Lion’s Den (Maple Valley Search and Rescue #1)

Chapter One

SEDONA HART FROZE in her tracks, listening intently. She looked around the gloomy hallway outside her kindergarten classroom but saw nothing moving. Why were schools bright, cheerful, and full of life during the daytime and ghost towns when students were gone?

She’d been thinking about the ghost-town feeling since she began teaching, and the only answer she could come up with was that students brought life and energy to the hallways. After hours, janitors and maintenance people did their work unseen in the shadowed halls.

When Sedona didn’t hear the noise again, she turned toward her classroom to grab her bag and go home. She froze. There it was again.

Time to act like an adult and check on the weird noise in the dark. She hoped a monster in the dark didn’t eat her because she did not want to go down in the Maple Valley Elementary School’s history as the teacher who was too stupid to live.

She set her water tumbler on the floor beside her classroom door, grabbed her courage with both hands, and crossed the hall to Mrs. Washburn’s room. As she neared the door, Sedona heard the same rustling noise.

A rat? She hoped not. Sedona wasn’t a fan of mice or rats. She squared her shoulders and felt along the wall to her right for the light switch. The instant she turned on the lights, the rustling noise stopped.

This time, though, she identified the culprit making the noise, and he wasn’t a rat. “Julio Ramirez, what are you doing here at this time of night?” Sedona walked deeper into the classroom.

“I had to come, Miss Hart. Emily left her backpack here, and she needs it to finish her homework for tomorrow.”

“Where’s your mom?”

“At work. Please don’t tell her. Emily and I will both be in trouble if you do.”

“How did you get here? You didn’t walk here, did you?” What a horrible thought. Julio was too young to walk by himself at night from their home to Maple Valley Elementary School.

“Eddie drove me here, but he wouldn’t come in.” The boy wrinkled his nose. “He’s on the phone with his girlfriend. Yuck!”

Sedona worked hard not to laugh. “I see. How did you get into the building? The doors are locked at five, and it’s almost ten o’clock.”

He shrugged. “The maintenance man let me in.”

Of course he did. “I imagine your brother will want to leave soon. Did you find Emily’s backpack?”

Julio nodded. “Finally. She and her dumb friends were too busy talking to remember their backpacks.”

“It’s kind of you to get it for her.”

“I didn’t mind, but don’t tell her that. She might forget her backpack all the time if you do.”

Sedona smiled. “It’s our secret, Julio. If you’re ready to go, I’ll walk you out as soon as I grab my bag.” And knowing her student, she added one more incentive for Julio to stick with her. “I’m glad you’re here. I was just noticing how the hallways are too quiet without students.”

“Are you scared?”

“Not scared, really. I’m uneasy without other people around.”

“Don’t worry, Miss Hart. I’ll protect you. Eddie taught me how to do that.”

“I appreciate that, buddy.”

“Do you have a date?”

Her head whipped toward Julio as they walked across the hall to their classroom.

“No, I don’t. Why?” Too bad for her. Sedona wanted a certain sheriff’s deputy to ask her out, but he hadn’t yet.

Of course, the deputy had been busy getting settled in Maple Valley and learning the roads of Morgan County, Tennessee.

One day maybe Cam Sims would ask her for a date rather than ask if she needed help with her enormous house.

He’d already helped so much, not that anyone who walked through could tell the progress they’d made with help from friends.

For all their efforts, the house looked the same as it had for years. Depressing.

“Just wondered. That’s all. You’re okay looking. I figured a guy would hang around you.”

Sedona laughed. “No such luck, Julio.”

He frowned. “Are you going to sleep when you get home? It’s not even my bedtime yet.”

She grabbed her purse and purple tote bag and locked her classroom door. “Where is Eddie parked?”

“Back of the school. He didn’t want anybody to see him here because they might think he’s not cool or something.” He shrugged as if his brother’s reasoning didn’t bother him, but Sedona saw the truth in her student’s eyes. Having Eddie’s approval mattered.

“Do you want me to talk to him?”

“Oh, no, ma’am!” His eyes were wide. “Don’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“It’s embarrassing, like I’m some dumb kid or something.”

