Forgotten Past by Mary Alford

Chapter Seven

Once the fire department finished inspecting the house, JT drove Faith over to pick up some of her things. When they pulled into the driveway, Will was there waiting for them. The clouds from earlier had dissipated. A gorgeous blue sky and calm seas made it impossible to believe anything bad could be headed their way.

Will’s people had cleared away the patrol car. With the exception of the charred downstairs, there was no sign of the terror that had taken place in her home less than twenty-four hours earlier.

They got out of the SUV and went over to Will. “Any news?” JT asked as he glanced up at the house.

Will shook his head. “No. We had a forensics team go over the truck inside and out. There was nothing. I’m sure he wore gloves. We did find a footprint in the kitchen that didn’t belong to any of our people and you said you didn’t go near the kitchen.” He paused briefly. “CSI took a photograph of it and our technician was able to confirm with some certainty it’s a man’s size-10 Rockwood work boot. Pretty commonplace around here.”

“What about the ballistics report?”

Will didn’t answer right away. Both JT and Faith stared at him. Something was wrong.

“What is it?” JT asked.

“He used an M4A1 Carbine assault rifle. The shell casings matched the ones he fired at you.”

Faith had no idea what the significance of the model was, but she could see it meant something to JT.

“It’s one of the standard weapons used by Special Forces and most SWAT teams,” he told her. “We used them in my unit.”

“Do you think he’s military or a cop?” That would certainly explain how there’d been no evidence left behind. No suspects in the Austin murders. It made sense. A cop would be able to track her down easily enough.

JT shook his head. “Let’s not jump to conclusions. That type of weapon isn’t exclusive to law enforcement or the military.”

“But still, it’s a possibility. Wouldn’t you have to register a weapon like that?”

Will shrugged. “Yes, unless it was purchased illegally. I’m checking records now. Hopefully something will come of it.”

Once again, the killer seemed one step ahead of them.

Will headed for the front of the house. “Let’s go in this way. I’m not sure the back is structurally stable.”

The second Faith stepped into the foyer, the horror of that night surged back. She’d come close to dying. So had JT. He’d risked his life to save her. What about the next time?

JT touched her arm. “Don’t go there. We’re both safe.”

She smiled at his attempt to reassure her. “Yes. Thankfully.”

Behind them, Will cleared his throat. “We notified the realtor handling the house. She’s still not sure what they’re going to do with the place. Most of the stuff in the kitchen and in the back of the house is ruined. The fire never reached upstairs, though. I can’t guarantee you’ll be able to use any of your clothes ever again with all the smoke, but there might be some mementos worth saving. I need to check out a few things down here. You two go ahead.”

Faith followed JT upstairs while the chief stayed below.

A heavy scent of smoke clung to everything. The smoke had tinted her bedroom’s cream-colored walls gray. She looked around in dismay. She didn’t know where to start.

JT came up behind her. “Hey, it’s just stuff. You and Ollie are fine. You can replace everything else.”

That much was certainly true. She went over to the table next to her bed to get her watch. JT’s cell phone was there as well. She handed it to him. “Hopefully it’s not ruined.”

“It’ll be fine. This one’s supposed to be virtually indestructible.” He shoved it in his pocket while she glanced around the room and noticed something missing from the top of her dresser.

JT had seen her hesitation. “What’s wrong?”

She went over to the dresser. “There used to be a small picture frame here. It’s missing.”

“What was in it?”

“A photo of me and Rachel taken right before...that night. I’m almost certain it was here when we left last night. Why would he take it? When did he take it?” Was he hoping to keep some trophy from that horrible night? The thought of it made her sick.

“I don’t know. I’ll tell Will about it. Let’s get your stuff. We shouldn’t stay here much longer.”

She gathered a few personal items and some toiletries and tossed them into a bag. The picture of herself with Rachel was the only thing of any emotional value.

JT took the bag from her. “Ready?”

She glanced around the room that had been her home for just a short time. Once again, she was running. “Yes.”

