A dark blue SUV just parked at the end of the road, he relayed to her as he locked the front door. Anyone you know?
No one that immediately came to mind. These days she had no friends and only a very few acquaintances. Lenora hurried to the window and spotted the SUV.
The minister, maybe? Clayton asked.
No. Hes out of town all this week and gave me the keys to the church so I could let myself in.
Clayton glanced at her. Again, she couldnt see his eyes, but she figured there was displeasure lurking behind those dark shades. Not wise. Youre out here alone all by yourself.
That scolding put some starch in her posture. I prefer working in solitude. Plus, I have a gun with me, and you know I can shoot. Then there was the whole part about her not trusting anyone. She figured trust would get her killed faster than going it alone.
Good, Clayton mumbled, as if he hadnt actually heard what she said. Probably because his attention was fastened to the SUV.
No one got out of the vehicle. It just sat there with
the front of it aimed right at them. It seemed menacing, but Lenora tried to assure herself that it could all be nothing. Shed gone three months without any contact with someone who wanted to hurt her. Of course, that was before Clayton had found her.
Had someone else found her, too?
Someone whod hired another triggerman to finish the job that been started at the diner in Maverick Springs? Or maybe itd even started before that, with Jills murder.
Mercy, she needed answers.
Theres a back exit. She let him know in case they needed another way out.
Yeah. Its locked from the inside. We might have to use it.
It shouldnt have surprised her that he knew about the locked exit. Clayton had no doubt scoped out the church before hed come inside and surprised the heck out of her. So much for all her training. She hadnt even heard him skulking around the place.
Neither lock will hold if someone wants to get inside, Clayton added. Hand me the keys.
She riffled through her pocket and came up with them, and he jammed the key inside the internal deadbolt so the door was now double-locked. It was a good precaution to take, but the door was made of wood. Old wood at that. She doubted it would stand up to some hard kicks. There hadnt been a lot of need for security in this little country church.
Well, not before now, anyway.
The drivers side door of the SUV eased open, and in the same motion, Clayton drew his Glock. That put her heart right in her throat, and Lenora took out the small Smith & Wesson from the slide holster at the back waist of her jeans. It wasnt a comfortable fit anymore with her growing belly, but she was thankful that shed decided to wear it anyway.
Claytons mouth tightened. If things go wrong here, I dont want you using that. I want you as far away from bullets as possible.
Lenora wanted that, too, along with wanting Clayton to be safe, but she had to be ready, too. She also had to keep hoping that this was just a false alarm, because the alternative was for her to accept that there was some kind of grand-scale conspiracy to murder her.
She held her breath and saw the man step from the drivers side of the SUV. Tall and lanky, he wore jeans and a dark shirt, common clothes for this part of the country, but it was the brown leather jacket that snagged her attention. It was nearly a hundred degrees outside, hardly jacket weather, which meant he was probably wearing it to conceal a weapon.
I dont recognize him, she said before Clayton could ask. Do you?
No.
That revved up her heart even more. Shed held out hope that their visitor was a lawman, maybe even the local sheriff. He sure had the lawmans look down pathe glanced around, studying the entire grounds before his attention settled on the front of the church. However, Lenora saw no signs of a badge, but the guy was holding something.
A newspaper.
The man looked at the paper, then the church, as if comparing something. After a few moments, he tossed the newspaper back into the SUV.
Clayton took her by her left wrist and gently moved her behind him. No doubt trying to protect her. But he didnt move from the window.
Lenora stood there, watching the SUV driver from over Claytons shoulder. Very close to him. So close that it stirred memories of him, and this was not a good time to be remembering anything about that night theyd slept together.
Some more movement got her mind back on the right track. The passengers side door opened. A second man stepped out, and like the driver, he was also wearing a jacket.
Oh, mercy. Two of them and both likely armed. There was no way she could explain away this.
Come on, Clayton said.
His grip on her wrist tightened, and with her in tow, he hurried through the rows of pews, past the pulpit and into the back entry. He didnt stop until they made it to the door.
There were no side windows next to the door, only one on the west side of the building, facing the cemetery. Lenora did a quick look out, but didnt see Claytons vehicle or anyone else on the grounds.