by Nora LeDuc
The signal changed to green, and he hit the pedal. “We’ll stop now for your new phone.”
She nodded. “Thanks for trying to cheer me up.” A thought struck her. After five years of separation, Liam’s reasonable words could persuade her to agree with him. She should be careful.
* * *
Liam rolled up the sleeping bag and stuffed it under his office desk. He winced as he straightened. The couch springs were winning the battle of the muscle spasms. A run would work out the kinks in his neck. He paused and listened for footsteps overhead. Lucy’s footsteps. She lived only a floor away.
He ran a hand over his damp hair. At least he had a shower downstairs. Maybe the former owner spent a few nights here, too.
Liam needed one more thing before he was ready for his day. He’d left his new toothbrush in his truck. Time to face the cool March morning.
He headed outside. The sound of cars braking on the street carried across the air. He bet the turkeys had strayed into the road again on their hunt for food. The snow still covered most of the woods, and chow was scarce.
When he was younger, the cold weather had meant one thing— hockey. He’d lived and breathed the sport. Each winter, his father built the rink in the backyard where Ryan had learned to skate as soon as he could walk. During breaks, he’d warmed up by the fire pit.
Maybe he’d lace up the old skates once the police arrested Ryan’s killer and life returned to normal. Art Smith’s accusations outside the station had opened up the possibility of Ryan’s killer being connected to the high school. Who did Sullivan suspect now? Lucy had begged off talking about the incident after they borrowed Aunt Tildie’s bureau from the storage unit. She…
He stopped by his truck. The door wasn’t shut all the way. He always locked it.
Don’t touch, warned the voice in his head.
He peered inside. His registration, gas receipts, and order forms for the Moose lay scattered over the seats and floorboards.
What in the name…?
The glove compartment was wide open, and a silver plate sat on the driver’s seat. Why was that in his truck?
He angled closer. A card with a picture of a man’s head lay on the plate. Shock stung him. Below the image he read: “I bring you the head of John the Baptist.”
Hastings. The bastard was trying to intimidate him. Liam dug in his pocket for his cell and scanned the yard. Was he near, laughing and getting his kicks? He hit the emergency number. One advantage of living in the center, law enforcement arrived within minutes.
In less than an hour, the two officers who’d responded left with reassurances of finding the culprit. They had canvassed the downtown area and alerted the residents about the prowler. They asked Liam to keep the knowledge of the platter and holy card to himself to help law enforcement identify the actual perp.
On the corner, Lucy joined Gage, Flo, Hank, and Father Francis after the police questioned each of them. When the officers left, Liam escorted Lucy to her apartment. His neighbors and coworkers stayed behind, exchanging more stories about customers.
Once he and Lucy reached the upstairs, he offered to stay with her, but she shooed him away.
He paused on his way down the stairs. Who the heck was John the Baptist? As a kid, he’d always been embarrassed that his family didn’t attend the local church. Now he had another reason to regret his lack of religious background. Liam plugged the name in the search box on his phone and clicked on the link.
“King Herod ordered John the Baptist beheaded because he feared his influence over the people would lead them to rebel. His head was brought to the king on a silver platter.”
Gory. Liam headed to his office, mulling over the information. Was Hastings afraid of his power of persuasion over Lucy?
He had just entered his room when someone banged on the rear door. The police had made an arrest already? He strode to the back hall and opened up.
Gage swept a shock of brown hair off his forehead and smiled at him. “I’ve got a present for you.” He held out a revolver. “It’s a .357 Magnum. I know you’re not into guns, but you’ll scare off a lot of people by waving this sucker around.”
“Where did you get it?” Liam stared down at the scratches and dent on the butt of the weapon. “Did the last owner whack a few heads with the grip?”
“A friend of mine, who’s kind of a hermit up by the border, sold it to me. Don’t worry, he used it for target practice, and opened a few cans when he couldn’t find an opener. He is a little out there, but law-abiding.”
Liam turned the Magnum over in his hand, getting the feel of the gun.
