There’s nowhere to hide from a deadly stalker...

Can Amish Country Justice save her?

The peaceful Amish community seems like the perfect refuge for nurse Alexa Grant—until her stalker returns. And when menacing gifts and threats turn into attempts on her life, she knows she’ll never be safe without the help of police officer Gavin Jackson. Yet Gavin’s growing closeness to Alexa enrages the stalker, who is determined to cancel Christmas for them...permanently.

DANA R. LYNN grew up in Illinois. She met a man at a wedding who she told her parents was her future husband. Nineteen months later, they were married. Today they live in rural Pennsylvania with their three children, two dogs, one cat, one rabbit, one horse and six chickens. In addition to writing, she works as an educational interpreter for the deaf and is active in several ministries in her church.

Also By Dana R. Lynn

Amish Country Justice

Plain Target

Plain Retribution

Amish Christmas Abduction

Amish Country Ambush

Amish Christmas Emergency

Presumed Guilty

Interrupted Lullaby

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Amish Christmas Emergency

Dana R. Lynn

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08649-3

AMISH CHRISTMAS EMERGENCY

© 2018 Dana Roae

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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His phone rang. It was Alexa. His gut knotted. Why was she calling? Was something wrong? He punched the button to put the call on speaker.

“Alexa? What’s wrong?”

“Gavin?” He winced at the quaver in her voice. “I think someone was looking in my window.”

“Get away from the windows! I’m two minutes away.”

He flipped the switch to turn on his siren and set his lights flashing. The last mile and a half of the trip took forever. Finally, he arrived, pulling into the short driveway. As he hopped out of the car, the door opened.

“Go inside,” he ordered. “I’m going to take a look around.”

He waited until she had complied, then circled the house. There were indeed footsteps by her kitchen windows. The curtains were closed now. Had they been earlier? The prints in the snow circled the house. Whoever it had been, they’d been watching her for more than a few minutes.

The stalker was bold, that was for sure. And determined. There was one thing Jackson was absolutely sure of.

Alexa Grant was in grave danger.

Dear Reader,

Another author once told me that her own personal experiences somehow found their way onto the pages as she wrote. After writing my seventh Love Inspired Suspense, I believe it. A piece of me is in each book, including this one.

I’d started writing the story when my family was faced with the challenge of diabetes. I had much to learn! I decided to have Alexa share this challenge. The hero needed to understand it, too.

Gavin Jackson is charismatic, with a chip on his shoulder and a stubborn streak. He is also a man who takes caring for others to heart. He had lost much in the past, but Alexa is just the right woman to convince him to risk his heart again.

I love to hear from readers! To connect, you may visit me on my website, www.danarlynn.com or find me on Facebook and Twitter.

Blessings,

Dana R. Lynn

What shall we then say to these things?

If God be for us, who can be against us?

—Romans 8:31

For my nephew, Andrew David. We waited a long time for you, but you were worth the wait. Love you.

Acknowledgments

To my husband and children...you guys are my world. Love you.

Amy and Dee...I’d go crazy without you two and our monthly coffee hours.

Lee and Rachel...you have been a blessing to me in so many ways. Love you.

To my writer friends and critique partners...thanks for all your support and prayers through this journey.

To my Dream Team...I love you ladies!

Your encouragement and support mean so much!

My heart is so grateful!

To my editor, Elizabeth Mazer...thanks for all your wisdom and guidance.

To my agent, Tamela Hancock Murray...you are a powerhouse! Your faith and your drive inspire me.

Lord Jesus...I ask that my words and actions always bring You glory.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Dear Reader

Bible Verse

Dedication

Acknowledgments

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

SEVENTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

ONE

“Megan, has Noah Hostetler arrived yet?”

Concern bit at nurse practitioner Alexa Grant as she hovered by the receptionist’s desk. It wasn’t like Noah to be late. He was always at least half an hour early. She knew for a fact that when the Amish man hired a driver to take him to his medical appointments, he booked them with plenty of wiggle room. A quick glance outside made her grimace. When she’d driven to work that morning, it had been cold, but the sky had been clear. Now, three hours later, a heavy sheet of snow and ice pelted the glass windows of the small medical clinic.

It figured. Her lips twisted. There hadn’t been any snow to speak of in LaMar Pond, Pennsylvania, back in November at Thanksgiving time. Now, only two weeks out from Christmas, the snow and freezing temperatures pounded the small town relentlessly, adding to the chaos of the season.

Chaos like the flu epidemic sweeping through northwestern Pennsylvania. It had hit LaMar Pond in the past three weeks. It was a virulent strain. One that was resistant to the vaccine. Several deaths had been reported throughout the affected area. It was hitting the local Amish community especially hard. In addition to her usual weekly home visits, Alexa had been out to see several children and one elderly woman already for the virus. Noah’s family had been hit, as well. Thankfully, his wife and children were on the mend.

Megan, the pretty young receptionist, shook her head, never looking up from her computer. Alexa didn’t take offense. Megan, like everyone else, was busier than usual. Even with the yearly shots, two nurses were already down with the flu. Nurses they couldn’t afford to do without. This was a clinic funded chiefly by donations. There wasn’t a hefty budget. The owners barely had enough staff to cover the clinic as it was.

