I'll Be There Read online

  Too many sobering thoughts. She needed a distraction. “Looks like it’s snowing harder.”

  No response. Back to playing the part of the silent, mysterious stranger. Well, never let it be said she couldn’t carry on a one-sided conversation. “You know, the last significant snowfall we had here was about fifteen years ago, and it fell in March. Some folks were snowed in for two weeks and more.”

  She’d been living in Nashville at the time and, having never seen so much snow in Tennessee, decided to drive to the Knoxville area. That’s when she’d decided to move to East Tennessee. The sight of the picturesque snow on the mountains and in the foothills made her dream of making the area her home.

  Convincing the Knoxville News-Sentinel to give her a job had been easy with her credentials, but the “good ole boys club” mindset of the old school investigative reporters on staff had been another matter. Still, she’d proven herself, working three times as hard as anyone else, and had gotten the job done with impressive results. But with precious few “real” stories coming her way, she longed to have complete control. A weekend visit to Angel Ridge and the idea had gelled.

  She’d come to town to do a fluff, filler piece on the town that time seemed to have forgotten. It had been Christmas. When she arrived, she thought she’d taken a wrong turn and time-traveled into a Norman Rockwell painting complete with strolling carolers in period dress, oil burning street lamps, and horse drawn carriage tours. Carolers had been singing in the gazebo in the Town Square situated between the two sides of Main Street. There was even a bronze statue of a warrior angel to complete the picture—no soft female angel for this town. The only thing missing had been snow, which brought her back to the present.

  When Candi Heart, aka Lark Hensley, had moved to town a few months ago, the sleepy little town had awakened like a slumbering dragon. Who would believe the south had its own version of the mob, much less that it was still active despite the fact that they’d closed the Vonore Gentleman’s Club in the Eighties.

  Clearly, a remnant still remained that had been called into duty to keep Jenny quiet by any means necessary. They could be anywhere and everywhere; back in the mountains, in the hollers, a business owner, or neighbor. It could take two lifetimes to flush them all out. She chewed on her thumbnail. She might never be able to safely return to her old life. So the question was, what would she do if she could no longer be Jenny Thompson, newspaper owner/editor/investigative reporter? Well, much like the fictional Scarlett, Jenny was afraid she’d have to think about that tomorrow.

  The Jeep was moving slower and slower. The roads must be treacherous, even in a four-wheel drive. She hated lying prone in the back, unable to see anything but distorted sky and the heavy snow blowing past the plastic window. “Are we getting close?”

  “I’m not sure. I could have missed the turnoff. I’ve never seen one, but I think this qualifies as a white-out. At least there are no other cars out. I guess everyone had the good sense to get inside.”

  “Let’s hope,” Jenny agreed, thinking of the people out looking for her.

  “Here we go,” Cord said, and Jenny found herself holding on to anything she could find to keep from slip-sliding into another gas can or whatever it had been that had bruised her ribs earlier.

  “Sorry. It came up out of nowhere.”

  “I’m all right.” Except for now that they were off the paved road, she was bouncing around so much that she was certain her organs would be completely rearranged when they finally came to a stop.

  “Get down. Cover your head.”

  Cord’s voice had changed and a gun appeared in his hand. Jenny did as he said, but asked, “What is it?”

  “I’m not sure, but keep still and quiet.

  He slowed the Jeep and rolled to a stop. A blast of cold air whooshed into the car when he opened the door, then someone said, “Cord Goins? I’m Cole Craig. Grady asked me to meet you here. With visibility low, I thought I’d flag you down so you can follow me over to where you’ll be stayin’.”

  “Much obliged.”

  With that, Cord got back in the Jeep. When he had the car in motion, he said, “I’m not sure how much the sheriff told him, so when we get to the house he’s taking us to, you stay where you’re at until I come get you.”

  It made sense. She didn’t want to endanger herself or anyone else for that matter. “All right.”

  The road got rougher, if that was possible. Jenny groaned every time she went into the air and slammed back down on the cold, hard metal of the floor in the back. She was going to be black and blue, but alive and, hopefully, safe sitting by a roaring fire soon.

