Searching for Anna, Jenifer Carll-Tong [cheapest way to read ebooks TXT] 📗
- Author: Jenifer Carll-Tong
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"Proposing? Yes, and you said no."
Phoebe felt the heat rush to her cheeks. "I — I spoke rashly. He caught me off guard…"
Gregory Parker continued to smile at her, but the twinkle in his eyes had left and this change was not lost on Phoebe. "Come now, my dear, don't back down from your true feelings. You gave the boy your answer. Just because you feel sorry for him —"
"I feel no pity for him, I assure you, Mr. Parker. What I feel for Will —"
"Is juvenile," he said, taking a step closer to her. "It is nothing like what you and I feel for one another."
He no longer smiled as he continued toward her. In its place, his face held a severity like she had never seen before, and it frightened her.
Phoebe took a step back. "I think it is time you left, Mr. Parker."
A sinister grin twitched at the corner of his mouth. "No, my dear pastor, I'm not going anywhere without proving to you that I am more of a man than that boy that's been chasing you."
Phoebe quickened her backward movement. She knocked into the altar, and, before she could right herself, Parker was there. He snaked one arm around her waist and the other wrapped around the back of her neck.
She pushed against him, but within seconds he had her trapped in his arms, her body pressed against his. As his lips came toward hers, Phoebe let out a terrified scream.
"What's going on in here?"
Both Phoebe and Gregory turned to the door. Dressed in plain clothes, Thomas Rogers stood staring at them.
"Officer Rogers!" Phoebe screamed. "Help me!"
Gregory swore repeatedly but did not release his grip. "I told you to stay in the car!"
"Yeah, but you also said you'd only be a couple of minutes," Rogers replied. "And if Caffey comes back, the whole operation is blown."
Phoebe looked back and forth between the two men. "He's hurting me," she said to Rogers, struggling in vain to pull free. "Aren't you going to do something?"
Thomas Rogers looked at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Really, I am." He then turned his attention back to Parker. "What are you going to do with her? She's seen me."
"And whose fault is that?" Parker yelled. "If you would have stayed where I told you to stay —"
"Well, I didn't. Now we have a problem with only one solution, as I see it."
"Keep quiet," Gregory grumbled.
Phoebe's heart began to race. How did Gregory Parker and Thomas Rogers know one another, and, although she was quite certain that she was the 'problem' Rogers spoke of, she couldn't process what the solution was that he was suggesting.
"I'll keep quiet once this batch of hooch is delivered and we get our money. You're wastin' precious time."
Hooch. Phoebe may have led a sheltered life compared to most, but she knew that word. Liquor.
All these months, Phoebe had sensed something was never quite right about Gregory Parker, the evangelist. And now it made sense. He was no man of God. It was all a front.
Gregory released another stream of obscenities. "YOU IMBECILE! You've gone and blown my cover!"
"Like I said," Rogers said, opening his coat and resting his hand on his revolver. "Only one solution."
Gregory ran his fingers through his hair and swore again. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to Phoebe. Gone was the angry, volatile man she faced moments ago, replaced with the charming, slick smile of the gentleman he had always previously presented. She wasn't certain which was more frightening.
He reached inside his coat, pulled out a gun and aimed it at Phoebe. "Well, my dear, it seems our plans have changed."
"Steady, boy."
Will couldn't relax his bearing any more than he could remove the anger from his voice. The words, meant to calm Tolly, did little to stop the nervous stamping of the horse's hooves. Tolly could sense the tension of his owner, and was ready to bolt the minute Will gave the word. Will did not intend to race away from this spot; he forced himself to take several deep breaths. As Will calmed, so did the horse.
Their location was a familiar one to them both. Will had discovered early on that this small copse of trees on the far end of Iron Falls was the perfect location to observe without being seen. It had been an indispensable location during that first week after Phoebe's arrival, when he had needed to keep himself hidden, but he had continued to use it quite regularly. It not only gave him a clear view of the church and parsonage, but from this location, you could see pretty much the entire town, an advantage for an officer of the law. He knew he should share the location with the other troopers. But if he did that, how would he explain his presence there while not on duty?
It was foolish to continue to watch her. She had made her decision. She didn't want him. She never would. It was finally time to give up. That was the logical choice, but his heart didn't want to admit it.
Continuing to keep a watchful eye on her was not making it any easier to walk away. Healing would take action, and the first action he should take would be to leave his hiding spot for good. But he wasn't certain he had the strength to do it on his own.
"Lord, I need you," he prayed.
I am with thee, be not dismayed. I am thy God. I will strengthen thee.
He pulled the reins and tapped Tolly's flank to move him out of the copse. He chanced one more glance at the church. As he did, he saw a man stepping out of Parker's car and running up the stairs of the church. Why hadn't Will noticed him before? Because he had been too emotional to notice anything but his aching chest, too enraged to see anything but red. He had let his emotions dictate far too many of his actions since returning from the war. It was time to stop that as well. He looked away from the church.
He led Tolly back toward the center of town. His horse, out of instinct, started down Commonwealth - toward the church.
"Not this time, boy," Will said as he pulled the reins in the direction of the constabulary.
As he passed the store, he saw Mary Simmons walking out. He nodded to her. "Mrs. Simmons."
"Oh, hello Officer Caffey! How are you this fine evening?"
Broken. Aching. Completely lost. "As well as the good Lord sees fit." It wasn't a lie. God was still God. Will would not let his broken heart doubt that.
"I'm so glad to hear it. Are you just beginning your shift or ending it?"
"I'm off duty, ma'am. Just heading back to turn in. Why? Was there something you needed?"
"No, just thought you might like to join the Pastor and I for some chamomile tea. I made homemade shortbread," she said, lifting the tin she held in front of her.
"I'm afraid the pastor has other plans." He hoped his words did not sound as angry as he felt saying them.
"Oh, I'm certain she doesn't. I just spoke with her a short while ago and made plans for after dinner."
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. "Are you certain?"
"Absolutely. Why?"
"She must have forgotten," he said as nonchalantly as he could muster. He didn't want to alarm Mrs. Simmons. Phoebe never forgot anything, certainly not plans she made only a short time ago. "It seems she has made plans with someone else."
"That doesn't sound like her," Mary said.
"I agree." He smiled. "Tell you what, I'll see if I can find her for you."
He tapped his heels into Tolly's belly and turned the horse back toward Commonwealth Street. Something wasn't right.
As he rounded the corner, he could see that Parker's car was no longer parked in front of the church, its only remains were a cloud of dust far off toward the outskirts of town.
He didn't bother tying the horse as he slid off the saddle and bolted up the stairs. He threw open the door, calling her name, but the sanctuary was empty. Maybe she was already back at the parsonage. That would make sense if what Mary said was true and she was expecting her.
He turned to leave, but something caught his eye. Lying on the back pew, right where he had seen her put them, were Phoebe's coat and hat.
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