Good tidings for Christmas and a lethal New Year...

Silent Night, Deadly Night by Hannah Alexander

After sabotage strikes the Vance Rescue Mission, volunteer Sean Torrance tries to guarantee the mission a safe Christmas. But can Sean protect Tess Vance when the sabotage becomes poisonous—with Tess as the target?

Mistletoe Mayhem by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Holiday cheer turns chilling in Abbotsville, Tennessee as danger infects humans and animals. Local vet Kelly Granger knows health inspector Matt Bennett is chasing the wrong target, and will face any danger to show him the truth. Even if working with Matt means risking her life... and her heart.

Praise for Hannah Alexander

“Alexander is great at drawing the reader into her storyline and keeping them hooked until the resolution of the plot.”

—Christian Retailing on Sacred Trust

“The strength of emotion packs a powerful punch, and the suspense sits on the edge of a knifepoint... Hideaway is an absolute must read for everyone.”

—Romantic Reviews Today

Praise for Jill Elizabeth Nelson

“This book has a well-developed plot and an excellent mystery that will keep you guessing until the final pages.”

—RT Book Reviews on Legacy of Lies

“A wonderful mystery with a great heroine keeps the reader guessing.”

—RT Book Reviews on Witness to Murder

HANNAH ALEXANDER

is the pseudonym of husband-and-wife writing team Cheryl and Mel Hodde (pronounced “Hoddee”). When they first met, Mel had just begun his new job as an E.R. doctor in Cheryl’s hometown, and Cheryl was working on a novel. Cheryl’s matchmaking pastor set them up on an unexpected blind date at a local restaurant. Surprised by the sneak attack, Cheryl blurted the first thing that occurred to her, “You’re a doctor? Could you help me paralyze someone?” Mel was shocked. “Only temporarily, of course,” she explained when she saw his expression. “And only fictitiously. I’m writing a novel.”

They began brainstorming immediately. Eighteen months later they were married, and the novels they set in fictitious Ozark towns began to sell. The first novel in the Hideaway series won the prestigious Christy award for Best Romance in 2004.

JILL ELIZABETH NELSON

writes what she likes to read—faith-based tales of adventure seasoned with romance. By day she operates as housing manager for a seniors’ apartment complex. By night she turns into a wild and crazy writer who can hardly wait to jot down all the exciting things her characters are telling her, so she can share them with her readers. More about Jill and her books can be found at www.jillelizabethnelson.com. She and her husband live in rural Minnesota, surrounded by the woods and prairie and their four grown children who have settled nearby.

Hannah Alexander

Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Season of Danger

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Silent Night, Deadly Night

Hannah Alexander

This story is dedicated to the fabulous editors and staff of Love Inspired, who work hard to reach the world with tales of hope and encouragement.

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism.

Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

—James 2:1–4

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

ONE

At eleven-thirty on Tuesday night, two hours after the canned Santa Claus music had gone blessedly silent out on the street, a squeak, which sounded like rubber-sole shoes on tile, reached Tess Vance from the hallway outside her locked office door. She heard footsteps…almost rushed…sneaky.

She straightened from her computer keyboard and frowned. She knew the cadence of her brother’s swift pace. Gerard Vance had the legs of a giraffe. He could cover the length of the hallway in less than ten steps, and he didn’t walk as if he was sneaking anywhere. Neither did Sean Torrance, who also had his office up here. Besides those two men, Tess was the only person who had a key to the admin offices.

Tess stacked several sheets of information that needed to be entered into the data system. She was preparing to stand up and stretch her aching back when she heard another echo of footsteps, rushed as before. Her heartbeat rocked through her body.

Was her imagination working overtime with the rest of her? She glanced at the phone on the corner of her desk, unreasonably terrified of being alone right now.

A homeless woman, Carlotta, who had come to the mission more than once for food and a place to sleep, had been found dead two weeks ago, not far from here. It appeared she’d been ill and exposed to the elements. No one suspected foul play except Tess…and possibly Sean and Gerard, though neither of them had told her what they thought.

Tess couldn’t get that awful announcement from her mind. It had been related on the local Channel 11 as a brief aside, as if Carlotta didn’t matter as much as someone with money and an address.

One channel that had treated her death as the tragic event it was had been KSFJ, 106.1 FM, the radio station that had been owned and managed by the Torrance family for the past two decades. After Sean inherited the station and took over management three years ago, he’d brought with him a whole new level of popularity—and compassion.

Despite Tess’s anxiety—or perhaps because of it—she settled her thoughts on Sean, who had the ability to calm her tension with nothing more than a look, a gentle word, a touch on her hand. He was the person who had helped Tess in the past eight months, since joining Gerard in the work at this mission, to convince local churches to organize a system of volunteerism for the rescue missions and soup kitchens in the region.

Sean had been a godsend to Gerard, Tess and their older brother, Hans, and to the hundreds of homeless in multiple cities who benefited from his organizational skills. Everyone who knew him benefited from his big heart. But Tess couldn’t help feeling she benefited the most.

Tess felt the tension in her body ease. In contrast to her brother’s Nordic blond, rugged good looks, Sean had hair as dark as the night sea and eyes the color of midnight surf. He did share Gerard’s size and strength and thoughtful consideration toward others—despite his wicked sense of humor when he and Gerard teased Tess.

She considered calling one of the two men. Just in case. She suddenly felt reluctant to wander these hallways alone tonight.

She reached for the phone and allowed her hand to hover over it but quickly chastised herself for being jittery. She’d worked many late nights alone in the mission with less crew than they had tonight. There was nothing to worry about. She glanced over her shoulder toward the barred window that overlooked the street and saw nothing but a reflection of those protective bars. No movement. Maybe one of the children had somehow slipped upstairs, had become lost trying to sneak back for more of the banana pudding cake that was Sean’s special—and secret—recipe.

But the kitchen was downstairs, not up here.

Something felt different tonight. Maybe it was the measure of activity that had kicked into high gear here at the mission because Christmas was here in a little over two weeks, or maybe it was the lateness of the hour. Gerard had been forced to rely more and more on volunteer staff since Tess arrived nine months ago—he and Hans were saving for their next move in the rescue mission project. They wanted to establish a rehabilitation center.

With the exception of Sean, who was a tireless worker, the most experienced volunteers wanted to spend more hours shopping, decorating and prepping for Christmas parties. The Vance Rescue Mission had been left with seasonal help, folks with good hearts who knew little about the work involved.

Of course, Gerard’s ground rules helped a lot—when an able adult refused to work, that adult didn’t eat, so those in need of food knew they might have the opportunity to earn their keep here. Gerard believed this rule was not only helpful for the mission, but it engendered self-respect for those who worked for their meals.

Another footstep echoed out in the hallway—the sound of hesitance, only one step, then silence.

Tess closed her eyes and waited. She knew she was still suffering from stress disorder after her fiancé’s death in March. The sense of horror continued to follow her nine months after Tanner Jackson was intentionally run down and killed. She was jumpy, startled easily and seldom felt at peace in her surroundings.

Her hand continued to hover. One place she did feel at peace was in Sean’s presence. And why wouldn’t she? He was six foot four and weighed probably 220, all muscle. Was she simply looking for an excuse to see him one more time tonight?