“I never fired it. If I hunt, I use my rifle. Consider the gun a loan. It’s good to have, just in case.”
Just in case. Great logic. “Has anyone—”
Gage shook his head. “No one’s approached me with any rifles for sale. Sorry, man, I heard about the missing ones from Ryan’s house.” He handed him a holster. “To carry the .357.” Gage slapped Liam on the back. “Be safe, McAllister.”
Liam locked up and went inside to contact the insurance company. Two hours later, he sat with Lucy at the Moose’s bar, drinking tea. Hank and Sadie had arrived and were hanging out in the kitchen, getting ready for the lunch group.
Lucy’s dark brows slanted in a frown.
“You had an exciting first morning in your apartment,” he said to her. “How’d you sleep last night?”
“The bed was comfy. Aunt Tildie’s chair looks nice in your living room.” She shifted toward him on her stool. “I’m sorry about your truck.”
“Why are you apologizing? Hold on, did you sneak out and mess with my pickup?”
“I know you’re not serious.”
He was unable to resist a quick, affectionate brush of his fingertips across her hand. The contact caused his blood to surge.
Lucy seemed as affected. She bit her lip and blushed. Her response tempted him to lean over and kiss her.
Keep it under control, he told himself. He launched into news about his truck. “I’ve already emailed the info to my insurance company. They’ll pay for the repairs.”
“Okay, forgive me for asking this, but would your ex-wife break into your pickup?”
“My ex moved to Vermont and married a car salesman. They have a child.”
“You stay in touch?”
“Her sister visited Barley last year and filled me in.”
Lucy tapped the rim of her teacup with a finger. “The breakup must have been tough, even if it was a short relationship.”
“Truth? As soon as we separated, I reexamined my life. She did me a favor.” A big one.
“What if it was Matt who broke into your truck?”
He had to tell her. It was now or never. “I found a holy card with the picture of John the Baptist’s head on my driver’s seat this morning. The police want it kept quiet.”
Her eyes widened with shock. “Matt threatened you and you didn’t tell me?”
“Hastings is using bully tactics. I can’t give in to his manipulations. The best we can do is let the cops catch him and stay safe. I’ll speak to the Moose crew. I’ll reinforce that they need to be careful and report anything unusual.”
“He wouldn’t be terrorizing you if it weren’t for me.” She closed her eyes and shook her head.
“I want you here. Nothing Hastings does will change that fact.” Liam covered her hand where it rested on the bar, giving in to his urge to touch her.
She opened her mouth, but he didn’t give her a chance to speak. He needed to say his piece. “Luce, forget Hastings for now. I need to tell you something.”
“What is it?”
“I wish I hadn’t been an idiot on your birthday all those years ago.” He tensed, waiting for her reaction to his confession. He’d entered dangerous territory. She’d made it plain she didn’t want to fix their broken relationship. Still, she hadn’t pulled away.
“We were young.” Sadness lingered in her eyes.
“I agree. I acted like an adolescent. A college degree didn’t make me smarter. Most people grow up at twenty-five, but I was a slow learner. I’ve wised up, Luce.”
“It happens. I hope the tragedies end.” She bowed her head and traced an invisible line on the bar counter. “First Matt, then Ryan’s death, and now you’re a target.”
“Tell me about Hastings.”
She stared into her mug. “Okay. You know most of it. Matt was my priest. He counseled me when my last relationship neared an end. Looking back on our sessions, I recall him as this strong, supportive person. Somehow, it all went wrong, and I made the wrong choices.”
“He used his position and you.”
“No matter what his intentions were, the affair should never have happened. I’m working on getting back my self-respect. Each morning, I repeat the serenity prayer to remind myself to do what’s right and not what’s easy.”
“Sometimes we can’t see our mistakes until after we’ve made them.”
“I’ve asked myself a lot of questions about my past decisions, especially when the police discovered evidence in his rectory of his possible involvement with the murder of missing girls. I had to ask myself what kind of person I’d trusted.”
