Chapter 26
Grace
Cleaning.
Boxing.
Changing my life for the better.
While the horrible terror regarding the fire and almost losing Viper lingered in almost every thought, the near tragedy had also urged me to continue reshaping my life. I was the master of my world and I’d allowed some asshole to drive me into complacency and fear.
Never again.
If Viper’s experience had taught me anything, it was that life was short.
Maybe that’s why after I’d come home, I’d decided to tackle a few items in my father’s office. If I was going to continue using the space as a combination art studio and office for the clinic, I needed drawer space.
I’d had sixteen calls on my business voicemail, all prospective new clients wanting to bring their pets in for a visit. Including the dog Viper’s teammate Axe had rescued. I couldn’t wait to meet little Frosty. It was amazing what fifteen minutes of fame would do.
Even if I suspected more women were eager to meet the town hero.
I had thirty minutes to complete the task before getting ready for a lovely evening out. There was no time to lament the past, so I didn’t.
After making certain the sexy man hadn’t called, I left the phone right in the middle of the desk. I certainly didn’t want to miss hearing his special ring. Laughing, I did a little twirl while I grabbed a box, looking forward to the night ahead.
Maybe I could even get the handsome stick-in-the-mud to dance. There were such things as small miracles. That was my plan anyway and this girl was determined to get everything she wanted.
With a sway to my step, I got to work.
Emptying one drawer had been easy. I hadn’t realized how much my father had enjoyed magazines. He had a drawer full of them. Trash.
Next were the two drawers in the file cabinet full of patient files. They might come in handy, but in a box. After a little finagling, they all fit.
I closed the drawer and wiped my hands.
All with almost ten minutes left.
Hmm… My father had a drawer in the lovely credenza I hadn’t tackled.
Might as well do it next. I pulled another empty box to the top and as soon as I opened the drawer, I sighed.
More files jammed inside. Grabbing a handful, I placed them on the wooden surface, only to have three files dump on my feet.
“Smart.” Laughing, I grabbed them all at the same time, but a single piece of paper from one floated once again to the floor.
Even as I scooped it off the floor, I glanced at the contents.
Three full seconds passed before I realized what I was looking at.
A newspaper article that had been photocopied.
That same hand was shaking.
Stunned, I read the piece of paper again.
About a million questions rolled through my mind.
Why in the world had my father kept something like a newspaper article?
Ugly memories swam to the surface. I glanced at the files that I’d dropped earlier, placing the paper on the corner of the credenza and grabbing the first file.
Warranty information on one of the tractors.
File number two held nothing but estimates to rebuild the fence around the ranch.
The third? Old paperwork on equipment in the clinic.
Bingo for the fourth and final, the contents including a restraining order. “Whoa,” I whispered. What? Confusion and curiosity clashed as well as a strange trickle of fear.
There was more, including what appeared to be a photocopy of a warning. A threat. Just like in the movies, someone had cut out block letters. What did the words spell?
You Can’t Escape Me
Wait. I was confused. Had that been written about my father?
My stomach was in knots, several memories surfacing. There wasn’t a chance this asshole was the arsonist. Was there?
He’d kept an entire file on one person, which wasn’t like my father in the least.
Unless he believed the family was in danger.
But the contents were a strange mixture of past and… present.
I noticed another envelope in the open credenza drawer.
As soon as I pulled it into my hands, I sensed there were envelopes inside. I pulled open the flap, holding my breath as I did. I pulled out a single letter, and another wave of fear tore through me.
The letter was written to me, sent to my parents’ house.
With no return address.
Exhaling, I tried to make sense of everything. I had a feeling what I’d found was important to the case. I grabbed my phone, immediately dialing Chief Taylor. As expected, the call connected to his voicemail.
Hell, no. Darlene. She could help this make sense. On the third ring, I groaned.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Loud barks jerked me out of the haze of confusion, their incessant sounds indicating either a visitor or some issue.
Four rings.
More barking.
Six rings and the voicemail clicking in.
Incessant barking.
Shit. “Darlene. I only have a second. I found some really odd things in my father’s office that might be clues to what happened.”
Ellie May ran into the room, her barking insane. There was no doubt she was warning me about something.