The dispatch radio sent out a series of beeps. For a moment, the employees at the clinic paused, mostly out of habit, as many of the staff also worked shifts at the main hospital. That particular beep pattern was for the ambulance service and volunteer fire department in the next town over. Any victims would be transported to the hospital. Static crackled briefly before it was replaced with the dispatcher’s voice. Alexa winced. A four vehicle crash on the interstate. Conditions were bound to get worse. The weather forecast had said the snow was supposed to continue all day and into tomorrow.

Had Noah been in an accident, too? His usual driver was very cautious, but there were many other drivers out on the roads who were in too much of a hurry.

The dispatcher’s voice stopped, and the cheery sounds of Christmas music filled the air. The dichotomy of danger and joy was jarring to her. No one else seemed bothered by it, though, so she put the thought aside.

Alexa glanced at the clock on the wall and felt her tension go up a notch. Noah was now ten minutes late. If he didn’t show up in the next five minutes, the clinic’s policy dictated that he would lose his appointment. That would keep the clinic from getting even further behind schedule. She gnawed on her bottom lip. It could also set Noah’s recovery back a bit. Which would be a shame. Both his children were recovering from vicious cases of the flu, and he had come down with it, as well. Noah had chronically weak lungs, so he’d had a hard battle on his hands. But, hopefully, today’s exam would show that he was truly on the mend.

If he showed up.

Needing something to do, she moved to the counter against the wall, took a mug off the shelf and made herself a cup of hot tea. Still, she couldn’t get Noah out of her mind.

Alexa didn’t get caught up in her patients’ lives. She wouldn’t allow herself that luxury. No, as a nurse practitioner, she learned the value of keeping a professional distance.

Actually, she tended to keep her emotional distance at all times, professional or not.

The one time she hadn’t had nearly destroyed her.

She shook her head, refusing to give in to the memories that haunted her. Memories that had forced her to leave her home in Downers Grove, Illinois.

A tingle hit her between her shoulder blades. She hunched them slightly, suppressing a shiver. Nervously, she glanced toward the window again. No one was there. She couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something was wrong. The feeling had dogged her all week. Like a dark cloud, always hovering over her head, blocking out the sun. At times, she’d have the sensation of being watched. Sometimes at work. Sometimes at home. Once when she was running errands in town. She’d made a valiant effort to remain positive, but it was starting to weigh on her.

Frustrated, she stirred her tea with more vigor than was called for. She so didn’t need this stress. Hadn’t she made the decision to move to this rural northwestern Pennsylvania town to heal from the tragedy that had devastated her and to rebuild her life? How was she to do that when she was always tense?

The sound of a rough engine outside the building caught her attention. Some of the tension drained out as she noticed Noah stepping out of the van. Finally. A sigh escaped her. Setting her tea mug down on a side counter, she scooped up Noah’s file.

His driver started to drive off as Noah reached the clinic door. His hand was on the handle, and he started to pull the door open. A blast of cold air whooshed inside the busy waiting room, then the glass pane shattered with a loud crash. Everyone stilled, shocked. Noah stood with the door half open. A second gunshot blasted into the silence. Alexa screamed, dimly aware that others were screaming too as the young Amish man at the door swayed, a dark stain spreading across his shoulder. Not again. She wouldn’t lose another patient.

In the midst of the madness, Alexa realized that the other patients were potential targets.

“Get down!” Running across the lobby, Alexa reached the door and grabbed on to Noah as he started to crumple to the ground. Yanking him inside the building, she yelled for help. One of the other employees appeared at her side. Together, they managed to pull Noah across the lobby and behind the receptionist’s counter.

“Noah! Noah. Can you hear me?” No response. Leaning closer, she gently shook his shoulder. Her hand came away wet. A quick glance confirmed her fears. Her hand was covered with Noah’s blood.

“An ambulance and the police are on their way.” Megan fell to her knees beside Alexa, gauze bandages in her hands.

Alexa nodded her understanding. She grabbed the bandages and started to do what she could to stop the bleeding. Noah was still breathing, although there was a rasp to it she didn’t care for. Whether that was from the virus or from the injury, she couldn’t tell.

“Where’s the doctor? Grab me a blanket, will you?”

Megan quickly left, returning in seconds with an armful of blankets.

“I haven’t seen the doctor for almost an hour. He was in the back, treating patients. I’m amazed he didn’t hear the commotion.”

Alexa nodded to let Megan know she heard her. They needed to keep Noah warm. She was worried he could go into shock. “Cover him. I can’t relieve the pressure on his wound.”

On the floor, Noah moaned; his eyes were shut. Alexa encouraged him, keeping her voice calm, not letting on that inside she was a quivering mess.

“Come on, Noah. Fight this. You have a family to take care of,” Alexa told her patient.

What was that? She straightened, closing her eyes to hear better. Yes! Sirens.

“Do you hear that, Noah? Sirens. The ambulance is on its way.”

The next few minutes were frenzied. The ambulance crew arrived in a flurry of activity. Alexa sat back on her heels, letting the paramedics take over for her. She remained alert, ready to help in an instant if they called on her. She’d do whatever they needed to help Noah.

Another siren split the air. Red and blue strobe lights flickered on the walls, glinting off the shards of glass still on the floor. She shivered. She hadn’t realized until now how cold the clinic had become with the door’s window broken. But she could see little puffs emerging from people’s mouths as they breathed.

A LaMar Pond police officer entered the building. He quietly began to talk with the staff and patients. As he worked the room, a second officer arrived. He sauntered in casually, but his bright blue eyes were anything but causal as they canvassed the room. His black hair was dotted with snowflakes, which melted as she watched.

