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- Herausgeber: Next Chapter
- Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
Books 16-21 in Betty McLain's 'Love's Magic' series of sweet and wholesome romance, now available in one volume!
Love's Voice: Mariam Janice Semp was on the run - someone wanted her dead. The voice in her head had kept her alive; others weren’t so fortunate. Darrin, her older brother, was off serving in the army. She tried to reach him, but he was off base, so all she could do was leave a message. When Alex received the call from his brother, asking to help a friend find a missing sister, he happily agreed to help. As a private investigator, this was what he did. He had no idea how personal the case would become. But with dangers all around and powerful people conspiring to see Mariam dead, will his team and the help of a few guardian angels be enough to keep everyone safe?
Love's Helper: She loved him from the time they were children, but Sandy never treated Minnie as anything other than an honorary little sister. Still, Minnie held out hope that one day they could be more. Then her guardian angel prompted her to seek help. With her brother missing there was only one place left to go. Sandy listened to the fearful plea for help and jumped into action, as he would for any friend in need, but the feelings he had for Minnie were not that of simple friends. Thrust together by fate, the love they each held in secret bubbled under the surface. But before they could be together, he had to find a way to keep her safe.
Love's Tuna Salad: Stan worked for Avorn Security: a group protecting the innocent from many threats, including the witch hunters. He never expected to find the hunters stalking one of their own. Rissa watched Stan from the safety of her window, until the day he rescued her from those who would do her harm. With many young girls in the cross-hairs, Avorn’s team must work fast if they hope to dismantle the threat. But who is the Preacher, and how many has he influenced to do his dark work?
Love's Vigilante: Avorn Security Building was an unusual place to work. Everyone who worked in the building went through a vetting process. You couldn’t be too careful, when most of the staff could hear the voice of their guardian angels. Even among the strange, Taylor and Becky stood out. Born in a hidden city and possessing unusual abilities, they were taught to hide their gifts and tread carefully. But Taylor couldn’t help herself. Disillusioned by the disappointment of one too many men, she reached down and drew on the powers inside. The powers of the Vigilante.
Love's Dilemma: Selma grew up protected, hidden from the world. She was expected to live out her life in that place, but one look at the face of her true love, reflected back to her in her family’s magic mirror, and she knew her future was somewhere else. Sal was no stranger to unusual abilities. He shared the gift of hearing the guardian angels. So, when his angel told him Selma was his true love, he believed it, but she was still young. He didn’t want to rush her into a serious relationship before she was ready. They agreed to take things slow, but sometimes destiny has other plans.
Love's Familiar Face: Boy meets girl, gets married, has children. That’s the plan. But real life can be a bit more complicated. Cory and Cole were twins, separated in infancy. But they had a bond that would not be broken. Determined to see his boys reunited, their father kept the connection alive and waited for the right time to act. Ellie and Ellen were sisters on divergent paths. Unaware of the other, they lived their lives, always feeling something was missing. Destined for lives different from the ones they knew, would fate find a way to bring them back together?
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LOVE'S MAGIC COLLECTION
BOOKS 16-21
BETTY MCLAIN
CONTENTS
Love’s Voice
Cast of Characters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Love’s Helper
Cast of Characters
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Love’s Tuna Salad
Cast of characters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Love’s Vigilante
Cast of Characters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Love’s Dilemma
Cast of Characters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Love’s Familiar Face
Cast of Characters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
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About the Author
Copyright (C) 2023 Betty McLain
Layout design and Copyright (C) 2023 by Next Chapter
Published 2023 by Next Chapter
Cover art by CoverMint
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author’s permission.
LOVE’S VOICE
LOVE’S MAGIC SERIES BOOK 16
This book is dedicated to my family.
They are the ones keeping the voice in my head around.
I would be unable to use my imagination to bring the stories;
In my head, to life without the voice.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Mariam Janice Semp - Kindergarten teacher fleeing witch hunters
Darrin Semp – Mariam’s brother
Mark Avorn – Darrin’s friend
Alex Avorn – Mark’s brother – Head and owner of security investigative firm
Darci Holt – Bookstore owner
Charles Holt – Deputy sheriff – Darci’s grandson
Stan Varin – Alex’s employee
Andrew Salto – Alex’s employee
Lori and Trey Loden – Alex’s employees
Salvdori Mase (Sal) and Michael Ansel (Micky) – Alex’s employees
Brenda – Alex’s personal assistant
Woodrow Talcove – Mayor
Lana Talcove – Charles’ sister
Sara Talcove – Charles’ niece
Kenny Moore – Retired police officer
CHAPTER1
Danger. Hide. Mariam Janice Semp was on the run. Someone wanted her dead. The voice of her guardian angel in her head kept her alive, warning her of dangers. Others weren’t so fortunate.
First came the fire that burned down her home, destroyed all she owned, and claimed the lives of her mother, father, and younger brother. Darrin, her older brother, was off serving in the army. She tried to reach him, but he was off base, so all she could do was leave a message. Then came the second attack.
“Danger!” the voice of her guardian angel said, just before a car tried to run her down in the street. She dove and fell out of the way. Any notion it was an accident was dispelled as the driver turned the car to try and hit her a second time, but her roll had landed her safely hidden between two parked cars. Another vehicle drove by, and her attacker sped away.
The next time she heard the voice of her guardian angel, Mariam had seen lights headed toward her and looked back to see the same car. “Hide,” the voice instructed. She slid down into a ditch and hid under some branches. The car slowed as it drove past her position. The next time she saw the mysterious car, bidden by the voice, she hid in a tree until it drove away. That time she caught a glimpse of light shining off the metal of a gun barrel. The driver had a gun.
Mariam was afraid to go to the police. She had started to, but the voice of her guardian angel had objected loudly. She didn’t know why, but she had learned to listen.
