Love Inspired Suspense December 2015, Box Set 2 of 2 (22 page)

His mother's eyes narrowed, and a slight frown pulled at her brow. “Lucas, be careful.”

He let out a short chuckle as he stood. “I will be, Mom. I've handled guys like Tony Chapman lots of times. I'll watch my step.”

She stepped up beside him and cupped his jaw in her hand. “I'm talking about Mia. Be careful. She's vulnerable right now, and she needs someone. Just guard against anything that's going to bring you more heartache.”

He could see love for him shining in his mother's eyes, and he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I will, Mom. And thanks for worrying about me.”

“I pray for you every day, Lucas. That's what keeps me from worrying about you, but that doesn't mean I don't care what happens to you. I do.”

“I know you do.” He took a deep breath. “Now I need to get out of here. I'll come by tomorrow morning at nine o'clock to check on Mia.”

He started to walk toward the door, but his mother grabbed his arm and stopped him. “Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you. I'm working at the hospital tomorrow, and your dad is going into the office to help Claire with some end-of-the-year accounting. What should we do about Mia? I don't think she needs to be alone.”

Lucas raked his hand through his hair and grimaced. “No, she doesn't. I'm going to do some checking on Chapman. I guess she can come with me.”

“Are you sure?”

Lucas shrugged. “I don't know what else I can do. She can't stay alone.” He gave his mother another quick kiss and then headed to his car. His dad was in the front yard adjusting some lights when he walked outside, and he waved to him before he got in his vehicle and drove away.

When he arrived home, he noticed Mrs. Peterson's house across the street lit up and the porch light on. Maybe she hadn't had to stay at the hospital. He parked in his garage and walked over. Mrs. Peterson's daughter, Julie, answered the door.

“Lucas, come in.”

He stepped inside and glanced around. Although he and Mrs. Peterson often talked when they were out in the yard, he'd been in her home only one or two times. He stopped in the entry and turned around as Julie closed the door.

“My brother-in-law was one of the policemen who came today, and he called me to tell me what happened. I wanted to come by and see your mother and tell her how sorry I am for what she had to endure.”

Julie smiled and him forward. “She's doing well. The doctor didn't think she needed to stay overnight at the hospital. She wasn't injured, just dehydrated, and we're taking care of that. Come on in the den. She's in there.”

Lucas followed Julie down the hall and into a room where Mrs. Peterson was propped up on a plump sofa, watching a reality show on a big-screen TV. A roaring fire crackled in the fireplace.

She sat up straight and held out her hand when Lucas came in. “Lucas, how good to see you.”

He grasped her hand in both of his and leaned closer to her. “I can't tell you how sorry I am for what you suffered today. I brought this trouble to your door, and I'm so sorry.”

Mrs. Peterson smiled and motioned him to a chair. “When I identified the picture of the man who'd held me captive, the police told me he was an accused killer who'd jumped bail and that you'd been hired to track him down.”

“Yes, but you should never have been involved. I'm so sorry.”

She thought for a moment before she spoke. “I admit it was scary. He kept waving a gun in front of my face and telling me if I made a sound he'd shoot me, but he was really focused on keeping an eye on your house.”

“I know. The person who hired me spent the day at my house. She's been terrorized by Chapman for weeks ever since he murdered her husband. She came to me because she didn't feel safe in her home, but he tracked her to my house and watched to see where she was going next.” Lucas scooted to the edge of his seat and clasped his hands between his knees. “Did he say anything out of the ordinary while he was here?”

Mrs. Peterson frowned. “Like what?”

Lucas spread his hands and shrugged. “Like where he might be going next? Anything.”

Mrs. Peterson thought for a moment before she shook her head. “Nothing like that. He did make some phone calls.”

“Do you know who to?”

She shook her head. “He didn't tell me. One of them I assumed was his sister. He kept calling her Sis, and once when he got angry at something she'd said, he said her name, which was Nadine. Then he talked to someone else. I don't know whether it was a man or a woman, but he said something about how he was going to find that missing shipment if it was the last thing he ever did.”

