Danger in Plain Sight (Hqn)

by Marta Perry

She nodded, tears filling her eyes, and he clasped her cold fingers in his warm hands.

  “He was a good man.” His voice was deep.

  People milled around them, greeting each other, welcoming visitors, reminiscing about past Christmases. But it was as if she was alone with Adam in their own private circle.

  She looked into his face, seeing the sympathy there. “I can’t help thinking what a jerk I am to resent the changes that took place while I was away. After all, it was my choice to leave.”

  “I understand. Leo is good for your mother, but she never forgets your dad. Not for a minute.” Adam’s hand tightened on hers in silent comfort.

  “I know. It’s just…hard.”

  “Yes.” His touch was gentle, but there was strength in it, as well. That was who Adam was, all through.

  * * *

  THE CROWD BEGAN to thin out as the snow thickened. “I thought maybe you had been looking around in church, speculating on which of them might be guilty.”

  His words jolted through her like an electric shock. “I guess I hadn’t thought that it could be someone I know.”

  “Most likely would be.” Adam said the words absently, his gaze moving over those who lingered on the church walk. “How would Esther learn anything dangerous about a stranger?”

  Libby gave herself a mental shake. “I can’t even guess. I’ve been gone so long—you’d think everyone here would feel like a stranger to me. But some of them haven’t changed at all.” She nodded toward the Smalley family, just exiting the church. “Sandra Smalley’s personality hasn’t changed. Just intensified, if anything.”

  “Did you know their son is a township supervisor now?” Adam’s voice grew hard.

  “Jason? He never struck me as very civic-minded.” Not that she’d thought much of him at all.

  “He likes power.” Adam’s mouth clamped shut, and he shook his head slightly. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “Why not? The police chief is allowed to have opinions, isn’t he?”

  “Not about local politicians.” His smile flickered. “Or at least, not to voice them out loud.”

  The Smalley family passed them then, not stopping, thank goodness, although it seemed to her that Jason took a long look at them. He couldn’t have known they were talking about him, could he? She was watching them walk away when a voice sounded.

  “Well, look who’s here. If it’s not the little princess.”

  She had to compose her face before turning to face Tom Sylvester. “Hello, Tom. Merry Christmas to both of you.” She smiled at Tom’s wife, trying vainly to remember her name.

  “Same to you. And you, Adam.” Tom’s ruddy face creased in a broad smile. “Libby, I hear you’re interested in that project of mine.”

  Now, how exactly had he known that? She hadn’t mentioned her name to the man who’d chased her off the building site, and he hadn’t given any sign he recognized her.

  “Just naturally curious, I guess.” She kept her tone light. “Link mentioned the new motel to me, so I had to stop and see for myself.”

  “Great, great.” There seemed to be an edge behind the jovial smile. “I’d love to show you around, anytime. Just give me a call.”

  “I’ll do that, as soon as the holiday is past,” she said promptly, feeling Adam tense next to her. But he could hardly criticize when Tom himself invited her.

  Tom looked taken aback for an instant before he regained his smile. “Sure thing. I just thought maybe you were too busy, with your friend in the hospital and all.”

  “I have been.” Now she was the one who had to force her smile. “But I can spare the time.”

  “Fine, fine. Stop by my office or give me a call, and I’ll take you out to the job site myself.”

  “Great. I’d like that.” And she’d like asking a few hard questions, as well.

  “Say, I hear Esther is doing better, breathing on her own and all,” Tom said. “She’ll probably be sitting up and talking before long.”

  For a moment she could only gape at him, praying her face didn’t betray her feelings. “Where did you hear that?”

  Tom shrugged. “That’s what people are saying.”

  “I’m afraid that’s too optimistic,” she said, with no expectation that it would do any good. Nobody ever succeeded in stopping a rumor, even with the truth, and she felt almost superstitious about trying to make Esther’s condition sound worse.

  “Well, you give her our best when you see her.” Tom patted his wife’s arm. “Guess we’d better get on home.” They headed down the walk toward the street.

