Lynette Eason - Danger on the Mountain

She’d never known her father.

A fact that weighed heavy on her heart.

While Maggie had had her grandfather the early years of her life, she didn’t want Belle growing up with the emptiness of not having a father figure in her life.

With that thought, she slid into the recliner, noticing the lingering scent of Reese’s musky cologne. Drawing in a deep breath, Maggie felt a longing fill her.

And a loneliness.

She wanted someone in her life. Someone to share good times and bad. Someone to share Belle with.

But memories of her husband intruded, filling her with that familiar fear. What if she picked the wrong man again? What if there was something wrong with her judgment meter? She couldn’t live through another abusive marriage. And she had more than herself to think of now. She wouldn’t make decisions without first considering every consequence.

And why was she even thinking about this anyway?

Lord, we need to talk...

Her phone rang and she rose with a groan to answer it on the third ring. She frowned at the unfamiliar number displayed on her caller ID. “Hello?”

“Maggie, is that you?”

“Shannon?” Her sister-in-law. Her husband, Kent’s, only sibling. “How are you? How did you get this number?”

“I’m fine and tracking you down wasn’t easy, believe me. What are you doing? Hiding out?”

Guilt stabbed Maggie. She should at least have called Shannon and let her know that she and Belle were okay. “No, not hiding out, just living pretty simple. I’m sorry I haven’t called.”

“I’m sorry, too. How’s my Belle?”

Maggie smiled. One thing for sure, Shannon doted on her niece. “She’s fine. Sleeping right now, thank goodness.”

“I want to see her. To see you.”

Did Maggie want that? As much as Shannon loved Belle, she was also the sister of the man who’d liked to use Maggie as a punching bag. And Shannon had adored her brother, refusing to believe anything bad about him. “I...um...”

“Please, Maggie.”

The quiet plea did her in. “Well, I suppose. When would you come?”

“I’m not sure. Let me...check on some things and I’ll call you back.”

“Okay.”

Maggie said goodbye and hung up, her mind spinning, her heart pounding. Shannon had always intimidated Maggie. And Maggie wasn’t even sure that she could explain why if someone asked. The woman just seemed to have it all together. At least the world’s view of “having it all together.” A good job, a nice house and friends who held the same social status.

Social status that Maggie had never had, nor really wanted. And Maggie couldn’t help the feeling that Shannon had looked down on her for being a stay-at-home mother.

Even though that’s what Kent had insisted she do.

He hadn’t wanted her to work, to have any way of being able to support herself. He’d wanted her totally dependent on him. And she’d bought into it for a while. He’d convinced her that he was all she needed. He would take care of her. Something she’d missed since losing each and every family member. But once the abuse started, she knew she had to do something.

She’d had to sneak online classes to keep her teaching certificate current. Though now, thanks to her grandfather, Maggie didn’t have to work unless she wanted to.

Which she did. She loved her job.

Loved helping her students and earning a living that allowed her to provide for herself and Belle. The money her grandfather had left her was there if she needed it. Otherwise, it would go to Belle. Satisfaction filled her. Maggie was so grateful she could leave that money to Belle, so the girl wouldn’t have to scrape and scrounge and work three jobs while trying to go to school. And she’d never have to be dependent on a man to take care of her. Never.

A scratching at her window made her jerk.

Then a surge of anger flowed hot and heavy through her veins.

Enough was enough.

* * *

Reese tossed and turned. At 2:00 a.m., he felt frustrated and tired.

And worried.

Which was why he couldn’t sleep.

After taking care of the situation at Maggie’s, he’d gone back to Holly’s café, ordered the daily special and taken it back to the jail for Pete.

The man looked surprised—and grateful.

Reese felt a twinge of sympathy for the fellow and had a feeling Eli often fed him his only hot meal of the day. He’d interrogated Pete while he wolfed the food down, but Pete had nothing else to add to his previous story.

So now, in the darkness, questions bombarded Reese. Questions about the bank robbery, the man Maggie had seen in her yard and questions about his attraction to a woman with a baby.

He’d promised himself he’d never put his heart on the line again. He’d had his shot at a family and happily-ever-after, and it had been snatched from him when his wife and child had died in childbirth.

So why couldn’t he get the pretty mother out of his mind?

Tossing aside the covers, he padded to the window that overlooked the lake. Peering across, he could see Maggie’s house lit up like a Christmas tree.

Realization hit him.

She was all alone and scared. The nights would be the worst. He knew this from experience. She would play the scene from the bank over and over in her mind, building it up, picturing what could have happened instead of what actually had happened. And she would work herself into a ball of nerves and fear. And with the threat the robber left ringing in the air, she would be jumping at every creak and moan of the house, wondering if the man was back to follow through on his promise.

Without a second’s hesitation, he picked up his phone and dialed Maggie’s number. She might be afraid of the phone ringing at this time of night, but his number and name were programmed in her phone. Once she saw it was him, she would be all right.

“Hello?” Her low, husky voice trembled over him.

“You can’t sleep either?” he asked.

She gave a self-conscious little laugh. “I’m assuming you can see my well-lit house?”

“Reminds me of Christmas.”

A sigh slipped through the line. “No, I fell asleep for a bit, but then started hearing things.”

He frowned. “Hearing things? Like what?”

“Something scraping against my window.” Another little laugh escaped her. One that didn’t hold much humor. “I was angry enough to chew someone up and spit him out. I went flying out the door and no one was there.”

“You did what?” He nearly had a coronary. “Maggie, may I just say that was incredibly stupid?”

“Oh, I know. What was even more stupid was the butcher knife in my hand. I used it cut the branch that was knocking against the window.”

Some of his adrenaline slowed. But he still warned her, “Don’t ever do anything like that again. Not after today.”

She went silent.

He hurried to say, “Not that I have the right to tell you what to do, but—”

“No, you’re right.” This time her voice was soft. “I know you’re right. It was stupid. I just let my fury get the better of me. It’s just that the thought of being a victim again—” She stopped. “I won’t do that again. I promise.”

He felt slightly better. Then frowned as he realized what she’d said. Victim again? Unsettled, he started to ask her about it then stopped. She’d cut off her sentence. He took that to mean she wasn’t ready to talk about it.

Instead, he said, “I tell you what. Since I’m going to be awake for the next few hours, I’ll keep an eye on your place. You can rest easy.”

For a moment she didn’t respond. Then her voice, choked with tears or relief, he couldn’t tell, reached his ear. “I really hate to say okay, but I...would truly appreciate it. That is, if you’re sure you’re not going to be sleeping anyway.”