Silver Thaw (19 page)

“It’s possible,” Johnson replied. “I’ll check into it.” He looked at the wall clock and then at Amanda. “I want you back in my office in one hour—by four fifteen. While you’re gone, I’ll get the divorce papers drawn up so you can sign them, and I’ll file before five. If Mark has already filed, the filing here, with several different charges leveled against him—including spousal abuse, child abuse, child endangerment, mental anguish, to name only a few—will put a hitch in his get-along.” He jotted a few notes and passed the paper to Amanda. “Do you have another copy of the SD card?”

“Yes. Jeb made copies.”

“Good. You played it very smart by taking those pictures. They’re dated. They’ll stand good as evidence.” He tapped the paper with his finger. “While I’m drawing up the dissolution papers, I want you to go to the state police and file all these charges against your husband. I know several judges in California, including one in Eureka. I’m going to call her and then e-mail her the picture file. She’ll also receive a list of the charges you’ve made, which will be handled in California, the state of jurisdiction. Trust me—when she sees those photos, she’ll be so furious that she’ll want Mark Banning’s head. His
only possible defense will be to deny that he committed the abuse.”

“And what if he does?” Amanda asked.

Johnson shrugged. “I’ll take great pleasure in tearing apart his story when the case goes to trial. I’m licensed to practice in California, which is where he will be tried.” Turning to Jeb, he asked, “Do you have a good security system installed in your home?”

“No. I have a mastiff. I always figured he was all the security I needed.”

“Not anymore. If you can afford it, get one, ASAP. The instant I file this appeal for divorce, Amanda and Chloe’s presence in Mystic Creek will be revealed. It’s a small town. I’ll use her rental address to throw him off track, but if he’s clever, he may discover where they’re staying.” He turned to Amanda. “The cops will be expecting you at the police station. Once you file those charges, the Eureka authorities will try to arrest your husband.”

“Try?” Jeb interjected.

Johnson shrugged again. “They may not be able to find him.” To Amanda, he added, “While you’re gone, I’ll call in a favor from a judge I know to get a restraining order issued against him today.”

Jeb saw Amanda’s shoulders go limp with relief. Apparently Johnson noticed as well. “The problem with restraining orders is that men like Mark Banning often ignore them. Does he own any weapons?”

“Yes, one rifle and a couple of handguns,” she said. “Possibly more by now.”

“Until the man is behind bars, you and your child may not be safe.” He leveled a look at Jeb. “Are you by any chance a hunter?”

“If you’re asking if I have weapons, yes. I keep them locked in a gun safe out in my garage.”

“Get them out. Load them to the hilt. Keep a gun within your easy reach in every room of the house, if you have enough weapons to do that.”

“I have a six-year-old girl in my house.”

“Make sure she can’t get to them. Men like Banning can be obsessed and dangerous. I also recommend that you show Amanda how to handle all the weapons and let her do target practice with several of them.” He paused. “To be safe, however, you should not leave her and the child alone. It’ll also be risky for Chloe to attend public school. The child’s father may try to take her. In situations like this, teachers are normally more than happy to allow the child to remain at home and receive assignments online or let someone pick up the lessons.”

Jeb leaned slightly forward. “The man would have to be crazy to come after them when he’s got criminal charges lodged against him, plus a restraining order.”

“You saw the pictures. How sane do you think this guy is?”

“I see your point.” Jeb glanced at Amanda. “It’s just that this has been really hard for Amanda, and I don’t want to make it worse by scaring her half to death.”

“Better scared than dead,” Johnson retorted.

On the way to the police station, Jeb called his father and cut across the older man’s greeting. “Dad, earlier I didn’t share a lot of details about Amanda’s past, and I don’t have time now. I’m calling to give you a heads-up. Chloe may be in serious danger. Knock off work for the day, go inside, lock all the doors, get out your guns, and don’t leave Chloe’s side.”

Not for the first time, Jeb thanked God his dad didn’t need his i’s dotted and his t’s crossed. Jeremiah asked no questions, except, “Who the hell wants to hurt Chloe?”

“Her father. He’s a crazy, abusive son of a bitch.”