“Parker, what do ya know?” he asked the other officer, his eyes still moving.

“Hey, Jackson,” the first officer, Parker, responded. “The witnesses I’ve talked to so far said that the victim was entering the clinic when the window was shot out. There was another shot, and he was hit.”

The second officer, Jackson, stiffened. “A sniper! We need to have the area searched. Have there been any more shots since the victim went down?”

She had been listening as Parker brought him up to speed on the situation. At this question, she spoke up. “I didn’t hear any.”

Both officers looked her way. “Nurse, we need to talk with everyone and get the area checked out. Then we’ll be back to talk with you.”

She nodded. They started to walk away. “Wait! The man who was shot...do you know how he is?”

“Unknown at this point,” Parker said kindly.

Alexa frowned as a thought occurred to her. Someone needed to let Noah’s family know what had happened. His wife should be by his side at a time like this. She bit her lip. She couldn’t call her. The Hostetlers were Amish. The Amish didn’t use modern technology, including telephones, inside their homes. As soon as the officers came back, she’d mention it.

Her attention was drawn back to the room as the officers began questioning the witnesses. More police arrived. Officer Jackson directed them to start a sweep of the rooftops and surrounding area, searching for their sniper. They briskly set about following his orders. Then he headed her way.

A shiver worked its way down her spine. Small towns were supposed to be safe. LaMar Pond was proving to be the exact opposite. Her glance flickered toward the broken window. Once again, her peace had been shattered, just like the glass. In her mind, the image of the Noah being shot replayed in her mind like a horror movie. She would remember that sight for the rest of her life.

Who would commit such a crime?

Sergeant Gavin Jackson shook his head as he surveyed the damage. What a mess. A crew had arrived to clean up the broken glass in the entranceway. The crime scene had been hopelessly compromised, but that couldn’t have been helped. Not with a waiting room full of patients. Plus, the injured man had been dragged through the scene, leaving a trail of melted snow, glass and blood.

It had saved his life, so it was worth it.

Gavin made his way across the room to the nurse practitioner. Her name was Miss Alexa Grant, the janitor he’d just interviewed had said. She was watching him, her blue-gray eyes wide and uncertain. Her blond hair was pulled back into a clip, revealing high cheekbones and a perfect oval face. She was probably the prettiest woman he’d seen in a long time.

What was he doing? He was here on police business. There was no reason for him to be noticing if she was pretty or not. Besides, pretty on the outside meant nothing. He knew that too well. And nothing would tempt him to get caught in the emotional trap of romance.

Not again. The price was too high to pay. His goal here was to find a sniper and protect these civilians. That’s what he’d do.

“Miss Grant,” he said, halting before her. “I’m Sergeant Jackson with the LaMar Pond PD. I would like to talk with you about what happened here this afternoon. I understand that you helped move the victim.”

A slight shudder shook her slender frame, but her eyes never wavered. She had courage. He admired courage.

“Noah Hostetler is a patient here. He had an appointment, but he was late. He’s never late.” She hurried on, a concerned wrinkle forming on her brow. “Please, Sergeant Jackson. Noah has a wife. Naomi. And children. She won’t know what’s happened.”

“I’ll make sure she’s notified, ASAP.” Gavin shifted the clipboard he was holding. With his thumb, he clicked the pen in his hand several times. He hated standing still. “His driver said the van had slid off the road. They needed to be pulled out of the ditch, which got them running late.”

“I wondered,” she whispered. “If he’d been here on time, he would have been fine.”

“You can’t know that,” Gavin said, even though he thought she was right. It did no good to dwell on what might have happened. It couldn’t be changed. No matter how much he wished it could.

Alexa sighed. It was a small sound, but it contained a wealth of hurt and confusion. “I just don’t understand why anyone would shoot at him. He’s a young father. A husband. His wife makes the best cookies.”

He blinked at the last comment. “It is possible that the shooter wasn’t specifically targeting Mr. Hostetler. It could have been random. Maybe someone had a grudge against the clinic. It’s fairly new, right?”

“Yes.” She drew out the word slowly. “I have only been here for a few months. But it was opened within the past two years. The doctor who started it wanted a clinic that those who lived too far from the hospital and those in the Amish community could visit.”

Gavin talked with the pretty nurse for another few moments before moving on. No one seemed to have noticed anything. The doctor on call had been in the back room doing his dictation. Two of the nurses were out sick. The patients were a mixture of townspeople and Amish, mostly elderly or children with their mothers.

“Jackson!”

Hearing his name called, he turned and moved to where Parker was motioning to him. “What’s up?”

Sergeant Ryan Parker smiled, a slight lifting of the right corner of his mouth. Gavin knew his buddy well enough to know that the smile was practically an announcement that he’d found something important.

“I just got off the phone with the hospital. The man who was shot?” Gavin motioned for him to continue. “Well, he said something in the ambulance about catching a brief glance of a man with a gun as he was falling. Not a clear glance, mind you. But maybe we’ll be able to glean enough from his statement to get a real lead.”

That sounded promising. He wasn’t going to get his hopes up, though. If the man hadn’t gotten a good look, well, it might not help at all. It wasn’t as if a man would stand out carrying a gun during hunting season in Pennsylvania.

“How’s he doing? Our victim?”

Parker shrugged. “I’m not sure. He was being prepped for surgery. The person I talked with did feel that it was a good sign that he was conscious and thinking clearly. His wife has been contacted and is being brought to the hospital. We should know more later on today.”

