by Debby Giusti
A lump filled her throat. In half a second he would scramble to the top, grab her and—
She gritted her teeth to keep from screaming.
Leaves rustled behind the stand as if someone or something was scurrying through the fallen debris, heading back toward the parked cars.
“I’ve got you now,” he whispered, sounding jubilant. In a flash, he climbed down the ladder and ran to catch up to whatever squirrel or possum or raccoon that had saved Hannah, at least for the moment.
Over the roar in her ears, she could hear him disappear into the night. Opening her mouth, she gulped air and trembled from the fear that had wrapped her tightly in its hold.
Thank You, God.
She lay still for a long time, listening to the forest and allowing her anxiety to calm. Breathing in the serenity of the moment, she closed her eyes and, at some point, drifted into a light slumber.
With a jerk, she awoke. Rubbing her neck, she started to sit up. Just that quickly, the sound of footsteps returned. Her gut churned and she bit her lip to keep from moaning in distress.
After all this time, why was he coming back?
Again, she flattened her body against the platform, willed her heart to remain calm and blinked back hot tears that stung her eyes.
This time he would find her. He neared, then stepped onto the ladder, one foot, then another and another as he climbed higher.
Faintly in the distance, she could hear the rev of a car engine as a vehicle headed down the mountain, but all she could think about was the man on the ladder.
He stopped for half a second, then raised a rifle and laid it on the wooden deck.
Her chance. Her only chance. She grabbed the weapon and pointed it straight at the wide-brimmed hat and full face that appeared over the edge of the platform.
* * *
A sliver of moonlight peered from between the clouds as Lucas Grant climbed over the top of the ladder onto the deer stand. Just that fast, his heart stopped, seeing the woman staring at him wide-eyed. Her long hair and oval face made him think of Olivia.
Then he saw the rifle—his .30-30 Winchester—aimed at his gut.
“Put the gun down, lady, before one of us gets hurt.”
“Who are you?” she demanded, her gaze wary and tight with fear. Although she squared her shoulders and raised her jaw, the hint of uncertainty was evident in her voice.
“Lucas Grant. This is my property. My deer stand.” He let the information settle for half a second then added, “Seems you’re trespassing. So, if you know what’s good for you, ma’am, you best hand over my .30-30.”
He pursed his lips and pulled in a breath as she hesitated longer than he would have liked.
“I won’t hurt you, ma’am, and I don’t aim to do you harm.”
She tilted her pretty head, wrinkled her brow and looked at him through what appeared, even in the dim moonlight, to be troubled eyes.
“You’re Amish?” she asked, the surprise evident in her voice.
He glanced down at the black trousers and blue shirt, knowing it was the suspenders that made her come to that conclusion, along with the wide-brimmed felt hat and the black outer coat that hung open.
“I work at an Amish bed-and-breakfast,” he said, unwilling to provide more information.
Her brow wrinkled even more. “So you’re not Amish.”
He shrugged. “Call me Amish in training.”
“What?”
He held out his hand. “Ma’am, let’s get rid of the weapon and then we can make our introductions.”
Instead of reassuring the woman, his comment seemed to have the opposite effect. She gripped the barrel more tightly and inched her finger even closer to the trigger.
Not where he wanted it to be.
She leaned forward, her brow raised. “Did you have anything to do with the man at the filling station?”
He took off his hat and raked his hand through his hair, trying to follow her train of thought. “What filling station?”
“Just off the highway. I stopped for gas and directions. A man followed me.”
Some of the pieces were falling into place. “That’s why you climbed the deer stand.”
Her shoulders slumped and her eyes glistened with what he imagined were tears.
“Ma’am, I’d never hurt a lady. You don’t have to worry. I won’t hurt you and, if you give me a description of the man who came after you, I’ll notify the local authorities.”
“The Willkommen police department?”
He shook his head. “It’s a county-run sheriff’s department, although Sheriff Kurtz is in rehab, recovering from a gunshot wound. One of his deputies is holding down the fort, so to speak.”
“Crime must run rampant on this mountain.” The sarcasm in her reply was all too evident.
“You’re not from this area?” he asked, hoping to steer the conversation onto a more neutral topic.
She shook her head but didn’t offer a verbal response.
“Where’s your car, ma’am?”
“Broken down on the side of the road not far from here. A warning light signaled the engine had overheated. I pulled off the road.”
“That’s when the man came after you?”
She nodded. “A few minutes later. I had seen him at the gas station.”
“He followed you?”
“I’m not sure. He was headed toward the highway when he first left the station. He must have turned around.”
“And he chased after you?” Lucas asked.
“That’s right,” she said with a nod. “I ran into the woods. He came after me and started up the deer stand. Thankfully, an animal rustled the underbrush and distracted him. He ran toward the sound, probably thinking it was me. Eventually, I heard a car engine and presume he drove off in his SUV when he couldn’t find me.”
Needing to gain her trust, Lucas pointed in the direction of the road. “You stay here and I’ll check the roadway to make sure he’s gone.”
