no matter the danger, she needed his help. She swallowed, then went for broke. “So how about it? Want to go to that craft show?”

  Her story sounded credible, much better than the last tale she’d invented, but she couldn’t be sure he believed it.

  She desperately needed him to believe her.

  Finally, when she thought she couldn’t stand the suspense any longer, he spoke. “I have to work tomorrow but I should be able to get away for a few hours in the morning.”

  Her limbs sagged with relief, but she strived to remain cool and collected. “Good.”

  “Just one more question,” he said, and she tensed up again. “Do you really expect to get your money back if we find her?”

  “I’ve come this far,” she said. “I can only hope for the best.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  THE RESTAURANT CHARLIE BRADFORD chose for his dinner with Teresa Jessup Thursday night was in a rustic inn an hour’s drive from Indigo Springs. Over many years’ worth of fishing trips, Charlie had passed the driveway that led to the lodge a half dozen times before he got curious enough to explore it.

  Set a mile back from the main road in a copse of trees, the inn was charming, romantic and isolated. The restaurant just off the main lobby, with flickering candlelight gracing its tables, boasted the same qualities.

  The place was so out of the way it seemed extremely unlikely Charlie would run into anyone who knew him, which was precisely the reason he’d chosen it. An added bonus was the proximity of an old buddy’s fishing cabin, where Charlie had truthfully told Chase he was spending the night.

  Charlie looked at his watch to confirm Teresa was indeed twenty minutes late, then took a swig of water and crunched a melting ice cube. The restaurant wouldn’t be so perfect if he had to eat alone. He waited another ten minutes until it seemed likely that would be the case, but still told the waiter he wasn’t yet ready to order.

  Five minutes after that, Teresa finally came into the restaurant. Dressed in dark-cream slacks and a tan blouse that looked good with her blond hair, she made the entire restaurant seem brighter.

  As always when he saw her, his heart flipped over. This time it tumbled a little more vigorously because he’d convinced himself she wasn’t going to show.

  “Hi, Terri,” he said, feeling his lips curve upward.

  “Don’t you ‘Hi, Terri’ me.” Her grumble would have worried him more if she’d sat across from him at the table for four instead of next to him, where their knees almost touched. He moved his knee so it would make contact with hers, encouraged when she didn’t pull away. “I got stuck in a line of cars behind a tow truck and it took me an hour and twenty minutes to get here.”

  “I told you it was an hour’s drive.”

  “If we’d gone to a restaurant in Indigo Springs, it would hardly have taken any time at all.”

  “Yeah, but everybody knows that good things come to those who drive a long way to get it.” He winked at her.

  A corner of her mouth quirked.

  “If you want me. Here I am. Drive and get me,” he said, butchering the lyrics of a once-popular song.

  The opposite corner of her mouth lifted, creating the smile that could make him sink to his knees. Before the night was over, he might find himself there, begging for understanding.

  “I swear,” she said, “I don’t know how you do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Make me forget why I’m mad at you.”

  “Who can stay mad at a charming devil like me?” He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “I’d think it’d be nearly impossible.”

  Over the next hour while they dined on some of the best filet mignon he’d ever eaten, Charlie did his charming best to assure she didn’t remember why she’d been annoyed at him. He told her about Kelly, entertained her with stories about Toby and listened to her talk about her shortened workweek.

  “We’ll pass on dessert and take the check,” he told the waiter after consulting with Teresa. He waited until the young man was out of earshot, then leaned close to her, enjoying the subtle scent of her perfume. “Although it might be a good idea to cap off the meal.”

  Her brows drew together. “With what?”

  “I’ll give you a choice,” he said. “Coffee, tea or me.”

  “Why, Charlie Bradford.” She put a hand to her chest. “Are you asking me to spend the night with you?”

  He’d lined up his friend’s cabin for tonight and Friday precisely so he and Teresa could have privacy. Her office was closed tomorrow for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, leading him to tell Chase optimistically that he wouldn’t be back until Saturday for the festival. But until this moment, he hadn’t known he’d go through with asking Teresa to share his bed. Up to this point, they hadn’t moved past a few unforgettable kisses.