Jeb glanced at Amanda and put his phone on speaker. “Describe Mark to my dad.”

Amanda leaned across the console to get closer to the phone. “Dark hair, blue eyes, medium height, slender build. He’s smart, so don’t let any man who even slightly fits that description near my daughter.
Please.
”

Jeb kept the cell on speaker. “Ask Barney to go by my place to get Bozo and bring him to your place. I put him in the laundry room so he wouldn’t devour my house while we were gone.”

“I think Barney is doing his deputy thing today,” Jeremiah replied.

“Unless he’s doing desk duty, he can swing by my house faster than anyone else. If he can’t do it, ask Ben. That dog loves Chloe like all get-out, and he’ll protect her with his life. He’s also got amazing instincts about people. You know that growly thing he does when he tries to talk? Well, his growl when he senses danger is different. You’ll know it when you hear it. And if you hear it, trust him and be on guard.”

“What the hell suddenly brought this on?” Jeremiah asked. “If the situation is all this critical, why didn’t you warn us before you left her here?”

“Sorry, Dad. I didn’t think ahead. Amanda is filing for divorce today. I doubt Mark Banning will get served before tomorrow, but right now we’re heading over to the state police to file some serious charges against him. The instant he gets cuffed and stuffed, or served with the divorce papers, he may learn that Amanda and Chloe are in Mystic Creek. And if by chance they don’t lock him up, he may head straight there. I don’t know if he can hop a flight to get here on such short notice, and I don’t know how long it takes to drive.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Jeremiah replied. “But, son, he might already know where they are. Nowadays, it’s not that hard to find people on the Net. Amanda must have paid for utilities at her rental. That put her on the charts.”

From the corner of his eye, Jeb saw Amanda tense. She’d tried so hard to cover her tracks. No wonder she slept with a butcher knife under her mattress.

“I used my mom’s maiden name for my utility bills,” she said, a hopeful note in her voice.

Jeremiah went on. “If he ran a trace on you and came
up with a blank, he would have done a search on your maiden name and any other family surnames you might have used.” Clanking sounds came over the airway as Jeremiah spoke. “Okay, I’m in the house and locking the doors. I’ll get my guns out, keeping them well beyond Chloe’s reach. Then I’ll have one of your brothers bring Bozo over here.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“She’s one sweet little girl. I won’t let anything happen to her.”

Without saying good-bye, Jeremiah Sterling ended the call.

Jeb could almost smell Amanda’s fear. He needed to say something brilliant to ease her mind. “Listen to me, honey. Will you listen?”

“Yes.” She said the word at such a low pitch, Jeb could barely hear her over the truck’s engine. “I’m listening.”

“We’ve got the deck stacked in your favor. You’re no longer living in the rental. Even if Mark has looked there, he won’t know where you’ve gone. Nobody but Johnson, law enforcement, my folks, and the Bradleys know where you’re staying.” He pulled into a parking lot in front of the state police station. “While you’re filing the charges, I’ll call Tony and tell him to keep his lip zipped if anyone knocks on his door asking questions.”

Jeb held out his right hand to her, palm up. “Give me your cell.”

She hesitated, then handed it over. He pocketed it, saying, “I’m turning this in to the cops.”

He exited the truck and circled to help Amanda get out without slipping on the ice.

“Why do that?” she cried. “I need my phone.”

“Until this is over, it’s safer for you to use mine. If Mark
has your number, he may be able to track your phone. I’ve never actually tried doing that myself, but I’m betting it can be done, and probably very easily if you have the right computer app. Now, if he tracks your phone, he’ll wind up at the police station, a place he won’t want to be.”

*   *   *

This was her nightmare come to life. Amanda had always feared that Mark might find her. He was smart, relentless, and vengeful. She’d tried so hard to put him out of her mind, concentrating on survival and secrecy, and now his malignant presence loomed in front of her like the furies of doom.