Until this past March, Tess had never been a nervous person. She had dealt with all kinds of people in her marketing agency. She could handle anyone from self-absorbed diva performers to angry authors whose novels didn’t sell as well as they’d hoped to belligerent employees who thought they had a right to company finances. A few times in the past, she’d been forced to ruffle feathers. She still desperately needed to know whose feathers she’d ruffled enough to get Tanner killed.

Again, the sound of footsteps reached her, rushed, staccato. Someone was running in the hallway. The steps came closer. The locked knob rattled, and then something rammed the door.

Tess opened her mouth to scream, fists clenching as she braced for someone to break through. But she pressed her lips together, took a deep breath, willed herself to remain silent as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

She could handle this; she didn’t need to go running to Gerard or Sean. She reached into the top drawer of her desk and grabbed the pepper mace, slammed the drawer shut.

The echo of diminishing footsteps told her she was already too late, but she reached the door, slung it open and glanced each direction along the hallway. A shadow on the far window to her left was all she saw of her intruder, and then it was gone.

She paused, frustrated, frightened and ashamed. It could still be a rambunctious little boy who had found his way up here. Perhaps someone had left the door unlocked? Who would’ve been able to ram her door so hard that the impact still rattled in her brain? Not a little boy. Teenager plying a little mischief?

Something on the polished tile floor caught her attention at the bend of the corridor to her right, as if someone had tracked—what was it, straw?—from outside. Something from a manger scene?

Though Tess had always been nearly as courageous as her brother, courage had failed her lately. Gerard would worry if he knew, so for the past nine months she’d kept her trepidation to herself as much as possible.

The straw on the floor hadn’t been here when she’d come upstairs three hours ago. She’d heard no one while she was doing data entry and planning a new strategy for promotion.

She wasn’t a clean freak, but she stepped into the hallway to investigate. She was bending over to pick up the litter when a footstep from behind startled her so badly she had to strangle a scream. She held the mace up and pivoted.

It was Sean. His hulking shoulders seemed to expand to the width of the hallway. She went weak and nearly collapsed. “Do you know how close you came to sneezing pepper?”

Sean Torrance had the most melodious laughter she’d ever heard. “Janitorial volunteers didn’t show up tonight?”

She didn’t return his smile.

“Sorry,” he said, still chuckling. “A little jittery, aren’t you? Poorly done Christmas music does that to me, too, though not quite to the point of wanting to mace someone.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, raising one brow in threat.

Sean forced himself to stop laughing. Since he and Gerard had first been assigned as partners in the Corpus Christi police force ten years ago, he’d been undeniably drawn to Gerard’s younger half sister. She was like a fiery angel with hair and eyes the color of shiny onyx. She’d been able to make him smile when nothing and no one else could, especially these past months.

“You’re just so doggone cute when you glare like that,” Sean told Tess.

Her dark eyes flared, and he was tempted to taunt her a little—tell her outright that she should stop trying to deny her attraction to him, because he wasn’t buying it. But he knew better. Tess had been different ever since Tanner’s death. He knew she still blamed herself, though she never talked about it.

“Cruel,” she said to him. “That was cruel.” Her eyes darkened further as she pushed past the fear that seemed to cling to her. She’d been startled. He could see that now.

“I know. Sorry. What’ve you got?” he asked, nodding at the straw and whatever else she held in her hand.

“Did you hear the noise out here a moment ago?” she asked.

“Yeah. Thought it was you, so I stepped out for some company, and lo and behold, there you were, showing me a whole ’nother…um…side of yourself.” He bounced his eyebrows in an attempt at a leer.

“I meant, before I came out.”

The leer vanished. “I take it you weren’t the one running, banging around out here. I mean, remember the time we had that infestation of mice, and you chased—”

“Not mice. Not this time.”

“Tess, what happened?” He was suddenly a cop again.

She held up the straw. “The running, banging on the door, it was someone else. Someone tried to break—and I mean literally break—into my office. Who could have gotten up here? Where’s Gerard?”

Sean felt himself go cold inside. He reached beneath his coat for his sidearm.

“No.” She touched his arm, shaking her head. “It may be nothing. No need for guns.”

“You’re sure?”

She hesitated, took a deep breath, and Sean knew she was much more spooked than she wanted to let on.

“Gerard’s been gone for hours,” Sean told her. He reached for the material in her hand, sniffed it, wrinkled his nose. “Manure and mud. Someone come up here from a feedlot?”

She shrugged.

“Did you lock behind you when you came upstairs?” he asked.

“I always do. You?”

“Sure did.” Gerard had told Sean he’d purchased this building in this district of town because he knew this was where they would find the most people in need, but he also knew that calling it a mission didn’t protect this place from danger more than any other place of business in the area. The secondhand store they operated in the connecting building kept money, and this time of year they brought in a lot.

“How long have you been here?” Tess asked.

“Half the day. I’m working on year-end accounts for the station, and I can’t get anything done there. Too many interruptions.” Not that he didn’t have plenty of interruptions here…and distractions just down the hallway. The beautiful lady’s presence could be very distracting.

Tess took a deep breath, let it out slowly. She flexed her shoulders and met Sean’s gaze again, as if looking at him made her feel safer.

He stepped closer. “Maybe we could share an office for a while, at least until things slow down after the holidays.”

She hesitated for a moment, obviously thinking about it, but then she shook her head. “You just want the office with the bathroom in it,” she said, as if she, too, was teasing. But he could hear the tremor in her voice.

“Not true.” He followed her as she stepped back into her small office. “There’s no room for two desks in here. You’d have to move in with me.”

“Not happening. I like my private bathroom.”

“We could change the locks to our upstairs sanctuary.”

“Good idea. Tomorrow?”

“First thing in the morning.” He glanced again at the clump of strange evidence in his hand. “Got a plastic bag?” he asked.

She reached into the set of trays on the wall and pulled out a self-sealing envelope. “That’s the best I can do.”

He dropped the straw, mud and manure into the envelope, took it from her, sealed it and set it on the corner of her desk. He then went into the small half bath and washed his hands. She joined him. No telling where that stuff came from.

Though Sean and Gerard had both left the police force more than three years ago—Gerard to join their brother in an extremely successful start-up, a green-manufacturing plant to help support this mission, and Sean to take over his family-owned radio station—they both retained the instincts of policemen.

He believed that was one reason Tess felt safe working here for the time being, living in the back wing of Gerard’s house, never too far away from either Sean or Gerard. For the first time in her adult life, this past year she’d allowed herself to be protected by her older brothers. And Sean.

The men had made a pact to keep watch over her and protect her at any cost. That wasn’t always easy, because Tess was independent to the point of arrogance at times. Sean wasn’t going to tell her that. At least not at this point of their non-relationship.

Sean had seen pictures of Gerard and Hans’s mother, and of Tess’s. Lawrence Vance’s first wife was of Swedish descent, blond hair nearly white, and the men favored their mother. Tess’s mother, Maria—who had named her daughter Theresa and was the only one who still called her that—had moved to Austin from Mexico City six months after Lawrence’s first wife was killed in a car wreck. Maria had met Lawrence in church and had fallen in love with his two children. After thirty-three years of joyful matrimony, the loving couple continued to live west of Austin. Maria was the only mother Gerard had ever known.

