“This is not a gut idea,” Raymond hissed at Luke the moment Jennie had taken LJ into the bathroom to help the child wash his face and brush his teeth. “You should come home with me.”
“I can’t leave yet. You know I can’t. Not when I know I have a wife and son.”
“A wife who is not Plain.”
Luke rubbed his chest against the ache that was already forming there. Jennie was a stranger to him, true. But she was his wife. Even if they could never be together, either because they were strangers, or because he was now part of the Amish church. It was an impossible situation. “Jah, I know she is not Plain.”
“Then why—”
Luke rounded on his brother. “Would you have me abandon her, abandon my son, when they are in danger?” His voice had dropped to a growl. He knew his brother meant well, but he was not leaving Jennie to deal with this crisis on her own. “What if you were in my position and discovered you and Mary Ellen were married and had a child? Would you abandon her? Could you?”
Raymond struggled with it for a moment longer before finally giving in. “I wouldn’t. You’re right. How will you get home?”
Luke understood the underlying question. Raymond wanted his assurance that he would return home. He wasn’t ready to give that. Not yet. Finding he had a family had unsettled him. He couldn’t abandon them, even if Jennie was unwilling to trust him. He couldn’t blame her for being that way, but still, he was determined to stay close. He would protect them as well as he could.
“I’ll manage when it’s time.”
That was no answer. But it was the best he could do.
Jennie and LJ walked out of the bathroom. The boy was chattering happily to his mother about how cool the troopers had been. He’d obviously gotten over the fact that someone had been inside the apartment.
Luke could hardly force his eyes away from the boy. A surge of emotion swept over him, closing his throat. He’d missed four years of this boy’s life. If he and Raymond hadn’t shown up today, both Jennie and LJ might now be dead.
He shook off the morose thought. He couldn’t allow himself to dwell on it.
“I’m heading back home, Jennie.” Raymond shoved his hat back on his head and shrugged back into his winter coat.
Jennie raised her eyebrows at him.
“I’m staying.” Luke caught the look she cast his way. Jennie was not one to tolerate someone telling her what to do. “If that’s okay? Please?”
She looked like she wanted to argue.
LJ latched onto his hand. “Yay! Daddy’s going to stay, Mama!”
He fought back the rush of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. His son wanted him to stay. He’d never missed having his memory more than he did at this bittersweet moment. If he’d remembered who he was, maybe he wouldn’t have missed his son’s first four years. He lifted his gaze to Jennie, silently begging her to allow him this time.
Her mouth tightened. But she just gave a weary nod. “Fine.”
The tension left his shoulders. He followed her out to her car so they could go to the police station. She fastened LJ into his booster chair in the back while Luke settled himself in the passenger seat. At one point, he must have known how to drive a car, he mused. He’d probably done it on a daily basis. He had no recollection of it and wasn’t even sure he’d be able to figure it out without embarrassing himself. It didn’t matter. He was content to ride along.
Raymond climbed up into the van beside Sam. The brothers shared one last glance. Raymond’s gaze warned him to take care. Luke kept his face blank. Finally, Raymond and Sam pulled out and drove away.
Jennie got into the driver’s side and fastened her seat belt.
“Thanks for letting me stay.” Luke kept his voice low, hyperaware of the child a few feet away from him.
Jennie didn’t answer at first, focusing on backing out of her space. “I still can’t believe you’re alive.” Her voice was thick with too many emotions for him to decipher them all.
“I’m sure it’s a shock. I wish I’d remembered sooner.” That was putting it mildly.
She bit her lip. She flipped on the radio, probably to mask their voices. “Luke, I don’t know what we’re supposed to do in this situation. I was told you were dead. I went through the pregnancy alone, always feeling like I was in a bad dream, but that one day you’d walk through the door. But after LJ was born, I had to accept that you were gone. I had him to focus on, and it helped. But raising a child on my own wasn’t easy.”
He was sure it wasn’t. And now that LJ was four, she no doubt didn’t appreciate Luke’s reappearance, complicating her life. Even if he had just saved it.
