Forgotten Past. Mary Alford
Kelly glanced from one to the other before finally agreeing. “Sure. I’ll just go check on the progress outside.”
JT waited until they were alone. “You’ve been through a lot tonight. You need a second to gather your thoughts. Why don’t we go to the great room and sit for a little while?”
She readily agreed because she desperately needed to soothe her frayed nerves.
JT turned on his flashlight once more and she followed him inside and closed the door. The room appeared eerie as the flashlight’s beam leaped along the walls.
They sat together on the sofa without saying a word. When JT turned off the light the room was plunged into darkness, but that was okay because he was there with her, holding her hand. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe.
For just a little while, she wanted to be still. Calm the storm roiling inside. She wanted the world around her to stop spinning out of control. Wanted the nightmare to end.
JT touched her arm. “You’re shivering.” He turned in his seat to see her better. “It is cold in here.”
He started to untangle his hand from hers but she held on tighter. “No, please don’t go. I really don’t want to be alone.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m just going to make a fire to take the chill away.” She let go of his hand and he clicked the flashlight and got to his feet. JT crumpled some old newspaper in the fireplace for kindling and then stacked wood on top. Within seconds after lighting the kindling, the fire was burning in the grate and the room became bathed in its warm glow.
He sat down next to her once more. “I need you to listen to me.” The gentleness in his tone forced her to do as he asked. “I know you’re scared, but we have to know what’s going on here if we’re going to help you. This—whatever it is—has gone way beyond what you can control on your own any longer. I need you to trust me, Faith.”
A tiny sob escaped from deep inside her. “I do trust you.”
“Then let me help you. Tell me what’s happening.”
“I can’t. I’m sorry, but I can’t. JT, you almost died this morning because I asked for your help. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you. I can’t let anyone else die for me.”
The compassion in his intense blue eyes amazed her. “Did someone you love die because of the person who was shooting outside?”
“Yes,” she whispered at last.
“I know this is hard...trust me, I understand what it’s like to lose someone close to you in a violent way. I was married once. My wife was murdered.”
She’d wondered about his past. He had an aura of sadness surrounding him. She’d noticed it when he brought Ollie back the night before. Yet nothing prepared her for hearing his wife had been killed. “Oh, JT, I’m so sorry. That must have been...horrible.”
He lowered his head. She couldn’t see his eyes but his voice flattened when he answered. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to live through and it’s not something I like to discuss. In fact, you’re the first person I’ve shared this with beyond my family and closest friends. For the longest time after Emily’s death, I wasn’t so sure I was going to make it through. I hated the world and blamed everyone, including myself, for her death.” His words grew thick with emotion. “But I did make it through...with the help of my family and friends.”
When he looked at her, she didn’t make a sound, but gazed deep into his eyes, encouraging him to continue.
“You see, I realized I couldn’t do it on my own. I needed help. It is possible to get your life back, Faith. Maybe even to be happy again, but you can’t do it alone. It’s one of the most valuable lessons I learned. At some time or other, we all need help. Let me help. Let Will.”
Ollie let out a pitiful whimper and she realized she was squeezing him tight. She released the dog and he went over to investigate something close by.
She knew what JT said was true, but still, giving up the one thing that had kept her alive these past two years wasn’t going to be easy.
She silently recited one of her favorite verses from the Bible.
Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me...
Those simple words gave her a sense of calm. Nothing was too great or powerful for God. Not even this.
The one blessing to come from this nightmare was that she had started attending a small church in the Midwest on one of her previous moves and had found God. She was slowly learning how to accept His guidance for her life, but at times, it wasn’t easy to let go. Trust. None of those things came easy to her.
Off in the distance, thunder rumbled low and ominous above the crashing waves. A storm was approaching. The ocean had a way of drawing them to it. In the morning, everything would be clean and fresh and filled with promise.
If only her life could be like that.
She rose, went to the window and opened the drapes. It was just getting light outside. There were several officers combing the yard and the surrounding area. They’d left the truck parked in the middle of her drive—yet another reminder of the danger stalking her. A forensics team was examining every inch of the abandoned vehicle, dusting for prints.
She let the drapes fall back in place. “Do you believe God has a plan for our life?”
Her question clearly surprised him. He came over to where she stood. “Yes, I guess I do, although I confess, sometimes I have a hard time understanding His plan.”
She felt the same way at times, but she truly believed God had a purpose for her as well. There had to be a reason why He’d led her here to Hope Island.
“It will be okay, Faith. I know it doesn’t seem so right now but it will.” He hesitated a second, then gathered her close and she let him because it seemed as natural as taking her next breath. In just a short amount of time, he’d become her safe haven and she held on to him.
“Are you ready to talk to my friend?”
She looked up at JT and saw the strength she needed. “Yes.”
“Good. I’ll go get him.” He’d taken only a couple of steps toward the door when the overhead light flickered once and came on. The power was restored almost as if it were a sign.
JT turned back to her. Their gazes met and she held her breath. The warmth in his eyes held so many possibilities.
“It may take some time, but we’ll find out who’s doing this to you and we’ll give you back your life again.”
With his help, she believed they would.
Chief Will Kelly did his best to put her at ease, but the two police officers standing guard outside the great room only served to emphasize the dangerous nature of her situation.
JT took the seat next to her. Even though he hadn’t said a word, having him close made her feel like she wasn’t alone anymore.
“Why don’t you start with what happened this morning? When did you first become aware something was wrong?” Chief Kelly opened his notebook and fished out a pen from his pocket.
“When I got the call this morning. It woke me up.”
JT’s gaze collided with hers. With everything that had happened since then, she’d forgotten to tell him about the phone call.
“He called again?” Something in his expression sent a shiver down her spine. The news of the call clearly surprised him, which meant what? That he didn’t think her stalker’s behavior was true to form?
“Yes,” she answered