  Libby turned to Adam, realizing that she was instinctively looking to him for reassurance. “I had no idea people were saying that.”

  “Rumors go around. You can’t stop them.” He didn’t seem to grasp the importance.

  “No.” She shivered, suddenly feeling the cold. “But don’t you see? If people think Esther is regaining consciousness, she could be in even more danger.”

  * * *

  ADAM STEPPED ONTO the hospital elevator on his way to Esther’s room. The day after Christmas meant back to work in the English world.

  Not so for the Amish, though. For them, this was Second Christmas, a time for visiting friends and relatives to celebrate the season.

  That meant Esther’s room would probably be crowded with people—not really the best time for the police to barge in. But he hadn’t been able to rid his mind of the fear Libby had voiced on Christmas Eve. If rumors were going around about Esther’s recovery, someone might think she could remember…the same someone who’d been behind the wheel of the van or truck that hit her.

  He realized he was tensing and deliberately relaxed his muscles. It was useless to get angry over the fact that they’d found no trace of the vehicle. Logic said that indicated the driver wasn’t from the area, which swung the odds toward accident.

  But that would be ignoring the man who’d entered Esther’s room, and he couldn’t forget the image Esther’s mother had planted in his mind—the masked figure bending over Esther, pillow in his hands.

  He also couldn’t forget the fear in Libby’s eyes at the danger to Esther.

  No use kidding himself. What he wanted at this point was to have Libby safely out of this situation. Too bad she’d lost that job on the West Coast and didn’t have to rush back. Then he wouldn’t have to run into her everywhere he turned.

  The elevator stopped, and he stepped off and headed for Esther’s room. He’d see for himself whether there was any truth to the rumors about her recovery.

  The door stood ajar, and a babble of Pennsylvania Dutch flowed out. He’d been right, it seemed. The room was crowded with people, so many that he’d expect the nurses to be chasing some of them out.

  He lingered in the doorway for a moment, suspecting he wouldn’t be welcome, and glanced around. In a sea of dark colors and white kapps, Libby’s bright coral sweater drew his eyes irresistibly. She stood a few feet from the hospital bed, talking to Bishop Amos.

  Rebecca, Esther’s mother, emerged from the crowd and rushed up to him, beaming. It was so far from the reception he’d been expecting that he had to blink.

  “You have komm to share our gut news, ja?” Rebecca looked as if she’d shed ten years overnight. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes had come alive. “God has answered our prayers.”

  That could mean only one thing. “Esther is better, then?”

  “Ja, ja, such a wonderful gut Christmas gift. Esther has opened her eyes. She squeezed my hand. She is coming back to us.”

  “That’s great news.” And dangerous, as well. “Has she spoken yet?”

  Rebecca shook her head, still smiling. “No, but that will happen. I know it. Soon our Esther will be home where she belongs.”

  Before he could respond she’d hurried away to greet an Amish couple who’d squeezed into the room behind him. But he wasn’t alone long enough to think this through. Libby grabbed his arm.

  “I have to talk to you,” sh
e said, her voice low. “Come on.” Hand clutching his sleeve, she tugged him toward the door.

  “I wanted to see…” He let the protest die in the face of Libby’s determination. He may as well let her have her say. Knowing Libby, she wouldn’t give up.

  She led him down the hall, probably looking for a quiet spot. The door to the chapel appeared on their right, and Libby propelled him through it, letting it close behind them. They were alone in the small, wood-paneled room that was furnished with a few rows of pine pews and some carefully nondenominational inspirational art.

  He faced her, registering the concern and alarm in her expressive face. “Okay, calm down. What’s so important that you had to drag me out of there?”

  “Esther’s better, opening her eyes, beginning to regain consciousness.” Libby stopped, shaking her head, and tears filled her eyes for a moment until she blinked them back. “That sounds terrible, to be upset because she’s doing better. But don’t you see? That puts her in more danger, and there’s no way to keep people from talking about it.”

