19

Nikki opened her eyes. She’d tossed and turned most of the night. But sometime in the wee hours, God had given her the grace to forgive herself. Her heart overflowed with peace and joy along with an expectant excitement that God was working in her life. It was amazing, and she wanted more of that kind of love.

God had a great plan for her life.

Her Christian mentor had told her this, but she hadn’t felt the truth of that promise until now. And even though she still loved Lucas, she was at peace that he couldn’t be a part of her life. Now all she had to do was to figure out what it was God wanted her to do.

Was Lucas right about a flower farm? She closed her eyes and imagined herself surrounded by flowers, digging in the dirt, creating beauty from a seed. It was a pretty picture, but she wasn’t sure. It might take a little time to figure out what she should be doing. She followed the scent of cinnamon to the kitchen. “Morning, Bethany.”

“Just in time. The muffins will be ready as soon as I put a little icing on them.”

“How about a lot?”

“Did I say a little? I meant a lot. I don’t have to ask you how you slept—I can see. You look exhausted. They shouldn’t have let you come home yet. Maybe you weren’t ready.”

“Oh, I was more than ready to get out of the hospital. I wouldn’t have slept any better there. It may not have been the best night’s sleep, but not to worry, I feel wonderful.” She walked over to the coffeepot and poured a large mugful.

Cassie rushed into the kitchen, holding her laptop. “I found it. I found it.”

“Found what?”

“It wasn’t easy. It took me most of the night but I found it. Then I fell asleep. I just woke up or I would have been down sooner. Can you believe it? I found it!” She grabbed a muffin and took a large bite. “I love Mom’s nutty-cinnamon muffins. She really is spoiling you.”

“They are tasty. Now, tell me what you found.”

Cassie dove into the refrigerator and came out with a jug of milk. She took a glass from the dishwasher and plopped in a chair. “After you told us why Mr. McMann hired you, I started searching on the internet. I put in all kinds of search words. Games. Famous people. Pictures. Photographs. Any word I could think of. Nothing.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I told you computers are my thing. If Mr. McMann thought he was the victim of some sort of cyberstalking, I wanted to find it.” She poured milk and bit off another chunk of the muffin at the same time. “And besides, somebody shot you. They need to be arrested and the key thrown away.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full. So, what did you find?”

“At first nothing, but then I thought about it. What would make people take pictures of someone for someone else?” Another bite of the muffin. “The answer—money.”

“Of course. That makes sense.”

“I started searching for sites that offered money for photos and eventually found this.” She turned her laptop towards Nikki. “This is the Connecting Bridge.” She pointed. “Ever hear of it?”

“Sure, it’s one of the sites that keeps me in business. People connecting with long-lost loves, then thinking the grass will be greener on the other side. All it usually does is lead to heartache and divorce.” She wondered what was going on with Stanley and his wife.

“I don’t know about that, but I finally found this site.” She pointed at the screen.

Do you live in Washington, DC, or North Carolina?

Want to make some money?

“I don’t see anything about Lucas.” She hated saying his name within hearing distance of Cassie.

“Gotta read the small copy. Here, I’ll read it for you. Maybe your old-lady eyes are too bad.”

“My old-lady eyes are just fine.” She pulled the laptop closer.

Want to make some EASY CASH?

I’ll pay for each photo you send me of senators, congressmen, and other politicians in the DC area, especially for North Carolina politicians. Email me to find out this month’s target.

Nikki looked at Cassie. “Still doesn’t say Lucas’s name.”

“True, but I emailed the person. The email site is no longer active, but I was able to access old emails.”

“You accessed someone else’s email account. That doesn’t sound legal.” Nikki’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Cassie. “How did you do that, may I ask?”

Cassie gulped the last of her milk and then smiled. “Don’t ask.”

“I don’t want you doing illegal things—ever.” Bethany walked over to the table.

“Your mom is right. That’s not the way to find out who is responsible for shooting me.”

“Like I said, don’t ask.” Cassie picked up another muffin. “Anyway, when I got access to the email, there was only one target. It was the same target month after month.”

“Lucas?”

“The one and only.”

Nikki grabbed another muffin. Cassie was right; they were tasty. “Now all I have to do is find out who set up the Bridge site and the email.”

