That was the moment the fear took root. When Jack turned around and looked at her, his eyes were dark and lifeless.
“You never came home last night,” he said. His words were laced with hatred. Then he stood and pressed in close to her. So close she could feel his breath hot against her face. “Where were you?” He narrowed his eyes. “Who were you with?”
Alicia felt like she’d fallen into some twisted nightmare. “With?” Her mouth went dry. “What . . . what are you talking about? I went to the mall after work.”
He gritted his teeth, like a poisonous rage was consuming him. “I checked your odometer, Alicia. Tell . . . me . . . the truth.”
Alicia had to unlock her car door and let Jack inside for a clearer look at her mileage before finally he sat back in her driver’s seat and exhaled. “Okay, fine. It’s possible.”
Jack stared up at her, where she was still standing on the curb, shivering. “Do me a favor, Alicia. Don’t go to the mall without telling me. Never again.”
He stood and shut the car door behind him, his eyes never leaving hers. Then he pulled her close and kissed her. Rougher than usual. “See you tonight, baby.”
Then he walked to his own car, climbed in and drove off. Alicia could still remember the adrenaline coursing through her body, the way she felt sick to her stomach. For several reasons, of course. But the one that stood out the most was this:
Jack was checking her mileage.
He’d known it before that morning. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to calculate how far she’d gone after work. A sickening chill ran down her arms, and all that day she had tried not to think about it.
After that things got worse, and finally one day Jack took Alicia’s cell phone and slashed her tires.
While she was at work.
It was Wendell who had rescued her that day and it was Wendell who had been rescuing her ever since, standing up for her, defending her. Leading her toward the light. But tomorrow when she told him her decision, Wendell would go his own way. She would leave him no choice. And she would be alone.
Just her and the ever-haunting presence of Jack Renton.
5
One Year Later
Every fall on the first Saturday in October, the Baxters and their kids met at Hanson’s pumpkin patch. The big day seemed to come earlier this year. But Luke Baxter didn’t mind. He could hardly wait. His family looked forward to this almost as much as they looked forward to Christmas.
Luke drove their black SUV into the parking lot, and his wife, Reagan, pointed to a van in the row of cars closest to the cornfield. “Ashley and Landon are here.”
“Good.” He sighed. “I really need this.” Luke had been so busy at the office, so caught up in a number of high-profile cases, that he hadn’t been back to Bloomington since the Fourth of July.
“Makes me think of last time we were here.” Luke reached for Reagan’s hand as he looked for a parking spot. In the back seat the kids were laughing and talking about seeing their cousins. So for now in the front seat he and Reagan had this moment to themselves. He smiled at her. “Remember the Fourth of July?”
“Mmmm. One of the best moments this year. Or maybe ever.” Reagan turned to him. “You know what I thought that day?”
“What?” The lot was crowded, but right now Luke didn’t care. He loved this time, talking with Reagan.
“I sat there beside you on that bench at the park, my head on your shoulder while those fireworks lit up the sky, and I couldn’t get past it.”
“That was a beautiful night.” Luke glanced at her. “But not as beautiful as you.”
“Thanks.” She smiled. “But that wasn’t what I was thinking.” She leaned closer and kissed his cheek. “I was thinking the Fourth of July is a celebration of freedom. And there I was sitting beside one of the most well-known freedom fighters of our time. Centuries after we won our independence, my husband was working to keep this country free. Like the celebration was as much for you as it was for our nation’s birthday.” She paused. “I’m so proud of you, Luke.”
He felt her words to the center of his heart. He saw a car pull out ahead of them, so he stopped and faced Reagan. “You thought that.”
“I did.” She smiled. “I still think it. But that night, that moment. The fireworks, you beside me. That park bench.” Her eyes held his. “I’ll remember it forever.”
“I’m glad you told me.” Luke had never loved Reagan more. “What did I do to deserve you?”
“Well.” She sat back in her seat. “You’re taking us to the corn maze, for one thing.” Her laughter was soft. Just for him. “I do love a good corn maze. As you know.”
Luke laughed. “That’s all it took, huh?”
“A corn maze and you, Luke.” She gave his hand a quick squeeze as he pulled into the space and killed the engine. “God has given me all I could ever want or need.”
Their eyes held for a moment as Tommy popped his head up between them. “So we are doing the corn maze today, Dad?” At fourteen, Tommy was nearly six inches taller than he’d been last year. And his voice was deeper. He sat between his sister, Malin, who was nine, and brother, Johnny, who was already five.
Luke smiled at the kids. “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Just don’t get lost like last year.” Reagan grinned at him and then at the kids. “Remember? We had to make a search party to find your father?”
“Yeah, Dad.” Tommy laughed. “For someone so smart, you might want to use a compass app.”
“Very funny.” Luke chuckled as he climbed out of the SUV and grabbed the picnic basket from the back of the car. He shaded his eyes and scanned the nearby field. Twenty yards away he spotted Ashley and Landon and their four kids, along with Brooke and Peter and Kari and Ryan and their families. Their father and Elaine were also among the group.
Dayne and Katy would join them a little later. They were flying in today from Los Angeles.
Luke felt the joy of this together time all the way to the center of his soul. After weeks of courtroom battles and fighting for the chance to even mention God’s name in public, today would be a very great respite.
“I love our family.” Luke put his arm around Reagan’s shoulders. “I need time like this. Especially when life gets crazy.”
Reagan looked at him, a bit of concern in her eyes. “You’ve been doing it again.”
He didn’t have to ask what she meant. “I’ll cut back. I’m sorry.”
“Some cases need more time at the office.” She kissed his cheek. “I know that. But just . . . be careful, Luke. Please.” She looked at the kids and back to him. “This matters.”
“Absolutely, it does.” He held her close. She was right. He was staying late at the office a couple days a week. It was important work, but if he wasn’t careful things would get as unbalanced as they’d been a year ago.
It was Ashley who spotted Luke first. She left the group and hurried to meet him. In a blur of motion, she threw her arms around his neck and then did the same to Reagan. “It’s been way too long.” She grinned at them both. “This day is going to be perfect! I love fall!”
The group snagged four picnic tables and set their things out.
“Dad says we’re doing the corn maze first!” Tommy put his fist in the air. “This year the boy cousins are going to get through it first.”
Luke laughed. “Yeah, we better do the corn maze first. While I still have energy to get through the thing.”
Cole hopped up onto one of the picnic tables and grinned. “Didn’t you get lost last year, Uncle Luke?”
“Yes . . .” Luke laughed. He crossed his arms and nodded. “Yes, I believe I did.”
Everyone was gathered close now. Landon sat on the picnic table across from Luke. “I remember thinking I should call in one of our fire crews to find you.”
“Right.” Luke laughed harder. “Thankfully I had my cell phone. Tommy talked me through it.”