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Eagerness filled her voice. “Has he found any more information on the occurrences in North Carolina?”
“Not exactly.”
“What, exactly, did he say?” Exasperation replaced her enthusiasm.
“He hasn’t found any new information on your case, but he did bring your husband’s death into question.”
“What?” Genuine bewilderment came off her in waves.
Noah didn’t think she could fake that. “During the investigation, Sheriff Brady didn’t come across one person in your life who came under suspicion. Because of that, he expanded his investigation and discovered your husband had a rather large insurance policy.”
Silence filled the car. Noah took his eyes off the road for an instant and glanced at Abby. Her face had turned an alarming shade of red and she looked ready to explode. Easing the car to the side of the road, he brought the vehicle to a stop.
“Are you alright?”
“Am I alright? No, I’m not alright. Are you telling me Sheriff Brady thinks I would murder my husband for such a piddly amount of money? I’ll tell you this right now, my husband was a good man, and he was worth a whole lot more than half a million dollars.”
Big fat tears rolled down her cheeks and Noah felt like a heel. Abby was either playing on his sympathy or she was telling the truth. He wanted to believe the latter. Her emotions were too raw.
“And I’ll tell you another thing that only my grandmother knows. I was pregnant when my husband died.” She pulled a Kleenex out of her purse and blew her nose. Her voice wobbled when she spoke again. “I lost the baby not long after he died. I was devastated. I-it was a baby boy. And just so you know, I used part of the money to move to Texas, put some aside to take care of my grandmother as she grows older and gave a substantial amount to a local orphanage in memory of my son.”
Noah felt bad for even bringing it up. “Ms. Mayfield—Abby—I believe you. I’m sorry I brought up such painful memories.”
She blew her nose again. “Thank you.”
“Truce?”
She gave him a tremulous smile. “Truce. Now, get me to choir practice before I’m late.” Her tone was filled with false bravado, but he let it go.
He guided the car back onto the road. “Yes, ma’am.”
The church was only five minutes away and Noah canvassed the outer perimeter of the church grounds as Abby hurried up the front steps of the building. A few minutes later he slipped inside, slid into a pew at the back of the church and settled in. He counted twenty people and wondered if Joanne Ferguson and Walter Fleming were in attendance. He really didn’t think they were involved, but he’d ask Abby to introduce them before everyone left.
His attention was drawn to Abby’s elegant hands as they flowed over the keys of the antique baby grand piano. He wondered how a church this small had raised enough money for such a nice piano, and then it hit him. Abby’s piano at home was a Steinway and he suspected she had purchased the church’s piano with part of the insurance money. He would check out the orphanage donation, but he believed her. His internal antenna had convinced him she was innocent.
He subtly checked out each choir member. They were all smiling and seemed to appreciate the work Abby was doing as their director. His attention zoomed in on a guy seated in the back row. He had a strong, male voice that rose above the others.
The man had to be Walter Fleming. He was tall and distinguished looking. The guy would be right at home working as a banker.
Noah closed his eyes as the old hymns he remembered from childhood washed over him. A peace he hadn’t felt in a long time settled in his soul and he breathed deeply.
He really wished—
The music stopped and he opened his eyes as Abby said a closing prayer before the group started to disperse. Several people spoke to him as they left, and he stood when Abby scurried down the aisle—the woman did everything so energetically—with the tall, distinguished man at her side.
“Noah—Sheriff Galloway—I don’t believe you’ve met Walter Fleming.” Her words came out in a rush. Subterfuge was not one of Ms. Mayfield’s—Abby’s—finer points.
“Walter, the sheriff gave me a ride to church, and since you’re new in town, I thought you’d like to meet him.”
The man had a firm handshake. “Nice to meet you, Walter.”
Walter nodded briskly. “You, too, Sheriff.” Fleming patted Abby on the shoulder and Noah stiffened as a jolt of jealousy shot through him. It was unwarranted. He’d only known the woman for two days. He contributed the feeling to being her protector. “I’ll see you early Sunday morning if you don’t mind running my part for me again before the service.”
“I’ll be happy to. See you then.”
Fleming left and Noah raised a brow at Abby.
She huffed out a breath. “I thought you’d want to meet him.”
Noah grinned. “I did. Good work. I take it Joanne Ferguson wasn’t here?”
“No. And she didn’t call or email, either. I hope nothing’s wrong.”
“Well, let’s get you home.”
As they were leaving, something struck the old wooden door behind them, mere inches from Abby’s head.