Tess stretched her hands and arms as she walked to the window of her office and closed the blinds. “What a day this has been. My back aches, my head hurts, and my neck is as stiff as a starched, new rope. Breakfast was a long time ago.”

“I thought I saw a long line outside the soup kitchen this evening,” he said.

“Gerard told me they fed nearly twice as many as usual. A hundred and fifteen at last count, with many more teens and children than usual. I wonder if the other kitchens are as overwhelmed.”

“Maybe we’re serving the best food today.”

“Why do people get laid off at Christmas?”

Sean shook his head sadly. “It’s below freezing outside tonight. Did we have enough room for overnighters?”

“There were three men with no place to go. Gerard couldn’t find a bed for them anywhere in the city.”

“Don’t tell me,” Sean said. “He put them in the subbasement.”

“With blankets and pillows.”

“Against regulations, of course.”

“You’d do the same. Gerard can’t turn them out to freeze.”

Sean leaned against the edge of Tess’s desk. “He’s always been a soft touch, but don’t you dare tell him I said that.”

Her dark eyes slid over him with apparent appreciation as he spoke. “Beneath his tough-guy exterior is a heart of spun honey.”

“It runs in the family,” Sean said.

“Tough-guy exterior?”

“You never could take a compliment.”

A light gleamed in her eyes as she silently acknowledged his words. “Guess that spun honey rubs off on his friends, too.” She picked up the envelope and handed it to Sean. “Glad I didn’t mace you.”

“I’ve been maced before. I’d have lived through it.”

“At least there were enough cots for the women and children tonight,” she said. “But I’m not sure how much longer this can go on. We need larger facilities. Can you get this straw checked out? See where it came from?”

“Will do. We’ve still got friends connected to the force.”

Tess glanced at the clock and gave a sigh of obvious frustration. “Midnight.”

“What time are you due back tomorrow?” Sean asked.

“Early. I have to supervise breakfast prep.”

“Gerard can’t do that?”

“He’s got a meeting in Houston first thing in the morning. Court case.”

“Then it’s time for you to wrap things up.” Sean tucked the envelope into his shirt pocket and reached for Tess’s purse and jacket. “Out you go. And don’t come in at five. I can do it; you get some extra sleep. I’ve seen how many hours you put in here.”

Tess gazed into his eyes and made him think of things he knew were impossible at the moment. She was still grieving. She looked worn down. She had looked that way since before Tanner’s death—had probably begun to have those circles under her gorgeous eyes about the time the first threatening note showed up under her door.

“I have more to do tonight,” she said. “If I don’t get it done now, I’ll just have to—”

He took her by the shoulders and guided her toward the door. “You’re done. Joni and Mamie will be more than happy to help you tomorrow.”

“Mamie has a job interview.”

“That won’t take all day. We’ve got extra help coming in tomorrow from a new church start-up, so take advantage of it. We need it. Mamie can enter data, and Joni can file for you tomorrow.”

The homeless population of the past years had exploded with whole families out on the street after foreclosures on homes, repossession of vehicles, loss of jobs. Those who were accustomed to work were so appreciative of the help they received that they freely gave of their time serving in the kitchen, filing and entering data, housekeeping, working in the mission store. This four-level double building utilized a lot of volunteers.

Sisters Joni and Mamie Park had owned their own storefront antique shop, with a large apartment upstairs, until this past summer when fire broke out and destroyed everything they owned except for their delivery van.

When they started coming to the soup kitchen for meals, Sean had discovered they were sleeping in their van and cleaning up at the public bathrooms at the beach while looking for work. In the months before the fire, their business had declined to the point they’d been unable to pay for insurance. The timing had been horrible for them.

Gerard’s dream was to create more jobs and set up a career rehab center somewhere far from here. He would most likely make that happen. Sean wanted to be a part of that by staying behind and helping Tess manage the mission while her brother was off in search of a new place of promise.

“Okay,” Tess said. “I think after ten-thirty at night from now on, we’re going to have to put bells on our toes.” She preceded Sean from her office and waited for him to lock it.

“I don’t care what you say. No bells. Don’t we hear enough bells around here lately?”

She followed him to his office door. “Don’t tell me Gerard’s stuck with two Scrooges here at the mission.”

“It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the crowds during Christmas season.” He pulled a thick briefcase from his office, locked up and held an arm out, indicating that she should follow him.

“I can’t stop thinking about that pistol you carry,” she said.

“You have pepper mace, I have the protection I’m most comfortable with.” Sean didn’t mention that Gerard also carried a concealed weapon. Gerard had insisted his key personnel carry protection on these dangerous streets, not only to protect themselves, but to protect the helpless ones who were stuck outside at the mercy of too many deadbeats.

“In a way, my brother has expanded your police force in Corpus Christi by adding a private security division,” Tess said.

“Who else is going to protect them? He protects his own, and that encompasses everyone in need.”

“Face it, my brother’s a hero. Is it any wonder I’ve seen our pretty doctor spending so much time with him lately?” Tess followed Sean down the stairs.

Sean smiled, but he wouldn’t mention that even Dr. Megan Bradley, who was working at the mission to pay off her med school loans, also carried a concealed weapon at Gerard’s behest. She took it with her when she and Tess had a girls’ day out.

“Or perhaps I should say, it isn’t any wonder why Gerard can’t seem to stay away from the clinic.” Tess cast a side glance at Sean. “She could win an international beauty contest.”

“I don’t think he sees that.” Pretty as Megan was, she held none of the mystique for Sean that Tess Vance held.

Tess groaned. “He’s a man, isn’t he?”

“I think he enjoys her company, but I’ve honestly never heard him remark on her physical attributes. You know your brother, he always looks at the heart first.”

Tess hesitated at the doorway in the rear of the kitchen, where several of the late workers, mostly Hispanic volunteers from the church three blocks from the mission, were sweeping the floor, emptying trash and having their dinner of leftover chili.

“All right!” Tess said, grinning at last. “The special is chili, and I haven’t eaten since my late breakfast.” She cocked an eyebrow at Sean. “How about it, Torrance? Gerard’s not here to challenge me right now, and Hans is always stuck up in Austin, watching over that manufacturing plant. Which of us can take it the hottest?”

“Hey, Señorita Vance,” called Angel Mancillas, the pastor from the church. “You’re welcome to join us, as always, and I brought your favorite habaneras sauce my Sandra makes.”

Tess rubbed her hands together and grinned at Sean. “If I remember correctly, you like hot stuff.”

He held her gaze. “Love it.” He pulled a chair out for her, then joined her, and for the next thirty minutes, she seemed to relax and think about something besides the footsteps in the upper hallway. If only he could always make her feel so safe.

TWO

The telephone awakened Tess long after dawn. She got a blurry look at the clock—it was eight—before she grabbed her cell phone. Caller ID showed it was the Vance Mission Clinic.

“What’s up?” she asked, pushing Gerard’s affectionate Dobermans from the bed. When had Romper and Roxie climbed under the covers with her?

“Tess, this is Megan. Are you okay?”

