NINE
M EGAN DRAGGED HERSELF FROM bed after tossing and turning most of the night. Guiltily, she snuck into her private bathroom and took a shower, hoping to wake up fully and get rid of the horrific circles under her eyes before she greeted Tyler.
Her mind had run scenarios all night long until about four in the morning when she had finally fallen into a deep and dreamless sleep. The alarm had been a rude reminder of the reality she had to face today.
The warm water helped clear the fogginess of her thoughts as they categorized themselves in a semi-organized way, but she still shifted from one topic to the other in such random vagueness that it made her head hurt. Doing her best to concentrate on the water soothing her muscles, she finished her shower, only slightly aware that Tyler was on the other side of the wall.
Okay, more than slightly.
His weird behavior since the night at Chasity’s sat heavy on her heart, and she meant to confront him about it. Going from feeling cared for to feeling like a nuisance to wondering why he bothered to demand to be in her presence when he couldn’t even look at her messed with her head.
Which attitude would he have when she greeted him this morning?
The idea of him being there, of confronting him, and just him period, overwhelmed even her fear of the guy sending her the threatening letters. She had almost convinced herself that the letters weren’t important, but finding out what was going on in Tyler’s head was.
She rehearsed how she could bring him out of his head while she dressed, but every word flew out the window as she came out of her room to see Derrick and Tyler whispering at the table. The scent of coffee wafted around her, beckoning her into the kitchen with them, yet she remained standing in the tiny space between the rooms, frozen.
Both men were observant, turning their heads to look at her when she didn’t greet them or approach.
“Good morning,” Derrick said, smiling, though his eyes held concern. “Hope we didn’t wake you. Did you forget you had company?”
How could she have forgotten that only a wall separated her from Tyler all night long? “Sorry.” She shook her head, pushing a smile to her face. “I, uh, didn’t sleep well last night. I smell coffee.” She let her nose guide her toward them, but found the coffee pot empty.
Derrick held up a to-go cup. “Courtesy of the cafe. Chasity told me how you like it.”
“Oh…thank you.” She took the coffee as she slumped into a chair with them at the table. “Is she mad at me?”
“Not as mad as she is at the loser threatening you.” Derrick patted her hand, but it didn’t dispel the guilt that flooded her while thinking about Chasity.
To distract herself, she looked up at Tyler in time for him to pull his gaze away from her, but not before she saw the look of intensity in his eyes. She needed to get him alone and see what in the world was going on in that head of his.
“You showed him the other potential match?” Megan asked, willing Tyler to look at her so she could read his eyes further.
“He did,” Derrick interjected before Tyler’s mouth even twitched. “I have Tony running both the names right now. Are you leaning more towards one than the other?”
Megan shook her head. “I need to read their files to put names with memories. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer last night.”
“Well, drink up, and get to reading.” Derrick pushed the files toward her.
“I’ve got to get to work,” she said as she glanced at the clock.
“No.” It was the first time Tyler had spoken since she had come out.
“What do you mean, no?” The shock of being spoken to like a child hit her square in the chest, riling up feelings she hadn’t felt in years. “You are overstepping boundaries.”
Tyler raised his eyebrow, a cocky smile tugging on his lips as he sat back in his chair and eyed her. “I don’t doubt that, but you still will not go to work today.”
Derrick cleared his throat, but the sound didn’t distract her from the anger boiling in her gut, ready to explode in a chaotic whirlwind of venomous words. “I, uh, I already talked with Josie, and she thinks it would be best for us to figure this out before you, uh, go back to work.”
Megan clamped her lips tightly against the slew of curses she wanted to let loose over these men and swooped up the files, stomping her bare feet as she started out of the kitchen where she spun back, grabbed her coffee with an indignant humph, and left them staring after her.
She glanced in the guest bedroom as she passed it. Seeing the bed untouched, she humphed again and stalked off to her room. Before she slammed the door, Derrick’s murmured words reached her: “And I thought Chasity was headstrong. Luckily, you’re more stubborn than I am.”
The echo of the slamming door filled the room as she dropped the files on her bed and set down her coffee. She paced within the confinement for a few turns, letting the anger wash over her in indignant waves.
“Ugh!” She let out a muffled scream that sounded more like a groan.
