Love Inspired Suspense June 2014 Bundle 1 of 2: Undercover Marriage\Collateral Damage\Forgotten Past (42 page)

He tried to keep his voice steady. No need to alarm her any more. “I'm okay. We're both okay. Things have been crazy.”

“I heard. I can't believe it. Charlotte Samuels attended our Ladies' Bible Study yesterday. Eric Kennedy hasn't been married more than six months. He and Gen are still newlyweds.”

JT understood exactly what those two men's families were going through. He'd been there. It was nothing short of a living nightmare.

“I'm scared for you, brother. What's happening in Faith's life for someone to go to such extremes?”

Upstairs, the shower was shut off. “I don't know.”

“Please tell me you aren't thinking of taking her on as a client? JT, I don't think that's a good idea. She's obviously in a lot of danger.”

He'd expected Liz's reaction. “We haven't talked about it yet, but she needs my help, sis. Aren't you the one who's always telling me by helping others we help ourselves?”

He could tell from her silence she hadn't liked his answer. “Call me when you find out something. I'll be praying for you and for the officers' families.”

It always humbled him to hear that his sister prayed for him. He wished he could find something to say to ease her mind, but he had no idea how this thing would end.

* * *

The warm spray of water helped to take the chill from her skin, but nothing could wash away the bitter cold growing inside her. The death count was growing. Four people were now dead and she was still no closer to understanding why.

Faith dressed in the sweats JT lent her and went downstairs, where she found him waiting for her in the great room. She noticed he'd changed into something dry as well. Ollie roamed around the room getting into things.

When the dog spotted her, he sprang into her arms.

Faith sat down on the sofa close to the fireplace. “Any word yet?” She dreaded his answer.

He shook his head. “No, nothing yet, but then I suspect they'll be at it for hours yet.”

She stared into the fire. “JT, I was so afraid. The room filled with smoke and I couldn't breathe. Ollie had disappeared. Once I found him, I knew I had to get us out before the smoke became too overpowering. I started down the stairs, when I heard glass breaking and someone moving around downstairs.” She released a quivering breath. “I thought he would kill me and then he just left. He must have heard you. If you hadn't showed up when you did...” She couldn't go on.

JT sat down beside her and reached for her hand. “So he went inside the house. I'm wondering if there might be some footprints we can use. Do you remember anything else?”

“Not really.” She stopped. No, she did remember something. “Wait. There was a loud noise like an explosion. I thought it was part of my dream until the room filled with smoke.”

JT remembered the explosion clearly. “I heard it, too. I'm guessing he used some kind of accelerant to set the fire. Possibly a firebomb.”

It sounded terrifying. Once more JT had saved her life.

“I thought I noticed an alarm system before. Didn't that go off?” JT asked. “When I got there, it wasn't on.”

“I remember hearing it, but not for long. Maybe a couple of minutes.”

“Either the explosion took the security system out pretty quickly or the killer disabled it.”

Her eyes widened as she remembered something. “Your phone. I left it on my nightstand.”

“It's okay. I can get it when the fire chief clears the house again. In the meantime, if anyone needs me, they can call my home number.”

She couldn't seem to stop shivering. “So what happens next?”

“I don't know. With your permission, I'd like to have two of my partners from Wyatt Securities start working the case. Like me, Teddy and Derek are former cops and they've been with me since the beginning. Frankly, I could use their insight.” He raked a hand through his hair. “The one bit of good news is in an officer-related homicide, every possible law enforcement agency around will assist with the case. The bad news is we don't know who we're searching for. That's why I want Teddy and Derek in on this. They're very good at finding overlooked clues.”

Her head swam. “Of course. Whatever you think is best. I just can't believe this has happened. Those men were innocent. They weren't part of this. Why did he have to kill them?”

JT placed his arm around her and drew her close. “He's unstable, Faith. To someone like that, killing means nothing. It doesn't matter that they had nothing to do with anything. They were standing in the way of his getting to you.”

Faith leaned against him and closed her eyes. She could hear his steady heartbeat. Tonight she needed his strength more than ever.

“When I left Austin, I was so scared. I didn't know where to go. There was no one to turn to for help. I was terrified he'd come after me and kill me, so I got in my car and drove as far away as I could. I ended up in Billings, Montana. For a time, well, it seemed to work. I changed my name, settled in, found a job and started to think maybe I'd overreacted....”

When her voice trailed off, he gently stroked her hair. “Go on,” he said.