“I remembered this apartment,” he commented, waving his hand toward the building as they drove away from it. “I don’t know how, but when we were driving here, I was able to lead the driver straight here.” He paused a moment. “I would have thought you’d have moved.”
After she heard he’d died, but he didn’t add that part. She seemed to understand.
“I told the landlord that I wouldn’t be renewing my lease in February. My brother and his wife, Sophie, have a place near Pittsburgh. Sophie’s sister is deaf and attends the residential school there as a day student. I decided to move closer to them.”
He never would have found them if she had already moved. He forced his mind away from that thought. It wasn’t productive to think of what might have happened.
“Are you upset to find that I’m alive?” he asked instead.
“Oh!” Her eyes flared open wide at his question. “Of course not! It’s good that you survived the explosion. Of course it is. It’s just...”
He waited, his heart pounding. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know what she was trying to say.
“Just what?” he prompted when she looked as if she wasn’t going to continue.
She was pulling into the police station. She shifted in her seat and met his gaze head-on. “I don’t know you anymore. Which must sound selfish of me. I’m sorry, truly I am. I know that you’ve lost your memories. I can’t even imagine how that must feel.”
“It’s disconcerting, that’s for sure. There’s a gap in my mind, a large chunk of experiences that I don’t recall. Things that I might have learned how to do that I can’t do anymore.” Should he say it? “It’s also painful to know that I’ve been a father for four years and have missed it.”
“I understand that.” Her voice was soft. He had to strain to catch her words. “I’m just not certain how to proceed. You’re a stranger to me. And my life has finally gotten to a point where I feel like I’m moving forward. Or it was.”
What had changed that more, knowing he was alive or knowing that Steve was out to get her? Steve. What were they doing sitting in a car when that man was still out there, waiting for the opportunity to attack again?
“We need to get inside. We’re vulnerable here.” He wished they had more time, but the situation was urgent.
She opened her door, and he followed her example. They gathered up LJ and headed into the station. Would she open up to him again? The frustration was gnawing at him. If only he could remember.
“We need to talk more.” He broke the silence that had settled between them.
“I know. But not now.”
LJ was trotting along beside his mother, his hand in hers, when he reached out and grabbed Luke’s left hand in his free hand. Luke smiled down at his son, still in awe that he had a child.
Jennie signed in at the reception desk. The clerk who was behind a glass window buzzed them into the station.
Luke was aware of eyes following them as they walked into the room. It probably wasn’t every day that an Amish man showed up in their station with an Englisch woman.
They didn’t have to wait long before they were met by one of the troopers that had been out to the apartment earlier. Carter, his badge said. He led them back into a separate room, away from everyone else. Luke was glad to be away from the curious stares.
“Okay, Jennie. Luke. There’s no rush. Take your time and look through the images. I’ll stay here. Let me know if you recognize anyone.”
Within a few minutes, Jennie and Luke were seated at a console, looking at images of possible suspects. It was chilling to realize how many images they would need to look through. Luke felt hemmed in behind the console. He wasn’t used to being surrounded by so much technology.
Or maybe it was the fact that he was sitting in an Englisch police station that made him feel like ants were crawling under his skin.
A woman walked in and tried to convince LJ to go with her, but the child pressed against his mother and refused to budge.
“Not going.” He turned his face into Jennie’s side.
“I’d like him to stay with me,” Jennie said, hugging her son.
“It’s okay, Anne. He can stay with us,” Trooper Carter told her.
Luke was relieved when the woman gave in. He didn’t want to let the boy out of his sight, either, although he was probably safe at the police station.
“Hey, Mama!” LJ yelled out five minutes later, pointing at the screen. “I seen that man before.”
Carter moved quickly. He eyed the man on the screen, then turned his sharp gaze to LJ. “Are you sure, son? You’ve seen this man?”
LJ nodded. “He stands outside the playground taking pictures of me and my friends.”
