Shield of Refuge by Carol Steward Read Free Book Online

flip-flops as she recalled how Garrett had flirted with her.
    â€œI just asked if they were cute. There’s no harm in looking, is there?”
    â€œMy mind wasn’t on the cops….” Not plural anyway, she thought. “I had bigger concerns than them, believe it or not. Number one, that poor girl.”
    â€œWell, that goes without saying,” she said, her voice turning serious. “Did the kidnapper see you? I mean your van’s pretty hard to miss with balloons all over the side of it.”
    She tried to recall whether he’d looked in her direction. If he had seen her, what would he have done? Come after her? Had he rushed because he heard her? She felt sure it was unlikely he’d paid much attention to anything besides his victim. She wandered her apartment and looked out the windows.
    â€œAmber? Are you sure you’re okay?”
    She let the curtain fall back into place. “Yeah. If he knew I was there, it wasn’t obvious. He had all he could handle with the victim.”
    Rachelle let out a deep sigh. “I’m worried about you. Do you want to come over and stay here tonight?” She could hear clanging dishes in the background just before the baby started crying.
    â€œThanks, but I need to get my dough ready and figure out what I’m going to do about deliveries now.”
    â€œYou can think here, where you’d be safe. I could send Tommy to come get you.”
    She wanted to laugh. “Oh, he’d love that at midnight. I’m safe here, Rachelle, but thanks. I’ll see you in the morning, okay? I need to get busy, before I crash and burn.” They said good-night after confirming arrangements for Rachelle to drop off her supplies the next morning.
    Only problem was, Amber didn’t crash and burn. She’d tried to go to sleep at three in the morning, but couldn’t stop her mind from replaying the accident. She couldn’t take her mind off that moment, and the officer who she’d hurt in her carelessness. She’d lain awake thinking of the tall, handsome officer who’d changed her mind about cops. She prayed over and over that Officer Matthews was okay. Prayed that the crime she’d witnessed was nothing more than a college prank. Prayed that the morning light would bring answers to her numerous concerns.
    At six-thirty, the knock on the door nearly sent her through the roof. She’d already gone online and ordered wooden shutters for the glass-front windows to provide more security for the early-morning shift.
    She looked out the peephole and opened the door for the two college girls who helped out around the shop. Thanks to the nervous energy, she’d finished the baking, leaving only glazing the pastries, brewing coffee, and filling display cabinets before the shop opened. While CiCi and Andrea washed up and put on their aprons, Amber filled them in on the challenges of the day, which were too numerous to ignore any longer. Time was getting away from her.
    â€œDo you want me to deliver the day-old pastries to the shelter with my car?” CiCi offered. “I wouldn’t want to put a full sheet cake in the hatchback, but we can box the pastries in the smaller boxes.”
    â€œThat would be great. I have a couple of errands I need to run,” Amber said as she scooped the coffee into the huge filter. “Sean should be here by seven-thirty to help with the before-work rush. I’ll be gone most of the morning. Call if you have questions….”
    The room was silent.
    â€œDid I say something wrong?” she asked the two women. “Don’t worry, I’m not asking to borrow your car. One of my stops is to rent a car for my own use. Rachelle is going to pick me up, and at the same time, deliver all of the supplies I picked up that were left in the van last night. I just hope the van is repaired before that huge wedding the weekend after next.”
    Andrea was folding the boxes and