“So someone is definitely looking for her but thinks her name is Rachel?”
“I believe so. It turns out her name is Rachel. Amber is her middle name and apparently what she’s been going by for a while. Not that the man I talked to last week seemed to know that.”
“What else did you find out?”
“Well, she was tough to follow. Everything you’ve told me about her has checked out. She’s moved around a lot the last few years, never staying anywhere that I could find longer than four months. Worked about every low income job there is to be found, but all legitimate businesses. Been in the hospital a couple times. Once was after a dog attack and once included some pretty good contusions she wouldn’t explain.”
Peter sat forward. The dog attack explains her fear of Sassy when she first got here, but the contusions . . ? Stuff like that only comes from accidents or beatings. And if she wouldn’t tell the doctors anything . . . “What kind of contusions?”
“On her upper arms like someone had grabbed her and another on the cheek. One of the staff told me her ribs were bruised up pretty good. The doctor wasn’t happy when they found out she’d snuck out of the hospital, but shortly after she went missing a brute of a man showed up looking for her.”
“What do you know about this man looking for her now, Andy?”
“His name is Matthew.” Andy sat forward and put his elbows on his knees. “When he came into the office, he was dressed like he’d been traveling, possibly out looking. Blue jeans, hiking boots, thick winter coat.”
Peter felt goosebumps going up his arms. “Blonde hair and bright blue eyes?”
“You’ve seen him around?”
“I saw him in my backyard!”
Andy looked at Peter, suddenly alert. “When?”
“The night of Mom’s party, that Saturday before Christmas.” Peter couldn’t sit any longer. He paced to the fireplace and back to the couch. “He was standing at the tree line. I was getting ready to head over to Mom and Dad’s, so I turned off the lights in the kitchen. That’s when I saw him standing there.”
“What time was that?
“About 6:00, I guess.”
“How did you see him so clearly in the dark?”
Peter tried to remember exactly what had happened. “I don’t know. It was like he was standing in daylight, as close to me as you are. But I’m also certain that he was at the tree line at the back of the yard.” He ran his hand through his hair. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
“What else do you remember?”
“I called out to him but he didn’t answer. After a moment he just nodded his head at me and turned to leave. I ran out to him, but he was gone.”
“Why did he choose your backyard?”
Peter silently walked back to the fireplace while Andy continued. “Does he know where Amber is? If he’s connected her to you, then why waste time coming to see me?”
“There’s more.” Peter knew his friend would believe him, but he struggled to believe it himself. He turned to look at Andy. “When I got out to the tree line, there were no footprints.”
“What do you mean no footprints?”
“I mean the snow was not disturbed. It looked like no one had been standing there. No one had walked there or turned to walk away. The only footprints I could find in that entire area were mine coming from the house.”
Andy looked at Peter. “You’re sure you saw him.”
“I wasn’t until tonight. But how else would I know about his blonde hair and blue eyes?”
“We’ve got to talk to Amber, Pete. We’ve got to know more about what we’re dealing with here.”
Peter looked at the clock. It was only 9:20 and he knew his parents would be up until at least 10:00. “Let’s go now. I won’t be able to sleep until I know she’s safe.”
: : : : :
“Mom? Dad?” Peter burst through the dining room door with Andy close behind.
“Peter! What on earth...?” said Faye, turning from her spot on the couch to watch her son cross over to them.
“Where’s Amber?” said Peter.
“I’m right here.” Amber sat in her usual spot by the fire. Relief washed over him.
“Andy!” said Faye.
“What’s going on, son?” said Frank.
“We’re not sure, Dad, but we all need to talk,” said Peter.
“This sounds serious,” said Faye.
“We’re not sure what it is,” said Andy.
Peter took a seat near Amber on the ottoman while Andy sat on the couch beside Faye.
“I should probably start,” said Andy, “by telling you that I’ve spent the day investigating you, Amber.”
“Me? Why?”
“A man came to see me Friday.”
“What did he want, Andy?” said Frank.
“He showed me a picture of a girl he’s trying to find.”
