Facing Evil Read online

  You excite me, Sarah from the-cabin-next-door, and I’m not sure how to deal with that! Abby bit down on her lip before she broke into a full smile, “Abby.” There was an immediate connection as they shook hands and looked into each other’s eyes. “Can I buy you a coffee, Sarah?”

  “Sure, if you make it a tea,” Sarah responded with a bright smile.

  They spent the morning in polite conversation, and though it took a bit of time, Abby actually started to relax. Sarah’s easygoing nature had the somber detective smiling and laughing on several occasions. They found they had numerous things in common — from fishing and hiking, to a love of music and the theater.

  “Les Mis was incredible. The music was so moving and that little boy...”

  Abby gazed over the rim of her teacup. “But nothing can compare to The Music of the Night; Phantom is by far my favorite.”

  Sarah crossed her ankles and pulled her knees up to her chest. It was a simple motion, but it tugged on something inside Abby.

  “The last person I dated thought the theater was where you ate popcorn,” Sarah said with a small laugh. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love movies too, but it’s not theater.”

  “I know what you mean. Most of the guys I work with would never be caught dead going to the theater.” They both chuckled.

  “So do you work in an office, or what exactly do you do for the city?”

  The smile slowly slid from Abby’s face as she felt the burden of her earlier untruth.

  Sarah watched with interest as her new friend’s gaze fell to the cedar deck. She is a gorgeous woman — but there’s something that she’s hiding. And what wouldn’t I give to find out what it is?

  Looking up, Abby bit at her lips several times as she wished for the delaying tactic of lighting a cigarette. Realizing the question was still hanging, Abby decided to relieve her conscience and tell the truth.

  “Actually, Sarah, I don’t work for the city. Well, I do, per se...I’m a cop.” Abby saw the look of confusion, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mislead you. I just don’t usually tell people what I do. I mean, I’m proud to be a cop, but...well...sometimes it seems like everyone has a speeding ticket they don’t agree with or a case they want to argue about. So most people don’t even know what I do. Mind you, apart from my dog and the kid at the video store, I don’t talk to a lot of people outside of work. It... Well, to tell the truth, when you asked me yesterday, it wasn’t something I wanted to get into.”

  “I understand. Well, actually, I don’t, but that’s okay. You have your reasons and I can respect that. Something tells me that’s where those came from,” she said as she gestured toward Abby’s cast and stitches.

  “These? I guess you could say they’re part of the reason why I’m here.”

  “Part?” Sarah asked tentatively, not wanting to push too hard.

  “I’ve been working a little too hard and it’s affected my judgment. I was given the ultimatum of taking an extended break or a permanent one.”

  Sarah was listening intently. “Wow, so what’d you do?”

  “I did something no one else had the balls to do.”

  “What was that?”

  The question was innocent enough, but it was more than Abby was comfortable with revealing to a stranger. “Hey, I’ve had enough coffee for now. Can I get you something else?” Standing up, she reached for her cup as she looked to Sarah for an answer.

  “Ah...wow, look at the time — it’s lunch already. I should get out of your hair.”

  Abby didn’t want the morning to end. She couldn’t explain it, but she had found a comfort she wasn’t ready to let go of. “Trust me, you’re not in my hair. You wanna go and grab something at the lodge?”

  Sarah thought about the invitation before she finally smiled and said, “Sure, why not?”

  Leaving Buck laying happily on the deck, Sarah and Abby headed for the lodge.

  ♥

  On her hands and knees in the warm dirt just outside the door to the lodge, Helga saw them coming down the path. Leaving her container of marigolds momentarily, she leaned back on her heels and watched them. Even from this distance she could see they were in conversation, and a hint of a smile formed on her face.

  “Good afternoon, girls.”

  “Afternoon, Helga,” Sarah answered brightly.

  Abby held open the door for Sarah to enter and then she leaned back to whisper to Helga, “Stop grinning. We’re only having lunch.”

  “Oh, I know, my child, but it has to start somewhere.”