Oh, man. This kid cracked her up. “No, I wouldn’t want to do that. Thanks for reminding me you’re practically a grownup.”

“You won’t talk to Eddie?”

“Nope. I promise. So, when does your mom get home from work?”

He shrugged. “About midnight. I don’t know exactly when because I’m asleep most nights.”

Most nights. Her heart ached at the Ramirez family’s tough life. “I can understand that.” Mrs. Ramirez was one of the most hardworking women Sedona had ever met. “Still haven’t heard from your dad?”

Another head shake. “Mom says he wasn’t very nice to her.” Julio turned his head to look at her. “How could anybody be mean to Mom? She’s really nice when she doesn’t make me clean up my room.”

She rested her hand on Julio’s shoulder. “I don’t know, buddy. Sometimes people we love aren’t in a good head space, and they make poor decisions, like your dad hurting your mom. I’m glad he’s not able to hurt you or anyone else now.”

“Me, too.”

Sedona pushed open the back door leading to the faculty parking lot. Julio skipped along beside her.

She paused at the edge of the sidewalk and glanced around. “Is that Eddie in the SUV?”

Julio frowned as he stared at the three men standing near the vehicle. Two men had pushed the third one up against the side of the SUV and were yelling at him. “I don’t see Eddie. Did he leave me?”

Sedona didn’t like the looks of the three men who were casting dark glances at them. “Come on. Let’s go around to the front and see if your brother moved the car because of these men.”

“Who are they?”

“I don’t know, Julio. Let’s leave them to their business.” Hopefully, they’d finish the business and move along to another location before she walked to her car.

“Okay. They’re mean.”

“How do you know?”

“They yelled at me to go home, but I couldn’t, Miss Hart. I had to get Emily’s backpack.”

“They’re the ones who shouldn’t be on school property. Let’s get you to Eddie, then you can go home.” Perhaps she could, too.

The sound of a vehicle idling grew louder as she and Julio circled the building to the front of the school.

Julio brightened. “That’s Eddie.”

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. “I recognize the sound of the motor. It’s my brother.”

“Well, let’s see if you’re right.”

Julio raced ahead and poked his head around the corner of the building. “It’s him. I told you I was right about the motor.”

Thank goodness. The last thing she wanted was for her and Julio to be stuck waiting for Eddie to come to pick him up.

Wanting to be sure this was indeed Julio’s brother, she walked with Julio to the vehicle.

Mindful of her promise to her student, Sedona smiled at the teenage driver and held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Sedona Hart, Julio’s teacher.”

The teen pumped her hand once. “Eddie.”

“It’s good to meet you, Eddie. Thanks for helping your brother and sister. That was kind of you.”

He gave a curt nod, looking pleased with himself. “Yeah, no problem.”

Sedona opened the passenger-side door and helped Julio into the backseat. Once she buckled him into the booster seat, she said, “See you tomorrow, Julio.”

“Bye, Miss Hart.”

She stepped back and closed the door.

After the brothers were safely off school property, Sedona retraced her steps around the building and walked toward her car. She grimaced when she saw two of the men watching her. Where was the third one?

She almost stopped walking, but thought better of it.

Determined not to worry about something that wasn’t her business, even if it was on school property, Sedona increased her walking pace, keeping her gaze firmly on her car.

She just needed to get inside and lock the doors.

Everything would be fine if she accomplished that goal. All she wanted was dinner and her bed.

The faster she approached her car, the more Sedona’s skin crawled. No doubt in her mind that the two men were still watching her. Although she tried not to make it obvious, she kept her head down while she looked out of the corners of her eyes. Still nothing. Where was the third man?

She’d almost reached her vehicle when a strong, hairy arm wrapped around her neck from behind and yanked Sedona back against a muscular chest. She dropped her purse and her school bag, then clawed at the man’s arm to gain even a fraction of an inch so she could drag in a breath.

Her efforts were in vain. The man cursed and squeezed tighter.

“Hurry up,” her captor snapped. “She’s fighting like a wildcat.”

“I’m coming. Tame that kitty,” one of the other men muttered.

Heavy footsteps came near, then Sedona felt a sharp prick at the side of her neck, a burning sensation, and the world went dark.