Jennie’s hands froze as the blood drained from her face. Luke wanted to bolt out the door and find the man immediately. He forced himself to remain still. Someone was watching his son. Was Steve behind this, or were more people out to destroy his family?
Jennie wanted to grab up her son and run. Where, she had no idea.
Someone was watching her baby. She didn’t think she could handle any more shocks. Having Luke appear this morning had been hard, but this was worse. Much worse. She had to keep her mind from exploring the many possible scenarios that could have happened before she realized they were in danger.
LJ is fine. They’d protect him.
Trooper Carter immediately left the room after noting the name of the man who’d been watching the playground.
“This can’t be a coincidence.” Luke’s face was like granite.
Funny, she’d not noticed that hardness in him before. Luke had always been so gentle and easygoing. Not now. The man beside her was intense. The look in his eyes as he gazed at LJ told her more than words could that he was taking his new fatherhood seriously.
Her pulse stuttered. What did it mean for them that he was back? They were married, but she didn’t know if that mattered anymore. He was obviously Amish again. She was not.
Not to mention the fact that she didn’t know him anymore.
Trooper Carter returned. “The school has been informed that a known felon has been spotted around their premises. Oliver Deets is his name. He’s been busted on some petty crimes. A car has been sent out to his last known residence to bring him in for questioning.”
Carter inquired if they needed anything more before leaving them again. Jennie continued looking though the images, but her mind was on the alert, willing someone to come and give them more information. It was hard to focus when her mind kept replaying the moment when LJ had said someone had been taking pictures of him at school. How much more could they take? It seemed unreal that a full-grown man could stalk preschool children and no one would notice.
Finally, she backed away from the database. Carter returned. “Have you finished?” he asked.
“Yes. I didn’t see the man who attacked me in there.”
“Okay. I’m going to take you to the conference room to wait until we have more information.”
It was a tense group that waited for the next hour in the conference room. Luke tended to pace. She remembered that habit from when they were together. Jennie kept to her seat, but only because LJ was sitting so close to her. The child seemed to sense something was wrong.
When the door opened again and Carter appeared with a younger trooper, the flat expression on his face chilled her blood.
“We didn’t find Deets in his apartment. It was obvious that he’d fled. We did, however, find these.”
He handed her a couple photographs of the walls in Deets’s apartment. One wall had been filled with pictures that Deets had obviously taken. Bile rose in her throat as she looked at dozens of candid shots. LJ at school. She and LJ at the store. Getting into her car to leave in the morning. The pictures spanned back two months. For two months, this man had been trailing her and her son, documenting their every move outside the apartment.
There was even a picture of an article relating to her brother’s wedding. Were Aiden and his family in jeopardy?
She pointed a shaking finger at the article. “That’s my brother’s wedding, several years back. Aiden, that’s my brother—he used to be a cop—he’s out of the country right now.”
Trooper Carter nodded. “We’ll be notifying him of the possible dangers. I’m sure he’ll know what to do.”
That was true. A small part of her relaxed at that. But not much. There didn’t seem to be a part of their life the stalker had missed.
This was not a spur-of-the moment attack. This was a planned-out offensive. But how? How had Steve orchestrated this from prison? What else did he have up his sleeve that she wasn’t aware of?
“What should we do?” Luke asked, his voice low. Jennie blinked at him. It might have been her imagination, but his voice almost sounded dangerous. Which seemed odd when combined with his Amish attire.
But he’d lived away from the Amish for several years. He might not remember those years, but could those experiences be affecting his responses anyway?
Trooper Carter met his gaze. “Don’t play the hero. If you see anything, let us know. We’ll be watching for any movement around the apartment. Keep your doors locked. I would suggest not going out alone.”
She understood. Trooper Carter wanted them to stay together. She was relieved. As much as Luke’s reappearance had unsettled her, she was glad she wouldn’t be on her own.
“We could put you up in a hotel,” Trooper Carter said.
