Love Inspired Suspense June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2, page 31
A shadow of pure anger raced across his face. “It was dark and I had too much to drink.” Still straddling her, he crouched down and tapped her forehead with his meaty index finger. “Otherwise you’d be dead.”
Liddie swallowed hard.
Dean straightened and stepped over her. He grabbed Daisy by the arm. “This one knows what I can do.”
Liddie’s heart dropped as she rolled onto her side to get a better view of Daisy. The poor girl whimpered in absolute terror.
“Where’s your dolly?” Dean seemed to be talking to Daisy, but he didn’t take his eyes off Liddie. “It was a shame her prized possession landed in a mud puddle, wasn’t it?”
“That was you? You snatched Daisy and locked her in the neighbor’s barn.” With adrenaline surging through her veins, everything went into sharp contrast as she slowly got to her feet. She wanted to ask why he had taken Daisy, but it turned out, she didn’t have to.
Dean was very chatty today.
“Thought maybe you’d get fired if Jonah thought you were a lousy nanny. With you gone, one less person snooping around my business.” He patted his chest as if he were looking for his cigarettes. “Turns out this one knows how to keep her mouth shut.” Liddie took a step toward Daisy. To protect her. But Dean was faster. He shoved Liddie hard and she landed on her backside. He scooped up Daisy and tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman hold. The poor girl screamed as he jumped off the porch with her.
Liddie blinked away the blurriness from getting the wind knocked out of her. “No!” she screamed. Dean turned around to taunt her, his progress hampered by the snow. He was heading toward the barn with lumbering steps. Pushing against the pain, Liddie rolled onto all fours, then pushed to her feet. She’d never be a match for him physically. She turned and raced into the kitchen, surprised Ellen hadn’t heard the commotion.
“What’s going on?” Deep worry lines creased the corners of Ellen’s eyes.
“Stay inside.” Liddie gulped in a deep breath. “Protect Andy.” She snagged the shotgun from the pantry, ignoring her body aches.
“What’s going on?” Ellen repeated, her voice growing agitated as she followed Liddie back through the sitting room.
“I want to go outside, too!” Andy hollered.
“Stay here with your grandmother. Do not come outside!” Liddie didn’t slow down to register his shocked surprise. “You must do as I say.” She gave a quick nod to a suddenly frail-looking Ellen, then ran back out onto the porch and slammed the door closed behind her. Panic made her nauseous and for the briefest of moments, she didn’t know if she could do this.
Dean’s progress across the yard had been hampered by the deep drifts. Snowball was yipping at his heels, at times disappearing completely in the snowdrifts. From her perch on the porch, Liddie screamed across the field, “Stop!”
To her surprise, Dean stopped outright and turned toward her, perhaps ready to mock her. But—she couldn’t be certain from this distance—she thought his eyes went wide when he saw the shotgun. There was no one she could risk hurting Daisy. Powered by adrenaline, Liddie stepped into the snowy field and trudged after him, her boots slicing through the snow. Instead of running away, he braced himself and eased Daisy off his shoulder and into his arms. The girl wept silently and went still, watching Liddie with a different kind of concern in her round eyes.
“Trust yourself with that thing?” Dean asked, struggling to position Daisy’s body in a way that wouldn’t even remotely block his large frame.
Liddie lifted the shotgun to her shoulder and steadied it with both hands. She closed one eye and aimed it at his forehead. “Try me. Unlike you, I’m as sober as the day is long.”
FIFTEEN
Jonah had navigated his way through the freshly fallen snow to the barn. Didn’t matter the weather, the animals still had to be fed. He didn’t mind; he needed the fresh air to clear his head. He hadn’t slept much. Multiple times throughout the night, he found himself wandering the quiet house he had once shared with Maggie. Back then, he’d pace, wondering how he was going to manage such a large farm, finally settling on keeping his reliable construction job instead. Last night, he had strolled the same cold floors determined to keep his family safe.
Liddie had filled his thoughts, too. He had grown close to the children’s nanny, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being unfaithful to his deceased wife.