She’d cashed her paychecks at the One-Stop Market, a mom-and-pop shop on West Main owned by a widow named Marilyn Fears, who knew the drafts were good because they’d been issued by the school board. Amanda had paid for everything with cash, trying to avoid leaving a paper trail.
Mark’s right. I’m dumber than a rope
. She had considered the possibility that he might trace her calls if she dared to contact her mom, but she’d never thought he could pinpoint her location by tracking her cellular device. Jeb’s grip on her arm was comforting, but it wasn’t enough to ease her mind. As they crossed the parking lot to the entrance, her knees felt as if they’d turned to melted butter.

“How could I be so stupid? I got a cheap phone. It’s under my mom’s maiden name. I’ve been paying for electricity with cash. I buy everything with cash. I thought I was being so
smart
, so
careful
. He probably already knows where I am.”

“You’ve done a fabulous job of vanishing,” Jeb said. “It’s just that modern-day technology makes it difficult, if not impossible, for a person to hide. The only way is to
establish a fake identity, and I don’t think it’s that easy anymore. In fact, with instant information at our fingertips nowadays, it may be next to impossible. At one time, you could take the identity of someone of the same gender who’d recently died and was about your age. Now death records are stored electronically, and it’s easier for the authorities to catch when someone starts using a dead person’s Social Security number.” His expelled breath clouded the air in front of his face. “For now, hold on to the good things. He can’t easily find out where you’re staying. He’ll hit your rental and come up blank. And Bozo is with Chloe, or soon will be.”

They quit talking as they entered the police station. Amanda jerked to a stop when she saw the front desk. “I’m scared.”

“These are the good guys. I’m sure Johnson prepped them. It’ll go just fine.” He gave her a slight nudge to get her moving. “Just give them your name, and they’ll take it from there. While you’re filing the charges, I’m going to turn in your cell, call Tony and Myrna, and check on Chloe.”

Jeb proved to be right. The moment Amanda gave her name, an officer emerged and escorted her to a back office. He directed her to take a seat at a gray metal desk, closed the door, and then sat across from her. “Clyde Johnson sent me your information and a list of the charges you’d like to press against your husband. I’ve got everything ready. He says he wants you back at his office ASAP so he can file your divorce appeal before five. No time to waste.”

Amanda’s stomach bunched into a painful knot. Had this young officer seen her photos? Surely her attorney wouldn’t share them with just anyone, but she wasn’t positive of that.
I’m going to be sick all over his desk
.
Amanda had endured plenty of humiliation during her marriage, but never had she been exposed in such a public way.

“You okay?” Without waiting for a reply, he pushed some paperwork toward her along with a pen. “My name’s Mike Noir, by the way. Sergeant Noir if we’re formal. Given the fact that you look a little pale and shaken, just call me Mike.” Inclining his head at the paperwork, he added, “I highlighted everywhere you need to sign and date. It’s November thirteenth. Friday the thirteenth, actually, and for me, it’s been a doozy. Crunched the fender of my car on the way in this morning. Took out a neighbor’s mailbox. I’ll pay through the nose to get both fixed.”

In a daze, Amanda stared at the papers. Friday the thirteenth.
Oh, God, oh, God.
That had always been Mark’s favorite day to make her life hell.
A good day for bad luck
, he’d always said,
and I intend to make sure you get your share
.

Somehow she managed to sign and date the paperwork where indicated. She barely recognized her handwriting. Mike thanked her for coming in, assured her that he would process the charges immediately, and electronically transmit all the paperwork to the Eureka authorities so Mark would be arrested.

Jeb stood in the waiting area. Officer Noir escorted Amanda toward him. “I don’t think Ms. Banning is feeling well.”

Jeb took her arm. “I’ll take it from here. Thank you for your concern.”

Moments later as they approached Jeb’s truck, Amanda jerked her arm from his grasp to slip and slide over to the bushes growing in the median. Cramps doubled her over. She gagged, and then she vomited, not once
but several times, the strain of emptying her stomach leaving her so weak that she dropped to her knees. She felt the heat of Jeb’s big body next to her. Normally she would have felt embarrassed, but she no longer had the strength to care.

Murmuring to her, saying words her swirling brain couldn’t register, he wiped her mouth with something. She guessed it was his handkerchief. Leaning against him so she wouldn’t topple over into the mess she’d just made, she managed to say in a shaky voice, “It’s Friday the thirteenth. If Mark is going to come after me, it’ll be today.”

