Love Inspired Suspense June 2014 Bundle 1 of 2: Undercover Marriage\Collateral Damage\Forgotten Past (26 page)

“You're telling me. You don't suspect Alec could be—”

Nick raised his hand. “He might be a tough business negotiator, but we both know he's not going to resort to violence to get the rehab center out of town. It's possible your nurse's death could have happened because she witnessed something she shouldn't have.”

“Cindy?”

“Do you know if she and Chaz were seeing each other socially?”

“She never mentioned it to me.”

“Though my cousin had the retreat catered, Cindy took snacks to the conference center both days. She belonged to Dad's church.”

Gerard closed his eyes and shook his head. “Not much to go on, though. Lots of ‘might have beens.' Megan told me something a few months ago, and I'd forgotten about it until recently. It's possible Alec blamed his father's death on Mark Russell. Nora might be concerned about that.”

Nick glanced toward Nora, who was talking quietly with her friends and Sarah near the door. Everyone in town had discovered last year that Nora had killed her abusive husband in self-defense many years ago when he went after her once too often. “She was careful to keep the abuse a secret. Why would he blame Mark?”

“He was about thirteen, I think, when he confided in Mark that he thought his dad was hurting his mom. Mark tried to talk to Eaton and it only made things worse, apparently. Amazing the silent abuse that takes place in a quiet, safe-seeming town. When everything finally came out last year, Nora had to hire a team of attorneys to keep her out of jail. It was a shock to the whole town, and though Nora kept her cool through the whole thing, Alec nearly lost it. He developed a full-blown case of PTSD that he'd managed to control since his stint in Afghanistan.”

“What about the sheriff?” Nick asked. “Who calls a pastor to intervene in a violent family disturbance?”

“A young kid who looked up to Mark as a role model for a father. He believed Mark failed him. He did end up calling the sheriff eventually, and of course, Nora covered it up to protect the Thompson name.”

Nick and Gerard were still watching the crowd when the doors swung open and a tech pushed Emma through in a wheelchair. A wide bandage of gauze circled her head like a crown. The crowd surged toward her, surrounding her, gently hugging her and Sarah. The chatter doubled in the room.

Emma was going to be okay. The room grew noisy for a few moments as the community of Jolly Mill showered the Russell girls with their love and promises of protection. Emma's expression told Nick that she was soaking up all the love in the room. Sarah's eyes glistened with unshed tears after Dad announced that Emma was released from the hospital.

Nick met Gerard's gaze and then both of them quickly studied the expressions of members of the crowd. Nick saw nothing out of place except for Alec's hard-eyed glower—and he was also studying the crowd, on guard.

The man caught Nick's gaze and wandered over to him, arms crossed over his chest. “I don't like this. We need to get that little gal far away from here. Jolly Mill isn't safe.”

Petra stepped up beside Alec and placed a hand on his arm. “Honey, Jolly Mill's probably the safest place for her right now.” She had a soft, gentle voice. She gestured to the people surrounding the Russell girls. “She's safer with all the folks in our town watching out for her.”

“How can she be watched around the clock?”

“You're a soldier. You know how,” she said.

Alec paused a moment, staring into Petra's open gaze. He nodded and wandered away.

For once, Petra didn't follow him like his trained pet. She stood beside Nick watching the others. “I remember Sarah from school.”

“She was a lot different then.”

Petra giggled. “Goth girl. I always thought she was so cool. I mean, I didn't have the guts, but she did. I wanted to be her.”

“Her twin, Shelby? You'd remember her.”

Petra rolled her green eyes. “Miss precious cheerleader, most popular, everybody loved her? Except me. I remember you and Sarah were the item in school.”

“Item?” Nick smiled. He watched Sarah, who hovered close to Emma. Her behavior toward her baby sister since she'd arrived this morning had been more maternal than sisterly. How difficult it must be to take on the responsibilities of raising a teenager, especially one with so much energy and curiosity.