  Two empty sandwich plates were pushed off to the side while Abby and Sarah continued their conversation, oblivious to the outside world. Time had lost all meaning as they wallowed in a growing comfort neither had felt before. The lunchtime crowd came and went, and the two women had no idea they were the only ones left in the restaurant.

  “So I get out of my patrol car and as I’m walking up to the car I’d pulled over, I realize I’m holding an ice cream cone... in uniform — not exactly part of the protocol we’re supposed to follow.”

  “So what did you do?”

  “I proceed to the vehicle and am talking to the driver, trying my best to appear like I’m not holding an ice cream cone, and he’s just staring at me. Finally I ask him what the problem is, and he says to me with the most sincere look on his face, ‘Sorry, Officer, but you have ice cream on your cheek.’”

  Sarah burst out laughing at the visual of Abby trying to keep her professional demeanor with ice cream on her face.

  “What’cha do?”

  “What any good cop would do — I wiped it off with my sleeve.” Abby joined in on Sarah’s delightful laughter. She is so easy to talk to, so easy to look at. It was a thought that had entered Abby’s mind many times that afternoon.

  “Tell me, after all that, did you still give the guy a ticket?” Sarah took a sip of her white wine.

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “Didn’t have the heart to?”

  “No, it wasn’t that. I didn’t have any place to put my ice cream cone.” Abby shook her head in amusement as she reached for her beer. “I was just glad no one saw me and it never got back to my captain.”

  Their laughter died down and Sarah sipped her drink before asking, “Abby, how long have you been a detective?”

  “Long enough to know I like it...a lot.”

  “I bet you’ve got a lot more amusing stories.”

  “Not really. There isn’t a lot to laugh about.” The light mood changed, as did the brightness in Abby’s eyes. “The only time you laugh is when you need to forget, when the tension becomes so thick you either bend with it or you break. Police officers and other emergency personnel tend to have a very morbid and vulgar sense of humor; most people never understand why.”

  Abby looked down at the beer bottle in her hand as if looking for an answer on the label. Over the years she had made many crude and improper comments about some of the victims they had found, and like her colleagues, she’d said them only to numb the pain she felt in her heart.

  Sarah felt uncomfortable as she watched a haunted look cross Abby’s face. It made her feel like she was intruding on something very private and painful. She didn’t know her new friend well enough to be privy to what tormented the detective, and suddenly she felt guilty for wanting to know. I want to comfort her, to hold her and make her pain go away.

  Sarah reached out quickly for her wine glass, and the sudden movement pulled Abby back from her thoughts. She realized with regret that she had said too much, and it had bothered her more innocent lunch companion. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I didn’t mean to put a damper on our lovely afternoon.”

  “You didn’t, Abby. I’ve just never thought about what people like you must see on a daily basis.”

  “Hey, we’ve spent most of the afternoon talking about me. What about you?”

  Sarah smiled as she took another sip from her wine glass. “Me?” She swallowed her wine with an uncomfortable smile. I’d rather n
ot. I don’t want to have to lie to you.

  “Yeah, you. You said you’re originally from the East Coast, yet I don’t hear an East Coast accent.” This time the question was one of interest, not interrogation.

  “Okay, I guess I’m busted. I was born on the East Coast, but I grew up in Montana. I hate saying that I’m from there because people always assume the only things in Montana are cows and cowboys.”

  “Well, from where I’m sitting, there are more than cows and cowboys coming out of Montana,” Abby said, smiling as the pink rose in Sarah’s cheeks. “And just what is it that you do, Miss... I don’t even know your last name!” Abby sounded surprised.

  “Well, touché, because I don’t know yours either,” Sarah said with an easy laugh, knowing all too well that she knew more about Abby than she was admitting.

  “Stanfield,” Abby supplied as she leaned back in her chair and crossed her boots before putting them on the table. “And what is your line of work Miss...”

  “McMurphy...Sarah Jane McMurphy.” She inclined her head in a bow as she raised her glass. “At your service.”