At the urgency in the doctor’s tone, Tess sat up and swung her legs to the side. “I’m fine. Why? What’s happened? Is Gerard—”

“Your brother’s perfectly healthy, long ago landed at Houston, but we appear to be having some kind of illness among the regulars. Since I’m not sure Gerard’s out of court yet, I decided not to call him about this.”

“What kind of illness?”

“Gastrointestinal symptoms. We’ve had six come in so far, and they’re feeling pretty rough. I’m trying to decide if it’s a virus of some kind, or if we’ve had some food go bad.”

“We’ve never had food poisoning in our kitchen. How many of them ate at the mission yesterday?”

“All six.”

“I ate breakfast and dinner there, even challenged Sean to a hot-sauce competition. Have you seen him?”

“He was in the kitchen cooking just now, told me to call you, but he’s feeling as healthy as always.”

“So am I, and I ate a sample of everything. Could it be a stomach virus?”

“It’s always possible, but that wouldn’t hit everyone all at once like this. Only food poisoning would hit everyone so suddenly, and these are some of our regulars. All of them had their flu shots this year. I saw to it.”

“We never have tainted food. We watch that closely.”

“I haven’t had time to take extensive histories. It’s possible they’ve all eaten elsewhere.”

“That’s most likely, since I’m not feeling a thing.”

“You’re healthier than most homeless people, Tess. And it’s likely you didn’t eat the same batch of food. These all ate early last night.”

“Are you taking samples?”

“Yes, and I’m getting bogged down.”

“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

“Uh-oh. Here comes another one.”

“I’ll call in some backup. Maybe some of our volunteer medical personnel will be off duty today.”

“Thanks,” Megan said. “I think I’ll have Mamie drive to the pharmacy for more supplies.”

“No, just call in your order and get Mamie to the clinic to help you. She mentioned the other day she was a volunteer medical aide in high school. I can pick up the order on my way.”

After hanging up, Tess pulled on a fresh pair of jeans and a sweater as the dogs fought each other for her attention. She kissed Roxie and Romper on their foreheads, scratched their ears and smiled at Roxie’s groan of contentment.

“Sorry, kids, gotta run. You want out?”

Of course, they did. She unlocked the door and watched them race each other through the doorway and out into the huge fenced yard, then, despite her watchdogs on alert, she locked the door again. How long since she’d felt safe when she was alone?

And the stress over the mission illnesses was making her worse. Often, people from participating churches would bring side dishes or desserts to help feed the hungry, but yesterday all the food had come from the Vance Mission kitchen, and they tested their raw meats and produce often. It had always been an obsession of Gerard’s to make sure the people he fed received wholesome, healthy food.

But Megan had said more than once that those living on the street were more susceptible to any illness that came along. They had weakened immune systems from exposure and often a history of poor lifestyle choices.

Despite the attempt to reassure herself, Tess felt the stress growing as she brushed her teeth and combed her hair. She grabbed her jacket and keys and rushed into the garage, where she parked her Cooper. As the garage door opened, she pressed the first phone number on her cell for nursing help.

She called herself all kinds of a fool on the drive to town. This was not her fault. Not her responsibility. She did not cause anyone to get sick…she couldn’t have caused this in any way…could she?

No. But she couldn’t get the sound of those footsteps out of her head from last night and the fear that, even in the absence of more of the threats she’d begun to receive ten months ago, someone out there still wanted to hurt her by hurting those she cared about.

By the time she reached the pharmacy, she had promises from a nurse and two techs to meet her at the mission. She drove to the pick-up window and exchanged friendly insults with Troy, the tech on duty, who had asked her out at least once a month since she’d arrived in Corpus Christi.

“Sounds like you’ve got an outbreak at the mission,” Troy commented as he heaved two big bags out the window to her. “Flu season has hit hard.”

“You’ve had a lot of orders like this?”

He nodded.

“But these patients had their flu shots.”

He raised his bushy eyebrows in surprise. “That’s weird. We’ve always got our rogue viruses, of course, but this year’s inoculations seemed to be hittin’ the bull’s-eye.”

She thanked him and drove to the mission as the tension knotted multiple times in her stomach.

Sean held an emesis basin for a man in his fifties who’d never answered to any name but Stud. Three more people had walked into the clinic after Sean traded kitchen duties for clinic duties at Megan’s request, and all of them looked miserable.

Megan had drawn blood, given eight shots so far for nausea and handed out multiple little envelopes of pills to help with the stomach cramps. She told Sean she wanted to do a blood draw on Stud as soon as she could get to him; he had a chronic alcohol history, and that could make him prone to electrolyte imbalances. She’d managed to collect some stool samples on the others and remarked three times in the past five minutes that she hoped Tess arrived soon.

And Tess did, looking harassed and pale, carrying in two large bags imprinted with the local pharmacy logo. Soon after she arrived, an RN who volunteered at the clinic two Saturdays a month walked in the door, pulling off her coat and wrapping her stethoscope around her neck.

“Feeling better, Stud?” Sean asked his patient softly.

The man nodded and used the paper towel Sean handed him. “Need to clean up.”

“Go get a toothbrush and toothpaste in one of the bathrooms down the hall and then go into the men’s dorm. Lie down and rest until the doctor can get to you for your blood test.”

Stud shook his head. “Got a job helping a man fix a fence a couple of miles out of town. I need the money.”

“At least rest until we have a better idea about what you’ve got. If it’s infectious, nobody’s going to thank you for showing up. Give me a telephone number, and I’ll call to let him know you didn’t bug out on him, but you need to be here for Dr. Bradley to check you out.”

“Got no number. How would I call? Really, I’m feeling better.”

“You have the man’s name? If the doc can get a diagnosis from your blood, you could be helping out a lot of sick people.”

Stud gave in, and Sean hunted down the phone number of Stud’s temporary employer and left the message. When he hung up, he caught sight of Tess, her large, beautiful eyes as haunted as they’d been yesterday when he’d found her in the corridor. The smudges beneath her lower eyelids seemed to have deepened overnight, and she’d lost the typical glow in her complexion.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, stepping over to him.

“Good. Did you sleep last night?”

“Off and on. I had a nasty wake-up call.”

“Tess, I can’t believe this is food poisoning.” He was just glad he had a strong stomach. He’d never signed up for clinic duty, and for a few moments, he’d thought he might have to hunt down his own emesis basin.

“Me neither, unless they all ate something elsewhere. Or unless it wasn’t the food itself that poisoned them.”

As soon as she spoke the words, she closed her eyes and bit her lower lip, long strands of her black hair falling over her forehead.

“So, what you’re saying,” he said softly enough that the others couldn’t hear, “is that you aren’t ruling out poisoning of some kind.”

Her shoulders slumped, and she nodded. “That’s what I’m saying.”

He stood up and took her arm, led her from the clinic proper for a moment. “You’re trembling.”

She put a hand over his. Hers was icy. “I’m sorry. Leftover post-traumatic stress disorder, I know. Also, I can’t get past Carlotta’s death two weeks ago.”

“That was ruled a natural death.”

“Easy for the authorities to do that when she’s homeless with no family.”

“You’re obsessing over it.”

“So sue me.”

“What you’re really anxious about is that Tanner’s killer is still out there,” Sean said, guessing at the direction of her thoughts.

