Brinn

By Ronna M Bacon

When Brinn Whitman is abducted, her life become entwined with Gareth O'Connor. Neither of them can determine which of them is actually the target or why. Is it Gareth's work as a plumber or Brinn's as a pet-sitter? Thrown into the mix in the tragic loss of Brinn's parents and uncle and aunt which left Brin

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ronna Bacon
• Release date: Jul 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9781989699928

Ronna M Bacon

Ronna was raised in the country with a love of animals and reading. She at present works as a medical office assistant to a general surgeon in the Niagara area of Ontario, having been raised in central Ontario and living in Northern Alberta for five years while attending Bible School. When she is not working, she enjoys reading, her gardens, her two Shelties and her two cats, and, of course, writing the stories that God provides to her. Her faith and trust in God are important to her and she strives to show this in all her endeavors.

Book preview

Brinn

His Ladies with the Lamps

Book 1

By

Ronna M. Bacon

Copyright © 2022 Ronna M. Bacon

ISBN 978-1-989699-92-8

The Ladies with the Lamps

Matthew 25: 6-10

6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

Brinn

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD your God, he it is that does go with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you.

Psalm 9:9-10 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know your name will put their trust in you: for you, LORD, have not forsaken them that seek you.

Table of Contents

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

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Epilogue

Dear Readers

Prologue

Staring around her small bungalow, Ashlyn Whitman shook her head, sorrow on her face. Who would have thought that she would become sole guardian of her four nieces? Her thoughts drifted back to the phone call that she had received just a week ago, her heart breaking for the girls. What did she know about raising children? She was single, her career in the library field satisfying her. Now what, Lord? She paced towards the bedroom area. At least she had somewhere for the girls to sleep, but they were young, the oldest just twelve, one year or so apart for each of them. It was night and she thought the girls had settled down. She watched as the four huddled together in one room, their sorrow at their loss too strong and too recent for them to do anything other than that.

She turned as she heard her phone. Not now, please Lord. Please, not now. I need to stay calm for the girls and I just can’t handle hearing from anyone else tonight. Ashlyn looked down at her phone and sighed. The pastor of her brother’s church was calling. He had not been all that helpful, she decided, with what she needed to know.

Her hand on her cup of tea, she paced once more through her house, trying to imagine it from a young person’s point of view and just not able to. Lord, I am out of my comfort zone and out of my depth right now. I have no idea how to proceed. Guide the decisions over the next few days.

She turned as she heard soft footsteps and swept her youngest niece into her arms, feeling the tears that were flowing from the young girl. She herself had not wept as yet, there had been too much to do and too many decisions.

Walking through the house the next morning, she paused, not sure where she was heading but knowing that she had to make plans. Her pastor had been around the day before, with offers of help. That she knew was how her church worked. She still felt too young to be the sole guardian, only in her early twenties herself. Her two brothers had been older than her and had wanted to protect their young sister as much as they could. She had finally just shaken her head, packed her belongings and moved away, much to their distress.

The four girls watched her closely over the next few days, sorrow their main emotions. Their world had been turned upside down so, the car accident claiming their parents so quickly,. Would they ever know?

Chapter 1

Turning off the water to the sink, Brinn Whitman sighed. She had had a long day and it wasn’t over yet, not by a long shot. She paused for a moment to stare out of the window of her house. She had always felt safe there, moving into it when she was just twenty, much to the distress of her aunt. Aunt Ashlynn understood, she knew. But it was still difficult. Her mind went to her parents, their images fading over the years. She had just been twelve when they were killed in that accident, she thought. Too young to die and she and her sister and two cousins had been too young to lose their parents.

Something felt off in her home that day and she just wasn’t sure what. Her deep brown eyes searched, not seeing anything overtly out of place, but she knew how she felt. Someone had been in there and that had been today.

Grabbing her phone and her keys, Brinn headed for the door. She spent as much time outside as she could, weather permitting. Today was one of those days. Her dog walking and pet sitting business was taking off and she was having to turn clients away. She frowned, remembering the anger of one of the women who had contacted her that very day.

Brinn walked rapidly towards a favourite park, one that she had discovered just after she had moved to the area. It was across town from her aunt’s and that she had wanted. There were times that she just needed to be by herself. She loved her family, but some days? Brinn knew that she was loved, but she also felt herself a danger to them, had for years, and had no idea why.

The young man stood and watched as she walked towards him, a frown on his face. Gareth O’Connor knew her from seeing her at church and in their young adult Bible study. He had moved to the small town on the shores of Lake Erie two years ago and had quickly found the small church to be just what he had wanted. His work as a plumber kept him busy, almost too much he thought at times.

Hesitating for a moment, Brinn spun in a circle. Someone was following her. She heard the footsteps that she had heard many times before. But no one was there. She hesitated once more as she saw the young man approaching her.

Brinn? We know each other, I think from church. I’m Gareth.

Brinn stared at him, not sure what was going on.

I guess. She stared around, her hands rubbing at her arms.

Are you all right? Gareth studied her, seeing the fear lurking on her face, fear that she was trying to hide.

I am. Brinn moved to step past him before his hand on her arm stopped her.

No, I don’t think you are. Brinn? He waited before he sighed, knowing that she was not going to answer. Let me walk with you then.

Brinn stared at him. Are you for real?

What? I can’t walk with a friend. A grin lit up his face. I think we’re walking in the same direction, are we not? He turned, his hand reaching for hers without thinking about it.