Mariam lived in the town of Madison, Oklahoma, where she was a kindergarten teacher. She decided to try to get as far away from her hometown as she could. She had limited funds. Unless she was able to somehow go by an ATM without being seen, all she had was about three hundred dollars hidden in a false pocket in her jacket. The voice of her guardian angel had advised her to hide the money about a month ago and, even though Mariam had not understood why at the time, she had obeyed.
Mariam went into a grocery store on the other side of town from where she had lived. She saw a sign advertising an ATM. She looked around. When she did not see anyone suspicious, she put her card in the machine and asked for $950.00. The limit for one transaction was $1000.00. She did not want to draw attention to herself by getting the limit. When the money was approved, she turned so people could not see how much money she was getting, Mariam put the money in an inside pocket in her coat. On her way out of the store, she moved forward with a group of shoppers, so she would not stand out. When they were outside, she slipped away from the group and made her way through the shadows to the outskirts of town.
There was a truck stop there, and Mariam hid and watched the trucks come and go. She watched an older man get out of his truck and go inside. He did not lock his door. She eased over to his truck. Her guardian angel was silent. Miriam eased open the door. She looked around, but she didn’t see anyone. The truck was parked where people inside could not see the door.
Mariam crawled inside and eased the door shut. She crawled on into the back and, getting down behind the seat, she pulled a blanket up from the floor and covered herself with it. She had taken the money out of her pocket and stuffed most of it down in her boots. She only kept a couple of twenties in her pocket.
Mariam made herself into as small a ball as she could and lay very still as she heard the driver return. He climbed into his truck. Since he had left it running, all he had to do was start driving. They were on their way. Her guardian angel was being very quiet. Mariam took it to mean there was no danger. Her guardian angel was always loud when she was in danger. Mariam lay under the blanket and fell asleep. They were a long way down the road before she awoke. The man in the truck had stopped and was putting gas in the truck.
Mariam saw him when she eased up and peeped out the window. The man had finished pumping gas and was on his way inside the store. Mariam had no idea where she was. She looked at the clock in the dashboard. It said 11:30.
She had been asleep for 7 hours. She looked at the sign on the store. It said, “Mercy Truck Stop.” Mariam climbed up and eased out of the truck. She saw the truck driver come out of the store and ran around the back of the truck to hide behind the building. She heard the driver get in his truck and drive away.
Mariam looked around the side of the building. She had never heard of the town of Mercy. She had left the truck here because the voice of her guardian angel had been so silent. She had been so vocal for so long; the silence was a relief. With a name like Mercy, maybe she would be safe. She needed to find a place to stay until morning. She could look around then and see what she could do. She looked around and spotted a storage shed just inside the trees. She didn’t see anyone around, so she hurried over to the building. It wasn’t locked. Mariam opened the door and looked inside. It had furniture stored in it. It was very dark inside, so Mariam left the door open a little so she could look around. There was a chair and a couple of sofas. She could curl up on one of the sofas to wait for morning. Only, Mariam wasn’t sleepy; she was hungry and needed a bathroom.
“Maybe if I act natural, I can go in the store and buy something to eat and get the key to the bathroom. If I go in from this side, the clerk will think I am parked around this side of the building,” said Mariam.
She straightened her clothes and smoothed her hair and headed for the store. When she went in, the clerk barely glanced at her. She picked out some snacks and paid for them.
“Could I get the key to the restroom?” asked Mariam.
The clerk reached up and snagged the key off a hook and handed it to her.
“The restroom is around back,” said the clerk.
“Thanks,” said Mariam.
She went around back and used the restroom. When she had finished and washed her hands, she left the door unlocked and took the key back to the clerk. He took it silently and hung it back up. Hopefully, no one else would come along and re-lock it, thought Mariam.
She went back to the storage shed, went inside and, made herself comfortable on one of the sofas. She opened one of her snacks and enjoyed the first food she had eaten all day. It tasted very good.
When Mariam awoke the next morning, she looked out a crack in the door to be sure no one was around. When she didn’t see anyone, she hurried over to the restroom.
After using the restroom and washing her hands, she used a small comb from her pocket to smooth down her hair. Having short hair helped a lot. Mariam came out of the restroom and headed for the town. She could see the buildings a couple of blocks away.
When she entered the town, she found it was built in a circle around a small park. The park had small tables with a bench attached on each side like picnic tables. It looked like what would be put out for older men to sit at and play checkers.
Mariam looked across the park and saw a café. Her stomach picked that moment to growl very loudly. It was ready to eat.
Mariam headed for the café across the way. Mariam looked around curiously. She spotted an empty table and headed for it. As soon as she sat down, a waitress appeared with a glass of water and a menu.
“Hi, I’m Sue. What can I get for you?”
Mariam looked at the menu. “I’ll have the breakfast platter with orange juice and coffee,” said Mariam.
The waitress took the menu and went to turn in the order. There were only a few people there. They were all watching her. They were curious about the stranger in their small town.
The waitress was soon back with her food and orange juice.
“I’ll be right back with your coffee,” said Sue.
Mariam just nodded and started eating. She had to force herself to eat slowly. She was so hungry; she was afraid she would eat too fast and embarrass herself. The food was delicious. Mariam didn’t know if it was just because she was so hungry, but she couldn’t remember food ever tasting so good.
When Mariam’s hunger was under control, she looked around. There were two ladies sitting at a table across from her. They were eating and talking and sneaking glances at her. Mariam smiled at them, and they smiled back and turned their attention back to their meal.
There was a man at another table, sitting by himself. He grinned and looked down when he saw the ladies look away, embarrassed at being caught staring. The man finished his meal and left some money on the table as he went up front to pay his bill. He glanced at Mariam and grinned as he left.
Mariam watched him leave, but she didn’t smile back. She was still being cautious. She did not know who was trying to kill her. She should be safe here, but she was not taking anything for granted.
When Mariam finished and paid her bill, she went out and looked up and down the street. She decided to go to her right and make a circle around the town. As she went down the street, she passed a drug store and a furniture store. Next was the jail. Mariam saw the man from the café going in the door. After the jail was a hardware store.
