Lights blazed from the house into the thickening twilight. Reece hurtled the fence in the backyard and fell onto his knees in the mud. The wet soaked through his jeans, and he swore as he stumbled to his feet and crept toward the house, shaking mud from the steak he carried.
At least the dog didn’t come snarling to face him down. The recent rain had left the yard a mess, and his foot plunged into something soft, followed by an unmistakable odor. The dog was destined to leave his mark anyway. Reece bit back the vicious words that wanted to spew out. Someone might hear. After cleaning his shoe on the wet grass, he finally made it to the window that looked into the kitchen. The wide opening between the kitchen and living room revealed the women sitting on the sofa watching TV.
The lamplight lit Hannah’s loose hair. It had been up when he caught a glimpse of her through the open door when she was talking to Vanessa. He loved her locks spread out across her shoulders. The red glinted so brightly. He could feel the texture of her hair in his hand, the silken strands twining around his fingers.
He should have known better than to take the kid from her. He’d underestimated her maternal instinct. If she’d just explained it to him better, he would have made a different decision. He’d only tried to do what was best. His every thought was of her and their love.
They’d be together again, the three of them.
The dog lifted his head, his ears flicking. Reece ducked out of view and moved around to the back door. He’d hide out in the garage until the time was right. Then he would go see Hannah. He longed to feel her softness, to feel her fragrant breath waft over his face. They’d been apart too long. Maybe she was missing him by now. The storm thundered overhead as if in approval.
But first, a minor matter needed his attention. Reece picked the lock with a tool he’d had for years, then opened the door noiselessly. He whistled softly, and Ajax came padding to the rear entrance. He sniffed Reece’s hand. “Good, Ajax,” he crooned. The dog wiggled with delight and came out onto the porch. Reece pulled out a steak loaded with tranquilizer. “Want to take a little nap, boy?” He dropped the meat on the patio and watched as Ajax gobbled it up.
He wanted to start the ball rolling, but Hannah deserved every possible chance to come with him of her own free will. It was the only way he’d ever fully trust her again. She had to want him. Only him. He had to convince her he’d converted. Maybe he could get his bishop to write a letter.
He settled down to wait until Ajax was out.
MATT RUBBED HIS eyes. The clock on his wall read eight o’clock— he should have been off duty hours ago. He ached to see his daughter. The flowers sent to Hannah today had been chock full of strychnine, but at least Ajax hadn’t inhaled enough through the box and paper to hurt him. He stared at the folder on his desk. Matt knew the background check on Hannah might contain anything. Did he really want to know?
“Aren’t you going to take a look at it so we can go home?” Blake asked.
“Yeah, sure.” Matt flipped it open and began to read. “Did you look at it yet?”
“Yep. Reece was a nasty guy to her, from the looks of it. There are three hospital reports in there, all emergency room visits.”
“Broken arm, broken nose,” Matt said. “A concussion on one visit.”
“The hospital personnel wanted her to press charges on that one and she refused. Said she fell down the steps.”
Matt wanted to hurt someone, preferably Reece. Any man who hit a woman was a coward, and Reece had done more than just slap her around. He’d hurt her badly. “She disappeared from the hospital after giving birth prematurely at home, but the fetus was never found. The detectives questioned him, but it doesn’t look like a warrant was ever issued.”
“So she escaped him. Do we have any idea what she’s been doing for the past five years?” Blake asked.
“She told me she worked for a museum. Milwaukee, I think.”
“Want me to see what I can dig up in Wisconsin?”
“I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s pretty clear she was running from Reece. Anything new on him?”
“Yeah.” Blake tossed another folder on his desk.
Matt glanced through the report. It didn’t surprise him. “He hasn’t worked anywhere longer than a few months at a time over the past few years. Odd jobs, a stint or two as a guard. He’s sure floated around.”
“I think he was probably looking for Hannah.”
Matt closed the folder. He flipped open the main folder that contained the copies he’d made from Hannah’s notes.
“What’s that?” Blake peered over his shoulder at the drawings.
“From the first murders ten years ago. The word anathema and a peace symbol.”
“Seems weird.”
“Also called Nero’s Cross or the Broken Cross, according to Hannah. We pursued the peace symbol, checking out various groups in the area. I’m not sure how we missed its other meaning. Maybe because it’s so obscure.”
Blake raised his brows, and his tone was skeptical. “Isn’t peace what the Amish believe in? They won’t even serve in the military or take any kind of government assistance. Peace or protest. The same symbol represents the annihilation of faith or peace with everyone. Weird, don’t you think?”
“Hannah thinks this instance is about annihilation. A declaration of war against everything the Amish stand for. A hate crime.”
“You think it’s Reece?”
“Why would he hate the Amish? The woman he loved was Amish. He must have seen something good in them. And now he says he’s converted, too, and joined a district in Shipshewana in northern Indiana.”
“I could check that out. Go to Shipshewana.”
“Good idea. Do that.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s what, four hours or a little over? Head up there in the morning and stay until you find the bishop of his district. See what he tells you.”
“Okay, but what if none of this is true? What’s Reece want?”
“He wants Hannah to come back to him.” His gaze went back to the files. And Reece probably wanted Caitlin too. Matt had to figure out what to do. At least Caitlin was hidden where Hannah couldn’t find her. Whether Reece knew of Caitlin’s whereabouts was another question. “Any sign of lurkers out your way?”
“Nope. I think Gina was imagining things when she thought someone followed her. But I’ve got all the security systems activated. And Gina packs that small pistol in her purse. She can handle anyone who tries to mess with her or Caitlin.”
Matt wished he could confide in Blake and Gina about why Caitlin had to be hidden. And just who was after her. Carrying this burden alone was wearisome. But he’d do anything to keep his daughter.
HANNAH’S HOPE, WHICH had seemed so bright that afternoon, fizzled with the sundown. Hannah began to question whether she was on a wild-goose chase. It looked like the little girl had a loving family. Did she have any right to disrupt that kind of happiness? And her accusation of Matt proved she was getting a little off-kilter.
She needed to get her mind on something else. “Let’s cut my hair,” she said. Angie had been after Hannah to let her cut it for months.
“What did you say?”
“I’m not kidding. Let’s cut it.” Hannah jumped up and tugged Angie to her feet. “I’m ready. After I left Reece, I rejected anything that might make me attractive to men. I hated the clothes he made me wear, the come-hither hairstyle. I think I went too far the other way. I’ve used my professional status as an excuse, but I’ve always known the real reason.”
“Why now?” Angie’s sly smile came. “Does the handsome detective have anything to do with it?”
Hannah averted her eyes. “Of course not. FOX & Friends is coming next week. I want to look nice.”
“Uh-huh, if you say so.” Angie turned toward the kitchen. “You don’t have to tell me twice. I’ll get the scissors. Any idea what you want me to do?”
“I’m in your hands.” She grinned at the delight on Angie’s face and followed her to the kitchen.
Something outside, a branch or the wind, caught her attention. “Did you hear something?” Hannah tipped her head to one side.
“No.” Angie pushed her into a chair. “Come on, let’s do it before you change your mind. It won’t hurt a bit.”