Tess raised her hand from his and pulled her fingers through her hair. “I know it’s not all about me. But those notes, Sean, I can’t stop thinking about them, reading them, trying to figure out who might have sent them to me and what kind of person that might have been.”

“Vindictive.”

“Of course, but how vindictive?”

“You think enough to poison homeless people?”

“I’m thinking all kinds of things right now.”

“And you’re driving yourself crazy in the process.”

“I’m not crazy,” she snapped.

“You know that’s not what I’m saying.”

“Whoever wrote those notes threatened to hurt me or those I loved.”

“I know. I still have copies, and I’ve reread them a few times myself.” The paper and print had both been impossible to trace because they were so common. Sean knew how frustrated Tess had been when the police gave up searching for Tanner’s killer. Some of the officers had even suggested that Tess was imagining the attack, despite the solid evidence of tire rubber on the asphalt. As one officer had pointed out, that could have been done at any time.

“Something about the wording leads me to believe the writer was female,” Sean said.

Tess slowly raised her gaze to his. “You really are still on the case.”

Sean didn’t mention that her ex-cop brother was, as well. “Someone did die, Tess. Nothing’s happened since. Whoever wanted to get revenge on you got it with Tanner’s death.”

“So you’re saying I’m being unreasonable to think that same someone might try again.”

“I’m saying you need to stop torturing yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

“With guilt. You’ve been overwhelmed with it all these months.”

“He was crossing the street to see me when he was hit. I’m going to feel some guilt about that, Sean. It’s a human emotion.”

“You weren’t the driver.”

She rubbed her neck and turned away. “It wouldn’t be hard for someone to track me down with my last name matching the name of this mission, and someone did try to break down my door last night. You heard the noise yourself.”

Sean had known she’d been more shaken up by that intruder than she would admit to him. He’d thought she was doing better, and he had told Gerard to keep watch on the house last night.

Not only did Gerard have thoroughly vetted help on his small ranch, but he had a state-of-the-art alarm system and two protective Dobermans who lived indoors, adored Tess and would never let a stranger close to her. Romper, the male, would barely even let Sean close when he drove out to the house for a visit, though both dogs were affectionate with him, as well.

He put an arm around her and walked her farther from the clinic entrance and into the larger rooms toward the back. “There’s no reason to think a simple outbreak of food poisoning could have anything to do with Tanner’s death. It wouldn’t match the M.O. Poison would be a whole new profile.”

“Not necessarily. Didn’t you once tell me that sometimes a killer simply uses whatever’s at hand?”

Sean paused. “You know what we’ve discussed about Tanner’s reputation before,” he said quietly.

She gave him a querulous look.

“He was a rising country music star,” Sean said. “He had the bad-boy persona. You told me yourself that before the two of you became an item, he left a trail of broken hearts. That’s why you kept your engagement quiet. He also got into a few fistfights at some late-night establishments.”

“Staged. I told him not to do that, but he wanted that kind of publicity.”

“The multiple romances—often at one time—weren’t staged, were they?”

“You think he might have dated a killer?”

“At least he finally had the sense to know a good woman when he saw her,” Sean said, rubbing his knuckles over her cheek. “You’re an amazing woman, Tess.”

She swallowed daintily and looked up at him, her olive complexion deepening a shade. She didn’t say anything, just looked at him.

A woman walked past them toward the connecting secondhand store and drop-off facility, and the moment was gone.

Sean straightened. “But Tanner also aligned himself with unsavory people of both sexes, if you ask me.”

“Been reading the rags?”

“Let’s just say I did a few background checks.”

“While I was engaged to Tanner?”

He nodded. For a moment, he couldn’t bring himself to reveal what he’d discovered.

She tilted her head, obviously intrigued. “You never told me this stuff.”

“You weren’t the one who made enemies—he was.”

“The crime wasn’t solved, Sean.”

“An entertainer doesn’t behave the way he did without making enemies. You’re not being fair to yourself. I don’t like to accuse a man who isn’t here to defend himself, and I certainly don’t want to hurt you, Tess, but Tanner lived a self-indulgent life and he didn’t give two cents for who he hurt.”

“He cared about me.”

“His actions didn’t back up his words or the ring he put on your finger.”

“You’re saying he dated another woman when he was engaged to me?”

For some reason, she didn’t sound surprised. Had she guessed? She also didn’t sound devastated. “Women. Plural.” Sean studied her expression, confused. “I’m sorry, Gerard and I had decided not to burden you with some of the information we dug up about him, but in my opinion, the guilt is proving to be more destructive to you than a broken heart.”

But he saw no signs of a broken heart. What he saw was a brief whisper of, what—simple sadness?

“There’s no danger of that,” she said, confirming his suspicion. Intriguing.

More people walked past them. The drop-off and the store were getting busier.

“Want to go upstairs?” Sean asked. “Maybe we should discuss this further.”

“Megan needs help.”

“She has a very efficient nurse, two more techs just walked in to help Mamie, and you brought her the supplies she needs. I’m not saying there is any more danger from Tanner’s killer, but if there is we should see if we can get to the bottom of it.” Or at least divert her attention from the break-in and dial down the stress a few notches.

Tess hesitated, then sighed and nodded. “Don’t you dare tell Gerard I’m doing this.”

“Doing what? Struggling because you see people suffering?”

“Don’t tell him I’m being paranoid. Again.”

At least she was admitting it. Sean pulled two keys from his pocket, gave Tess one and used the other to unlock the door to the administration offices. “Changed the locks myself at first light this morning.”

She took hers from him, took his hand, looked up at him. “Thank you, Sean. How can you be so many places at once?” Her voice was suddenly soft, tremulous. Some light had returned to her eyes.

“Believe me, I wish I could be.”

“You’re always there when I need you. You always have been.”

His skin felt the warmth of her skin, and he couldn’t resist losing himself, for just a moment, in that vulnerable, dark gaze. “Ever think that’s a touch from God?” he asked.

She smiled, then nodded. “I think that’s exactly what it is.”

It seemed an appropriate time to reassure her. He pressed a light kiss on the top of her head. “Don’t want to miss my calling.”

Her smile widened. She pulled out her key ring. As they went up the steps, she switched the new key for the old one on her ring, and Sean watched her steps for her. He was being overprotective, and he knew it. She’d pick up on it soon if she hadn’t already, but doggone it if she hadn’t settled over his heart like moist, rich chocolate frosting on a dried-up cake.

He unlocked his door and drew her inside. His office was the largest in Admin, with extra chairs. This was where they held their meetings, and this was where he or Gerard interviewed potential employees. Gerard also insisted on background checks on those volunteers who might be working with the homeless for a long period of time. He was protective of his people, and he’d grown especially so since Tanner’s death. Sean suspected that Gerard also worried that there might be another attempt to hurt Tess.

“Have you heard anything about the straw and manure we found last night?” Tess asked.

“Yep. At first glance they decided it was straw, manure and mud. Sorry. Hard to be any more specific yet, but it’s most likely from a nearby barn lot. They’re running more tests at my request.”

“Did Megan send out any blood and stool samples yet?”

“She did. Mamie had Joni take some of them to the lab to get started,” Sean told her. “They’ll check for Norwalk virus and rotavirus since there are sick children—and salmonella, Shigella, and E-coli, as well as the usual intestinal parasites. Those are all the scientific words I can remember.”

