“Tease!” Lizzy exclaimed.

  “Lazy,” Ajay countered.

  Lizzy feigned a pout and pretended to throw a punch at Ajay’s head. He threw his head back to dodge her fist, then threw his own punch.

  Lizzy was quick to adjust, moving swiftly from him as she danced on her toes. She laughed.

  “You’re not in a boxing ring, Lizzy,” Ajay said. “The likelihood of you being able to outfight a man bigger than you is slim. You also risk breaking your hands, so don’t think about boxing it out. Elbows, knees, front kicks, side and round kicks are best at close range. If you can’t keep any distance between you, then the best chance you have is to draw him in close and then you crush him. If you hit him in the face, hit him with the palm of your hand or rake him across the eyes with your nails. Think tiger claw.”

  Lizzy nodded. “Tiger claw! Got it.”

  Ajay spun her around and moved against her backside. He leaned to whisper in her ear. “Now crush me!”

  As he eased his arm around her neck, Lizzy dipped her chin to her chest to reduce the pressure he could get around her neck. She slipped a hand between his elbow and her neck and spun herself out and away.

  “Good,” Ajay said.

  He reached out and grabbed her in a choke hold. Like Ajay had taught her, Lizzy tightened her neck muscles, ducked her head and spun herself below his elbows. Her moves were precise, quick and exactly as he’d taught her.

  “Very nice,” Ajay extolled, showering her with praise.

  Lizzy swept her arms out and around and took a bow. Before she could catch herself, she was suddenly lying flat on her back, the wind knocked out of her lungs. Ajay stood above her, looking down at her as she worked to catch her breath.

  “Don’t forget to put distance between you and your attacker. A good run beats a bad stand each and every time. So run! Don’t be dancing in the end zone. That just gives him another opportunity to come back at you.”

  “You don’t fight fair,” Lizzy finally gasped.

  Easing himself above her, Ajay pressed his mouth to hers. He kissed her lips, the gesture an easy caress of skin against skin.

  Closing her eyes, Lizzy allowed herself to drop into the beauty of his touch, savoring the intensity of the moment. When he pulled away, she opened her eyes and smiled.

  “Can we do that again?” Lizzy asked, biting down against her bottom lip.

  Ajay grinned. “We should definitely practice you escaping choke holds until you’re comfortable.”

  “As long as you kiss me like that every time,” Lizzy said, “I’m good with that!”

  Ajay laughed. “Just stay focused, please!”

  * * *

  “What are you looking for?” Vivian asked. “You haven’t stopped fidgeting in your seat since Ajay dropped you off.”

  “Sorry,” Lizzy said, reaching for her glass of orange pop. “I just thought I saw someone.”

  Vivian looked toward the large glass windows of Tap Out Brewery. Lizzy had called her out of the blue to meet for a midday lunch of burgers and beer like old times. They had only been seated a few minutes when Lizzy jumped, certain that she’d seen someone standing by the front door, watching her.

  “Do you want to call Ajay?” Vivian questioned as she tried to see what Lizzy thought she saw.

  Lizzy shook her head. “I’m always bothering Ajay. It’s fine. I’m sure I’m just imagining things.” She knew she didn’t sound convincing as she took one last glance toward the door.

  “So tell me something good,” Vivian said, changing the subject. “How are you and Ajay doing?”

  “He’s so good to me,” Lizzy gushed. “That man has the patience of Job!”

  Vivian waved a dismissive hand. “How’s the sex?” she asked.

  Lizzy leaned in as if to share something decadent. Her friend leaned in closer as well. Lizzy’s voice dropped to a polite whisper. “I don’t know. We’re waiting until things are settled down and that creep who grabbed me is captured.”

  Vivian sat back in her seat, dropping her hands into her lap. Her lashes batted rapidly. Finally, she said, “You’re lying, right? This is a joke?”

  Lizzy shook her head. “Nope! Ajay doesn’t want us to do anything that I might regret later.”

  “Do you think you’ll regret it?”

