Amish Christmas Emergency Page 4

  Suddenly, home had lost some of its appeal.

  It is what it is. Deal with it. That was her lifelong motto. It held true in this instance, as well.

  Gavin quirked one brow at her. “I’m fine,” she said, tossing her blond hair over her shoulder. With more than a touch of defiance, truth be told. She would not let the man who was stalking her control her life. She might have to be careful, but that didn’t mean that she had to completely give up her life. Such as it was. However, if someone was out to get her, her best way to protect her colleagues and neighbors was to avoid getting too close to them. Right?

  Gavin started moving toward the door. She shook her head, willing herself to focus on the here and now, and followed him. When they arrived at his silver police car, he stepped in front of her to get the door. Whipping it open with an outrageous flourish, he bowed slightly. “Your carriage.”

  Oh, my. The handsome grin and roguish wink he tossed so casually toward her made her heart skip a beat. Sergeant Gavin Jackson was a charmer, that was for sure. Come to think of it, she remembered two of the nurses giggling about him a month or so ago. It seemed one of them had been at Sergeant Parker’s engagement party. Gavin had flirted with the girl, but nothing ever came of it.

  “You’d think a man that charming would have a date every night of the week,” she recalled the nurse saying.

  “Yeah, but the way I hear it, Sergeant Jackson doesn’t date. Not ever.”

  Why? she wondered. What had happened to this handsome man that he had secluded himself?

  Just like she had. She shook off the thought. Whatever his reason was, it was certainly none of her business. Of course, she could ask, but she’d never do that. Even if the curiosity was itching inside her mind.

  “You gonna get in?” Gavin’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Blushing, she moved past him and folded herself into the seat. He shut the door gently and strode to his own side. When he got in the car, he glanced her way. “I didn’t mean that to sound rude. Sorry. I have a habit of just blurting out what I think. Are you okay?”

  Some of her embarrassment melted away at his sincere apology. The man was a chameleon, sometimes blunt, sometimes charming. But apparently he also had a noble spirit. How refreshing.

  “I’m fine. Well, as fine as can be expected. I just realized that I never made the effort to get to know my neighbors. I’m disturbed at having so little idea about who lives near me.”

  “I wouldn’t fret about it. It happens.” He shrugged it off.

  She rolled her eyes at his casual response.

  The rest of the ride was silent. At the hospital, they were informed that Noah was out of surgery and in recovery. His wife had arrived and had been in to see him. Relieved, Alexa made for the elevator, aware of Gavin’s steady tread behind her. There was something comforting in knowing that he stood at her back.

  In the recovery area, Naomi Hostetler stood to greet them. “My Noah is going to be fine.” She smiled as she spoke, but the strain was visible in her eyes.

  “I’m so glad, Naomi. What did the doctors tell you?” Alexa took the Amish woman’s hands in her own.

  “He said the surgery went gut. My husband will come home soon.”

  “Do you need anything in the meantime?”

  The Amish woman shook her head. “Nee. Denke. We have a special fund for things like hospital visits and surgeries.”

  Alexa nodded, relieved. She had been concerned that this would be too much of a financial hardship for the family. She was more than willing to help out in any way that she could, but knew that her efforts wouldn’t amount to much in the face of the medical bills that were sure come. Working in the field of medicine had given her a keen appreciation for how costs could stack up so quickly.

  “Nurse Grant?”

  Alexa turned to see the receptionist at the desk. Being a nurse practitioner, she sometimes was required to do shifts at the hospital, too. Which meant that she was known to most of the doctors and nurses on the staff.

  “Yes?”

  “There’s a phone call for you.” The woman held out the phone to her. Without hesitation, Alexa stepped forward and took it from her outstretched hand.

  “This is Nurse Grant. May I help you?”

  “Don’t let me down again, Alexa.”

  The phone went dead.

  Alexa dropped the phone. It hit the floor with a sharp crack. The battery door flew off and the battery fell out.