They went downstairs together and found Will waiting for them in the foyer.

“Has anyone been in the house since the firefighters cleared it?” JT asked.

The question surprised the other man. “No. The fire department had their people out here all night watching to make sure the fire didn’t restart. Why?”

“Someone took a picture from Faith’s dresser. It was a photo of Faith with Rachel Jennings.”

“I don’t think anyone from the fire department would have a reason to take it, but I’ll talk to the fire chief to see if he knows anything. Does the picture have any special meaning to you?”

As hard as she tried, she couldn’t remember details of her friendship with Rachel. “I don’t know. I kept it because it was the only thing I had of the two of us together.”

Will walked with them back to the SUV. “Depending on what type of direct hit the other islands take, the hurricane could either blow itself out or turn back out to sea and continue to grow stronger. Either way, this is the last place Faith needs to be when the power goes out.”

JT nodded in agreement as he held the door open for her. “I’ve called my friend Mason. He has a house outside of Whaler’s Point. He’s out of the country for another month and he told me to use the place for as long as we need. We’ll leave in the morning.” With everything that was going on, remaining positive took every ounce of Faith’s energy.

“At least Whaler’s Point isn’t in the storm’s direct path as of yet. That’s something,” Will pointed out. “But you two still need to be careful. I don’t know what to make of this predator, and without having a clear picture of what he looks like, we don’t know where he might turn up next.”

◆◆◆

Faith could feel JT stealing glances her way as they drove through town. She knew she’d been unusually quiet since they’d left her house, and it was due in large part to their earlier kiss. It had left her feeling a little off balance...and she just couldn’t get that unforgettable encounter out of her head. She wondered if JT had felt the same rush of attraction for her that she had for him. It made her wish for what couldn’t be. So many things stood in their way, and the biggest obstacle of all was her uncertainty about whether she had taken part in the Jennings’ murders. With so much unsettled, it would be a big mistake to give in to the desires of her heart.

“Are you okay?” The gravelly sound of his voice pulled her out of her troubled thoughts. She slowly nodded, yet she couldn’t quite make eye contact. She didn’t want him to see the struggle going on inside her.

When they passed the cutoff to his house, Faith shifted in her seat uneasily. “Where are we going?”

He looked her way. “Since most of your clothes were ruined, I thought we could stop by the clothing store downtown and pick up a few things.”

The thought of shopping for clothes with JT felt a little too personal, yet she knew he was only trying to help. She leaned back in her seat and watched the light traffic pass by as she tried to calm her crazy heartbeat.

It was off-season for tourists so the town was definitely experiencing a down period. With the impending hurricane, she had a feeling things were about to get worse.

JT parked the Suburban in front of Island Dreams, got out of the car and opened her door. “It’s not much, but I’m sure you can find something that works.”

When his fingers brushed her arm, she moved away. She was acting like a schoolgirl who had just had her first kiss and yet she couldn’t seem to help it. Everything about her reaction to JT scared her.

He seemed to sense it as well. “I’ll wait for you over by the window. I want to keep an eye on what’s going on outside.” He stepped away and she could breathe normally again.

Faith went over to the sale rack and began browsing through the items while JT checked messages on his phone. She’d worked at a clothing store in Benton before the move to Hope Island. The owner had taken Faith under her wing and let her stay at the apartment above the store rent-free. In exchange, Faith opened the store each morning for her. Because of the woman’s generosity, she had managed to save a nice nest egg, which allowed her to take her time finding a job when she moved to the island.

She’d gotten used to dressing in jeans and T-shirts. Faith picked out several pairs of jeans and half a dozen pastel T-shirts, along with other necessary items, then paid for them.

“Did you find everything you needed?” JT asked politely as he took the bag from her.

She followed him outside and back to the Suburban. “Yes, thank you. I’m all set.”

“Good.” He unlocked the door, put the bag inside and closed it again.