“Did you get the scene on your body cam?”

Parker gave him a thumbs-up. “Done. I already sent it to the station. We can go through it there. See if anything stands out.”

“Okay. I guess we’re done here then. Meet you back at the station.”

Parker smiled and departed. Gavin zipped up his coat. He hesitated before leaving. Surely that nurse, Miss Grant, would appreciate hearing that her patient was still alive. Before he could talk himself out of it, he walked over to her. She was talking to the men who were covering the broken window with plastic. When she saw him, she halted her conversation and moved away from them.

“Sergeant?”

“Jackson. Or Gavin.” Now why had he said that? It wasn’t like they needed to be on a first-name basis. And besides, very few people called him Gavin. Okay, make that three people called him Gavin. His mom, dad and his brother.

But Gavin hadn’t talked to his brother since Sam had betrayed him in the worst possible way.

Get it together, Jackson. He’d promised himself after Sam and Lacey’s betrayal that he’d never let himself be humiliated that way again. His parents were concerned that he’d wind up alone. Well, maybe he’d be alone, but at least he’d know that he was living his life on his terms. That no one was taking advantage of him.

So why was he inviting a complete stranger to call him by his first name? He’d always hated his name.

She smiled briefly. It was a very tired smile. “Gavin, then. I’m Alexa.”

He changed his mind. He liked the way his name sounded when she said it. He really needed to focus.

Touching her lightly on the elbow, he pointed to an area away from the others in the room. Alexa seemed to understand. She led him behind the receptionist’s counter. Turning to face him, she raised an eyebrow and waited.

“I know you were worried about Noah Hostetler. I wanted to let you know that he made it to the hospital. He’s going into surgery, but he was conscious and alert. His wife is on the way to join him.”

“Oh!” Her blue-gray eyes glittered with unshed tears. “Thank you so much for letting me know. I was worried about him.”

He reached out and patted her shoulder. It was an awkward movement. Her eyes widened, and she jerked back slightly, flushed. He dropped his arm instantly, feeling like an idiot. What was he thinking? He had never been the touchy-feely type. It just wasn’t his style. He’d blame it on exhaustion. His shift was supposed to have ended two hours ago, but between the accident and now this shooting, he would be on the job for at least two more hours before he could head home and sleep.

“Hey, Alexa, what is this? It looks like you had a delivery,” the receptionist said.

Something flashed in her eyes before she averted them. Was it embarrassment? Fear? Whatever it was, she didn’t look happy to be receiving a delivery. In fact, she looked downright annoyed about it. She looked at the box the receptionist, Megan, pointed to with a scowl. Something was going on here. Although, it really was none of his business. The flowers were probably from an ex. He glanced at her left hand. No rings. Not even an indentation. So she probably wasn’t married or recently divorced.

“When did that get here?”

“I don’t know. I just saw it sitting here.”

“Miss Grant!” A man in a doctor’s coat strode up to them, scowling. “Haven’t I asked you not to get your deliveries here? This is a medical facility!”

“Yes, Dr. Quinton. I’m sorry, but I have no idea who’s sending them.”

Well, that was interesting.

The doctor wasn’t appeased. “Tell the florist to stop making deliveries here then.”

“Yes, Dr. Quinton. I told the florist that. Last week. This is from a different florist. One from out of town.”

The man huffed. “See that it doesn’t happen again.” He turned abruptly and left. Alexa tossed the narrow box on the counter. It bounced, and the lid fell off. A single red rose dropped onto the countertop. A note was in the box. She picked it up. The color drained from Alexa’s face. Concerned, Gavin stepped forward and grabbed the note from her shaking hand.

“It’s your fault he’s dead. You’re mine. Don’t forget it again.”

TWO

Alexa accepted the bottled water that Gavin brought to her with a smile of gratitude. She needed to have something in her hands to keep them from fidgeting. She sat in the conference room at the LaMar Pond Police Department. Sergeant Parker seated himself in a chair on the other side of the table. Gavin stood right inside the door. The rose and the note she’d received had been whisked away into evidence. She didn’t complain. If she never saw another rose again, that would be great. She never would have guessed that her day would have turned out this way.

Unscrewing the cap, she lifted the bottle to her lips and took a long drink. She hadn’t realized how thirsty she was. How long had it been since she had last eaten? Too long. She had not had a chance to grab her lunch, and then things had gotten crazy. She needed something soon if she didn’t want her blood sugar levels to crash. She wasn’t feeling dizzy or confused yet, although she was a bit shaky. That could be from the shock of the morning’s events, though. But what if it wasn’t? She wasn’t fatigued, though, which was a good sign. She had her sugar tablets in her bag, but she should eat something too.

“Do you need anything else? Something to eat?” Gavin inquired.

She smiled at him, relieved. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble. I was really sick years ago and developed type two diabetes. I’m feeling a little shaky. It’s probably nothing, but I don’t want to take the chance.”

Gavin’s eyes widened with alarm. “You have diabetes? Hang on!” He bolted out the door. She stared at the empty doorway, mouth open. She hadn’t expected him to react like that. A chuckle from Sergeant Parker drew her attention back to the room. He shrugged when she lifted her eyebrows at him. Well, she might as well make use of the time. Opening her purse, she found her testing kit and quickly pricked her finger to test her levels. She grimaced at the number on the small screen. Definitely too low. Hopefully, Gavin would bring her something she could use. A few minutes later, Gavin returned. He had a tray in his hands. “I went to the cafeteria and found some orange juice for you.” He took it off the tray and handed her the carton.