  Cord came to a stop behind Cole Craig’s truck and got out. He turned up the collar of his coat, following Craig as he motioned him into the small, clapboard structure near where they’d parked. All the while, he was scanning the clearing surrounding them, watching for movement.

  The inside was sparsely furnished, but neat. A fire burning in the fireplace warmed the interior. Faded old curtains on the windows were closed.

  “Where’s Jenny?” Cole asked. “Does Grady have her?”

  “No. She’s in the back of my Jeep. I wasn’t sure how much you were told.”

  “I don’t mind telling you, it was a shock. But I’m glad she’s all right. Let’s get her in out of the cold.”

  “How about if I get her, and you stand watch here on the porch to make sure there’s no one who may have followed us.”

  “Of course, but it’s not likely anyone’s out in this”

  Cord pulled his gun out and extended it to Cole. “You know how to use this.”

  Cole took it. “Yeah.”

  Cord took in the tall, muscular blond man. He held the gun like he knew what to do with it; seemed trustworthy. Cord nodded and turned back for Jenny.

  He unsnapped the window flap at the rear of the Jeep and let down the tailgate.

  Jenny flung back the blanket covering her, sneezed several times, and rubbed her eyes. “You might want to consider laundering these things.”

  Leave it to a woman to worry about things being soft and sweet-smelling. Her blonde hair was half in her ponytail, the rest hung in disheveled pieces around her face. Startling dark blue eyes against her pale face were like a stomach punch. Lord, she was beautiful, even with her hair a mess, no make-up and a scrape marring her cheek.

  “Let’s go.”

  She winced as she slid towards him. “I’m moving as fast as I can considering I just got slung halfway to Georgia and back on the ride over here.”

  He offered a hand and when she took it, he put his arm around her back and pulled her to the edge of the tailgate. She slung her legs over, and he tried not to notice how long they were under the loose sweatpants. When she stood, she lost her balance and pitched against him, grabbing handfuls of his jacket.

  “Oh... sorry. My legs are numb.”

  Cord swept her up into his arms and began moving toward the house. When she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, all he could think of was that she felt damn good against him, and he could get used to the feel of her in his arms real easy. The last thing he needed was a meddlesome, contrary female intruding on his solitude and shattering his peace of mind. Too bad the choice had been taken from them both. There was no going back now. Feeling her warm against him, her breath soft on his neck, he was fully engaged and committed to seeing her kept safe.

  Chapter 7

  Cole held the door open for Cord, and he carried Jenny inside, lowering her to sit on the raised hearth of the fireplace. Jenny took several deep breaths and waited for the room to stop spinning. What was wrong with her? Numb legs could be easily explained, but dizziness? She lowered her head to her hand.

  “Hey, are you all right? You look pale as a ghost,” Cole said, coming to Jenny’s side and putting his hand on her shoulder.

  That’s when it hit Cord that he didn’t like this man putting his hands on Jenny, but since there was no reason he should have such a thought or
feeling, he pushed down the urge to put a fist into Craig’s face.

  She was paler than she had been before, and maybe even a little green, if that were possible. “I guess it’s appropriate for me to look like a ghost, since for all intents and purposes, that’s what I’ve become.” She paused, then a beautiful smile lit her face. “It’s good to see you, Cole.”

  “I am glad to see you, too, Jenny. Don’t get me wrong, but—”

  The concern etching his face nearly sent Cord over the edge. “She said she hadn’t eaten since yesterday,” he said, trying to break the connection. “I pushed her pretty hard this morning.” To Cole he said, “We hiked down Laurel Mountain.”

  “I’m sorry I don’t have anything to eat, but Grady’s bringing supplies. I think I have water in my truck.”

  “Thanks,” Jenny said.

  Cord looked around and found a crocheted blanket and settled it around Jenny’s shoulders. She curled into it, but the bright colors only emphasized her pallor. After a moment, she glanced up at him with those blue eyes that were a surprise every time he saw them.