  “Abigail, get your feet off the table!” Helga bellowed as she swatted at Abby’s feet. “Your mother would be appalled.”

  Abby did as she was ordered and sat up in her chair. “Don’t you have something better to do than to hang around spying on us?”

  “Ja, my dear, I have a resort to run, which is why I am here.” Helga crossed her arms and looked back and forth between them. “The kitchen staff needs to get ready for dinner and they can’t do it with you two in here.”

  Sarah looked from Helga’s face to several sets of eyes peering from behind the swinging doors of the kitchen. “Oh, my God! Look at the time!” Sarah exclaimed with a start as she looked down at her watch. “It’s almost five.” She glanced over at Abby.

  “I hate to disturb you, but we need to get the dining room ready.”

  “All right, all right, we’re going,” Abby muttered. Both chuckled at their faux pas. Helga left them alone as Abby stood up and Sarah quickly followed suit.

  “I had fun this afternoon,” Sarah said.

  “I enjoyed myself too.”

  “It was nice to get to know you, Abby,” Sarah found herself flustered as she looked into her eyes.

  “Same here,” Abby said with a smile while they slowly headed for the door. And I’ve never wanted to get to know someone more.

  Once outside they stood awkwardly for a moment, neither wanting to break the spell that had come over their afternoon. “We’ll have to do this again.”

  “I’m free for lunch tomorrow,” Sarah offered as she watched Abby pick at her fiberglass cast. She was thankful for the distraction because she didn’t want Abby to see her face if the beautiful detective declined.

  “I’d like that very much, Sarah J. McMurphy.”

  “Then it’s a date,” Sarah said.

  Abby quickly nodded in agreement, not wanting to think about the connotations of the word “date”. Or do I? With smiles and waves, they finally separated, each lost in her own thoughts. Sarah’s face was beaming as she turned toward her cabin. Apparently she’s looking forward to our next get-together as much as I am.

  Something fluttered inside Abby as she watched Sarah’s small frame weaving its way among the trees. It was a feeling she hadn’t had in a long time. What are you doing to me, Sarah McMurphy? Leaning back against the handrail beside the path, Abby kept her eyes on Sarah making her way along the rocky trail. It had been a while since someone had uttered the word “date” to her, and it had been even longer since she had cared whether someone would. Abby had no idea whether Sarah knew she was gay, or whether that was even how she had meant the word. Either way, it didn’t matter because she was going to spend tomorrow looking into Sarah’s eyes and for now, that was enough.

  Chapter 6

  The days passed quickly, and Abby had never before been so happy or so confused. She knew she was falling in love and she couldn’t seem to stop it, not that she wanted to. She was enjoying the experience of learning about new feelings and new emotions. The spunky woman in the cabin next to hers had brought out a side of her that she never knew existed. The difficult, confusing part was that she still hadn’t discovered whether Sarah knew she was gay, or, if she did, whether she was interested in her romantically.

  As each afternoon progressed, she found it harder and harder to not act on her feelings, but she hadn’t figured out how she could broach the subject. This was something new for her. Never before had she feared someone’s reaction to her sexuality, and she was having a hard time dealing with the possibility of Sarah’s rejection.

  Other things were changing, too, as Abby found herself learning to enjoy the quiet and the solitude of the mountain resort. Every morning, with Buck at her side, she would lie on her back at the end of the dock and lose herself in the lonely sounds of the loons calling to each other over the lake. Most of her childhood had been spent there, but as an adult, things looked different, and she had to admit she missed coming here and was enjoying her stay. She knew it wasn’t the resort keeping her from coming back, but the memories of what had happened so long ago. Now, as the days passed, she found herself thinking less and less about the things that had been destroying her life, and more and more about what was missing from it.

  ♥

  Sarah stared at her computer screen, but all she could see was Abby. She couldn’t keep her mind off of her. Abby was what she was supposed to be thinking about, just not in the manner she was. Those mesmerizing dark eyes had caught Sarah from the beginning. She had seen something so sad in their depths, but whenever she looked closely, Abby turned away. Just what was the detective hiding behind those long strands of dark black hair? She wanted to hold that beautiful face in her hands, look deep into Abby’s eyes, and tell her that she was falling in love with her.

