He stormed across the room, sat down on the edge of the bed and gripped the sides of the mattress with his hands. A week ago he’d been content to go about his work every day and not let thoughts of a woman interfere with his life. That all had changed the night he charged out of the Mississippi woods and found Claire lying on the ground.
Now he didn’t think he would ever be able to return to what he’d known before that, and the thought made him sadder than anything ever had.
TWELVE
Claire watched as Adam walked into his room and closed the door behind him. A tear ran down the side of her face, and she wiped it away with her hand. Their conversation at the lake had left her confused. What did he want from her?
She’d told herself dozens of times over the past few years that she was better off without Adam. He’d broken her heart once, and he didn’t share her belief in God. Those were two strikes against him, but it didn’t seem to matter. She knew she’d always love him in spite of those things.
Tonight when she’d brought up the possibility of returning to Nashville, she had hoped he would take her in his arms and beg her to stay. But he didn’t. He sat there as if he was made of the same stone that the bench was and listened to her ramble on about how she loved his family and didn’t want them to blame her if he was hurt.
She had voiced her confession because she hoped that if she told him how she felt about his family, he would assure her that they all loved her, too, just like he did. But that had never happened.
His reaction had been aloof and left her wondering if it had made him angry. Perhaps he wanted her to realize that even though they had buried their differences over what had happened between them six years ago, she wasn’t a part of his family and never would be.
If that’s the way he felt, then she needed to get back to Nashville as soon as possible. As soon as they returned to Memphis, she’d close her father’s business and put his house up for sale. Then she’d go back to the dull life she’d lived for the past few years.
More tears filled her eyes as she slid her key in the door and pushed it open. She glanced over her shoulder once more at Adam’s door before she sighed and walked into the darkened room.
The door clicked shut behind her, and she flipped the light switch on the wall. As the overhead light blinked on, she froze at the sound of movement behind her. Before she could turn around, an arm wrapped around her neck and another encircled her waist. She opened her mouth to scream, but the pressure on her neck increased and a man’s voice whispered in her ear.
“Don’t move, Miss Walker, or I’ll kill you.”
Panic swept through her, and she stilled. She wanted to speak, to ask him what he wanted with her, but the only sound she could make was a gasp as she struggled to breathe.
He pressed his cheek to hers, and she realized he wore a wool ski mask. She trembled at the touch of his face next to hers, but she tried not to move. “That’s better,” he whispered. “Now just relax. This will be over in a few minutes.”
She opened her mouth and gulped a big breath of air. “Wh-what are you going to do?”
He chuckled and pulled his arm tighter around her neck. “You should never have come to Serenity, Miss Walker. Now you have to disappear.”
“You can’t get away with this,” she gasped. “Adam will tell the police.”
He chuckled. “I don’t think so. There are plans to make him disappear, too. In fact, there’s nothing to prove that you were ever here at all.”
His arm tightened around her neck, and she pressed back against him. She was about to lose consciousness, and she couldn’t let that happen. Instinct kicked in, and she grabbed the hand around her throat with both of hers as she turned her head into his shoulder. Then with all the strength she could muster, she raised her hands over her head and pounded at his face.
The man howled in pain and released the pressure on her neck. His arm still circled her waist, but she wriggled in his hold and struck at him again. Once free from his hold, she whirled around and lunged at him, her curled fingers scratching and gouging at his eyes while she screamed at the top of her lungs.
He staggered backward and crossed his arms in front of his face to ward off her attack. Claire’s eyes widened as the sleeve of his black sweatshirt slipped up to reveal a black-and-red spiderweb tattooed on his arm.
She only got a glimpse of the tattoo before he recovered from her surprise attack and lunged back toward her. Claire screamed and grabbed the straight-backed chair sitting at the room’s desk and hurled it at him as he pulled a gun from a holster attached to the waistband of his jeans and aimed at her.
The chair crashed against his arm and knocked the gun from his hand. It hit the floor between them, and they both dove for it. Claire’s fingers grazed the metal of the pistol before he whisked it from her hand. A new fear overtook her as she gazed into the barrel of the gun pointed at her head.
She swallowed and closed her eyes just as the door crashed open.
“Drop the gun or you’re a dead man!”
The man whirled away from her toward the voice coming from the door. Claire opened her eyes to see Adam standing there, his gun pointed at the man in the mask. The man pointed his gun at Claire’s head. “I’m having trouble controlling my finger. You sure would hate for me to shoot your girlfriend, wouldn’t you?”
Adam took another step into the room. “Get away from her.”
The man chuckled, reached down and hauled Claire to her feet. He clamped his arm around her chest, pinning her arms to her sides, and raised the gun to her head. “Back off now, Knight, or I’ll kill her.” He turned his mouth to her ear and whispered, “Don’t try any of your tricks this time, or I’ll shoot him.”
Claire stared at Adam, unable to speak, but he appeared locked in a battle of wills with the man holding her hostage. He exhaled and crept forward another step. “I told you to let her go.”