Mariam paused and glanced through the window. It looked like a nice place and seemed to be doing a good business. Looking in the hardware store window made Mariam think about her family. Her dad had worked in the hardware store in Madison. She sighed, feeling depressed, then continued on her way.
Mariam came to the circle at the end of the street. The courthouse was sitting back away from the street. It had a large parking area around it. It had large columns out front. On down from the courthouse was a fire station. The doors were closed, and there did not seem to be anyone around.
Mariam continued her journey of discovery. After the fire station, Mariam gazed in delight at a bookstore. It had a help wanted sign in the window. The store wasn’t open yet, so Mariam went on to see the rest of the stores. There was another café next, and a grocery store. They were followed by an antique store. The antique store had some of its merchandise displayed on the sidewalk in front of the store. There was a resale clothing store next. Mariam took notice of it because all her clothes had been lost in the fire. All she had to wear was what she had on. She did not want to spend a lot of money on clothes. The resale store might be an answer for her.
Mariam turned and headed back to the bookstore to inquire about the job. The store was open when she arrived at the door. When she went in, an elderly lady was sitting behind the cash register working on a ledger.
The woman smiled at Mariam and looked at her closely. “Come on in,” she said cheerfully.
“Hi,” said Mariam. “I saw your sign in the window. I was wondering about the job.”
“Have you had any experience working in a bookstore?” asked the lady.
“Not in sales,” said Mariam. “but I have helped out in the school library.”
“Were you a teacher?” asked the lady.
Mariam nodded. “I taught kindergarten.”
“Why did you stop teaching?” she asked.
“My family was killed in a house fire. I lost everything, and I needed to get away,” remarked Mariam.
“I’m sorry,” said the woman studying her. “My name is Darci Holt. What’s your name, dear?”
“I’m Mariam Janice,” said Mariam. She left her last name off. Maybe it would throw off anyone looking for her.
Darci nodded and looked around thoughtfully. “Where are you staying, Mariam?”
“I haven’t found a place yet. I thought I would try to find work first and then look for a place to stay,” said Mariam.
“I have a room in the back of the store. It is just one large room and a bath. It has a microwave and a small refrigerator. You can stay there while you look around,” said Darci.
“You mean I have the job?” asked Mariam smiling.
“Yes,” said Darci. “I should tell you before you take the job, some people around here seem to think I am a witch.”
“Why would they think that?” asked Mariam startled.
“They found out about my hearing the voice of my guardian angel. If it wasn’t for my grandson, they would probably have run me out of town. He is a deputy sheriff. They don’t want to get on his bad side. You don’t seem surprised about me hearing my guardian angel,” observed Darci.
Mariam shook her head. “I hear the voice of my guardian angel, too,” she said.
Darci nodded. “I know you do. My guardian angel told me to help you. She said you are in danger because of your guardian angel’s voice,” she said.
“I didn’t know it was because of the voice,” said Mariam. “My family was killed because of me,” said Mariam, looking away to hide her tears.
Darci came around the counter and put her arm around Mariam’s shoulder. “It was not because of you. It was the witch hunters. They think they have the right to take life when they want to. They need to be stopped. My grandson is working on it. It takes time to build a case against them. If it is not done legally, it makes us as bad as them. Now, do you want the job?”
“Yes, I do,” said Mariam.
“Come on back, and I will show you your room. You can go down to the resale store and pick up a couple of outfits. You can start to work after lunch. I’ll help you get acquainted with how I do things around here,” said Darci as she guided Mariam to the back of the store and showed her the room. She gave her the key to her room and went back to the front because the bell rang when a customer entered the store.
Mariam looked around the room. It had everything she needed. She was inside, warm, had a cozy place to sleep and a place to eat and shower.
Mariam took some of the money from her boots and added it to the money in her hidden pocket. She put some in her pocket and some in her wallet. Mariam decided to go and find some clothes before she showered. She could also pick up a few groceries. The refrigerator was running but empty. Mariam went out and locked her door. She smiled at Darci as she went through the bookstore on her way to the stores. Darci smiled at her and nodded.
The customer turned and looked at Mariam. “Who is she?” the customer leaned in to ask.
“Her name is Mariam, and she is my new helper,” Darci answered casually. The woman nodded, accepting the information, and Mariam breathed a sigh of relief. The door closed behind her, blocking out the rest of their exchange.
Mariam continued to the resale store. After finding a couple of pairs of jeans and three shirts, she found some underwear and socks. The underwear was still in its original unopened packages. Mariam paid for her clothes and headed for the grocery store. She put her clothes in the buggy and started around the store. She couldn’t buy much. She was walking and didn’t want to be overloaded.
Mariam picked up a box of cereal and a half-gallon of milk. She could go to the café after work, but she needed something for breakfast before work. Mariam picked up a couple of bags of microwave popcorn. It would make a tasty snack.
Mariam paid for her purchases and left the grocery store. She carried her purchases in her arms and headed for the bookstore. Darci was busy when Mariam entered the bookstore. She smiled as she took in Mariam’s load. Mariam smiled and headed for her room. She wanted to take a shower and change clothes before she started working.
Word had reached Charles Holt about Darci having a new helper. He decided to drop by and check on his grandmother. He wanted to be sure no one was taking advantage of her. Although she was a very smart lady and her guardian angel warned her about danger, he still felt he should take care of her.
Charles entered the bookstore and saw his grandmother finishing with a customer. She handed the lady her package and receipt. The customer took her package, smiled, and nodded at Charles as she left.
Darci smiled and came over and let Charles kiss her cheek. “Hello, Charles, I see the grapevine is working well.”.
Charles laughed. “I hear you have a new helper,” he said.
“Yes, her name is Mariam Janice. She is starting this afternoon, and I am letting her use the room in the back of the store,” said Darci.
Charles looked at her sharply. “Why did you let her stay in the store?” he asked.