Gratefully, she accepted the juice and opened it. The juice was sweet and cold. Finishing it off, she tossed the empty carton in the garbage can.

Gavin tossed to the remaining items on the tray. “I also got some food for you, seeing as you missed lunch. Eat what you want. Don’t worry about whatever is left.” He noticed her kit and nodded. “Good. I see you’ve already tested.”

She examined the food he’d brought, pleasantly surprised. This was a man who knew diabetes. Salad, some sort of plain lean meat—turkey or chicken, she couldn’t tell which—and a small cup of applesauce. Her nutritionist had told her to limit her carbs, but make sure her meals were centered around protein and veggies. Interesting. Judging by his reaction, he’d dealt with someone with type two diabetes before.

“Do you need anything else?” He hovered near her. If she said she did need something else, he’d probably run out the door again to get it. She quickly tried to put him at ease.

“No, thank you, Gavin. I’m good.” She flashed a smile his way before picking up a bite of the meat. Chicken. She was being fanciful, but she could practically feel her blood sugar level stabilizing again as she chewed.

Nodding, Gavin proceeded to close the door. It was time to get down to business.

Sergeant Parker threw Gavin a look that could only be described as surprised. Why? Because she addressed the other cop by his first name? Was that wrong? He told her to. She decided that whatever it was, it wasn’t important.

A laugh trickled out of her. It was a laugh filled with stress and nerves and very little humor. “I feel like I’m in trouble here.”

“Nah.” Gavin shrugged. “We just need to figure out what we’re dealing with to keep you and everyone involved safe.”

Peeking up under her lashes, she watched as Gavin stalked around the table to sit across from her. He was not a man who liked to sit; she could see that immediately. Even though his pose was casual—leaning back against the chair, long legs stretched out under the table so that his feet popped out next to hers—she could see the tension that danced across his broad shoulders. He had a careful smile on his face, but his jaw was rigid.

No, Gavin Jackson was a man who liked to move.

Not that she could blame him. She’d prefer to be almost anywhere than sitting in a police station right now, no matter how gorgeous the sergeants were.

Heat crept up her face at the thought. Great. Did they notice? Sergeant Parker was writing something on a tablet. Good. And Gavin...was staring right at her, head tilted, a half grin on his face. Wonderful. Well, she certainly wasn’t going to tell him she’d been thinking about him. Hopefully, he wouldn’t ask.

He shrugged and sat up a bit straighter, pulling his legs back to his side of the table.

“One thing about all this that might be to our advantage is that our sniper obviously thinks Mr. Hostetler is dead.”

“That’s a good thing?” she blurted.

“Absolutely,” Parker answered. “If he thinks his target is dead, then Hostetler is easier to protect.”

She nodded slowly. She could see that. If her admirer—she shuddered—thought that Noah was dead, he wouldn’t go after him again.

“Alexa.” She raised her gaze to Gavin’s face. The smile was gone. “How long have you been getting flowers from someone?”

How long had it been? She bit her lip as she considered. “I moved here in August. So I guess they started late October. Not frequently. The first time I received a rose, I thought Megan had brought it in to spruce up the receptionist’s counter. There wasn’t a note or anything. It sat there for a day before she asked if I wanted my flower. They’ve been coming every two weeks. At first I thought the whole secret admirer thing was really corny.” She took a sip of water, giving herself time to organize her thoughts.

Gavin shifted in his seat. “You looked irritated when the delivery came. Was there something about the flowers that made you uncomfortable or nervous?”

“Nervous? Yeah. I was afraid my boss would fire me. He’d been okay the first time. But as they kept coming, he grew angrier with each delivery. I don’t know why it bothered him so much, but I called the florist that had been used for the last delivery and told them not to accept any more for that address.”

“Were all the flowers from florists?”

Shaking her head, she answered, “No. It was about half and half. I’m not sure how the others were delivered. I would come to work and find them.”

Sergeant Parker was typing on a laptop. She couldn’t tell if he was paying attention or not.

A moment later, she got her answer. “Well, this last one wasn’t from a florist, either,” he said.

“The name on the box,” she began.

Gavin looked over at the laptop. “That name on the box is for a florist in Chicago. No way the flower was from there.”

She cocked her head at him. “Why not? I’ve received flowers from there several times. Plus I used to live near Chicago. When my fiancé died fifteen months ago, I remember seeing flowers from Bressler’s at the funeral home.”

She definitely did not like the look on Gavin’s face.

Shaking his head, Gavin turned the laptop so it was facing her. The image on the screen was a building that had been decimated by a fire. A hollow sensation blossomed in the pit of her stomach. The headline read, Bressler Family Florist Destroyed by Arson.

“The place was never rebuilt,” Gavin informed her.

It felt as if the air had been sucked from the room. “When?” she managed to gasp out. “Does the article say when the shop burned down?” She ignored the sympathy on his face. She didn’t need sympathy. She needed answers.

“Yeah,” he answered after scouring the article again. “It burned down three years ago. The arsonist was never caught. The owners had an apartment right above the store. It was destroyed also. Three bodies were found when the fire was investigated. The owners and their son had apparently all perished in their sleep.”

She slumped. The flowers she’d received had been after the florist shop was long gone. She’d never checked. Another thought struck. “What does it mean that there were flowers from that place at Brett’s funeral?”