I spit out the name and didn’t even waste the time to say goodbye, tossing the phone and running behind the pup.
Given I’d left the door open with only the screen door blocking their exit from the house, I dropped the file and rushed into the living room.
The dogs continued to go nuts, but as soon as I reached the front door, they began to calm down.
Maybe I was making something out of nothing, but my instinct was working overtime.
“What are you barking at?” I half expected there to be a sudden emergency client, but as soon as I made my way to the front door, I groaned, thankful I wasn’t faced with something horrible.
I did what I could to calm down, even laughing nervously.
“Jesus, the two of you scared me to death.”
All three horses were out of the corral standing right in front of the porch. No wonder the dogs had gone nuts. While they didn’t normally make their way all the way to the house on their great escape attempts, there was a first time for everything.
They needed to be secured and at this point, I could do nothing else. I’d hurry up and get ready so I could talk to Darlene in person.
“Well, I guess our hero contractor needs to brush up on his skills a little, huh, babies? I’ll be right back after I get them a little dinner and make certain they’re secure inside the barn.” I rubbed behind their ears before heading outside.
As usual, the horses greeted me fondly and I nuzzled them for a little while, enjoying the warm late afternoon sun.
“Come on, guys. Let’s get you some chow,” I told them, patting Thor on the muzzle, glancing at the house before I headed toward the barn.
What was my father’s ghost trying to tell me?
I constantly scanned the property as I headed to the barn. There was nothing else out of the ordinary, every sound quiet and peaceful.
Once inside, I took my time moving them toward their stalls. I even brushed Thor for a few minutes.
“What do you think, buddy? Is Rory, Viper, Locke the one?” Rory. Viper suited him much better.
It brought out the barbarian in him, which he certainly had in the bedroom.
A giggle presented itself and Thor snorted in response. When he pawed the ground, I took that as a yes.
“I’m glad you like him. He’s quite the hardhead, but I think I can bring him around.” Of course, I might need a whip to do it.
Thor eyed me as he used to do when I’d share all my problems with him. I was so glad he was still alive.
“Alright, baby boy. Time for a little food and Mommy is going to get ready and go dancing.”
With the late afternoon sunlight dipping behind the trees, there was a sweep of golden glow coming in through the tall barn windows, the cathedral ceiling allowing for a luminous shimmer.
This was my favorite time of day inside the barn. Leaving food and water in their stalls, I closed Thor’s gate and took a couple of steps away.
The sound of the dogs barking up a storm again forced my spine to stiffen.
If I wasn’t mistaken, the sound was different, this time very much as if there was an unknown visitor. But I hadn’t heard another vehicle.
In the distance, I noticed something. Was that someone walking closer? No, my eyes had to be playing tricks on me, the waning light creating shadows. But I inched closer, checking just in case.
There was nothing there.
I remained for another couple of minutes, checking my watch and realizing more time had gone by than I’d thought. “Ugh.” I was going to be late.
When I spun around to leave, a figure stepped into the barn. A wave of fear tore through me. What the hell did I have for a weapon? Nothing that would cause much damage.
With my heart skipping beats, I put the pieces together. But I knew the best thing to do was to stay calm and try to get away.
You’re making something out of nothing.
Was I?
“Can I help you?” I shielded my eyes, barely able to see the person’s full form. Whoever it was didn’t seem threatening.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Doctor Monroe. I need your help. My baby boy. I don’t know what happened. He had a seizure and I just…” He was freaking out, his face in his hands and his body shaking. “I can’t believe it. He was fine then… He collapsed.”
“Whoa. Calm down.” It was the man from the other day. I managed to take a deep breath. “What happened? Where is he?”
After he sighed, he chuckled, the sound dark and demonic.
As I walked closer, another wave of nerves kicked in.
Something was wrong.
“Where is your dog, Mr. Smith?” I froze at first, but as soon as I stepped to the side to try to run from the back, the visitor blocked my escape.
Very slowly, he lifted his head. “You don’t remember me, do you?”
“Should I?”
“How could you forget the man whose life you ruined? You were perfect and the only girl who got away. But guess what? Not this time.”
* * *
Viper
“Better hurry,” Steel said as he finished dressing. “Or the party will start without you.”