Protector: Doms of Mountain Bend Book 1 by BJ Wane (good books to read for 12 year olds .txt) 📕

in texts. I’ve tried ignoring them, changing my number, and reporting the harassment, but that hasn’t stopped him. And now, to-tonight…” Lisa sucked in a deep breath then took a long swallow of pop before continuing. “My brakes failed, Father, and I don’t think it was due to mechanical error. They were fine driving earlier, and I just had my car in for a tune-up.”

Joe went cold at the thought of someone so callously tormenting her. “We need to get a report from the shop that has your car now,” he said, taking a seat on the chair facing the sofa then leaning forward to clasp his hands between his knees to hide his own shaking. “Then we can go to the police.”

Lisa shook her head. “It won’t do any good, not until I have proof the same person tampered with the car. They were little help when I contacted them about the calls. I’m scared enough, Father, that I think I should get out of Phoenix for a little while.” She blinked back tears as she sipped her Coke again. Lowering the can, she pleaded with him for answers. “But where would I go, and how would I get away without whoever this is finding out?”

Shawn would keep her safe. Joe didn’t doubt that for a second. But sending her to him would negate his efforts to help both of them get over that difficult night. After separating them twenty years ago, he’d sought professional advice on how to answer Shawn’s constant questions about Lisa, thinking it best the two of them put that night behind them as fast as possible. The psychologist he’d talked to had agreed, suggesting letting Shawn know she was fine without relating any personal details. Dr. Forbes had assured him that nine times out of ten, children suffering a one-time abusive situation reached adulthood without difficulty or lingering side effects. She’d been right, and Shawn had quit asking after Lisa within a few months of living in Idaho.

He’d kept in touch with Lisa’s foster parents and her when she’d started attending the parish school. Like Shawn, she’d stopped asking about “that boy” after settling in her new home and getting comfortable with the other foster kids and her new environment, but the disappointment and sadness reflected on her small face whenever he’d answered her inquiries by telling her he had to go away still haunted him.

Lately, he’d wondered if he should have let them correspond. Who knew if they had connected in a special way that night, or could have developed a special friendship over the years if he hadn’t kept them apart? It bothered him they were both still single, Lisa alone with no close friends and rarely dating, and Shawn, as well as Clayton and Dakota, showing no interest in settling down with families of their own.

Still, he hesitated to throw them together after all this time, worried about resurrecting bad memories. With Lisa’s safety on the line, he chose to err on the side of caution and let fate decide the rest.

“I agree, you should relocate, at least for a while. Stay here tonight, give me time to come up with something. Will you do that?”

One thing he admired about Lisa was her independence, her refusal to lean on anyone, even if he thought a lot of it stemmed from fear of opening herself up for possible heartache. There were times he worried she used it as a shield to keep others from getting too close and then losing them, like her mother. She was careful, too careful not to let herself rely on anyone else for her happiness.

She hesitated, biting her lower lip before shaking her head. “No, I have a slew of papers to grade this weekend and don’t want to impose on you other than to ask for a ride back to my apartment. I’m not sure leaving is even an option, as I have to work, but I could apply for a short leave, so it’s something I’ve considered.”

“You might think about a permanent move. You’ve never lived anywhere else, and a new location could open up all kinds of possibilities for your future, not to mention throwing off this stalker.”

A teasing glint entered her eyes as a grin replaced her stressed look. “No matchmaking with one of your out-of-state friends, Father.” She shook her finger at him as she stood then tossed her can in the recycle bin.

He laughed. “No, nothing like that, I promise. Come on, then, I’ll take you home.”

“Okay. Thank you. Maybe come morning, the mechanic will tell me my brakes were just worn, and I will have bothered you for nothing.”

“We can only hope and pray the solution is that easy.” Picking up his keys, he prayed she stayed safe. “With the new priest taking on the majority of work, I’ve cut down on my duties, so don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything. I can be at your apartment in ten minutes.”

“I will, I promise.”

****

Lisa didn’t sleep well. She tossed and turned all night, jumping at every sound, thinking it was an intruder. After taking a hot shower and downing three cups of coffee the next morning, she sat cross-legged on the floor and started grading a stack of papers, waiting for the call about her car. What would she do, where would she go if they confirmed her worst nightmare and found someone had tampered with the brakes? Her head was so muddled from lack of sleep and lingering trepidation from her close call last night, she couldn’t even concentrate on her first-graders simple addition problems. Father Joe’s suggestion to get away for a while had matched what she’d been thinking and warranted consideration, but she didn’t have the finances to get by without working for long.

Rubbing her eyes an hour later, she jerked when her phone pealed and