Love Inspired Suspense April 2015 #1 (36 page)

It had happened so fast, leaving no time to clear her mind. The only objective was to escape before any dynamite detonated. She stumbled out into the coolness and sucked in air. She had prepared herself for death, but now she was very much alive. She tried not to fall as they rushed down the steps.

Rick swept her up into his arms and carried her far from the house. He dropped to his knees beside a tree, but he didn't let go of her. His strong arms held her to him. Burying his face in her hair, they rocked together, not speaking. His body heat warmed her, driving away the shock. She was aware of nothing around her, not the SWAT team and bomb squad members running in and out of the house, not the flashing red-and-blue lights. There was only Rick. Rick was all she saw, all she felt. She was alive and she was in his arms. Slowly, her hearing improved, and she could hear his voice.

“I've got you. You're safe. I'm never letting you go.”

Stephanie wrapped her arms around his neck. Looking up into his shining eyes, she knew she was rescued. She kissed his stubble-covered chin. He tipped her face up, and his warm, soft lips covered hers.

TWENTY-ONE

Friday
Two Weeks Later

S
tephanie walked down the hallway toward her classroom carrying a stack of photocopies for the day ahead. Her principal leaned out the door of his office and called to her. “Hang on, Stephanie. Before you go, I need to talk to you for minute.”

“Sure, Jim. What's up?”

She followed him into his cramped office. Photographs of the Pop Warner football team he coached lined the walls. Fifteen years' worth of elementary-aged football players grinned back at her. It was strange to think that many of those boys in the older photographs must be men by now, with kids of their own. On the edge of his desk sat a photograph of Jim's oldest daughter's wedding from the previous summer. It was a cozy, messy space, but it was still the principal's office, and Stephanie couldn't help but feel like a kid in trouble.

“Everything okay?” she asked Jim as she sat down in the hard plastic chair that he pointed her to.

“Just fine,” he assured her. He picked at a hangnail without making eye contact. “I know you've had a rough few weeks. You've had a lot on your mind. Normally I wouldn't want to bother you with this right now, but I've put this off as long as I possibly can.” He sat down on the edge of his desk and folded his arms. “I need to have all of my staffing decisions set for the next school year.”

Stephanie wiggled in her seat.
Here it comes.

“I need to know for sure what you plan to do next year.” He finally looked her in the eye. “I put a contract in your mailbox. If you're staying, I need it signed by the end of the school day.”

* * *

The blonde woman behind the desk handed Rick his credit card. “You can have that back now,” she said.

He slipped the card into his billfold and returned it all to his back pocket.

She typed with the tips of her fake red nails. Then she grabbed paper from the printer and folded it into two envelopes and handed them to him. “I believe that is all you need for now. When we confirm the final details and itinerary, I'll have more for you.”

“Thanks.” Rick stood and offered his hand. “I appreciate all of your help. I know this isn't something you deal with on a regular basis. You were able to get an amazing deal for these.”

She shook his hand and grinned. “No, thank
you
. This was all new for me. I definitely don't get requests for that destination too often. It was quite the learning experience. But most importantly...” She winked. “It's so romantic.”

Rick tapped his open palm with the envelopes and returned her grin. “That's the goal.”

* * *

Stephanie slid the bookmark between the pages and closed the book. It was a cliffhanger, and now her students would have to wait all weekend to find out what was going to happen next in their story. It might be cruel, but “Leave them wanting more” was her guiding philosophy when it came to their read-aloud times. She had an innate sense for where to stop reading, knowing how to pull them in, hook them and then leave them dangling over the cliff. She waited for the begging to begin.

A collective groan engulfed her. “No. Not yet, don't stop.”

There were many times in the past when she had let her students talk her into reading more. She was sure they would try it again today. The kids reveled in the victory of convincing her to abandon whatever was next on her agenda. When it came to books, she was a total pushover—anything for the sake of a great story. “I really shouldn't...” she would often say, and then they would know they had her. The kids always ate it up, and so did Stephanie.

Their school pulled its enrollment from neighborhoods where it would be tough to round up very many books at all. Yet here they were, all thirty kids completely engrossed, begging her to keep reading to them. Moments like these thrilled her and whispered to her heart,
See, your life has purpose here, too.
She glanced at her desk where the unsigned contract sat, knowing she had to decide soon.