  Lizzy felt her entire face lift into a bright smile. “I won’t regret a single minute that I’ve been able to spend with Ajay Wright. I think making love to him would be the icing on some very sweet cake.”

  Vivian smiled. “You two are so funny!”

  “Any changes on the dating front for you?”

  “Let me make you laugh,” Vivian said with an eye roll. “I have a new client, and he has a very nice-looking son.”

  “Nice-looking is good.”

  “The son invited me for coffee, so I agreed. We went over to Hutch’s Diner.”

  “Good coffee.”

  “We’re talking. I’m enjoying the conversation, and all of a sudden, he excuses himself from the table to go and speak with a woman who’s sitting alone at the counter. I’m thinking, maybe it’s someone he recognizes. He comes back a few minutes later and says to me, if she stops by the table on her way out, just roll with the conversation. ‘I told her you were my sister.’”

  Lizzy burst out laughing.

  “This fool went to get her telephone number,” Vivian continued, “and when she asked who I was, he said we were family. I was so over it!”

  “What did you do?”

  “I went to the register and paid my bill, and as I was leaving, I told the girl what a jerk he was. I am so done with men. They’re all losers and fools.”

  “Not really,” Lizzy said, her tone consoling. “You just haven’t met your man yet.”

  “And I’m not going to. I’m not going on another date ever.”

  “I’m going to find you a man.”

  “Nope! Focus on your own problems.”

  Lizzy laughed.

  “I’m serious,” Vivian said. “What are you going to do if you and Ajay wait and then you discover he’s really bad in bed? How are you going to come back from that?”

  “I already know Ajay is not bad in bed. In fact, I can say with relative certainty that he will be the best I’ve ever had!”

  “Well, I don’t have your confidence,” Vivian said, laughing heartily.

  The two women paused as the waiter, a young man named Darryl, delivered two mushroom onion burgers, loaded French fries and mugs of their newest craft beer, a kettle sour brew blended with orange, pineapple and passionfruit.

  “Bon appétit!” Lizzy exclaimed as she lifted her mug in salutation.

  “That’s good,” Vivian said after their toast. “This one might become my new favorite.”

  “I don’t know. I think I still prefer their milk stout. Especially the one that gets aged in the bourbon barrels. This is nice, though.”

  As they ate, the conversation shifted once again.

  “How are things with the new siblings?” Vivian asked.

  Lizzy sighed. “Okay, I guess. I’ve not been a good sister if I’m honest. I could probably reach out more or something.”

  “It’s going to take time, I’m sure.”

  “Did I tell you Nate came to visit me in the hospital?”

  “No! What’s he like?”

  “He’s really a nice guy. Really nice. He actually came to help search for me. When he came to visit, he brought flowers and everything. But I could see how hard this is for him and his sister.”

  “And the sister...”

  “Sarah. She’s a teacher.”

  Vivian nodded. “Have you spoken to Sarah?”

  “Not really. Like I said, I’ve not been a good sister.”

  “In your defense, you’ve had a lot going on,” Vivian said. “I’m sure they understand.”

  “I really have no excuse,” Lizzy said. “I could make the time. Don’t encourage my bad behavior.”

  An hour later, after much laughter, the two women settled their tab and headed outside. There was a chill in the air, and Lizzy pulled her coat tighter around her torso.

  “I can drop you off at the ranch,” Vivian said. “Or do you need a ride someplace else?” She eyed Lizzy, her brow raised, a slight smirk on her face.

  Lizzy laughed. “Thank you, but I am going to run down to the gift shop to see if I can find gifts for all the kids. I need to start my Christmas shopping. I texted Ajay, and he’s going to meet me there and pick me up.”

  “Are you going to be okay?”

  Lizzy nodded. “I am. I feel good.” She glanced down the street one way and up the other way. “And clearly no one is standing around waiting to pounce on me, so I should be fine.”

  Vivian leaned to give her a hug. “Call me later so I know you’re okay.”

