Taken at Christmas
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Jodie Bailey
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ONE
Why is that woman carrying a backpack?
Mia Galloway set aside her phone, which displayed the Are you okay? text she’d typed to her daughter’s birth mother, Paige Crosby, and tried to breathe normally. The conversations in the crowded café seemed to soak into the dark wood walls, retreating into a dull roar as Mia’s anxiety rose. The fact that Paige had asked to meet and was now nearly half an hour late only heightened her tension.
The woman, in her late twenties with a small scar on her temple and tousled blond hair that made it appear she’d just crawled out of bed, wound slowly between the tables, her gaze darting nervously. Something about her was familiar, but the full memory wouldn’t form.
What was in the blue backpack held over her shoulder in a white-knuckled grip? Why was she so skittish? Mia’s stint in the army had taught her that out-of-place backpacks and nervous strangers meant danger.
And after she became a deputy, a dark November night, lit by flashing red and blue lights, had taught her that not even the home front was safe.
The woman stopped in the center of the room, one hand nervously tapping the backpack’s strap.
She was up to no good.
Mia’s heart pounded. Sweat sheened her skin. Dark dots swam in her vision. She should sound the alarm before something terrible happened. If she didn’t—
The woman’s blue eyes locked on to Mia’s and narrowed. After a silent stare down, she seemed to almost smile, then turned and darted out, disappearing into the lobby.
Mia gripped the sides of her chair. Had that woman been looking for her? For Paige? Where had she gone?
Outside the plate glass windows that fronted Harvest Café, shoppers strode along the riverwalk, arms laden with bags as they enjoyed the sights and sounds of Christmas in the historic town. The unusually cold weather hadn’t kept revelers from clogging Wincombe’s downtown.
There was no sign of the woman.
Around her, other diners chatted and laughed as the longing strains of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” drifted down from the speakers. They behaved as though nothing bad could happen here.
But it could.
Mia dug her fingers into the wooden chair. That song brought to mind movies that featured scenes of a soldier fighting a horrific battle intercut with images of a family celebrating joyfully around a tree, smiling unaware as their loved one died a terrible death.
She shuddered. There had been Christmas music pouring through the speakers of the Double R Convenience Store on that November night when—
Shaking off the memory, Mia scanned the room, her emotions screaming for flight while her mind reasoned that it would be foolish to rush out of the restaurant when she had no idea if the danger was real.
She couldn’t stay here, though. There were too many people. Too much noise. Too many colors.
Hands shaking, Mia pocketed her phone, tossed a twenty onto the table and bolted for the door, desperate for fresh air. She’d text Paige to meet her at home. What had her daughter’s birth mother been thinking when she suggested they meet downtown on the busiest tourist day of the year? She knew how Mia reacted to crowds.
“Ma’am? Are you—”
Mia ignored the hostess’s concern and burst onto the sidewalk, letting the door slam behind her as she looked left and right for a place void of the Christmas crowd.
There. An empty bench on the riverwalk offered an oasis amid the people clogging River Street, which had been closed for the upcoming Christmas parade. Hurling herself across the uneven cobblestones, Mia dropped onto the bench and braced her hands on her knees, gulping damp December air until the vise around her chest eased and her thoughts settled.
Shame chased the panic, searing her skin and heart with an entirely different sort of burn.
She was a grown woman. A mother. A former soldier and deputy sheriff. And yet...
She ran from shadows and fled nonexistent threats. That woman had probably reacted to Mia’s frightened stare, nothing more.
Turning her face to the sky, she dug her thumbs into her knees. Come on, God. It doesn’t have to be this way. You could make this better. You could take away this fear.
There was only silence.
Mia sat back and drew another deep breath, desperate not to call attention to herself. Her display in the café had done a fine job of that already. The last thing she needed was for law enforcement to respond to a call about a woman falling apart in the middle of the Christmas cheer.
The festive music and decorations had her emotions spun up more than usual. That was all. She’d known better than to come to River Street on the Saturday before Christmas. Tourists flocked to the small town of Wincombe on the Inner Banks of North Carolina to shop on the historic streets that reflected the town’s colonial village roots, to watch the street parade in the morning and the boat parade on the river after dark. The normally quiet town was nearly burst with people celebrating the season.
She’d hesitated to meet in town, but Paige had been insistent about getting together as soon as possible in a public place and without Ruthie. It was an odd request. Her daughter’s birth mother had never been shy about coming by the house, even spending weekends with Ruthie and Mia on occasion. Mia considered Paige to be like a sister, but today Paige had seemed hesitant to speak and had refused an invitation to the house.