The murmuring from the other room stopped for a moment before continuing again, which only fed her frustration. On her bed stand, her phone vibrated, calling her over, half out of fear…but she had never given her private number out to patients. Chasity’s name and a picture of the two of them on the beach right outside the house glowed brightly.
She accepted the call, but instead of saying hello, she greeted her best friend with, “Do you hate me?”
A sigh crackled through the phone. “Of course I don’t hate you, and I’m trying not to be hurt.”
“You’re the best friend anyone could ask for,” Megan choked out, finally feeling the emotions that had fueled her anger. She flopped onto the bed, willing herself not to cry.
“Are you okay?” The soft tone was like the magic key that released the floodgates.
“No, I’m not okay. I have two stubborn men in my kitchen, taking over my sanctuary and telling me I can’t go anywhere, and one of them is your husband!” The anger overrode her fear.
“You know they are there because they care.”
“Funny way of showing it,” Megan humphed, rolling over to her side to stare out the sliding glass door.
“Would you rather them think you were making it up or brush it off like you were overreacting?” Chasity’s words held a hint of the resentment that Megan knew she worked hard on releasing, but that time would be hard for her to let go of completely.
“No, I’m sorry, Chas. I’m an ungrateful wretch,” she pouted. “It’s just you know how independent I am. Letting them tell me what I can and cannot do, ugh!”
“Can you shift your perception? I mean, I get it. I forced Derrick to let me go with him when he went to apprehend Brown…the second one.”
“I could see that. Derrick has a soft spot…Tyler, on the other hand…” Megan stared at the wall as if she could see through it to the stiff-backed man with intense eyes.
“He’s been through a lot,” Chasity gentled her voice. “The fact that he is sitting there and has been since yesterday is quite the statement.”
“Maybe, and maybe he’s worried I’ll bring trouble to his niece because of this mess,” she muttered, realizing as she said it, that she did fear that was exactly why he was there, and knowing he would be right if it was.
“I highly doubt it. If that were the case, he would have parked himself at the camp with Krista.”
“Krista!” Megan shot to her feet. “She’s going to be wondering where I am, why I didn’t show up for riding lessons.”
“I’m sure Josie will have told her something,” Chasity tried to ease her worries.
“You don’t understand. She has serious abandonment issues. I’ve got to talk with her myself.”
“Maybe try calling Camp and see if you can get her on the phone?”
Megan paced, thinking. “No, I’ve got to talk to her in person.” She glanced at the clock. “Shoot, it’s already an hour past the time I should have been there.”
“Go tell the guys. I’m sure one of them will go with you.”
“Maybe, but maybe not.” Megan looked at the back door. “I have to see her face-to-face, otherwise she won’t understand, even if I have to sneak out.”
“Megan, don’t do that,” Chasity reprimanded.
“What else can I do?” Megan muttered as she opened the slider part way and stuck her head out to scan the back deck. “I’ll have to walk right by them…or jump the railing.”
“Ugh,” Chasity muttered, and Megan could almost see her eye roll. “Just go talk to them. Aren’t you always preaching communication?”
“Yeah, but…Krista….” Megan slipped her shoes on and stepped onto the deck when her other line beeped. “Hold on…it’s Josie.”
“Try to talk with Krista,” Chasity urged.
“Be right back,” Megan said before switching over. “Hey Josie, I’m so sorry about this mess. I need to talk with Krista.”
“She’s not with you?” Josie’s normally confident voice sounded hesitant and panic laced.
“No…what do you mean? She’s not there?” Megan’s blood froze, the feeling making her skin prickle with fear.
“I went up to her bunk to let her know, and she wasn’t there. The other counselors hadn’t seen her since they woke up.”
“Check the stables. I was supposed to meet her there at six. I slept in, and then these two doofuses refused to let me leave.”
“She’s not there, Megan. We’ve searched the entire camp.”
Megan slammed back against the wall of the house, her cheeks going numb as the blood drained from her face. “Where would she have gone?”
“I don’t know—hold on, Cody is running in,” Josie said before covering the phone with her hand, static filling the speaker against Megan’s ear.
The slider off the living room opened, the metallic sheen of a gun glinting the sun into her eyes. She sucked in a breath before recognizing the man holding it as Tyler. He glanced at her before continuing his scan, then holstered his weapon, giving her a distrustful look.