  “I’m fine.”

  “The hell you are,” he grumbled.

  Cole came in then with the sheriff close behind. “Look who I found.”

  “Glad to see you all made it,” Grady said.

  “This is a lot of activity in this kind of weather,” Cord said. “I hope no one took note and followed.”

  “Time’ll tell. There’s no other way to know with visibility so low,” Grady said.

  “That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear, Sheriff,” Cord grumbled.

  Jenny’s head bobbed. She was so tired. Sleep, she thought. It seemed such a long time since she had slept. She wondered if they would notice if she dozed just for a minute. She’d probably feel better when she woke. Yes, she’d sleep... for just a few minutes.

  Something warm and solid had her. She curled into the warmth, pressed her cheek against it. Then she was lying on something cold, but soft. After a moment, it warmed beneath her and she drifted off.

  “She’s exhausted,” Grady said.

  “Yeah. Exhausted, cold and hungry,” Cord agreed. “You got supplies that need bringing in?”

  “I do. Come with me.” The men stepped outside and walked to the back of the sheriff’s car. “Good thing about laying in this big lot of supplies is that no one suspected a thing. In weather like this, everybody was buying up everything the hardware and grocery had on the shelves.”

  Cord supposed that was one bright spot in this hell of a mess they’d found themselves in.

  “I ran by Ferguson’s and picked up some food, too. Dix had put everything she’d made for the day in ‘Take Out’ containers, so I grabbed three or four bags of something—I have no idea what. It’s on the front seat.”

  “I got it,” Cole said.

  They took everything inside in one trip. “This place isn’t used much, but it has most of the modern conveniences. Electricity and water were put in back in the Fifties. My grandparents lived here till they passed. I’ve kept the place up, but that’s about it. I brought down a load of wood when Grady called. It’s by the back door. I’ve got more if you run out.”

  Cord nodded.

  “Cole,” Grady said, “no one will think anything of you moving around on your own property, but if I make a bunch of trips out here, that might look suspicious. So, I’ll call you, or you call me, on my cell, at home or at the station if you need to.”

  “There’s not good cell service out here,” Cole said.

  “Is there a landline?”

  “Just up at my house.”

  “I have no way to call either of you if something happens?” Cord said.

  “I’ll check on you as often as possible,” Cole offered.

  To Cole, Grady said, “Keep an eye out. If you see anything that seems suspicious, contact me right away.”

  “I don’t like it,” Cord added.

  “Neither do I, but it’s the best we can do for now,” Grady said.

  “Who all knows about this, Grady?” Cole asked.

  “Locally? Just me and my staff. Beyond that, her immediate family. Incidentally, her sister showed up in town today.”

  “What’s she doing here?” Cole commented.

  “Probably closing up Jenny’s house. I’ll find out soon enough. I promised to meet with her later.”

  “Good luck with that,” Cole said.

  “Oh, and Dixie Ferguson knows, too.”

  “What? How did she find out?” Cole asked, then held up a hand. “Forget I asked that. Dixie knows everything.”

  “Right,” Grady said.

  The two men laughed, but Cord didn’t see the humor in so many people knowing Jenny was in WITSEC.

  “I guess there are a lot of agencies involved in trying to keep her safe,” Cole said.

  “Yeah, the U.S. Marshal Service, of course, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, likely some lawyers with the Department of Justice and the Attorney General. I’m not really sure. I’ve been on the periphery since they took Jenny into custody. Pulling me out of the mix was the only way we could hope to maintain order in town. An old college buddy of mine works at the Bureau. I’ve been communicating with him. He deals with all the other agencies. I’m on a need to know basis.”

  Wallace would know someone at the TBI. That was a prospect Cord hadn’t considered. He wondered who it was and how long they’d been with the agency...

  “They recovered a body from the rubble of the explosion. If it wasn’t Jenny, who was it?” Cole asked.

  “They ran DNA comparisons from some FBI database and figured it was likely whoever set the bomb. It must have gone off prematurely.”

  “But they said it was Jenny.”