Then she’d been a no-show. Mia’s concern had already been heightened by Paige’s unanswered calls and unread texts when she’d spotted the woman with the backpack. It was a perfect storm of panic, given that Paige was thirty minutes late and the café had grown more crowded as lunchtime neared.
Inhaling another fortifying breath, Mia pulled her cell from her pocket and flicked the screen, sending the Are you okay? text she’d already typed.
Like the four before it, the message went unread.
This wasn’t like Paige. A student at East Carolina University, Paige was conscientious and kind, driven to succeed but compassionate at the same time. She would make an amazing social worker after she graduated with her master’s degree in the spring, and Mia would be her biggest cheerleader. After all, she owed Paige for one of the greatest gifts in her life.
When Paige had learned she was pregnant as a college freshman, she’d reached out to Mia and her husband, Keith, at their small church, where they had been requesting prayer during their infertility journey. Paige had been bold in asking if they wanted to adopt her unborn child and, after weeks of prayer, they’d agreed.
Although adoption hadn’t been on their original agenda, it had turned out to be the exact right plan. Ruthie was now a perfect little four-year-old girl.
But becoming a widow four months after Ruthie’s birth hadn’t been something Mia had ever imagined.
She’d also never imagined PTSD so severe that it would rip away her career as a Tyrrell County sheriff’s deputy.
Mia shuddered and reflexively flicked her finger over the screen to call Paige. Four rings then voicemail. Where was she?
Adrenaline waning, Mia tapped her finger against the screen, calling the one person who would listen to her fears without judgment.
Hayden McGrath answered on the first ring. “What’s up?”
Relaxing into the sound of his familiar voice, Mia stared across the Scuppernong River toward where it emptied into the Albemarle Sound. “Paige hasn’t shown, and I nearly accused a woman of being a suicide bomber. I’m having a fabulous day. How’s my daughter?”
Hayden was Ruthie’s godfather and Mia’s closest friend. He had been beside her the night her world shattered. He’d been Keith’s best friend and her colleague. Hayden and his now former fiancée, Beth, had walked Mia through her darkest days.
“Your daughter conned me out of half of the books in the kids’ section at Booker’s, then managed to wrangle ice cream out of me at Tastee Cone.”
The lighthearted rundown of her daughter’s morning eased Mia’s tension. “It’s barely lunchtime, and she’s having cake at Ashley’s birthday party later. If she’s sick half the night, I’m calling you.”
“She’s a kid. She’ll be fine. I’ve pumped her up with more sugar than that when you weren’t looking.”
“You did what?”
Hayden continued like she hadn’t spoken. “And she keeps reciting her line for the Christmas play over and over again.”
Mia chuckled. “Yeah, she’s excited.” That was the understatement of the year. The play tomorrow night could not come quickly enough.
“I just dropped her off at Javi’s for Ashley’s party, and I’m actually headed your way to see if I can find some lunch. What are your plans since Paige hasn’t shown?”
“Not going back into Harvest Café, that’s for sure.” Everyone would eye her with pity or suspicion. She ran her finger along the seam of her jeans. Now that she was in fresh air, the whole incident seemed silly. “I just want out of the crowds.” She’d have to head directly through them to get to a quieter, safer place, so she really couldn’t win.
“Hey, no putting yourself down. You’ve been through a lot. From a literal war zone when you were in the army to... Well, it’s been a lot, and you’re doing great.” A stretch of silence let road noise filter through his truck’s Bluetooth. “As for Paige, maybe she slept in. Want me to drive by her parents’ house and see if she’s there? She’s home for winter break, right?”
Mia twisted her lip and stood, turning to scan faces as she leaned against the metal railing about ten feet above the river. “Maybe she put her phone on silent and she’s just running late. It’s nuts down here.” The crowd was getting thicker, and it spilled from the street onto the riverwalk. A man’s shoulder brushed hers as he passed. Turning toward the river in an effort to ignore the growing mass of humanity, Mia stared into the water, trying to ignore the people clogging the sidewalk. “Don’t check up on her like she’s a child.” Another shopper bumped her back, shoving her against the rail.
“I understand. Hey, when Ruthie and I were in Booker’s, I saw their special in the café today is a French dip, your favorite. You’re only a couple of blocks away, and they weren’t busy. The crowds seem to be concentrated on River Street. Why don’t you text Paige that you’re headed there, then we can grab a bite while you wait for her. I’ll meet you at the end of Watchman’s Alley.”
Smart. The narrow alley curved between two buildings and was covered by an arched brick roof. It would be quiet, as most people chose the wider sidewalks along Water Street to get to the riverfront.