Noah knew exactly what the sound meant. He grabbed Abby, twisted her around, threw open the church doors and shoved her back inside the building.
A multitude of emotions crashed through him as he held Abby, wrapped in the safety of his arms, against the back of the closed door. He had a burning desire to protect her. Fear for her well-being roiled through him. She trembled and his emotions intensified.
“It’s okay.”
She pulled out of his arms, took a deep breath and lifted her chin. He admired a woman who could pull herself together so soon after being shot at.
“Did someone just—”
“Yes. Someone shot at you and they used a silencer. It suggests a professional hit.”
Her eyes rounded, but it didn’t take long for her to take in the information. Tight fists landed on her hips and her eyes narrowed. “I want to catch the person doing this.” Noah moved back when she took a step forward. “I’m tired of being afraid to look over my shoulder. I can use myself as bait and lure whoever is after me out into the open. It’s time to set up a sting operation.”
It took a moment for her words to penetrate his brain. “Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous. There’s a good chance we’re dealing with a professional killer.”
Her shoulders slumped, her face crumbled and his heart melted. Those adorable, soft brown eyes found his. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t live like this the rest of my life.”
“Let’s deal with tonight first. I’ll call Cooper. He’ll check the grounds of the church and we’ll get you home.” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears and it was his undoing. “Trust me to help you, Abby. This is what I do.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m very good at my job.”
She nodded and he reached for his cell phone. Before he had a chance to call his deputy, he heard the familiar sound of a timer going off. He grabbed Abby, shoved her back out the church doors and down the front steps, and shielded her body with his as they hit the ground.
The explosion in the church covered Abby’s scream. The shooter wasn’t trying to kill her with a bullet, he’d wanted them back inside the church where all evidence would be destroyed in the fire. A second, fiercer explosion lit the night sky. Someone wanted Abby Mayfield dead and they were willing to blow up a church to make it happen.
FIVE (#u9cbcf4e5-90fb-5b30-9d97-80317814011d)
Abby spit dirt out of her mouth and coughed as she tried to lift her head. Her eyes felt scorched and her throat burned from the smoke. She could barely breathe beneath the heavy weight covering her.
Noah! Is he okay?
Facedown on the ground, she tried to move, but froze when he stirred on top of her. Relief slammed through her when he whispered against her neck, “Don’t move. If the shooter is still here, we want him or her to think we’re dead.”
Her heart slammed against her chest and she whispered a quick prayer. She wasn’t ready to die, and Noah had a son to raise. It would be her fault if that sweet young boy was orphaned. “Dear Lord, please, please, please keep us safe until help arrives.”
Noah stayed quiet and Abby took short, gasping breaths until a siren wailed in the distance. Within minutes, Cooper’s patrol car swerved into the church parking lot and skidded to a stop. Noah’s deputy opened the driver’s door and took position, using the door as cover, his gun raised through the open window. Abby’s fear and tension lessened when soft lips moved against her neck.
“At least Cooper followed proper procedure. There might be hope for my deputy, after all.”
Her anxiety lessened, but there was someone who wanted her dead badly enough to blow up a church, and they might still be out there. A shiver of fear racked her body and she hated it. She’d never been afraid of anything and she refused to start now. She had faith that God was in control and Noah would solve the mystery surrounding her. He didn’t know it yet, but she was going to help him. Her grandmother had always taught her to face fear head-on.
A passing thought of the beautiful, Steinway baby grand piano that she had donated to the church—now burning to ashes along with the rest of the building—brought forth a blaze of fury.
“Abby, can you get up and run to the car?”
“You bet I can.” She swiped the hair out of her eyes. “I’m fine, just shaken.”
“Here’s what we’re going to do. On the count of three, I want you to stand as fast as you can and run to the car. Jump in through the driver’s-side door, climb into the back seat and lay down on the floor. I’ll be right behind you.”
He didn’t give her time to think. He counted to three and she scrambled to her feet. He used his body as a protective shield as she stumbled to the car. Once inside, she crawled into the back seat and nose-dived to the floor.
She heard Noah whispering instructions to his deputy.
“Looks like the shooter is gone, but we won’t take any chances. You cover me to the tree line. I’m going to check the perimeter of the property. I know the general trajectory of the bullet. The perp was up high, possibly perched in a tree.”
Abby squeezed her eyes shut when Cooper gave a shaky response. “Are you sure, Sheriff? I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
“Cooper, you’ve been trained for this and you can do it. Stay focused and cover me.”