“Nick?” Petra said. “You and Sarah?”

“We were good friends. We got into a lot of mischief together.”

“That's why nobody else could ever get close to you. I don't think you ever had eyes for anyone but Sarah.” Petra leaned closer. “Half the girls in our class were in love with you, and I don't think you ever noticed. You were always watching Sarah.”

He laughed out loud at that.

“I had plenty of competition.”

Nick blinked at her. “Uh, sorry—”

“Oh, don't worry. Alec's my guy now, but your dad watched out for me when my family moved to town, and I see a lot of him in you.” She smiled up into his eyes, and he felt an itch of discomfort.

* * *

Emma tugged on Sarah's arm. “Sis.”

“Yes? You okay?”

Emma's eyes narrowed at something across the room. “Her name's Petra, right?”

Sarah looked up to see Nick and Petra talking together and nodded. “I knew her in school. Smart, but no one would've known it from her grades.”

“I think she's standing a little too close to Nick,” Emma muttered. “I thought she was dating Alec. Maybe she's not as smart as you think if she can't tell the guys apart.”

Sarah chuckled. “Old school friends, honey. Relax and focus on getting well.”

“The least you could do is make a friendly gesture. You know, like, walk over and slide in between them. With your fist, if you have to.”

Sarah's chuckle turned into a giggle, she was so relieved Emma was back to her old self and already playing matchmaker again.

“Well, unlike you, I can tell when a woman's trying to make a move on a man.”

Sarah eyed the slightly plump woman with bright red, shoulder-length hair, freckles covering her skin, eyes green and lively. “Nick was nice to her in high school when she was new and lonely. He had a lot of compassion.”

“Is that why he spent so much time with you? Because you were lonely and he felt sorry for you?”

“No, I was good in English, and I helped him with his penmanship. Besides, I chose to be alone—he just didn't let me.”

“And so you pretended to be Goth so no one would confuse you with your twin? Really, Sarah. You don't know how much that hurt Shelby's feelings?”

Sarah continued to watch Nick and Petra, their shoulders nearly touching. She returned her attention to Emma. “Sorry, honey, but Shelby and I were always like that. We learned to live with it.”

Gerard Vance, at least two inches taller than any other person in the room, waved his arms over his head. “Folks, our patient's been released. No reason for us to hang around here. Why don't we all head home?”

Edward stepped forward to push the wheelchair, but Gerard laid a hand on his shoulder. “Pull back for a minute,” he said softly. “Others can lead the way.” He winked at Emma. “Keep your eyes open.”

Sarah held her breath as she watched Emma. There was no sign of recognition as she studied the crowd. She smiled at everyone, thanked them for coming, returned loving hugs from Carmen, Kirstie and Nora, and behaved as if she was at a party until the final visitor left.

“See anything familiar, honey?” Edward asked.

Emma darted a glance up at Sarah. She sniffed and studied the empty room. “I did catch a whiff of something when I got to the conference center.” She sniffed again. “I smelled it again a few seconds ago.”

Sarah reached for Edward's arm. The killer was here?

NINE

N
ick's arm came around Sarah before she even had time to panic. “It's okay. We'll check it out.” He knelt beside Emma. “What smell caught your attention?”

Emma touched her nose, then scratched it as if it itched. “Fruity? Spicy?”

“Like perfume?” Sarah asked.

Emma grimaced. “It smelled good, but not perfumy, you know?”

“So not a cologne.” Gerard nodded to Nick, then took off along the hospital hallway to catch up with the crowd.

Emma looked up at Nick, and he could read the fear in her eyes.

“Don't worry, Emma. Gerard's got a nose like a bloodhound and a voice like a bullhorn, so if someone who smells like fruit and spice was in the room and Gerard finds this person, he'll do some extreme questioning and maybe an in-depth sniff test.”

Emma's giggle made Sarah's heart contract with tenderness and love.