  Lizzy watched as her friend hurried to her car. The chill in the air had become a cold wind, the kind that seeped into your bones and wreaked havoc through your entire body. She pulled up her hood and zipped her coat up to her chin. Shoving both hands into her pockets, she began a leisurely stroll through the downtown area.

  There was quaint charm about Owl Creek that always made Lizzy feel at home. There were no big-box stores or chain restaurants allowed within city limits. If she needed Macy’s or Home Depot, she would need to drive to Conners or Boise. Tourists made the town interesting as they enjoyed the little mom-and-pop shops that added to Owl Creek’s appeal. They came for the water in the summer and snow in the winter. Spring and fall were all about hiking the mountains and taking in the sights. Lizzy could never truly imagine herself living any place else.

  She paused in front of an antique shop to stare in the window. There was an exquisite wall clock inside that would be perfect above Ajay’s fireplace. She had just decided to go inside and inquire about it when a reflection in the glass caught her eye.

  Lizzy felt her chest tighten, air escaping like helium from a popped balloon. She inhaled deeply, desperate to calm her nerves, the cold air burning her lungs. She turned slowly to stare across the street.

  Standing on the sidewalk, staring back at her, was the man who’d been at the hospital. The same man with the mask who’d taken her hostage.

  Lizzy gasped, and when he suddenly darted in her direction, moving too swiftly toward her, she turned and ran.

  Chapter 15

  Owl Creek’s Main Street was beginning to settle down for the afternoon. Most of the storefronts would soon be closing and the number of places that would stay open past six o’clock were few and far between. As Ajay headed toward the gift shop to pick up Lizzy, he was excited that she’d spent the afternoon out on her own. Lunch with Vivian and shopping after would do her good, he thought. She needed to get back to the business of feeling normal and doing normal things that made her happy.

  As he turned onto Main Street, he was not prepared for the police cars parked in front. A uniformed officer was talking to an older woman with a bouffant hairdo, who was pointing down the street and talking animatedly with her hands.

  A large knot tightened in Ajay’s midsection. He stole a quick glance at his cell phone to make sure he hadn’t missed a call from Lizzy.

  “Let’s just hope it was a shoplifter,” he said, talking to Pumpkin, who was also staring out the window. “Or a tourist who’s intoxicated and needs to be cited for disorderly conduct. Just let it be anything else and not Lizzy.”

  Pumpkin barked.

  Ajay pulled his Jeep into a parking spot on the other side of the street. As he approached, the uniformed officer gave him a look.

  “Nothing to see here,” the man said.

  Ajay flashed his badge. “Lieutenant Wright. I’m just here to pick up a friend.”

  “Your friend have a name?” There was a hint of attitude in the officer’s tone. Attitude that rubbed Ajay the wrong way.

  “She does, but what’s going on here, patrolman?”

  The woman the officer was speaking with answered Ajay’s question. “A young woman ran past my store screaming for help. There was a man chasing her. I came out to see what was going on. He came back past and got into a car and left, but I haven’t seen the woman, and I’m worried he might have done something to her. I called 911 for them to come look, and this young man has been difficult about doing that. He says a crime needs to be committed before they can just go off searching for someone. For all we know, a crime may have been committed!” Her voice was filled with agitation.

  The patrolman glared in Ajay’s direction. “I was just taking her statement when you pulled up.”

  Ajay nodded. “Is there anyone in your shop right now?” he asked the woman.

  She shook her head. “No. In fact, it’s been very quiet today. Almost too quiet. No one’s been since early this afternoon.”

  Ajay pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He tried to call Lizzy. Her phone rang and went straight to voice mail. “Ma’am, can you describe the woman?”

  “Blonde, fair-skinned, petite. She was wearing a navy jacket and jeans, and she had her hood pulled up. I imagine because it’s so cold out. But as she ran by, it blew off. That’s how I know she was blond. And pretty. She was very pretty.”

  “What about the man?” Ajay asked.

  “There was nothing pretty about him. He had on one of those full-face masks with the eyes and mouth cut out. It was black, and his clothes were black.” The woman took a deep breath. “Oh, and she dropped this,” she said, holding out a red knit scarf.