  Sarah pulled the pencil from her mouth and flung it across the room in frustration. Pushing herself back from the table, she stood up and started pacing. She had not come to Gold Creek to fall in love, especially not with this woman. She was here to do a job, period, not to get romantically involved.

  Breathing out a deep, frustrated breath, she ran her fingers through her hair while leaning against the doorframe. Sarah looked out to the changing light of the approaching morning. She was about to turn to put her kettle on for tea when she saw Abby walking down her dock with Buck. A wave of desire swept over her as Abby said something to Buck and the Husky looked up, wagging his tail with delight.

  As the sun broke over the mountains, the two women enjoyed the morning. It was a ritual they shared, though only one of them knew it. Every morning Sarah was at the window to watch Abby stroll down the dock with her devoted dog by her side.

  ♥

  Abby was out on the dock, as usual, her eyes closed against the bright sun. The lapping of the water against the wooden cribbing of the dock lulled her into a warm, dozy state. She heard a distant door close and she lifted her head, shielding her eyes with her hand. It was Sarah. Abby watched as she climbed into her black Honda and pulled away. Abby closed her eyes again and rested her head back on the dock as she idly wondered where her friend was going.

  A couple of hours later, Abby had moved up to the lounge chair on her deck. She heard Sarah’s car return, and soon after her neighbor came through the trees toward Abby’s cabin. “Good morning,” the detective offered as Sarah climbed the stairs.

  “Morning,” Sarah said, taking a seat in one of the chairs on the deck. “How about a horseback ride or a walk today?”

  The trained detective inside of Abby saw a change in Sarah’s features this morning. Wherever she had gone or whatever she had done was weighing heavily on her mind, changing her normally cheerful appearance. “You okay?” Abby asked. Sarah nodded, but Abby wasn’t buying it. “I was thinking we could break in that new fishing rod I got you,” Abby invited as she looked out over the lake.

  There was a moment’s hesitation
, but then Sarah agreed. Half an hour later, the two were out in the middle of the lake, their fishing lines cast into the water.

  Sarah glanced back at the mound of fur sitting on the dock, waiting for his owner to return. “Buck sure is a handsome dog. What is he...Husky? He looks like some sort of mix.”

  “He’s what you call a hybrid, a wolf mix. He’s Husky and northern timber wolf.”

  “Wow, he’s a great dog, though very protective of you.”

  “Yeah. He thinks I’m his mother. I got him when he was only a few weeks old. I had to bottle-feed him as he was so young. No one else would take him because he was part wolf. I was just gonna keep him long enough to find a home for him, but, well...” Abby turned back toward her cabin and smiled when she saw Buck lying in wait at the end of her dock. “He’s a great dog, smart as a whip, but he’s a sneaky little bugger, too.”

  Their conversation died away naturally, and soon the only sound was the water gently slapping against the hull of the canoe. Abby watched Sarah from behind her dark sunglasses, taking the opportunity to study her without her knowing. With her sunglasses pushed up on her head, Sarah held her rod under her arm as she worked on her tackle. Abby liked the small crease on her nose as she concentrated on the task, squinting at the rigging in her hands.

  “Did you fish here when you were a kid?” Sarah asked without lifting her head. The question was natural enough, but when there was no immediate response, Sarah looked up. The change in Abby’s features was as obvious as the tension in her body. The lazy smile that had been on her face slipped away, making Sarah wonder what was going on behind those sunglasses. Not wanting to push the issue, Sarah returned her attentions to her lure, though she was watching Abby closely out of the corner of her eye.

  Abby looked across the lake, and then up at the mountains before she finally turned to answer the question. “Yes. I fished a lot here with my dad.”

  It wasn’t the answer that puzzled Sarah, but the total lack of emotion in Abby’s voice. She could almost hear a door slam shut, and she wondered what Abby was hiding from. “I didn’t mean to pry.”