“What about the food?”

“Volunteers are scouring through the stores of food we have right now.” As he talked, he was aware of the warmth of her beside him, the smell of her hair, and his hands still felt the touch of hers.

“They won’t find anything off in our kitchen. No one will,” Tess said.

“All seems fresh so far. Dates are good, freezers have worked perfectly, and if anything, the cooks overcook the food. The stomach pains seem to have hit the Hispanics harder for some reason.”

“You think this might be a racial thing?”

“Megan doesn’t see a reason for racial profiling. There just happened to be more Hispanic people in the line yesterday and Monday because Angel and Sandra did a great job of bringing in their church members to help, and word spread in their community.”

“I called Gerard on my way here and left a message,” Tess said. “None of this makes sense, though. If it isn’t a virus, and we’re sure it isn’t our food, then what?”

Sean allowed the silence to return as he watched Tess nibble at her lower lip. She was really obsessing over this. “Tess, we can’t go around second-guessing every action we take simply because we might accidentally make it convenient for some psychopath to commit murder.”

She sighed, resting her chin in her cupped hands.

“Just don’t jump to any conclusions yet, okay?” Sean bumped shoulders with her. “Hey. Okay?”

She leaned back, as if to leave some space between them. “A psychopath did kill Tanner, but that psychopath also sent the threatening notes to me, not to him.”

“You showed them to the police, to us, to Tanner. You’re off the hook completely.”

Tess held Sean’s gaze, looked down at her hands. “Remember last Christmas? When Mom and Dad took that cruise on the Mediterranean, and the rest of us came to Gerard’s for Christmas dinner?”

Sean hesitated. That was a sudden and uncomfortable change of subject. “Not willingly.”

“I’m sorry. I promise I don’t mean to bring up bad memories, I’m just trying to make a point.”

Sean took a deep breath and braced himself. He had brought a date—a sales rep from Houston—simply because he had known Tess would be there with Tanner, and he was a little too sensitive about that. His date turned out to be the biggest mistake of his life. If only he’d never met Kari Ann. He’d allowed things to go way too far. They’d used no protection. He didn’t find out she was pregnant until she’d already decided to abort.

Tess placed a hand on Sean’s arm. She was no longer ice-cold. “Kari Ann made her choices, too. You tried to stop her. I was here, remember? I saw how hard you tried.”

He took another slow, deep breath to control the fury-riddled frustration at the situation he’d helped create—and the grief over the abortion of his offspring. He’d have gladly raised his baby alone, if only Kari Ann had been willing to bring that helpless, beloved child to term.

All that rage and pain had brought him to his knees and to Christ, with Gerard’s support.

But today, Tess was the one in need of strength.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “What were you going to tell me about last Christmas?”

“Only that something changed in me during those days. I realized that I’d left my faith behind when I left my family and went out to make my own life.”

“You were always ethical.”

“Oh, I always tried hard to be ethical in my business dealings, but I made my own plans without seeking God’s plans for me.”

“You’re talking about Tanner?”

She nodded. “Somewhere along the way, God stopped being my reason for living, and Tanner turned my head—much like he did all his female fans. I mean, the man had the looks, the personality and the moves, you know?”

“Um, not really.”

“Okay, no, you wouldn’t. But that voice alone could melt a person.”

Sean felt suddenly restless. He did not want to think about the effect Tanner had on Tess.

“But when I spent time at the mission last Christmas,” she continued, “I saw what Gerard and Hans were doing. It made an impact. I slowly began to realize I was missing it all, and that my relationship with Tanner Jackson might not be the right one for me.”

“But you continued your engagement.” That, too, had been frustrating to Sean, especially after he realized, just watching Tess with Tanner that week during Christmas at the Vance ranch, that the two didn’t belong together.

She hadn’t realized Tanner’s depraved mind, his selfish disregard for anyone who didn’t serve his needs. Tanner hadn’t understood—if he cared at all—the kind of man Tess needed in her life. It simply was not him.

“It’s one thing to make a life-changing discovery about yourself,” she said, “but it’s another thing altogether to break it off with the person you’ve been planning to spend your life with.”

“You need to learn to listen to your heart.”

“I continued to believe we could make it work, despite the rumors and some of the sly innuendoes on gossip TV and trash magazines. I talked to him about my faith and how it had been reaffirmed, how I had finally realized that serving God wasn’t just following a set of rules, but knowing Him and putting Him first.”

“And?”

“He didn’t like the change in me.”

“So he was jealous of God?”

Tess shrugged. “You could put it that way, I guess. We pushed each other further and further away.” She nibbled again on her lower lip. “He’d never been the person I tried to convince myself he was.”

“You always like to believe the best about people.” It was one of the things Sean loved about her.

“But here’s the crux of the matter, Sean,” Tess said. She leaned forward. “The night he died, I’d called him to come over. I had the ring in its original box, ready to give to him.”

“What? You mean…you’re saying you were breaking the engagement?” All Sean’s memories of that time suddenly shifted sideways in an effort to contain this new information.

“Yes. I couldn’t keep it up. I was holding the ring in my hand when I heard the gunning of an engine outside and then the squeal of rubber on the street.” She closed her eyes.

“You don’t have to relive it. I have everything memorized.” She hadn’t loved Tanner when he died. She was blaming herself for that?

She looked up at Sean sadly. “I still have nightmares about running out the door and seeing that car disappearing around the corner two blocks away. I still dream about the blood.”

Sean was reaching out to cover her hands with his when his telephone rang. He glanced at Tess, pressed the speaker button and answered.

“This is Dr. Bradley,” came a shaky voice over the speaker. “We’ve been coding Stud. He’s asystole. Ambulance is on its way.”

“Flatline!” Tess jumped up.

“We couldn’t get him to respond to shock,” Megan said.

Tess grabbed Sean’s hands. “He’s dying.”

Sean caught her as she fell.

THREE

Tess floated through a dark tunnel, aware of nothing but the sound of a man’s voice shouting in the far distance. She couldn’t understand what he was saying and didn’t know why he was shouting. Was it a warning? Or was he angry?

He fell silent, and she drifted until something cold and wet dripped onto her face. Then she felt herself being lifted.

Sounds finally smacked through her ears again: the thud of footsteps, hard breathing, other voices, doors opening and closing.

“Tess? Honey, wake up now. You’re scaring me. Please open your eyes.” It was Sean’s deep voice, directly above her.

Light slid beneath her eyes, and she squinted up to find Sean carrying her into the clinic.

“Tess,” he breathed. “Thank goodness.” He laid her on a cot at the far end of the room from where paramedics and Megan stood around a supine man.

“I’m wet,” Tess said.

Sean brushed her hair from her eyes, standing between Tess and the crowd around the cot across the clinic, where privacy curtains had been pushed back. “I splashed water on you to wake you.”

“Stud?” She remembered.

Sean hesitated. “He didn’t make it. Megan called medical control to see if they need to take his body to the hospital or have him taken to the morgue.”

Megan rushed from the crowd to Tess’s cot. “Tess Vance, when’s the last time you ate anything?”

“About midnight.”

