My Deadly Valentine (8 page)

Dear Reader,

I was thrilled to be asked to write this novella. Every new project is a challenge and I love figuring out ways to tell a great story and share my faith at the same time. It’s not always easy but it is rewarding.

This time, I began with
Psalms
34:4, “I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.” By the time I had helped Rachel and Jace struggle through to the end, I was struck by a different verse in II
Timothy
1:7. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” In a way, as my characters’ faith grew and blossomed, so did mine. I pray that yours will, too. All you have to do is call out to the Lord and He will accept you, just as you are.

I love to hear from my readers. The easiest way to reach me is by e-mail, [email protected] or send a letter to P.O. Box 13, Glencoe, AR 72539. You can also see my other work at valeriehansen.com.

Blessings,

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Rachel feels safe because she lives in a small town. Is that a logical conclusion? Why or why not?
   
2. Jace has left his former job on a big city police department and come to Serenity to escape his past. Does his geographical location really matter or is he fooling himself?
   
3. Rachel’s father means well. Why can’t he see that he’s actually hurting her? Or, do you feel he’s doing the right thing because it’s for her benefit?
   
4. When Eloise decides to turn the business over to Rachel and make her a partner, she’s giving away a lot. Have you ever known anyone who is really that altruistic? Would you suspect them of having ulterior motives if something similar happened to you?
   
5. The person who is stalking Rachel is able to make himself seem normal and unimportant. Isn’t that what makes him so scary?
   
6. Rachel has a strong bias against law enforcement officers. What if she was never able to overcome that preconceived notion? Look what she would miss! Has God ever had to use others or circumstances to bring about a positive change in your life? Are you glad?
   

DARK OBSESSION

Lynette Eason

Dedicated to my writing buddies and fellow
brainstormers for this story: Linda Gilden,
Candy Arrington and Missy Tippens. The retreat at
the beach was awesome! Can’t wait until next year.

A big thank-you goes to my wonderfully talented
editor, Emily Rodmell. Thanks for giving me the
opportunity to do this!

And as always, thank you to Jesus
for letting me write.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean
not on your own understanding; in all your ways
acknowledge him and he will make your paths
straight.

—
Proverbs
3:5–6

ONE

S
he’d been robbed!

A scream ripped from Holly Maddox’s throat as receding footsteps beat in time with the radiating pain in her head.

Touching her forehead, she felt the warm wetness seep between her fingers.

Eyes squinting against the pulsing throb, she stumbled to the door—and ran into what felt like a slab of concrete. She felt another scream building when warm hands cupped her shoulders and the voice she still heard in her dreams said, “Holly, it’s me. What happened?”

“Eli?” She choked down the hysteria as he led her back inside to sit on a stool. She heard running water then felt a cool cloth cover the gash she figured she had on her forehead. However, her mind suddenly wasn’t on the break-in or her throbbing head. It was on the unexpected appearance of a man she hadn’t seen in almost six years. With no contact for more than half a decade, why did he have to choose this moment to come back? She’d dreamed that if she ever saw her ex-boyfriend again she’d be looking great to show him what he lost, not standing in her store, bleeding after being robbed and clubbed in the head.

“I’ve called the police,” his voice soothed. “An ambulance is on the way, too.”

“I don’t need an ambulance. Cancel it, will you?” In shock, she asked, “What are you doing here?”

In spite of the pain, she couldn’t take her eyes from him. She’d heard he was back in town, on leave from the police force in New York to take care of his injured father. Holly had gone out of her way to make sure their paths didn’t cross on his previous visits home for holidays and vacations. Looked like she hadn’t been careful enough this time.

Grudgingly, she admitted he looked as good as ever with his silky dark hair and green eyes. Anger thrummed through her. Well, she wouldn’t fall for him again, that was for sure. He’d broken her heart twice, once when he’d left to go away to college. After that and the police academy, he’d moved home to work as a deputy with the police department. They had resumed their relationship and she’d been thrilled. Until six months later, when he’d left for New York to become a detective.

She tuned back in to what he was saying. “I was on my way to get some groceries next door when I heard something crash and you scream.”

A knock on the door interrupted and Holly dragged her gaze from Eli’s rugged face. A face that used to inspire poetry, conjuring visions of a white dress and a tropical island honeymoon.

“What’s going on in here?”

She winced.

Alex Harwood, sheriff of Rose Mountain. A more recent ex-boyfriend. A good guy with a soft spot for Holly. A very persistent soft spot. He was determined to convince her that their break-up was a mistake. She’d been on the fence, unable to decide—until right now.

Seeing Eli brought back old memories, old feelings—and old hurt. She wasn’t ready to date anyone at this point in time. But letting Alex know that would have to wait.

Even though Alex was the sheriff with deputies who patrolled the town, he always said it was his town and he’d work the streets until he was kicked off them. And the fact that it was Holly in trouble had been enough to bring him running.

