Horror electrified Tim’s blood as he brought his SUV to a screeching halt at the curb beside the community park. A man wearing a black hoodie and ski mask had Vickie on the ground in a chokehold.
Using the fob on his key chain, Tim popped open Frodo’s compartment. The dog bolted from the vehicle and sprinted forward in a burst of muscle and ferocious barking.
The assailant shot to his feet and ran in the opposite direction.
Tim jumped from his SUV. Heart hammering in his chest, he raced through the snow. “Halt! FBI!”
Frodo leaped in the air and bit down on the man’s arm. The suspect let out a howl of pain, then twisted out of the jacket he wore, leaving Frodo with a mouthful of material. The dog spat it out and resumed his chase, easily gaining on the perpetrator.
When the assailant darted into the street, running directly into the path of the traffic, Tim feared for his partner’s safety and gave a sharp whistle. Frodo wheeled around and raced back to his side.
Using his cell phone to call the Billings police department, Tim quickly gave the dispatcher the suspect’s description and requested an ambulance.
Tim checked the fallen officer for signs of life and was grateful to feel a pulse. A bloodied gash marred the back of the young man’s head. A heavy-duty flashlight with blood on it lay next to him.
Next, Tim hurried to Vickie’s side. She stirred as he gathered her in his arms. He brushed back a clump of wet, matted hair from her forehead, where a red knot was forming.
She blinked up at him as if she didn’t trust what she was seeing. “You’re here.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have left your side.”
“Not your fault.” She struggled to stand. He helped her to her feet, tucking her into his side. She rubbed at her throat. “He came out of nowhere.” Her eyes widened with alarm. “Officer Reeves?”
“Breathing. He took a nasty conk on the back of the head,” Tim told her. “Help is on the way.” A siren punctuated his words. “Did the attacker say anything?”
Fear clouded her eyes. “He said, ‘You’ll pay for talking to the cops.’”
“He is afraid you can identify him.”
A tremble worked over her body. “I can’t believe this is happening to me.”
He hugged her closer in reassurance. He couldn’t help it. “The arsonist is determined to get away with his crimes. You’re the only witness who can put him behind bars.”
She bit her lip. “But how can you be certain it was him?”
Tim met her gaze. “Is there a reason to think there is someone else out there who wants to hurt you?”
Distress flickered in her eyes before she looked away. “I don’t think so.”
She didn’t sound convincing. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Before she could answer, officers and an ambulance were on scene. He reluctantly released her to the EMTs’ care. They sat her on the bumper of the ambulance while they checked her head and neck, determining the damage was superficial. He hovered close, unwilling to let her out of his reach.
What was wrong with him?
He gave himself a mental shake. He needed to snap out of it.
Officer Reeves was placed on a gurney. He’d regained consciousness.
“I’m sorry, Agent Ramsey,” he said. “I never saw him coming.”
“We’ll get him,” Tim promised the younger man, as the paramedics wheeled him to the ambulance and took him to the hospital.
Tim turned back to Vickie as Police Chief Fielding approached.
Grasping Vickie’s hand as she recounted the harrowing incident to the chief, Tim admired her strength and fortitude in the face of such a horrible experience.
He sent up a prayer of thanksgiving that he and Frodo had arrived in time to stop the assailant from doing permanent damage. The thought of losing Vickie sent Tim’s pulse skyrocketing. He chose not to analyze the meaning beyond the knowledge that he’d come to care for her.
When Chief Fielding released them from the scene, telling Vickie investigators might contact her and Tim later with more questions, Tim helped her into his SUV. He then gathered the spilled contents of the two boxes and arranged for another Billings police officer to deliver the food to the shelter.
After he climbed into the driver’s seat, he handed Vickie his phone. “Call your parents. Let them know what happened and that you are all right.”
She made a face, but took the phone. “They are going to freak out.”
“This is a freaky situation,” he reminded her.
“True.” She dialed. A few moments later she had them on the phone. As he listened to her calmly explain what had happened, he was struck once again by how very much he respected this sweet woman. She had a core of steel, but was also vulnerable and kind. She tried so hard to keep everyone around her comfortable, often to her own detriment.