“He’s looking for Amber?” said Faye.
“Has to be,” said Andy as he looked at Amber, “unless you’ve got a twin out there.”
Amber shook her head. “No, no twin.”
Peter watched Amber’s face get very white. He grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes. “You’re safe here, Amber.”
She just nodded in response.
“Who is he?” said Amber.
“His name is Matthew. He gave me a card, and everything I could find about the agency he works for checks out. They specialize in finding people.”
“Is there anyone,” said Peter, “who might hire someone to track you down, Amber? Anyone who might want to hurt you?”
“Peter! Why would you ask that?” said Faye.
“This man was at my house, Mom. The Saturday night of your Christmas party, I saw him out in my yard.”
“Doing what, son?” said Frank.
“Dad, I’m not quite sure. When I saw him, he was standing in the tree line. When I spoke to him, he nodded like . . .” Peter ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Like we had just agreed to something. He turned to leave, so I ran out to him. But . . .” Peter sighed. “But, he just disappeared.”
“You lost him in the woods?” said Faye.
“No, Mom. He was gone, footprints and all. There was no sign of him ever being there.”
Amber stood and walked a couple steps away from Peter. Her back to him, he couldn’t tell what she was feeling. Does she believe me? Lord, help us!
“If it helps any, Amber, the man called you Rachel,” said Andy.
“Rachel? Who’s Rachel?” said Faye.
Peter watched Amber turn to look at Andy, then down at the carpet as she sat carefully on the edge of the hearth.
Frank broke the silence. “What is it, dear-heart?”
Peter finally saw the tears she was hiding. He went over and crouched before her. He brushed one side of her hair back and put his fingers under her chin, gently lifting until she could look into his eyes. “What’s going on? Who is Matthew?”
She grabbed his hand and Peter held firm.
“I don’t know this Matthew, but. . . .” She looked at Faye. “I am Rachel.”
“It’s your first name,” said Andy, “and Amber is your middle name.”
She nodded. “Yes. I’ve always hated the name because of my initials. My full name’s Rachel Amber Griffin. R-A-G. After Cassie died, I felt like a ragdoll that had been tossed aside and forgotten. When I left home, I refused to be called Rachel. Only my bosses knew my full name. Everyone I worked with just knew me as Amber.”
“So whoever is looking for you is from your childhood?” said Peter.
“It has to be family,” said Amber. “I haven’t been close to anyone in fifteen years. No one from that far back would be looking.”
“But that doesn’t explain the missing footprints,” said Andy.
“Maybe it does,” said Faye.
“What do you mean, Mom?” said Peter.
“Look, the more important thing,” said Faye, “is what we’re going to do now. Amber, do you want to meet this family who’s looking for you?”
Andy sat up straighter on the couch. “My guess is that they’ve worked pretty hard to find you. Your trail is not easy to follow! I suspect that whether you want to meet them or not, they’re going to find a way.”
“What do you suggest, Andy?” said Frank.
“Matthew left his contact information with me. I suggest that you allow me to call him and say that I know where you are and you’re willing to talk with him, under certain conditions. Number one will be telling us whom he’s working for. If they are the ones who want to talk, then we meet at my office in Crossing where we can best protect Amber.”
Peter looked at Amber and the living room faded away. “What do you think?”
“I don’t know if I can do this, Peter.”
“I believe you can.”
“You want me to do this, don’t you?”
“Precious, I believe God made you for more than running from your past.”
Amber sighed deeply and looked down. Peter prayed fervently for her to have the courage to do this, no matter what family member was behind Matthew.
“All right.” Amber looked back up at Peter, then Andy. “Make the call.”
Chapter 18
AMBER TURNED OVER AGAIN
.
God, this whole faith thing is new to me. Did you have to start big? Who could be looking for me that knows me as Rachel? Ryan, maybe. He’d be what, twenty-two now? But would he have the resources to hire a detective? Keith would be too young and I don’t see Dad caring. Would Mom look for me if something happened to Dad?