  “Yes,” he said, all levity gone from his voice. “My friend’s cabin is only a few miles from here and I’ve got the keys. So what do you say?”

  “Yes to spending the night with you,” she said decisively. “No to the cabin.”

  “It’s a very nice cabin,” Charlie said over the pounding of his heart. Had he miscalculated? He would have sworn she wasn’t the kind of woman who’d prefer a room at an inn. “You’ll like it. Maybe not as much as you’ll like me, but you won’t be disappointed.”

  “That’s not it, Charlie.” She looked him straight in the eyes. “I’d rather we drive back to town and stay at my place.”

  Charlie ran a hand over his jaw, seeing how he’d walked right into that one. “You know we can’t do that, Teresa.”

  “I don’t know anything of the sort,” she retorted with spirit. “I never should have agreed to meet you here. All this sneaking around makes it seem like you’re ashamed of me.”

  He sighed, for once not able to think up a quick comeback. He’d been trying to avoid this conversation, but saw now it was inevitable. “I’m not ashamed of you, Teresa, but it’s only been nine months since Emily died.”

  “That’s just it, Charlie.” She grabbed his hand and looked into his eyes, hers burning with purpose. “Emily’s dead. She’s not coming back. I’m sorry to be blunt, but she’d want you to move on.”

  “She wouldn’t want people gossiping about her husband.”

  “Not when she was alive, she wouldn’t,” Teresa said. “But she’s gone, Charlie. I don’t see how us being together hurts her.”

  Charlie shook his head, wishing he had the words to make her understand. “It’s too soon.”

  “A few minutes ago, you were ready to go to bed with me. It wasn’t too soon then.”

  “I meant it’s too soon to go public,” he clarified.

  “Where is this coming from, Charlie? Why do you care so much what people think?”

  He found it too difficult to look into her eyes as he thought about how to answer. The hostess was greeting a middle-aged couple with a smile and some menus. Recognition shimmied through him. It was Marie and Frank Dombrowski, who often sat near him at Sunday services.

  “Don’t turn around. The Dombrowskis just walked into the restaurant.” His lungs filled with air as he waited to see where the hostess would seat them. He muttered almost under his breath, “And I was so careful to pick a place where we wouldn’t run into anybody we knew.”

  The hostess said something to the D
ombrowskis, then pivoted, leading them to a table on the opposite side of the restaurant. Charlie sighed in relief. “I don’t think they saw us but we should get out of here before they do.”

  “You’re unbelievable,” Teresa snapped. “I’m telling you I don’t want to sneak around anymore and you’re planning the great escape.”

  Color infused her face and her lips thinned. Charlie had never seen her so angry. “There’s no one I’d rather be on the run with than you, Terri,” he quipped.

  “That Bradford charm of yours won’t work this time, Charlie.” She pushed her chair back from the table and stood. “Give me a call when you’re ready to come out of the shadows.”

  She stalked away from him for the second time that day, but this time she didn’t turn around and look back.

  The meal he’d just eaten roiled in his stomach. He hadn’t explained himself very well, but that shouldn’t have been necessary. Teresa, of all people, should understand he was only afraid of the gossip reaching one particular person.

  But then Teresa didn’t know the intricacies of his straight-and-narrow son’s personality quite as well as Charlie did.

  Quite simply Charlie couldn’t risk losing his son so soon after losing his wife.

  He could almost guarantee Chase would never forgive either of them if he discovered his father was involved with his mother’s best friend.

  CHASE SET TOBY’S CARRIER on Teresa Jessup’s kitchen table and rolled his shoulders, feeling weary even though it wasn’t yet nine on Friday morning.

  At dawn Toby’s loud, happy babbling had pulled him out of a deep sleep. He’d struggled to get himself and the baby ready for the day, discovering it took a lot longer to breakfast, shower and dress without his father around.

  It had taken even more time to line up an alternative babysitter after Judy Allen had cancelled, pleading a sick kid. The next nearest neighbor, who had offered to watch Toby anytime, wasn’t home.

  Chase briefly considered asking his father to cut his fishing trip short before he remembered the area around the cabin had no cell-phone reception.