Holly heard Eli explain what he’d witnessed, then it was her turn. She looked up into Alex’s blue gaze and wondered what went on behind them. One of the reasons she’d decided they were wrong for each other. She couldn’t get a good read on him.

Eli squeezed her hand. “Hey, are you in there? Tell Alex what happened.”

Sucking in a fortifying breath, she said, “Jessica Horn, my part-time worker, left about an hour ago. I closed up shop and came back here to finish paying some bills. The next thing I know, someone’s in the store with me.”

“You didn’t have the alarm on?”

She shook her head and groaned. Wrong move. She waited for the pain to subside. “No, I always set it when I leave, but rarely do it while I’m here. Guess I will from now on,” she muttered. “Anyway, when I turned to see who had come through the door, I came face-to-face with my metal trash can.” She pointed to the object lying on the floor where it had landed after contact with her head.

“Pretty confident crook, wasn’t he? To come in here while she was here.” Eli interjected toward Alex. “Wonder why he didn’t wait for her to leave?”

Alex shrugged. “I don’t know. Like you said, gutsy. Or maybe desperate. If he came in with her here, he didn’t have to worry about finding a way in past locks and an alarm system.” He shut the notebook he’d taken notes in. “What did the guy take?”

“The bank’s bag of checks and cash I had sitting on the edge of the desk. I was too late to get to the bank today so I was going to take it home with me then drop it by on my way in tomorrow morning.” Money wasn’t so tight she was desperate, but losing a whole day’s worth of profits would hurt. “It was about a thousand dollars all total. Not a huge amount, but…” she shrugged.

Alex nodded, his blue eyes tracking her. “We don’t have a big drug problem in this town, but I’ll check around and see if I can find out anything.” He looked at Eli then Eli’s hand where it rested on her shoulder and gave a flicker of a frown. She hadn’t realized it was there. Standing up dislodged the weight of it and, with chagrin, she realized she missed it. She’d plain missed
him.

Disgusted with herself for feeling that small smidge of attraction for the man in the midst of everything that was happening, not to mention everything he’d done in the past, she led Alex into the next room of her store. The Candy Caper. Her pride and joy—and source of income. She’d always had a weakness for chocolate and a head for business. After scraping together her business degree, the store seemed the perfect fit for her. She’d opened the town’s only gourmet candy store with a special section that focused on chocolate only. It had been an instant hit with the town folks and had even been written up in a number of tourist magazines. Boxes of candy, red and pink balloons, stuffed animals and fresh flowers all waited to be delivered to their lucky Valentine recipients. The ice cream case next to the wall gleamed. “Nothing seems to be disturbed in here.”

“All right. I’ll take care of dusting the back room for prints, but don’t expect much. Did the guy have on gloves or did you notice?”

She closed her eyes trying to remember the last thing her eyes had seen before she’d been hit. “Yes, he had on black gloves.”

“Did you see his face?” Eli asked.

“No, a glimpse of a mask and gloves, but that’s it.” She rummaged in her drawer for a bottle of ibuprofen and shot a look at Eli. “Did you cancel that ambulance?”

Alex narrowed his eyes. “You sure you want to do that?”

She squinted right back at him. Persistent and overprotective. “I’m sure. It’s a small cut. Head wounds usually look worse than they are.” Or so she’d heard.

Eli took her chin and tilted it for a look at the damage. Her heart jumped into triple speed. “I canceled it.” His warm breath brushed her cheek, then he stepped back. Holly fought to catch her breath as he headed for the door. “I’m just going to have a look outside.”

When he left, Alex stared at her like he wanted to say something and couldn’t decide whether or not he should. Not in the mood for either man, dismayed at her instant response to a man who’d pulverized her heart, she just wanted everyone gone so she could put an ice pack on her head. “Is that everything you need?”

A slow smile crossed his lips. “Not everything, but I have your number if I have any more questions. Although I can think of one question I’d like to ask you. It involves a ring.”

Holly frowned. “Alex…” she gently reproved.

He shrugged and offered a sheepish grin. “Can’t blame a guy for trying. You know I’m crazy about you, Holly.”

“Stop it, will you?”

Alex just kept that goofy smile on his face. She wondered if he was even thinking about the break-in. “I’ll just get out of your way so you can do your job.”

A gentle hint.

Eli came back in and Holly watched Alex’s expression slide from personal back to professional. Eli asked, “Are you sure you don’t want me to run you up to the E.R. in Bryson City?”

A thirty-minute drive away, the small town had the closest hospital. “No, I’m fine. Between the ice and the ibuprofen, I’ll survive. I don’t think he got me hard enough to cause a concussion, but if I start feeling sick, I’ll call for help.”

“All right.” He hesitated in the door and looked like he wanted to say something else, then sighed. He looked at Alex then back at her. “Did you notice anything off when you came in the store?”