“She was new in town and needed a place to stay.” She looked at him sternly. “My guardian angel told me to help her,” said Darci.
Charles shook his head. There was no arguing with her guardian angel. If her angel told her it was what she should do, no one was going to change Darci’s mind. He would just have to keep an eye on the situation and make sure she was not taken advantage of.
“Alright, Grandma, I will see you later. If you need me, call,” said Charles. He gave her a hug as he turned and left the store to return to the station.
CHAPTER2
In the town of Madison, Darrin Semp was trying to find out what had happened to his sister. He had asked for leave from the army and was granted a week. He buried his mother, dad, and little brother, but no one could tell him where his sister, Mariam, was. The police gave him no help. They couldn’t tell him why his home had been burned down with his family in it. They acted unconcerned about the whereabouts of Mariam. It was as if his sister had vanished after leaving him the message about the fire.
He was very worried. He knew his sister would have been at the funeral if she could have. There had to be something keeping her away. Darrin was stumped. He didn’t know what to do. How was he supposed to go about finding a grown woman when the police refused to even look for her?
Darrin went to the room he had taken at a local motel. He called his friend at the base.
“Hi, Mark, I need some advice,” said Darrin when Mark answered his phone.
“Hi, how did the funeral go?” asked Mark.
“It went okay. My sister Mariam has still not shown up. The police are not interested in helping me. They are not even trying to find out who burned our house and killed my family,” said Darrin.
“What can I do to help?” asked Mark.
“I only have a couple more days of leave. I was wondering if your brother Alex might be able to help me,” said Darrin.
“I don’t know how busy he is, but I will call him and call you back,” said Mark.
“Thanks,” said Darrin.
They hung up. A minute later, the phone rang back with Mark’s brother on the line.
“Hello, Darrin, Mark told me what was going on. I’m sorry about your folks and brother,” said Alex.
“Thanks,” said Darrin. “Do you think you can help me? I am worried sick about my sister.”
“I don’t know if I can find her, but I will try. Mark said you have two more days of leave. Give me the address where you are staying, and I will be there first thing in the morning. We will talk and see what needs to be done,” said Alex.
“I’m at the Econo motel on the edge of town. Thank you, Alex,” said Darrin.
They hung up, and Darrin experienced his first breath of hope since he had heard the news of the fire.
Alex pulled into the Econo motel at seven the next morning. He didn’t have to worry about waking Darrin. He had been sleeping very little since he had received the phone call from his sister. When Alex knocked on the door, Darrin opened at once.
“Thanks for coming, Alex,” said Darrin. “I have tried talking to everyone Mariam knows. No one will tell me anything.”
Alex came in and shook Darrin’s hand. “I can’t make you any promises, but I will see if I can help.” He took his laptop over to a table and set it on the table. He sat in the chair and opened it up. “Do you have a current picture of your sister?”
“Yes,” said Darrin. He took a picture of Mariam out of his wallet and handed it to Alex. Alex studied the picture. “Do you know if she has a bank account?”
“Yes, she has an account at First State,” said Darrin. “I don’t know her social security number.”
“Do you have her phone number?” asked Alex.
“Yes,” said Darrin. “She hasn’t answered it since I have been trying to call her after she left me the message about the fire. Her car was in the garage at home. It burned with the house.” He gave Alex the phone number.
Alex started working on his computer. In just a few minutes, he pulled up the information about Mariam drawing $950.00 out of the ATM at the grocery store. Alex showed the information to Darrin.
“This grocery store is on the other side of town. We never shop there,” said Darrin.
Alex closed his computer. “Let’s go see if we can look at their security footage.” He and Darrin went out to his car, and Darrin gave him directions to the grocery store.
They went into the store and went upstairs to the security office. Alex showed the man in the security office his credentials and explained about Mariam being missing. “We want to look at the security footage for the time when she visited the ATM. We want to be sure someone else wasn’t using her card or forcing her to get money out for them,” said Alex.
Alex gave the man the time of the withdrawal, and he looked through the tapes and found the correct one. He put the tape in a player, and Alex and Darrin stood with him as they all studied the tape.
“There she is,” said Darrin.
They watched as Mariam looked around before going to the ATM. They watched her as she withdrew the money and as she shielded the cash so no one could see how much she was getting. They saw her put the money in an inside pocket of her coat. They watched her blend in with some other customers and make her way out of the store.
“Look how she keeps glancing around. She looks scared to death,” said Darrin.
Alex turned to the security man. “Do you have footage of the outside?”
The security man went over and selected another tape. He brought it over and prepared to play it. “You guys are lucky. Another day and these tapes would have been erased. We don’t keep them very long,” he said.
When the tape of the outside started playing, they watched Mariam come out with the group. They saw her look around and then blend into the shadows and fade away.
Alex shook the security man’s hand. “Thank you for showing the tapes to us. You said they would be erased. Could we buy the tapes from you and then you can start out with new tapes; no one would know the difference, and if anyone comes asking about them you could just tell them they are gone. They will think they have been erased.”
He took a hundred dollar bill out and held it out to the security man. The man handed them the two tapes and a bag to put them in and took the bill.
Darrin and Alex went back to Darrin’s motel room and looked over the tapes again. They studied them closely and decided Mariam was scared and trying not to be seen. They decided to follow the road in the direction Mariam had been heading when she left the grocery store. They drove down the road. They passed the truck stop, but decided not to go in and ask questions.
They decided if Mariam had been in trouble and was trying to get away, they would risk drawing attention to her. They did not want to put her in danger. Darrin tried to call her phone again, but it went straight to voice mail. He left a message for Mariam to call him but did not say anything else.
When they returned to the motel, Alex called Mark and told him he was going to try and find Darrin’s sister. Mark wished him luck. Darrin spoke to Mark and thanked him for sending Alex to help.
Alex decided he needed to look over the place where Darrin’s family house had been burned. There was police tape around the burned area. But they ignored it. After looking over the area, Alex stopped and looked thoughtful.