Finally, she glanced at him. The look in his blue eyes sent her heart racing. “What are you doing?”

“Relax.” He leaned against the Suburban and tugged her closer. “We could have some rough days ahead of us, so I thought maybe we could just take a walk along the beach and unwind.” He brushed a strand of her hair away from her face. “What do you think? Want to take a stroll with me?”

In JT Wyatt, she found what she’d always been searching for, and it scared her to death. She wanted to spend this time with him. Only him. She swallowed hard and took the hand he offered her.

“I’d love to.”

“Good, because there’s this great stretch of beach a couple of blocks from here. It’s been used as a backdrop in several movies. It’s a shame to live on Hope Island and not see it.” She could feel color creeping into her cheeks and she looked away.

He laughed huskily. “You are awfully pretty when you’re blushing, Faith McKenzie.”

When they reached the beach, she stopped and took in the stunning view. The soft sand spread out before her, but it was the pristine blue water beyond that was the most amazing.

She realized JT was watching her reaction. “It’s beautiful. I can’t believe it. It’s so different from our beach and yet we’re not that far away.”

“I know. There are a few beaches scattered around Maine that come close, but none of them are as picturesque as this one. People come from all over the world to see this stretch of shoreline.”

She could certainly understand that. “It makes me want to take my shoes off and feel the sand between my toes.” She snatched a quick glance at JT and laughed. “Is that silly or what?”

He smiled. “It’s not silly at all. In fact, I’ll race you.”

“I beg your pardon?” At first, she thought he was joking until he grabbed one foot and pulled off his shoe. She watched in disbelief for a second and then they were racing to see who could get their shoes off first.

By the time they were both barefoot, they were laughing so hard it was difficult to catch their breath.

JT grabbed her hand and held it. “Come on. Let’s get our feet wet.”

She nodded and they walked down to the water’s edge. Faith waited while JT stuck his foot in and cringed.

She giggled at his expression. “Is it cold?”

“Freezing.” He splashed some water on her foot and she shrieked.

“JT.” She jumped backwards several steps, but he caught her before she got away.

He tugged her close and wrapped his arms around her. Suddenly both of them weren’t laughing anymore.

“JT.” She exhaled his name right before he lowered his head and kissed her and she forgot about everything but the man standing close to her.

This is wrong, her head told her, but her heart just wanted to stay here with him for a little while longer. She wanted to feel normal. Special. He made her feel both those things and so much more.

JT lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. “We should probably get going.” But he didn’t move. “We need to pack and get ready for the trip tomorrow and I don’t trust being here in the open like this too long.”

“Yes.” She sounded breathless, as if she’d been running a marathon.

He cupped her face and leaned in to kiss the tip of her nose and she sighed softly. Just for a little while, she’d felt happy and carefree again.

He turned to leave but she reached up and touched his cheek. “No, wait.”

His eyes searched hers, filled with concern. “What is it?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to thank you. I know this has been hard for you, too. You’ve risked your life for me.” She pointed toward the ocean. “You didn’t have to do this, but I’m so glad you did.”

◆◆◆

JT pulled the SUV behind the house and glanced around at the surrounding area cloaked in darkness.

Everything appeared as they’d left it, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling someone might be watching them.

Faith noticed his uneasiness. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe nothing. Let’s just go inside.” He got out of the SUV and went around to her side. He took another quick look around, but nothing was out of place. Was he just being paranoid?

After they were inside and he secured both door locks, the niggling feeling didn’t go away. “I’m just going to check things outside as a precaution.”

Faith’s eyes widened in alarm. “Do you think someone is following us?”

He did his best to reassure her. “No, there’s no one following us. I just want to make sure everything’s okay.”

She grabbed his arm in a death grip. “JT, don’t go out there by yourself. Let me come with you.”

JT tried not to show his concern. “That’s not wise. I need you to wait here. Why don’t you put on some coffee and when I get back we’ll talk.”

After a second, she gave in. “Okay.”

The churning ball in the pit of his stomach assured him he wasn’t overreacting.