  “Alexa!” Gavin was beside her, holding on to her elbow. “Alexa, what is it?”

  She lifted her face to his. She was shaking so hard, it was difficult to get the words out.

  “It was him,” she whispered. His face hardened. “He knew I was here.”

  Even now, he was watching her.

  FOUR

  Alexa watched Gavin and his colleagues as they investigated the phone call. They were thorough, she had to admit it. Everyone was questioned. The phone records were checked.

  Still, she wasn’t surprised when it came to nothing. The phone used to call her turned out to be a burner phone. No doubt one that was thrown out right after the call. At least that was Gavin’s take on it. She hadn’t known him long, but she trusted his instincts. Those related to his job, that was. He stood on the other side of the room, talking quietly on his phone to Sergeant Parker.

  She wasn’t alone, though. Naomi had joined her. Her husband was out of surgery, but he was still unconscious. She flicked her glance to Gavin again. The charming man who had ushered her into his vehicle earlier had vanished. In his place was the serious and dedicated sergeant she had first seen at the clinic this morning. It was comforting having him near.

  The image of her brother’s face entered her mind. He had no idea that his sister had been targeted by a stalker again.

  Maybe I should call Allen. Let him know what’s going on.

  No, she rejected that thought again. Her brother would no doubt try to rearrange his schedule to come to be with her. And then he’d do his best to persuade her to quit her job and move in with him.

  Like that would go over well. Alexa got along well with her sister-in-law. From a distance. But Melissa was just a little too high-maintenance for her comfort. She could still remember all the fuss and drama at her bridal shower years ago. It would probably be worse now that they had a new baby in the house.

  Yeah, calling Allen wasn’t something she planned on doing. Maybe once they caught this guy she’d take the vacation she’d been meaning to take and go visit them. A short visit.

  If they caught the stalker.

  She shuddered. Living under the weight of knowing someone was watching her would be unbearable.

  “It will be fine.” Naomi patted the back of her fist lightly. She hadn’t realized she’d clenched her hands. “Do you trust Gott?”

  Did she trust God? Puzzled, she considered her companion. “I can’t say that I’ve really thought about God,” she admitted.

  It’s not that she didn’t believe God existed. She’d just never had any use for Him in her life.

  “Trust in God is a good thing.”

  She hadn’t heard Gavin approach. Startled, she swiveled her neck to look up at him. He approached with a jaunty stride. His blue eyes cut in her direction, pinning her with his level stare. Not intimidating, just very intense. Oh, wow. Breathe, Alexa. He’s just a man.

  Heat pooled in her cheeks. His gaze sharpened. Great. That’s exactly what she needed, for him to know how much he affected her.

  “Mrs. Hostetler,” a voice called from the doorway. An older man with graying dark hair and kind brown eyes smiled at the group. “Your husband’s awake.”

  The doctor’s entrance pulled Gavin’s gaze away from her. She sighed. Saved by the doctor.

  “Mrs. Hostetler,” Gavin said, “would it be all right if I came with you? I want to ask hi
m if he noticed anything that might help us find the man who shot him.”

  “Jah, you may come and ask your questions. If he is not too tired.”

  Gavin looked back at Alexa. His gaze was focused on the hunt now. “I’ll be back in a few. Okay?”

  “Absolutely. You go on. I’ll be fine here.”

  He opened his mouth. Then shut it. She was curious about what he’d planned to say, but let it go as he spun on his heel and followed the doctor and Naomi. A moment later, she saw a security guard move to stand right inside the room.

  Annoyance mingled with a warm burst of pleasure. Annoyance at the need to be guarded. Pleasure that Gavin had taken a moment to see to her safety. It had been years since anyone worried about her well-being.

