Desert Rescue (K-9 Search and Rescue)

by Lisa Phillips

  He moaned and shifted, his eyes fluttering.

  “Hey.” When she saw his eyes fully open, Jennie couldn’t help but smile. “There you are.” She touched her forehead to his, then kissed him, being careful to keep it light just in case he’d hit the back of his head. “Hi, baby.”

  His brows drew together. She saw the objection in his eyes before he’d even finished the thought and knew then he didn’t have a concussion.

  “I know. Don’t call you ‘baby.’ Give your mother a break, okay? It’s been a long day.” She sat back out of sheer relief, toppled over and wound up slumped against Patrick. Snug in his coat. No gunmen in sight. She was almost giddy, even though they were miles from anywhere with no way to get there except their legs.

  Thank You, God.

  Nate sat up.

  Both of them reached for him. Patrick said, “Easy.”

  Nate stiffened. “Are you...?”

  “I’m a cop.” Patrick shone the flashlight on the badge clipped to his belt. “And this is Tucker. He’s a cop, too. He’s the one who found you after your mom—”

  “You fell down the mountain!”

  “I know.” Jennie groaned, and all the fear and grief rushed back. She didn’t know what to do with it and more tears rolled down her face. She gathered her son to her in a hug and reveled in the feel of him.

  “I thought you...” His voice thickened and he coughed.

  “What happened after?” She leaned back to look at him. She had to know. “Did they hurt you?”

  “One of them grabbed my arm and dragged me back to the house.” Tears trailed down his face, too, and Patrick handed her a pack of tissues from one of the pockets of his cargo pants.

  “He said the boss didn’t care about you. He wanted to see me. Why, Mom? I don’t want to see him.”

  Jennie touched the sides of his face. “No one is going to take you from me. He didn’t, right? I was here. So was Patrick, and Tucker.”

  Nate’s gaze flicked to the man beside her and she saw him make the connection. Yep. He’d heard the name Patrick before. That was her smart little boy.

  She said, “You’re safe now, right?”

  He nodded.

  “Tell me what happened.”

  “You saved me. You, and Patrick. And Tucker.” Nate motioned to the dog, who lifted his head. Ears pricked.

  Patrick said, “That’s right.”

  Nate stared at him.

  Tucker inched forward, his belly still on the ground. He sniffed and then licked Nate’s arm. Her son jerked and then chuckled. Sounding more like the little boy from a few years ago than the third-grader she had on her hands nowadays.

  Patrick said a soft, high-pitched “Yes” directed at Tucker.

  The dog lifted to stand, his face level with Nate’s. In one long swipe, he licked Nate from his chin to his hairline.

  The boy erupted into laughter, winding his arms around the dog’s neck. She saw Patrick give Tucker a hand signal and figured with the open palm that he’d asked the dog to stand still for a hug.

  Her heart melted.

  No matter what they’d been through tonight, she was glad for this moment. God had brought Patrick and his dog here. Something that had made Nate laugh. They offered more comfort than she could provide right now. Thank You, Lord. It was an unexpected gift she would be forever grateful for. Regardless of how things might turn out, this meeting had been sweet.

  “Patrick...” she began, no clue how she was going to ask him why he didn’t seem to care, or maybe even realize, that Nate was his son. Maybe this wasn’t the time for that conversation anyway.

  Before she could continue, he stood. “I’m going to check the house for a phone. Tucker, guard.”

  * * *

  Patrick made a quick search of the house. Thankfully it was small, barely larger than a cabin. Jennie and Nate had spent hours here, fearing for their lives, while two men with guns burned coffee in the kitchen.

  He wanted to see me.

  The boy’s words reverberated in his mind. The gunmen had been waiting for something. Or, more likely, someone. If they’d had no cell signal, the two men had likely hung here waiting for their boss or some other person to arrive. After that, who knew what would have happened?

  He didn’t want to know and was glad it hadn’t come to that.

