The Man in the Shadows

Jessica swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet Deputy Callahan’s gaze. His eyes were sharp, searching her face for something, any hint at what she was doing in the loft. The truth, maybe. But what was her duty to law enforcement? They wanted to hang her mother's murder on her.

"I don’t know what you think I found up there," she said carefully, "but I’m just trying to understand my father. That’s not illegal, is it?"

Callahan exhaled through his nose, his jaw tightening. "No, Jessica, it’s not. But people have a way of disappearing when they start snooping around. I don’t want that to happen to you."

Jessica stiffened. Was that a warning? A threat? Or was it genuine concern?

She hesitated, then shifted tactics. Test him. See how he reacts.

"I saw someone outside my hotel room last night," she said, watching him closely. "All I could see was an outline in the shadows. He seemed tall and lanky. When I looked a few moments later, he was gone."

Callahan didn’t flinch. But he didn’t dismiss it, either.

"Did you see his face?"

Jessica shook her head. "No. He stayed over by the hedges outside my room. He just watched."

He studied her for a moment, then took a slow step closer, lowering his voice. "Why didn’t you call me?"

She let out a dry laugh, crossing her arms. "I don’t know, Deputy, maybe because I’m not sure who I can trust. My mother was murdered, and because I was home visiting, I became suspect number one!"

Callahan’s jaw twitched, but instead of arguing, he took a deep breath and glanced toward the open barn door. They had been talking quite a while, and the sun was now starting to throw shadows over the meadows behind the barn. Darkness was coming fast, and the deputy had a feeling that being on the farm at dark was not a good idea.

"If someone’s following you, that means they already know you have found something or are getting close to finding it.” he said. "And if they were outside your room that means they have a close watch on your every movement. They could be here watching you now! I need to set up protective custody for you. That may mean sitting in a jail cell at night, for your own protection.”

Jessica gasped. “You mean they could try to do the same thing to me that they did to my mother?” she asked, her mouth suddenly very dry.

Jessica’s stomach tightened. Was she really being followed? Or was she just paranoid? Maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her.

She shifted the journal under her jacket, feeling its weight against her ribs. "If that’s true, then what do I do? I do not want to be locked up, for my protection or any other reason. It would be just the thing the sheriff would need to continue his case against me. You know how the media is…they would have a field day with this. "

Callahan’s expression darkened. "Then let me help you." The genuine concern in his voice caused Jessica to let her guard down. She wanted to believe him. But her father had trusted people once, too. And now her mother was dead.

She took a step back, testing his reaction. "And if I don’t?"

Callahan’s gaze flicked to the loft above them, then back to her. "Then you’re on your own, and that’s a dangerous place to be, Jessica."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, from somewhere out in the darkness—a rustling sound.

Jessica’s breath caught.

Callahan turned toward the sound, his body tense. He reached for his weapon.

"Stay behind me," he ordered. His 9mm drawn in the ready position, Callahan moved toward their vehicles. He had to get her to safety. His training told him to get the "asset" to safety first and deal with the shadow later.

Jessica followed close behind the deputy. Fear was something she seldom dealt with since living in the city. Street lights, police officers walking a beat, and city supported cameras gave her a false sense of security. The only security here and now was the methodically moving deputy in front of her. Jessica moved closer to the deputy, her eyes straining in the darkness.

If this was the man in the shadows, he needed to see his face.