JT followed Faith to the kitchen and closed all the shades. “I’ll be right back. Make sure you lock up behind me.”

Once outside, JT took his time, combing every square inch of the property around the house, searching for footprints or any indication someone had tried to break into the house. There was nothing.

He went to the SUV to retrieve the bag he kept in the back. It held some tools of the trade. He dug out his binoculars and panned the wooded space in front of the house. There was no sign of movement. The sooner they were on the road and off the island, the better he’d feel. Hopefully, they could be on their way to Mason’s place as soon as dawn broke.

He knocked once on the back door. “Faith, it’s me.”

She quickly unlocked it. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes, I think so.” Ollie came into the kitchen and watched them before digging into his kibble. If Ollie wasn’t worried, why was he?

Pull it together, Wyatt.

JT glanced up and caught Faith watching him. She knew he was hiding something, which meant he was definitely losing his touch. He smiled and decided to change the subject onto safer ground. “I’ll take that coffee now.”

She grabbed a couple of cups from the cabinet and poured the coffee and they sat at the table together.

As he sipped his coffee, he couldn’t shake his uneasiness.

“I’ve been thinking we shouldn’t wait until morning to leave. The faster we get on the road the better chance we have at beating the traffic leaving the island before the storm. I’ll just shower and pack some things and we can be on our way.”

She set down her cup. “JT, what aren’t you telling me? Did you see something out there?”

He decided to tell her the truth. “That’s just it. There’s no sign of anyone trying to get in. As far as I could tell, no one followed us from town, but my gut tells me we need to keep moving. Are you up for starting the trip tonight?”

She studied his expression for a long moment before agreeing. Faith trusted him completely and that freaked him out. “Yes. That’s a good idea, and I could use a shower, too. I smell like smoke. I’ll be right back.” She scooped up her purchases from where she’d dropped them and headed for the guest bathroom upstairs with Ollie at her heels.

JT flipped off the coffeemaker, grabbed his overnight bag from the downstairs closet and went up to his room. In the bathroom attached to his room, he took a quick shower then threw a handful of things he’d need for the trip into the bag. He took the Glock from his dresser where he’d laid it and stuffed it inside his jacket pocket. Then he carried the bag downstairs and dropped it by his office door.

He’d need his laptop for work and as a means of communication in case cell service was disrupted. He unplugged the computer and opened his desk drawer to grab a thumb drive. The photo of his wife was the first thing he saw. He’d placed it there shortly after Emily’s death when he couldn’t bear to see it every day and remember what he’d lost. He picked up the photo and touched Emily’s blond hair. “I love you, babe. I’ll always love you, but I think it’s time I moved on with my life. I’ve been stuck in the past until now. Blaming myself for what happened. I know you wouldn’t want that.”

Emily’s smiling face looked back at him. It was as if she were telling him it was okay to let go.

◆◆◆

Faith noticed the light on in JT’s office. She stuck her head in the door and saw him standing next to his desk holding a photo. She stopped dead in her tracks. Something in his expression made it seem like a personal moment. She turned to leave when he glanced up. Their eyes met. The hurt in his eyes tore at her heart. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“No, it’s all right. Come in.”

She went over to where he stood. He held a photo of a woman. She smiled at the person behind the camera, her silver-blond hair blowing in the breeze. She was dressed in a sage-green sweater, which matched her eyes perfectly. In the background were trees colored in an array of reds and golds. “Is that Emily?”

“Yes.” There was a catch in his voice.

“She’s beautiful.”

He nodded. “She was beautiful. Inside and out. You’d never guess she was a cop, but she could hold her own against any criminal around, and yet Emily had a gentle presence about her that I always found comforting. It didn’t matter how crazy our jobs got, I could count on her to be a calming influence.” He exhaled sharply. “In her spare time, she worked with battered women and runaway kids. She had the biggest heart. She was always willing to help someone, whether it was a troubled child or a stray cat.”

