Danger on the Mountain (9 page)

Maggie frowned. “No. I was worried about coming here, afraid my presence might put everyone in danger, but Reese said we’d be safer here than at home.” She sighed and shook her head. “I really hate that they went after Reese, too.”

Holly nodded. “Eli told me about the bomb in Reese’s house.” She gave a shudder. “How awful.”

“I know. Now he’s living out of his boathouse and checking up on me every hour or so.” Maggie’s gaze homed in on Reese and her heart flipped that crazy little cartwheel it liked to do whenever she looked at the man. He still stood with Eli and Dylan. Cal had joined them. “Where’s Abby?”

Holly kept one eye on the teen carrying her son, Daniel, around. “She had a delivery at the hospital in Bryson City.” Holly turned back to Maggie. “Eli’s briefed me each night about the latest happenings, then given me descriptions of who to watch for and orders to keep my doors locked, don’t answer the door if I don’t know who’s there, and so on.” She said it with amusement, but the concern in her eyes was real.

Maggie shivered and looked around, wondering if her attacker had followed her to the potluck dinner. She bit her lip, praying she hadn’t led trouble to the doorstep of these innocent people.

“Looks like Pastor Collins is getting ready to say the blessing,” Holly murmured. As if on cue, the crowd quieted and Pastor Collins blessed the meal.

When he was done, everyone made a beeline for the food-laden tables. Maggie hung back, eyeing the crowd, wondering if the man who’d been terrorizing her was here.

Was he watching?

Waiting for a chance to strike?

Fear tightened her gut and her breath wanted to short out.

“You ready to get a plate?”

Reese’s quiet voice settled her nerves immediately. She nodded, eyes on Belle’s happy face. “That sounds good.”

He led her to the line and she savored his presence beside her.

She just couldn’t help feeling that someone was watching. And waiting.

Waiting for a chance to make his move.

“I’m going to get a high chair,” Holly said from behind her. “Do you need one for Belle?”

“Yes, that would be great.” She frowned. “I guess I could feed her in her carrier, but she likes a high chair better.”

“I’ll get them for you,” Reese offered. “Where are they?”

“In the—”

“Sorry to interrupt. I need to speak to Reese for a minute. We may have a lead on the bank robbery.” Eli motioned Reese to the side. Reese smiled an apology and followed Eli to a far corner where Cal waited, phone pressed to his ear.

Holly shrugged. “I can get them.”

“I’ll come with you,” Maggie insisted. “You can’t carry two high chairs at the same time.”

“True. They’re down the hall in the closet next to the bathrooms.”

Maggie followed Holly from the fellowship hall into the corridor. As the door shut behind them, the loudness of so many people in one room was muted to a low buzz. Maggie laughed. “My ears are ringing.”

Holly grinned then grimaced as she placed a hand over her stomach.

Concerned, Maggie touched the woman’s shoulder. “Are you all right?”

“Just really queasy. I’ve eaten my weight in crackers and it helps, but...” She pulled in a deep breath and swallowed hard. “I’ll be all right. Let’s get those high chairs.” She started down the dark hall. “There’s a light switch around here somewhere. Try your side, I’ll try this one.”

Maggie felt along the wall and a few seconds later, her fingers found the switch. “Here it is.”

She flipped it and light flooded them.

“That’s better. It’s spooky in here without any light.” Holly gave a small laugh, but Maggie had to shake off an uncomfortable sudden fear of being separated from the rest of the group.

But she was with Holly. They’d be fine.

Her footsteps echoed as she followed Holly past the restrooms on the right then around the corner to a room labeled Kitchen Storage. “Here we are,” Holly said as she pulled the key from the band around her wrist. She inserted it into the lock and opened the door. Reaching in, she flipped the light on.

Then turned with wide eyes and a distinctly green cast to her pretty face. “I’ll be in the bathroom for a few minutes.” She bolted back down the hall to the restroom, leaving Maggie standing in the storage room.

“Poor thing,” Maggie whispered aloud. She’d been a little nauseous with Belle, but hadn’t had Holly’s problem. She looked around and spied a row of high chairs. They didn’t look very heavy and she thought she might be able to carry both at the same time if she balanced them right.

Maybe.

When the hallway behind her went dark, Maggie froze.

