A Place Without Mercy: Places, #2

By Fran Driscoll

Leah looks forward to the birth of her twins until a walk in the park ends in tragedy…and her husband, Michael, is nowhere to be found.

 

Cullen Beal has a score to settle with Leah and her cousin, and he has allies in unlikely places…

 

Leah's cousin, Sheanna, isn't the only little girl being used for glamor photos to support Cullen's perversions, and with Leah out of the way, he's closing in fast. Will Leah's heart survive her greatest test of faith yet? Or will it remain A Place Without Mercy?

 

If you love Christian Romantic Suspense, you'll love "A Place Without Mercy," Book 2 in the thrilling series, "Places."

 

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Fran Driscoll
• Release date: Sep 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201293079

Book preview

Chapter One

Children are a gift from the LORD; a productive womb, the LORD’s reward

Psalm 127:3

Liam Phil McPhillen’s former partner’s voice crackled and popped in his earpiece. I’m sorry, Phil, but you can’t go to Mobile today.

You’re funny, Rob. Leah is so excited about this sonogram, and it’s my first chance to see my grandbabies. Liam Phil McPhillen started the car and rolled toward the end of the driveway.

They’ve found another redhead. Same hairdo.

What? Not another little girl. Phil swerved dangerously close to the mailbox, and stomped on the brake.

No. We think this one was the mother, but the braid in her hair is an exact match to both of the dead girls. Only difference is, looks like Mom had Down Syndrome, and she was found in Louisiana instead of Mississippi. I’m leaving for Slidell in a few minutes.

Was the body in the Pearl River? Phil asked, his mind jumping into detective mode. Why did the offender moved fifty miles east to dump this body? Was he in Hattiesburg, Mississippi instead of Andrews or George County like we thought? It would explain why he had access to both rivers.

No river this time. At the Tulane body farm. A college kid found her. Can you get over here while everything’s still fresh?

Since when is a body farm fresh? You’re telling me the sheriff is letting you investigate this one?

Nope, it’s my day off. You gonna meet me at Los Lobos parking lot?

It was their first lead in over a year. Phil’s mouth watered at the prospect of getting the monster that tattooed, tortured and killed young girls. Will do. Guess I’ll have to wait a couple weeks to see the twins.

Leah will probably be more upset that she isn’t in the middle of this investigation, Phil said. She’s been trying to get info from me for years, but you’re right about us keeping this one quiet. Even from family. She’ll understand.

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As she stared at the ultrasound images of her babies, Leah’s eyes glistened and her heart swelled with happiness. They were as active as ever today. The ultrasound tech chased them across her swollen belly with her probe and finally had success. Amidst the kicking and tumbling, the shadowy screen clearly showed that there were two boys fighting for their parents’ attention. Leah and Michael had known that one of the twins was a boy for weeks, but the other baby had refused to cooperate and let them know his gender. Until today.

It’s a son, Michael. I knew it. Leah was filled with wonder that the Lord would trust her with two human beings, twin boys. Happy Anniversary, Sweetie.

The tiredness in Michael’s eyes seemed to lessen and a brilliant smile lit up his face for the first time in many weeks. Happy Anniversary, babe. Her husband swept a kiss across her cheek and squeezed her hand as he stared at the screen. It looked to Leah as if he was trying to memorize each little form. Our baseball team has begun.

You’re right, Dr. Diamante said, her dimples deepening as she smiled. Two healthy sons. Five and a half months and your babies are progressing well. How are you feeling, Momma?

Okay, except for the morning sickness. It’s all day long. Otherwise, I feel great, and right now, I couldn’t be happier. Leah rubbed her hand against her belly, even though the sliding sensation along the inside of her abdomen was strange to her. Hi, little acrobats. It’s Momma. I’m glad you’re getting comfortable.

Do you have any questions for me?

Leah shook her head, not wanting to tear her eyes from the screen. Now that she knew it was two boys, she had names to put to them. Glad to meet you Jourdan and Jesse.

Michael piped in. I’m Daddy, and this overachiever here is your mother. I suppose Jourdan is the bigger one, and Jesse is the one doing back flips. Are you sure we’re going to keep these names this time?