“A short time later, he called again. After the second hang-up, well, I became suspicious of every stranger I met on the street. Since I couldn't remember his face, he could be anyone. Then I came home from work one day and found a candlelit dinner waiting for me, along with a note that said,
You belong to me.
I packed up everything and ran.” She'd felt so alone. Having no one to turn to for help had been almost as bad as not knowing her stalker's identity.

“That must have been terrifying,” JT said quietly.

It was. “I came close to giving up so many times. It was one of the darkest points of my life, and then something remarkable happened. Right before I moved to Hope Island, I lived in Kansas for a time. One Sunday morning, I went for a drive in the country to clear my head and I spotted this little church outside of Benton, the town where I lived. I went in and sat in the back. JT, I can't explain it, but I just had a feeling of peace come over me, as I'd never experienced before. Everyone there was so nice. They welcomed me and didn't ask too many questions.”

She sighed. “I went back the next week and the week after. It was the happiest I'd been since, well, since I can't remember. It changed my life. Because no matter how hopeless the situation seemed, I finally realized I didn't have to face it alone.”

For a time, she'd actually begun to believe she might have a future there. She'd taken an online cooking class and discovered she loved it. At one point, she even thought about opening her own bakery. And then...

“Yet something did happen there. Otherwise you wouldn't have ended up on Hope Island. I take it he found you again.”

That had been the worst experience since the attack. It scared her just thinking about it now. “Yes. He broke into my apartment one night and watched me while I slept. When I woke up and found him there, I froze. I didn't know what to do. I was certain he'd kill me and then he just left. The second I was sure he was gone, I grabbed everything and ran again.”

She pulled away. “Every time he finds me the threats become more deadly. I'm afraid this time he's going to kill me.” Her voice filled with panic.

JT tugged her back against his chest and she clung to him. “That's not happening because this time will be different. You have me...and round-the-clock protection.”

She closed her eyes. She'd just rest here in the safety of his arms for a little while. She was so tired of fighting this battle.

SIX

H
e'd left the house phone's receiver in the kitchen. When it rang, he hurried to answer it before the noise woke Faith. She'd fallen asleep on the couch near him. She'd been emotionally drained.

He grabbed the phone and Will's cell number popped up on the caller ID.

“How are you two holding up?” Will asked, his voice holding traces of exhaustion.

JT glanced out the kitchen window. Dawn was just breaking. “Okay, I guess. Faith managed to sleep so that's something. Have you found out anything?”

Will blew out a sigh. “No. The rain washed away any DNA evidence there might have been. The officers didn't have time to defend themselves, JT. It was an ambush. I would have called earlier, but I had to notify their families. That was...difficult.”

“I'm sorry. That had to be hard. I still can't believe it. I went to the academy with Samuels. He was a good man.”

“They both were. This is a devastating blow to the department. At least the fire ended up contained to the downstairs area, thanks in part to the rain. The fire department got it out pretty quickly, and I do have a bit of good news for you. The blaze only destroyed the kitchen and part of the downstairs. Hopefully, Faith can salvage some of her things.”

“I guess that's something,” JT added quietly. However, in light of everything else, a few personal items didn't seem very important. He realized that he'd almost forgotten to mention a pertinent detail about the night of the fire. “I might have some good news for you, too. Faith told me she heard someone moving around downstairs right before I arrived. I'm hoping he left some footprints behind.”

“I'll have my men check on it. Did she remember anything else?”

“She said she heard something like an explosion. I'm thinking he must have thrown a bottle filled with gasoline through the kitchen window. She remembered hearing the alarm go off, but only for a few minutes. Either the explosion took it out or the killer disarmed it.”

“Makes sense. I'm thinking he killed my two men first to eliminate the threat, and then went after Faith.” He drew in an audible breath. “I've been on the force for a lot of years and I've never seen a case quite like this.”

JT had to agree. “The acts of violence are escalating. Whatever Faith has locked away in her memory has him acting like a cornered animal. He has nothing to lose. That's why I'm going to move Faith to a safe house as soon as I can make the arrangements.”

“That's a good idea. He knows she's here on the island and he's determined enough to find her again.” Will voiced JT's fears aloud.

“Exactly. I've asked Derek to do more digging into the details of the murders. He'll be stopping by to give me a status update in a few hours. Hopefully, we'll know more then.”

“Good. We need answers fast. I have a call in to the Austin police. I should hear something from them soon.”

JT said a silent prayer of thanks. “Good, because right now, nothing about this case makes sense.”

“Right. The fire chief said he could probably clear the house this afternoon if everything goes well. Faith should be able to get some of her things then if the weather holds. I'm expecting the governor to issue a complete evacuation of the island anytime now.”