She turned over and looked at the clock. 11:47. I’m not getting any sleep this way. She sat up and looked at Sassy. “Come on, girl. Let’s get some milk.”
Amber grabbed her new plush bathrobe, a Christmas present from Brittney, and walked downstairs. A light was on in the library so she walked over to see who else was still up. Faye sat quietly in her rocker looking out the window, her hand resting on the Bible in her lap.
“Trouble sleeping too?” said Amber quietly.
Faye looked at her and smiled. “Yes.”
“I was going to get some milk. Can I get you anything?”
“How about something warm? I was just thinking some hot chocolate sounded good.”
“That would be nice.”
Faye walked over to Amber. Linking arms, they walked to the kitchen together.
“I was just reading Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount. He was telling everyone listening not to worry about what you will eat or what clothes you will wear. God knows we need them and if we seek Him first, He will provide everything we need.”
“What if you’re worrying about people looking for you?”
“Well, Jesus simply said, ‘Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’”
“So at midnight I can worry about tomorrow?”
Faye laughed as she grabbed a pot and poured milk into it. “Not quite. Jesus asked the question, ‘Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?’ And then He said something interesting to me. He said, ‘Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?’”
“Adding hours to our lives is simple to God?”
“It is, as simple as me making this hot chocolate. And since He can so easily do something that seems so impossible to us, then taking care of whatever problems may come tomorrow will be that much easier for Him.”
“It’s a trust issue,” said Amber. “I heard you say you would make hot chocolate and I know from experience that you do what you say. So I don’t worry about whether or not I will get any.”
“Or if you’ll want it when it’s done.”
Amber thought for a few moments. “But my experience with God is so limited.”
“That’s precisely what God and I were talkin’ about when you came down.”
“And did He give you any answers?”
“One thing you need to learn is that God loves to give wisdom. The book of James says that God gives it generously to those who ask for it. Another thing you should know is that He put us here to live and work together. You may not have much experience with God yet, but He’s surrounded you with people who do.”
“Like when you lost Jamie?”
“Yes, that, and lots of other things. And don’t forget all He’s brought Peter and Andy through too. My son loves God and has put Him to the test more than once. He knows God’s provision pretty well. And Andy would never purposely let Peter down.”
Faye brought two steamy mugs of hot chocolate over to the breakfast bar and sat down beside Amber. “I promise you that those two boys are praying tonight and they will protect you with everything they’ve got as events unfold tomorrow.”
Amber looked down at her mug. “I love him.”
“I know that.” Faye covered Amber’s hand with her own.
“I don’t want to mess up his life. I know I can be a liability.”
“Now I don’t know of a single person here who thinks of any part of you as a liability. Goodness, Frank’s already given you a nickname, which is his way of saying you belong. Brittney’s been talking all week about coming down for New Year’s Eve so she can spend more time with you. Allie can’t wait to work with you, and Andy certainly wouldn’t have gone to Peter first about this Matthew if he wasn’t trying to protect you.”
“But do you think I’m right for Peter?” Amber looked at Faye. “I want to know what you really think.”
“Amber, I could give you all kinds of signs, changes in Peter since you came. He’s a better man today than he was two months ago. You gave him something to fight for, something to live for. You brought a new purpose into his heart. Dear one, I not only think you are the right one for my boy, but I thank God that He brought you into our lives.”
Amber, touched by Faye’s words, wrapped her arms around Faye’s neck. She couldn’t remember the last hug she had willingly offered, but this felt right. Thank You, God.
: : : : :
As Amber descended the stairs in the morning, she saw Peter in the kitchen quietly talking to his mom. She stood watching him for a moment, her heart warming at the sight of him. I can’t believe he wants me!
Sassy ran ahead of her to greet Peter.
“Hey, Sass,” he said as he rubbed her ears. He looked up at Amber. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” said Amber.
“My goodness,” said Faye. “I didn’t expect you this early.”
“I couldn’t sleep any longer.”
“Still worried?” said Faye.
“A little,” said Amber.
“Andy will call as soon as he knows anything,” said Peter. “He was going to call Matthew about nine.”