Sanctuary Lost WITSEC Town Series Book 1 (30 page)

“You think he has it in for you?”

“I know he has it in for me.”

John thought for a minute. “Your cabin?”

“I don’t think he set the fire. It’s more his
attitude. He’s way too gung-ho over me being taken away. I think I
dinged his pride by not wanting him.”

“That’s not okay, Andra. That’s not a reason
for you to be convicted of murder. Palmer should know that.” He
blew out a breath. “I’ll talk to him.”

“No.” She shook her head, then winced and lay
down.

“Are you okay?”

“Don’t say anything to Palmer, okay? It’s not
worth stirring it all up again.”

John shook his head. He was absolutely going
to say something to Palmer. He couldn’t have a deputy who let his
personal agenda cloud his judgment. That wasn’t going to work.

The satellite phone rang.

“Sheriff John Mason.”

“Please hold for the President.”

The line clicked and a voice John had heard,
but only on TV, came on the line. “Sheriff?”

“Yes, sir.” John sat up. Not that the
President could see him but he couldn’t exactly slouch, even if he
wasn’t face-to-face with the man. “Your wife and daughter are all
settled in, sir. I’ve made sure they’re going to be taken care
of.”

“I’m sure you have, Sheriff. But that’s not
why I’m calling.”

“Excuse me, sir. What can I help you
with?”

President Sheraton chuckled. “Under the
circumstances, you can probably just call me Thomas.” He paused for
a beat. “I understand there’s a murder investigation going on
there.”

John had a brief flash of panic thinking
Sheraton might say the name Sanctuary over the phone. Grant
should’ve briefed him. “That’s right.”

“And the suspect is in custody?”

“I have an arrest warrant.” John glanced at
Andra. She was lying down still, but her eyes were open and her
attention was on his end of the phone conversation.

“To be honest, sir, the warrant was provided
because of information relating to the suspect’s past, which all
occurred over a decade ago. Yes, it’s incriminating. The people of
the town are convinced she did it. At this point I don’t have any
good evidence to confirm the suspect is guilty.”

Who knew if the President even wanted all
this information. Didn’t he have better things to worry about?
Although, if it was John’s wife and daughter then he would probably
be taking a close interest in the town they’d been sent to.

“So you buckled and arrested her?”

“Her cabin, which sits in a remote area, was
torched. It’s unlivable now. Honestly, I’m concerned for her
safety. Another resident who may also have a connection to the case
was attacked this afternoon. The suspect is now in my custody.”

“I see.” The President paused. “And do you
have any idea who might be behind it all?”

“Whoever it is, I think they’re in contact
with someone outside town. This phone, the only method of
communication in and out right now, may have been compromised
earlier tonight.”

“I want this wrapped up, Sheriff.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I want the killer on Monday’s
transport.”

John blew out a silent breath. Grant had
briefed the president on how Sanctuary worked. Likely in trying to
convince him why sending his family there was the only safe option.
“I promise you that your wife and daughter are safe. But if you’re
worried, I can have someone permanently assigned to watch out for
them.”

“I’m sure you’ll do everything you’re able
to, Sheriff. I’m worried, but I can’t say I’m not feeling pressure
from this end also. The congressional committee wants this wrapped
up. In fact, they assure me the woman you have in custody is the
person responsible.”

“Given the evidence and the way the case has
progressed, I can only say the entire town appears to be prejudiced
against this woman.”

It would take a psychologist to figure out
why they’d turned their ire against Andra. What made them think
they were so much better than her?

The president said, “Congressman Thane was
adamant the woman is guilty. He assured me the case you have is
solid.”

The pompous windbag was stirring things up
again? John gritted his teeth. “I’m not sure how he could know
that, sir.”

“I’m pretty sure the oaf is planning to run
in the next election. What he really called about was to complain
nothing was going his way. Like your town is his responsibility.
And he inferred he intends to knock me off the top spot. Like
people would be fool enough to vote for him. But I suppose stranger
things have happened.”