“Did anybody come here from the diner?” Sarah asked. “It smelled wonderful there, like cinnamon and bacon and smoked ham.” She was suddenly hungry just thinking about it, despite the overwhelming anxiety of the morning. Maybe she was unwinding from the anxiety, knowing how many friends surrounded her, and how many she knew for sure she could trust. “It followed us all the way up the hill, remember, Nick?”

“Emma, did you smell bacon just now? Or ham?”

Emma nodded. “But something more. Not like food.”

“Someone else might have brought one of those huge cinnamon rolls from Parker's,” Nick said. “Billy was here.”

“Nora told us she'd been baking a new spice cookie,” Sarah said. “And she smelled wonderful.” It had been comforting to spend a few moments with Nora, Kirstie and Carmen, three of Mom's best friends when they lived here, but now that they'd walked out, she lingered beside Edward, basking in the comfort of his presence.

He took her into his big, strong arms and hugged her, and she felt as if some of his strength melted into her, infusing her with courage she knew she wouldn't have without him here. How she loved this man. How she'd missed him.

What would his reaction be when he discovered Emma was the granddaughter he'd never known—and Aunt Peg would never know?

The truth would have to come out, and soon.

Edward patted her hand and then reached for the wheelchair. “Let's get Emma settled in Gerard's monster SUV. It's going to be okay, sweethearts. I'm not leaving you, and neither will Nick. I've already decided to stay at Carmen's with you tonight.” He stepped out into the broad hallway and turned the silent wheelchair to the left. “I'm here so much, the staff trusts me with the wheelchair, especially when they're busy. Emma, you're going to love Carmen's big old teddy bear of a Doberman. Nina might eat an intruder, but she's going to fall in love with you. In fact, I'd be surprised if she didn't stay by your side from the moment the two of you are introduced.”

“Really?” Emma looked up at Sarah. She'd wanted her own dog ever since their family dachshund died of old age.

“A lot of animals can sense when someone's sick or in pain. I think you might be able to convince Carmen to let Nina sleep with you tonight, if you don't mind a little snoring,” Edward said.

Sarah's steps slowed. “Edward, I need to call our cousin John. If he hears about this from any source besides me, he'll never forgive me.”

“Good thought, honey. I'll get Emma safely settled.” He raised a hand and waved without stopping the forward motion of the wheelchair.

Sarah pulled her cell phone from her purse and pressed speed dial for John Fred. He answered almost before the first ring ended.

“Hey, cuz, I've tried calling five times.”

“Sorry, I've been in the hospital, had my cell off.”

“Hospital?”

“She's fine. Bump on the head. Little amnesia.”

Silence.

She looked at the screen. She hadn't lost connection. “John?”

“You couldn't have called?” Her cousin seldom raised his voice, but she glanced around the hallway to see if anyone heard his shout. “You couldn't have asked someone else to call?”

“I'm calling now, earliest I could do it, okay? I wanted to wait until I knew she was okay so you wouldn't—”

“Don't you
ever
do that again.”

“John, she fell at the conference center where Mom and Dad and Aunt Peg were killed. Nick and I found her on the outside steps that led into the cellar.” Sarah took a deep breath. “She had a bump and blood on the back of her head, but she was lying with her head down, face down on the steps. In other words, not a natural position she could have gotten herself into, if you ask me.”

“What happened?”

“She's still trying to remember. It seems half the town came to the hospital, and Gerard and Nick are conferring to decide if we might have had a culprit in the waiting area.”

“I'm coming to Jolly Mill. I've already spoken to the chief, and—”

“I'm not having this argument with you again, so come on over if you want. I do want you to get something for me, though.”

“What?”

“Go back to both houses, mine and my parents', and get out those old albums and scrapbooks Mom and I made of Emma.”

A brief silence, and then, “You're going to tell him.”

“I'm going to tell them all, most likely the whole town.”