  Patrick wrinkled his nose at the coffeepot on the counter—the source of that smell—and headed back out, more than ready to personally guard Jennie and her son.

  He strode back to them. “No phone inside. We’ll have to walk to my car. I’ll drive you two back to town, to the hospital.”

  Jennie nodded.

  Patrick crouched in front of the boy. “You okay, buddy?”

  The edge of fear was still in Nate’s eyes. “Are you really a cop?”

  Patrick could understand Nate’s hesitation to go with him—a stranger with a gun—after being held by two of them. Yes, he was far different than those men. He had a badge, after all. But fear wasn’t normally rational.

  He kept his voice soft. “I am a cop. I know you’re scared, but Tucker and I are going to make sure you and your mom get to safety. No more bad guys, okay?”

  Nate nodded, relief in his eyes. “Okay.”

  Patrick glanced at Jennie. She looked like she wanted to say something, and he figured he knew what it was. Something that might put the boy’s mind at ease.

  “You know what?” Patrick asked. “Your mom and I are actually old friends. We knew each other in high school.”

  “Your name’s Patrick?”

  Jennie said, “Um...maybe we should...” Could be she was embarrassed because she’d done nothing, said nothing, when her father had run Patrick and his mom out of town.

  Patrick glanced at her son. “Yes. I’m Patrick.”

  The boy stared up at him. “Patrick is my dad’s name.” He then looked to his mom.

  Patrick just stared at the little boy.

  He heard Jennie whisper, “Rick.”

  The name, her name for him, sliced like a blade. He sucked in a breath and turned to her. “What...?” He couldn’t formulate a question. Didn’t even know what to say.

  “Patrick...”

  He glanced at her. “What...is this?”

  “This—” she touched the boy’s shoulder while the kid looked up at him with wide eyes “—is your son. Our son. The one my father told you about before you left town.”

  Patrick stared at Jennie. Her father had told him...what?

  Jennie blinked. “Please say something.”

  He had a son?

  Or was he supposed to ask “Why didn’t you tell me?” or “Why didn’t you try to find me?” Patrick couldn’t voice either, and didn’t know if he should in front of a son he hadn’t even known about.

  “He ran me and my mother out of town.”

  “Which left me alone and pregnant.” The hurt on her face was apparent.

  When he hadn’t even known anything about this?

  His brain couldn’t catch up to what was happening, let alone have a coherent thought right now.

  All this time. I had a son.

  Did she think he wouldn’t have stuck around? Or asked her to go with him? He’d done one of those, suggesting she run with him, but she’d chosen her father out of fear.

  And she’d raised her son in the town where that man—her own father—sold drugs.

  “I’m guessing your father just loves the fact I’m his grandson’s dad.”

  Nate’s face dissolved.

  Jennie sucked in a breath.

  Patrick wanted to call the words back. As if that was even possible. “I’m sorry. I’m sure you all have a wonderful time at family dinners.”

  Now he was making it worse.

  Tucker whined.

  Patric
k rolled to his heels and stood. “It’s best if we head to my car. We can talk on the way, okay?” He held out his hand to Nate. What did he say to a boy he’d just met, who was his son? He was in shock.

  Thankfully the boy took his hand and Patrick helped him to his feet. He didn’t let go of the kid’s hand. Instead, he shook it. As though this were some kind of official meeting, and they weren’t standing outside an abandoned house after he’d been kidnapped.

  “It’s really nice to meet you, Nate.” Patrick meant it. Regardless of what Jennie had done, the years she’d denied him the chance to know his own child—and how that made him feel—the boy didn’t deserve to be in the middle of that. She’d known she was pregnant and she’d still chosen to stay with her father?

  This was unbelievable. He deserved an explanation, but that would have to come later. When they were safe.

  Patrick crouched so he was nearly eye level with the boy. “I’m glad you’re all right, and that I could be the one to make sure you’re safe.”

  “It’s...nice to meet you, too.”

  Patrick straightened and Nate stared up at him.