Faith couldn’t begin to imagine the depth of his grief. She touched his face gently and he leaned in to her touch.

“What happened to her?” She regretted the question when she saw the pain flit across his face again.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” She held her breath. JT had told her Emily was murdered, but the details of it must be something horrible. It had left an indelible brand of sadness in his eyes.

“No, it’s okay. It doesn’t hurt so much anymore. Emily and I practically grew up on Hope Island. When we were kids it was always Emily, Liz and me hanging out together. Emily and I became high school sweethearts and got married right after graduation.” He wore a brittle smile and focused on the photo for the moment, completely lost in the past and unaware of her.

“One night we were on our way home from work. We needed something—I think it was something ridiculous like milk. I stopped at the corner store. It was raining. Neither one of us wanted to get out. We did rock, paper, scissors to decide who had to go out in the rain, mostly because Emily refused to let me do the ‘manly thing,’ as she called it. I won. She lost.” A muscle worked in his cheek and his voice dropped to a ragged whisper. “Emily walked into the store and right into a holdup. It was just a couple of kids. They freaked. Took the clerk hostage. Emily drew her weapon. It all happened so fast...I didn’t even know what was going on until I heard the shots. By the time I reached her side, it was too late. I held my wife and watched her die.”

Unexpected tears filled her eyes. It was easy to see he blamed himself for his wife’s death. “Oh, JT, I’m so sorry. But it wasn’t your fault. It could just as easily have been you who died. It was just a terrible tragedy.”

His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I know. At least in my head I do, but for a long time I couldn’t accept it. I blamed God. Myself. Everyone except for the people responsible for Emily’s death. I almost lost it.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I know how destructive blame can be, and if it weren’t for my family and friends, well, I’m not so sure where I’d be today.”

“I’m sure they were a salvation,” she said softly.

“Absolutely. They stood beside me during my darkest hours, and on top of that, my sister kept me in church when I wanted to write it off along with God. Liz wouldn’t let me do either of those things. I’m glad she didn’t.”

She squeezed his hand. “Me, too.” She glanced at the photo again. “I wish I’d known Emily. She sounds like a wonderful person.”

“She was and a good judge of character. She would have admired your strength.” Strength was the last thing Faith associated with herself.

“You’re very strong. You may not realize it, but you have more strength than many people I know. It’s one of the first things that drew me to you, along with your overwhelming desire to survive. Faced with what you’ve been through, most people would have given up long ago. You didn’t. You have no idea how special you are, Faith.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close. She wanted to be the woman he believed her to be.

Faith closed her eyes and listened to the steady beat of his heart against her ear. “I’m so glad I met you. You have no idea how long I’ve prayed God would send someone like you into my life. You’re God’s answer. He sent me you. You’re His gift.” She raised her head. There were tears in her eyes but she didn’t care if he saw them. She wanted him to know how important he was to her.

His face twisted in pain. “No one’s ever called me a gift before, but you’ve got it wrong. I’ve been floundering for a while, since Emily’s death. Tonight, I realized I never really made peace with her passing. I just buried it deep in my heart and threw myself into my work. I figured if I could save enough people then maybe I could make up for losing Emily.”

She of all people understood the power of guilt. “Your wife would be so proud of you. You help people who can’t help themselves. You’re giving me back my life. Until now...you...well, I thought I would spend the rest of my life running away from someone I couldn’t remember. I don’t think I can ever thank you enough for what you’ve done.”

She caught her breath at the smoldering attraction she saw in his eyes. JT hesitated a moment longer then leaned in and touched his lips to hers. Her eyes closed. The embrace was sweet and tender—JT was obviously holding back—but his kiss held so many promises she couldn’t let herself believe in just yet.

They each had secrets in their lives. He’d shared his. She couldn’t do the same, because the biggest secret of all remained locked away in her lost memories. With all her heart, she hoped she wouldn’t learn the monster they’d been chasing all along was the one peering back at her in the mirror each day.