Leah stuck out her tongue at him. That meant anything from Hello to Don’t be a smart guy. It was her favorite long distance communication method. Of course.

Jourdan was Leah’s grandfather’s middle name, and also their favorite camping spot. Jesse was Gator’s real name. Since he was the only father Michael had ever known, it seemed fitting. It hadn’t taken them long to settle on names. If they were girls, the names would have been Elizabeth for Leah’s mother, and Amelia for Michael’s. The hard thing would have been if there was only one girl and one boy, but now they didn’t have to hash that one out. Leah fingered the delicate silver necklace that Michael had given her just that morning. Their first anniversary had been a happy one so far, and they hadn’t even had the traditional piece from the top layer of their wedding cake, which waited patiently in her mother’s freezer. Their tiny apartment-sized refrigerator wasn’t up to that job.

I want to see you again in two weeks, Leah, Dr. Diamante said, stripping off her gloves and heading for the sink.

It’s been a great morning, Mrs. Charbonneau. Michael kissed her on the cheek and whispered, But I have to get back to the construction site. I’m so happy, Leah. I’ll try not to be too late for your mom’s party tonight. Love you.

Leah squeezed his hand and nodded. Love you, too.

Before Michael left, he placed a theater-sized box of peanut M&Ms on the chair he’d just vacated. Leah blew him a kiss.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she watched him leave with the doctor. In many ways, the past year had worked both of their nerves to a frazzle, so today was a double victory. As hard as it had been for Leah to adjust to living in downtown Mobile, she had done her best to make do with what they had. Michael had been trying to move heaven and earth to save his business, Charbonneau Woodworks, and she didn’t see much of him. She knew that he was facing bankruptcy when she married him, so she could hardly complain. About fifteen months before, another carpentry business hired him as a subcontractor, but it was a ruse to get leverage over him. They had changed the parameters of the job several times, and when Michael couldn’t come in on budget, they sued. The owners were trying to buy him out cheaply, and they were using every dirty trick at their disposal. Michael took every side job he could, trying to come up with the money for a decent lawyer to fight off the sharks that they retained. He left early in the morning and came home after dark. Leah shook her head, as if to clear out the negative thoughts. Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful day.

I’ll meet you up front, Mrs. Charbonneau, the ultrasound technician said as she gathered her supplies and left the room.

Leah dressed quickly; the room was far too cold for her taste. She never did understand why people set their air on sixty degrees in the South. Michael liked it cooler than she did, so they often had ‘the great thermostat debate,’ but they got along well otherwise. He remembered their anniversary, and he’d made sure to be there for the ultrasound. It did Leah’s heart good to know his priorities were in the right place. Her mom usually came to the doctor’s office with her, but Beth was home making a big celebration dinner for her best friend, Ms. Karen’s hospital release party. Beth McPhillen could make a party out of any occasion. It was one of her many gifts. Leah’s mouth watered as she thought of the wonderful food she’d be eating in a couple of hours—heartburn or no heartburn.

And where did Daddy get to? He promised, and only an emergency would keep him away. I know he took today off to cook for the party. Phil was the grill chef extraordinaire. If there was somebody who could barbeque a chicken better than he could, Leah never met him. According to her latest text message, Leah’s little cousin Sheanna was even helping to cook. She hoped the little bundle of energy didn’t put her mama too far behind. Beth was no-nonsense when it came to getting the job done, but she had a huge soft spot when it came to Sheanna. Her great-niece had Beth—the whole family for that matter—wrapped tightly around her little finger.

Leah frowned, wondering again where her dad was. It had to be something big. Leah had been the daughter of a busy police officer her whole life, but she knew he would be there if he could. She wondered what Phil was doing, and hoped it wasn’t anything that would garner him more bad press. Liam Phil McPhillen was somewhat infamous in Ocean Shores. Each time he’d ended up in hot water he was helping somebody, and it backfired on him.

