* * *

  Hands clamped around her steering wheel shortly after four that afternoon, Kate followed the last set of instructions the kidnapper had phoned her. Chase was in her trunk with a listening device connected to a microphone in the car so he could pick up what she was saying.

  “I’m a block away from Lynn Lane and Buffalo,” she said as loud as she could without moving her lips. She had no idea how the kidnapper knew exactly where she was, but in case he had eyes on her, she didn’t want it to be apparent that she was letting anyone know where she was going.

  This area of Cimarron City had quite a few older structures, some deserted. Which one was the man in? Or would he send her somewhere else? She’d spent the last hour traveling from one obscure part of town to another.

  The phone rang again. She punched the accept button.

  “Park behind the redbrick building next to the abandoned warehouse in the back. Then get out and walk south toward the field. Hurry. You have a minute to get to the back of the parking lot where the field is. Bring the money. No cell phone.”

  She turned off the engine, quickly leaned over so no one could see her talk and grabbed the duffel bag with the one thousand one-hundred-dollar bills. “I have a minute to get to the field. I have to leave my cell phone.”

  Then she clambered out of her car and jogged toward the high weeds and grass behind the warehouse. Was the kidnapper hiding in there? Did he have Jamie with him?

  The sound of a motorcycle in the pasture coming toward her slowed her step. The wall of green parted as a tall, thin man in a black biker helmet raced toward her. She froze.

  He skidded to an abrupt stop and thrust a black helmet into her chest. “Give me the money and put this on.”

  She did as she was told. The last thing she saw before slipping the helmet on was him dumping the money into a compartment on his bike.

  He gripped her hand and yanked her toward him. “Get on. We’re leaving.”

  “Where’s Jamie?” She couldn’t see anything. The shield over her face was totally darkened as if he’d painted it black.

  “Not here.”

  She wanted to scream, “I know. Where?” But she kept those thoughts to herself.

  She didn’t want to put her arms around him, so she grasped the sides of the seat the best she could. He revved the engine, and the motorcycle jumped forward. Kate jerked back and nearly flew off the bike. She dug her fingernails into the leather and hung on.

  “Brace yourself,” the kidnapper said through the intercom system in the helmets.

  The next thing she heard and felt was the blast of a nearby explosion. What had blown up, and why? Her answer came a moment later, punctuated with the kidnapper’s cackles. “You didn’t need that car.” The sound of his voice reverberated through her.

  The meaning of what he said ping-ponged through her mind. Chase had been in the trunk.

  He’s dead!

  EIGHT

  Chase died protecting Jamie and me.

  Why, Lord? He is—was—a good man. I cared for him.

  She’d tried to protect herself against having this wrenching sorrow flood her but it had happened anyway. And despite the pain she now felt, she couldn’t regret the time she’d had with Chase, even though it had been far too short. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She was going to survive, get her son back and somehow make sure that Don Holifield went to jail for the rest of his life.

  That’s all I can do for Chase now. Emotions crammed her throat as the motorcycle turned sharply to the right. The terrain turned bumpy. The slap of the tall weeds and grass against her legs hardly registered as Don Holifield plowed through the field behind the warehouse.

  The bike came to a sudden halt, and she fell from the motorcycle, skidding over rocky ground. She momentarily thought about trying to escape, but that wouldn’t get her son back.

  Instead she removed the helmet, blinking from the bright sunlight filtering through the trees overhead, while Don Holifield stood over her. She lifted her gaze to his dark eyes boring into her. The urge to squirm was strong, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing the fear that held her. She focused instead on his shaved head.

  “I have my ransom money. What’s the address for my wife and kids?”

  She ground her teeth together and pushed herself to her feet. He still had a height advantage, but now, she got a good look at her surroundings. Glimpses of the lake through the woods gave her an idea of where she was. She didn’t recognize the setting, but she saw a shack nestled in overgrown brush to the left. Was Jamie inside?

  She tilted her chin up and stared into his dark snake eyes. “Not until I see that my son is okay.”

  He assessed her with razor-sharp precision. She didn’t look away.

  “He’s in the shack.”

  She held her ground, clutching the helmet. She’d use it as a weapon if she had to, but she knew it wasn’t a match for the gun stuck in his waistband. “I need to see him first.”

  He took a stepped closer, and she stiffened, preparing herself for his blow.

  “You aren’t calling the shots here. This isn’t your courtroom.”

  With lightning-quick reflexes, the kidnapper reached for her, his big hands going around her neck. He squeezed, closing off her throat.

  * * *

  The explosion slammed Chase to the parking lot pavement, the impact knocking the air from his lungs. He’d used the emergency lever to get out of the trunk after Kate had exited, but he hadn’t moved very far, meaning he’d been only about a hundred yards away when the car exploded. His ears rang as he rolled over, struggled to sit up and stared at what used to be Kate’s car. His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Chase quickly retrieved it and saw it was Todd calling.

  Chase answered. “The kidnapper set off a bomb in Kate’s car. I can’t hear well, but I’m at Lynn Lane and Buffalo. Hurry. Call the fire department.”