  The knot in Ajay’s stomach tightened as he recognized the scarf that Lizzy had proclaimed was her favorite. Mama Jen had crocheted it for her last Christmas, and Lizzy wore it often.

  Taking the garment from the woman’s hands, Ajay kneeled and held it out to Pumpkin. His dog had been sitting quietly at his side, seeming to take it all in. “Search, Pumpkin,” Ajay commanded as Pumpkin took in Lizzy’s scent. “Find Lizzy.”

  With the agility of a predator after prey, Pumpkin lowered her head and took off running. Ajay was right behind her, determined that they would find Lizzy and she would be safe and sound when they did.

  * * *

  Lizzy wanted to cry. And maybe she was crying, she thought, her face frozen from the cold. She was cowering behind a row of trees that bordered the property behind The Tides. The Tides was a high-end restaurant on the lakefront with a large open patio. Someone had gotten married, and from where she could see inside, the crowd gathered was having a good time.

  Lizzy had cut across through the property, losing the masked man in the parking lot. Ducking down behind the cars, she’d practically crawled along the property’s perimeter until she could dodge into the trees without him seeing her. Now she was too afraid to move, and somewhere along the way she’d lost her cell phone in the snow. It felt like déjà vu all over again.

  “This is ridiculous,” Lizzy muttered out loud. “Help is right there!”

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She couldn’t believe she was too petrified to move, scared to death that man could find her, and embarrassed that she might disturb some newlywed couple’s wedding reception.

  Had she only made more of a scene in the center of Main Street, in front of the shops or inside one of the stores, that man could very well be in custody already. But the fear of him coming after her, and her not being able to defend herself the way Ajay had taught her, had sent her fleeing like a terrified mouse.

  “I have to move,” she said, still shaking in her boots. “Please, God, help me move!”

  A loud noise sounded sharply to her left. Lizzy’s head snapped in that direction, the rest of her prepared to run some more. Tears suddenly rained down her face, like a waterfall.

  Pumpkin rushed toward her and jumped on her excitedly as Lizzy wrapped her arms around the pup and hugged her tightly. She cried into Pumpkin’s fur, a wave of relief flooding through her.

  Just a minute or two later, Ajay hurried to her side.

  “Good girl, Pumpkin,” he said, praising his four-legged friend for a job well done. He grabbed Lizzy by the shoulders and lifted her gently off the ground. Wrapping his arms around her, he drew her close. Her entire body melted against his. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “I’ve got you.”

  “I saw him again. And he was chasing me. I just ran. I didn’t know what else to do!” Lizzy cried, feeling like a complete and total failure.

  “You did good,” he said softly. “You didn’t put yourself at risk, and you got yourself to safety. There’s no shame in that, Lizzy. No shame at all.”

  “But I didn’t try to fight!” she cried out.

  “You didn’t put yourself in a situation that may have gotten you injured. You did the right thing.”

  He folded himself around her, wrapping her tightly in his arms until she stopped shaking. He leaned to kiss the tears from her cheeks, pressing his mouth against hers sweetly. “Let’s go home,” Ajay said, as he guided her back toward the center of town, Pumpkin bobbing beside the two of them.

  * * *

  The next morning, after a pancake-and-bacon breakfast, Lizzy opted to forgo defense training. She was still feeling squirrelly after her encounter downtown and her inability to respond as she would have liked.

  Ajay had let her spend the night, and he had slept on the couch in his own home, giving up his bed for her to get a good night’s rest. Pancakes and bacon were the least she could do to show him her appreciation. After breakfast, he’d disappeared to the master bathroom, and she sat in the living room plotting additional changes to his home’s decor.

  An hour later, Ajay walked back into the living room, freshly showered and dressed. He had an appointment later that afternoon, and then he was having dinner with her brothers. Lizzy was thinking about meeting Vivian and their gang of girlfriends for an evening of ice skating. She didn’t have the heart to tell Ajay or Vivian that she would have simply preferred to stay right where she was until he returned.

 

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