Love Inspired Suspense June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2, page 15
Danny nodded enthusiastically and Lex cuddled his son closely.
“I’m going to hug you both now,” Poppy said. “This seems like a good time to say goodbye.”
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around both of them at once. For a long moment he felt her there, holding on to both him and his son, before she pulled away.
“I am so happy that I came here to see you and your daddy,” she told Danny brightly. “You are so wonderful and thank you so much for inviting me into your house.”
“Stormy come back?” Danny asked.
Lex watched as Poppy’s smile wavered slightly, but all she said was, “That is a great idea.”
He swallowed a painful breath. “Take care of yourself, Poppy. Don’t forget to let me know how Stormy is and that you made it home safe.”
“Will do. Bye, Lex.”
“Bye, Poppy.”
Then he turned, walked out of the room and carried his son upstairs, feeling the hopeless weight of regret in every step.
* * *
Poppy exhaled. So, that was that, then. She and Lex had opened another chapter, only to close it, leaving her with the new ache in her heart just as painful as the old one.
Lord, I want to fix this mess, but I don’t know how. I’ve always believed, on some level, that if only I worked hard enough and tried hard enough I could make anything happen. And now? I’m realizing how wrong I was to think I could ever make a relationship with Lex work all on my own. I wish we’d been genuine partners.
“Hey.” Will’s voice drew her attention back to the room. He was still standing in the kitchen with Scout by the dog bowls. She’d forgotten he was there. “Why don’t you go lie down for a bit? I’m guessing you haven’t slept. Scout and I can keep an eye on Stormy for you. I’ve got a can of some really great wet food I save for special occasions in my bag, and I’m sure Scout would be happy to share it with Stormy.”
“Thank you,” Poppy said, not that she had any confidence her weary heart and body would be able to sleep. “When do you head out?”
“Little over half an hour.”
“See you, then.” She gave Stormy one more scratch behind the ears, then bent down and kissed the top of her partner’s shaggy gray head. Then Poppy went into her room, kicked off the boots she’d forgotten to take off when she’d rushed into the house with a wounded Stormy and lay on top of the bed, fully clothed. Despite what she’d been expecting, she passed out into a deep and dreamless sleep almost immediately, before she could even formulate prayers in her exhausted mind.
* * *
Poppy awoke to find the door ajar and Stormy sleeping on the floor beside her bed. She checked her phone and saw with a jolt that over two hours had passed. There was a text from Will telling her that when he’d come to say goodbye, she’d been sleeping so soundly he’d let her be and would see her soon. Another message from Lorenza told her to give her a shout when she woke up, which Poppy guessed meant Will had told her she was napping.
She freshened up and headed out into the living room, Stormy slowly walking on three legs behind her. There she found a note on the kitchen island from Gillian letting her know that she and Danny had gone to see friends, and Lex was at work, but that she’d left Poppy food in the fridge. She glanced at the front door and found it locked.
“Okay, then,” she said to Stormy, “guess it’s just you and me, partner.”
She texted Lorenza that she was awake and free to chat. Moments later her laptop rang with a phone call from Eli. Poppy sat down at the table and Stormy lay beside her and rested her head on Poppy’s leg. She answered the call and blinked to see almost the entire K-9 team’s smiling faces in boxes on the screen.
“Hi!” she said, running her hands through her hair. Her eyes flickered around the screen.
All of the troopers were there, except for Sean and Gabriel, who she guessed were off searching for the survivalist family, and Will, who she presumed was still in transit. Lorenza’s assistant, Katie, was there, too, sharing a screen with tech guru Eli.
“I’m sorry, did I miss a team meeting?” Poppy asked.
“Just a bit,” Eli said with a grin.
“But don’t worry about it,” Lorenza added quickly. “You’re allowed to rest, especially after everything you’ve been through. How’s Stormy? Do you think she’ll be up to flying back to Anchorage at three?”
Poppy looked over to where her partner lay in a sunbeam by the back window. The wolfhound snored slightly.