Mia dashed across the cobblestone street, and her shoulders relaxed as she stepped into the quiet alley. “Hang on.” She pulled the phone from her ear, grateful that Hayden understood the PTSD that shadowed her life. Her thumbs tapped the screen. Heading over to Book—
Footsteps pounded into the alley behind her, echoing off the ceiling.
Before she could turn, a force shoved into her back, driving her to the brick floor. Her phone flew from her fingers and skittered along the ground. A palm pressed against her head, grinding her cheek against the gritty bricks.
Mia tried to scream, but the oxygen had been driven from her lungs. Her muscles seized. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t fight. Reality vanished, and all she could see was Keith in a pool of blood, ripped violently from her life.
Now she was the victim. It was her worst nightmare.
Fight. Fight for Ruthie. Her mind screamed. Her body refused to respond. She had to do something. She couldn’t leave her daughter as an orphan. She couldn’t—
The weight shifted, and hot breath hit her ear with a deep hiss. “Your daughter deserves better than you.”
“Mia?” Hayden McGrath’s voice pitched up, echoing off the arched brick roof of Watchman’s Alley. What had happened?
He dashed into the dim space and rounded the bend, his heart racing to a frantic beat.
A figure in baggy jeans and an oversize purple East Carolina hoodie pinned Mia face down, a brick raised to smash into her skull.
Hayden’s feet stumbled on the uneven brick. “Stop!”
At Hayden’s shout, Mia’s assailant jerked back. The person pulled the brick higher over their head, increasing the chances a blow would be fatal. Sunglasses covered their eyes. A mask obscured the lower half of their face.
With her attacker off balance, Mia clearly saw a chance to save herself. As Hayden ran closer, Mia bucked, throwing her attacker to the side.
The brick flew, bouncing off the wall before it clattered to the ground.
The person rolled, scrambled up and raced toward River Street.
As Mia leaped to her feet, Hayden dashed past, bursting into the cold sunlight at the end of the alley. He looked left and right along the crowded street.
The mass of people was too thick to spot his target. Multiple tourists sported the iconic purple of East Carolina University, which was only an hour away. No one seemed to be disturbed and nothing seemed out of place, so Mia’s attacker had probably slowed when entering the crowd, lowering their hoodie in order to blend in.
Hayden’s shoulders slumped. There was nothing he could do. Sure, he would have Mia file a report, open an investigation and wait for the sheriff’s department to pull camera footage from the businesses closest to Watchman’s Alley, but that would take time.
But in the moment, he’d failed.
“He got away?” Mia appeared beside him, eyeing the crowds she’d been so frantic to escape only moments before. Little had either of them known the multitudes she’d feared had offered her protection.
When Hayden faced her, he winced. A dark red mark marred her cheek, small scratches from the grit on the brick leaving thin red streaks in what would likely be a bruise by morning. He let his hand hover near her face. “Are you hurt?”
Mia jerked back. Her breaths sped up, and she backed into the alley, her eyes on Hayden. “I’m fine. I’m—” But her head swung back and forth as though her body wouldn’t allow her to continue the lie.
She was definitely not fine. Not when she’d just lived through something very close to both of their worst nightmares.
As though her knees refused to hold her anymore, Mia sank onto a bench halfway up the alley and bent forward, her elbows on her knees. “What just... How did... Hayden?”
He hadn’t heard that kind of desperate, helpless plea in her voice since the night Keith was murdered.
There was no way they were going to find her assailant today, and Mia needed him more than he needed to rush into the street to search for witnesses. He went to her, praying no one else would venture into the alley, and knelt in front of her. Resting his hands on top of hers, he bent to look into her eyes.
The fear in her expression nearly undid him.
“Mia, I am so sorry I wasn’t here sooner.” He should have told her to stay by the river until he reached her. He should have suggested she keep to the crowds instead of venturing into the deserted alley. He should have—
“No.” Mia sniffed and raised her head, trying to put on a brave front although her fingers shook beneath his palms. Her skin was so pale that the red bruise and scratches seemed to glow in the semidarkness. “Not your fault.” The words trembled. She swallowed hard and sat taller. “I’ll be fine.”
He knew better than to let her retreat into herself. Over the past four years, she’d become the queen of stuffing things inside to deal with at a later time that never seemed to come. It was the coping mechanism she used to hold panic attacks at bay. Since Keith’s murder, she’d lived in a state of extreme fear and mild paranoia. She knew every route to every exit, and she lived in the small spaces that she could control. Crowds were her kryptonite.
Mia also played the guilt game like a champion. Hayden did as well. They’d both been on duty the night the call had come about an armed robbery in progress at the Double R Convenience Store on Highway 64. They’d both responded. If either of them had arrived even one minute earlier, then Keith might be alive today.
