They would never make it.
God! Help us!
The tires continued to spin, not gaining any traction. Their hope of escape diminished.
Her pulse hammered in her head and she was sure Layke would hear it.
“Please, God!” she yelled.
The tires broke free and the Jeep lunged forward but not fast enough.
A heavy blanket of snow battered their vehicle, smothering them.
They were too late.
They were buried alive.
SIXTEEN
Layke struggled to breathe, his head pounding from lack of oxygen. Dread crept in like a poisonous scorpion ready to pounce on its prey. Uncontrollable shivers attacked his body as he gripped the door handle. He needed to escape this tomb. He took a breath. In. Out. His pulse quickened. Had his fear of being buried alive just come true? It couldn’t be.
A whimper sounded beside him.
Hannah.
Get a grip, Layke. You’ve got this.
His head continued to throb.
Who was he kidding? His childhood fear came rushing back, and he pictured himself at the bottom of a freshly dug grave he’d fallen into while running away from his mother. They had come to tend to his grandmother’s headstone when he’d refused to help his mother replace the dead flowers. The cemetery scared him, and she had dragged him there against his wishes. He ran away from her, but didn’t see the unmarked grave and fell into it. Soil had toppled in on him when the groundskeeper found him. After that episode, nightmares of being buried alive plagued his sleep.
And now it was coming true.
He closed his eyes and rested his head. It wasn’t like he could see anything in the darkened vehicle anyway.
A hand touched his shoulder. “You okay?”
“Can’t breathe.”
He heard her inhale a mechanical breath. Then another.
Right. She was asthmatic.
And here he was stressing about not breathing. Get a grip.
He fumbled for his Maglite and turned it on, shining it at Hannah. “You okay?”
She nodded, but her wild eyes told him she too struggled to remain in control.
It was up to him to save them. He pulled out his cell phone.
No signal.
Of course, there wouldn’t be under the mountain of snow.
Think, Layke, think.
How long could they survive buried under this much snow? He took another deep breath and exhaled slowly. He could do this.
He remembered a tool he had stuck in the duffel bag before leaving the detachment. He popped forward. “That’s it!”
“What?”
“I need to get into the back.”
“Why?”
“Personal locator device I found at the detachment with all the other equipment. I packed it before we came. Just in case.” Now he had to get to it to turn it on.
“Is it in the back?”
“Yes.”
She unbuckled her seat belt. “I’m smaller. I’ll do it.”
He winced. “Your shoulder though.”
“Compared to being buried alive? I think it will be fine.” She climbed over the console and into the back seat. She pulled the seat down.
“It’s on the right side in the duffel bag.”
She shimmied through the opening.
He held his breath and waited.
Would she be able to find it?
If so, would the signal beacon be found under mounds of snow?
God, if You’re there, help us survive this. I promise if You do, I’ll give my life to You.
Could he really bargain with God?
“Got it!” Hannah crawled back through the hole and into the front seat. She handed it to him.
Thank You, God.
Now all He had to do was bring someone to rescue them.
“Okay, let’s turn this on.”
Hannah grabbed his hand. “Let’s pray.”
“Go ahead.”
She tilted her head. “What? No objections.”
“Not from me.”
She smiled and closed her eyes. “Lord, You’ve brought us this far and I refuse to believe You won’t protect us now. Bring someone to find us and help us locate the children. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“Amen.”
She released her hold on his hand.
He turned on the device. The light blinked a steady rhythm.
Matching his heartbeat.
Questions jumbled through his mind. Would he get out of here alive? Would he find Noel and see Murray again? Just when he’d found them.
Hannah rubbed his arm. “What are you thinking?”
He rested his head back and turned toward her. Was this his moment of confession? He had to tell someone his secret. “Just that I wouldn’t get to know the half brother I’ve just discovered.”
“Will you tell me your story?”
“I’ve never told anyone my secrets. Not even my best friend, Hudson.”
She squeezed his bicep. “I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
Right then, in his mind, he threw his rule book away. He didn’t need it. He wouldn’t live his life etched in rules any longer. He’d follow his heart.
He placed the glowing flashlight on the dash.
“My mom started beating me when I was six years old.”
She snapped her hand back. “What? What kind of mother would do that?”
“I know. The first time was simply because I wanted to go to the park with the other boys and when she didn’t let me, I pouted. Something in her snapped. Then the beatings increased with every supposed bad thing I did. Didn’t pick up my toys, got a B minus, forgot to take out the trash. I couldn’t do anything right, so I stopped trying. I finally ran away when I was fourteen and lived on the street for a bit. That’s when I met Hudson.”
“What happened?”
“The police found me when I turned fifteen and took me back to live with my mom. She was filled with rage at the embarrassment I caused her, so she tried to hit me, but I stopped her. Hit her back.”