As much as he didn’t want to leave the skittish woman, Lucas wanted to ensure the man had driven away as she’d suspected. He quickly made his way through the thick underbrush until he had a clear view of the roadway. A Nissan sedan sat at the side of the road. No other vehicle was in sight.
He returned to the deer stand. “It’s Lucas,” he announced as he started up the ladder, relieved to find her waiting for him at the top.
“I saw one car and only one car. A Nissan,” he informed her.
“That’s mine.”
“Then the guy’s gone. How ’bout we climb down the ladder? I can check the engine and see what’s wrong with your vehicle.”
She didn’t respond.
“Unless you want to stay on this deer stand all night,” he added.
The temperature had dropped even lower. Lucas could feel it in his leg. The wound had healed but the memory lingered. If the dampness bothered him, it had to be chilling her, as well.
Her jacket was light and her head and hands were bare. A slight mist had started to fall and she appeared to be shivering under her bravado.
“Not sure how you feel about a cold rain on a chilly night, but I’d prefer to seek shelter and stay dry.”
Her shoulders relaxed. Evidently he was making progress. “I don’t want to pry, ma’am, but you haven’t told me your name.”
“It’s Hannah.” Her finger inched away from the trigger. “Hannah Miller.”
“Pleased to meet you.” He hesitated before extending his hand. “Now, if you’ll pass me the rifle, we can get out of the rain.”
She sat for a long moment. Then, with a faint sigh, she handed him the .30-30. He checked to make sure the chamber was clear.
“I’ll go down first. You follow.” Swinging his g
ood leg onto the ladder, Lucas started to climb down. Unsure how he’d handle the situation if she failed to move, he smiled to himself when she scooted to the edge of the platform.
“Easy does it, Hannah. One foot at a time. Take it slow. I’ve got your back.”
The woman had been agile enough to climb up the deer stand. Surely she could climb down, as well. Still, he didn’t want any missteps. Everything, including ladders, turned slippery when wet, and the last thing he wanted was any more harm to befall the pretty woman who had changed his plans for this evening.
In a flash of clarity, he realized her unexpected entry into his life could upset the peaceful existence he’d been living for the past eleven months. He’d turned in his badge, left law enforcement behind and found solace in the Amish community. Even more important, he’d gotten right with the Lord and found a simpler way to look at the world.
Savannah, Georgia, his years in law enforcement, and what had happened on that dock front were merely a memory. A painful memory that he chose to ignore. Except in the middle of the night when he awoke in a cold sweat, knowing his partner, Olivia, had died because of his delay in responding to her call for help.
He shook his head to send the thoughts fleeing then dropped to the ground and watched the woman with the long legs and free-flowing hair trudge down the ladder.
Her foot snagged on the second-to-last rung. Without thinking, he caught her in his arms. She was slender and soft, and smelled like a fresh floral bouquet. He hadn’t been this close to a pretty woman who tugged at his heart in eleven months and, for a long moment, he was transfixed by her nearness.
She bristled. He dropped his hold and took a step back, unsettled by the mix of emotions that played through his mind. A twinge to his gut told him getting close to Hannah Miller might be dangerous to his health.
“Are you okay?” He wasn’t sure of the response she would provide, but he knew all too well that he was anything but okay. The woman had an effect on him that was difficult to define. Confused and befuddled might be accurate descriptions of the way he felt.
Gripping his rifle in one hand, he pointed to the trail that wove through the forest with the other. “The path will take us to the roadway near to where you left your car.”
She swallowed hard and tugged on the bottom of her jacket before nodding. “I didn’t realize there was a path.”
“It’s hard to see at night unless you know where you’re going.”
“Maybe you should take the lead,” she suggested.
“Sure.”
“You’re positive the guy’s gone?” she asked as if needing to be reassured that Lucas wasn’t leading her into danger.
“I told you, your car was the only one I saw. You mentioned hearing a vehicle heading down the mountain.”
Without waiting for a reply, Lucas started walking and was relieved when he heard her following. As nervous as she seemed, he wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to run away. But then, where would she go? Her car was broken down, a man had followed after her, and she was halfway up a mountain road few people knew about and even fewer traveled.
He pushed back a branch from one of the saplings and turned to glance over his shoulder. “Are you okay?” he asked again.
“I’m fine.”
The mist changed to a steady drizzle. Her hair was matted with rain that ran over her shoulders and down the front of her jacket.
“Fine” was a stretch. She looked cold and about as comfortable as a drenched kitten.
His heart went out to her, but then he realized his mistake. He knew nothing about Hannah Miller, yet a man had chased her through the woods. Maybe that was why Lucas had built the deer stand six months earlier. Had the Lord placed it on his heart to do so, knowing a woman on the run would need a place to hide?
He was still a neophyte when it came to having a relationship with the Almighty. The Good Lord was working on making him a stronger believer and more willing to accept the precepts of the faith he had picked up from the Amish with whom he worked.