Stephanie leaned against the back of her high stool and pulled the Newberry Award–winning book into her chest. If she wasn't so excited about what was coming next, she might be tempted to keep reading until the bell rang to go home for the weekend.

“We'll pick up here on Monday.” She gave them her wickedest grin. “You'll have to wonder all weekend long what is going to happen next.” More groans pelted her.

“Just one more chapter. Please,” begged a boy named Jaxon.

“Sorry, Jaxon, we have to stop. We have a special guest speaker coming today, remember?”

Right on time, the door opened, and Axle trotted in, his head alert and his chest puffed up with pride. His wounds were healing nicely and he looked healthy and happy. Behind Axle, holding the leash was Rick. The sight of him sent a rush of blood to Stephanie's cheeks. She blinked.
Hello, guest speaker.
She blinked a few more times.
Stop staring, Stephanie. Your students are watching.
It was going to take time for her to get used to the idea that this gorgeous man in uniform loved her. She cleared her throat and said, “Class, these are my friends Officer Powell and his K-9 partner, Axle.”

A girl named Kylie raised her hand but didn't wait to be called on before she blurted out, “Is that your boyfriend, Miss O'Brien?” Nervous giggles tittered around the classroom. Stephanie chose to ignore the question, but Rick leaned in and whispered into her ear.

“Yeah, Miss O'Brien. Am I your
boyfriend
?”

If her face was red before, it was on fire now. She led the way to the front of the classroom. Leave it to kids to be direct.

“Get out the questions you've written for Officer Powell and show me what your best attention looks like.” Stephanie stood a little taller as her kids made her look good. They scrambled to follow her directions. It took only seconds before all of their desks were cleared of everything but a single sheet of paper, all their arms were folded, and thirty pairs of eyes were staring at Rick expectantly.

Rick leaned toward Stephanie's ear and whispered behind his hand, “Wow. Impressive crowd control. Sure you don't want to become a cop?”

Never in a million, trillion years.
She leaned toward him and whispered back behind her own hand, “It's all in the training, Officer Powell.” She shrugged and then, before turning back to the class, she winked and added, “I might be able to give you a few pointers.”

Rick rewarded her flirting with a flash of his dangerous dimple. If she wasn't careful, she would forget she was standing in front of her classroom and get lost in banter with Rick. She addressed her students. “Remember class, best manners.” Stephanie pointed her first two fingers at her own eyes and then turned the fingers toward the kids. “I'll be watching from the back.”

The kids laughed, but held their attentive postures. A warm sense of satisfaction filled her. They were good kids, and she cared about them so deeply. Stephanie threw out her hand toward the students, “Okay, Officer Powell, they are all yours.”

She sat down at the round table in the back of the room to watch. “Miss O'Brien told me to tell you some stories about my dog, Axle,” Rick told the class. He stroked Axle's fur and then cocked his head, squinting his eyes as if he weren't convinced that was such a good idea. “She said you would want to hear all the good stories about how Axle is a hero, but I'm not sure if I should. I wouldn't want to scare you or anything.”

The kids leaned farther forward. Stephanie giggled.
He's good. Definitely knows how to hook a room full of ten-year-olds.
She felt her own body leaning forward, captivated by Rick's charisma in the spotlight. Who was she fooling? He knew how to hook the teacher, too. Everything about Rick captivated her. This was nothing new.

* * *

The bell rang, announcing the end of another week. Her students slammed shut the journals they were writing in and shoved them into desks or backpacks, scrambling to be the first in line to go for the weekend.

Stephanie stationed herself in the doorway as she did at the close of every day. “High five, handshake or hug?” she asked each exiting student. Kylie chose a high five. Jaxon surprised her by requesting his first hug of the school year. Miguel stuck out his hand for a quick, shy shake. Down the line she said goodbye to each student for the weekend.

After the last hug, she turned back into the empty classroom. She grabbed her lesson plan book and sat down in one of her students' desks. Each day she chose a different desk to sit in before she left, praying for the student who sat in it. Today she chose Jaxon's desk. His dad was up for parole soon, and she prayed that when he came home it would be good for Jaxon. The boy had come so far this school year and was blossoming before her eyes.
Thank You, Lord, that I've been able to watch the work You are doing in his life.