“It means you might have a stalker. It also means that your stalker may have been the same person who burned down the building. At the very least, we know he had access to the building.”

Setting the bottled water on the table, she covered her face with her hands. Suddenly, she was so tired. Lethargy seeped into her skin and worked its way down her body. A shiver caught her by surprise. It was difficult to tell if she was shivering because it was cold or if it was a delayed reaction to the horrific events of the past few hours.

“Hey, Alexa.” Gavin’s voice brought her back to the present. “We will find whoever this nutcase is. You know that, right? We will do everything we can to protect you.”

She nodded, more to make him feel better than because she believed him. After all, how would they find someone if they had no idea who the person could be? Or why the person was fixated on her.

Sergeant Parker closed his laptop. “Do you have any thoughts about who could be stalking you?”

She racked her brain to come up with possible suspects, but no one came to mind. “No, sorry. I can’t think of anyone. I want to go home.”

All she wanted to do was to go home, lock the doors and the windows, and snuggle with her cat on the couch. Maybe she’d even call her brother, Allen. Although he’d no doubt ask her what was bothering her, as she never called him when something wasn’t wrong. Her brother loved her, but he was so much older than her and lived so far away that he didn’t give her too much thought. She received a Christmas card every year from his wife and a phone call on her birthday. He’d never even seen her apartment. No. She’d be better off dealing with this alone.

“Soon,” Gavin promised. “Let’s finish here, then I’ll let you go.”

She nodded. If it would help catch whoever hurt Noah, she’d do whatever the police said.

Gavin hesitated. “Alexa, we need to know what happened to Brett. How did your fiancé die?”

She’d known it was coming. And she’d thought she was prepared for the question. But the way the question came at her, forcing her to put the two situations together, chilled her blood. Were they connected?

The sudden conviction that they were connected caused her to blurt out, “I think he was murdered.”

Gavin and Parker exchanged a glance. “You think he was murdered?” Gavin asked.

A grimace twisted her face. Then it smoothed into resignation. “I do now. At the time it never occurred to me. It wasn’t something we were looking at. And, honestly, it just never would have occurred to me.”

“Okay, Alexa. Why not start back at the beginning? What happened with your fiancé?”

Her head dropped for a moment. He could almost see her trying to collect her thoughts and gather her courage. Admiration flickered briefly before he squashed it. Leaning forward, he waited.

“Brett Stevens and I had been dating for six months.” His heart wrenched at the sorrow on her face, in her voice. “We had gone to high school together, but never really knew each other. There were over five hundred students in our graduating class. We met up again at a five-year get-together and just clicked. We dated for six months before we got engaged. I know that doesn’t seem like a long time, but we’d been talking marriage since the second month. We’d gotten engaged just five days before he died. I was over the moon.”

She swallowed. He knew that she was struggling, but to her credit, she kept going. “I went to a conference, and when I came home, he was in the hospital. An overdose. No one even knew we were engaged. Brett wanted to wait to announce it.”

The heartache in her eyes was painful to even watch. But he made himself. Maybe if he could get some answers for her, she’d have some peace.

“So he was in the hospital...” he said when the silence grew too long.

She ran a hand through her shoulder-length blond hair. “Yeah. He was actually supposed to be one of my patients. Isn’t that ironic?” She huffed a bitter laugh. “When I told the head nurse who he was, she put another nurse in charge of his case. During the night shift, he was somehow given the wrong IV. He went into cardiac arrest. They were unable to revive him.”

She stood, began to pace. “I was investigated because I was on duty that night. All the night staff were, but the police looked especially hard at me because of our relationship. Something about the significant other often being the culprit. To make matters worse, I had gone in to visit him during my break.” Alexa shook her head. “It was like being on one of those TV crime shows.”

No doubt. “I’m guessing that you were cleared of any wrongdoing.” It wasn’t really a question. If she hadn’t been, she would never have been hired as a nurse practitioner again.

“Yes. By the police. But the other nurses at the hospital were noticeably colder to me. I could tell that they weren’t convinced. Someone started the rumor that I had driven him to attempt to kill himself and then had finished the job. It was horrible. I knew that wasn’t the case, but still, I did wonder if it was my fault. If I had failed him. The guilt nearly destroyed me. Which is why I handed in my notice and sought out a new home in a quiet town where nothing exciting ever happened.”

“Why do you think you failed him?”

The glance she flung in his direction clearly said she thought he was being thick. “Seriously? I’m a nurse. I came back from a medical conference to find the man I planned to marry had been admitted into the hospital after supposedly trying to kill himself.”

“Surely, though, you knew you weren’t at fault when he died at the hospital.”

Alexa shrugged. “I wasn’t the nurse taking care of him, so obviously I knew that I hadn’t made the mistake with the IV. However, I thought that if I had realized he’d been depressed and gotten him help, he wouldn’t have been in the hospital to begin with.”

“Alexa, I will look into his death and the situation at the hospital. I will say this—I find it too much of a coincidence that both your fiancé and a man under your care at a medical facility have been hurt, or worse. Add to the mix the flowers that you got from a flower shop destroyed by arson.” He tightened his lips. He knew in his gut that Brett had been murdered. Without absolute proof, though, he was reluctant to voice the thought. Even though he was sure both Parker and Alexa were thinking the same thing.

“Alexa? Are you all right? Maybe you should sit down.” Parker’s concerned voice broke into his thoughts.