“But he didn't say what the shipment was or why it was missing?”

“No. And that's all I remember. Except one thing.” She closed her eyes and bit down on her lip.

Lucas leaned forward. “What was that?”

She opened her eyes, and they sparkled with tears. “He was looking out the window, and suddenly he jumped to his feet and demanded to know where I kept my car keys. I told him, and he said he was going to borrow my car. I had a moment of relief that he was finally going. But then, he...”

Lucas reached for her hand as she struggled to speak. “Then what?”

Mrs. Peterson took a deep breath. “Then he stepped closer and pointed his gun at me. He had an evil expression on his face, and he slowly raised his gun and pointed it at me. He said, ‘I need to do one more thing before I go.' I began to cry and beg him not to kill me. But he just laughed, and then after a few moments he pulled the trigger, and it clicked on an empty chamber. He laughed louder and said ‘Bang!' Without another word he turned and ran outside.”

Lucas squeezed the woman's hands as she began to shake. “I'm so sorry.”

She looked up and smiled through her tears. “It's not your fault, Lucas. I knew he was a terrible person the minute I laid eyes on him. He terrorized me all day, and then he nearly gave me a heart attack at the end when I thought he was going to kill me. But I'm okay. Now you have to find him and make sure he faces justice for everything he's done.”

He swallowed hard and nodded. “I will, Mrs. Peterson.”

Her eyes raked his face as she clasped his hands in hers. “Your parents raised a good man, Lucas. You've been so kind to me. You mow my yard in the summer, and you take my garbage cans to the street every week and put them up again. I don't know what I would do without you.”

His throat clogged with emotion as he squeezed her hands before releasing her and pushing to his feet. “I'm glad to help any way I can. And the next thing I have to do for you is find Tony Chapman and get him back in jail.”

“Be careful.”

“I will. Now you rest and get your strength back.” He glanced at Julie. “Are you staying with her tonight?”

She nodded. “I am.”

He let out a sigh of relief. “Good. I didn't like the idea of her being alone.”

Julie led him back to the front door, and he walked across the street to his place. When he entered the dark house, he was suddenly aware of how silent it was. Usually he welcomed coming home to the peace and solitude, but tonight another feeling drifted through the rooms.

He stood in the kitchen for a moment trying to figure out what it was. At first he thought it must have been a reaction to the events of the day, but it went deeper than that. Then it hit him. The house felt empty. Just like his life. He could tell his parents and friends that he had the kind of life he wanted—that he had no desire to clutter up his life with things like a wife and kids and responsibilities. But it wasn't true. He was lonely.

He ambled back into the living room, sat down on the couch where Mia had lain all day and picked up the afghan he'd covered her with. The scent of her perfume drifted to his nose, and he closed his eyes as he inhaled.

After a moment he laid the afghan aside and pulled out his cell phone. Ryan answered on the first ring. “Hey, Lucas. What's up?”

“I have a question, Ryan. Do you know if Tony Chapman has a sister named Nadine?”

“Yeah, he does. Her name is Nadine McElroy. She lives in a neighborhood off Perkins Street. I don't know the street or the number.”

“That's okay. I can find that out.”

“What do you want to know about her?”

“I need to ask her some questions about her brother. Maybe she knows where he is.”

“Well, good luck getting her to tell you anything.” Ryan paused a moment before he spoke again. “I heard about what happened at the hotel. It sounds like your client is some kind of woman. Good thing she had that pot of coffee handy.”

Lucas laughed. “Yeah. She's been amazing today.” He took a deep breath. “I didn't let her stay at the hotel, though. I took her to Mom and Dad's house.”

Ryan didn't say anything for a moment. “Sounds like the best place for her.”

“I thought so, too. Well, I have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow.”

He hung up, walked to the window and stared at Mrs. Peterson's house across the street. His heart lurched at the thought of how close Mia and Mrs. Peterson had come to being killed today. If either one of them had died, it would have been his fault.

Gritting his teeth, he pulled Mia's phone from his pocket and stared at the last text Chapman had sent her. He didn't know if Chapman's phone would receive his message, but he hoped it would. He had one for him.