“It looks like someone poured gasoline around the outside of the house and the garage. I think they broke in and doused the downstairs also, probably after everyone was upstairs asleep. They started the fire downstairs, then went outside and set the fire to burning out there. Since Mariam’s car was in the garage, they may have thought she was upstairs sleeping, too,” said Alex. “Why didn’t she take her car?”
“I spoke to her friend, Jenny. She said Mariam was having trouble with her brakes. She was supposed to take it to the repair shop the next day. Jenny picked her up, and they went to the mall. Jenny ran into a boyfriend, and Mariam took a cab home. Jenny hasn’t heard from her since,” said Darrin.
Alex looked at Darrin. “I’ll need Jenny’s name and telephone number and the name of the cab company she used.”
Darrin nodded. He wrote down the requested information and gave it to Alex. Alex seemed to be just driving around, but he ended back at the truck stop. He pulled in and stopped. He looked at Darrin.
“We are going to order coffee. Let me do the talking. We are not going to mention Mariam. I don’t want to alert anyone who might be looking for her,” said Alex.
“Okay,” agreed Darrin as he followed Alex inside the truck stop. They ordered coffee and took it over and sat at a table close to some truckers. The truckers were eating and talking. They acted like they were friends. They were laughing and talking – swapping stories.
Alex and Darrin listened to them talking for a while before Alex decided to speak. He smiled at one of the truckers, who looked at him. “It must be exciting driving around seeing the country,” he said.
The trucker smiled back at Alex. “Most of us have regular routes. We drive the same way on each trip. We are used to the scenery on our trips,” he said.
“Bummer,” said Alex. “It would get old driving the same way all of the time.”
“It gets old, but it does pay well,” said one of the truckers.
They all laughingly agreed.
“What are you guys doing in a truck stop?” asked one of the truckers.
Alex grinned. “My mom was a trucker. She always said if I wanted good food or company, the best place to go was a truck stop. We were just driving around looking and spotted the truck stop and decided to stop and get a cup of coffee.”
“Your mom was right,” said the older trucker. “The food is good, and you won’t meet a better group of people anywhere.”
All the truckers nodded in agreement. “I thought about going to driving school when I finished my enlistment, but I decided it was too much driving,” said Alex.
“What service were you in?” asked one of the older truckers.
“I was in the army,” answered Alex.
“Are you from around here?” asked the first trucker.
“No, I came to be with my friend here. His family was killed in a house fire, and I didn’t want him to have to go through the funeral alone,” said Alex.
“I am sorry for your loss,” the trucker said to Darrin.
“Thank you,” said Darrin with a nod.
“Hey, I heard about the fire. I was here a few days ago on my way to Kansas, and all they could talk about was the fire,” said an older trucker. He left a tip on the table and prepared to leave.
“I will see you guys on my next trip to Mercy,” he said to his companions.
“Mercy,” repeated Alex.
“Mercy, Kansas. It’s where I make most of my deliveries,” he said.
Alex smiled and nodded. Alex and Darrin finished their coffee, and telling the truckers to have a nice trip, they went back to the motel.
When they were back at the motel, Alex called his office. He had asked his assistant to find out all she could about Mariam Janis Semp.
When he hung up his phone, he turned to Darrin.
“I have Mariam’s social security number. Her phone has not been used since she called you. There are a lot of messages from you and several hang-ups. There was one message left before the hang-ups. It was from the same number. It said, “We will get you, witch. You can’t escape.”
Darrin turned pale. He sat down on the side of the bed.
“It’s why she is so scared. Someone is trying to kill her,” he said.
“Why do they think she is a witch?” asked Alex.
Darrin looked at Alex sharply. “My sister is not a witch.”
“I didn’t say she was. I asked why they think she is,” said Alex.
“Mariam sometimes hears the voice of her guardian angel in her head. It warns her of danger. We haven’t told anyone about it because we wanted to protect her from the witch hunters. Mom had an aunt who heard voices, and she was stoned to death by the witch hunters. Since then, we have kept quiet about Mariam hearing the voice of her guardian angel,” said Darrin.
Alex nodded and looked thoughtful.
“Someone must have found out and alerted the hunters. They burned your family home, trying to get to Mariam. Now, they are trying to find her,” said Alex.
“How are we going to find her without leading the witch hunters to her?” asked Darrin.
“You are going back to the base and leaving the hunting to me. I will do a little more looking around here. Then, I will leave. I don’t think she is here anymore,” said Alex. “I am not going to stay long. I want to talk to her friend Jenny. If she doesn’t use her social security number or phone or draw any money from the bank, she should be safe.”
Darrin looked at Alex and nodded.
“You do believe my sister is not a witch?” he asked.
“I believe you,” said Alex. “This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of the witch hunters. I have seen what destruction they can do. I think your sister was smart not going to the police for help. They probably have people on the police force. That is why they would not help you. It also makes it harder to keep them from finding her because they have the police resources to help them.”
Darrin shook his head and looked defeated.
Alex stood and put a hand on Darrin’s shoulder. “We will find her. Don’t give up. When you are back on base, I will call my reports to you through Mark. They may have your phone bugged. We don’t want to give them any information they don’t already have,” said Alex.
“Okay,” agreed Darrin. “Thanks for helping and believing me about Mariam.”
Alex shook Darrin’s hand and walked out of the room with him as he took his duffle bag and put it in the back seat of his rental car and started on his trip back to base. Alex stood looking after Darrin for a minute. He saw a car start up and follow Darrin out of town.
Alex took out his phone and called his office. “Brenda,” he said when his assistant answered the phone. “Is Stan around? Let me talk to him.”
“Hello,” said Stan.
“Stan, my new client, Darrin Semp, just left on his way back to base. He was followed. I want you to see if you can intersect with him and make sure he gets back to base all right. Keep an eye on him for a while and make sure he doesn’t end up like his family,” said Alex.
“Sure thing, Boss, do you want one of the others to come and help?” asked Stan.