Looking up at the woman standing on the other side of the table, he understood why. If he thought her face was white before, it was completely colorless now. For a second, he feared she’d faint. He stood and moved to her side. Gently he urged her back to her seat. When she sat, he pulled out the chair beside her and sank into it.

“Alexa?” He touched her shoulder.

Finally, she turned her head, slowly, like it took great effort. “He followed me, didn’t he? The man stalking me followed me from Chicago. I hadn’t realized that someone was watching me there, too.”

That startled him. “Too? Alexa, has someone been watching you?”

The urgency of his voice seemed to jerk her out of her of the dark place she’d gone in her mind.

“I don’t know. I can’t be sure. It’s just that sometimes...sometimes I feel like someone’s watching me. You know the feeling?”

Both sergeants nodded.

“Where are you when this happens?” Parker asked. “At work? Home?”

She raised her hands, palms up. “Yes, to both. Home, work, once outside the post office. I never actually saw anyone suspicious. Nor have I noticed the same person in several places.”

Gavin digested that information, not liking it at all. “What about other incidents at the clinic? Anything unusual or suspicious stand out to you?”

When she shook his head, he held in a sigh. Not from impatience with her. She was a victim here. No, he was impatient with the idea that he had to let her go home without any assurance that the attacker was beyond bars. Who would protect her?

He would have to make sure that she was safe.

“Was it my fault?” she asked in a small, dull voice. “Did Brett die and did Noah get shot because of me?”

“No!” She flinched from the force of his response. He gentled his voice. “No. Alexa, it’s not on you that some creep is following you. You did not ask for it. And you certainly don’t deserve it. No woman does.”

“I get that, but Brett—”

He cut her off. “Brett loved you, right? I am sure that he wouldn’t want you to blame yourself.”

Gavin waited for her nod, then he stood. “Okay. Here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll see about getting you some protection where you live. Obviously, you’ll need to take some time off work—”

“I can’t!” she interrupted him.

“What do you mean you can’t?” Why would anyone want to go to work when someone was literally gunning for them?

Parker stood and came around the table. “Alexa, you’re in danger. Going to work will bring that danger to the others who work there.”

“Gah!” She exploded into a standing position so fast her wooden chair fell over with a loud clatter. Parker stooped to pick it up. Alexa strode to the window. The tension was vibrating off her. “I get what you’re saying. I do. But I don’t have a choice. Maybe if we weren’t in the middle of a flu epidemic. As it is, the clinic is already short-staffed. We have patients who depend on us.”

Gavin considered the situation. “Hold on for just a minute, okay?” He strode to the door.

“He’s always on the go. Don’t mind him,” he heard Parker murmur to Alexa as he exited. He rolled his eyes, smiling briefly to himself. The amusement was short-lived.

He had a job to do. A woman to protect, and a stalker to find. A stalker who had already murdered in order to get close to his obsession.

A stalker who would kill again unless Gavin could stop him.

THREE

Using a knuckle, Gavin rapped sharply on Chief Paul Kennedy’s office door. Impatiently he waited for the chief to answer. He was getting ready to knock again when Lieutenant Jace Tucker strolled past him.

“The chief’s not in, Jackson,” Tucker informed him. “He had to go with his wife to the doctor. He said he should be back in the next hour or so. Anything I can help you with?”

“Is Irene okay?” He hated to think of anything being wrong with the chief’s feisty red-haired wife. Irene was well-loved by all the officers. Paul Kennedy was her second husband. Her first, Tony Martello, had been a solid cop. And a good friend. Four years ago, he’d been killed in the line of duty. The loss had been devastating to all involved. Especially to Irene. They were all happy when she and the chief had found each other.

She was also Lieutenant Tucker’s sister. He didn’t seem too worried. So it couldn’t be that bad. Right?

“Nothing serious,” Tucker said, confirming his thoughts. “What do you need?”

Switching gears, Gavin related what he’d learned so far. “What I’d really like to do is to order some sort of protection for Alexa.”

At this moment nothing was more important than the frightened woman sitting in the conference room. “The woman ran from Chicago. And all evidence points to her stalker being from there, too.”

Lieutenant Tucker straightened, his gaze sharpening. “Really? Let’s put this on a priority level. I will inform the chief when he gets back. Can you hang with Miss Grant until we get the details worked out?”

He ignored the jolt of relief at the words. He should not, under any circumstances, have a preference for which officer stayed with Alexa. Nor should he be glad to have an excuse to stay with her.

The sooner he got her back to her place and another officer watching over her, the better. He’d been with her only a couple of hours and she was already messing with his mind. He didn’t need that. Hadn’t his dealings with Lacey taught him anything? He was better off alone than setting himself up for that kind of heartbreak. And heartbreak and disappointment it would be. He was the kind of man that women liked until someone steady and smooth-talking came along. Someone like his brother, Sam.

He wasn’t going there.

Alexa’s life was in danger. He was chasing her stalker turned sniper. As far as he was concerned, that was as far as their connection would go. Could go. He refused to allow it to become anything more.

“I can do that, Lieutenant Tucker,” he said. “What kind of plans are you thinking of?”

He didn’t mean to be pushy, but he needed something concrete here.