Without pulling a curtain, Megan pressed her stethoscope over Tess’s chest.

Tess breathed for her. “You okay?”

“Hush and let me listen.”

“Your eyes are red, and your face is white as—”

“Tess.” Firmly.

“Megan, relax. I was shocked to hear about Stud. That’s all.”

“Heart and breathing sound okay, despite the fact that you’ve suddenly turned into a chatterbox. I’ll check your blood sugar.”

“You don’t have to do—”

Sean touched her shoulder. “Be good and listen to the doctor.”

Megan pricked Tess’s finger and read the number on the glucometer. “Seventy-nine. Not low. You fainted over the death of someone you don’t know very well.”

“PTSD, okay? I faint easily. Look, you already have your hands full, and you don’t need me complicating matters.” Tess glanced at Sean. At least he wasn’t offering any unsolicited information the way Gerard would do if he were here.

“PTSD from what?” Megan asked. “Is there something you never told me in all those days at the beach and nights out on the town?”

Tess eased herself up slowly. “When I’m out for a good time, I want to laugh, not cry about the past.”

The clinic phone rang. Sean paused to make sure Tess would be okay and then walked into Megan’s tiny office cubicle to answer, obviously so Megan could continue to grill Tess.

“Have you seen a doctor about your fainting spells?” Megan asked.

“Nope. Can you take a guess about what caused Stud’s death?”

“I wish I could. There’ll have to be an autopsy. The coroner is sending a car.” Megan turned and dismissed the paramedics.

They walked out, and in the distance, Tess could hear the doors of the ambulance close in a heavy thud as the crowd dispersed. Unfortunately, many of them ambled toward Tess. Strangers, some of them, from off the street. Not homeless, just morbidly curious. Disgusting. She felt herself tense up as she glanced at the body lying on a gurney, covered by a sheet. It hurt to think of quiet, struggling Stud being cut open and displayed for examination.

“When were you going to get around to telling me about the PTSD?” Megan asked softly, waving the others away. They didn’t move far. People around here weren’t typically shy.

Tess took an irritable breath. “I apologize for not telling you.”

“Then tell me now.”

Tess glared toward the curious onlookers, who continued to gawk. “Private conversation here, folks.” Her voice was a little too confrontational, and she didn’t care. At last, the final stragglers ambled out the doorway.

Tess waited, annoyed by nosy people the way she’d never before been annoyed by them. “My fiancé was murdered in March.”

“What! I never heard that. No one told me anything.”

“We didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t want word to spread that my fiancé was Tanner Jackson.”

Megan’s full lips parted. “The country singer? That Tanner Jackson?”

“Quiet, please.” Tess glanced toward the entrance again. “He was a client of mine. We hit it off, fell in love, got engaged late last year. Tanner didn’t want to risk the ire of all his adoring female fans, so we kept it private.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Megan muttered. “You said he was murdered. I heard it was an accident. How could murder not have been blazoned all over the radio and gossip columns?”

“Good cops, good friends, tight lips. I am a publicist by profession, you know.”

Sean hung up the phone and turned back to them. “Gerard’s on his way. It’s going to be okay, Tess.”

Tess swung her legs over the side of the cot. “Not even my superhuman brother can just walk into a room and snap his fingers and make everything bad go away.”

“Dizzy?” Megan asked.

“I’m fine. How are the other patients?”

“They’re sleeping in the dorms, with folks keeping close watch on them,” Megan said. “Angel was called in a while ago, and he’s in the men’s dorm, Sandra is in the women’s dorm, praying with those who are afraid, helping the nurse and techs as they work. A couple of the ill are from their church.”

“So they aren’t all undernourished homeless.”

Megan shook her head. “And you said you ate a little of everything yesterday.”

“That’s right. I’ll go help Sandra.” Tess started to get up.

“You’ll do no such thing,” Megan said. “You will rest, as you should have been doing all along. If you don’t stop pushing yourself so hard, I’m going to call in reinforcements.”

Tess raised her eyebrows. “Yeah? Like who?”

“Mister Superhuman.”

“You think he’s going to make me behave?”

“Yep.”

Megan stepped across the clinic to close the door.

Sean stepped from Megan’s tiny office and sat down beside Tess on the cot, and she welcomed his sturdy presence. She needed his strength. She was also glad when Megan returned to them.

Dr. Megan Bradley had graduated second in her class at Kirksville Osteopathic in Missouri. She and Tess were nearly the same age, and both being professional single women, they tended to talk the same language, except for the second language Megan had learned in med school.

Since Tess had allowed Gerard to bully her into moving home with him and helping out at the mission after Tanner’s death, she and Megan had become close. She’d helped Megan in the clinic many times, and they’d spent their few off hours together shopping or looking for the best seafood restaurants in town, or, as Megan said, walking along the beach.

Megan was understandably mystified about why Tess had never told her about Tanner’s death, but Tess simply hated talking about that time in her life. She’d had too many nightmares, anyway, and she wanted those nightmares gone. Her arrival home with Gerard in March had met with no fanfare, no announcements.

Now Tess was sorry she hadn’t even given Megan at least a warning before this morning’s episode. After all, Megan had been working here when it all took place; they just hadn’t known each other well.

“The good news,” Sean said, patting Tess’s shoulder, “is that no more sick people have come in for the past…what did you say, Megan? Thirty minutes?”

“More like forty-five. Betty arrived just a few moments ago, and she’s helping Judy keep close watch over the patients in the dorms. I’ve completed all the tests and sent them to the lab.”

Tess nodded. Both Judy and Betty were two of the best RNs in the area, with much knowledge and tender hearts. This mission was blessed with a lot of knowledgeable, caring people. Tess couldn’t help silently asking herself if she belonged.

Sean leaned over and bumped shoulders with her. “I know that look.”

She glanced up at him, and her eyes grew warm with moisture.

“Stop it,” he said.

“Can’t help it. I’m sad about Stud.”

“You’re somehow blaming yourself for this, like you blame yourself for practically everything that goes wrong in the world. I think you’ve got control issues. You’re not God.”

Some of his words hit a sore spot. “When did you get the psychotherapy degree?” She knew her voice was a little sharp, but couldn’t he let up on her a little? “It could be days before we find out what really happened to Stud. I don’t feel good about not knowing.”

Megan hovered over Tess. “I called the lab for a stat on all the fluids I sent them. Even if we don’t get a quick answer from the autopsy, the lab staff is great, with good people to work with, and I’ve updated them. They know a lot of lives could be dependent on their work.”

“In other words, we could find out what happened at any time,” Sean said.

“I’m just waiting for the call.”

“People don’t often die from food poisoning,” Tess said.

“Not food poisoning alone,” Megan said. “But we know Stud had problems.”

“Alcohol,” Sean said. “Speed, too.”

“Really?” Tess asked.

Sean shrugged. “From what little I’ve deciphered from a couple of our conversations, he occasionally got so down and depressed that when he came into extra money, he would combine alcohol with meth just to escape his life for a while.”

Tess remembered the nights Gerard had been forced to ban Stud from sleeping in the dorm because of his altered level of consciousness and the danger that could cause for the other men in the dorm.

“I don’t know how Gerard does it,” Megan said softly.