“I see.” Not that John did, but it was like
the president wanted to vent to someone. What better way to do it
than over probably the most secure phone in the country? Which
begged the question of whether John’s phone was being traced. Maybe
he could find out if whoever had accessed it had made a call and
who they’d contacted.

He liked the idea this was “his” town but
still, “Congressman Thane wants the town shut down, Mr.
President.”

Behind him, Andra made a noise. John turned
to her, but said, “I’m not sure what his problem is with Ms.
Caleri, specifically—”

“Andra Caleri?”

She was looking at him, her eyes wide.

“Yes, sir.”

“That explains a few things.” The President
sighed. “I hadn’t heard her name. But I’m familiar enough with her
reputation and the decision made by a predecessor of mine. I should
have realized she’d have been sent to…there.”

John’s attention was still on Andra. He
mouthed,
What?

She just stared.

“I expect this to be wrapped up, Sheriff. For
both our sakes, get the killer on Monday’s transport and you’d
better be sure it’s the right person.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And if you could arrange for my wife to call
me tomorrow, I would appreciate it.”

“Of course.” Because clearly part of John’s
job was to play secretary between the President and the First
Lady.

They said goodbye and John was polite and
thankful, even though he felt like he’d been reprimanded by the
principal. As soon as he could, he ended the call.

“What?”

Andra shook herself from whatever had her in
a daze. “Congressman Thane?”

“He’s on the committee overseeing Sanctuary.
You want to tell me what it is about this man has you all twisted
up?”

“It might be nothing.”

“I’m guessing it’s not.”

“I’ve heard the name before.” Andra touched
her hair. A nervous gesture? “Drew talked about Doug Thane, a
pseudo Godfather of his, in every sense of the word.”

“Your husband knew Congressman Thane?”

Andra flinched. “The husband whose Washington
connections nearly resulted in my untimely death. Several
times.”

“And now he’s on Sanctuary’s congressional
committee?” John frowned. “How does that happen? He must have been
screened.”

“They played it close. Drew may not have told
anyone else about the connection. Thane probably kept quiet too,
biding his time until he could get to me.” Tears filled her eyes.
“Maybe he didn’t even know I was here until he got on the committee
and I fell into his lap.”

“That’s why he wants you detained and on the
transport out of town.”

“He wants to get me back for what I did to
Drew.”

John pointed at her. “Drew was a rogue CIA
agent who tried to kill you and your unborn baby.”

“And I’m a better person? I killed a lot of
people, John. I have their blood on my hands like anyone who takes
a life. I’m the worst kind of human being.”

“Not anymore.”

“It doesn’t just go away.”

John knew that was only the fear talking.
“What about mercy?”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t end up dead or in jail
for the rest of my life. It only extends to the spiritual things,
like freedom from my sin and the eternal consequences.”

“Well, what good does that do you right
now?”

Andra laughed. “A lot of good actually. It’s
the knowledge of that freedom. And it’s not deferred, I feel it
now. But I still have to face the consequences here if they
come.”

“I’m not going to let that happen.”

“Why?” She shook her head. “Why do you even
care what happens to me?”

John studied her allowing his gaze to roam
her features. “Because you’re important.”

“I’m really not.”

“You are to me.” He looked down at his lap
for a second. “I’m not sure if I can even explain it, but since we
met there’s been something about you.”

She was quiet for a moment. Then she said, “I
get it.”

She felt it too?

Andra lifted her chin. “It doesn’t mean
anything.”

John frowned. How could it not mean
anything?

“This can’t happen, John. I’m a killer and
you’re a cop. That doesn’t work.”

“You’re not a killer anymore.”

“You’re telling me you won’t ever worry for
Pat’s safety if I’m around him all the time? That it won’t cross
your mind I might get mad and snap. Wake up from a nightmare and do
something before I have a chance to catch myself? That’s what
happened with Palmer and he ended up with a black eye. What kind of
damage could I do to Pat?”