Noah’s voice oozed authority, command and encouragement. A true leader. In that moment, Abby’s heart—one that had slammed shut after losing her husband and unborn child—opened just the tiniest bit.
She prayed until she heard Noah’s voice.
“All clear.”
She didn’t know how much time had passed, but finally another siren wailed in the distance and Noah spoke again. “I don’t think there’s going to be much left for the fire truck to save.”
Abby closed her eyes against an invasion of disbelief and devastation. Fire truck, as in one? Blessing’s only house of worship was burning to the ground and it was her fault. The building, over a hundred years old, had tremendous historical value. It was irreplaceable.
The back door of the patrol car opened and Noah held out a hand. She grabbed it and allowed him to help her from the floor and out of the vehicle. Both of them coughed and stood in morbid silence, watching as four firemen fought to douse the flames.
God’s house was slowly being reduced to a smoldering heap of burning timber. Abby curled her hands at her sides and gritted her teeth. “This is my fault. I led whoever is after me to Blessing and now they’ve destroyed the church.”
Before Noah could offer platitudes, she turned to him. Soot covered his face, but she didn’t see any burns. “You saved my life. Are you okay?”
“Abby, this isn’t your fault. We’ll find the person responsible.”
“Yes, we will, and they’re going to go to jail for burning this beautiful building. And my piano.”
Cooper joined them. “The fire chief says it’s a total loss. I hope the church has insurance.” A sad, quiet moment passed as they stood, staring at the burning building.
Abby spoke up first. “I’m now taking an active role in this investigation, so get used to it.”
His sudden grin threw her off balance.
“What?”
His smile widened. “Ever since meeting you, I’ve thought of you as a steel magnolia. A sweet Southern belle with a spine of steel.”
The description stunned her for a moment, but then she realized she liked it. She liked it a lot. “You can thank my grandmother for the steel side of my personality. At least you didn’t call me Tinker Bell.”
“Now that you mention it—”
“Don’t even say it.”
* * *
The next morning, Abby cracked her eyes open and carefully stretched her body to work out the kinks. Before going to bed, she had taken a long, hot shower to get rid of the horrid, smoky stench and relax her muscles. Hitting the hard ground and having a large man slam his body on top of hers had left a few bruises. But she wasn’t complaining. Noah had saved her life.
Bates jumped on the bed, sat on his haunches and stared at her. She chuckled at the dog’s antics. “Come on, Bates, baby, give Mama a morning snuggle. I sure could use one.”
He licked her face and rooted his nose against her neck. She laughed, but after a few minutes pushed the dog away. “Enough. I have to get moving. I have a ton of things to do today.”
The familiar interlude put things in perspective.
Abby put the finishing touches on her makeup and wondered if Noah was up. He had insisted on staying in her guest bedroom—she would never tell Grammy that a man she wasn’t married to had stayed in her house overnight. The doorbell rang, and Bates was already standing at attention in front of the door when she hit the top of the stairs. The dog was alert but not concerned. He always stayed quiet, but she was beginning to understand his body language. The person ringing her doorbell was not an enemy.
Noah sped out of the kitchen just as she reached the foyer. “I asked Cooper to bring me some clothes.”
She smiled. “Good morning, Sheriff.”
He didn’t smile back. Something was wrong. He opened the door and there stood Cooper with a suitcase in hand.
“Got here as soon as I could, Sheriff. Ms. Newsome’s cat got stuck in a tree again and I had to get him down. Sam’s an ornery old tabby. Bit me on the hand while I was rescuing him.”
Noah grabbed the suitcase. “Thanks. Call if you need me.”
He was about to shut the door but Abby scooted around him. She frowned at Noah as she passed and then blessed Cooper with a big smile. “Would you like to come in and have a cup of coffee?”
Cooper reacted to the dark look on Noah’s face. “No, ma’am. I appreciate it, but I have to get back to the station.”
The deputy practically ran off the porch before Abby could say a word. She rounded on Noah. “That was rude.”
He ignored her and turned toward the kitchen. “Come on. I got a pot of coffee going.”
She followed him, fixed a cup for herself and sat down across from him. They stared at each other. The situation reminded her of two circling dogs. She didn’t care for the suspicious look in his eyes. She’d always been a straightforward person, and she leaned on that trait now, even as her heart plummeted.
“Spit it out, Sheriff. I have a right to know what’s going on.”
* * *
Noah wanted to believe Abby Mayfield was exactly who she claimed to be, but during his tenure at the FBI, he’d learned things were seldom as they appeared. He had to separate his emotions from the facts and do his job.
