really wished—
The music stopped and he opened his eyes as Abby said a closing prayer before the group started to disperse. Several people spoke to him as they left, and he stood when Abby scurried down the aisle—the woman did everything so energetically—with the tall, distinguished man at her side.
“Noah—Sheriff Galloway—I don’t believe you’ve met Walter Fleming.” Her words came out in a rush. Subterfuge was not one of Ms. Mayfield’s—Abby’s—finer points.
“Walter, the sheriff gave me a ride to church, and since you’re new in town, I thought you’d like to meet him.”
The man had a firm handshake. “Nice to meet you, Walter.”
Walter nodded briskly. “You, too, Sheriff.” Fleming patted Abby on the shoulder and Noah stiffened as a jolt of jealousy shot through him. It was unwarranted. He’d only known the woman for two days. He contributed the feeling to being her protector. “I’ll see you early Sunday morning if you don’t mind running my part for me again before the service.”
“I’ll be happy to. See you then.”
Fleming left and Noah raised a brow at Abby.
She huffed out a breath. “I thought you’d want to meet him.”
Noah grinned. “I did. Good work. I take it Joanne Ferguson wasn’t here?”
“No. And she didn’t call or email, either. I hope nothing’s wrong.”
“Well, let’s get you home.”
As they were leaving, something struck the old wooden door behind them, mere inches from Abby’s head.
Noah knew exactly what the sound meant. He grabbed Abby, twisted her around, threw open the church doors and shoved her back inside the building.
A multitude of emotions crashed through him as he held Abby, wrapped in the safety of his arms, against the back of the closed door. He had a burning desire to protect her. Fear for her well-being roiled through him. She trembled and his emotions intensified.
“It’s okay.”
She pulled out of his arms, took a deep breath and lifted her chin. He admired a woman who could pull herself together so soon after being shot at.
“Did someone just—”
“Yes. Someone shot at you and they used a silencer. It suggests a professional hit.”
Her eyes rounded, but it didn’t take long for her to take in the information. Tight fists landed on her hips and her eyes narrowed. “I want to catch the person doing this.” Noah moved back when she took a step forward. “I’m tired of being afraid to look over my shoulder. I can use myself as bait and lure whoever is after me out into the open. It’s time to set up a sting operation.”
It took a moment for her words to penetrate his brain. “Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous. There’s a good chance we’re dealing with a professional killer.”
Her shoulders slumped, her face crumbled and his heart melted. Those adorable, soft brown eyes found his. “What am I supposed to do? I can’t live like this the rest of my life.”
“Let’s deal with tonight first. I’ll call Cooper. He’ll check the grounds of the church and we’ll get you home.” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears and it was his undoing. “Trust me to help you, Abby. This is what I do.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m very good at my job.”
She nodded and he reached for his cell phone. Before he had a chance to call his deputy, he heard the familiar sound of a timer going off. He grabbed Abby, shoved her back out the church doors and down the front steps, and shielded her body with his as they hit the ground.
The explosion in the church covered Abby’s scream. The shooter wasn’t trying to kill her with a bullet, he’d wanted them back inside the church where all evidence would be destroyed in the fire. A second, fiercer explosion lit the night sky. Someone wanted Abby Mayfield dead and they were willing to blow up a church to make it happen.
Abby spit dirt out of her mouth and coughed as she tried to lift her head. Her eyes felt scorched and her throat burned from the smoke. She could barely breathe beneath the heavy weight covering her.
Noah! Is he okay?
Facedown on the ground, she tried to move, but froze when he stirred on top of her. Relief slammed through her when he whispered against her neck, “Don’t move. If the shooter is still here, we want him or her to think we’re dead.”
Her heart slammed against her chest and she whispered a quick prayer. She wasn’t ready to die, and Noah had a son to raise. It would be her fault if that sweet young boy was orphaned. “Dear Lord, please, please, please keep us safe until help arrives.”
Noah stayed quiet and Abby took short, gasping breaths until a siren wailed in the distance. Within minutes, Cooper’s patrol car swerved into the church parking lot and skidded to a stop. Noah’s deputy opened the driver’s door and took position, using the door as cover, his gun raised through the open window. Abby’s fear and tension lessened when soft lips moved against her neck.
“At least Cooper followed proper procedure. There might be hope for my deputy, after all.”
Her anxiety lessened, but there was someone who wanted her dead badly enough to blow up a church, and they might still be out there. A shiver of fear racked her body and she hated it. She’d never been afraid of anything and she refused to start now. She had faith that God was in control and Noah would solve the mystery surrounding her. He didn’t know it yet, but she was going to help him. Her grandmother had always taught her to face fear head-on.
A passing thought of the beautiful, Steinway baby grand piano that she had donated to the church—now burning to ashes along with the rest of the building—brought forth a blaze of fury.
“Abby, can you get up and run to the car?”
“You bet I can.” She swiped the hair out of her eyes. “I’m fine, just shaken.”
“Here’s what we’re going to do. On the count of three, I want you to stand as fast as you can and run to the car. Jump in through the driver’s-side door, climb into the back seat and lay down on the floor. I’ll be right behind you.”
He didn’t give her time to think. He counted to three and she scrambled to her feet. He used his body as a protective shield as she stumbled to the car. Once inside, she crawled into the back seat and nose-dived to the floor.
She heard Noah whispering instructions to his deputy.
“Looks like the shooter is gone, but we won’t take any chances. You cover me to the tree line. I’m going to check the perimeter of the property. I know the general trajectory of the bullet. The perp was up high, possibly perched in a tree.”
Abby squeezed her eyes shut when Cooper gave a shaky response. “Are you sure, Sheriff? I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
“Cooper, you’ve been trained for this and you can do it. Stay focused and cover me.”
Noah’s voice oozed authority, command and encouragement. A true leader. In that moment, Abby’s heart—one that had slammed shut after losing her husband and unborn child—opened just the tiniest bit.
She prayed until she heard Noah’s voice.
“All clear.”
She didn’t know how much time had passed, but finally another siren wailed in the distance and Noah spoke again. “I don’t think there’s going to be much left for the fire truck to save.”
Abby closed her eyes against an invasion of disbelief and devastation. Fire truck, as in one? Blessing’s only house