Lucas began to type, and when he was finished, he read what he had written.
Your time is running out, Chapman. I'm coming for you, and you're going to pay for the crimes laid against you. Lucas Knight.

“Get ready, Chapman,” he mumbled as he stared at the message. “Now it's your turn to be hunted, and I'm going to enjoy tracking you down.”

Taking a deep breath, Lucas paused only a moment before he hit Send.

CHAPTER SIX

M
ia's eyes blinked open, and she sat up in bed with a gasp. For a moment she couldn't remember where she was, and then she rubbed her eyes as the events of the day before trickled back into her memory. She pushed away the thought of the scare she'd had with Tony Chapman and concentrated instead on her arrival at the Knights' home and the welcome she'd received.

With a smile she pulled the covers up around her neck and snuggled down into the warm bed. It had been a long time since she'd awakened and looked forward to the day, but today was different. She was with people she trusted, and Lucas was going to find Tony.

At the thought of Lucas, her heart gave a quick thump, and she wondered when she would see him again. She really needed to go home and get some clothes, but she was afraid to go alone. Tony might be lurking there, waiting for her. But Lucas had other work to do, and she couldn't expect him to drop everything just for her. For now she'd have to make do with the clothes she'd worn when she ran out of her house.

With a sigh she swung her feet over the side of the bed, stood and smoothed out the nightgown Lucas's mother had loaned her. She glanced around the room for her discarded clothes from the night before and was shocked to see them neatly folded and lying on a chair. On top lay a note from Mrs. Knight.

Dear Mia,

I have early duty at the hospital this morning, so I went ahead and laundered your clothes last night. Lucas will be here at nine to pick you up. We will see you tonight. I will be praying that you have a good day.

Rebecca Knight.

Tears flooded Mia's eyes as she finished reading the message. A familiar pain that she'd had since childhood pierced her heart, and she almost doubled over. Was this what having a mother was like? Someone who loved you and took care of your needs even before you realized you had them. Someone who prayed for you to have a good day.

She had very few memories of her mother, who'd died when she was five years old. Would her mother have been like Mrs. Knight? With a sigh she picked up her clothes and headed to the bathroom for a shower, the question unanswered.

Thirty minutes later she walked into the kitchen and stopped in surprise at the sight of Lucas sitting at the kitchen table, his laptop open in front of him. He looked up, and for a moment she thought his eyes lit up when he saw her. Then they shuttered to an impersonal gaze as he nodded at her.

“Good morning. Mom's gone to the hospital, and Dad had to go down to the agency.”

She forced herself to smile, suddenly shy at the cool tone of his voice. “Your mom left me a note. What time is it?”

“Almost nine.” He pointed toward the coffeepot. “There's coffee, and Mom left some muffins. There's also fruit and yogurt in the refrigerator. What can I get you?”

He started to rise, but she put up her hand to stop him. “No, I'll get it.” She walked to the counter where the coffeepot sat and poured some into the cup sitting there. “Can I get you some?”

“I've already had one cup, but I guess a second wouldn't hurt.”

He held out his mug, and she refilled it. He'd already directed his attention back to the computer screen by the time she held it out to him. As he reached out to take it, their fingers touched, and a spark like electricity raced from her fingertips up her arm. He jerked his head around to stare at her, and for a moment she stood still, her gaze frozen as his eyes traveled over her face.

He swallowed and eased the cup from her hand before he turned back to stare at the computer. Mia whirled to face the counter, her hands clutching its edges. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to still her pounding heart. When her pulse slowed, she picked up her cup, grabbed a muffin and sat down at the table.

Neither one of them spoke for a few minutes. Then Lucas closed the computer before turning to look at her. “How do you feel this morning?”

She swallowed the bite she'd been chewing and nodded. “Fine. I slept really well. When I woke, I found my clothes that your mother had laundered for me. That was so nice of her, but I can't expect her to do that every night. Do you think we could go to my house today and get some of my clothes?”