Thankfully, they had embraced him with open arms, but he was the one holding back because of the burden he carried in his heart. He’d asked God to send someone into his life who could remove the plank that weighed him down.
So far, God hadn’t answered that prayer.
“Oh,” Hannah gasped.
He turned to grab her arm before she tumbled over a fallen log. She nodded her thanks and leaned closer as she regained her footing.
His pulse hammered in his ears. What was it about this woman that caused him to take note? She was pretty. But lots of women were.
Maybe his protective nature had kicked into overdrive. Once a cop, always a cop, even after eleven months off the job. Still, he’d worked lots of investigations in Savannah and had never felt so engaged with a victim or a witness to a crime. Something about Hannah was different, and whether he liked it or not, he felt sure his life was about to change. For better or worse? Only God knew and, at the moment, He was silent.
TWO
Lord, keep me safe, Hannah prayed as she stared at the second man tonight who had peered into her car’s engine.
“Shine the light this way,” Lucas asked.
She angled her cell to where he pointed, grateful for the flashlight on her phone.
“Looks like there’s a hole in the radiator,” Lucas said, confirming what the horrible man in the flannel shirt had already told her.
The bad news was easier to accept from the helpful guy wearing suspenders.
She glanced at the road that disappeared around the mountain. A nervous tingle wrapped around her spine. The lewd guy who’d wanted information about Miriam could come back, especially if he expected to find Hannah huddled in her car, seeking shelter from the rain.
Lucas seemed oblivious to the danger. Although there was no telling what he was thinking with half his face hidden under that wide-brimmed felt hat he wore.
Swallowing hard, she gathered her courage to say what played heavy on her mind. “Do you think he’ll come back?”
Lucas glanced out from under the hood of the car and flicked his gaze to the mountain road. “We’ll see his headlights in plenty of time.”
His comment lacked the reassurance she needed and wanted. Would they really have enough warning to hide if the man returned? Or could a car traveling at a rapid rate of speed surprise them both?
The Good Samaritan’s nonchalance troubled her. Surely he wasn’t in cahoots with the guy in blue flannel. She shook her head ever so slightly and sighed, refusing to go down that road. Better to think of Lucas in a favorable light. So far, he’d done nothing to cause her concern.
Besides, the Amish were peaceful folks. Weren’t they?
Yet he’d said he was almost Amish. What did that mean?
“If we had some water, we could fill the radiator and drive until it ran dry.” Lucas extracted himself from under the hood. “That might give us enough time to get to the B and B.”
“Where you work?”
He nodded. “But as I mentioned, we need water.” He held out his hand, palm up. “And more than a sprinkling of raindrops.”
“I’ve got a case of water bottles in the trunk of my car,” she shared. “I went to the store after work—”
“And forgot to unload your groceries?” he added with a knowing smile.
Even in the darkness, she could see the dimples in his cheeks and the sparkle in his eyes.
“I planned to help with the youth at church,” Hannah explained. “The kids are always thirsty.”
“What changed your plans?”
She avoided his gaze. “It’s a long story.” One she didn’t need to share. “Let’s fill the radiator and see how far we get.”
After unlocking her trunk, Hannah grabbed as many bottles as
she could carry. Lucas did the same. He jimmied a tiny portion of cloth into the hole in the radiator, and then, together, they poured water into the reservoir.
“Looks like it’s holding.” He held out his hand when she pulled the keys from her pocket. “I’ll drive. The roads can be tricky at night.”
She liked his take-charge attitude and the smoothness with which he closed the hood, scooped the empty plastic bottles into her trunk and held the passenger door open for her. She settled into the seat and watched as he rounded the front of the car and slipped in behind the wheel.
The road twisted and turned, and she was grateful Lucas was driving. She glanced at her watch. Half past midnight.
Coming to an intersection, he turned right. A road sign pointed left to Willkommen. “Isn’t that where I want to go?”
“The town is still a distance from here. The B and B is closer.” He glanced at the clock on the console. “It’s late, and you’ve got a radiator that’s losing fluid. If we get to the Amish Inn, I’ll be more than grateful. You can stay there overnight. The rooms are clean and comfortable and off the beaten path. You won’t have to worry about the guy who followed you.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I wear a lot of hats,” he said with another smile that played with her heart. “One of them is security.”
“But you weren’t working tonight?”
“That’s right. My shift starts at six a.m.”
She hated to pry but another question came to mind. “If you don’t mind me asking, how’d you get to the deer stand without a car?”
“I live in a house on the inn’s property. There’s a shortcut on the other side of the mountain. It’s a good hike, but doable. When the parcel of land went for sale, I purchased it some months ago and built the tree stand as a place to go to be alone.”
“Sorry I interrupted your serenity.”
“Not a problem.” He flashed another upbeat glance her way. “Glad I could help.”
A comforting warmth settled over her. Then, realizing her error, she sat straighter in the seat. She wouldn’t succumb to Lucas’s charm. She’d been involved with one man too many. No reason to let herself make another mistake.