  “Am I gonna be as tall as you?”

  Jennie touched his shoulder. “If you are, you’ll eat me out of house and home. I’ll be broke.” She laughed, but Patrick didn’t totally believe she thought this was funny. Still, he knew her attempt at humor worked when Nate relaxed and turned to her.

  “I’m having a growth spurt.”

  “You’re always having a growth spurt.”

  Patrick grinned, not really feeling it but needing to do what was best to put Nate at ease right now. When he glanced at Jennie, he saw the same need in her eyes. The times she’d smiled for her son, or reassured him, when circumstances were far from good.

  “Are you okay to walk?”

  Nate nodded. Jennie said, “I think so.” She touched her temple. “My head hurts, but I’d rather get out of here.”

  Patrick snapped the leash back on Tucker and then led the way, the two of them behind him. Holding hands. Reminding him they had a connection without him. He’d been denied knowing his son, while they’d lived for years sharing that bond of family and unconditional love.

  Jennie had lied to him, withholding the fact she was pregnant the last time they’d spoken. Then she hadn’t even responded to his letters.

  She’d basically told him she’d wanted nothing to do with him. Then he’d made his last-ditch effort to convince her, and she’d had her father try to pay him off while he ran Patrick’s mother out of town in a grab for her land.

  Now it made sense. Jennie had known she was pregnant. Her father had offered him a payout. Money Patrick hadn’t accepted and was certain her father would never have parted with anyway. Because her father had wanted him out of the picture? He’d wanted to... What? Raise the boy himself?

  Patrick shuddered. He’d been manipulated.

  There was far too much bad blood between him and Jennie to ever salvage anything from their past, despite the fact the attraction remained.

  She and Nate could have died tonight. He was tempted to thank God he’d been the one sent here. But he didn’t believe anymore.

  A loving God would never have allowed Patrick to leave town not knowing Jennie was pregnant with his baby. Her father had wanted Patrick out of her life but had never gone that far before. Patrick now understood why he’d suddenly been willing to part with so much money just to get rid of him. Patrick hadn’t accepted the money. Her father had been so eager to see him gone.

  Patrick was going to make sure he had the relationship with his son that he’d always wanted with his father. Someone who made him feel safe and loved.

  That was what he’d tried to give Jennie, in his own way. How many times had he told her they’d needed to get away from her father?

  Now, he didn’t want anything to do with her. He would be Nate’s father, but Jennie was not going to be part of Patrick’s life.

  Not after what she’d done, keeping the truth from him.

  “Patrick!”

  The second she called out, he realized why. A vehicle made its way up the road, headed for the house.

  “Come on. Nate, Jennie. We need to run!”

  FOUR

  He didn’t even care. Jennie could think of nothing else. She was right. He’d acted shocked, but that was probably only for Nate’s benefit. She kept hold of her son’s hand as they hustled to Patrick’s car.

  Every sound. Every shuffle, or snap. Jennie whirled around, expecting a gunman. Meanwhile, beside her, Nate walked straight. Eyes straight. Body taut.

  They’d finally outrun their pursuers.

  She squeezed Nate’s hand. “Hey. You okay?”

  He nodded, and a million questions roiled through her head. Why had they been taken? Who was behind it? What had they been waiting for? Who was the “boss” and what did he want with Nate?

  “Hungry?”

  No answer.

  “Yeah, me neither,” Jennie said. “Hot chocolate, though. Now that sounds like a good idea.”

  He exhaled, and she might’ve seen a flash of a smile. Her eyes had readjusted to the darkness so she could make out her son’s features.

  Him. Her. They were the whole world as far as she was concerned. They had Jesus, so what else did they need? Some might think that was a cliché, but for the two of them it was everything.

  The man walking with his dog in front of them, leading them away from danger, wasn’t part of their lives.