Leah was in no hurry to go back to their love nest above the shop in Charbonneau Woodworks, though nest was a good word for it. There was no extra room and it was a loft, way up high. She had tried her best to make the tiny studio apartment a home, but Leah had another dream that looked like it was finally going to come true. The antebellum house that she wanted in Ocean Shores, nearly right behind her parents’ home, would be going up for sale at the end of the month. She had squirreled away money for years to get it. As heartbroken as she was that her adopted grandma Ms. Karen was moving away, Bonhomme House was a place that Leah had dreamed of owning since she was a little girl.

Leah walked carefully toward the front counter, self-conscious about how large she was, planning her family’s perfect future. She smoothed her shirt over her belly.

I’ll just need your insurance card and the deductible, Ms. Leah, the perky teen behind the counter chirped.

Leah handed over her debit and insurance cards.

A strange beeping noise came from the computer, and the girl tossed her ponytail from side to side as she shook her head. Do you have something else? This card isn’t working.

Leah looked at the card to be sure it was the debit card and not some grocery card or some other addle-brained thing she could blame on the pregnancy. But the card was the right one. There should be hundreds of dollars in the account, plus they had a healthy savings account and overdraft protection. Please try again. There must be some mistake.

The girl smiled and turned back to the machine. Several awkward beeps later, Leah started to dig through her purse for cash.

It’s okay, the nurse said as she came up behind the teen. We’ll just bill you. We’ve had trouble with this machine all week. Sorry about that."

No worries. Thanks. Leah took her cards back and slipped them into her purse. We’ll see you in two weeks, Mrs. Charbonneau, Dr. Diamante’s grinning receptionist said, handing her an appointment card.

Leah tucked it onto her purse with the others. Thanks. See you then.

Rubbing her belly, Leah stepped out into the bright sunshine and decided that she would walk through the park before she went home. Bienville Square was only a couple of blocks away. Leah tilted her face toward the sun, enjoying its warmth, and looking forward to throwing a penny into the gurgling fountain.

What do you think boys? she asked as she rubbed her belly. Won’t that be a picture perfect way to end our morning?

The antique fountain at the center of the park always sparkled like white fireworks on a day like today. Leah dug for some extra crackers in her bottomless purse. Some she would share with the shaggy, pitiful homeless people that slept on the park benches, but Leah opened the unsalted one for herself. She smiled as she nibbled on the only food that didn’t make her feel sick.

Leah looked up, a flower enjoying the sun on her face, and thanked God that the beastly part of summer was over. Being huge and sweaty was no fun.

The party for Ms. Karen wouldn’t start for two hours, so Leah meandered down the sidewalk, planning her big revival of Bonhomme House. She loved the hardwood floors and high ceilings, the crown molding and the two front doors, but they needed attention. The porch was wide and decorated with wood trim carved by one of Ms. Karen’s great grandfathers. Some peeling paint marred its beauty, but Leah would make quick work of that once the babies were born and every single smell didn’t make her nauseous. She also needed to decide which room would make the best nursery and whether they were going to go with Noah’s Ark or a teddy bear theme. Her younger brother Hunter and her father had promised to do whatever was needed to get the room ready in time. Her best friend Shay and friends from her Sunday School class would see to the décor. She was no decorator anyway.

Bonhomme House was Leah’s home away from home for as long as she could remember, and Ms. Karen was her adopted Grandma and best friend. She’d spent many hours there playing hide-and-go-seek with Hunter in the many bedrooms or reading books from Karen’s huge library. During Leah’s preschool years, Momma was busy taking care of Great Grandmother Michelle, who had dementia, and the curses the once prim-and-proper woman screamed at times were not for little ears. So Leah and Hunter were sent through the backyard gate to check on Ms. Karen. They usually stayed until suppertime, and then Ms. Karen was paid off with one of Beth’s delicious dinners.

Even though Leah wasn’t officially family, Ms. Karen had promised Leah that she would always have first chance to buy the home she loved so completely. It was even in the will—Karen had shown it to Leah years ago. Because the dear lady had fallen several times in the past year, Karen’s children had finally convinced her to leave the family home and move to a condominium in Florida where they could be close to her. The last two trips to the hospital with broken bones had helped their case immensely, as well as the fact that Karen’s oldest son owned the building she would be living in. Leah hated it. Karen was as much a part of the neighborhood as the cheerful fountain was of the park.