  “I know.” He’d like to wipe the worry from her face, but that was impossible. “If the person who hit her was local, he’ll find out.”

  “If?” Scorn filled her voice.

  He’d distracted her for a moment, at least. “Take it easy, Libby. I agree there’s reason to suspect that someone wants to silence Esther, even if there’s precious little proof. You’re thinking of Tom Sylvester, I bet, but nothing links them. Esther isn’t really in any further danger because she’s improving. She still has people with her all day and a guard on her door at night.”

  “As long as she’s here, yes. But what if Rebecca takes her home?”

  He forced himself not to react to Libby’s emotion. “Is it really likely that the doctors will release Esther anytime soon?”

  Libby wrapped her arms around herself. “Not likely, but possible. She’s breathing on her own, and they’ve taken the feeding tube out. Every step forward makes Rebecca more determined to have her home.”

  “That’s only natural,” he said, intending to soothe her.

  It didn’t. Passion flared in her face. “It could be deadly. You know how isolated the Zook farm is. How vulnerable.”

  “If they’d accept protection…” he began.

  “They won’t. I’ve already mentioned it, but you know how strong their pacifist views are. They won’t hear of having guards at their place.” Libby’s expression lost its drive, suddenly afraid. She looked up at him, taking a step closer and touching his arm. “Adam, you have to do something.”

  That look, her voice, went right under his guard and hit his heart. Catching his breath, he took a step back. Being alone with Libby wasn’t a good idea. It never had been.

  “I know you’re worried, but you’re leaping ahead too far. We’ll work something out by the time the doctors are willing to send Esther home, and—”

  “Will you stop backing away from me?” Libby flared up in an instant. “Am I that scary? Just because I had a stupid crush on you when I was a kid, that doesn’t mean I’m going to attack you every time we’re alone.”

  It wasn’t her he was worried about, but saying so would just make things worse. And Libby was conveniently leaving out another time when they’d gotten too close, and they’d both been old enough to know better.

  But he certainly wasn’t going to bring that up.

  “It doesn’t have anything to do with that.” He paused, sure she knew that for the lie it was. “Look, about what happened the night of that high school dance…I didn’t handle the situation very well. I was too dumb and inexperienced.”

  She shook her head, smiling faintly. “No, dumb and inexperienced was me. You did pretty well, considering that someone you considered basically a kid sister threw herself at you.”

  The words brought the picture back too clearly for his comfort—Libby in her first grown-up party dress, something soft and silky and pink that showed off curves he hadn’t known she possessed. The feel of her soft lips on his…

  His rebellious memory took him back to the more recent time…to Libby’s apartment in San Francisco three years ago, to the moment when she’d been so close he’d taken her in his arms, losing himself in her kisses until reality had crashed in on him. He’d known he had to get out of there before they went too far.

  He’d never succeeded in wiping out the results of that episode with Sally. He’d learned then that someone like him was always teetering on the edge of respectability, with plenty of people around to cheer if he fell off. He couldn’t take chances with his reputation, just as he couldn’t take advantage of whatever Libby might imagine she felt for him. The results could be disastrous.

  The very fact that Libby didn’t mention that event told him feelings were still raw—for her as well as for him.

  “I’ve known you most of my life, Libby. I don’t want to have bad feelings because of anything that happened between us.”

  Libby pressed her lips together for a moment, as if she held back words she didn’t want to say. Finally she managed a smile. “What’s past is past. Can we be friends now? That’s what Esther needs from us.”

  “Friends,” he said, holding out his hand.

  She put hers into it. “Friends,” she echoed.

  He released her hand as quickly as he decently could. “But that doesn’t mean you can interfere with my investigation,” he warned.

  Libby gave him that look of wide-eyed innocence that couldn’t be trusted an inch. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  * * *

  LIBBY FINALLY HAD an opportunity to be alone with Esther after what seemed like weeks. Christmas was past, and life was going back to normal. Or the new normal, in this case.

