Sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, filling the room with a cheer Doug didn’t possess. The coffeemaker gurgled to a stop. He poured himself a cup of the dark brew, took a sip, and exhaled. He leaned against the counter and stared into his backyard. Sleep had eluded him most of last night. The thought of protecting another woman from Tommy Wade had caused him to toss and turn until the early hours of the morning. Even then, he had a fitful rest, at best.
Thankfully, Tabitha had allowed him to bring Kyle and Cassidy into the know. And not holding a secret from his partner sent a wave of relief through him. After they’d called it a night, Tabitha’s disclosure had his mind whirling in a hundred different directions. He knew one thing for sure, he had to take time off and finish what Michael had started—getting justice for those Wade had hurt.
Cassidy ambled into the kitchen, securing her hair into a messy ponytail. Blonde strands spilled from the elastic tie. He held the carafe up.
“Yes, please.” She collapsed onto a chair, dropped her chin, and covered her face with her hands.
He pursed his lips to hide his smile and poured her a cup of the strong brew. “Here ya go, sleepyhead.”
She peeked through her fingers.
He held out the mug, waiting for her sleep-addled brain to catch up.
She accepted the offering and took a careful sip. Her eyes closed. “Bless you.”
“Does Kyle realize you’re not a morning person?” He couldn’t help but chuckle at Cassidy’s expression.
“Bite your tongue. Don’t you dare say a word. Once we’re married, he’s stuck with me.” She sent him a playful glare and continued her infusion of caffeine.
As if Kyle had no idea. Ha. Last year, when a serial killer targeted Cassidy, Doug helped his partner with protection duty. The woman was a bear in the morning, and he and Kyle both knew it.
“Is Tabitha awake?” He wiped down the counter, tossed the wet washcloth into the sink, and returned to his spot near the window.
“I heard her in the bathroom when I got up.” Cassidy’s gaze met his. “She’s worried that everyone knows her real name.”
“I realize. We’ll have to be careful in public.” Doug had convinced her to allow him to explain the situation to his friends. Tabitha had reluctantly agreed. “But unless she reveals what she and Michael have done, we can’t protect her.”
Cassidy stared into her cup. “Keep at it. Whether she admits it or not, she trusts you.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” Doug ran a hand over the back of his neck. So far, he hadn’t gotten that feeling. If anything, just the opposite.
“Good morning.” A timid voice interrupted his thoughts. Tabitha cowered at the archway. Her toes not crossing the line to the kitchen floor.
The implications sent waves of anger rolling through him. He pulled in a calming breath. “Would you like some coffee?” He kept his tone light, hoping to relieve her fears.
“Yes, please.” She didn’t move from the spot at the doorway but stayed in place as if waiting for an invitation to enter.
“Come on in.” Cassidy stood and held her chair out. “Take my seat. I need to head home and change before work.”
“I didn’t mean to run you off.” Tabitha entered and accepted the seat.
“You aren’t. Duty calls. I’ll see you again soon.” Cassidy’s gaze connected with Doug’s. “Doug will take good care of you.”
He nodded his appreciation. “Sure will.” Mug filled, he placed it in front of Tabitha. “There you go.” He opened the refrigerator, retrieved a small container of cream he kept for visitors, and placed it on the table next to the sugar. “We’ll be by the office in a little while.”
“I’ll catch you there.” Cassidy hustled out of the room.
A few moments later, he heard the security system disengage and reengage. The whole team knew his obsession with safety and always supported his paranoid quirks without question.
Doug refilled his cup and sat across from Tabitha. After a few minutes ticked by, he decided to broach last night’s subject again. “Before we discuss your situation, I want you to know that I won’t let you face this alone. I’ll be with you every step of the way. However, I won’t know how to proceed until I’ve seen what you gave Michael. So, I’ve been thinking—trying to figure out where Michael might have hidden the evidence. His apartment comes to mind, but I can’t imagine he used such an obvious location. Then there’s his locker or desk at the office. Again, if he suspected a leak in the department at the DEA, he wouldn’t risk it.” Doug sipped his coffee and allowed the warm liquid to ease his tension. “There’s only one other place I can think of where he’d feel safe stashing the evidence.”