“Yeah, I think so,” she answered. “She’s up and walking already, but she’s taking it very slow.”
“Wonderful.” Lorenza smiled. “Well, wish her the best from all of us and rest assured that we’ll have a vet ready to check her out when she gets back.”
“Any update on the poached bear cubs or the animal auction ship yet?” Poppy asked.
“Sadly, no,” Lorenza said. “But we’re expecting Will to check in soon after he coordinates with the coast guard team on the ground in Juneau. And, of course, Eli is working double-time to try and locate this boat from every possible angle. We’ll find those bears and bring them home to Alaska. Meanwhile, Helena was just giving us an update on the missing bride case and her interview with the groom Lance’s sister, Tessa.”
“Thank you again, Poppy, for giving me your perspective on how your interviews for this case had gone,” Helena said. “You were right, there’s definitely more there worth looking into and I can see why Lance’s ex-girlfriend suggested we talk to Tessa to get a different viewpoint than the rosy one his parents were painting.”
“So, she backed up Lance’s ex-girlfriend’s story?” Poppy asked.
“Yes and more so,” Helena said. “To hear Tessa tell it, her brother is a raging narcissist and a liar who’s really good at fooling people into seeing whatever side of him they want him to see. She says he was never able to fool her because they grew up together so she saw the kind of stuff he pulled and what he got away with.”
“Wow,” Poppy murmured. “Although, to be honest, I’m not surprised, considering how much Lance’s ex-girlfriend wanted us to talk to her.”
“According to Tessa, anything Lance tells us should be discounted and flipped on its head,” Helena added. Then she frowned. “But sibling relationships are complicated. I’ve got a fraternal twin who’s made some bad choices herself.”
“All the more reason to bring Lance and his best man, Jared, in for questioning again,” Lorenza said. “Anyone got anything else?”
Brayden waved a hand.
“Not sure if it counts as progress,” the trooper said, “but another reindeer went missing from the sanctuary.”
“Apparently, my aunt blamed one of the farm hands,” Katie chimed in. “He got so mad about it that he quit. She’s really at her wits’ end about who’s behind this.”
“Do you think Lex would mind if I picked his brain sometime?” Brayden added. “It sounded like he knew a lot about the animal rehabilitation community.”
“I’m sure he’d be happy to,” Poppy said. She debated mentioning her complicated past with Lex, but wasn’t quite sure where to start. She didn’t doubt that when she was ready to talk it out with someone her team would be there for her, and for that she was thankful. An odd thought crossed her mind. “Katie, have you tried looking into people you and your aunt have been romantically involved with? It’s like what Helena said about how sibling relationships are complicated—romantic relationships are, too.”
A light dawned behind Katie’s eyes. “It’s worth a shot. I’ll start working on a list.”
“I’ll help you,” Brayden said.
Motion drew her eyes to the front window. There was someone standing on the porch. Then the doorknob rattled, like someone was trying to let themselves in but couldn’t get the door unlocked.
“Hang on,” Poppy said, and stood. “I think there’s someone at the door.”
She muted the call, left her laptop on the living room table, walked to the front entrance and glanced through the curtains. It was Ripley, standing on the porch in a T-shirt, long sweater and pair of plaid pajama-style pants that looked too thin for the spring chill in the air. Her arms were crossed so tightly her hands to be seemed wedged under her arms.
Poppy opened the door.
“Ripley!” she said. “Hi! What are you doing here?”
And had she just been trying to let herself in?
“Is Lex home?” Ripley asked. The younger woman’s gaze darted to Poppy’s face for a moment and then back to the ground, but not before Poppy noticed the raccoon rings of day-old makeup smudged by tears in her eyes.
“No,” Poppy said. “But do you want to come in? I was about to make some coffee and you could join me for a late brunch.”
Ripley hesitated.
“I can’t stay long,” she said. “My brother Nolan dropped me off, and he’ll be back soon.”