“What do you think, Brownie?” He patted Liddie’s horse’s nose. “You like it here, girl?” The horse lifted her nose and puffs of white vapor came out on a snort of approval. “Good thing. Because with this weather, I’m not sure anyone’s coming to get you anytime soon.” He stepped into the stall and found himself humming as he adjusted the blanket over the horse. “We’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.”
His stomach growled and he found himself thinking ahead to breakfast. Actually, he found himself looking forward to the entire day cooped up in the house. He couldn’t recall the last time he felt this way. He’d get to spend it inside with the children and their grandmother. And Liddie. Perhaps with the children around, they wouldn’t have to feel awkward after their late-night kiss. Her pretty face floated to mind. He was done for.
In the adjacent stall, Licorice neighed, seemingly startled by something. He went over to the stall to check on the other horse. Licorice seemed to want to get out of her stall. “Easy, easy,” Jonah said as he ran both hands down her side. “What’s got you spooked?”
Just then, the wind carried in a shout of some sort. Stop! Was something going on at the neighbor’s? Licorice lifted her nose and neighed. “Easy now.” A whisper of dread made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle.
The children. Liddie...
Jonah secured the stall and rushed to the barn door and peeled it open. A gust of wind assaulted him. He stepped out onto the snowy field and his heart dropped. Liddie had his shotgun aimed at someone. A large man. His back to Jonah. The man shifted and Jonah saw his daughter dangling in his grip.
No one was going to hurt his family. Not now. Not ever.
Not again.
How had Liddie known his shotgun was in the house? Thank Gott she had grabbed it.
He stepped back into the barn and glanced around. For something. A weapon of his own. He grabbed the pitchfork used for mucking the stalls and raced across the snow, following the tracks that he had made on the way to the barn. Trying to quiet his panting from exertion and fear, he came up behind the man. “Put my daughter down,” he demanded, enunciating each word as anger and terror and rage and a million other emotions sent hot blood roaring through his veins.
The man slowly turned around. Dean Johnson. The start of a sly smile fell from the man’s lips as Jonah swung the pitchfork, bringing it down hard across his head. His beloved Daisy, her scrunched up face expressing all the emotions she couldn’t voice, slipped from his grasp and crumpled into the soft snow. Dean fell backward, landing with a puff of white that partially covered his face. Snowball bounded up and yapped at the man, inches from where he had fallen. He was out cold.
Jonah tossed aside the pitchfork and approached Dean and searched his face for any signs of consciousness. Cautiously, he patted the man’s coat until he found his cell phone. He scooped up Daisy and held her close. “Are you okay?”
Daisy nodded into his chest. Then she pulled back her tearstained face and whispered, “We have to get Snowball.” Her lips trembled from fear and the cold. “He’s freezing.”
A strangled cry of relief escaped his throat.
Liddie ran over, her pace slowed by the deep snow. She held the shotgun down by her side. He reached out and took it from her in exchange for the cell phone. “It doesn’t appear to be locked. Go, go inside. Call the sheriff’s department. I’ll watch over him.”
“Is the bad man who hurt Mommy dead?” Daisy asked, her wide eyes taking in the man splayed faceup in the snow, a trickle of blood snaking down from his hairline.
Jonah hated that his daughter had witnessed this. That she may have witnessed his wife’s murder.
Why hadn’t he believed her?
“He’s never going to hurt anyone again, Daisy. I promise,” Jonah said, as he handed her off to Liddie. “Can you carry her? She doesn’t have any shoes on.”
Liddie nodded, her lower jaw quivering. “You’re safe now,” she said as she grabbed his daughter. “Let’s get you inside.”
* * *
Jonah’s fingers grew numb and the bone-deep cold made his entire body hurt. Dean Johnson lay unconscious in the snow, but based on the subtle flickering of his eyelids, he was about to come around. How easy it would be to end this miserable man’s life. Stomp on his exposed neck. Neh, not easy. Killing another living thing would never be easy. He hated that the evil thoughts had even entered his mind. That’s what this man had done to him. Made him someone he hardly recognized. Made him someone who contemplated murder.