  Stop it! She shook her head hard, trying to shake his effect on her. She’d been shattered when Brett died. And though she knew he’d not intended to leave her, it had cemented what she already knew. People left you. Her father hadn’t even waited until the stamp on his divorce papers had dried before he’d completely abandoned her and her mother, starting over with a newer, better family. She hadn’t heard from him in years. Allen had already been out of the house by that time. It had quickly become apparent that he didn’t have time to waste on a bratty sister who was ten years younger than he was. Then her mother had died when she was eighteen, a freshman in college.

  She slammed her eyes shut, trying to block out the memories of her mother’s death. Therapy had helped, but the sense of betrayal was still there.

  As was the realization that she hadn’t been enough of a reason to stay. For any of them.

  Allowing herself to fall for Gavin would be a mistake her heart couldn’t afford to make. It would cost her more than she could deal with when he rejected her, too.

  “Alexa? I’m ready to go.” Gavin approached her. “Everything okay?”

  Opening her eyes, she frowned at him. “I’ll cope.” I always do. “I’m ready to get my car and go home.”

  He returned her frown with interest. Was he irritated or concerned?

  “I’m a little uneasy with the idea of you being alone in your house. However, Parker sent me a text a little while ago. Your neighbors have all been there for over three years, so chances of any of them being your stalker are slim. None of them have seen anything suspicious. Which is good news. We’re going to be monitoring your house, you know, driving by every couple of hours. And you have a neighborhood crime watch, so they’ll be looking out for you, too.”

  “Good to know.”

  He hesitated. “You know, what Naomi said? I do believe it. That God is there for us. I’ll be praying for you. Just saying.”

  Ducking his head, he flushed and shifted his stance. Well, that was a surprise. He seemed so confident, but obviously speaking so openly was uncomfortable for him. It touched her that he went there for her. Even if she was a stranger. Or didn’t share his faith.

  “Thanks, Gavin. I don’t have anything against prayer.” She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. It seemed inadequate. All at once, the reality of her situation hit. She felt as if she was going to break into pieces if she didn’t move. “I just want to go home. Could we go get my car? Please?”

  He slanted a level stare toward her. She could almost see the thoughts running through his brain. To her relief, he didn’t argue with her.

  “Yeah. Let’s get out of here.”

  The breath she’d been holding whooshed from her lungs. Finally.

  An hour later, she was sitting in her own blue Ford Focus, driving carefully down the plowed streets to her house. The steady beam of Gavin’s headlights in her rearview mirror brought comfort and the false feeling of security. He’d be leaving once they arrived at her place.

  Her stomach growled. Had it really been that long since she’d eaten in the police station? Obviously, it had. It was dark now. And it was past her normal dinner hour. If it weren’t for the fact that she needed to eat for her health, she’d be willing to skip supper and just crawl into bed. Anything just to make today go away.

  Not that tomorrow would be any better.

  With that uplifting thought, she pulled into her driveway. Her house was dark. She shivered. On a normal day, she’d be home by now. She’d never minded the dark before.

  Now all she could think about was that someone could be waiting inside for her. Her car door was heavy as she swung it open. She didn’t even have a garage to provide her some sort of shelter.

  Gavin stepped up beside her, resting his hand on the top of the door as she emerged from the warmth of the vehicle into the frigid December evening. He had a flashlight out and swung it around, surveying the property line.

  A second cruiser swerved in next to the curb. A female cop exited the vehicle. “Hey, Gavin. Lieutenant Tucker told the chief you needed someone to drive by the place on a regular basis. I saw y’all pull in and thought I would check in with you.”

  Gavin flashed her a tired smile. “Hey, Zee. I’m about to sweep the perimeter. You want to stay with Alexa here? I don’t want her to go into the house until I know it’s safe, nor do I want her to hang out here alone.”

  “Sure thing.”

  Gavin held out his hand. “Give me your keys. I will check the house, too.”

  Wordlessly she handed them over, her eyes following him as he jogged off into the darkness. When he was no longer visible, she turned to find herself the object of intense speculation by the female cop. What had he called her? Zee? Did being a cop mean no one went by their actual first name?