  She’d made it to the hospital in the afternoon after driving cautiously over roads hiding patches of black ice and gritty with salt. Living in San Francisco for five years had eroded her driving skills when it came to Pennsylvania winters.

  Libby pulled the green vinyl chair close to Esther’s bed and touched the hand that lay lax on the white sheet. “I persuaded your aunt to take your mamm down to the cafeteria for a bite of supper so we could have some time together.”

  It still seemed strange to talk to an unresponsive Esther, but even someone as medically ignorant as she was could see that Esther was improving. Some of the tubes were gone now, and her color was definitely better. She simply looked as if she were sleeping.

  “Your mamm says you’ve been opening your eyes more. I wish you’d open them for me. Please?”

  Fine lines appeared between Esther’s brows, and Libby’s breath caught.

  “That’s it, Esther. Open your eyes. It’s me, Libby. I want to see you.”

  Esther’s eyelids flickered slightly. Her frown deepened. With what seemed a struggle, she opened her eyes.

  “That’s it.” She wanted to jump up and down with delight, but this didn’t seem the place for it. “Esther, I can’t tell you how glad I am to see your blue eyes. It’s about time you were waking up.”

  Esther’s face turned slightly, her gaze seeking Libby. She seemed to be trying to focus, and her troubled expression intensified, as if she fought to figure out what was happening.

  “It’s okay, Essie.” The childhood nickname came easily to Libby’s tongue. “You’re in the hospital. In Lancaster. Remember?”

  No response.

  “The doctors say you’re doing much better. Honestly. And everyone is thinking about you and praying for you.” Libby’s heart hurt. Was it easier to see Esther unconscious or to watch this struggle to understand?

  “My mom’s been in to see you several times. She’s still getting over the wedding, I think. I caught her up in the attic yesterday—supposedly she was putting Christmas decorations away, but she was dusting off the old cradle, anticipating grandchildren before Trey and Jessica are back from their honeymoon.” She smiled, remembering Mom’s expression at being caught.

  Esther’s hand moved in hers, and
she looked up to see a smile—a genuine smile.

  “You heard. You understood. Didn’t you?”

  “Ja.” It was hardly more than a whisper, but it made her want to dance.

  The door behind her swung open. Libby turned, eager to tell Rebecca what had happened. But it wasn’t Rebecca. It was a nurse’s aide.

  “Are you Ms. Morgan?” The young woman looked uncertainly at a slip of paper in her hand.

  “That’s right.” Libby stood.

  “I wasn’t sure of the name.” The aide shoved the paper in the pocket of her scrubs. “Someone called the desk with a message for you. Said your car had been hit in the parking lot. He wants you to come down right away.”

  Her car…no, her brand-new sister-in-law’s car. Her stomach tightened. What a way to start their relationship.

  It would be Trey who’d have something to say about it, most likely, not Jessica, but that didn’t make her feel any better.

  “Thanks. I’ll go and take care of it.”

  The aide nodded, losing interest now that her message was delivered, and went out.

  Libby grabbed her jacket off the chair. If she could get the car to a garage right away, maybe there’d be a chance of having it fixed before Jessica returned. She’d have to—

  Halfway to the door, she stopped. Wait a minute. She’d been driving Jessica’s car. How could anyone know that? There was nothing in the car to identify her as the driver. Even if the police had traced the license plate, it would lead to Jessica, not to her.

  Libby frowned, looking at the window that overlooked the parking lot. Darkness drew in early this time of year. A gray day had already turned to a gray dusk. Wisps of fog wreathed the lampposts, and shadows deepened between the vehicles.

  If she rushed out, the way she’d intended, Esther would be alone here. Alone and vulnerable. Someone might be trying to get to her.

  Libby went quickly to the bedside table and picked up the phone. She hesitated a moment, but how could she weigh her discomfort against a possible threat to Esther? She dialed Adam’s number.

  “Chief Byler.” He answered quickly, always on duty, it seemed.