A slight frown wrinkled his forehead. “I think I'll have time to take you. It all depends...”

The good mood she'd been in ever since awakening drained away at Lucas's hesitant words and distant attitude. What had she expected? Yesterday his kind and chivalrous nature had led her to believe he really cared about what happened to her. Now in the cold light of day she realized she was just another paying client, and she had no right to assume he would be at her beck and call.

Before he could finish what he was saying, she shoved her chair back and pushed to her feet. “No, wait. I said that all wrong. I don't expect you to devote all your time to my case. I can get my clothes by myself. If you'll just drop me off at your house so I can get my car, I'll go. In fact, it might be best if I went home and stayed there.”

Lucas's eyebrows shot up. “Stay at home? You can't do that. What if Chapman comes back?”

She shrugged. “I'll keep my doors locked and the security system on. If I hear anything outside, I'll call 911. I'm sure I'll be fine.”

Picking up her cup, she strode back to the counter to pour herself a coffee refill. Lucas was out of his chair and standing behind her before she had time to set the cup down. He touched her arm, and she turned to stare at him. “I thought we had this settled yesterday,” he said. “If you expect to be safe, you can't stay by yourself until Chapman is back behind bars.”

Hoping to see some hint that he was concerned about her welfare, she studied his eyes, but his stony gaze was unreadable. “Why do you care where I stay?”

“Because I don't want you to get hurt.”

Tears threatened to flood her eyes, but she blinked them away. “It's not your responsibility to keep me safe, Lucas. You are being paid to find Tony Chapman. I don't expect anything else from you. In fact, I feel really bad about taking advantage of your family last night.”

“You didn't take advantage of anything. My parents were glad to have you.”

“How could they be, after the way I treated you? They probably don't understand why you took my case. In fact, I'm having trouble understanding it myself. The last time I saw you before yesterday, you told me that you never wanted to see me again. And what did I do? Made a mess out of my life and came running back to your doorstep, begging you to make it right. I can't blame you or your family for not wanting me here.”

The muscle in his jaw flexed, and he gritted his teeth. After a moment he exhaled a deep breath and raked his hand through his hair before he spoke. “Mia, sit down. I think we need to talk.”

The expression on his face frightened her. She'd been right. He was sorry he was helping her. What was he going to tell her now? That it would be better for her to go to some other agency and get out of his life once more? With shaking fingers, she picked up her cup of coffee and inhaled sharply.

Then she dropped her gaze to the floor and slid into the chair. When he was settled across from her, she glanced back up at him. “All right, Lucas. What is it?”

He bit down on his lip for a moment before he spoke. “I'll admit I've never been as surprised in my life as I was when I opened my door yesterday morning and saw you standing there. At first I was determined that there was no way I could work for you. Then that text came, and I realized you are in real trouble. And I changed my mind. Before the day was over, I knew that I would do whatever it takes to get Chapman off the street. He's already hurt too many people, and I don't want you to be another one on his list.”

“Thank you, Lucas, but I'm beginning to think coming to you wasn't the best idea. I was in a state of panic when I left my home, and you were the only one I could think to go to. I never considered your feelings at all. I'm sorry about that. Maybe it would be better for you if I go to another agency.”

He shook his head. “No, that's not necessary. I just think we need to set some ground rules here. After all that happened yesterday, we'd gotten comfortable being around each other by last night. Now in the cold light of a new day we're finding it awkward to even look at each other.”

“I know. That's why—”

He held up a hand to stop her. “Wait before you say anything else.” She pressed her lips together, and he continued. “If anyone had told me a few days ago that I would be sitting in my parents' kitchen having coffee with the woman I once hoped to marry, I would have said they were crazy. But things have changed. I've seen what a monster Chapman can be, and I don't want him to hurt anyone else. So I'm not getting off this case.”

She clasped her hands in front of her on the table and leaned forward. “But, Lucas, how do you feel about being around me?”

He exhaled and shook his head. “I don't mind telling you it's hard. I've moved on with my life, and I don't like being reminded of the past. And I don't really know if we can ever put everything that happened between us behind us, but I'd like to try. I'm sorry about what you've had to go through, and I would like to be your friend. Do you think that's possible? Can we be friends after our shared history?”