The sound of sirens grew close. Dean stirred more, then his eyelids flicked open. “What the...” He tried to push himself up to a seated position, but the shifting snow beneath him and his injury made it difficult.
“Stay where you are,” Jonah said. “The sheriff’s department is on the way.”
Dean groaned, then let himself fall back into the snow.
A sheriff’s patrol car pulled up alongside his property. Fortunately, the county had plowed the country road, making it passable. Jonah recognized Deputy Banks the second he climbed out of his vehicle. Jonah waved him down and he immediately felt the tension between his shoulder blades ease. The deputy made his way toward them, taking huge steps. Breathing heavily. His chest heaving. His progress in the deep snow was painfully slow.
As soon as the deputy got within earshot, Dean lumbered to his feet and Jonah took a step back, bracing for the cornered man to lash out.
“He’s going to kill me!” Dean hollered, his tone filled with righteous indignation.
Anger throbbed in Jonah’s temples. He lifted the gun menacingly. “Shut. Up.”
The deputy held out one hand while the other hovered over the butt of his gun in its holster. “Easy there.”
Jonah’s gaze lifted to the deputy’s and his chest tightened when he realized the deputy was talking to him. He shook his head and lowered the gun. “You don’t understand.”
Dean stepped backward, pointing at his head frantically. Blood trailed down the side of his face. “He’s crazy. He tried to kill me, Uncle Eddie!”
Jonah’s gaze slid back over to the deputy. “You’re family?”
“You have to arrest him,” Dean screamed, showing a lot of energy for someone who had been unconscious only moments ago.
The deputy held up his palm to his nephew. “Take it easy, Dean. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
“There’s nothing to get to the bottom of. He killed Maggie—” Jonah’s voice broke over his wife’s name “—and this morning, he tried to abduct Daisy.”
The deputy’s posture sagged a fraction. Resigned. Distraught, maybe. “Turn around.” Deputy Banks took a step toward his nephew and teetered forward as his leg sank into the snow. Jonah sucked in a breath, thinking the kid was going to take advantage of the stumble. But Dean simply watched his uncle advance and take the handcuffs from his belt. “Turn around. Kneel down. Put your hands behind your back.”
“No, this isn’t fair. He hit me. He. Hit. Me,” the younger man raged. Spit flew from his mouth as he made short jabbing motions pointing at his head.
“I’m not in the mood, Dean. We’ll get this sorted out at the station. Don’t make this harder than it already is.” The deputy’s tone sounded less forceful, more distraught.
Something seemed to register in the young man’s face. He fell to his knees and hung his head. Jonah watched as the deputy handcuffed the man and yanked him to his feet.
“Did you know?” Jonah asked, his pulse roaring in his ears. “Did you allow him to use my farm? To get away with murder? Did you look the other way because he was family?”
The deputy shook his head. Jonah had never seen the big, burly police officer look so defeated. “My nephew has always been trouble, but you have to believe me, I had no idea. I always tried to look out for my sister’s kid, but there gets to be a point where enough is enough. I’m sorry.”
* * *
Liddie had rushed Daisy into the house, locked the door, called the sheriff’s department and then made sure to get the child warm, dry clothes. Now, Ellen sat on the rocker with her granddaughter in her lap while Andy played on the floor with Snowball, who seemed no worse for wear.
“Where’s Dat? I want to go play outside, too,” Andy said.
Liddie stood off to one side of the window, watching the events unfold. She smiled tightly at Andy, careful not to alarm him. “Be patient.”
The little boy released a long-suffering sigh. He grabbed a toy car from the basket and ran it along the floorboards. Her gaze drifted to Daisy, who seemed to have reverted back into herself. It broke Liddie’s heart. Ellen ran her hand over the child’s head and whispered reassurances. “Everything is going to be fine. Gott is gut.”
“The deputy is here,” Liddie said, and released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She watched the deputy trudge across the snow and she wished she could make out what they were saying.
“Is Jonah on his way in?” Ellen asked, concern lacing her voice.
