Page 1

Megan Lewis was exhausted, but she smiled at her favorite pooch. “You got some nerve making me stay in the shop this late.”

Raymond, her ten-year-old border collie, gazed up at her with those eyes that she could never resist. He lay on the floor next to the kennel door where the newest pet abandoned in front of her shop cowered in fear. Fortunately, incidents like this didn’t happen very often—at least not at her shop. But when they did, she refused to let the animal down any more than it already had been.

She had no choice. Her heart wouldn’t allow anything else.

The beagle that had been left on her doorstep early that morning wasn’t a young animal. Meg suspected she was eight or ten. She’d found the poor baby at the front door before dawn. Couldn’t be a local. Everyone in Piney Woods knew Meg lived upstairs. The only reason she hadn’t heard the culprit’s arrival or departure was because she’d been in the shower. But when she’d stepped out, Meg had certainly heard the animal’s howl. Beagles had a distinct yodel-like sound.

Unlike most animals abandoned on the sides of roads or at vet clinics or even businesses like this one, there had been a note attached to the beagle’s collar. The owner had explained that Pepper was not doing well, and the owner had no money to take care of her. She or he hoped that the owner of such a charming and caring place would be able to give Pepper the love and help she needed.

Certainly, Meg would try.

Just after lunch, Lonnie Howell, the local vet, had stopped in for a look. He would need to do more testing, but he suspected a heart issue. Meg was to drop Pepper at his clinic on Monday for the necessary testing and a more accurate diagnosis. Lonnie hadn’t made any promises, but Meg knew him well enough to understand he would do whatever was necessary to help the animal whether there was money involved or not.

Meg crouched down and smiled at Pepper. “Don’t worry, girl. We’re going to take very good care of you, and once you’re well enough, we’ll see that you get a proper home. Just bear with me until then.”

Pepper’s sad eyes tugged at Meg’s emotions. This career was definitely tougher in some ways than her former one. She gave Raymond a good scratch between the ears. She doubted he would be coming upstairs tonight. Raymond sensed when other animals were in an elevated state of stress. He stayed close when he felt his presence was needed.

“You’re a good boy,” Meg said before pushing to her feet.

She’d already locked up, but before going upstairs she made a final walk-through. The lobby was secure. The computer and drawers at the check-in counter were locked up. Since she wasn’t open on Sundays, she used the day for a deep clean. She and one of her two employees—they alternated Sundays off—would spend the afternoon making the place shine. Cleanliness was important to Meg and to the animals. Folks trusted her with their beloved pets, and she wasn’t about to let them down.

The kennels were all secure. Only three dogs and one cat were staying overnight. Pampered Paws was primarily a grooming service, but they did some boarding too—like the four presently registered for the weekend. No matter that Piney Woods was a small town, Meg actually had five customers whose dogs were on a weekly day care plan. The owners worked long days in the city of Chattanooga and had no one to look after their pets. Meg’s shop was the first in Piney Woods to offer the service, and it had gone over far better than she’d anticipated.

In the beginning Meg hadn’t expected to take on any extra services beyond grooming. She’d arrived in Piney Woods after having already purchased the small two-story building on the main street that cut through the center of the little town. After exiting her former career in a hasty manner, she’d decided her only other marketable skill had been with pets—mostly dogs. She’d grown up on a farm with lots of animals and no shortage of dogs. Her father, too, had taken in every stray that came along. Meg had shown a real knack with the lost animals. Her father had called her the dog whisperer. The term was a bit exaggerated, but she’d never met a dog—or any animal really—she couldn’t get along with. They bonded quickly and easily. God knew she’d had all kinds of dogs and numerous cats throughout her life—particularly growing up on the farm, which made her well acquainted with the art of grooming. Seemed like the perfect fallback plan after her first choice fell apart.