When she clicked off and passed back his phone, he impulsively took her hand. “It’s okay to be afraid. To ask for help and to let others be strong.”
She laced her fingers through his. Surprise jolted Tim. Not only was Vickie accepting his touch after being physically attacked, but she was reciprocating. Her show of apparent trust in him sent warmth flooding through his chest.
“I don’t want to be a burden on anyone.”
His gaze dropped involuntarily to her lips. “You could never be.” Why did his voice sound husky?
“Thank you.”
He lifted his gaze to her trusting eyes. He wanted to say it was all part of the job, but somewhere along the way she’d become more than a job. “Let’s get you home.”
“Sounds good to me,” she said.
On the drive to her house, Vickie was silent. Tim could only imagine how hard this was on her. She was being brave and stoic and he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss away the little worry lines around her mouth and at the corners of her pretty eyes. He was in such deep water.
“If you and Frodo...” She hesitated, then shuddered as he brought the SUV to a halt in the driveway of her family home. “That man tried to kill me.”
Battling back his own terror at how close the suspect had come to achieving his goal, Tim turned off the engine and gripped the steering wheel tight. “He didn’t succeed. And he won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I just am.” He had to believe he could stop this criminal before he hurt her or anyone else. He noted the police cruiser parked on the other side of the road with a clear view of the street.
Tim climbed out of the vehicle and came around to her side just as she stepped out. She swayed slightly as if the blood had rushed from her head. He wrapped an arm around her waist and was gratified when she leaned into him. He released Frodo, who did a quick sweep of the yard before joining them on the porch.
As Vickie unlocked the front door, Tim glanced up at the ball of mistletoe.
He couldn’t stop himself from impulsively leaning close and placing a gentle kiss on her honey-blond hair.
She stilled and then slowly turned her face toward him. Her eyes were huge with obvious surprise and her lips parted on an inhaled breath.
He smiled and pointed up. “I couldn’t resist.”
She smiled softly. “Silly tradition.”
“But a nice one,” he replied, and reached past her to open the door.
A flush of pink heightened the color of her cheeks as she stepped inside the house. He and Frodo followed. Frodo settled himself on the threshold of the living room.
Vickie moved to the gas fireplace and hit the switch, igniting a warming flame. She stood in front of the mantel, hugging her arms around her middle as she stared into the dancing fire with an unfocused gaze.
“Vickie, we’ll catch him, I promise you.”
She turned to face him. “I want to believe that. It’s just...” She tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth.
For a moment he was distracted, wanting to take her in his arms and kiss away whatever was causing her to abuse her lip. “It’s just what? You can tell me.”
“It was a long time ago,” she said, her voice sounding so fragile.
He frowned with unease and moved closer, but kept his hands at his sides, afraid he’d spook her. “Let me help,” he coaxed in a gentle tone.
She pulled in a shuddering breath and spoke on her exhalation. “During my third year of college,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, “I was assaulted by the guy I was dating.”
Tim’s heart clutched. Anger on her behalf exploded within his chest. “Did he—?”
She shook her head. “No. But that was his intent.”
His fingers curled at his sides. “Did you report the assault?”
“Yes.” A grim light entered her eyes. “But no one believed me. It was his word against mine. And because he didn’t actually succeed at what he wanted to do, there was ‘no harm done.’” She made air quotes with her fingers and a scoffing sound. “At least that was what the campus police and the school dean told me.”
Outraged, Tim shook his head. “That shouldn’t have happened.”
Her smile broke his heart for its bitterness. “Doesn’t matter now. I left school and never saw him again.”
“What was his name?”
“Ken Leland. He was a big man on campus. Set to graduate with honors.” Her shoulders wilted. “I shouldn’t have gone out with him. The local police were willing to investigate when I went to them. They questioned Ken.” She let out a bitter laugh. “But whatever he’d said to them had the officers insinuating I’d led Ken on and he’d misunderstood my intentions.”
“It sounds like he was good at manipulation. Don’t blame yourself,” he said. “Not everyone is who they seem, but many are. All you can ever do is pray you’re making the best decision you can and then trust God has your back.”
“Do you really believe that?”