Tess knew exactly what she meant. “He’s a strong man. He and Hans have always had hearts for the suffering—even those who seemed to bring it on themselves.”

“So do you, Tess,” Sean said. “And Megan.”

“And Sean.” Megan grinned up at him.

“Okay, enough mutual admiration,” Tess said dryly. “We’re all saints and angels. So why do we do what we do? I know why I’m here. I’m hiding from life. What about you two?”

“Same here,” Sean said.

“Really?” Megan said. “Because I thought it was to be close to—uh, well—I’m here to work off my school loans. So maybe we’re not such saints, after all. What are our clients and patients doing here?”

“Who knows why Stud abused alcohol and drugs?” Sean asked. “In the eight months I’ve worked here, I’ve discovered a lot of people try to self-medicate for depression, grief, mental illness they can’t afford to have treated.”

“That’s the real reason we’re here,” Tess said. “As Gerard has so often reminded me since he and Hans established this mission, this place is the poor man’s treatment center. It’s a mission not only to help feed the hungry and try to shelter them, but to share God’s love with them in a way they may never have experienced before.”

With a soft sigh, Megan paced across the clinic. Tess watched her. Megan had long, ginger-colored hair, delicate but exotic facial features, a tiny waist. Her movements were graceful and feminine, but those features belied the inner strength Tess had seen in her on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, in the eighteen months she had been here, Gerard had not managed to convince her of the truth of God’s mercy, which they shared with those who came here for help. Though Tess had no doubt that Gerard and Megan were drawn by some kind of unseen connection, Tess was convinced Megan would fulfill her final six months of duty and move on without anything being done to encourage a deepening of the relationship.

That saddened Tess. But then, everything seemed to sadden Tess these days.

She glanced again at Stud’s sheeted form and reached for Sean’s arm. Without a word, he put it around her, and she leaned into him, soaking up his warmth and strength. Sean had been such a good friend for such a long time. He was like another brother.

Only he wasn’t. Not at all. She straightened and pulled away as Gerard entered the clinic.

There was something about Tess’s brother that drew people the moment he entered a room. There was a power about him that his attractively craggy features and his pale blond hair and blue eyes did not explain. Like Sean, he was built like a wrestling champion. There was an energy that seemed to emanate from him.

Tess got up from the cot and walked into her brother’s arms. “I’m so sorry about Stud. I know you worried a lot about him.”

Gerard squeezed her tightly and kissed her on top of the head, much like Sean had done. “You doing okay, kiddo?”

Tess nodded, still soaking up some of her brother’s strength from his closeness. “Have you told Hans?”

“I called him on my way here. Look, I just contacted the coroner, and the van is coming to get Stud. Tess, why don’t you and Sean take a drive? Sean was up extra early and could use a break, and you don’t need to be around right now. Megan and I can handle this.”

“How long before the coroner arrives?” Tess stepped from her brother’s arms at last.

“Maybe ten to twenty minutes.”

“In that case, Megan, could we talk for a few minutes privately?”

“You mean so you can finally fill me in on those holes you’ve left out of your mysterious past year?”

“Pretty much.”

“Lead on. I love mysteries.”

Sean watched Tess lead Megan up the stairs to Admin and then turned back to Gerard, who stood over Stud, head bowed. At last, in the silence, Sean had a chance to grieve. Gerard wasn’t the only one who’d spent quite a bit of time with the older man. When Stud was sober, he could entertain the children, charm the ladies and have all the men laughing over dinner. He wasn’t a mean drunk, just sad. He’d cried a lot.

A hand fell on Sean’s shoulder, and he looked up to find Gerard watching him. “I never promised this job would be easy.”

Sean shook his head. “The worthwhile ones seldom are.”

“There are good days. We help a lot of people here, Sean, and you’re a big part of that.”

“So is Tess, but I’m afraid it’s taking its toll on her. She fainted when Megan called us about Stud.”

Gerard closed his eyes. “I’m sure she asked you not to tell me that.”

“I respect her wishes, but she didn’t get a chance to ask this time.”

“So, when are you going to convince her that Tanner was never meant to be the love of her life?” Gerard asked.

“You mean you haven’t already told her that a dozen times?”

“I didn’t say you should tell her. I said you should convince her. Big difference. Besides, she never listens to me. You know our Tess.”

“Oh, that’s right. You’re the grouchy bear.”

“That’s Hans. I’m just too bossy.”

Sean chuckled. “How you three headstrong siblings managed to reach adulthood without mangling each other is still a mystery to me.”

“Let me guess. She fainted because she’s still afraid Tanner’s killer is going to resurface. Death does that to her. Every time she hears about a death, she’s suspicious it’s another covered-up murder that didn’t reach the ears of the media.”

Sean didn’t reply. He didn’t have to. Tess had no idea how well her brother understood her. Instead of saying a word, Sean reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. He held it out for Gerard.

“What’s this?”

“Changed the locks to Admin. Again.”

“Why?”

“Someone got in, tracked some stuff into the hallway. It was too late to call you. Whoever it was tried to force Tess’s office door open. Why she would think anyone would know that was her office…” Sean shrugged.

Gerard glanced again at Stud’s shrouded figure. “She thinks there’s a connection.”

“But food poisoning?”

“What do you think?”

“As I pointed out to her, the M.O. isn’t the same, but as she pointed out to me, a killer might not always use the same M.O.”

“This isn’t like Tess, you know. The paranoia, the fear, the guilt. I’m her brother. I know her. At heart, she’s a warrior.”

“Yeah, I know. That’s what bothers me.”

“Megan hasn’t heard back from the lab yet, right?” Gerard asked.

“She gave them a lot of work.”

Gerard picked up the phone and pressed a speed-dial number while Sean tidied the clinic and changed paper on some of the cots.

“Tess, put Megan on the phone for a minute, would you… Yeah, Megan, you haven’t received any results from the lab about our fatality?” Gerard asked. “Would you call them while I hold on this line?”

Sean stepped to the wall of windows and stared out at the street. He remembered Megan talking about patients who would walk over and close the shades, not knowing that the windows were mirrored glass—no one could see in.

But he could see out fine, and as he and Gerard waited for any kind of report on Stud—or any other patients, for that matter—he watched the front entrance to the mission store. He recognized a blonde woman with a ponytail and glasses. She was part of the crowd in the clinic when Stud died, and she was noticeable because she carried a large leather carrier slung diagonally over her shoulder and she dressed a little more elegantly than most people who entered the doors of the secondhand store.

What was someone like her doing at the mission? Obviously, she hadn’t come as a volunteer. Sean knew her from somewhere. But where?

“Nothing?”

Gerard’s voice distracted Sean, and when he looked toward the woman again, she was walking quickly down the street.

“Then I need you to request a toxicology panel. You’ve got them on hold? Good. Tell them how quickly we’ll need it. Yeah, yesterday would’ve been nice.” He gave further details, thanked her and hung up, then turned to Sean.

“You honestly think someone could have poisoned our people?” Sean asked.

“Tess seems to think it’s possible. I think she suspected the death two weeks ago, though she never said anything to me about it.”

“Yes, and you were just complaining about Tess’s paranoia.”

“I was also telling you that she isn’t like this. When the probable has been ruled out, it’s time to start looking for the improbable.”

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