She checked the back door and then headed upstairs to a studio apartment the former owner had used as a rental for extra income. The place was perfect for Meg. She didn’t need much space. Just the basics. She unlocked the door and went inside, relocking it behind her. Crime in Piney Woods was basically nonexistent, but old habits died hard. Having a locked door between her and the rest of the world was the only way she could sleep—that and the one weapon she kept on her person at all times. No matter that in Tennessee it wasn’t uncommon to see folks carrying a gun or knife, Meg preferred the element of surprise, which meant keeping hers carefully concealed.

Certainly, life was different here, but she liked it. On the farm in Bakersfield, California, where she’d grown up, she had learned to appreciate solitude. Not so much as a kid but certainly as an adult whenever she’d visited. The family farm hadn’t been one of the massive multimillion dollar operations. Just a small vineyard and endless acres of fruit trees that had at one time provided a decent living to their little family.

Her heart squeezed at the memory of running through the orchards with at least one dog on her heels and her father grinning at her for once again escaping the house when her mother had grounded her. She’d sneaked out so many times before age twelve that her mother had insisted she was going to be like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. One day she was just going to disappear, and no one would know where she’d gone. Her mother had warned that there might not be a yellow brick road to guide her to where she needed to go, much less to a wizard who could get her back home. Meg shook her head. She had loved that movie as a kid. She’d learned every line by heart and often played out the part of Dorothy, complete with running away. Not that she ever went very far or intended to stay gone. Looking back, Meg could only think that it was a good thing she’d been an only child. She wasn’t sure her parents could have survived two like her.

Funny how her mother, may she rest in peace, had been more right about her daughter disappearing than she could possibly have known. Disappearing had become her job...

You can never go back.

Meg turned off the thought and flipped on the lights. That had been another time, another life.

She banished the memories. This was her life now. No point looking back.

She crossed the room and stared out the front window at the deserted street below. Piney Woods was the quintessential small town. One main thoroughfare, Pine Boulevard, which was really just a two-lane street with vintage shops lining the more “downtown” portion. Upon entering Piney Woods proper, there was a full-service gas station and convenience store just before reaching the sidewalks and vintage shops of the old downtown strip. Meg’s place was the first shop on the left. A two-story brick building with a canopied entrance and meager parking out front. The parking slots along the boulevard were few and first come, first served.

The downstairs portion of her shop had long ago been tiled with a commercial grade product which made for the perfect flooring for a pet grooming service. She’d had some substantial plumbing upgrades completed, along with the framing up of separate spaces for kennels. Also lucky for her, since her shop was the first in the row on this side of the boulevard, she had a good-sized area in the back that could be a patio or extended parking. Instead, it had become a pet playground and had only two extra parking spots—one for her and for whichever of her two employees was on duty. Just over a year later, it turned out to be the right decision since five of her favorite clients had asked for pet-sitting services.

Another perk of her shop’s location was the fact that she could see everyone who drove into town if she wanted to stand at the window and watch. There was a single main street that led into Piney Woods, and it dead-ended at the cliffs that overlooked the city of Chattanooga and the valley below. There were lots of little side roads in and around Piney Woods, but none led directly in or out of town. It was either come back out along Pine Boulevard or go over the cliffs at the other end or down the mountain along rugged trails on the two remaining sides. It was the perfect setup for someone who needed to meld into the background while monitoring the comings and goings around her.

Meg picked up the binoculars she kept on the deep windowsill. She eased onto it and used her binoculars to scan the street. The street lamps allowed her to see the sidewalks and any pedestrians who might be out and about. Folks who lived in Piney Woods were in for the night. She smiled. It wasn’t like there was anything to do at this hour anyway.

The shops along the boulevard were closed. Most had dim exterior lighting. Some left a single low wattage light on inside as well. No one on the mountain wanted bright lights obscuring the view of the stars. The diner, the post office, a local pharmacy, a tiny bookstore and a small organic market were on the side of the boulevard opposite Pampered Paws. Another reason Meg had chosen this spot. At the time of her purchase, one year ago, the bookstore had been just a vacant shop. But it was on the wrong side of this little main thoroughfare for her use. She preferred being on the side with the small urgent care and the vintage furniture store.