She frowned. “Off? What do you mean?”

“Just odd, anyone standing outside, looking like they didn’t belong. A feeling of being watched. Anything like that?”

Holly shrugged. “No.” A sigh escaped her. “I guess I need to be a little more alert about my surroundings.” A memory hit her. “Wait a minute. There was something….”

Both Alex and Eli jumped in and chorused, “What?”

“There was someone standing across the street smoking a cigarette. I remember thinking he was new in town, but then I came on in and got involved in everything here—” she waved a hand toward her desk “—and didn’t think anything more about him until just now.” Normally, Holly tried to introduce herself to any newcomers, explain who she was and tell them about the store. But she’d been in a hurry today, just wanting to get things done and get home.

Alex nodded. “We’ve had a few visitors in town lately because of the auction coming up, but I’ll check it out.” Although the town had its usual share of tourists during the summer and fall months, in February it became a ghost town for all intents and purposes. Strangers during the winter season stood out.

Eli shifted toward the door. “I guess I’ll go get my groceries.”

“I’ll see that you get home safely, Holly,” Alex offered.

Holly hesitated. Did she really want to allow him to do that when she knew she was going to have to convince him she wasn’t the girl for him?

Eli, as much as he’d hurt her in the past, was definitely the better choice for an escort this time. “Um, actually, I think I need to get a few things, too. Eli, I’ll just walk on over with you.”

Surprise brightened his green gaze and he held the door for her. She turned back to Alex as she passed in front of Eli. “Call me when you’re done and I’ll come back and set the alarm.”

Without giving either man a chance to respond, she exited the building, Eli following behind.

It had been all Eli could do to suppress his cop instincts. Everything in him had wanted to jump in and process the scene.

But he’d resisted. He wasn’t a cop in this town anymore and investigating the incident at Holly’s store wasn’t his right. But he wasn’t blind, either. Something was going on between Holly and the sheriff. The thought made his heart cramp. “Hey. Are you sure you’re all right?”

“I’m sure.”

“Okay.” He didn’t want to ask, but he had to know. “What’s going on with you and Alex?”

She stopped just outside the entrance to the grocery store. “What do you mean?”

“Oh come on, Holly. You guys had vibes going all over the place. Are you two an item?”

“No!”

He couldn’t help the relief he felt at her vehement response. “Okay, then what?”

She took a deep breath like she might launch into telling him then shook her head. “Not that it’s any of your business, but we dated. I called it off and he didn’t want it to end. He’s been after me to get back together with him.”

“Ah.” A pause. “So why did you call it off?”

“Because it just wasn’t right. I wanted it to be, but…” Her look singed him. Was
he
the reason it hadn’t been right with Alex? He sure hoped so. She continued, “He says I didn’t give him a fair shot at winning my heart—or some nonsense.” She rubbed her head. He was sure it ached and that she was probably ready to get home. Her next words confirmed that. “So, now I guess I’d better get in here and get a few groceries then get home to Mom.”

Worry wrinkled the skin of her forehead. He wanted to smooth it out for her. “How is your mother? My dad said she was doing chemo and radiation again.”

“Yeah, the cancer came back. She just finished another round. We’re waiting on the report to see if they got it all again.”

“Aw, Holly, I’m so sorry.”

Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them back, but not before one slipped down her cheek. As though it had a will of its own, his finger came up to catch the drop before it could fall. Her breath sucked in at the touch and he wondered if she felt the same tingle of awareness that he did.

That same awareness that had first drawn him to her when they’d both been sophomores in high school.

With a jerky movement, she shoved the door open. “I’m just going to get my stuff and get going. Alex should be done pretty soon.”

Gladness filled him. Yeah, she felt it. So, she was still attracted to him. Hope that he might win her forgiveness, her trust and possibly her friendship nearly made him lightheaded. But just because they still had that special bit of chemistry between them didn’t mean she’d be willing to do anything about it. He still had a lot to prove to her. “I’ll wait for you and follow you home.”

The protest he expected hovered on her lips, but then her eyes slid in the direction of her store and she swallowed, nodded. Twice in one night she’d been willing to accept his help, spend time in his presence. What could that possibly mean?

Twenty minutes later, they were done, Alex was gone, her alarm was set, and she was in her car, heading up the mountain. Eli followed a few yards back, his heart beating hard against his chest.

He’d come home to help with his father and make things right with Holly. Today had been a start. When she turned left onto the long drive that led to her house, a prayer whispered through him.

Lord, I’m so new at this. Please continue to help me know what to say and what to do. I’m a different person than I was six years ago, but You and I are the only ones who know it right now. Give me the opportunity to apologize to Holly. And maybe the chance to show her I’m trustworthy now and see if there’s anything left to build a relationship on. I know it’ll take time. Help me be patient.