Her revelation left him speechless. Finally, he mumbled, “That’s a tough one.” He should say more, but her stiff body and avoidance of eye contact told him she’d had enough. He struggled with the urge to pull her to him and comfort her.
“I’ve promised myself not to repeat past mistakes.”
“We wouldn’t be a mistake, Luce.”
She raised her head and studied him. What was she thinking? He tried to calm the hope racing through him.
“Liam, we—”
“Hey, boss.” Hank and Sadie burst through the kitchen door.
No. His staff had the worst timing.
“We decided you should get a guard dog, a big one,” Hank said. “We can build him a dog house, and he can keep watch over the Moose and your truck. What do you say?”
“Dogs need care. You don’t stick an animal outside and wait for him to bark.”
“We’ll feed him or her,” Sadie said.
“I volunteer to walk him.” Hank held up his palm.
“Thanks for the offers, but I’m voting the plan down. We should stay near the restaurant and on guard.”
Sadie’s eyes lit with interest as her gaze flickered to his hand over Lucy’s.
Liam pulled it away, ending their contact. He didn’t need his crew gossiping about them.
Lucy cleared her throat. “Liam and I are pretty sure the man who broke into his truck is Matt Hastings. He’s the person who’s been stalking me.” She gave them a quick description of him and added, “He may be in disguise. Don’t take any chances with strangers, no matter how charming they are.”
Sadie hopped up on a stool. “Don’t worry. I carry pepper spray, and my sisters took self-defense classes. We’ll all be on the lookout. You’ll let Bella know, right, Hank?”
“I will, for sure.”
“Thanks, everyone. Be careful. I’m sure you understand. He’s dangerous,” Lucy said. “If you see anyone acting strange— or stranger than normal— call the police. Don’t approach him.”
“Got it. Call 911.” Sadie held up her phone.
Liam stood up. “Thanks, and stay on guard. Meanwhile, what’s the lunch special today?”
Sadie jumped down from her seat. “Before we discuss food, Hank has another idea.”
Liam raised a brow at his bartender. “If it involves you selling me a dog, the answer is no.”
“Okay, no dog. I’m not sure this will cheer you guys up, but I’ve been thinking about the drinks you and I have created. Well, the Moose should schedule a tasting night. Get people to buy a sampler tray and vote for their favorite drink.”
“Could work.” Liam nodded. “Hit me with the details.”
“Ah, I hadn’t gotten beyond the sampling.”
“Decide on prices and figure out the profit margin before close today. Write it up, and I’ll go over the proposal with you. If the numbers end up in the plus column, we’ll hold a mixology evening in a few weeks. Meanwhile, we have our weekly Trivia Night coming up.”
“I’ll work on the plan.” Excitement gleamed in the big guy’s eyes.
Sadie gave him a smile before turning to Liam. “Thanks, boss. I’ve got to get my prep done. Talk to you later, Lucy.”
Hank high-fived Sadie before they disappeared into the kitchen, chattering about advertising for the special event.
“Those two seem happy.” Lucy stood. “Excuse me. I have calls to make.”
“When do you want to meet with Sullivan for the update on the pedophile accusations?”
“I’m going to call and ask him to fill me in on the phone. Thanks for the offer, though.” She inched toward the hall. “Let’s pray the police arrest Matt soon.” She left him sitting at the end of the bar.
His mind drifted to the moment before Sadie and Hank had interrupted them. Lucy had been about to tell him something. Would it have been good or bad? One thing was certain. He could use a little Lucy in his life.
* * *
Lucy spent the afternoon upstairs, checking in with shelters about Target. Nobody had found a white husky. She stuffed the list in her pocket. The news that Hastings had been at the Moose prompted her to keep looking out the window for signs of him.
Her thoughts wandered to Liam’s statement yesterday. Sullivan wanted to find the gun that ended Ryan’s life. She grabbed her cell from the kitchen table and pulled up a search on the web. Within minutes, she stared at images of .38 Specials. “Too morbid,” she mumbled. She exited the website and began scrolling through sites about lost and found pets.