“I’m sure the FBI will be able to do that.” Bethany wiped away some crumbs.

“Already did!” Cassie said triumphantly.

Bethany shook her head. “You and I will be having a long talk about following the law, little missy.”

“Don’t you want to know who it is?”

“It would serve you right if I refused to listen, but I did get shot. So I guess I have a right to know. Who is it?” Nikki took a sip of coffee and then set down the cup.

“Well, that wasn’t easy either.”

Bethany glared at Cassie. “Stop bragging.”

“She did a good job hiding it, but eventually, they had to pay with a credit card. And she did.”

“She? It’s a woman?” Nikki hadn’t even considered that possibility. She’d simply assumed it was a man.

“And not just any woman. Someone who knows the congressman.” Cassie beamed at the two of them.

****

“Lucas, who are all these strange people on my property?”

With all that was going on, he wasn’t taking any chances with his mother’s safety. “I hired a few security guards.”

“I would have thought the FBI agent would be more than enough to keep watch on you.”

He didn’t want to admit they weren’t there to keep an eye on him, but on her. “You’re probably right. I overreacted, but I’ve already paid for them for the next few days, so they might as well stay.” Lucas walked out to the screened-in porch, or as Mama called it—the veranda. In that sweet Southern drawl of hers, just saying the word drew a picture of time gone past. “You outdid yourself, Mama.”

The furniture had been pushed to the perimeter of the room. Each of the four tables was surrounded by five chairs. The white linen tablecloths contrasted with the rose-colored antique china. Atop each of the plates sat a teacup and saucer. A small flower arrangement decorated the center of the table.

“It does look nice, doesn’t it?”

“And you do this every month?”

“I like to show that gracious Southern living isn’t dead quite yet.”

“That’s good, Mama. Nothing wrong with traditions.”

“It’s so sad these days. Most young women are too busy climbing up the corporate ladder to enjoy the finer things in life.”

“It’s a different world than you grew up in, Mama.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s better.”

He grinned. “Doesn’t mean it’s not. Women like the freedom they have these days.”

“Humph. I had plenty of freedom. Along with that freedom comes responsibility. And as far as I’m concerned, too much responsibility. I liked it just fine and dandy staying home and raising the young’uns while your daddy went out and slew the dragons.”

“And that was fine and dandy unless you were a woman who wanted to go out and slay her own dragons.”

“Humph.” She held up her hand. “As the young people today say, whatever!”

He laughed. “I see you aren’t completely behind the times, Mama.”

Elizabeth walked in. “Your mother is not behind the times at all, Lucas. How dare you insinuate such a thing?”

“Thank you, Elizabeth.” His mother turned to Lucas with a haughty stare. “I’m glad someone appreciates me.”

“Oh my, Mrs. McMann. The tables are beautiful, simply beautiful. Wherever did you get those gorgeous flowers?”

“From my gardens.”

“Just lovely.”

“If you want, after the other ladies leave, I’ll take you on a tour. The gardener does most of the work these days, but I still get my hands dirty every now and then. Nothing like a little warm dirt on my hands to remind me where I came from.”

“That would be lovely.”

As far as Lucas knew, the only dirt Elizabeth ever put her hands in was political. But flower gardening? He didn’t think so. Nikki was the one who loved growing flowers.

The doorbell rang.

“They’re heeeere.” Lucas smiled. “I better get going while the going’s good.”

“You aren’t staying?” Elizabeth looked disappointed.

“No way. This is ladies’ day.” Besides, he wanted to visit Nikki for a while. Baby steps.

“The last time I looked, women had the right to vote,” Mama said.

Elizabeth smiled. “Your mother’s absolutely right. Every one of these women is a voter. Along with their husbands, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.”

“That may be so, but I’m not in the mood to politic today.” He waved as he walked through the door. “Have a wonderful time, ladies. Enjoy your tea.”

****

Nikki drove towards the McMann mansion.

The police cruiser in front of her held two officers. After Cassie’s discovery, Nikki had visited the police station and shown them the evidence. A call to the FBI agent assigned to Lucas’s case had developed the strategy for arrest. The police weren’t too pleased that she insisted upon being there, but conceded in light of her involvement and injuries, with strict warnings for her to stay out of the way unless they specifically asked her for help. An emergency warrant was issued within a half-hour.