John worked his mouth back and forth. It
sounded an awful lot like PTSD to him. Didn’t people learn how to
deal?

“Don’t tell me we can make it work. I’m not
willing to try because there’s no point.” She lay back down.

“You really believe you’re a danger to
Pat?”

Andra scowled, apparently not liking the fact
he would ask. “Let’s just drop it, okay? There’s no point in having
this conversation because it’s not going anywhere. We’re not going
anywhere.”

John gave her a pointed stare. “You’re right.
We’re not going anywhere.”

Andra flinched. John didn’t want to cause her
pain. She was going to think he agreed with her, which he most
certainly did not. But she had to understand; neither of them was
leaving Sanctuary until he figured this out. It was true, she had
done terrible things in the past. But so had he.

He’d also seen too many innocents destroyed
by other people’s selfish actions.

Andra might have been an assassin once, but
that wasn’t the woman he’d come to know. Not because she’d been
forced into it or because she hadn’t had a choice. He wasn’t going
to explain it away and he didn’t think Andra would do that either.
People made their own decisions, even if there were sometimes only
bad options available. Despite how the town felt, when he looked at
her that wasn’t what he saw. What he saw was a woman with a
truck-load of regret trying to live a better life than the one
she’d lived in Europe.

John grabbed his phone and went upstairs to
make his call, not looking forward to telling Grant the phone might
have been breached. But Congressman Thane had just become a bigger
issue, piled on top of the stack of issues John already had.

**

Andra winced as she listened to John’s half
of the conversation. How had Thane managed to wheedle his way onto
the congressional committee overseeing Sanctuary? When John had
said the name it was like a knife to her gut. Everything Drew ever
said about his godfather rushed back to hit her with the full force
of the realization her hiding place had been exposed.

Suddenly being transported out of town to a
jail cell was so much more than she’d considered. If Thane knew her
every movement once she left town, a guilty verdict wouldn’t mean
anything. She would be dead before she ever set foot in the
courtroom.

“That’s not good enough!”

Andra grimaced; glad Pat wasn’t here to
overhear his father’s outburst.

“I want to know how on earth this could
happen!”

Andra knew exactly how it could have. If
someone killed a member of her family, she would hunt them for the
rest of their lives and then after she was done, she would ask God
for forgiveness. That was the one exception to her rule to live as
a pacifist—if harm were to come to Helena. And, in a way, she could
say the same now for Pat. Vowing not to kill anyone was one thing.
In order to avoid even approaching the person she’d been, Andra had
to steer clear of violence altogether.

She had to consider what happened to Palmer.
Four years later and he still hated her. Well, she didn’t think too
highly of him either. She knew peace in her heart despite what was
going on around her. She had joy, not the laughing at something
funny kind, but the rejoicing that came from knowing how wide, how
long, how high and how deep God’s love was.

After all, if He could save someone like her,
then who could possibly be exempt?

She was still hungry, since John had
forgotten to order the food. Was he going to come back down? Only
silence could be heard from upstairs. Maybe he was sleeping, since
it’d been almost midnight according to the screensaver on his
computer and that was a while ago.

Her feet tapped the rhythm of a song she’d
heard on Nadia Marie’s iPod. Calm descended over her and Andra
smiled to the dark room.

For You, I sing...

In a holding cell of all places. Even though
she was guilty of many things, there was something poignant about
singing praise in jail which struck her enough she laughed out loud
and sang the next line.

How else could she describe it? She’d only
known God in a vicarious way as a child, understanding faith
through the framework of the Catholic Church. But something had
happened here, with a new start and wide open spaces.

God’s country. She knew why they called it
that now. This truly was the place He’d spoken to her, drawing her
gently to Himself. Maybe she even knew how Adam had felt when God
breathed life into him.

Sometime later Andra awoke.

She wasn’t alone, she knew that even before
tape was slapped over her mouth. Several sets of hands grabbed her,
lifting her up. She kicked and struggled, but all she could produce
as she was carried outside was a muffled moan.