“Not yet,” said Alex. “I’ll do a bit more looking around, and then I will decide,” said Alex.
They both hung up, and Stan went to look after Darrin. Alex went to find and talk to Jenny.
CHAPTER3
Things were going well for Mariam in Mercy, Kansas. She loved working in the bookstore, and she loved helping the younger children find books to read. Darci encouraged her to start a reading group with the younger children.
Darci and the children’s parents stood and listened when Mariam read for the children. As time passed, the people in town came to accept Mariam’s presence after seeing how well she interacted with the children.
Deputy Charles Holt, Darci’s grandson, had stopped by several times, but he had not talked to Mariam yet. He was just checking on his grandma. He relaxed some after seeing how well Mariam was fitting in. Also, he had put the name Mariam Janice through the system at the police station, and the report come back with no red flags.
Mariam was still nervous around him and avoided him when she saw him enter the bookstore. Darci would smile when she saw Mariam head the other way whenever Charles was around. She did not say anything. She decided to let time take care of things.
“Hello,” said Charles.
Mariam jumped. She had not noticed Charles being in the store.
“Hello,” replied Mariam turned away slightly to continue sorting books and putting them on the shelf.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” said Charles.
“I just didn’t know you were there,” replied Mariam.
“How do you like our small town?” asked Charles.
“I like it. Everyone has been very nice to me,” said Mariam.
“My grandma says you are a natural in the bookstore. The last helper she had only lasted one day. Grandma said the girl could hardly read and didn’t like being around books.” Charles chuckled. “Grandma said she couldn’t understand why she had tried to work in a bookstore.”
Mariam nodded but continued to work.
“Well,” said Charles. “I guess I should quit bothering you and let you get on with your work.”
Mariam looked up, startled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. You are not bothering me. I guess I just get nervous around police officers. I don’t know why. I’m sure you are a very nice person. You take great care of Darci. She always speaks highly of you.” Mariam paused and took a deep breath. “Now I can’t stop rambling.”
Charles smiled. “I don’t mind,” he said. “It’s better than the silent treatment.”
Mariam flushed slightly. “I had better get back to work.”
“I’ll see you later,” said Charles.
Mariam nodded and watched him as he went to talk to Darci. Mariam smiled to herself as she turned away and went back to work.
“Hello, Charles,” said Darci. “I see you finally managed to corner Mariam.”
Charles looked up sharply. “I wasn’t trying to corner her. I was just saying hello.”
Darci laughed. “If you say so,” she replied.
Charles ignored her remark. “Do you think Mariam will stay here in Mercy?” asked Charles.
Darci looked up at Charles. She was no longer laughing. “I think she would like to stay here. She fits in well with the people and the town. It all depends on whether she feels safe here,” said Darci.
“If she starts acting like she doesn’t think she is safe, let me know. If anyone bothers her, I will take care of them,” said Charles.
Darci patted his hand and smiled. “I’ll keep watch. If I get even a hint of those witch hunters, I will let you know at once,” agreed Darci.
“Thanks, you stay safe, too. I don’t want anything to happen to either of you,” said Charles, giving Darci a hug and leaving to go back to work.
Darci watched him go and smiled. She was very proud of that young man. It was a blessing to have him there to watch her back and keep those witch hunters away.
Mariam watched Charles leave and turned to find Darci watching her. She smiled at Darci and made her way over to where Darci was helping a customer. She waited patiently while the older woman rang up the sale and bid the customer goodbye.
“Would it be alright if I leave for lunch, now?” asked Mariam.
“Sure, we are not very busy,” said Darci.
“I won’t be very long. I just need to stop by the drug store,” said Mariam. “I need to pick up a burner phone so I can call my brother. I haven’t wanted to call on my phone. I was afraid it could be traced.”
“Do you have someone you could call who could give your brother a message? They may have his phone number tagged, too,” said Darci.
Mariam thought for a minute. “I could call his friend Mark. They are in the same regiment. Mark could let him know I am alright,” said Mariam.
“Why don’t you use my phone to call Mark?” said Darci.
Mariam shook her head. “I don’t want to do anything to bring you to their attention,” said Mariam. “Charles would be very upset if I caused any harm to come to you.”
“Charles would be upset if any harm came to you,” said Darci.
Mariam smiled. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Take your time and be sure to eat while you are out,” ordered Darci.
“Yes, Ma’am,” said Mariam with a smile.
Darci watched her go with a smile. She was becoming very fond of Mariam. She hoped Charles managed to draw her attention. It would be great to have her as a permanent member of her family.
Mariam went to the drug store and looked over the pre-paid phones. She picked out one and bought a card with minutes to use with the phone.
Mariam picked up some food to take back to her room. She looked in her address book and found Mark’s phone number to call and let Darrin know she was okay.
“Hello,” said Mark Avorn.
“Hello, Mark, this is Mariam Semp. I’m Darrin’s sister.”
“Mariam, Darrin has been trying to find you. He has been worried sick about you,” said Mark.
“I know, I’m sorry. I couldn’t use my phone. I was afraid it could be traced. I have a burner phone. I’m calling you so you can let Darrin know I am alright. I thought the witch hunters may have his phone tagged, too,” said Mariam.
“Where are you?” asked Mark.
“It’s better if you don’t know. Will you please tell Darrin I’m alright and I will try to keep in touch with him through you? The witch hunters tried to kill me three times, four if you count burning our house,” said Mariam.
“I wish Darrin was here,” said Mark. “He would feel better if he could talk to you.”
“Where is he?” asked Mariam.
“He is out on patrol. He stayed a few days after the funeral to talk to my brother Alex about finding you, and the officers have him doing extra patrols since he returned,” said Mark.
“Your brother is a private detective, isn’t he?” asked Mariam.
“Yes, he is,” said Mark. “When Darrin could not get any help from the police, he asked Alex to help find out what happened to you.”
“Please tell Darrin to stop looking for me. He could lead the witch hunters to me,” begged Mariam.