The man tightened his hold on her and laughed. “It looks like we have a standoff here. I tell you what I’m going to do. I’ll start counting. By the time I get to three if you haven’t laid your gun down, I’ll blow her head off.”
Adam’s hand gave a slight wobble, but he didn’t put the gun down.
“One,” the man said. “You better believe me, Knight.”
Adam didn’t move.
“Two.” He paused a moment. “Are you really willing for her to be killed?”
Adam didn’t reply, and the man shook his head. “I’m not bluffing. I’ll do it.”
Adam still made no reply but kept his gun trained on his target.
“Have it your way. Thr—”
Adam’s gun clattered to the floor, and he raised his hands. “I put it down. Now let her go.”
The man lowered the gun and waved it in Adam’s direction. “Move out of the way.”
“You’re not leaving here with her.”
“Oh, yes, I am. If you try anything, I’ll shoot you first and then finish what I started before you burst in here. Now move out of my way.”
Adam glanced at his gun on the floor and back at her. “Claire, I’m not going to let him hurt you.”
“It’s all right, Adam. Move before he shoots you.”
The man pushed the gun harder against her temple. “Get out of the way!”
Adam moved aside as her captor nudged Claire toward the door. She lifted her foot as if to take a step but instead raised it higher and smashed the chunky heel of her boot straight down onto the top of his foot.
He squealed in pain and jerked backward. Before he could recover, she rammed her heel down again and pressed it into his foot with all her weight. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Adam lunge for his gun. Then he grabbed her and spun her behind him.
The masked intruder raised his gun, but Adam fired first. The man jerked
as the bullet plowed into his shoulder. Then her assailant fired off three quick rounds that sprayed the room as he ran toward the door.
He disappeared into the hall, and Adam turned to Claire. “Are you all right?”
Her teeth chattered so hard that all she could do was nod.
He grabbed her by both shoulders and stared into her eyes. “I’m going after this guy. Stay here until I get back. Understand?”
She wanted to speak. To beg him not to leave her alone. But she knew it would be useless. He needed to catch this person who had tried to kill them.
She cleared her throat and nodded. “Go.”
His gaze raked her face once more before he ran to the door and disappeared into the hall. She could hear the tap of his running footsteps as he rushed toward the stairway exit. There were no other sounds. No other guests running from their rooms to inquire about shots being fired. No spa security officers rushing up the stairs to investigate.
What was going on in this place?
After a moment she heard footsteps and tensed. She held her breath until Adam appeared in the doorway. “What happened?” she asked.
Adam didn’t take his eyes off her as he walked into the room. “There was a car waiting for him. They drove off just as I got outside.”
The fear she’d tried to ignore returned, and she began to shake. She wrapped her arms around her waist as tears rolled down her face. “H-he w-was waiting for me when I came into the room. I didn’t see him until he grabbed me.” The last words dissolved into a sob.
Adam stood still for a moment, and then he reached out as if he was offering an invitation she could either accept or refuse. There was only one place she wanted to be right now. She stared up into his eyes and with a moan threw herself against him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as she sobbed.
“It’s okay, Claire,” he crooned. “It’s over now, and we’re all right.”
Her arms crept around him, and she pressed her face against his chest. She could hear his heart beating, and the sound comforted her. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks to God for bringing them through this attack safely and asked Him to protect them in the future. Something told her that whoever wanted her dead wouldn’t stop because of their failure tonight.
They’d try it again, and she and Adam were going to have to be on high alert if they were to survive the next time.
* * *
Adam tightened his arms around Claire and pressed his cheek to the top of her head. The fruity scent of her shampoo filled his nostrils, and he inhaled deeply. Although he realized her need for him at the moment was sparked by her fear at almost being killed, holding her like this seemed so right.
He waited for her to calm down before he said anything. “Claire, I think we need to go.”
She jerked her head back and stared up at him. “Go?”
He nodded. “Yes. Don’t you think it’s strange no one has come to investigate? There were shots fired in this room. You’d think someone would have heard.”
“I wondered about that. Where should we go?”
“Somewhere safe for the night so we can figure out what our next step is. Get whatever you brought, and let’s leave.”
“Okay.”
She pulled away from him, rushed to the closet and pulled out her suitcase. With his gun in his hand, he walked back to the door and stood watch while she packed. Nobody entered the hallway from either end.
“I’m ready,” she said.
She stopped beside him, her suitcase in hand. “What about your clothes?”
“I keep my bag packed when I’m on a job. Never can tell when I’m going to have to leave a place in a hurry. I’ll get it.”
He scanned the hallway in both directions before he stepped out and motioned for her to follow. Quickly he unlocked his door and grabbed his suitcase, which sat just inside the room. Then, nodding toward the exit stairs at the end of the hallway, he headed toward them with her right behind.
Once they were outside the building, they circled around to the front parking lot where he’d left his car. A few minutes later they were driving down the road that led to the main highway. When they reached it, Adam turned left instead of turning right toward Memphis.