  “No. Everyone assumed it was Jenny, which worked in our favor under the circumstances.”

  “But these people know she’s still alive because it seems they’re hot on her trail.”

  “Of course, they know the guy they sent to set the bomb is the one who really died, but they can’t exactly come forward.”

  “Wow.”

  Cord listened while Jenny slept on the couch in front of the fire, her knees bent toward her chest and her cheek cupped in her hand. Firelight looked good on her. Cord wished he could sleep so peacefully.

  Cord shook his head and looked away, familiarizing himself with the interior of the cabin. It was a little more than that, really. The kitchen had all the necessary appliances. Two rooms on the other side of the central seating area must be the bedroom and a bathroom. A ladder near the fireplace led up to a loft that ran the length of the kitchen and the living room. There’d probably be another bed up there.

  “We’ll leave you to it then,” Grady was saying to him.

  “I’ll check in with you tomorrow,” Cole said. “You can go through all this,” he nodded towards the supplies on the small table in the kitchen. “If there’s anything you need, I may have it up at my house.”

  “Where’s that?” Cord asked.

  “About half a mile north of here, further back on the property. I have about eight hundred acres.”

  “Big piece of property.”

  Cole laughed. “It was bigger before we sold off part of it.”

  “You got protection?” Grady asked.

  “A handgun with me and a rifle in the Jeep.”

  “Best bring it in and bolt this door.”

  “Will do.” Cord followed the men out onto the porch. The snow hadn’t slowed. At this rate, they’d have more than a foot by morning. If it stayed cold, they could be snowed in for a few weeks. Southerners weren’t set up for dealing with this much snow. It’d take awhile to dig out. “While we’re waiting out this weather, Sheriff, I hope you and your contacts come up with a feasible plan for keeping that woman in there safe.”

  “It’ll be my priority.”

  The two men nodded at one another. As they got in their vehicles, he turned to his to get his pack, sleeping bag, and rifle.
Back inside, he stowed his gear by the door and locked it, then he made sure all the windows were secure and the curtains closed. Jenny hadn’t moved, so he let her sleep while he unpacked and stored all the supplies.

  He found stew, cornbread, and banana pudding in the take out bags. He located a pot, rinsed it in the sink, the set it on the stove, and then poured the stew in to warm. Jenny needed to eat. They couldn’t allow her to get anymore run down. He’d wake her when he had everything ready. With the food simmering, he slipped into the bathroom to take a shower.

  About half an hour later, Cord carried a tray to the couch and studied Jenny’s sleeping form. It had been over an hour since they’d arrived. Nighttime had fallen over the valley where the house sat. He’d brought in firewood for the night. She had to be starving.

  He set the tray on a nearby table and eased himself onto the edge of the couch. Jenny didn’t stir. He reached out unable to resist brushing the hair off her forehead. She was burning up. He cursed himself for making the fire too big and for not checking on her sooner. He had been sitting here for only a moment, and already he was sweating. The odd thing was that Jenny’s skin was dry.

  He tried to pull the blanket down from beneath her chin, but it was clinched in both her hands. Without opening her eyes, she mumbled, “Cold.”

  “You’re burning up,” Cord said and again tried to pull the blanket from her hands.

  “Cold,” she repeated and began to tremble.

  “Okay. It’s okay,” Cord said as he tucked the blanket closer around her. He left her then to retrieve a thermometer from the first aid kit he’d put away earlier.

  Returning to the couch, Cord gently shook her shoulder. “Jenny? Jenny, wake up.”

  She stirred and groaned, but didn’t wake.

  “Jenny,” he shook her with a bit more force. She opened her eyes, then squeezed them shut again. “Jenny, I need to take your temperature.”

  “Hurts,” she rasped.

  He slipped the thermometer under her tongue, then left her again, but only long enough to dampen a washcloth. Sitting on the edge of the sofa once more, he pressed it to her forehead. She flinched and moaned. The thermometer beeped and he removed it from her mouth. What he saw when he looked at the digital reading was unnerving. 103.