“Is everything okay?” Poppy asked.
“No, I mean yeah,” Ripley said. “I’m fine. I just wanted to thank Lex for everything and let him know we’re leaving town for a bit. I just need to get away for a while.”
Poppy believed that last statement, but she wasn’t sure about the rest.
“Well, come inside and I’ll give Lex a call to let him know you’re here,” Poppy said and stepped back. “I’m just finishing up a video call with my team, then we can chat while you wait for Lex. Nolan’s very welcome to join us too when he gets back.”
In fact, she very much hoped he would. It was about time she got to the bottom of what was going on. Ripley unfolded slightly as she stepped into the warmth, and Poppy closed the door behind her. The young woman’s hand darted toward her pocket but not before Poppy’s keen eyes caught a glimpse of the keychain in her hands.
“Did Johnny give you a set of Lex’s house keys?” Poppy asked. “I thought Lex asked Johnny to give those back.”
And apparently he’d made a spare copy before he had. She reached out her hand expectantly with her palm open. The keys shook as Ripley dropped the keys into them.
“Yeah,” she said, her eyes darting everywhere but Poppy’s face. “He said that Lex was a really good man and that if I was ever in trouble or I needed help I could come here, and Lex would make sure I was okay.”
Poppy felt both her heart and mind swirling with questions like two water wheels working together to try and sift lies from truth. Yes, she could see Johnny making a secret copy of Lex’s house keys if he thought Ripley was in danger and might need a place to hide. Did that mean that he was also the one who boobytrapped his own house?
She took a deep breath and prayed for wisdom.
“I need to quickly finish my video call,” she said. “But then I’m looking forward to talking with you while we wait for Lex. I’m really glad you came over, especially if you were worried about something. You’re safe here.”
Ripley nodded weakly, then she stood almost hovering in the living room doorway as Poppy picked up her laptop and took it into the bedroom.
“I’ve got an unexpected visitor,” Poppy said to her team as she restarted the call. “Johnny’s girlfriend is here. She was actually trying to let herself in with a copy of the keys Lex gave him.”
Helena sucked in a sharp breath. “Do you think that’s where the guy who broke in and tried to kidnap Danny got his keys from too?”
“I can’t rule that out,” Poppy said. “She says her brother dropped her off and will be back to pick her up in a bit. I’m just really thankful she’s here. Hopefully, she’ll open up to me and we’ll finally get some answers.”
“If anyone can get through to her you can,” Lorenza said.
The video call ended in a flurry of goodbyes from both her team and a scattering of their K-9 partners who made brief appearances on the screens. She dialed Lex’s cellphone number, and when he didn’t answer left a voicemail message saying Ripley was at the house. Then she headed back into the living room.
Ripley was nowhere to be seen. Stormy looked up at Poppy from where the dog lay on the floor.
Poppy glanced at Stormy. “Where did she go?”
The wolfhound whined softly. A soft thud came from the floor above her, followed by the sound of several somethings clattering on the floor. She turned, ran upstairs and raced down the hall, just in time to see Ripley dashing away down the stairs in the opposite direction. She’d taken her sweatshirt off and was now clutching it to her chest like there was something bundled inside it. A passing glimpse into Gillian’s room showed what looked like the contents of the woman’s jewelry case strewn across the floor.
She’d been robbing them?
“Ripley!” Poppy shouted. “Stop!”
She pelted after her, down the stairs, as Ripley burst through the back door and out onto the lawn. The door slammed shut behind her, leaving Stormy behind on the other side. Poppy didn’t have her weapon on her but could easily outrun and tackle the frailer woman.
“I’m giving you to the count of three!” Poppy shouted. “One, two—”
Ripley stopped so suddenly that Poppy almost barreled into her. The young woman turned and raised her hands, dropping the sweatshirt and sending even more jewelry and a mason jar full of loose coins and bills spilling onto the grass.