  He scanned the area. He’d heard a motorcycle earlier. The kidnapper must have been riding it. It was gone now with no one left behind, so he had probably taken Kate with him, but which way did he go?

  He pulled up the tracking program that was tied to a necklace he’d given Kate before she headed out to meet Don Holifield.

  Chase fixed his gaze on the blinking red dot on the screen and breathed easier. He tried to stand, wobbled and sank back down. He didn’t have time to be off balance. He had to find Kate and Jamie.

  While he attempted to stand a second time, Todd’s SUV came barreling around the corner of the warehouse and headed straight for Chase. This time he managed to stay upright. His ears still rang, but the noise wasn’t as loud as it had been ten minutes ago.

  His partner parked next to Chase, and he hurriedly slipped into Todd’s passenger seat. “I’ve got her signal.” He hoped. It was stationary right now. He prayed that was because she was with her son, not because Holifield had made her get rid of her jewelry—or killed her.

  Chase directed his partner to go to the left while two patrol cars and a fire truck sped across the parking lot, their sirens off.

  “Did he know you were in the trunk?” Todd asked.

  “I don’t think so. What I want to know is where the bomb came from. Her car has been kept in the garage since the first attack—except today. It was parked in the lot behind the courthouse.” Chase pointed to the field on the left. “You need to turn here. The tracker indicates she’s not far from the south end of the lake.”

  “Is she moving or stationary?”

  “She hasn’t gone anywhere in the past five minutes.” Chase didn’t have a good feeling about this, but he didn’t voice his concerns. Kate’s only objective was rescuing Jamie, but returning the child might never have been Holifield’s intention.

  * * *

  “Can’t tell you if you choke me,” Kate managed to get out before the kidnapper’s hands cut off her breathing completely.

  Fight!

  Can’t give in.

  Kate clamped her hands around his wrists and tried to yank them away.

  Suddenly he released her and slapped her across the face, shoving her away from him. She went down, sucking in air for her oxygen-deprived lungs. He moved toward her. As she scrambled to her feet, she grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it into his face.

  He staggered and rubbed his eyes.

  Kate landed a few kicks then ran toward the shack. Jamie had to be inside. If not...

  She reached the door to the shack, pushing it open. As she crossed the threshold, the kidnapper tackled her to the wooden floor. She pummeled him as she tried to see if Jamie was in the one-room cabin.

  Her gaze landed on her baby lying still on his blanket from his crib.

  Don Holifield pinned her flinging arms to her side and thrust his face into hers, his eyes red from the dirt. “You’ve seen your son. What’s the address?”

  “I need to make sure he’s alive.”

  “No, you don’t, or I’ll kill him in front of you.”

  “I’ll give you the address but not the town until I can hold him.”

  A nerve twitched in his jaw. “Okay.”

  “5793 Highland Park.”

  Instead of releasing her, the kidnapper struck her again. She tasted blood in her mouth, and the shack spun.

  “You’re lying. I know about that address. They’re gone from there. Don’t play me for a fool. If you don’t tell me the real address, I’ll kill you both.”

  She blinked, trying to focus on his face looming over hers. Every deep line of his expression shouted rage. “I don’t know any other address.”

  “Liar.” He put his hands around her neck again. I’m going to die, she thought. But then a voice that Kate thought she would never hear again filled the shack.

  “Get up. Now.”

  The kidnapper glanced over his shoulder, but Don Holifield didn’t move, except to squeeze Kate’s throat tighter. A choking sound came from her. His thumbs pressed down.

  Then suddenly the man was hauled off her chest, his fingers slipping from her. Air rushed into her aching throat. As she sucked in more, she scooted backward, her gaze fixed on Chase punching the kidnapper. Todd stood to the side with his gun in his hand.

  Jamie!

  Kate turned from the fight and scrambled forward, scooping Jamie against her. He was warm. He was breathing. She sagged in relief as she cuddled her baby against her chest. Tears ran down her face when Chase came to her and helped her to her feet. While Todd put handcuffs on the kidnapper, Chase’s arms enfolded her.

  “Is Jamie okay?”

  She nodded. “I think so. I need to have him checked by a doctor.” Her voice cracked, her throat aching.

  “You, too,” Chase murmured against her hair.

  “Take my car,” Todd said. “I’ll stay with Holifield until backup comes.”

  “Thanks, Todd.” Chase nestled her against his side while she clung to Jamie. Todd tossed him his keys.

  A gentle breeze caressed her tearstained cheeks. Her son was alive. So was she. Her attacker was under arrest, and her nightmare was over. Thanks to Chase. Thank You, Lord.

  * * *

  Later that night, Chase approached Kate’s house, exhausted but needing to see Kate and Jamie before he went home. Earlier, he hadn’t left the hospital until he made sure they were both okay.

  He’d stood by her side while the doctor examined Jamie and was as relieved as any parent when the pediatrician had told her that her son had been given something to make him sleep but he would be all right.

  Then Chase had gone to the police station to personally make sure that the case was wrapped up. Todd could have handled it, but both he and Kate needed to know the details of what had gone down and Hammer’s part in everything that happened in the past week.