NINE

“H
olly?” Maybe she’d come back and hit the light switch by mistake. “Holly? Are you there?”

Silence.

Okay, it wasn’t Holly. She would have answered. Maggie’s stomach twisted. What should she do? Venture into the dark hall and look for the light switch? Or stay here and wait for Holly to come back from the restroom?

Then she remembered Reese’s instructions. Don’t go anywhere alone. Stay with someone, even when you go to the restroom.

Trembling started from deep within. Had he followed her here? To the church?

A resounding yes echoed inside her. It was him. The light going off wasn’t an accident. And he could probably see her standing in the doorway of the lighted storage closet.

She slapped the switch and plunged them into darkness.

A light footfall fell to her right. From the direction of the restroom.

She moved further inside the small room.

But what about Holly? What if she came out of the restroom and the man attacked her?

Maggie stepped back out into the hall. The hair on the back of her neck stood at full attention. Should she scream and bring everyone running?

Would anyone even hear her through the thick doors that separated the roar of the crowd from this hall?

No, no one would hear, except maybe Holly.

She knew it.

He
knew it.

Maggie moved on silent feet down the hall, all sense tuned to the area around her. She prayed to feel any air shift, a hint of cologne or body odor, anything that would tell her he was near.

On trembling legs, she continued her slow tread to the restroom where Holly was. Her fingers trailed the wall even as her mind pictured the door. The first one she came to would be the bathroom.

Fingertips hit the doorjamb just as the bathroom door flew open.

Holly let out a surprised squeal as Maggie pushed her inside, slammed the door shut and locked it.

A heavy fist crashed against the thin wood and Maggie stared at a still-shocked Holly, knowing they didn’t stand a chance if the attacker outside decided to kick it in.

* * *

“Hey,” Reese asked Eli. “Where did Maggie and Holly go?”

Eli looked around and shifted Daniel from his shoulders to the floor. “I don’t know. I’ve been so busy keeping up with this guy I didn’t notice that she was missing.” He gave a rueful smile then a sympathetic grimace. “She’s probably in the bathroom being sick again.”

Reese winced at the thought. “But where’s Maggie?”

“Oh, she went to get a high chair for Belle. I think Holly went with her,” Paige said. “When they came back, I was going to get one for David.” She let her eyes scan the crowd. “But they’re not back yet.” A frown pulled her lips down. “And they should be. The closet is just outside in the hall.”

Reese and Eli exchanged a glance. A bad feeling swept through Reese before he could stop it. He headed for the big double doors without another word. Eli was on his heels. He told himself he was just being paranoid, but that didn’t stop his blood pressure from skyrocketing and his worry meter from jumping into high.

Pushing through the doors, he stepped into darkness. “Maggie?”

Running footsteps sounded. “Eli, where’s the light?”

“Right here.”

The hallway lit up. Empty.

Where were they?

A door slammed from the hall that branched to the right. Eli took off in that direction. “I’ll check that out. You find Maggie and Holly!”

Reese placed a hand on his weapon and scanned the hallway once again. His eyes landed on the bathroom door just as his cell phone started ringing.

Maggie’s tone.

He grabbed his phone from the clip on his belt. “Maggie, are you all right?”

“Someone’s in the hallway. Holly and I are in the bathroom.” Her terror-filled voice came through the line, singeing his brain and firing his fury at the person doing this to her.

“I’m right outside the door.” No sooner had the words left his lips than the door flew open and Maggie’s scared face stared up at him. Holly’s wide eyes and pale cheeks sent his tension level soaring. “Go back into the crowd and stay there. Tell Cal what’s going on and to listen to his radio. I’m going to go after Eli and see if I can help him find whoever was in the hall.” Reese spoke into his radio. “I’ve got Maggie and Holly. They’re fine. You catch the guy?”

“Not yet,” Eli’s disgusted response came back. “I’m at the back of the church. Check the front.”

Reese’s left hand curled into a fist and he had to make an effort to relax it as he watched as Holly and Maggie safely made it back through the double doors.

Then he spun on his heel and made his way to the side door that led outside. Darkness covered him. Silence made his ears ring.

He stood for a moment to let his eyes adjust. Then he opened them to scan the area. Nothing but the church parking lot. But lots of cars to hide behind.