I know you’ll take good care of Great Granddaddy’s home, Honey-girl. Y’all have been more than family to me. I sincerely wish I could give it to you outright, Karen had said just days before as she lay white as a ghost in her hospital bed. Beth had found her lying in front of her porch with her bone protruding from her leg and they had raced her to the hospital in Phil’s squad car. Karen had tried to knock down a wasp’s nest in the cool of the morning and had stepped right off the porch, poor thing.

I’ve been saving for that house since my first real job. Don’t you think of taking away the pleasure of me buying it. Until she left for college, Leah had always gone to Ms. Karen with her problems, big and little. It hurt her heart to think her adopted grandma was going to be so far away. She wondered if Karen’s family would even let her come back to see the twins when the boys finally came along. As much as they professed their devotion, her sons rarely made time to visit, always closing big deals and buying flashy new junk with all their money. Ostentatious was the word that jumped into Leah’s brain every time she thought of Karen’s three boys.

You folks have been so good to me through all this old lady misery, and I don’t know what I will do without you, Karen had said when she gave Leah a copy of her last will and testament. She had kissed Leah on top of the head and stroked her hair like she used to do when Leah was little. You’re my executor. Don’t let those boys run over you. They have enough stuff to last three lifetimes. You’re the only daughter the good Lord ever gave me, and I thank Him for you.

Leah breathed in the warm, salty summer air. Today Mobile almost smelled like home. In the past year, Leah had missed more than Karen’s company. She missed being near her parents, and she didn’t like all the city noises of downtown Mobile. Sirens, car horns and boats sounding often woke her in the wee hours of the morning, and she was a wreck when she didn’t get enough sleep. Being pregnant only made it worse, and she was often physically ill. She wanted to be in her hometown, to walk her babies along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in their stroller, watching the mullet jump and hearing the waves lapping against the shore. She wanted to be five minutes from church and to know almost everybody she passed as she shopped. She wanted her big, old German Shepard with the largest ears in the world to sleep on the floor next to her bed again. Trooper couldn’t live with them because they had no yard, and even the threat of revenge from Sheanna’s stepfather Cullen couldn’t change that. Leah wanted Ocean Shores to be their home for so many reasons, but mostly because her family was there. She couldn’t wait to see them all at her baby shower Saturday, especially since she’d been running a fever and missed church last Sunday. She even missed her pest younger brother, Hunter, who was now a deputy with the Andrews County sheriff’s department.

Leah rubbed her belly as she felt one of her boys kick. I can’t wait to show you this beautiful world. I already have so many clothes for you that you probably will never wear them all. And your cousin Sheanna is going to try to mother you both to death. Don’t let that little tornado whirl you away from me.

Leah especially missed spoiling her six year-old cousin, Sheanna. They had been very close before the wedding, and Leah missed hearing all the details about first grade, gymnastics, and what every pet in the neighborhood was doing. Life without the golden-haired sprite was just plain boring. The girl brought buckets of sunshine into a room just by being there.

Jourdan and Jesse, your daddy builds beautiful things with wood. His shop smells like freshly cut wood, and I know you will love that smell as much as we do. He will teach you everything he knows, so you can build anything you want one day, just like him. As soon as all of this lawsuit nonsense is settled. He may be tired now, but that should be over with before you boys jump onto the scene. Your daddy loves you like crazy already, and so do I.

Leah realized that she’d been terribly lonely lately, and she couldn’t wait to catch up with everybody at the party later. Facebook and text messages were nice, but they weren’t real conversation in her book. One of the boys kept kicking her as if he knew her thoughts.

Hey, you can’t be lonely with us here, Mom, he seemed to be saying. We’re not exactly chopped liver.

Leah rubbed the top of her bulging belly harder, trying to soothe her kicking son. I know my life will never be boring with two active boys tumbling around. I can’t wait until I can actually hold you and talk to you face-to-face.

As she closed the distance between her doctor’s office and the park, Leah passed a liquor store. Loud