“I’m sorry!” Ripley’s voice quivered. “I need money. I was hoping Lex would lend me some. But when he wasn’t here...”
For a long beat Poppy just stared at her, knowing that Ripley was aware she’d been caught red-handed and asking God’s wisdom in what to do next. Yes, she could arrest her and probably still would. But, if she showed the woman mercy, would God use it to open up Ripley’s heart? Then Poppy saw the small, round bruises on Ripley’s forearms, the telltale signs that someone had grabbed her arms roughly and held on to her too tight.
It was only then she realized she still hadn’t called Lex. If only he were here...
“What do you need money for, Ripley?” she asked. “I heard your ex-boyfriend Kevin was back in town saying something about you owing him money. Is he the one who left those bruises on your arms?”
“Like I told everybody, Kevin left town days ago,” Ripley said almost mechanically as if repeating something she’d been told to say. “Nolan flew him out of town right before Johnny died.”
But those bruises weren’t a few days old.
“Was it your brother, Nolan?”
“No!” Ripley’s voice rose as something bordering on indignation flashed in her eyes. “Nolan would never hurt me. He’s only ever wanted to protect me!”
Fair enough, that much Poppy believed. But during her time in law enforcement Poppy had seen far too many people make very bad decisions to protect others.
“Is Kevin the one who locked you in the closet and killed Johnny?” she asked, gently.
“I don’t know.” Ripley’s lip quivered “He was masked...”
“But you think it could be,” Poppy said. Ripley nodded. “I can’t give you money, and I definitely can’t let you rob Gillian and Lex. But I want to help you and I’m willing to listen. How about I gather up these things, we go back inside and talk?”
Before she could answer, a large black truck pulled up down the road and stopped beside the house. The man behind the wheel was big, with hands too big and beefy to have left those bruises. A handgun sat on the dashboard just within reach. Between his beard and baseball cap his face was pretty well covered. But something about his form sent a chill down her spine.
Ripley’s brother, Nolan, was the large poacher.
But how? Will had been convinced Nolan was protective of Ripley and would never hurt her.
Nolan leaned over and threw the door open for his sister.
“Get in!” he shouted. “We’ve got to go.”
The sound of the man’s voice confirmed it. This man was one of the criminals behind everything that had happened and the only one who could help them stop the sale of the bear cubs. She couldn’t let him take Ripley and leave. But her weapon was still in her room, Stormy was injured, her team was hours away and she had no backup. She was on her own.
Then an idea struck her.
She reached into her pocket for her phone and hit redial, praying Lex would pick up.
“But, she knows about Kevin,” Ripley said. “If we tell her what’s happening, maybe she can help us.”
“Or maybe we all end up dead.” Nolan’s eyes narrowed. His hand twitched toward his gun. “This only ends one way. So, Poppy, mind your own business if you know what’s good for you. Ripley, get in the truck.”
THIRTEEN
Lex’s phone was ringing again as he pulled back into his parking space in front of the lodge after a tour of the park’s cabins to see which ones were still in need of repair. He turned off the engine, undid his seat belt and glanced at the screen. It was Poppy, again. Lex had let the call go through to voice mail the first time, figuring she was just calling to let him know about her flight home to Anchorage. He’d been mentally kicking himself for letting her go yet again, while also not knowing how he could possibly keep her in his life in any meaningful way, and hearing the sound of her voice was just a little more than he was up for right in that moment.
But now the fact she was calling a second time within a few minutes worried him.
Lord, guide my words and help me be wise in what I say and do. I care about this woman so much. But I only want her in my life and by my side if I can do it right.
He answered on the third ring.
“Hey, Poppy,” he said. “How’s it going?” She didn’t answer. For a moment he heard nothing but background noise of trees rustling, voices too muffled to understand and fabric shuffling. “Hello? Poppy?”
Still nothing. His head shook. Unbelievable, she’d apparently pocket-dialed him. He reached to hang up the phone when he heard Poppy’s voice cutting loudly through the sound.