“What?”
“I know. I know. It was wrong and I never did it again. It made her stop though. She started going to church and became a Christian. However, I couldn’t bring myself to forgive her. Hudson tried to get me to go to his church, but I refused.”
“Then you went into law enforcement.”
“Yes. Shortly after I did a search for my father.”
“So that’s when you found him?”
“No. I couldn’t locate him. I gave up and concentrated on becoming a good cop. It was only after I moved to Calgary that I found him through one of those ancestry kits and—”
Could he go on? Would she think the sins of his father were on him?
“What is it, Layke? You can tell me. I heard you say he was in prison for murder.”
“Not just one. Multiple murders.”
She gasped.
He turned away from her.
“Not what I expected you to say.” She paused. “Layke, that’s not on you. You’re a good man.”
He turned back to her. The flashlight’s beam sparkled in her eyes.
“Thank you.”
“Did you go visit him?”
“I tried this past summer, but he wouldn’t see me. Even after Murray tried to convince him, he refused. Murray and I have been in constant touch since.”
“And when he called you about Noel being kidnapped, you rushed here. That’s so noble of you. Wanting to help your new family in their time of trouble.”
“I had to.”
“Did you ever forgive your mother?”
“She’s tried to contact me through social media, but I’ve ignored her.”
“Maybe G
od is telling you something different now, huh?”
“Maybe.”
Was He? Had He put Hannah in his life to soften him. And Gabe? Should he tell her all of his secrets?
“There’s more.” He took off his gloves and rubbed his chilly hands together. Was he stalling? Tell her. Before it’s too late. “I promised myself never to get involved with anyone because of my mother, but it’s not only as a result of her beatings and deceit. My second year on the force I got a new partner. Amber Maurier. I was smitten by her good looks. Everyone was, but it appeared that she liked me. I was shocked and humbled.”
“Wait. Why would you be shocked? You’re an amazing and handsome man.”
He raked his hand through his wavy hair. “I didn’t see that. Still don’t, really. Anyway, she played me to get ahead in her career. Made it look like I doctored evidence, which I did not. She did it to get me fired, so she could take my place at our detachment and move up. During a stakeout a year ago, I left her side as I was so angry to be in her presence. Something went wrong and she ended up getting shot. It was all my fault. I haven’t been able to forgive myself for that mistake. I vowed I would never trust another woman again after what she and my mother did to me.”
He shifted in his seat and turned his body toward the redhead. “And then you came into my life and rocked my world. I—”
A curl escaped from behind her tuque.
He entwined it between his fingers, letting his hand linger close to her cheek.
How could he have doubted his feelings for this amazing woman?
His heart hitched, stealing words from his mouth but opening wide.
Yes, he could finally move on from his past wounds and give his all.
Would Hannah let him in? He hoped so as suddenly thoughts of marriage and children with her filled his mind.
He moved closer and stared at her lush lips.
Her eyes widened and she pulled back. “I can’t.”
His bruised heart sank.
* * *
Hannah clamped her eyes shut. There was nothing she wanted more than to feel the handsome officer’s lips on hers, but she would not start something she couldn’t finish. He deserved someone who could bear children.
And she couldn’t.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
Layke brushed it away. “Hannah, will you tell me why you’re so sad?”
Could she? After all, he’d let her in on his secrets.
“Tell me. Did you have a bad relationship with someone?”
Well, there was that. Colt had scarred her from trusting men, but that wasn’t what was now holding her back from giving Layke her heart.
“I did. In college.”
“What was his name?”
“Colt. He swept me off my feet like all fairy tales start, but I soon discovered his deep, dark secret. I almost lost my life because of it.”
“What?”
The image of that frightful night flashed in her mind. The darkness in Colt’s eyes haunted her dreams still to this day. After discovering his secret, she’d tried to get away from his lair. However, he had other plans. It was too late for her to escape. He had taken her away from the college under the cover of darkness with evil intentions. However, God had other plans.
“My first real boyfriend almost raped me.”
“What?”
“Yes. There was a rapist running rampant in our college, but I had no idea it was Colt. Until I found his trinkets. Trinkets the news said the perpetrator took from each woman. None of the women could identify him. Until now.”
Layke whistled. “What happened?”
“He caught me when I found them, and in a struggle I let one drop in my room. Kaylin found it and recognized it from a fellow student he’d attacked. She called the police.”
“So, this was when you were training in the CBSA?”
“Yes. He was a spoiled rich kid who thought he wanted to become a border security officer. He moved up fast in the class and it went to his head.”
“How did the police find you?”