Lifting her mug to her lips, she paused. “Where?”
“It’s a private cabin that I own. Michael is the only person who knows about it.”
She tilted her head. “Your friends that you work with don’t know?”
He shook his head. After Christine died, he bought the place with the intention of hiding away from life. Instead, it had become his sanctuary. A place to go when he hit his stress limit, and a place to reconnect with God. At the beginning of his grief journey, Doug had pushed away from Him. Yeah, not the smartest move he’d ever made. But people tended to turn away instead of toward God during hard times, and he’d followed the norm. Dumb move. “I like having a retreat when life feels heavy.”
“I can understand that.” Tabitha ran her finger along the rim of her cup. “When do we leave?”
“First, I have to go to the office and ask the sheriff for time off and explain why.” He chuckled. “That could get interesting.”
Tabitha ducked her head. “I don’t want you getting in trouble on my account.”
“It’ll be fine. Sheriff Monroe is a great boss and a good friend.” Yeah, Dennis would understand—eventually. But breaking the news to him... Doug cringed. Up until this point, he’d kept his involvement in Michael’s investigation from Dennis. That part would take a bit of finessing.
“I’ll go finish getting ready. I don’t want to keep you waiting.”
Beyond taking down Tommy Wade’s drug business and all the evil surrounding it, Doug’s other goal was restoring confidence in the woman across the table. Why that meant so much, he had no idea. But he hated the fear she displayed. He placed a hand on her arm. “Breakfast first. Then we’ll go. You don’t have to rush.”
Her muscles tightened. She stared at his hand. “If you’re sure.”
Realizing his mistake, he let go of her arm. “I am.”
Forty minutes later, after eggs and bacon and cleaning up, Doug parked his SUV at the far end of the station’s small lot. The sheriff’s department hopped with activity. If you could call nine cars hopping. But for the Anderson County office, it constituted a busy day.
“Let’s get you inside.” He skirted the vehicle and gave the area a quick scan. Whoever had broken into Tabitha’s house hadn’t found what he or she was searching for. At least that’s what his gut told him. He opened the passenger door and escorted her into the building.
“Morning, Detective Olsen.” The sheriff’s administrative assistant greeted him.
“Good morning, Brenda. The sheriff in?”
Brenda glanced at Tabitha, back to him, and raised a brow.
He had no doubt Brenda knew Beth from the diner, but he had no intention of revealing Tabitha’s real name or why he’d brought her to the office. He gave Brenda a slight shake of his head.
The administrative assistant took his refusal of explanation in stride. “He’s in his office pouting.”
Doug laughed. “What did you do now?”
A sly smile crossed the admin’s lips. “It’s not my fault the paperwork has to be done.”
“You’re pure evil, Brenda.”
She tapped her red fingernail on her lips. Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “And don’t you forget it.”
He rolled his eyes at Brenda’s playfulness and guided Tabitha to the sheriff’s office. Two chairs sat near the door. “Have a seat while I talk with my boss. I’ll be just inside the door if you need anything.”
“I won’t move.” Tabitha sat, tucked herself into the corner, and hugged her purse.
The fear in her actions gnawed at his gut. He hated Tommy even more than before. Doug stuck his head inside the office. “Knock, knock.”
“Come in.” Sheriff Dennis Monroe ran his fingers through his hair, leaving a strip standing on end. “I hope you’ve come to help.”
“Sorry, Dennis. That’s why you get to wear the big star.”
His boss chuckled. “Right. How can I help you?”
Instead of sitting, Doug stood “at ease.” The action was a leftover habit from his military days. “I’m requesting a few days off to take care of a personal matter.”
Dennis leaned back in this chair and steepled his fingers. “A personal matter, huh. Does this have anything to do with a certain waitress named Beth and last night’s break-in?” He motioned with his index fingers to the chair on the other side of his large oak desk.
Doug sat on the edge of the seat, ready to move if Tabitha so much as squeaked. “That’s an affirmative.”
“I thought so. Kyle came by earlier. Said Cassidy spent the night at your house. I’m assuming that had something to do with Beth.” The sheriff raised a questioning brow.
“It did. We thought Beth would be more comfortable with another woman.”