“What, you're just going to call them all together and make an announcement? I've got to see this. You know I do.” The excitement in his voice nearly quivered through the line. “Don't say anything until I get there.”

“No promises.”

“Gotta go, cuz. Gotta pack. There's no way I'm letting you face this on your own. I'll be there with scrapbooks as soon as I can, but don't go to bed tonight until I get there.”

* * *

Nick shook his head, entranced, when the sliding glass doors of the hospital slid back and his father wheeled Emma outside. Half the folks who had come to check on her were already gone, but those still in the parking lot turned and cheered. Emma smiled like a bright-eyed little beauty queen who couldn't believe her good fortune, her dark eyes shining, her long, dark brown hair drifting across her face with the breeze. No wonder Sarah had been so frantic about her baby sister's safety. The child had a tendency to wrap that wide open smile around a person's heart and lock on. Even her typical teenage rebellion was atypical, because of her obviously tender heart.

But something was missing from this picture. Sarah. Nick frowned and gazed around the parking lot. He saw Gerard jumping into his SUV to drive around and pick up their patient, but Sarah had not joined them.

Bloodhound mission forgotten, he rushed to his father's side.

“She's making a call,” Dad said before Nick could ask.

John. Of course. “She's still inside?”

Dad nodded. “Don't rush her.”

Nick leaned over Emma. “Honey, do you have a headache?”

“Yeah, but don't tell Sarah.” Emma rolled her eyes. “It's like, all of a sudden, since the funeral, she's been ten times more hoveracious than Mom ever was.”

Nick grinned. “Hoveracious?”

“Tell me you don't know exactly what I mean.”

He looked up as Sarah stepped through the doors. His smile died when he saw a sparkle of tears on her face. “Yeah, Emma, I think I know what you mean,” he said as Sarah leaned her forehead against Dad's shoulder. Dad immediately released the wheelchair with one hand and wrapped an arm around her.

“She kind of likes you, doesn't she?” Nick said to Emma.

Gerard pulled the SUV up to the wheelchair beneath the awning and jumped out to help get Emma settled.

“Yeah, boy, you could say that.” Emma shook her head and did another eye roll.

“Nice, huh?”

Emma shrugged. “If it was healthy, sure.” She stood up and glanced over her shoulder at her sister. “She worries too much. It's not good for her.”

Sarah acknowledged Emma's statement with a sniff and a watery smile. Nick wanted to take them both in his arms and draw them close. Instead, he turned and helped Gerard get Emma settled while Dad took the wheelchair back into the hospital.

“Front seat again, little lady,” Gerard told Emma. “After a knock on the head, you'll be less likely to get carsick if you sit in front.”

“I never get carsick.”

“Ever had your head whacked before?” Nick asked. “Get in the front. Doctor's orders. It'll protect Gerard's interior and give me a chance to sit in the back with Sarah.”

That wide smile returned. “Oh, really?” Emma glanced toward her sister, then back at Nick, and she winked. “Any ulterior motives?”

Nick opened the back door for Sarah, but she hesitated, her gray-green eyes pensive. “Much as I'd love to ride with you and be teased by Emma for thirty minutes, I don't like the idea of Edward driving home alone.” She looped her purse over her shoulder and stepped away from the SUV. “I think he could use some company.”

“Hey, Sarah,” Emma called. “No fair. I was just telling Nick how much you liked me, and now you're abandoning me?”

“You're in safe hands,” she called back, then caught Nick's gaze as he turned to walk with her. “Safety in numbers.”

“As in, Chaz was alone when he went off the bridge,” Nick said softly.

Sarah nodded. “I'm glad I didn't have to figure out how to sneak my Smith & Wesson into the hospital, but I wish I had it with me, anyway.”

“We'll follow Dad's truck. Gerard carries his weapon and keeps it locked in his console when he's in a no-weapon zone.”