His gaze didn't waver from her eyes as she mulled over his question. Finally she answered him. “I would like that, but I don't know if it's possible. I'm not sure you will ever want to be friends with me. And I don't blame you for that. I hurt you badly, and it wasn't your fault. No matter how much I regret it, I can't go back and undo it. So if you want to stay on my case, I think we need to just concentrate on your finding Tony.”

Lucas gave a curt nod and pursed his lips. “I agree.” He pulled his gaze away from her and reached for the notepad he'd written on. “And I know just where to start this morning.”

“Where?”

He held up the pad in his hand. “I found out last night that Chapman has a sister who lives in the city. Her name is Nadine McElroy. I found her address on the internet right before you came into the kitchen. I need to go talk to her. Since I can't leave you here alone, how about coming with me?”

“I'd like that. But it's a little after nine in the morning. Won't anyone who lives there be at work?”

He grinned at her. “It's Saturday. Remember? Hopefully Nadine doesn't work on weekends. So finish your coffee and go get your coat.”

She pushed back from the table, reached for her cup and stood. “I'm through. I'll be ready to go in a few minutes.”

“I'll take care of the breakfast dishes. You go on and get ready so we can head out.”

“Thank you, Lucas.”

She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her before she got to the door. “One more thing, Mia.”

Turning, she saw that he had also risen and was studying her, his hands jammed into his pockets. “I never know when my job will turn dangerous, and I normally wouldn't take a client with me. But today is different. In case you're worried about going with me, I want you to know that I will protect you from Chapman.” His face flushed, and he shrugged. “I guess I just wanted you to know that I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

The look in his eyes and the almost-whispered tone of his voice hammered at her heart, and she felt the first crack in the ice that had encircled it for years. Her throat clogged with unshed tears, and she tried to smile.

“I never doubted that for a moment. You are a good man.”

He smiled, and his blue eyes blazed with a light that almost took her breath away. He cocked his head to one side. “Then what do you say? Let's go catch us a bad guy.”

* * *

Forty-five minutes later Lucas pulled the car to a stop in front of the address that he'd found for Nadine McElroy. He touched the gun holstered at his waist for reassurance before he turned to Mia.

“Are you ready?”

Her wide eyes stared at the gun partially hidden by the jacket he wore. She glanced up at him and swallowed. “Are you worried you're going to need that?”

He chuckled. “No. Just prepared. I feel undressed if I don't have my gun—a habit that goes back to my days as a SEAL—but I'm not worried about this interview. So don't you worry about it either.”

Her shoulders relaxed, and a weak smile pulled at her lips. “Okay. Let's go.”

They got out of the car and walked up the sidewalk of the well-kept, neat residence. The minute they stepped onto the porch, a dog began to bark somewhere deep in the house. Lucas pushed the doorbell and took a step back while inside the dog's barks grew louder, closer and more menacing.

After a moment he heard a woman's voice on the other side of the door. “Hush, Chester. Get back.”

The door cracked open, and a woman peeked out at them through it. “Yeah? Can I help you?” The dog renewed its barking, and she turned to call over her shoulder. “Bob, come put your dog up. I can't hear myself talk with all this barking.”

“Here, boy,” a man's voice rang out. The dog quit barking, whirled and ran in the direction of the voice.

The woman opened the door a little wider, and Lucas got a look at her for the first time. She appeared to be in her early forties and had the same dark blond hair that he'd seen in Chapman's mug shot that Scottie Murray had sent him last night. The resemblance ended there. Dark circles lined her eyes, and she had the look of a woman who'd worked hard all her life.

She glanced over her shoulder in the direction where the man and dog had disappeared before she turned back to them. “I'm sorry. That's my husband's dog. I can't do a thing with him, but Bob just has to speak and that dog responds instantly.”

“It's okay. We understand.” Lucas smiled, hoping to set her at ease. “Are you Mrs. Nadine McElroy?”