“You know I’m not one to pry.” His friend grinned. The man had his hands in everyone’s lives, but the guys and ladies didn’t care. They appreciated Dennis’s concern for their well-being. More than once, he’d stopped a disaster with a simple word or action. “We’re a bit busy around here. With Keith on paternity leave and all.”
“Speaking of, how are the twins?” Doug couldn’t be happier for his friend.
Keith, another detective, and his wife Amy had a big surprise two weeks ago. One baby had hidden behind the other at the early ultrasound, and the heartbeats had synced, leaving everyone clueless about baby number two. The delivery became the talk of the hospital as it was not a common occurrence. In fact, it ranked high on the rare scale. According to the doctor, it happened from time to time. And since Amy had been a twin, it seemed fitting. The whole experience had thrown Keith for a loop. Rattled was an understatement. They had an eighteen-month-old son Carter who kept them busy, and now two adorable girls.
The two little dolls had stolen everyone’s hearts, though. And their names—Stacey, after Amy’s twin who’d been murdered, and Ellie, after Keith’s mother Ellen who’d died of cancer—had brought everyone to tears.
“Last time I talked with him, he sounded like he could use a year’s worth of sleep. Give them a couple more weeks. Planning for one and getting two will take some adjustments.”
“If anyone can do it, it’s Amy and Keith. I’m sure Grandpa Ian hasn’t missed an opportunity to help.”
“That’s true.” Dennis leaned forward, rested his forearms on his desk, and clasped his hands together. “Stop stalling, Doug. Give me the basics.”
He appreciated his boss’s ability to take interest in his men and women in one breath and get down to business in the next. “First of all, Beth’s real name is Tabitha Wilson. Compliments of my friend Michael Lane—”
“DEA agent?”
Doug nodded. “He hid Tabitha in Valley Springs and gave her a new identity to protect her.”
Dennis’s eyes narrowed. “Protect her from who?”
“That’s where it gets a bit sticky. I don’t think she’s told me the whole truth, but what I can tell you is that Tommy Wade is involved.”
Dennis knew all about Doug’s wife and the connection to the vile drug dealer. “Okay then.” His boss blew out a long stream of air. “I’ll admit, I don’t like you going dark where Wade is involved.”
“I promise not to go off-grid. But Michael had evidence against Tommy, and I have to find it.”
“As I said, I don’t like it, but I get it. Any news on Agent Lane?” Dennis asked.
“No. Only that he was seen on the boat a few minutes before it blew up, and they haven’t found him.”
The sheriff exhaled. “I’ll grant the time off. But I expect you to call and ask for help if you need it. And please be liberal with the term need.”
“I appreciate that. I’ll be out of town for a day, maybe two. I promise to keep you up to speed.” An invisible weight lifted from his shoulders. For better or worse, he wasn’t alone in his search for the truth anymore.
Dennis stood and skirted his desk. “Come on. I’d like to go say hi to my favorite new waitress.” The sheriff walked with him to the door and peered out. “Hello, Tabitha.” Dennis kept his voice low so no one else heard Beth’s real name.
Her respiration increased, and she swallowed. “Hi, Sheriff.”
“Is there anything I can do for you?” the sheriff asked.
She looked at Doug’s boss as if the man had asked her to jump in the lake during the winter.
“Well, if you think of anything, let me know.” Dennis pulled out one of his special business cards with his personal cell number on it and held it out to her.
“I don’t understand.” She stared at the card like it might bite.
“We all need assistance now and again. Help. That’s all. Nothing more.”
She snatched the card and slipped it into her pocket. “Thanks.”
“Detective Olsen will take good care of you. And he makes a good sounding board too.” Dennis gave Doug a friendly slap on the back and strode into his office.
“Thanks, Sheriff.” After Dennis closed the door to his office and they were alone in the hallway, Doug turned his attention to Tabitha. “I have the time off. Are you ready to search the cabin?”
“I guess so.” She hitched her purse on her shoulder and followed Doug through the main office. “Why is everyone being so nice? What do they want?”
“They’re nice people. No one expects anything from you.” The light in Doug’s brain popped on. His assessment of Tabitha made him both sad and angry. The word that described her—used.