“Not yet.” Liddie didn’t take her eyes off the three men. “Okay, Deputy Banks has Dean. He’s walking him to the patrol car.”
Thank You, Gott.
“The bad man can’t hurt us,” Daisy whispered, lifting her head. “My dat promised.”
Liddie crouched down in front of Daisy and Ellen. “You’re absolutely right.” She smiled at the girl and was rewarded with a faint smile. “You don’t have to worry anymore. You’re safe.”
Daisy nodded and pulled her doll up to her face and hid behind it.
“You were very brave and you protected Snowball.” Liddie wanted the little girl to feel empowered. Her chest ached at the thought of Daisy going back to square one emotionally after the shock of today.
A quiet knock sounded at the front door. Snowball wandered over, wagging his tail and sniffing at the door. Liddie planted her hand flat on the door and listened.
“It’s Jonah,” he called through the door.
She twisted the knob and the dead bolt released. She flung open the door, letting in Jonah on an arctic breeze. She lifted her hands to touch his red face, then self-consciously dropped her arms to her sides, aware of all the eyes on them. “Are you okay?” She looked past him to the deputy plodding through the snow with Dean in handcuffs.
He nodded, a somber expression. He set the shotgun down against the wall and slipped past her. He knelt in front of Daisy. “Are you okay, sweet girl?”
Daisy flung her arms around her dat and held tight. Tears burned at the back of Liddie’s throat. After a long reunion, Jonah stood and glanced down at the puddle on the hardwood floor under his boots. “I better get out of my wet things.” He grabbed the gun and headed into the kitchen.
“I’ll make you some tea.” Liddie put the kettle on the stove and watched him return the gun to the pantry. He seemed to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders as he put away his winter coat and boots in the mudroom. She reached for mugs in the cabinet when she felt him come up behind her. She slowly turned around and sucked in a breath when she found him standing only inches away, effectively pinning her against the counter.
“I can never thank you enough.” His lips twitched as a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite pinpoint flickered in his unwavering gaze. Water droplets sat on his beard from the melting snow.
Heat warmed her cheeks. She took a step to the side, but then stopped and looked up at him. “You never have to thank me for doing what any parent would do. I love Daisy.” She drew in a shuddering breath as the emotions of this morning started to catch up to her. “I love Andy. I’d do anything for your children.”
He cupped her cheek in his icy hand, ironically leaving a trail of warmth where he gently moved his thumb back and forth. “You were very brave.” He searched her eyes and she forced herself not to look away.
She smiled, trying to lighten the moment. “It’s easy when you have a shotgun in your hands.”
He reached over her head to the open cabinet behind her. She turned a fraction to see what he was doing. He pulled out a box of ammunition. The ammunition he had picked up at the hardware store in town. He shook the box and the bullets rattled. His gaze never wavered from hers. “The gun wasn’t loaded.”
Her eyes flared wide. “Oh...” She lifted her hand to cover her mouth. “I had no idea.”
“Did you think I’d keep a loaded shotgun in the house?”
She shrugged, suddenly feeling a giggle of hysteria bubbling up. She was so cold. Exhausted. Relieved. “I knew I couldn’t take him physically...and I had seen the gun in the pantry.” She shook her head and blinked slowly. “I barely had time to think.”
He tilted his head, seemingly trying to read her thoughts. “You never hesitated when it came time to protect my daughter. I will be forever grateful.”
SIXTEEN
Liddie closed her eyes briefly, letting the fresh air wash over her as she sat between the children in the back of the buggy on the way to the Sunday service. Over the last few days, the weather had turned milder—by November’s standards in Western New York, anyway—and the snow melted. They had a lot to be grateful for. Although they might never know for sure, Liddie couldn’t help but wonder if Deputy Eddie Banks had turned a blind eye to his nephew’s criminal acts leading to the delay in his arrest. Or had the uncle actually been complicit in framing Oliver Applegate to protect his sister’s son? Yet, another part of her wanted to believe the deputy was completely blindsided by his nephew’s behavior.