Lieutenant Tucker gave him a level stare, and his right eyebrow twitched, but he didn’t give Gavin any grief. Probably because Tucker himself had once had to protect a woman from a killer. A woman who was now Lieutenant Tucker’s wife. Irrelevant. Shoving the annoying thought away, he focused once again on his superior officer. “I’m sure we could do some sort of drive-by. Like I said, I will run it by the chief when he gets back. We’re limited on how much surveillance we can do. But we’ll do our best.”

“Yeah, that’ll have to work.” He ran a hand through his hair, thinking rapidly. “Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll drive Alexa back to get her car. Then I’ll follow her to her place and check it out. Maybe Parker can meet me there, and we can canvas the neighborhood, talk to the neighbors. See what’s the situation there.”

“Sounds good. I’ll pass your message along to the chief when I see him.”

There was nothing more to do at the station. He needed to confer with Parker. One of them needed to get to the hospital and get Noah Hostetler’s statement the minute he was out of surgery and conscious. Amish folk didn’t particularly go out of the way to converse with cops. However, given that he’d already told someone he had caught a glimpse of the sniper, Gavin didn’t think the man would protest answering a few questions. Gavin retraced his steps back to where he’d left Alexa with Parker. They were talking quietly when he entered.

“Hey, Parker. One of us needs to go to the hospital.” He didn’t go into details. Parker was a smart man and an experienced officer. He’d be able to connect the dots. He switched his gaze to the anxious woman. The shadows drenching her eyes tugged at him, despite his desire to not be moved. It might take a while, but he would do everything in his power to clear away those shadows. “Alexa, how ’bout I drive you to get your car, and then we can head back to your house?”

She caught her lip between her teeth and blinked up at him. As her blue-gray eyes zeroed in on him, he knew that she wasn’t going to agree with his plan. He waited for her argument.

Gavin fought against the frustration that was tearing at him. All he wanted was to find the stalker who was after her and give him a lengthy stay in a prison cell. Letting his emotions get out of hand would only get in his way. He couldn’t afford that kind of complication. If he was to keep his wits about him and work with a clear mind, he needed to stay detached.

Especially from pretty blondes like the one gazing up at him. Nope. Not going there.

“Just say it, Alexa. Whatever’s on your mind, just go ahead and say it.”

She smiled slightly. “If you don’t mind, I would like to go to the hospital with whoever is going. See how Noah is doing, and if his wife has arrived yet. I’ll never be able to sleep until I know how they’re coping.”

He just wanted to get her home and locked up tight. The thought of her being out in the open when there was a sniper after her didn’t sit well with him. Gearing up to tell her no, they couldn’t visit the hospital, he glanced into those blue-gray eyes. The denial never made it past his lips.

After all, he had just said that they needed to go there. It might as well be him. Plus, Tucker did tell him to stick close until they had a plan approved.

“Sure. Parker, I’ll take Alexa to the hospital. Cover the details there. We have to get her neighborhood checked out.”

“I’ll go ahead and start on that, Jackson.”

He threw a grin toward Parker. “I was so hoping you’d say that, buddy.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Parker waved his hand at them in a shooing motion.

Alrighty, then. Alexa’s stalker had already escalated to the point of violence. Violence that possibly had led to at least one death. If his suspicions proved to be true, then he was also responsible for the deaths when the florist shop had burnt down. It was only a matter of time before he struck out again.

Unless he could stop him.

Check out her neighborhood? Alexa paused, her coat halfway on. “Why do you have to check out my neighborhood? It’s a very quiet one. Nothing ever happens there.”

“Until we can narrow things down a bit, everyone around you is a potential suspect. I have requested some security for you. Lieutenant Tucker suggested that a police car do a periodic drive-by to keep an eye on your place. He’s going to run that by the chief and let me know for sure. Hopefully, if someone is watching your home, that will keep them away. You have good locks on your place, right?” Gavin asked.

Irritation fled. A melting warmth took its place. It had been years since anyone worried over her well-being. She gave herself a mental shake. She wouldn’t go all soft because someone asked her to lock her doors.

“I have locks.” She hesitated. “Actually, they’re kind of old locks. I don’t think it would take too much for anyone to breach them.”

Gavin and Sergeant Parker exchanged glances.

“What?” She heard the defensive tone in her voice. “Until today, I had no idea I had a stalker. In the neighborhood where I live, half the people don’t even bother locking their houses.”

Their faces grew grimmer. “Well, you’re going to lock yours,” Gavin said.

Her shoulders stiffened, but she didn’t argue. Independence was one thing, but arguing when she knew he was right wouldn’t help the situation.

“Alexa.” She turned her gaze to Sergeant Parker. “I’m also wondering if you would consider installing dead bolts on your doors.”

“Of course,” she responded quickly. “If it’s that important, I will check on dead bolts tomorrow.” Was it her imagination, or did some of the tension leave Gavin’s shoulders when she agreed?

“We’ll be by to check on your neighbors, make sure none of them are your admirer. Once we can rule them out, I’ll feel a whole lot better about your being in your home by yourself.”

Sergeant Parker nodded at Gavin’s words.

She didn’t like the sound of that at all. The idea that one of her neighbors might be her stalker had never crossed her mind. Briefly, she considered what she knew about the people who lived around her. Not much, she realized with some shame. Since leaving Chicago, she’d kept to herself. She had no real friends in the area. Sure, she got along with Megan, but they were colleagues. Megan had tried several times to convince her to go grab coffee or go to a movie with her. Each and every time, Alexa had shut her down with one excuse or another. Hence, here she was, in the police station, a stalker on her tail, and unable to account for her neighbors.

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.

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