“She took a horse…” Josie said.
“What are you doing out here?” Tyler asked.
Megan held up a finger to the man. “Are there tracks? Can you tell which way she went?” Her heart raced, threatening to break her ribs, realizing that if anything happened to Krista, she would never forgive herself.
Josie’s muffled voice repeated her question to Cody, and his deep voice came back low and intelligible. “He’s going to go check.”
“This is my fault,” Megan lamented, covering her face with her free hand.
“What is going on?” Tyler’s growl brought her tear-blurred gaze up to him.
“Krista…she’s gone…took a horse.”
A growl of anguish pushed out of Tyler as he grabbed her arm, though not painfully. “We’re going to find her.” He pulled her into the house, closing the door behind them before releasing her. “Krista’s missing.”
“Krista?” Derrick asked. He pulled his radio out. “I’ll call it in. We’ll get a search party going.”
“Oh man,” Josie’s defeated voice came over the phone that Megan still pressed to her ear. “This brings back nightmarish memories.”
“I’m sorry, Josie. I’m so sorry.”
Derrick reached for the phone, and Megan handed it to him, listening as he received all the details. She rubbed her arms, noticing the warm spot where Tyler’s hand had been.
He watched her carefully now. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“You didn’t,” she said, but she couldn’t meet his eyes. “I’m sorry. I should have known that Krista would have done something like this.”
“What do you mean?” He turned, searching her eyes.
“She has serious abandonment issues. When I didn’t show up, she probably went into panic mode.”
“You don’t think it was…this guy?” The disgust dripped from his words.
Megan shook her head. “I highly doubt it. I think Krista is hurting right now, thinking I’ve lost interest in her or…worse.”
“Because you didn’t show once?” Tyler’s brows scrunched tighter.
“I don’t think you fully understand how much your niece has been through in the last several years.” Megan choked back a sob. “I’m going to make it up to her.”
“We both will, but first we have to find her.” Tyler pulled her into his arms, his hand soothing her back.
The safety she felt there overwhelmed her. His back-and-forth attitude no longer mattered. She felt peace in his arms and a security that she desperately needed.
Tyler held Megan, unsure if he held her for her sake or for his, but either way, it was what he needed, something tangible and solid to ground him in the moment.
Megan blamed herself, but he knew it more than likely had something to do with his conversation with Krista the day before. With everything that happened, it sounded like Krista hadn’t had the time to talk to Megan about it, and neither had he. He battled with the indecision of wanting to tell her now, but as he opened his mouth, Derrick ended the call with Josie and looked at them.
“Cody found tracks out of the normal range. Looks like they headed down the mountain.” Derrick looked from Tyler to Megan.
“You think’s she’s coming into town?” Tyler asked.
Derrick turned to Megan. “Does Krista know where you live?”’
Megan shook her head. “I’ve never brought her here, just to the park…” She met Tyler’s eyes as he turned toward her sharply.
“We’ve got to get to the park,” Tyler said as he grabbed his phone, stuffing it in his pocket, and swooped up his keys. He looked at Megan. “You coming?”
“You better believe it,” she said, shouldering her purse.
Derrick followed them out. “I’m going to call in search and rescue and get them ready to start the hunt from camp. Let me know if you find her.”
“You do the same,” Tyler said, clasping his friend’s hand and pushing a smile to his lips. “Nice to have a sheriff as a buddy.”
Derrick chuckled as he climbed into his vehicle. Megan already waited in Tyler’s truck, scanning the area as if she expected to see Krista any second.
He hopped in next to her, glancing at her as he started the truck. “We’ll find her.” Though he didn’t know if he meant to reassure her or himself.
Megan’s legs bounced, and she chewed on her fingernails, looking like a nervous teen herself.
“We’ll have to set up a protocol with her.”
“A protocol?” She pulled her finger out of her mouth to ask, looking at it before wrapping her hands together tightly.
“Yeah, so this type of thing doesn’t happen again. She can call or text us rather than running at first fright.”
“Oh,” Megan said, nodding. “I don’t think she has a phone.”
“Then I’ll fix that.”
“Good,” she said, her voice trailing away as she searched along the shore of the lake as they drove by.
“Megan, I…” Tyler swallowed, doing his best to formulate the words to tell her about the conversation he had with his niece.