She shook her head. “No. People always have an agenda.”
“Not this time.” He held the door open for her.
She came to a halt outside the Sheriff’s Department door. “I wish I could believe that.”
“Give it time. We’ll convince you that we genuinely care about you and want to help.”
Her jaw dropped. “You don’t even know me.”
“But we want to.” Doug continued the path to his SUV. He glanced over his shoulder and found Tabitha staring at him. “Are you coming?”
“Fine.”
Confident she’d follow, Doug held up his key fob and hit the start button.
The SUV exploded. The blast threw him backward into a parked car. He whipped forward and hit the ground. Pain burst through his body.
Flames shot from the SUV, warming his skin. His ears rang, and his head whirled. He lay on his back, staring at the sky. Debris floated in the air, and a dark haze drifted above him.
Had Tabitha survived? She’d been several steps behind him. He prayed the explosion hadn’t hurt her. He wanted to get up and check on her, but his limbs and brain refused to reconnect.
“Doug!” Tabitha’s voice pierced through his muffled hearing.
He shifted and lifted his head. The world tilted and swayed.
A man dressed in jeans, a black shirt, and a ski mask headed toward Tabitha. The man had a good ten inches of height on her and at least a hundred pounds. Doug had to get to her before the masked attacker got to her.
Doug struggled to his feet and staggered toward her, praying his body cooperated.
God, please send help.
Smoke swirled, and flames reached toward the sky. Tabitha stared at the blazing SUV from where the blast had knocked her to her hands and knees, the contents of her purse scattered on the ground. She’d witnessed Doug’s body thrown like a ragdoll when the vehicle exploded. She hoped he’d survived and hadn’t been seriously injured. Forcing her eyes from the fire scene, she located Doug. Struggling to her feet, she took a step toward him. A muscular arm wrapped her neck and choked off Tabitha’s airway. Another snaked around her midsection. He lifted her off her feet and carried her toward a waiting vehicle. She clawed and kicked at the man, but his grip was too tight to escape. She hadn’t seen his face. Had no idea who had her in his hold.
She prayed someone inside the sheriff’s office heard the blast. Of course they had. How could they not? However, when they came outside, they’d concentrate on their friend—not her. She was nobody to these people. But she refused to give up. She had to try.
“Help!” Her scream came out as a whisper. She flailed her legs as the open car door came closer and closer. If he got her inside, she’d never be found again. Or if so, she’d be dead. She thrashed her head and sunk in her nails, slicing them across the man’s skin.
A blur came from her left.
The sudden impact sent her sprawling onto the pavement. Her palms stung, and her knees ached, but she sucked in a full breath for the first time since the man had wrapped his arm around her throat. She scrambled away from the chaos, gasping to fill her lungs, and discovered Doug fighting her attacker.
The masked man landed a hard right hook to Doug’s jaw and ran off down the street.
Doug ignored the attacker that fled on foot and crawled to her. He placed his hands on either side of her face. “Are you okay?”
She almost laughed. Dirt covered his torn jeans and shirt, his face bruised and smeared with grime, and his hair mussed to the point of comical. And he asked about her? “I’m fine.”
He raised a brow.
“Seriously, I’m alive. I’ll take it.” She placed a hand on her stomach and closed her eyes. Thank You, God.
Sheriff Monroe, Kyle, and another man Tabitha didn’t recognize came running. “Do you need an ambulance?” the sheriff asked.
Doug stood, wobbled a bit, and straightened. “No. Jason, Dennis, take Tabitha inside and make sure no one has access to her. Kyle, you’re with me.”
Without question, Kyle joined Doug and sprinted down the street where her assailant had vanished. She watched the two detectives disappear from sight. Her hand drifted to her throat. It was as if the bruises were forming beneath her fingertips. She swallowed and winced at the soreness.
Dennis pointed to the man next to Tabitha. “Take her to my office. Get those scrapes tended to. I’m securing the scene and calling the crime techs.”
Sirens from the fire engines signaled their approach.
“On it, Boss.” The man helped her to her feet. “I’m Jason Cooper. My partner Keith Young and I work with Doug.”