Meg had wanted to be able to see folks coming in and out of the diner and those other more often visited shops by the folks passing through. She had made it a point to know the backgrounds of as many of the locals as possible—not that there were many. Keeping tabs on any new faces was important. Made life more comfortable for Meg.

She shifted her attention to the right, to the part of Pine Boulevard that transitioned into a county road where the Gas and Go, the gas station and convenience store combo—another key operation to keep an eye on—was lit up like the beacon of a lighthouse reaching out to anyone wandering in the dark. It was the only all-night gas and food service available for several miles. Further along that same county road was the fire station and a Hamilton County sheriff’s substation. The bigger stores and supermarkets were a half hour or more away. Apparently, this was the way the citizens of Piney Woods liked it, because they had kept out all big business operations that showed interest in the area.

Another reason Meg had chosen this little town. Made her life all the easier.

She hoped things stayed the way they were.

Did anything? Ever?

Meg dismissed the troubling idea and zoomed in on the one vehicle parked at the Gas and Go.

Dark blue or black truck. Dented tailgate. Georgia license plate.

No surprise—they were very close to the Tennessee-Georgia line.

Jennifer O’Neal was on duty. Alone. The Gas and Go always had two employees on duty except for the late shift. Meg rolled her eyes. Sure, there might be less business at this hour, but it was prime time for trouble. Worse, the girl had just turned twenty-one. She was as thin and elfin as Tinker Bell.

“You should look for a better job, Jennifer,” she muttered.

Meg zoomed in on the young woman behind the counter. Jennifer’s eyes were wide with something like fear...her mouth opened slightly as if preparing to scream. What the hell? Meg’s heart thumped as she zoomed back out far enough to take in the man who now stood at the counter.

Gun.

The gun in his hand sent Meg’s heart into her throat. She put aside the binoculars, grabbed her cell and headed for the stairs in a dead run.

By the time she reached the back door downstairs, she had Deputy Sheriff Ernie Battles on the line. “Ernie, this is Meg. There’s a—” Meg bit her tongue to hold back the code “—what looks like a robbery happening at the Gas and Go. The perp is armed with a handgun.”

“On my way,” Ernie said quickly, then he swore. “I’m maybe ten minutes out.”

The rumble of the cruiser’s engine roared over the line as he obviously rammed the accelerator.

“Should I call 911?” Meg had to do something. She couldn’t just stand here.

“They won’t get there any faster but go ahead. I need to drive.”

The call ended.

Meg’s gut clenched hard, and drawing in a breath was nearly impossible as she unlocked the back door and slipped out. As she moved through the darkness to the front corner of her shop, she called 911. She provided the necessary info, then hung up and shut off the ringer of her phone. The operators and dispatchers preferred to keep a caller on the line or to call back under certain circumstances. Meg didn’t have the time for additional conversation, and she certainly didn’t want her phone ringing or vibrating in the next few minutes.

She flattened against the building, held perfectly still and watched the movements of the two inside the Gas and Go. The guy with the gun was shouting. Jennifer was cowering in fear.

Ten minutes. Another twist to her gut at the idea that Jennifer did not have ten minutes.

Meg glanced both ways. The street remained empty.

This guy would be long gone, and Jennifer could be dead in ten minutes.

Meg swore. Then she sprinted across the street.

She hunkered down as she reached the perimeter of the well-lit parking lot. The truck—obviously the one belonging to the man with the gun—shielded her to some extent from view.

Keep going.

Meg moved closer.

Though she no longer carried a gun on her person, she did keep a sheathed knife at the small of her back. It was easier to conceal than a handgun. She reached for it now. Small, lightweight. Made for survival.