“They didn’t. I never told you, but I excelled in my defensive tactics class. I was able to overpower him and escape. I led the police to him. They arrested and convicted him under my testimony. Plus, he was in possession of the other girls’ trinkets. That sealed the deal.”
Layke pulled her into his arms. “I’m so sorry you went through that.”
Her heart leaped at his embrace. She wished she could stay there forever.
He pulled back. “Sweet Hannah. I’m not Colt. I want you to know I would never hurt you.”
She smiled and ran her finger down his face, lingering on his five-o’clock shadow. “I know.”
“Then what is it?”
She sighed and pulled her hand down. How would he take the news? She couldn’t hide it any longer. “I can’t have children, Layke. You deserve someone better because you would make an awesome father. I can’t give you that.”
He jolted backward and turned his head.
But not before she noticed the look of disappointment on his face.
There, she’d done it. She’d crushed his heart.
And her own.
* * *
Layke moved back to his side of the seat. Why would she think that confession would change his feelings for her? Did she really think that little of him? Disappointment raced through him. Not because of her condition but because she thought he wouldn’t love her anyway. He would make it work. Adoption was always an option.
Maybe she didn’t care for him like he did her.
“Layke, I’m sorry I—”
Scratching sounded near them.
He held up his hand. “Shh.” His tone was too harsh. “What’s that noise?”
It grew louder.
Someone was digging.
He pounded on the door. “Help! We’re in here.”
Hannah joined him and banged her door. “Help us!”
“Hannah? Layke?” Corporal Bakker.
“Elias! We’re here.” Relief flooded through his bones, and his shoulders relaxed. God had heard his plea.
“We’ll get you out. Hang on!”
Hannah grabbed his hand. “God answered my prayer.”
“He did.” Layke pulled his hand away.
She turned her head but not before he saw the tears.
An hour later, the officers had been able to dig them out. They had detected the signal shortly after they’d gotten out of the avalanche’s path and returned with a snowplow and lots of workers to free them.
He now sat at the detachment going over topical maps. He had to find the ranch before more harm came to the children.
Hannah opened the door and peeked her head in. “Can I come in?”
He sat back. “Of course. You okay?”
“I just took some meds for the pain in my shoulder. It’s throbbing.”
Silence stifled the air between them.
“Listen, I wanted to thank you for your quick thinking back in the Jeep,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
“You kept a clear head and remembered the locator device. My mind was mush and racing with thoughts of terror. Some Christian I am.”
He had faced his fear of being buried alive. Plus, he had said a prayer, and now he had a bargain to live up to.
“Don’t be hard on yourself. God understands.”
“Look at you, talking about God.”
“Right?”
“Doyle is taking me back to the ranch. I need sleep.”
“Of course.” He stood. “Listen, I—”
Doyle burst into the room. “You ready, Hannah?”
“Talk to you later?” she said.
“You got it. Sleep well. I’ll be back soon. Just trying to figure
out some things here first.”
“Don’t work too late. You need rest, too.” She followed Doyle from the room.
He wanted to tell her how he felt but knew the timing wasn’t quite right.
For the next two hours, he studied the region’s maps trying to figure out how they could locate a ranch and multiple cabins. How did this gang hide so easily?
The Martells still hadn’t made a move toward taking down Broderick. As far as local authorities knew, of course. And the avalanche had covered any chance of them finding evidence among the rubble the gang had inflicted.
“God—”
His cell phone rang. He grabbed it and noticed the time. One thirty in the morning. He glanced at the caller—Hannah.
He bolted out of his chair as goose bumps skirted across his arm. “What’s wrong?”
“They’re here,” she whispered.
“Who?”
“The gang. We’re under attack. Come—”
The call dropped.
Fear sliced through him and his legs weakened. He grabbed the table to steady himself as dread overtook his weary body.
He had to save Hannah and Gabe.
Before the gang stole them from him forever.
SEVENTEEN
Layke pulled onto his half brother’s road, heart pounding. Hannah’s Jeep fishtailed at his sharp turn. He struggled to keep the vehicle on the road with a new storm pummeling the area. Lord, keep them safe. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he approached the ranch in stealth mode by turning off the lights.
Silence greeted him. Stillness. Where was everyone?
Was he too late?
He stepped out of the vehicle and removed his gun. He had to stay on high alert. Lives depended on him. He approached the police officer detached to guard the place. Layke peeked in the window of the cruiser. The constable was slumped forward. Layke opened the door and checked for a pulse.
Weak.
The gang had subdued him first. He was out cold.
“Hannah!” Layke took the front steps two at a time in spite of the falling snow. He checked the door. Unlocked. He eased it open, slipped inside and listened.
Once again, silence greeted him.
No laughter. No conversation. No barking dogs. Where were the huskies?
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