He searched his heart before finally answering. “Yes. There are times when I’ve had a split second to make a choice that could end or save a life, usually my own or Frodo’s. I do the best I can and leave the rest to God.”
Her gaze turned contemplative. “When I think back on that night, I can see God did intervene. My roommate came home, which forced Ken to escape out the back. I just wish I hadn’t had to go through the rest.”
“God doesn’t always keep us from the bad things in life, but He does promise to be there with us.” The words came out of some long-ago Sunday school lesson. He could apply those words to his own life, he realized with a start. Having his family torn apart and ripped out from under him as a kid had left scars, but God had never abandoned him, even if he felt abandoned.
The soft look of affection on her face made his stomach clench. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”
So had he. He reached for her hand and held her gaze. “Sometimes we need to be reminded of God’s love and power.”
The front door opened and her parents rushed inside, forcing him to release her and step back.
Her mother hurried to her side and embraced her. “Are you okay? We couldn’t believe it when we heard you’d been assaulted on your way to the shelter.”
“I’m fine, Mom,” she told them. “Some bruises. Thankfully, Tim and Frodo saved me.”
Sasha engulfed her in a hug, then turned to Tim. “We owe you another debt of gratitude, Agent Ramsey.”
“Not at all, sir.” He wouldn’t tell the man that protecting Vickie was something he longed to do forever. But acknowledging his budding feelings for her was a mistake he couldn’t afford. He didn’t need to be tangling up their lives and hearts amid such chaos. The forced proximity and heightened emotions weren’t the foundations to build a romance on. Even if he wanted to. Which he didn’t. Right?
“Tim, would you please stay for dinner?” Vickie asked, her eyes soft with pleading.
There was no way he could refuse her even if he wanted to. He needed to stay close to her because the arsonist had escalated to an attempted murderer. This was work. Nothing personal about it.
The next morning, Vickie and her parents opened the bakery as they did every day. Only today, Vickie’s nerves were on edge as she readied the front of the store for the day’s customers. A new police officer was stationed in the dining area. His presence eased some of her tension, but sleep had been elusive last night. Her mind had wanted to replay the assault every time she closed her eyes. Fatigue and worry were a combustible combination.
To distract herself from the trauma, she concentrated on Tim. On his kindness, his strength and integrity. So much different than she’d expected, considering he was an officer of the law. She realized now how silly she’d been assuming all those in authority were like the school dean and campus officer who’d made her feel small and worthless when she’d reported Ken’s assault.
Tim was good and fair and full of honor. He made her feel safe and cared for. Cherished even. But did she dare risk opening her heart to him? The question made a different kind of tension form a knot in her chest.
The bell over the entrance door chimed when Tim stepped into the shop, and her heart leaped with the urge to rush into his arms. He looked handsome in khaki pants and a thick, warm-looking jacket with the FBI logo on the breast pocket. She wanted to believe he could keep her safe, but doubts swirled around her like wisps of smoke.
She wiped her trembling hands on the apron covering her jeans and shirt. “Good morning. Where’s Frodo?”
“Good morning to you, too. He’s sitting out front.” Tim leaned against the counter. “Is this an okay time for you to take a break and come to headquarters with me? Brian’s all set up and waiting.”
She swallowed hard. Anxiety twisted her insides into knots. “I didn’t see the man’s face the night of fire. And yesterday, as you saw, he had a mask on. He came at me from behind.”
Tim gathered her hands in his larger ones. Warmth spread up her arms, wrapping around her. She wanted to step away, to deny how much she needed his strength, but her feet and her heart wouldn’t cooperate. “You said you’d caught a glimpse of him. You might have caught a glimpse of his eyes. The shape of his face. You’d be surprised by how much can be gleaned from that.”
“I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
He pulled her close. Surprise washed over her as she instinctively stiffened, expecting fear and panic to flood her. Ever since Ken’s assault, she didn’t like to be touched or hugged by anyone besides her parents. Strangely, within the circle of Tim’s embrace, she found solace. With a sigh, she melted against him.
“You’re doing great,” he said, his voice rumbling in his chest. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Or your family.”
As much as she appreciated his words, she knew he couldn’t make that guarantee.