She glanced at him briefly before turning her attention back to the lakeside.
“I had a talk with Krista, right before…before I found you with that letter,” he started.
She glanced at him again, but not for long.
“I told her that—”
“There!” Megan shouted, pointing through the open window and grasping the door handle with one hand and undoing her belt with the other.
Tyler swerved the truck to the side of the road, but Megan fled the vehicle before he even came to a complete stop, running across the sand toward a horse and rider that ambled through the lake surf.
“Krista!” she cried out, a sound that clenched Tyler’s heart.
He threw the truck in park and ran after her, watching as the horse and rider stopped and his niece slid out of the saddle and ran toward Megan.
“Megan!” Krista yelled as she threw herself into the woman’s arms.
They were blubbering by the time he caught up with them, giving him pause as he stood there wondering about women in general.
“Uncle Tyler!” His normally reserved niece flung her arms around him in a show of emotion that made his throat tighten and eyes sting. It took him a moment, but he wrapped his arms around her as his eyes met Megan’s tear-filled gaze.
When Krista’s hold loosened, he held her back from him so he could look in her face. “What were you thinking, girl?”
Megan joined him, taking the girl’s hand in hers. “We were so worried about you, and Josie is beside herself.”
“I’m sorry…I just…” Krista lowered her eyes and stiffened.
“You just?” Tyler would not let this one go.
“You didn’t show up.” Krista looked up and stared at Megan, then looked between her and Tyler. “You two were together.”
“We were,” Tyler said evenly. “Is that the only reason you left? You thought because Megan didn’t show up on time once that she was done with you?”
Krista’s gaze swam from one to the other. “Well, I…that was my first reaction.”
Tyler lifted an eyebrow. “If that’s not what made you hightail it out of camp, what did?”
“I…was upset when you weren’t at the stables,” Krista glanced at Megan. “I went to your office, and when I didn’t see you there either, I went to Josie’s, except she was talking with her husband. She sounded upset.”
Megan sucked in a breath beside him and he tensed.
“You overheard them,” Megan said, her tone full of dread.
Krista nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I…I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t,” Tyler said, wrapping an arm around the trembling girl’s shoulders. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“Is that why you’re together?” She looked up at him, the green of her eyes brighter than normal. “I thought maybe…you know…well…” She shrugged, and a hint of a smile touched her lips.
Megan shifted her weight. and he glanced at her, seeing a flush rising in her cheeks. It hit him what Krista meant, making heat creep up his own neck. He cleared his throat, dropping his arm and walking toward the horse to take its reins before he turned back to her.
“Krista, what you did…leaving without letting someone know…” Tyler began.
“I know. It wasn’t okay.” She twisted her hands together. “It’s just…I had no way of getting ahold of you, and I knew Josie would just tell me everything was fine and to go about my day.”
“Did you try?” Megan asked, her tone gentle rather than reprimanding.
Krista shook her head.
“I think it might surprise you how understanding Josie is,” Megan said, giving the girl a hug. “You’re okay, that’s what matters. I thought my heart would never start beating again.”
“You were really that worried about me?” Krista chewed her lip.
“Krista.” Megan bent down to look into her eyes. “You mean everything to me.”
“I do?”
“You do.” Megan drew her into another hug, and a realization settled in Tyler, an oddly comforting yet distancing sensation that he wasn’t sure if he actually liked or not.
He cleared his throat, easing the tightness as he gave the horse a pet before busying himself, checking its hooves and ensuring Storm hadn’t injured himself on the long ride down the hill.
His phone vibrated, and he pulled it from his pocket. Seeing Derrick’s number, he answered right away. “We found her. She’s okay.” He glanced at the girls hugging.
“Thank goodness! I’m glad she’s safe. Hey, we’ve found some information. Can you guys come on down to the station?”
“Well, if you don’t mind a horse waiting outside? Think you could ask Josie to come down with a trailer to take this guy home?”
“Absolutely. See you in a few, and Ty? Keep your eyes open.”
Tyler looked up, meeting Megan’s eyes as his heart sped up. “Will do.”
“We’re going to meet Josie at the sheriff’s station,” Tyler said, as he pocketed his phone.
“Am I getting in trouble for stealing the horse?” Krista worried her lip.