  The front door opened before he had a chance to ring the bell. Kate, standing in the doorway with her bruises starting to show and a couple of small bandages over her cuts, was the best picture he’d ever seen. Without a word, he scooped her into his embrace and just held her against him.

  When she leaned back and tilted her chin so she could stare at him, he bent forward and kissed her.

  “Is Jamie up?” he whispered against her lips, wanting to kiss her again and never let her go. He’d almost lost her—and Jamie—today.

  “Not now. He was up until an hour ago.” She caressed the side of his face. “Is it over?” she finally asked as she stepped back to let him inside.

  “Yes. With a confession from Holifield, I can say that with confidence.” He walked toward the den. “He set up Zed Hammer for the kidnapping attempt in the park, using his car, planting his hair in the ski mask. If the first time had worked and he took Jamie, then that would be great, but if it failed, he wanted someone else who threatened you to take the fall while he planned another attempt.”

  Kate settled on the couch, tired circles under her eyes. “I get it that he was angry at me for taking away custody of his children and helping his family escape his brutality, but that was almost five years ago.”

  “He had a lot of time to think about getting revenge on you and his wife. He’d tracked her to the house in Lexington but couldn’t find any clues to her location beyond that. He’d known she was corresponding with you when he called her once begging to see his kids before going to prison. She told him she would report it to you, that she wasn’t alone anymore. Your decision gave her a glimpse of hope in a bleak situation.”

  “How did he blow up my car? It was in the garage except for yesterday. Did he get to it and plant it then before taking Jamie? Or in the parking lot at the courthouse?”

  “No, he did in the Remington Nature Reserve’s parking lot before following you on the path.”

  Kate shuddered. “It was there all that time.”

  “Although he didn’t exactly say it, I think he considered setting it off several times. But he wanted his ex-wife’s new address too much. Killing you wouldn’t get him that.”

  “I’m so glad Janice and his kids are safe now.”

  “You’re special, Kate. Every day I’ve fallen more and more in love with you.”

  She lowered her head and stared at her lap. “I never thought I would ever fall in love again, but I have. I should have told you something from the start, but everything was crazy around here.”

  He lifted her chin, so he could look into her eyes. “That’s putting it mildly.”

  “I can’t have any more children because of complications when Jamie was born. You’ll make a great father, and I know you want kids, but I’m not the woman who can give them to you.”

  “Yes, I want a family, but I want you and Jamie more.”

  Tears glistened in Kate’s eyes. “These are happy tears. Earlier today I didn’t even know if I would see you or my son again. What I’ve gone through gives me even more of an understanding of what some battered women deal with on a daily basis. The loss of hope. The all-consuming fear from one moment to the next.”

  “This is the reason I love you. You’re a protector, like me. I know you’ve been afraid for me during this case, but I’m doing what I was meant to do—like you. I was scared for you today, but we just have to put our lives in God’s hands. I didn’t think I could have it all. I wanted a wife and family. I saw how many of my buddies lit up when they talked about theirs. Thinking about them brought a ray of light into their lives even in the midst of war. Then when they died and I was left, a single man with no one back home waiting for me, I felt so guilty for surviving. But this past week, I’ve come to understand my purpose. The Lord doesn’t want us just to go through the motions of living, but to enjoy life, too.”

  Kate wiped the tears away and tugged his head toward hers. Her mouth settled over his, and Chase felt he had finally found a family to care for and love.

  EPILOGUE

  Nine months later

  Kate carried a birthday cake to the kitchen table where Jamie and Chase sat. “I know you’re having a party tomorrow and will have another cake there, Jamie, but I wanted to celebrate your birthday with just the family tonight. You need to make a wish and blow these out.”

  With his wide eyes glued to the treat, Jamie stood up in his chair, leaned into the table and blew his two candles out. Grinning, he clapped his hands. “Me did it.”

  “Yes, you did, partner.” Chase raised his hand for a high five, and Jamie slapped his palm against Chase’s.

  Jamie grabbed a fistful of cake and presented it to Chase. “For Dad-dy.”

  With her son at the end of the table, Kate sat across from her husband, cherishing the bond Jamie and Chase had. Although they hadn’t even been married two months, her son already called Chase “Daddy.”

  He laughed and took a nibble. “Your mommy outdid herself with this cake.” Chase’s look captured Kate, and for a few seconds his love wrapped her in a cocoon of happiness.

  Until her son tossed the rest of the cake still in his hand at her. His giggles resonated through the room. The chocolate that plonked onto the table after hitting her chest didn’t bother her one bit. Jamie practiced his throwing anytime he could. He bent forward and stretched toward the platter again.

  Kate quickly rose and picked the dessert up. “I’ll cut the cake and take care of this.” She gestured toward the bits of chocolate still clinging to her gray sweatshirt. “Will you clean him up?”

  Chase picked Jamie up and carried him to the sink then gave Kate a wet washcloth for her sweatshirt.

  Their son wiggled and pointed at Mac who had moseyed into the kitchen. “Down.”

  Chase set him on the floor, and Jamie toddled to Mac, plopped down next to him and laid his head against his side.

  Kate put her arms around Chase’s neck. “Good thing I married you when I did. Shuffling Mac between my house and yours was getting tiresome.”