Reese made his way down the steps, around the side of the building, his gun ready, senses alert. Eli’s voice came over the earpiece he’d tucked into his left ear in order to keep the radio quiet. “Hey, any luck?”

“Nothing,” he said, keeping his voice low. At the front of the church, he probed each and every shadow, the bushes, the cars on the curb. “He’s gone.”

“Or hiding, watching us chase our tails,” Eli grunted.

“Yeah, I’m feeling a bit exposed. Let’s get back inside and check on Maggie and Holly.” Eli pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Jason’s on duty, but I noticed he’s not here tonight. He said he was going to stop by and grab some food.” Eli shook his head. “Guess he changed his mind. I’ll get him over here to do a sweep with the big light.”

Reese nodded. “I’ll meet you back inside.” He itched to make sure Maggie was all right. Within seconds, he was in the social hall and standing at the edge of the crowd, searching for her blond head.

Finally, he spotted her at a table in the back, Belle in her lap, spooning food into the little one’s mouth. He made his way to her and noticed that Holly had Daniel seated on some hymnals. Holly shrugged as she noticed the direction of his glance. “I wasn’t going back to get a high chair.”

“Me, either.” Maggie shuddered, her eyes troubled.

Reese didn’t have any problem figuring out what it was that bothered her. “It’s not your fault, Maggie.”

“If I hadn’t come, then none of this would have happened.” She kept her voice low, but he caught the slight tremble that shook her words.

Reese rested a hand on her shoulder and squatted in front of her and Belle. He looked into her eyes and said, “You have every right to be here. Letting him scare you into taking precautions is smart. We did that tonight and you’re fine. Letting him ruin your life is not going to happen. Not as long as I’m around. Got it?”

He saw her swallow then give a slow nod. “I agree, but I can’t put other people in danger anymore, either. If something had happened to Holly tonight...” She bit her lip. “I can’t do that anymore.”

Reese glanced around, then sighed. “You may be right. He’s escalating, becoming more bold. Trying to get to you in the middle of a crowd like this...” He shook his head. “I didn’t think... I’m sorry. I really thought it would be fine for you to come. I’ll stay right by your side for as long as you want to stay, then I’ll take you home and make sure you’re safely inside.”

“Then what?”

“Then we keep our eyes open, watch our backs and catch him the minute he lifts his head.”

* * *

For the next week, Maggie’s nerves stayed wound up tight. At night, her adrenaline surged at the slightest sound. During the day, she kept the doors locked, the alarm on and only took Belle outside if the deputy on duty was by her side.

A lot of times that deputy was Reese.

In fact, it was more times than not, she’d noticed. As the days passed and she spent more and more hours in his presence, getting to know him and finding out the little things that made him tick, Maggie realized she could fall hard for this man.

If it wasn’t for his reluctance to be around Belle. True, he’d held the baby the night someone had broken in, but she didn’t think he’d really wanted to.

And that hurt.

Maggie sighed and logged off the computer. For the past few days, she’d juggled her classes and Belle, while trying to find child care. Fiona, Cal’s sister, had volunteered to watch Belle today at their ranch while Maggie worked. It was Cal’s day off, and he was there to keep an eye on everyone, including his nephew, one-year-old James. Abby was working late and Joseph, Fiona’s husband, was on a horse-buying trip. Brother and sister would hold down the fort and take care of the two children.

Now that her classes were done for the day, the house echoed its silence. She missed Belle and her baby chatter, but Maggie had to admit that she was looking forward to enjoying the time to herself for the next two hours.

The phone rang and she jumped. Placing a hand over her racing heart, she wondered if she’d ever be able to fully relax again.

“Hello?”

“I hear you have some free time.”

She smiled at Reese’s statement. “How’d you hear that?”

“Cal told me. He offered extended babysitting services if you were to accept my invitation.”

“Invitation?” The blood started to hum in her veins.

“I wondered if you might like to have dinner with me.”

A date? Maggie felt her stomach start to twist itself in knots.
No
hovered on the tip of her tongue.

But she wanted to go.

The week had been slow and had seemed to drag on forever as she’d waited for something else to happen. Something bad. Nothing had happened and she still couldn’t let go of the tension.