Jeb wrapped his arms around her. Being enveloped by his strength felt so good that Amanda wished she could melt and be absorbed into him through the pores of his skin. “Let him come. I’m eager to meet the man, and I guarantee that he’ll never get past me to harm a single hair on either your or Chloe’s head.”

He lifted her to a standing position and guided her back to his truck, pushing his key remote before they reached the passenger door. The vehicle’s beep made Amanda jump.

Keeping one arm locked around her waist, he opened the door. “Okay, sweetheart, in you go.” And before she knew what he meant to do, he swept her up in his arms and deposited her in the bucket seat. Then he drew out the seat belt and shoved the metal tongue into the latch. “All tucked in and ready to roll.”

A moment later when he swung up under the steering wheel, Amanda said, “I need to be with Chloe.”

“That’s where we’re headed, honey. But first we have to go back to see Johnson.”

Amanda wasn’t sure she could handle that. “What if I get sick in his office?”

“You won’t,” he told her with steady certainty. “You’re going to calm down. You’re going to stop feeling afraid and have some faith in me and in yourself. You’re going to say a prayer or two while we’re driving over, thanking God that Chloe is being protected inside a house locked up tight, with Bozo lying beside her. If Mark so much as touches that child, he’ll get his gonads ripped off with one bite.”

Her mouth still tasted like vomit, but Amanda was able to muster a faint smile. “That dog does love my daughter.”

“He’s mellow and friendly until some fool pisses him off.”

Leaning her head back against the seat, Amanda closed her eyes and followed Jeb’s advice, giving thanks that her daughter was safe and that Jeremiah had stepped up to the plate to protect her. When a measure of calm relaxed her body, she asked, “Is one of your brothers really a deputy named Barney?”

“Short for Barnabas.”

“Is he allowed to carry only one bullet in his pocket with his gun always empty?”

Jeb laughed. “Trust me, he gets teased about that a lot. He takes it in good humor, but I think he gets tired of hearing the same Mayberry joke repeatedly.”

Amanda sighed. “I would, too, I guess. He sounds like a nice guy.”

“Yes, he’s great.” He fell silent as he exited the parking lot into the oncoming lanes of heavy traffic. “You feeling better?”

She had to consider that. “Yes. Still shaky, but much better.”

“Good. We’ll make fast work of it at Johnson’s. Then
we’ll head home. I’m as eager as you are to be with Chloe again.”

*   *   *

Jeb drove with caution on the icy roads back to Mystic Creek. Mother Nature needed to back off and give central Oregon a short reprieve. Beside him, Amanda slept, her slender body pressed against the door, her head lolling on the window. Jeb was pleased that she’d drifted off. She’d had an exhausting day. At the law firm, she’d ranted at the attorney for sending her picture file to the state police. Johnson had been a gentleman, letting her vent for a minute, and then he’d explained that the pictures were evidence and had been shared with no one else but a female judge he knew in Eureka. He told Amanda that he completely understood how humiliating that was for her, but the pictures couldn’t be kept entirely private.

As Jeb navigated the slippery road toward home, images of Amanda’s and Chloe’s battered bodies flashed through his mind. Without having seen Amanda naked in the flesh, he knew that she had scars. Considering his luck, if he ever made it to third base with her, she’d be inordinately shy about revealing her body, thinking that he’d find the imperfections ugly. He grimaced at the thought. That was a long way down the road, he decided, and not something for him to worry about now.

It was dark when he pulled up in front of his parents’ home. The parking area was crowded by all three of his brothers’ trucks. Surprised, Jeb grinned. That was real family for you. When a Sterling was in trouble, other family members dropped everything to help. Jeb hadn’t asked for reinforcements, but he was glad to have them. Barney had postponed his birthday party this week because he couldn’t take time off, Ben had rodeo stock out
the yang to tend, and Jonas, going for his bachelor’s in psychology, had quarterly finals coming up at the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, a two-hour drive away. None of them could spare the time to be here, but they’d come anyway.