JT ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “We knew it was coming, but it's still the last thing we need right now.”

“Yes. Keep your eyes open. I hate to sound like the voice of doom and gloom, but I think the worst is still ahead of us.”

After JT hung up, he checked on Faith. She hadn't moved since he'd left her. Ollie had positioned himself on top of her feet, but opened one eye and let out a halfhearted growl when JT covered Faith with a blanket.

“It's only me, boy. You're doing a good job.”

Ollie settled down and began to snooze once more.

Catching a nap wasn't going to be an option for JT. Instead, he went back to the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. At a loss as to what to do next, he needed God's strength and guidance now more than ever.

He opened his Bible to the concordance, found the word
strength
, and looked up the Bible verse Isaiah 40:29–31,
God supplies power to the weak.

Was there ever a soul as weak as he was tonight?

JT closed his eyes and prayed.
Lord, I need You. I'm not sure I can protect her on my own. Please help me.
He knew he'd lost his way spiritually. After Emily's death, he'd blamed God and himself for what had happened. He'd done his best to write God out of his life. Yet when troubles came into his life that were too much to bear, like the resurfacing of all his old insecurities, he found himself praying and asking for God's guidance. Each time he prayed a sense of calm settled over him. He'd experienced it before many times. God had a way of carrying those whose sorrows became overwhelming.

* * *

Faith didn't think sleep would be possible and yet somehow she'd fallen asleep on the couch. In spite of everything, knowing JT was close by gave her a feeling of peace.

She sat up and pushed the blanket away. The fire in the fireplace had died to embers, yet the room was still warm.

The smell of fresh-brewed coffee wafted in from the kitchen.

Ollie lay curled up on top of her feet. The second she moved, he hopped into her lap. Ollie was being overprotective of her. God blessed animals with the ability to sense when their human companions were hurting. Ollie had certainly figured it out.

She gathered the Pug in her arms. “Come on, boy. Let's go find JT.”

When she walked into the kitchen, she stopped dead in her tracks. JT stood over by the window with his back to her, lost in thought and unaware of her. It struck her again just how handsome he was.

Ollie let out a little whimper and she let him go. JT turned slowly toward her. The seriousness of what he'd been pondering etched grooves around his mouth. She wanted to ask if he had bad news, but she was too afraid.

Their eyes met and held. Tension seeped into every pore of Faith's body. Old longings resurfaced. The ones she told herself she'd laid to rest.

He came over to where she stood and touched her cheek. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of him. He smelled like soap and outdoors—the ocean. Strength itself.

He was close enough for her to see when the need to comfort turned to something more. His hand lingered a second longer on her cheek and then cupped her face. After a moment's hesitation, he brought her close. He touched his lips to hers and stilled. Her eyes fluttered open and they watched each other for a moment. Then she was kissing him and he was kissing her. The world around them fell away. It took longer than it should have for her to realize he was the one to break off the kiss.

He cleared his throat. “I should probably say I'm sorry about that, but I'm not. I don't regret kissing you, Faith. I hope you don't, either.”

She loved his honesty. She met his gaze unflinchingly. “I don't regret it.”

He let go of the breath he had been holding, waiting for her answer. “Good. Coffee's fresh. Want some?”

She couldn't quite match his nonchalance. Being near him reminded her of things she'd given up on for her own life. Things like companionship. Love. Someone to be there for you when you needed him.

“Oh, yes.”

He chuckled at the slight edge of desperation in her tone. “If you're hungry I could make us some breakfast.”

“No, coffee's fine.”

He pointed to the kitchen table. “Sit. I'll get it for you.”

She sank down in the nearest chair and reality intruded into her thoughts. What if JT were wrong and they weren't able to discover the identity of the person trying to kill her? What if she had to run again? She didn't think she could bear to leave again.

Faith glanced out the kitchen window to the ocean beyond. Today the ocean was gray and angry. Clouds hung low in the sky.

JT handed her a cup and she took it with visibly unsteady fingers.

He pulled another chair out across from her. “Look at me.” After a long moment, she did as he asked. “This
will
end. I give you my promise. You just have to do your part. You can't give up.”

He was sacrificing so much to help her. She owed him her life. She'd fight until there was no more fight left in her. “Okay,” she said at last.

“Good. I've asked my business partners to stop by this morning. I've brought them up to speed on everything. I'm hoping between the four of us, we can start to fit some pieces together.”

He'd no sooner gotten the words out than the doorbell rang. “And that'll be them now. I'll be right back.” He left her to answer the door.