“I’ll see what I can do. My brother, Alex, is very good at what he does. He would not put you in danger,” said Mark.
“He might not mean to, but there are a lot of people working with the witch hunters. He can’t trust the police. They are spotters for the witch hunters,” said Mariam. “I have to go. Tell Darrin I love him, and I will be in touch when I can. I am going to have this phone turned off, so he can’t call me on it.”
“I’ll tell him. If you need help, call Alex. You can trust him to keep you safe,” said Mark. He gave her Alex’s number and, after telling her to stay safe, they hung up.
Mariam started to eat her food. She didn’t really feel hungry, but she knew Darci would ask her if she had eaten. She was misty-eyed. Talking to Mark had made her think about her parents and little brother. Thanks to the witch hunters, she had missed saying goodbye to them.
Mariam brushed her tears away and thought about Darrin. The best thing she could do for him was to stay away. If he was around her, the witch hunters may try to kill him, too.
Mariam finished what food she could eat and put the rest in the refrigerator for later. She cleaned up and went to the bookstore to work.
Darci saw her come in and smiled as Mariam made her way over to her. “Did you call your brother’s friend?”
“Yes,” said Mariam, nodding. “Mark is going to tell Darrin I am alright. He said Darrin had asked Mark’s brother, Alex, to help find me. Alex is in private security. I told him to ask Darrin to stop him from looking. I don’t want them to lead anyone to me.”
“Do you think he will listen?” asked Darci.
“I don’t know. I am telling you about Alex, in case he does find me, so you will know he is one of the good guys. He can be trusted,” said Mariam.
“You can trust Charles, too,” said Darci. “He has been looking out for me for years. He would never betray you to the witch hunters.”
“I know,” said Mariam. “My guardian angel has been so quiet since I came to Mercy; I am beginning to think maybe the whole town is blessed.”
Darci laughed. “We have bad ones, just like any other town, but they stay away from me and my store. They don’t want to tangle with Charles.”
Mariam laughed. “I’m glad he is on our side,” she said.
“So am I. Charles has been a blessing for me for years. Just knowing he was out there has made me feel safer,” said Darci.
“You said you hear your guardian angel, too. Has she been extra quiet lately?” asked Mariam.
Darci looked up quickly. She was startled. “I haven’t thought about it, but my guardian angel has been quiet since you arrived and she told me to help you,” said Darci. “I guess she is satisfied with me doing what she wanted.”
Mariam smiled. “I am glad you listened to her. I have loved being here. I haven’t felt such peace in a long time,” said Mariam. “I hope you don’t mind me staying in the room in back. When you offered it to me, you said it was temporary until I found somewhere else.”
“You can stay there as long as you want,” assured Darci. “I was afraid it would be too small for you.”
“It is fine,” said Mariam. “I love the room. It’s perfect for me.” Mariam looked at Darci seriously. “It is such a relief to be able to talk about the voice of my guardian angel. All my life, my mom had told me and my brothers not to let anyone know about hearing them. She had an aunt who could hear the voice of her guardian angel. Her parents thought she was crazy and locked her away when she was younger. Mom was afraid the same thing would happen to us. To actually meet someone who can hear her guardian angel and be able to talk about it is an amazing feeling.”
Darci nodded. “I know what you mean. Several people in my family could hear the voices of their guardian angels. We were all warned not to let anyone know. At least we could talk to each other. It became harder when the witch hunters showed up. We became afraid to talk about our guardian angels, even among ourselves. Having Charles look out for me has been a blessing.”
Mariam and Darci looked out the window and saw some little ones headed their way with their mothers.
“Do you have a reading for the little ones today?” asked Darci.
“If enough show up, I’ll gather them around and read to them,” agreed Mariam.
“Do you think we should put out some cookies for them?” asked Darci.
“I don’t think so, not unless you give them a cookie as they are leaving. We don’t want crumbs all over the books,” said Mariam.
Darci smiled. I think I will put a cookie in a plastic bag and give it to them as they are leaving.”
“Okay, do you want me to get them ready so you can hand them out?” asked Mariam.
“I’ll get them ready if you will watch the front for me,” said Darci.
“Sure,” said Mariam with a smile. “After all, it is my job.”
Darci laughed and left to go and get the cookies and some small bags.
Mariam turned to greet her customers. The little ones started smiling as soon as they spotted Mariam. They ran to her shouting, “Miss Janice, Miss Janice!”
Mariam hugged them back as they hugged her legs.
“Hello, how are my little munchkins this morning?” asked Mariam.
“We are good,” replied Sara, one of the more talkative young ones. “Are you going to read to us today?”
“I will, but let’s wait a little and see if more children come. Why don’t you let your moms help you find books to take home with you while you are waiting,” suggested Mariam.
The moms smilingly guided the little ones over to the children’s book section.
Mariam turned to check out a customer while keeping an eye on the young children. Even with their moms there with them, they could slip away when their moms were distracted.
While Sara’s mom was talking to another mom, Sara turned and went down another row. Mariam followed and kept an eye on Sara. When Sara reached the end of the row and started down another row, Mariam stepped out in front of her. Mariam pretended to be surprised to see Sara.
“Hello, Sara, do you need help?” asked Mariam.
“Hi, Miss Janice, I was just looking around,” said Sara. “I need to go find my mom now.”
“Come with me, I’ll show you the way,” said Mariam holding out a hand for Sara to take. With Sara’s hand in hers, she headed back to the children’s section.
Mariam found Charles standing in the front, grinning at her.
“Hello, Uncle Charles,” said Sara.
“Hello, Sara. Are you here to listen to a story?” asked Charles.
Sara nodded. “Just as soon as some more kids show up,” said Sara.
Charles smiled and nodded toward Sara’s mom. She had just discovered Sara gone and was looking for her. She hurried over to them.
Charles smiled and kissed her on her cheek.
“Hello, Lana; missing someone?” laughed Charles.