Unsure what to say, she nodded. Tabitha looked over her shoulder, worried about Doug. He’d taken a brutal blow from the explosion. Now he was chasing the man who’d tried to abduct her.
“Doug’s ex-Army and a good deputy. He knows what he’s doing.” Jason placed a gentle hand on her elbow. “Let’s get you inside. I’d like to avoid his wrath if I don’t protect you and take care of your injuries.”
“He seems too nice to get angry at you.” Of course, she’d made that mistake more than once. Not with Doug, but with Tommy and her uncle.
Jason laughed. “Doug’s a quiet one, but don’t let it fool you. He’s a fierce protector when it comes to his friends.”
“I’m not sure I belong in that category.” Sure, she’d waited on him at the diner over the past couple of weeks, but did that make them friends? Tabitha admitted Doug hadn’t left her side since someone broke into her home. But friends?
The detective smiled. “Oh, I know you do. Come on.” He held open the office door, and Tabitha scooted past him.
Brenda hurried around her desk. “Dear girl, are you all right?”
“Yes.” The attention sent Tabitha’s insecurities into overdrive. She still didn’t understand why everyone was being kind to her.
Although, Michael’s words flitted through her memories. The ones where he’d told her about God and had shown her kindness without expectations. Yes, he wanted help taking down Tommy, but Michael had always looked out for her safety. Were these people like him?
“Jason, get this sweet girl into the Sheriff’s office. I’ll grab the first aid kit.” Brenda hurried off.
“Bossy much?” Jason rolled his eyes. “Come on.” He motioned Tabitha toward the hall.
She hesitated. Uncertainty if she could trust the man stabbed at her. Tabitha inhaled, gathering her courage, and followed the detective’s directions.
He held the Sheriff’s office door open and pointed to a chair. “Have a seat. I saw you limping, and those scrapes look like they hurt.”
“Maybe a little.” No use denying it. Her hands and knees stung with a vengeance.
Jason snorted. “I’m guessing more than a little.” He tilted his head and studied her, then knelt beside her, keeping a couple feet of separation. She’d give him kudos for not touching her. “I’ve heard a bit about what’s going on. I’m not sure what happened in your past, but I want you to know that Doug is a great guy. He’s rather a protective type. You’re safe with him. With all of us.”
That was the third or fourth time someone mentioned that she’d be safe with Doug. Maybe she could trust him with everything. Including her biggest secret of all—her reason for risking everything to escape Tommy—the baby growing inside her.
Brenda bustled in, waving the first aid kit. “Got it. Now, let me take a look at those injuries.”
She might as well not argue with the woman. Her wounds did need tending to. Palms up, she smiled at Brenda. “I appreciate your help.”
“That’s what we do around here. We help people. The good Lord wouldn’t want us turning anyone away.”
“I guess He wouldn’t.” Tabitha had recently discovered her faith and still found it difficult to understand such love. Her horrible childhood had rolled into an abusive adulthood. Everyone in her past used her in one way or another. No one had ever given her unconditional love. It baffled her how a God so big loved her and all her ugly past. But she’d made the step of faith. More like a leap across the Grand Canyon.
“Beth!” Doug’s voice echoed in the hallway.
Jason stuck his head out the door. “She’s in here, dude. Stop shouting.”
Doug rushed into the room. A purple bruise already marred his jaw where the assailant had hit him. Scrapes covered his arms and face, and he grunted when he crouched next to her. He brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Did he hurt you?”
Tears flooded her eyes. No man had ever looked at her with such compassion. Unable to speak past the lump in her throat, she shook her head. The bruises on her neck didn’t matter.
Brenda closed the lid on the kit. “I’ll leave the two of you alone for a bit. Come on, Jason. Scat.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Jason rolled his eyes and turned to Doug. “I’ll gather the group.”
Doug never took his eyes off her. “Thanks, Jason. We’ll be out in a minute.” Once the door closed and they were alone, he cupped her cheek. Shocked that the warmth of his palm calmed her instead of making her cringe, she leaned into his touch. “Are you really okay?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, but I should be the one asking you that. I saw you fly backward and hit that car. I thought...” She sucked in a sob. “I thought you were dead.”