“Normally, they would charge you with stealing and running away,” he said. Megan eyed him, but he shook his head. “I think under the circumstances, Josie will go easy on you.”
Megan’s eyes narrowed.
He shrugged, thinking the girl needed a little dose of reality about what she had done, but under Megan’s scrutiny, he gave in. “Derrick has some information.”
“Oh,” Megan said, her glare turning into a look of concern.
“Are you going to send me back to Camp?” Krista asked.
“Right now, sweetie, that’s the safest place for you.” Megan nodded for them to walk toward town.
“We should stay on the sand for the horse’s sake,” Tyler said, holding the reins and watching to make sure the horse followed behind him. “Megan’s right. You need to stay at Camp until we sort this all out.”
“I’m going to be a stressed out mess,” Krista grumbled.
“We’ll ask Josie to keep you updated.” Megan wrapped an arm around the girl as they walked. “I’m sure everything will be fine. Probably some big misunderstanding.”
Tyler bit his tongue against the words that wanted to spew forth. Did the woman not take this threat seriously? Even after what had happened with her friend? Tyler shook his head, thinking about the story Derrick had told him about the stalker that had almost killed Chasity.
And here he thought he was getting away from this sort of life.
Tyler’s mind jumped from strategies on how to catch this guy, to how to protect Megan until they did, to needing to set up a protocol with Krista so he didn’t have to worry about her, too. Before he had a solid plan for any of those, they were at the station, with Josie pulling up at the same time.
She parked, the trailer jolting with the abrupt action, then raced from the truck to Krista, who she hugged to her. “Oh my goodness, girl! You had me in a fit!”
“I never thought,” Krista said, her mouth muffled against Josie’s chest, “that anyone would care this much.”
Josie pushed her back, holding her shoulders. “Of course we care, silly girl!” Then she took the reins from Tyler. “Thanks. Guess she trained him after all.”
“Storm’s a good horse.” Krista gave him a little pet down the white stripe on his nose.
“Well, you ready?” Josie asked Krista.
His niece’s eyes shot to him, then Megan, fear blazing from within. “Do I have to?”
“Yes.” Tyler laid a hand on her shoulder. “It will help me, knowing that you’re safe.”
“And I just have to wait for updates,” she grumbled before giving Megan a hug. “Be safe.”
“I’ll be fine, sweetie.”
“Josie,” Tyler asked. “When do visiting hours end?”
Josie cocked her head. “If you need to talk to Krista, just give me a heads up. We’ll make it happen.”
“I appreciate that.” He turned to Krista. “We’ll see you later today. I’m not sure how late it will be, but if we can’t make it, we’ll let Josie know, so no taking off, okay?”
“Yeah,” Krista said, taking Storm’s reins and leading him to the trailer. “Come on, boy.” She leaned close to him. “We got off easy this time,” she glanced back at Tyler, “but I don’t think we would if we tried it again.”
Storm pranced, dancing around her, ears pricked at the cars as they traveled by.
“Thanks for taking care of her,” Megan told Josie.
“Do you know what this all was about?”
Megan glanced at Tyler and then back at Josie. “She overheard you telling Cody about my, uh, situation.”
“She was worried about Megan’s safety.” Tyler shifted his weight, watching Krista’s shadow in the trailer as she settled the horse. “Are counselors allowed to have phones?”
“We don’t have good reception at Camp, but I’ll give her the wi-fi code. We had it installed after Wylie’s situation.” She leaned forward. “I don’t usually allow them, but Krista has proven to be discreet. We’ll work something out.”
“We’ll be dropping one off later today, then.” Tyler glanced at the sheriff’s office door, where Derrick motioned for them to come in. He glanced back at Josie. “Keep her safe.”
“I will keep a closer eye on her,” Josie said, grimacing slightly.
“We don’t blame you,” Megan said, eyeing Tyler before giving the Camp Director a hug.
“You stay safe and let these guys take care of you. I know how hard that can be, but it’s what they do,” Josie whispered to Megan, but Tyler overheard before stepping away toward the door.
“See you two later,” Tyler said, motioning for Megan to follow him.
Whatever information Derrick had, it looked urgent and the last thing they needed was for the guy to show up on the street with Josie and Krista in the mix. He could protect one but had lost his confidence in being able to protect everyone.