The day crawled to a close. After eleven, the Mad Moose closed for the evening, and the downstairs noise quieted. Lucy sat in the cushioned chair Liam had insisted on bringing from the storage unit. She gazed out on Main Street. The floor lamp next to the couch gave off a soft yellow glow. Outside, the streetlights glinted off the flakes from the Alberta Clipper, which was dumping a couple of inches on Barley. No one roamed around in this weather.
The stillness yanked on her nerves. Was Liam asleep? In her pocket, she fingered the key that unlocked her doors.
Movement on the street caught her attention. She leaned forward and focused on a dark form hovering on the edge of the streetlight’s reach. The figure looked up at her window.
Lucy squinted and peered closer. The person moved to stand beneath the lamppost. Matt?
She gasped and ducked out of sight. Was it him? Was he smiling over the holy card he’d left Liam? Thinking of cutting off his head? She shivered in panic and snapped off the light. What should she do?
Be sure. Look again. Don’t let him get to you.
She tiptoed across the room. Sweat broke out on her forehead. Standing a few feet from the pane, she stared at the spot where the shape had lingered. No one was there.
She grabbed her phone to take his picture if he returned. The minutes ticked past. She stood near the window, her mind bouncing back and forth between certainty and uncertainty. Please, let me see you again. Then she prayed he’d never show.
Chapter 13
March 20
The next morning, Lucy searched the online version of the Barley newspaper on her phone. At least nothing came up about her brother’s possible affair with a student. She’d keep her fingers crossed.
Loud knocking on the door carried up the stairs and into her apartment. Lucy pocketed her phone in her jeans and rose from the sofa. Who was here? Matt’s face popped into her mind. She’d spent most of her night lurking near her window, watching for the person.
The only activity outside had been the plow lumbering past before dawn. Maybe she’d imagined the figure. Lack of sleep sent people over the edge.
She glanced out the window. Last night’s snow squall had left three inches on the sidewalk. The sound of a shovel scraping the pavement
carried to her apartment. No one lingered on the walkway. The banging on the Moose’s front door persisted. What if it was an emergency?
She ran down to the first floor. At the bottom step, she called out, “Who is it?”
“Lucy, it’s Bella Jackman. Can I come up?”
“Wait a minute.” Lucy unlocked the door to find the young woman on the other side. She wore a navy jacket, and in her gloved hands she held a dish covered with foil.
“This is for you.” Bella thrust the dish at Lucy. “Welcome home. I’m sorry you’re here for such a sad occasion, but the happy news is, you’re in Barley.”
Welcome home? “I won’t be staying, Bella.” That sounded harsh. “Thank you for the plate of goodies. Want to come inside?”
Bella nodded. “I’m not expected at work for another thirty minutes.”
Lucy led the way upward and into the kitchen. “You’ll recognize the extra chairs and table from the restaurant. Sit down, please. Would you like a drink and a…” She peeled up a corner of the foil. An unusual scent hit her. “Cookie?”
“No thank you, and they’re chocolate chip. I use an old recipe with a special ingredient.”
Bella draped her jacket over the chair and stuffed her gloves in a pocket. “I baked them last night. Hank ate half of them already.” She sat across from Lucy. “I heard about Liam’s truck.”
Had she come for gossip? “Liam wasn’t happy, but who would be? At least the insurance will pay for the replacement glass and the broken lock on his door.”
“Why do some people cause trouble?” Bella’s fogged eyes focused on Lucy. “You know, we were almost sisters-in-law. I never had a sister. I would have liked that.”
“Thank you, Bella.” Maybe it was good Ryan had died before she learned that he loved to be engaged, but not married.
“Ryan used to say you and I had a lot in common. Hank took care of me. Ryan took care of you.”
Ryan had taken care of her? Each year she’d found herself taking more and more responsibility for her brother. “He tried. I guess.”
“I planned the most beautiful wedding.” A dreamy expression spread across Bella’s face. “We agreed to hold the ceremony and the party outside at his house. Of course, I wanted you for my maid of honor.”