On the driver’s side, since it was shielded from view, she stabbed both tires, twisted and dragged the blade to ensure the job was done. Stabbing through the sidewalls of tires wasn’t an easy task but her knife was very sharp and it wasn’t her first time. Plus, she was strong. She may have left her former career, but she hadn’t walked away from staying fit and prepared. It was too essential to her survival.

With that done, she eased to the front fender to get an update on what was happening inside.

The perp had pulled Jennifer from behind the counter and was dragging her toward the short corridor that led into the back storage area of the building. Meg had only been back there once. She’d come over for paper towels, and Jennifer had been too busy to leave the counter to go into the back for more since she hadn’t had a chance to restock that night. Meg had a general idea of the layout. There was a back door. The guy could do whatever he had in mind and then slip out the rear of the building.

Dread swelled in Meg’s chest.

There was only one reason for him to take Jennifer into the back...before taking off with whatever cash had been in the register. He either wanted to play with her, or he intended to kill her...maybe both.

Deputy Battles absolutely would not get here in time to stop either situation.

“Damn it,” Meg muttered.

She tightened her grip on the knife and lunged toward the entrance. With her free hand, she grabbed the door handle and held her breath. Opening it wouldn’t be the problem. It was the door’s closing that would trigger the little bell that sounded off with each customer’s arrival.

She released the door, raced to the counter. She launched herself over it, landing quietly on the large black rubber antifatigue mat as the bell jingled. Crawling quickly, she made herself as small as possible at the end of the counter closest to the front of the store, where she would be able to watch for the deputy’s arrival.

Assuming she was still breathing when that happened.

The near silent tread of rubber soles on the shiny tile floor blasted across her senses.

The guy with the gun was coming.

She didn’t have to see him to know he would be scanning the aisles and surveying the parking area around his truck. He’d heard the bell on the door.

He stopped at the front of the counter and leaned across, expecting to find the trouble hidden behind it.

Meg didn’t dare breathe.

She had, at best, one shot at this.

As he walked toward the end of the counter where she was hiding, her muscles bunched in anticipation of lunging for him.

Tension vibrated inside her, fingers tightening on her knife.

A scream from the back of the building stopped his momentum.

“Help me!” Jennifer’s trembling voice. “Please help me.”

He swore, and that single, muttered word told Meg that he was nearly on top of her—just around the corner of the counter—maybe two feet away from her position.

Meg dared to move her head, leaning back just far enough to see him from the shoulders up. His back was turned to her. He was torn between shutting up his hostage and ensuring no one else was inside the store with him.

Jennifer screamed again.

Meg readied to move.

Now or never.

She shot upward.

He twisted...the weapon in his hand leveled on Meg.

The logo of a rock band on his tee, ragged jeans and biker boots flashed through her brain in that single second before she propelled herself forward. She swiped her knife across his throat. Twisted her body into a roll. Hit the tile and rolled.

The gun went off.

The ping of the bullet hitting the floor next to her had her scrambling farther away.

Then the gun bounced on the floor.

Meg scrambled to her feet.

His hands were at his throat, blood spewed between his fingers and flowed down his torso in a river of red.

His gaze connected with Meg’s for a split second—damn, he was young—before he crumpled to the floor.

No matter that he was a goner, she kicked the gun across the floor before rushing toward the storage room. She bypassed the restrooms and the entrance to the cooler and rushed through the open door that led into the back, into the storeroom.

Jennifer, her clothes half ripped off her body, huddled in the floor next to boxes of paper products.

Her left wrist was tied to a metal pipe that snaked up the wall. Meg cut her loose and then tucked her knife away. She reached toward the terrified young woman. “You’re okay now, Jennifer. Deputy Battles is on the way.”

Jennifer’s eyes remained wide with fear. Tears and mucus streamed down her face. “He...he...”

“He won’t hurt you now.”

Meg sat down on the floor next to her and held her until help arrived.