Brinn stared at him and then at her hand, finally shrugging. Whatever, she thought. The sooner the walk is done, the sooner I can get home. I don’t like the feeling I have, of being watched. I have had that feeling for years, but I don’t understand why. I am not a threat to anyone, at least, I don’t think I am.

Gareth watched around them, sensing her fear and wanting to remove it, just not sure how he could even do that. He sighed to himself. What was he doing? He didn’t walk with ladies and hold their hands. That was not him, but today? He felt he had to.

Brinn searched his face before she spoke.

Gareth? Why?

Why what? His hazel eyes turned to her, studying her beauty.

Why walk with me? Why hold my hand? I don’t get the sense that this is what you do.

No, Brinn. It’s not. It’s not how I was raised. Mom and Dad raised me to be a gentleman. I know that gentlemen don’t hold ladies’ hands like this. It’s just that I sense you are in danger and I want to help. He paused their walk, his eyes trained to the distance. Let me help you.

She gave an unladylike snort. I have no idea what the danger is. Not at all. If I did, I would do something about it and I just can’t. She moved forward, her hand pulling against his until he walked with her. It’s just a sense I have that something is about to happen. Impending doom is how my paternal grandfather would have described it.

Impending doom? That sounds ominous. He grinned at the look she shot him. Seriously, let’s sit somewhere and talk it over. Gareth pointed to a bench. That should work. Unless you don’t have time.

It’s not that, Gareth. I just feel that something is about to happen and that something I don’t want. She screamed as she felt their bodies flying forward to hit hard on the ground, her hand wrenched from Gareth’s as they fell.

Gareth and Brinn were pulled roughly to their feet and shoved forward along the path, unable to see the men behind them. Brinn’s breath caught in sobs as she struggled to keep the pace that she was forced to walk. She blinked back the tears that clouded her eyes, deeply afraid of what was happening.

His eyes on Brinn, Gareth’s mind raced, seeking for a way to escape and not seeing one. He had no idea who had struck at them the way that they had, but he just knew that they were in deep trouble.

Brought to an abrupt halt near the parking lot, Gareth shifted slightly so that he could reach Brinn’s hand, finding hers clinging to his with a hard clasp. They waited, for what they didn’t know.

The men paced away a short distance, an argument breaking out. Gareth looked around and then spoke quietly.

How well do you know this park?

Brinn shrugged. Well enough. I lived here for years. She shot a quick glance at the men and then pointed towards her right. If we run, we can find a path there. I know how to get away if we can reach it.

Gareth stared at her, taking in her dark brown shoulder-length hair, noting the red highlights in it. His hand ran through his own sandy blond hair before he looked towards the men. Their backs were to them.

How quickly can you run? He gave a small grin at her snort. That fast, is it?

I can. I just don’t know about you. Brinn looked behind her and then was running, Gareth’s steps sounding in her ears as she fled, heading for the path and then safety, she hoped.

Gareth heard the shouts of the men behind them and ran faster, his hand reaching for Brinn’s as they ducked below branches and found the path that they were looking for. He slid to a halt, a hand raising in the air as he saw the man standing in front of them, a revolver pointed at Brinn. Not a word was said as he motioned them to turn around and return the way that they had just fled.

Brinn grew fearful as she saw the two men waiting, anger on their faces. Lord? We could use Your help about now. Please, Lord? Don’t let anything happen to me or to Gareth. I don’t know that my family could handle losing anyone else. A thought tickled at her mind, that just maybe her parents’ death hadn’t been an accident and she shook her head. That had been proven, hadn’t it?

Shoved forward once more and then to a building near the park, Gareth searched for another way to escape, not seeing one. Shoved down onto a ratty old couch in the dirt and garbage-strewn living room of the ramshackle house, Gareth watched with concern as Brinn was shoved down into a chair, fear showing on her face. Lord? Help me to get her away. This is not right. She doesn’t deserve to be scared like this.

Chapter 2

Brinn stared at the dirty rug, not really seeing the faded colours on it. Her mind was blank until she shook her head and looked up. The men had left, she thought, her eyes on the closed door that they had been shoved through. On her feet, she searched the room, her hands touching the windows before she turned.

Gareth watched her closely before he too was on his feet. A hand on the doorknob to the closed door proved fruitless. The door had been locked. He too felt along the windows, realizing that the old wooden frames were swollen from years of disuse and weather.

Brinn? Wait! Where are you going? His voice hissed at her.

Through here. She moved to the door on the opposite wall, her hand turning the knob. She pulled it open cautiously, surprise on her face that it didn’t creak.

That’s strange. Gareth stood in the centre of the room, his eyes on her. That should have been noisy.

Brinn stared at him for a moment before she was through the door, heading forward, not seeing the intricate detail of the cupboards that she was passing in a rapid way.

Gareth’s head dropped for a moment. I can’t believe that she just did that. He was after her, a hand reaching to stop her. She was through the outside door and across the lawn before he could even say a word. He ran after her, stopping for a moment to stare back at the house. What just happened, Lord? Did we really just walk out of there?

Brinn paused for a moment, just to orient herself and then was off on a run. She could hear Gareth behind her. At least, she hoped that it was him.

Gareth’s hand on her arm finally stopped her.

Wait, Brinn! I need to catch my breath. He studied her, seeing the fear that she was trying so hard to cover up. He looked behind them, listening for anyone following them. Did we really just do that?

Brinn nodded, her eyes on the path behind them.

We did. I didn’t think that we would be able to. They weren’t very good at keeping us captive, now were they? She