  The woman’s casual demeanor dropped. She was all business now, although her manner remained kind. “Hi, Alexa. I’m Sergeant Claire Zerosky. Let’s get you out of the cold. Why don’t you pop back into your car for a few minutes until Jackson comes back for you?”

  It sounded way too cozy the way she said it. Until he comes back for you. People didn’t come for her, though. They never did.

  She lost track of how long she waited until he was back. Before she knew it, he was escorting her inside and Claire Zerosky was getting back into her car. She expected him to take off, too.

  Therefore, she was taken by surprise when he took off his coat. His sharp eyes moved around her home. Missing very little, she had no doubt.

  “No Christmas tree or decorations?” he noted. Was it a question or a statement?

  Self-conscious, she shrugged. “It didn’t seem to be worth the trouble. It’s just me here.”

  To her relief, he let the subject go.

  “Let’s get you something to eat. Go ahead and test your blood sugar. It won’t bother me. I’ve been around it before.”

  She’d guessed as much.

  Taking him at his word, she went through her normal routine, hooking up the tester to her phone with a cord. She barely even felt it anymore when the small needle pricked her finger. She looked at the number on the display and sighed in relief. Her numbers, despite the stress of the day, seemed to be up to normal levels.

  “Numbers good, huh?”

  Her head whipped up. Her eyes widened. Gavin had raided her fridge and was putting a salad together for her. Although she protested, he waved her words away and proceeded to fix the rest of her meal. Deep inside, she was relieved.

  She felt better as soon as she’d eaten.

  Until he headed for the door.

  He turned to her before he left, his eyes intent. “I want you to lock this door behind me and keep it locked. When can you have a dead bolt installed?”

  “I can stop by the hardware store after work—”

  Uh-oh. Wrong answer. Gavin’s black eyebrows lowered until they were scrunched together. He scowled.

  “Are you really going to work tomorrow after all that has happened? It’s not safe for you. And it could be dangerous for others.”

  Raising her hands defensively, she gave in. “All right. All ri
ght. Tomorrow the clinic’s only open until noon, anyway. But I will have to go in on Friday.”

  “We’ll see.”

  Face grim, he stalked out the door. She locked it behind him. The locks did feel pretty flimsy. Anyone could break in if they really wanted to.

  Crawling into bed, she snuggled deep under the electric blanket. She was so cold, she had it turned on high. Her hearing seemed to be amplified. The small noises she never noticed were all crashing in on her sensitive nerves. Her heart was pounding.

  For hours she lay awake, shivering under the warmth of her blankets.

  If she could just hold on until morning.

  Finally, she slept. When she woke up, she wasn’t in the best mood. It was a good thing that she had agreed to stay home, she thought. Going in to work would have been difficult.

  Zee arrived at about ten, dead bolts in hand. Touched by the gesture, Alexa invited her in.

  “I’m not sure if I have all the tools we’ll need to install that, Sergeant.” Alexa shut the door behind the female sergeant.

  Sergeant Zee laughed. “Call me Claire. No worries about the tools. I probably have what we need in the car. I meant to grab them.”

  As it turned out, Alexa had everything they needed. After reading through the directions together, they got to work.

  The two women chatted while they installed the dead bolts on the front and back doors. It was mostly superficial chatter, but it felt good to talk with another woman.

  “That’s better,” Alexa said aloud after she had locked the dead bolt behind Claire. The only one there to hear her was the cat. She laughed, feeling some of the stress drain away. The dead bolts added a sense of safety. Some of the heaviness lifted again.

  She puttered around the house after lunch. Placing her newly folded laundry in her dresser, she sat on the couch to read a book that Megan had lent her. When she found out it was an inspirational romance, she almost put it down. Except she was curious now. What was it about God that made people like Gavin put their faith in Him? Should she ask him about it? She shifted uncomfortably. Would he think less of her if he knew she’d never opened a Bible before? Or been to church other than weddings and funerals?