Stephanie opened her planner and traced her finger over the photograph of Moses. She really did need to ask Emily for a more current picture of him, but this was Moses as she remembered him in her heart, the age he had been the last time she held him.

She stared ahead at the whiteboard with all her notes written on it in dry-erase marker. She liked seeing the classroom from the students' point of view. It gave her perspective.

Today had felt normal for the first time since she had come back. She had wondered how long it would take for her to readjust to everyday living without the constant threat of death hanging over her head. It had happened sooner than she expected. It had been a sweet day. Rick and Axle's visit being the sweetest part.

Slipped between the pages of her planner was next year's contract. She pulled it out, fingering the paper until the edges started to curl. Stephanie clicked her pen open. The pen hovered over the paper, shaking. She squeezed her eyes tight. She knew what she needed to do. All of the doors to Liberia were closed.

For now.

With a settled heart, she opened her eyes and signed her name, making her decision firm. Liberia owned a part of her heart—it always would—but sitting here in Jaxon's desk, she knew that this school held her heart, too. Someday she would go back and serve the people of Liberia, but when she did, she would be motivated by love and gratitude, not because she was afraid of losing God's approval. She put down the pen, content. Joining Him in the work He was doing right here in the lives and hearts of her students, that was a meaningful life, too.

* * *

Rick stood outside Lincoln Elementary, leaning against his patrol car. He could see into the ground-floor windows of Stephanie's classroom. She was sitting in one of the students' desks, working. He pulled out his phone and texted her.
Look out your window. Can you join me?

He felt his own phone vibrate as her answer came through.

On my way out. : )

Rick grinned as Stephanie left the building and walked toward him. Her steps were light, almost skipping. Watching her made him feel weightless. As she drew near, he saw that her smile reached her eyes. She was happy, and that made him happy. He wanted to spend a lifetime making her feel that way. He hoped the envelopes in his pocket would be his first step in accomplishing that.

“I should finish planning for the week...” she told him, glancing over her shoulder at the school.

“No, you shouldn't. You should go get some coffee with me. Besides, I brought you a present.” He reached through the open window of his car and pulled out a sticker. It was a silver Seattle PD badge he kept to pass out to kids. “I think you've earned this, partner.”

He peeled off the sticker's backing and stuck the badge to her shirt. “There, it's official.”

Stephanie giggled. “Does that make me Deputy O'Brien?”

He mocked a heart attack. “Deputy? You're killing me. Unless you are planning on working for King County, let's try Officer O'Brien.”

Her face turned red. “Oops. Guess I've got a lot to learn.”

“Training starts now,” he told her, pulling her into his arms.

* * *

Rick took both of Stephanie's hands in his, then he cocked his head and gave her the signature squint she found so adorable. “So, have you given any more thought about what you are going to do next year?”

His question made her realize how happy she was to have the decision made. She nodded. “Actually, Jim called me into his office this morning and gave me until the end of the school day to make my final decision.”

Rick's grip tightened on her hands. “And?”

“I signed the contract,” she told him. “I finished signing right before I got your text, in fact.”

He exhaled, and a slow smile spread across his face. “And you are okay with that decision?”

Axle rubbed against her legs. She leaned down and petted the top of his head, returning Rick's smile. “Rick, I'm better than okay with that.”

“Good.” He seemed giddy with excitement. “Because I have another present...” He held two envelopes out to her.

Confused, she opened them and pulled out travel documents, plane tickets and an itinerary. Shocked, she looked up at Rick's grinning face. Chills ran up her body. Gratitude and love washed over her as she realized what she was holding. “Are these...?”

He nodded. “Tickets to Liberia for this summer. Tickets for two.”

Stephanie grasped the papers to her heart. It felt as if her chest couldn't hold all of the joy. She choked on her emotion, unable to speak.

“I've already put in for the time off.” Rick said. “And I've made arrangements with your sister.”

He pulled her back into his arms; it was uncomfortable pressing against his bulletproof vest and gun belt, but it was right where she wanted to be. “I love you, Stephanie. Liberia is a part of who you are, and I want to learn to love what you love. I know you wanted to go back there full-time. This is only a short-term trip for now, but it's a start.”