“It wasn’t my time. And I’m very glad about that. Thankfully, the vehicle exploded upward and not out, limiting the damage to the surrounding cars—and us.” He removed his hand but stayed by her side. “I want to help you, Tabitha. Please let me and my friends do that.”
The thought terrified her, but she knew saying no meant the end of her life if Tommy got a hold of her. “I’m scared, Doug. Not only of Tommy and whoever is after me, but I don’t trust easily. For some reason, I want to trust you, which frightens me more than anything.”
A lopsided grin appeared on his bruised face. “I’m one of the good guys, Beth.”
She tilted her head. “Why did you call me that? I mean, I understand and appreciate it when we’re in public to keep people from discovering my identity, but we’re in private.”
“I like it. It signifies a new beginning for you. And I think you need one. But if you’d prefer Tabitha, that works for me too.”
Her heart fluttered. Doug’s words hit the target. Beth, the waitress, had found a life without abuse. One she lived for herself, not controlled by those around her. Even if she hid from her ex-boyfriend and lived in fear of what he would do to her, the freedom that she’d experienced gave her hope.
She ducked her head. “I like Beth.”
He tipped her chin up with the tip of his finger. “What is it?”
She bit her lower lip. “I like you calling me Beth.”
“Then it’ll be my name for you.” The man looked rather pleased about her statement. “I want to get to my cabin and see if we can find that evidence, but I think we should talk with my team first and make a plan. Are you okay with that?”
There it was again. Him giving her a choice. “Yes.”
He struggled to his feet with a groan and held out his hand. “Come on, let’s go before Jason decides to find us and give me grief for making him wait.”
She accepted his gesture and stood.
He dipped his chin and peered into her eyes. “You’ve got this, Beth. You’re stronger than you realize.”
Did she have this? Was she strong? For the first time since Michael convinced her to take down Tommy, her heart quit pounding and relaxed into a steady rhythm. Thanks to the man whose powerful hand held hers.
Not waiting for a response, Doug led her out of the office. They joined the others in the conference room. He held out a chair for her. Stunned by his actions, she stared at him. When he winked at her, she smiled and sat in the offered seat.
Once Doug settled beside her, the room grew quiet, and all eyes turned to the sheriff.
“Personal leave retracted. This is an official case.” Finger pointed at Doug, the sheriff scowled. “Medical attention, then I want to know why someone tried to blow up one of my detectives. There’s been way too much of that going on over the past couple of years.”
“Kyle has already played wannabe doctor.” Doug jutted his chin toward his partner. “I’ll clean up when I get home, and I promise to say something if I feel worse.”
“I’m holding you to that. You, too, Tabitha.”
She nodded, not knowing what else to say at the orders.
The sheriff addressed the group. “Meet up at Doug’s house in an hour. I want as much information as we can gather. I know we won’t have conclusive evidence, and it will be minimal at best. But I want every thought, every theory, every possibility on the table.”
A round of “Yes, sir” filled the room.
Cassidy strode in, placed a hand on Kyle’s shoulder, and smiled at him. Then wagged her finger between Doug and Tabitha. “I heard what happened. I’ll give these two a ride home while the rest of you tackle the scene.”
The tenderness in Cassidy’s eyes as she peered at Kyle made Tabitha believe it was possible for people to love each other without fear.
“Thanks, Cassidy.” Doug shifted to face her. “Beth, are you ready?”
The sheriff raised a brow, but she refused to acknowledge his curiosity at the cherished way Doug spoke her name.
She lifted from the chair. “Whenever you are.” Her stomach twisted in a knot at the thought of leaving the building with her attacker on the loose.
Cassidy folded her arms. “I’m taking my department-issued vehicle with all the firepower available. I’m not messing around after what happened.”
“Sounds like a good plan to me.” Doug placed his hand under Tabitha’s elbow and nodded at Cassidy. “After you, Detective.”
The three weaved through the main office to the front door. When they stepped from the building, the warm August air hit Tabitha’s face. Her nerves sparked like live wires. Out in the open was the last place she wanted to be. She scanned the area, terrified her attacker lurked beyond the parking lot.
Had he circled back and waited for another opportunity to snatch her?