Page 21 of Shadow of Deceit
His chest tightened the way it always did at the memory of responding to the call coming over his radio. A rookie deputy then. Finding Cara on the floor of her office. The blood pooling around her. Her face pale, her pulse barely there.
He sucked in a sharp breath and gestured at Evergreen’s main entrance to direct Mia to check out the scenery. “We’re here.”
But he failed. She saw right through his plan and didn’t look away. She would probably question him about this subject later. But at least he’d bought some time before he had to recount the day Cara’s life ended at the hands of a crazed patient.
* * *
Mia let Ryan’s evasive behavior pass. He didn’t want to talk about something. Maybe he had a secret. Or maybe he had no desire to dredge up their old wounds. At least not more than she already had. She could appreciate that, and she would respect his privacy.
She’d come through the private gate yesterday, so she sat back to enjoy the scenery that greeted visitors when they arrived. They reached the small green check-in hut used during the peak summer season that ended after Labor Day, and Ryan slowed to let the attendant get a look at them. Next came a grouping of cabins that had been on the property for as long as she could remember. Further in, the office/convenience store and a large recreation center were all located near a wide beach on Shadow Lake.
“Everything looks the same.” The longing in her tone caught her off-guard. Until the shell of the barn came into view and a wash of fear erased the warm feeling.
Ryan tipped his head at the carnage. “When I got home last night, I closed up your car and brought it up to the lodge and your things inside. And I had Poppy stock the fridge and pantry too.”
“Thank you.” She let her voice ring with sincerity at his continued kindness. She was learning a lot about her old boyfriend. Except for the religion thing, she liked what she saw, and honestly, she was happy that he could live his faith because it seemed important to him.
She was all for his happiness. “So I take it Poppy still cooks for your parents.”
Ryan shook his head. “She lives with Reid and Jessie and also cooks for the guests at the beginning of our training camp.”
“I remember her meals. Especially her bread. The best ever.”
“Still is.” He grinned and made the last curve to approach the lodge.
A patrol car, black sedan, pickup truck, and two SUVs lined up like dominoes in front of the large log building.
She flashed him a look. “What’s going on? Do you think something else’s happened?”
“Don’t jump to conclusions and start worrying. There’s likely an innocent explanation.” He smiled at her, but the truck picked up speed, mimicking her new sense of urgency.
Her stomach tightened. Maybe something had happened to Jessie. Could the man in the barn have learned she could identify him and come after her?
If only God heard Mia’s prayers she would offer one for Jessie. But He didn’t, so what was the point? She’d prayed the second the family’s car hit the tree and her mother didn’t respond. He didn’t spare her mother then. Or even Wally when he hadn’t recovered from the stroke. God wouldn’t spare a child simply because Mia requested His help. And He didn’t seem inclined to keep Mia safe either. True, she survived the fire, but it seemed like there was a threat against her life.
The vintage truck rocked to a stop in front of the rustic two-story lodge. She slid out and took a moment to look at the massive swing and the cane-backed rocking chairs filling the huge wraparound porch. She’d spent hours sitting there in the cool summer shade with Wally. Fun, joy-filled hours. The only real joy she’d found with family after her mother died. But he was only in town for summers, and the winters seemed so very long without him.
The enormity of losing him hit harder than ever. Those pesky tears wanting to flow again. She gritted her teeth to stop them.
“C’mon.” Ryan came up behind her. “I can hear people laughing inside. If something was wrong, they wouldn’t be having a good time.”
But could she face a good time when her heart was aching over her uncle? When she was about to enter his summer home? Their place of refuge together when she was younger?
The door flashed open. Jessie, holding the leash of a small white dog with eyes circled in a mask of black and wearing a plastic cone over his head, raced down the stairs.
“Get control of him, Jessie.” A man whose intense blue eye color identified him as a Maddox and whose parental tone identified him as Reid, lingered at the door.
He was tall like his brothers, but he was leaner like Ryan. He dressed similar to his brothers in tactical pants, but he had on a green polo with a Shadow Lake Survival logo on his broad chest.
Jessie barreled into Mia, surrounding her waist in a tight hug.
Mia lurched back in pain, but regained her composure and managed to smile at Jessie to keep her from knowing the hug cut into her sore side. The innocent fragrance of baby shampoo enveloped the sweet child’s head like a halo.
Oh, how thankful Mia was to have saved this precious girl’s life. “I’m so glad to see you’re doing okay.”
Jessie gazed up with hero worship Mia knew she didn’t deserve. She’d just been in the right place at the right time.
The dog yipped in excitement giving Mia the chance to turn the focus in another direction. She squatted and reached into the cone to cup the dog’s head. “Hey, little fella.”