Fear and guilt had been unleashed on that night, and they hovered over Mia’s life as well as his own.
But this wasn’t paranoia. It was real, and Mia needed to face reality if she wanted to get through this, no matter how hard it was.
“Mia, I let you fall into the hands of an opportunist who was waiting for—”
“No.” Mia’s face collapsed. As if someone had thrown her into a deep freeze, she trembled from head to toe. “No. I messed up. I—” The words rattled and quaked.
Hayden was on the bench beside her in an instant. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his side. She shuddered as though someone had grabbed her shoulders and was shaking them.
He’d walked her through a panic attack before, but this one felt different.
No, this wasn’t a panic attack. When she was in the throes of fear, Mia didn’t want to be touched. She preferred to be left alone while she fought the darkness until she regained control. Right now, she seemed to seek safety as she clung to him.
Mia breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth, trying to center herself. The breaths were stuttered, but at least she wasn’t hyperventilating.
Hayden waited, his grip on her shoulder tightening. Someone had hurt her, and he wanted to race out into the street to search for the perpetrator and mete out justice. To ask them why anyone would want to take down a seemingly defenseless woman who had already been through more than enough in her lifetime.
With a deep breath that caught in her throat, Mia shook her head. “I froze. I froze and then—”
“It’s understandable.” He couldn’t let her condemn herself over her reaction to a traumatic event, one that was doubly horrible for someone whose life had already been shredded by horrific violence.
“No.” Mia jerked free and rocketed to her feet. She whirled on Hayden. “I froze. I couldn’t protect myself, not even for Ruthie.” Her words echoed off the bricks. “I kept thinking I had to. She could have been an orphan, Hayden. She could have...have lost me today and...” Her eyes widened, and she stepped back as though someone had pushed her. Her face paled as her hands flew to her mouth. “Hayden.”
“What?” He stood and reached for her as she swayed, grabbing her upper arms to steady her. “You remembered something.”
“That person said...” She lowered her hands, her gaze locked on to his. “Said my daughter deserves better than me.”
Hayden’s own knees reacted to her words. For a second, it was tough to tell if he was holding Mia up or if she was supporting him. “This was targeted.”
“By someone who knows me. Or at least knows about me.” She lifted her gaze to the arched brick ceiling. “I have to get to Ruthie.” She pulled away from Hayden. “If someone came after me, they might make a run at her, and I can’t... If I lose...”
There was nothing more to say. Hayden was right there with her. He’d protect his goddaughter with his life.
Reaching for Mia’s hand, he tugged her into a run toward his truck, which was in the parking lot at Booker’s. “I’ll drive.” They made it to the truck and buckled up in record time. He looked both ways before pulling onto Fifth Street. “Call Javi.” Ashley’s father, who was throwing the birthday party Ruthie was attending, was a deputy who’d worked with both of them. He’d protect Ruthie until they arrived. “Tell him what’s happened but caution him to be careful not to alarm the kids. Let him know that no one is to pick Ruthie up except us, no matter who they are or what they say.” Javi was a good father and friend who would handle this with care and discretion. “Have him contact the sheriff as well.” Everything had happened so fast that he hadn’t even considered calling law enforcement. Someone needed to retrieve that brick in case it held evidence that could lead to Mia’s attacker.
With trembling fingers and words, Mia made the call, then rested her phone on her knee. “Hay?”
He didn’t take his eyes off the road. The uncertainty in her voice spoke the question without her having to ask it out loud. “I don’t know if Paige is involved in this, but I hope not.” On their run for the truck, the horrible thought had formed. Paige had been a no-show for a lunch with Mia that she’d requested. She was the reason Mia had been downtown.
“She knows I don’t do crowds, but she asked to meet me on River Street. I mean—”
“But the woman in the café. How would she know about that? It seems like she might have been a random person.”
“But what if she wasn’t? What if someone sent her to spook me so I’d run? If someone knows me, they’d know what would push me over the edge. They’d get me to flee, and they’d know I’d take a path out of the crowd. All they’d have to do is follow me.”
It seemed like a big risk that depended on a lot of uncontrollable variables. Unless she was right and someone had been watching the whole time, just waiting for a chance. Still... “What would the motive be? Why would Paige set up something like this? You guys have had a great relationship since long before Ruthie was born. She approached you about adopting. She’s practically your sister. If she was feeling some kind of way, she’d have told you.”
“Maybe.” Her voice was uncertain as she dragged her thumb down the side of her phone. “But if it wasn’t Paige, then where is she?”
He wished he knew the answer to that question, because either Paige was behind the attack or she was also in danger.