“Where are we going?” Claire asked.
“I want to find a safe place for the night. They will probably look for us in Memphis. So I don’t want us to go home.”
“Do you have any ideas about where we’ll stay?”
“Do you remember my aunt Sue, my mother’s sister?”
Claire nodded. “Yes, Jessica and I used to spend a week with her every summer.”
“She lives about thirty miles from here. She’ll put us up for the night. In the morning we can decide what to do next.”
“That sounds good.”
She settled back in her seat and closed her eyes. Within a few minutes a soft snore drifted through the car. Adam smiled and checked the heater to make sure it was turned high enough and then directed his attention to the road ahead.
As he drove through the night, he glanced at her sleeping form from time to time. The thought of what had almost happened tonight made his stomach queasy, and he swallowed. What if he hadn’t heard her scream? She’d be dead by now. He thought back to what he’d told her about deciding what to do in the morning. What he hadn’t told her was that he already knew what to do.
He didn’t know anyone else who could have coped so well with all the danger she’d faced in the past few days. His lips twitched at the thought of her boot heel grinding into her attacker’s foot. It was as if she had a natural-born instinct for how to defend herself, but that didn’t mean he was going to put her in danger again.
He’d finalized his plan as he’d driven toward his aunt’s house, and he knew the perfect way to keep her safe. Tomorrow morning he would return to Serenity and try to find out what secrets were being covered up there, but Claire wasn’t going along. He’d slip away and leave her at his aunt’s house.
He could only imagine how angry she’d be when she discovered that he’d left without her, but he had to do it. Maybe later she’d come to realize he’d done it for her own good. Or better yet, that he’d kept her safe because he didn’t want to see the woman he loved hurt.
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and gritted his teeth. By this time tomorrow night he suspected he would either know Peter Willis’s connection to Serenity and whatever was going on there, or he’d be dead.
The same fear he’d felt before going into battle curled in his stomach, and he groaned. When he’d been in the military, he’d been part of a squad. Tomorrow he’d be alone. Could he do it?
Next to him Claire mumbled in her sleep, and the sound soothed him. Over the past few days, he’d come to know a part of her that he hadn’t before. Not only was she beautiful and a bit willful at times, but she was strong and courageous, unafraid to fight back when an attacker was holding a gun to her head. It had to take a deep faith in God to do that.
He remembered one of the Bible verses he’d read last night about how God was with you when you walked through the valley of the shadow of death. They had walked that path tonight, and they’d lived. He was beginning to believe she’d been right all along, and he’d been wrong.
He stared through the windshield up at the stars and said a silent prayer of thanks to God for sparing their lives tonight. And, God, he prayed, help me find the answers that will bring closure for Claire over the loss of her father.
Peace flowed through him, and he smiled. There was no doubt in his mind that God would be watching out for him tomorrow. His years of training had prepared him for what he must do. He just needed to be alert for dangers around him and be ready to deal with whatever came his way. And most of all he would need to put the outcome in God’s hands.
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THIRTEEN
Claire couldn’t believe she’d dropped off to sleep the minute her head hit the pillow and had slept so soundly last night. She sat on the side of the bed while she pulled her boots on and glanced around the bedroom where she and Jessica had spent so many happy times together.
She’d always enjoyed coming here, and last night it had seemed like a safe haven when Adam had led her inside. She barely remembered her conversation with his aunt other than to thank her, but she felt safe among people she loved.
She stood up, smoothed the bedspread back in place and headed toward the kitchen. The smell of fresh coffee drifted through the house, and her stomach rumbled with hunger. At the kitchen door she paused and studied Adam, who sat at the table while he read the morning newspaper.
He didn’t see her, and she took the opportunity to drink in his handsome features. His dark hair, still wet from the shower, curled a bit at the back, and a day’s growth of beard shadowed his face. His dark eyes stared at the printed page in front of him.
She cleared her throat and smiled when he looked up. “Good morning.”
A surprised look flashed across his face. “I didn’t expect you up so early. After all that happened last night, I thought you’d sleep later.”
“No, I feel great. Slept like a log.”
He pointed to the counter where the coffeepot sat. “There’s coffee, and Aunt Sue made some muffins this morning.”
“Um, that sounds good.” After pouring herself a cup of coffee and picking up a muffin, she sat down at the table and looked around. “Where is Aunt Sue?”
“She left for work a few minutes ago. She said she’d see you later today.”
Claire frowned as she swallowed a bite of muffin and glanced at Adam. “Later today? Are we coming back here when we leave Serenity?”
He tightened his hold on his cup and twirled it in small circles as he stared down into the coffee inside. “We’ll see what happens.”
“I’m ready to go anytime you are. I thought we might be outdoors most of the day, so I put on some comfortable clothes, and I brought my heavy jacket when I came downstairs.” She pointed to her boots. “And I’m wearing my boots that came in so handy last night in case we run into another one of our stalkers.”
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