The woman had hired trained assassins to kill Lucas, and after some careful research, the police had determined right where she happened to be.

Attending a tea party at Isabella McMann’s home.

They waited outside the gates until given the all clear that almost all the women had left the party. Although women in the cars coming out gave the cruiser a cursory glance, no one looked at Nikki’s car parked right behind it.

Nikki followed the cruiser into the long circular drive. Her gaze landed on the white-pillared monster, and suddenly she was sixteen again. Her heart pitter-pattered as she remembered the dinner where she met his parents. What a nightmare that had been. Lucas had insisted she come to Thanksgiving dinner at his house. She’d never attended a formal dinner before. When she sat down and saw all those forks, spoons, and knives, she hadn’t known what to do.

His mother had been kind to her and shown her what piece to use at the right time.

Even as young as she was, she could tell they weren’t pleased with their son’s choice. And she understood why—she wasn’t good enough for Lucas—or for them. Her address was on the wrong side of town.

Shaking away the bad memories, Nikki took a deep breath. No longer a child, she was finally beginning to know who she was. A child of God. And that made her worthy. Her income or her address didn’t matter to God.

Nikki walked towards the mansion. She wouldn’t let the house or the people intimidate her—this time. She wasn’t sixteen anymore.

A man in a suit stood in front of the door, talking with the officers. Must be one of the FBI agents guarding Lucas. One cop gestured to her as she got out of her car.

“I’m the one who took the bullet for the congressman.” Nikki walked up to the men.

An officer rang the doorbell.

A minute or so later, the door opened and a dignified white-haired man in a suit stood there. His smile disappeared at all the badges being held up for him to see. “Can I help you?”

“We need to see Mrs. McMann and her son.”

“This is not a good time. Perhaps you could contact them later.”

“This is a warrant for the arrest of one of the guests, and we will accompany you inside.”

“I will get Mrs. McMann for you.” The butler opened a door, revealing a room with only a few women standing around Mrs. McMann. From their body language, they were saying their goodbyes.

The aroma of flowers battled with the scent of tea. The tables were filled with nearly demolished trays of small sandwiches, cookies, and petit fours along with several different teapots.

The chatter came to an abrupt stop as the policemen, the agents, and Nikki followed the butler in.

The white-haired man made a small motion. “Madam, these officers wish to speak with you and Mr. Lucas. I told them to wait at the door, but they refused.”

“Thank you, Butler.” Isabella McMann moved towards the officers and Nikki with a friendly smile and an outreached hand. “Gentlemen and Ms. Kent, it’s very nice to see you again. Is there a problem?”

Nikki stared at the woman who wanted Lucas dead. The woman responsible for her getting shot. The woman looked at her for a moment and then quickly looked away.

“We’re here with a warrant to arrest one of your guests.” The officer was gracious. “We waited until nearly everyone had left, thinking we’d cause less commotion that way.”

“What has…she done?” Mrs. McMann asked, looking at the few remaining women behind her.

“She’s responsible for attempting to kill Lucas and shot me instead,” Nikki said.

The knot of women gawked at them with frank curiosity.

At Nikki’s bold statement, one woman sank into a nearby chair, hands fluttering.

“Ma’am, is your son here? We know he may be able to shed some light on this issue too.”

“He is, but he refused to come to my tea party.” Her blue eyes twinkled for a moment before turning sober again. “I can’t imagine why.”

“You can fill Lucas in later.” Nikki kept her gaze focused on one specific woman. “Let’s get started, shall we?” Nikki walked around the room and reached Elizabeth.

The officers moved to the target too.

Lucas came in with the other FBI agent. “Nikki, what’s going on? Butler said there might be a problem.”

“Butler? Can’t you at least call him by his name?”

“That is his name. Butler Davis.”

“Oh.” How did she manage to always make herself look foolish? “Well, good. Anyway, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve found out a few interesting facts. I know who’s responsible for me getting shot.” She looked at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth jumped up. “How dare you accuse me of such a thing?”