She was shaking her head before he finished speaking. At Steve’s trial, it had become apparent that she was not his only victim over the years. However, he had many friends and connections. She wasn’t going to go anywhere that a stranger might have access to. At least her landlord was familiar. She knew he was a Christian man.
Jennie hadn’t wanted anything to do with God since she’d landed in the foster care system. In her mind, He’d turned his back on her and failed to protect her when she needed Him most. She still respected that others had faith. And she knew enough of the landlord to believe that he would not be in league with criminals.
There weren’t many others she could be sure of.
“LJ won’t be returning to preschool,” she decided out loud. If he did, it would not be to the same school. She could never drop him off again without recalling that a man had been scoping out the school. That trust had been broken.
“That’s probably for the best, at least until we have more information.” Trooper Carter gathered up the pictures again. She was happy to have them out of her hands.
It was after four by the time they finally left the station. The temperature had dropped, and it had started to snow while they were inside. Soft, fluffy white flakes that looked like they belonged in a snow globe dusted the landscape. The beauty of it was at odds with the ugliness of what was happening inside her world.
“We’re out of milk,” she said.
“Excuse me?” Luke replied.
Jennie blushed. “Sorry. This morning, I went shopping, but I dropped the milk when I found out Steve was out of prison. I need to stop by the store.”
He nodded, a slight smile curling the corners of his mouth. “Then let’s stop and get some.”
She suddenly realized that Luke was going to be coming home with her and LJ. She couldn’t get over the fact that he hadn’t been killed.
She cast a sidelong glance at him. He hadn’t said anything since they’d exited the building. His face was mostly closed off, but even as she watched, a grimace of pain crossed his brow.
He was limping.
“Did you hurt your leg when you pulled that man off me?”
He looked at her, brow creased in puzzlement.
“You’re limping. I thought you might have been hurt.”
“Jah, I know I have a slight limp. I told you I injured my leg. It was a partial fracture, but it still pains me at times.”
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to pry.” A flush stole up her cheeks. She hoped he didn’t think she was rude for pointing it out.
He shrugged. “Nee, don’t be sorry. I’m used to it now. I get by.”
She nodded. Without comment, they bundled LJ into the car. She was so weary, but LJ always wanted milk with his dinner. The drive to the store was silent. Jennie couldn’t get up the energy to talk. It seemed no one else wanted to, either. Every few seconds, she heard a small murmur from her son. With each sound, she tensed a little more. LJ being quiet was not a good thing. It usually meant he was upset or sick.
They pulled into the grocery store parking lot three minutes later. Jennie found a space near the middle and pulled in. Her car was boxed in by a truck in front of her and an SUV on either side. She turned off the engine, leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. Just for a moment.
“Jennie? Are you all right?” Luke asked.
She sighed. No, she wasn’t all right. “I’m fine. Let’s do this and go home.”
Mentally bracing herself, she pushed open the door and got out, stretching for just a moment before she opened the back door to get LJ. She contemplated asking Luke to wait in the car with him, but quickly decided against it. The idea of letting LJ out of her sight for five minutes made her stomach clench.
She stretched her mouth into what she hoped was a cheerful smile. “Come on, LJ. We’re on a mission to score some milk.”
Normally, her son loved “going on missions.” Today was not one of those days. He scrunched up his little face in a scowl.
“I’m tired,” LJ said. Oh, no. She knew that voice. Her son was getting close to an exhaustion-driven melt down. She needed to get into the store and get the milk before that happened.
“Hey, LJ, want me to carry you?” Luke appeared at her side.
The boy’s eyes lit up at his father’s question. “Yeah!”
Jennie moved away to let Luke get LJ out of his seat. When she heard her son laugh, she turned away to hide the sudden tears in her eyes. She’d often thought about how much Luke would have loved being a father. She walked to the back of her car to wait for them, hoping the space would allow her to get her balance back.
A sharp squeal of tires rent the air. A car turned the corner of the parking lot and was racing down the aisle.
It was going to hit her. Jennie’s legs wouldn’t move. Had Steve come to take her out at last?