Faith's thoughts sped at a mile a minute. So much had happened and yet everything from the night before seemed like a blur.

JT came back with two men. “Teddy, Derek, this is Faith McKenzie. Faith, this is Teddy Warren and Derek Thomas. Without these two men, there wouldn't be a Wyatt Securities. They've been with me since the beginning.”

Teddy Warren stuck out his hand. He had to be close to JT's age and prematurely graying. Everything about the man screamed someone who possessed a bundle of energy and struggled to control it.

“It's good to meet you, Faith. I'm sorry it has to be under these circumstances.”

“Thank you. Me, too.”

The second man, Derek Thomas, was average in both height and build and as different from Teddy Warren as possible. There was a quietness about the dark-haired man that hinted at someone who rarely spoke unless he had something worth saying.

“Faith, if you're ready, we have a few questions for you,” JT said. “Let's go to my office. There's less clutter in there and we'll have more room.”

* * *

JT closed the door, cleared a stack of papers from the last remaining chair and sat down. “Did you find out anything about the medication?” he asked Derek curiously.

“I did and I have some strange news for you.”

A sliver of trepidation slipped into the pit of JT's stomach. “What is it?”

“Turns out Zyban has nothing to do with helping memory return. Just the opposite, in fact. It's an antismoking drug.”

Faith shot JT a startled look. “I can't believe it. It doesn't make any sense.”

JT had suspected something was off about the drug, but nothing prepared him for this. “What would be the benefit of prescribing such a drug?”

“I don't think there are any,” Derek told them. “I checked with two different doctors and they both confirmed it. And get this—one of the known side effects for Zyban is short-term memory loss.”

Faith's eyes widened in disbelief. “I don't understand why my doctor would prescribe such a medicine.”

JT turned to her. “What did the doctor tell you about the medication?”

She shook her head. “That's just it...I never actually spoke to the doctor about it. When I got home from the hospital, the pills were in my bag with Dr. Stephens's name on the prescription. There were instructions on how often to take the pills, along with how to refill them online. With everything that happened, I guess I never really questioned why no one spoke to me about taking the drug.”

“If it wasn't prescribed, then how'd it end up in your bag with the doctor's name on it?” Derek wondered aloud. “I mean, in order for you to keep getting the prescription filled, a doctor would have to sign off on it.”

“Yes, I guess so.”

JT had an idea. “Do we have your consent to get your medical records sent over?” he asked her.

She didn't hesitate. “Of course.”

“Good. Once we have the records, I'm willing to believe there won't be any prescription mentioned in them. I'm going to try to speak with the doctor who treated you. His name may be on the prescription, but I don't think he prescribed the medicine.”

Alarm showed in her eyes. “You think...
he
did this?”

“Exactly,” JT said. “Whoever is stalking you is connected to the hospital in some way. How else would he be able to get those drugs to you in the first place and keep the prescription going? We just have to figure out what the connection is.”

“It certainly makes sense,” Derek agreed. “I'd say whoever rigged the prescription is banking on your not regaining any of your memories of the attack.”

JT wondered what was going to happen when the killer learned Faith had stopped taking the meds. If he hadn't already...

“Will's got his hands full right now. It may be a few days before he can get any details on the case from the detectives who investigated the murders. Teddy, can you dig around a little?”

“I'm already on it. So far, I've run into a wall,” he told them. “A blue wall, to be exact. I have a friend who's a former Austin detective and he remembers the Jennings case, just not too many of the details. I'll keep trying.”

“Good. If you have to push a little harder, do it.”

Teddy glanced at his watch and grimaced. “I need to get going. I'm taking Brenda and the baby over to Derek's place in Alfred until the storm passes. They should be safe there.”

“I'll go with you,” Derek said. “I need to clean the place up a bit, otherwise Brenda won't be able to sleep. I'll start poking into the Jennings' past and see what I can come up with.”

“That'd be great.” JT rose and followed his partners to the door. “I'll be right back, okay?” he told Faith.

She nodded. “Thank you both for everything you're doing to help me.” She looked exhausted beyond belief. She probably hadn't gotten a good night's rest in years.

“Hang in there.” Derek tried to reassure her.

Her smile didn't seem genuine. “I'll do my best.”

JT waited until they reached the front door. “I didn't want to say this in front of Faith, but we don't have much time. We need answers fast before this person strikes again and the weather seems to be playing a big factor in all of this. Be careful, you two. We don't even know who we're dealing with. It could be anyone and I don't want anything to happen to either of you.”