“I shouldn’t be surprised,” said Lana. “I can’t take my eye off of her for a minute.”
She took Sara’s hand and headed back to the group.
Mariam nodded at Charles. “Darci will be back in a few minutes. She went to get some cookies for the children.”
Charles laughed. “She is going to have the store flooded with little ones if she keeps spoiling them.”
Mariam grinned. “It’s good for business. If the children have good experiences in the bookstore while they are young, they will become lifelong customers.”
“You may be right,” agreed Charles thoughtfully.
Mariam nodded. “Does it surprise you that I may be right?” asked Mariam.
Charles raised his hands as if in surrender. “I have no doubt you are right about a lot of things,” he said.
Mariam grinned. “I was just teasing you,” she said.
“Will you have dinner with me tonight?” asked Charles.
Mariam looked at him sharply. “Where did that come from?” she asked.
“I have wanted to ask you, but I thought you would say it was too soon and turn me down,” said Charles.
Mariam was nodding her head in agreement. “It is too soon,” she said.
“It’s just a meal. I promise to take good care of you and get you home safe and sound,” said Charles.
Mariam stood thinking about it.
“Say ‘please,’ Uncle Charles,” said Sara, who had silently joined them.
“Please,” said Charles.
Mariam smiled at Sara. “Okay,” she said.
“Please always works,” said Sara with satisfaction.
Charles smiled at her. Charles left while Mariam prepared to join the group entering with the group already there for a reading.
Darci hurried in with the bags of cookies, and Mariam gathered the little ones into a group to tell them a story about the little engine that could.
CHAPTER4
Alex was on his way back to his office. Jenny turned out to be a dead end. She had no idea where Mariam was or why she had left. Alex could tell Jenny was unaware of Mariam hearing the voice of her guardian angel. For a friend, she seemed very unconcerned about Mariam’s disappearance.
Brenda met Alex when he entered his office.
“I have the report on Mariam Janice Semp,” said Brenda.
Alex took the report from her and went to sit at his desk.
“Have you heard anything from Stan?” asked Alex.
“Yes, he called in. Darrin Semp arrived at base, and the car following him drove away when they saw him entering the base,” said Brenda. “Stan said he was going to hang around for a while to be sure the guys in the car don’t come back.”
“Guys,” repeated Alex. “There was more than one?”
“Stan said there were two,” said Brenda.
“Was there anything interesting in the report?” asked Alex.
“Well, there was a request for information from a small town in Kansas. A Deputy Sheriff wanted to know if there were any warrants out for a Mariam Janice,” said Brenda. “I thought it was an interesting coincidence.”
“It may be the name she is using. Where in Kansas?” asked Alex.
“A small town called Mercy,” replied Brenda.
Alex sat up straight, looking startled. “One of the truckers said he made regular trips to Mercy, Kansas,” said Alex.
“Do you think it could be her?” asked Brenda.
“Yes, I do. I just hope no one else picks up on it. If the hunters find out where she is, she could be in serious trouble,” said Alex. “I am going to the penthouse to switch my clothes. I want you to find out the closest airport to Mercy, Kansas, and book me a flight to it. Call me on my cell phone and let me know when my flight is scheduled. Also, arrange for a car rental. Get in touch with Andrew. Tell him to join me there as soon as he wraps up the case he is on.”
Alex was giving instructions as he walked out the door and down the hall. Brenda was walking with him, writing down his instructions.
“Anything else?” she asked as Alex entered the elevator.
“If I think of anything else, I will call,” said Alex as he grinned at Brenda. “Thanks, Brenda.” The door to the elevator closed between them.
Brenda smiled and turned back to her office to get busy.
* * *
Darrin had no clue about the car or Stan following him back to base. Mark hurried over to him as soon as he spotted him come in from his patrol.
“Mariam called me,” said Mark quietly. “It was just a couple of hours ago. She said she is fine, but she is hiding from the witch hunters. She was on a burner phone. She was afraid to use hers, and she didn’t want to call yours. She said she will try to call me again so you will know she is alright, but she is going to keep the phone off, so you won’t be able to call her.”
“She really is okay,” said Darrin with relief. “Did she say where she is?”
“She said it would be safer if you don’t know. She said the witch hunters had tried to kill her four times, counting the house fire,” said Mark.
Darrin cursed softly and turned and looked away.
“You need to call Alex and let him know she called,” said Darrin.
Darrin looked around. “Let’s go to the locker room where we won’t be overheard,” said Darrin. He and Mark went to Darrin’s locker to pick up a change of clothes and a towel to take with them to the locker room.
Once inside, they checked the room to be sure no one was there. Darrin went to take a shower, and Mark took out his phone to call Alex.
Alex was in the penthouse when his phone rang.
“Hi, Alex, Darrin told me to call you and let you know Mariam called me. She wanted me to let Darrin know she is alright. She is hiding from the witch hunters. They tried to kill her four times in Madison, once when they burned her family home. She wouldn’t tell me where she was, and she called on a burner phone. She said she was going to keep it turned off, so it won’t do any good to call it.”
“Thanks for letting me know. Tell Darrin I won’t lead the hunters to her, but I have a lead on where she is. I’m going to make sure she stays safe. I will keep in touch through you, and you can call Brenda to forward any information you get to me. Try to keep Darrin from going off the deep end. He needs a good friend right now,” said Alex.
“I’ll do my best. Thanks for helping, Alex,” said Mark.
“You’re welcome, take care, little brother,” said Alex.
They hung up the phone, and Alex went to take a shower and get ready for his flight to Mercy. Mark sat back to wait on Darrin.
When Darrin came out of the shower and prepared to shave, Mark was waiting with a report from Alex.
“He said to tell you he would not lead the witch hunters to Mariam, but he has a lead on where she is, and he is going to make sure she stays safe,” said Mark.
Darrin looked at Mark and sighed. “I wish I could see for myself. I would feel a lot better if I could talk to her.”