“Maggie?”

She’d been silent too long. “That sounds lovely, Reese. I’d love to, thanks.”

A relieved sigh filtered through the line. “You had me worried there for a minute. How about five o’clock? We’ll drive in to Bryson City.”

“I’ll be ready.”

Maggie hung up and just sat there for a moment. It was a little past three o’clock. She had two hours. She wondered if it would be enough time to figure out what she was going to wear.

An hour and a half later, she was ready. Maybe.

Nervousness twisted inside her.

The knock on the door startled her. A quick glance at the clock said four-thirty. Was Reese early?

Hurrying to the door, she peered out the window.

And nearly fell over in shock.

Maggie twisted the knob and threw the door open. “Shannon?”

The pretty brunette smiled. “Hello, Maggie.” The woman looked Maggie up and down and then nodded. “You’re looking good. Widowhood seems to agree with you.”

Maggie threw her guard up. “At least it doesn’t leave bruises,” she snapped.

“Very true. My brother was a rat. You’re well rid of the man. Now may I come in before the officer in your driveway decides to arrest me?”

Maggie stepped back and got a good whiff of Shannon’s strong perfume as the woman whipped past her and into the den. Her jeans hugged her perfect figure, the aqua-blue blouse brought out the color of her eyes, and her makeup had been applied with an expert hand.

Shannon looked amazing. As always.

Maggie said, “I’ve had some...trouble. The officer is there to make sure a certain bank robber doesn’t follow through on his threat.”

“Bank robber?”

“It’s a long story. I didn’t know you’d be coming so soon. I thought you’d call or let me know when to expect you.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I just managed to get away faster than I thought. I didn’t want to waste any more time than necessary in getting here.” She plopped on the couch. “Now, where’s my Isabella? I can’t wait to see her.” The excitement in Shannon’s eyes melted Maggie’s ire with her high-handed ways and airs of superiority.

“She’s not here.”

Disappointment fell all over the woman. “Oh, well that’s just not what I wanted to hear. Where is she?”

“With some friends. I have a...” What did she have? Did she dare call it a
date?
“I’m having dinner with a friend. He should be here soon.”

“Dinner with a friend? A male friend?” Shannon let out a small laugh. “My dear, that’s called a date.”

Maggie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. But she couldn’t help the small smile. “Maybe that’s what you call it, but I’m simply calling it dinner. If it becomes more than two friends getting together for a meal...well, we’ll just see how it all plays out before we put a label on it, okay?”

“Sure, whatever you say.”

“Now, where are you staying?”

With a manicured fingernail, Shannon picked at nonexistent lint on her jeans. “I’ve got reservations at that quaint little B and B on Main Street, but I’m not sure how long I’ll stay there. It’s ridiculously expensive for a rinky-dink town like this.”

Maggie’s brow rose. Shannon worried about money? That was a new one. “Rose Mountain is a wonderful town, Shannon. If you’ll give it a chance, I think you’ll come to love it.”

Shannon pursed her lips. “Hmm. Maybe.” She sighed. “I suppose I don’t have a choice. I sold my house.”

Maggie gaped. “You what? Why would you do that?”

A delicate shrug lifted the woman’s shoulder. “I was tired of it. I wanted to do something new.”

“But what about your job?”

“I quit. It was boring.”

Concerned, Maggie simply stared at Shannon. Would the woman never grow up? Granted, she didn’t have to work, but from what Maggie remembered, she’d seemed to enjoy it. And this was the woman she was going to leave Belle with if something happened to her? She sighed. No, she needed to figure that out soon. Shannon’s impromptu visit just reinforced that decision.

The doorbell chimed and Maggie rose. “That’s probably Reese.” She walked to the door and peeked out. In spite of herself, her heart picked up its pace and her palms went slick. Pulling in a steadying breath, she twisted the knob. “Hi.”

He grinned down at her. “Hey, there. You look gorgeous.”

“So do you.” The words slipped out before she could stop them and she felt a flush creep up the back of her neck. His grin widened and his eyes held a decidedly pleased look.

Maggie cleared her throat and stepped back, motioning him in. “There’s someone here I want you to meet.” Curiosity had him lifting a brow and stepping inside. “I wondered who the car outside belonged to.”