Love Inspired Suspense September 2015 #1 by Alison Stone, Lisa Phillips, Margaret Daley Read Free Book Online

to do was climb through the window.” Mr. Pickens waved his hand toward the large gap at the front of the building. “We spent all morning picking up the glass. It shattered everywhere.”
    â€œDo you have a surveillance camera in here?”
    The man pointed to two mounted cameras. “They don’t work. It’s not like someone is going to shoplift a stove. What did the person look like that you saw?”
    â€œI got a brief glimpse of a dark hoodie before the door shut. When I looked out back, all I saw was a black Chevy driving away. Couldn’t tell you the year. Do you remember seeing anyone park there that morning?”
    â€œNo, but it was here when I came to work at ten. I thought it belonged to an employee of the stores next to me. Like I said, I was in my office most of the time on the phone to the bank.”
    â€œWho were the employees working the floor that day?”
    â€œBill Campbell and myself.”
    â€œSo Bill is here?”
    Mr. Pickens nodded. “He’s the one with the broom.”
    Jesse approached Bill Campbell, a medium-sized lanky guy, with a sour expression on his face. After introducing himself, Jesse asked, “I understand you were on the floor the morning the bomb went off across the street. Did you see anything strange? Someone hanging around watching the building?”
    He stopped sweeping and leaned on the broom. “It wasn’t busy that morning. We usually get more customers in the afternoon or evening. There was a woman in here looking, but she wasn’t here when the bomb went off. Don’t know her name. Then there was a young man, maybe twenty-five in here. He wandered around looking at all kinds of appliances.” Campbell stared at the hole where the window used to be. “You know he kept looking out front as if he was waiting for someone.”
    â€œDo you know his name?”
    â€œNope but he was here when the bomb went off.”
    â€œDid he leave right away?”
    â€œI don’t know. I was hiding behind the counter. When I finally stood up, all I focused on was the bistro.”
    â€œWould you be able to describe the man to a police artist?”
    Campbell’s eyes grew round. “You think he had something to do with the bombing?”
    â€œI’m looking into everything.”
    â€œI’ll do what I can. We’ve got to catch this guy before another bomb goes off. Business was slow before this last bomb. I don’t expect much now.”
    â€œWill you be here tomorrow?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œI’ll send the police artist then.” Jesse shook Campbell’s hand, then left with Brutus.
    Jesse visited the clothing shop then the drugstore, flanking Pickens Appliance. Neither place had any promising leads. The few employees in those establishments were scared and jumpy. Phillip Keats, the pharmacist and manager, even told him one longtime woman employee called in sick and hadn’t returned since the bombing.
    As he strolled to his SUV his phone rang. It was Lydia’s house number. He quickly answered, praying nothing was wrong. “Lydia?”
    â€œNo, this is Kate.”
    â€œHas something happened?”
    â€œLydia thought someone had been in her bedroom. I’m scared.”
    Jesse turned on his engine. “Is anyone there now?”
    â€œNo, but—”
    â€œI’ll be there as soon as possible.” After disconnecting, Jesse pulled out of his parking space. Why didn’t Lydia call him?
Because you told her to contact Thomas
. He realized the foolhardiness of that. They might not be friends now, but they were close once. He couldn’t walk away because she hurt him in the past—not if her life was in jeopardy.
    * * *
    A sea of black surrounded her, but Lydia couldn’t move. Something held her down. Her heartbeat began to race. She couldn’t breathe
.
    Lydia’s eyes flew open. Darkness blanketed her. A band felt as though it