“I still don't want Edward to drive back alone.” She glanced over her shoulder toward Gerard's vehicle. “Sounds like you'll have a struggle to manage two words with Emma. Listen to her chattering to Gerard.” She paused as the rise and fall of Emma's soliloquy reached them. “She sounds the way Dad used to when he drank too much coffee.”

Nick placed an arm around Sarah, and it felt natural, the way it used to feel when they were kids walking home from a fishing expedition or cave exploration and he just casually rested his forearm on her shoulder. Like buddies.

“Think there's any way to keep Emma handcuffed to the house for the next couple of months?” he asked. “Reinjury is much more dangerous than the first injury.”

Sarah looked up at him as they neared Dad's pickup. “Keeping that child still is like trying to keep a chrysalis from bursting into a butterfly.”

Nick couldn't prevent a smile. “Isn't that exactly what she's doing? I'm surprised the two of you get along so well—she's so much like Shelby.”

There was a short, thoughtful pause. “We've always been very close. I lived at home while I attended university at Cape Girardeau, so I spent as much time as I could with her in the evenings, even after I graduated and got a job.”

“And Shelby? Wasn't she ever in Emma's life?”

“Oh, she made a good babysitter every so often, and she loves Emma, of course, but after high school she wasn't home much. She met a guy at a youth rally who wanted to be a missionary, so she attended College of the Ozarks, worked her way through and got married. She's never looked back.”

He studied Sarah. “And yet you stayed in the same town with your family. You were always the independent one, and you didn't take off and fly like your sister.”

Sarah shrugged. “I guess dreams change.”

“Your dream was to be a famous novelist and travel the world.”

“Emma's my top priority, so some other things might have to fall by the wayside to get her raised.”

“I'll have a talk with her on the drive,” Nick promised. “Even if I have to raise my voice to get her to shut up for a few minutes. Maybe it's a good idea that you don't go with us, after all. That way she might be more likely to listen to me as a doctor. It's vital that she realizes how dangerous a head injury can be.”

“And while you're at it, tell her about Chaz.”

Nick nodded. “Convince her how serious this whole situation is.”

“She needs to know she's not invincible.”

“I'll make sure of it.”

“If she was attacked, her attacker's going to do all it takes to keep her from recalling what she might have seen.” Sarah's voice trembled.

Nick gave in to instinct and wrapped his arms around her. It began as a simple attempt to comfort her, but when she stayed there, and pressed her forehead against his chest, the comforting touch became a hug. And so much more. Why had the Russells moved away? Why hadn't Sarah stayed in Jolly Mill, the way she was supposed to? Nothing had happened the way it should have.

Dad came at last. Nick caught his gaze and saw a half grin and raised eyebrow as Dad unlocked the doors. Nick reluctantly opened the passenger door for Sarah.

She looked up and gave him a serene smile. “Thanks, Nick. I think you're my hero.”

“You think?” he teased.

She chuckled as she stepped into the truck. He closed the door and stood looking at her. His admiration soared. Granted, when they were sixteen, she'd had no choice but to go with her parents, but what if he'd followed up on an urge that had haunted him since the day the Russell family left for St. Louis? What if he'd looked her up after graduation? What if they'd reconnected? Would he be a divorced man now, or would he have married the right woman in the first place—his best friend?

* * *

Edward slid behind the steering wheel of his elderly pickup truck and reached across to pat Sarah's hand. “Playing bodyguard?”

“I thought you'd be less likely to be run off the road by some maniac if they saw two people through the rearview window instead of one.”

“You realize Gerard's planning to follow me home, anyway.”

She did. And she felt like a hypocrite for not telling her beloved “second father” the whole reason she wanted to ride with him. Oh, there were plenty of reasons. Some had to do with not wanting to spend so much time with Nick right now, because her emotions were running so high, and because she tingled from head to foot any time he touched her, even accidentally. What an unexpected shock that had been—old feelings for him resurfacing after all this time.