  She figured Patrick probably had as many questions in his mind as she did. Yes, they’d sprung the news on him at a bad moment. Not the worst, just bad. Compassion meant she should try to see things from his side, but the truth was that he hadn’t wanted to know. Why be so surprised about his son now? It didn’t make any sense to her. Obviously a nine-year-old boy was his. What kind of a girl did he think she had been back then?

  Her father’s daughter.

  She hadn’t been that girl since her dad had died. Since her brother had joined the army and never written. Never called. Jennie had long since realized she had no one but herself and Nate.

  The last time she’d tried to find Patrick, she’d gone so far as to hire a private investigator. Never mind that Patrick hadn’t seemed to want to know. It was the right thing to offer him a relationship with his son.

  The investigator had happily taken a chunk of her inheritance money. A few weeks later he emailed to say he hadn’t been able to find Patrick Moreno.

  Officer Sanders.

  No wonder, considering he’d changed his name. Why had he done that? Though, shouldn’t a private investigator worth his salt be able to find someone even after a name change? If he’d been in witness protection, or something, Patrick would never have come back. But he had. So how hard could it have been to find him?

  Apparently, she’d just needed to be kidnapped.

  “Mom.”

  She glanced down, realizing she was squeezing her son’s hand too hard. “Sorry, bud.”

  Patrick clicked the locks on his small SUV. He loaded Tucker in the back, and then held the door while Nate and Jennie both climbed into the back seat.

  When he got in, he turned and asked, “Are you cold, Nate?”

  “A little.”

  Patrick stared at him for another second, as though absorbing the sight of a boy he now knew was his son.

  I’m sorry. The words stuck in her throat.

  No matter what justification she felt for the fact he hadn’t known about Nate, she did feel guilty he didn’t seem to have known. He’d been genuinely surprised, flipping upside down everything she thought she understood about what had happened the night he’d left.

  What her father had told her.

  He really hadn’t known she was pregnant?

  Patrick started his vehicle and set the heate
r to full blast.

  Jennie wound up taking off Patrick’s jacket before they got to the hospital, where he turned to her. “You guys go in. I need to call the sheriff.”

  Jennie shoved the door open. As Nate climbed out, the dog whined, his nose against the wire that divided the seats from the trunk area.

  Nate said, “Bye, Tucker.”

  Patrick glanced over. She knew that look on his face. The first expression that even resembled the boy he’d been. Sure, his features were the same. But he’d grown up so much. Nine, nearly ten, years and he was...a man. A handsome man.

  Nate and Jennie walked into the hospital and got checked in. When she mentioned they’d been kidnapped, the woman at the desk blinked then snapped up the phone. “I should call Sheriff Johns.”

  “He’s already been called,” Jennie said. “There’s a cop outside. I think he’ll be in shortly.” She realized that she didn’t know if Patrick was planning on coming in. He hadn’t said that, specifically.

  “He’s my dad.” Nate’s chin lifted. “He’s a cop, and he has a police dog.”

  The double doors whooshed open. Jennie turned and watched as Patrick strode in. Nate tugged at her hand. She let go, and he moved to his dad.

  Jennie winced. But it was too late.

  Nate slammed into Patrick, arms wrapping around his middle. Patrick lifted the boy up. Nate immediately tucked his head into his father’s neck, one hand grasping Patrick’s shirt.

  “Ma’am.”

  Jennie spun around and saw the nurse.

  “If you’ll come this way.”

  She wasn’t going anywhere without Nate. Jennie held out her hand...but Patrick would have to put him down. She dropped her hand to her side. Wow. She might actually be jealous. No, she was just exhausted. They’d been through a horrifying day.

  “Let’s get you seen to.” The woman led her to a bed, surrounded by a curtain. “I’m sure your husband will take good care of your son.”

  Still, as the woman ushered her in, Jennie turned to Patrick and mouthed, Be nice.

  He frowned and carried their son to the next bay. Jennie tugged on the curtain so she could see. Patrick laid Nate on the bed. He grasped for his father’s hand and scooted over so Patrick could sit beside him on the bed.