Cassidy felt her heart warm to the call and hurried to finish swiping the mascara on her lashes. “I’m coming, sweetie,” she called. “Be there in a second.”
Finally, she had herself dressed in a light blue sundress with a matching shawl. Alexis looked adorable in one of her new outfits; a pale pink dress with a matching hat. Anderson, Cassidy’s bodyguard, would accompany her, but she would be careful, not take any stupid chances or be careless in any way.
Today was going to be such a sweet day—in spite of the custody battle the Coopers had threatened. Tears prickled behind her eyes and she blinked. No time for that; time to go to church and meet Gabe. She smiled. Now, that was cause to feel better about everything.
She’d instructed him to sit near the back as she didn’t feel comfortable leaving Alexis in the nursery yet. Not only for security reasons, but because she simply wanted to keep the little girl with her.
When she pulled into the parking lot of First Community Church, she glanced in her rearview mirror and saw Anderson pull in behind her. Satisfied, she got Alexis from her car seat in the back and walked up the steps to the sanctuary.
“Cass, hey,” Gabe called to her.
He came. Thank You, Jesus. She smiled. “Good morning.”
“Gabe! Kiss,” Alexis squealed.
Cassidy laughed. “I think she likes you better than me.”
Gabe took the little girl in his arms, hugged her and planted a smacking kiss on her nose. “Hi, munchkin. You look really pretty in pink. I’ve missed you.”
“Missed you.” Alexis nodded her agreement.
Gabe smiled at Cassidy and she noticed his eyes lingered on her face. She blushed. “Come on.” She grasped his upper arm and pulled him in the direction of the sanctuary. “Let’s get a seat in the back before the only ones left are in the front row. Mom and Dad will meet us inside.”
“Where’s your bodyguard?”
Cassidy shook her head and grinned as she stepped into the sanctuary. “He’s around. I saw him pull into the parking lot behind me. Now, stop worrying.”
“I wish I could,” Cassidy heard him mutter.
Cassidy slid in the seat beside her mother. “Hi, Mom, Dad.” She’d yet to deal with all her feelings about her father ever since her mother told her about his past, but she was praying about it and working on it. The shock was wearing off. And the evidence her father presented of being a changed man made it easier to believe everything might work out. “I’m so glad you guys came.”
“Well, I couldn’t very well say no after you found this beautiful dress for me, now, could I?”
Cassidy forced herself to shoot a grin at her father as she lightly asked her mother, “And Dad didn’t have a thing to do with it, huh?”
“Not a thing.” But her mom winked and Cassidy felt her heart lighten tremendously. Her father seemed to relax. He’d been nervous about seeing her. Cassidy’s heart clenched. She wouldn’t mention anything. This problem was between her parents and things certainly seemed to be better. They were trying. Both turned to Gabe and welcomed him with a few kind words.
“Gaga.” Alexis reached from Gabe’s arms to her mother and he released her to climb up in the woman’s lap.
Movement caught the corner of her eye. She tilted her head and the day turned perfect. Amy walked up the outer aisle of the church and slid into the pew next to Cassidy’s father. Amy wiggled her fingers in a small wave, and Cassidy didn’t bother to hide the grin she felt spread over her face. Everyone she cared about was here now.
Then Cassidy felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Cindy Patterson sitting in the pew behind her. She smiled and said, “Hi, Cindy, how are you doing?”
Cindy smiled back and said, “Things are a little crazy at work, but other than that, I’m fine.”
Cassidy introduced her parents and Gabe.
The service began and Cassidy drank in the peaceful atmosphere. She’d ask Cindy what kind of work she did at a later time. Maybe they could have lunch together one day this week.
The pastor talked about Jesus’s death and resurrection. The fact that He’d died for her. And the fact that He forgave her for all the bad things she’d ever done was enough to bring tears of gratitude to her eyes.
Yes, Christ loved her and He was allowing her to go through this time of craziness for a reason; she just prayed that she would remain faithful and not give in to despair before this mad person was caught.
Gabe found his jaw relaxing. This morning, he’d almost called Cassidy and reneged on his promise to come, but at the thought of the disappointment he was sure to hear in her voice, he just couldn’t make the call.
So, here he sat. Listening to how much God loved him. Enough to die for him. Him. Gabriel Sinclair. The preacher went on to describe the Crucifixion in detail, telling about the suffering Jesus endured in order that people might be forgiven to live and see heaven one day. The crown of thorns. The mocking and humiliation. Cat-o’-nine-tails ripping the flesh from His body. The nail-pierced hands and feet. The sword in His side. Buried three days to rise again. Unconditional love even from the Cross for the men who’d crucified the one who only wanted to love them.
A punch in the gut wouldn’t have been any more effective than this sudden realization. Oh, he’d been to church and prayed to God and had a lot of the head knowledge, but this overwhelming heart knowledge bowled him over. And then he flashed to that day when that madman, Cruz, pulled the trigger and the hammer fell on an empty chamber. Gabe remembered his prayer right before that.
God, I want to come to heaven!
All of a sudden he knew that his prayer had saved his life. God had spared him that day so that he could live to see this day. Like he told Cassidy in the jungle, he had believed there was a God all his life. He just hadn’t believed Him. Believed Him when He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but through me.”
Gabe believed Him now.
He didn’t need fanfare or a big production. He didn’t need to go forward at the end of the service. There was no need to wait until then. He needed to get his heart right with God right now. God, I know the prayer. But I don’t think I’ve ever prayed it. In all these years I never asked You to forgive my sins. I never stopped to understand the extent of Your love. I’m sorry, God. I’ve done some really rotten things. You know I’ve killed. And You know I’ve only done that in order to defend myself, my country or my team. God, forgive me. I’m sorry. You’ve given me more than a second chance. This time let me make a difference. For you.
Lightness filled him. He couldn’t wait to tell Cassidy and he would, just as soon as they had some time alone. Then came the crashing thought.
What do I do about Micah?
Telling Cassidy was a must if he wanted their relationship to progress. He wasn’t even shocked when he pictured himself standing at the front of this very church waiting for his bride to come down the aisle.
Gabe knew he didn’t deserve Cassidy, but he wanted her beside him.
But Micah stood between them.
What do I do, God? We’re in this together now. I need to lean on You and I’m not very good at leaning.
“Gabe?”
He jerked his head up at Cassidy’s voice. “What?”
“The service is over. Are you okay?”
Gabe smiled as he thought about the peace he’d just experienced. “Better than okay.”
Relief swept her pretty features and she nudged his shoulder. “Then could you let us out?”
Parishioners milled about, heading for the back of the church. Gabe gave her a sheepish grin and stood to slide out of the pew. Cassidy followed and she took Alexis from her mother. The child had been entertained with coloring books and paper throughout the service, but she was ready for some action now. Cassidy set her on the floor, but kept a tight grip on her hand.
People stood around to talk and make lunch plans. It had been a packed service, as it usually was on Easter. Gabe watched Ander
son struggle to keep Cassidy within his line of sight. Gabe moved in closer to her and saw Alexis pulling on Cassidy’s hand while Cassidy tried to talk.
A woman bumped into him and muttered an apology. Another person shook his hand and told him how glad he was that Gabe had come to visit. Gabe lost sight of Cassidy for a brief moment, but knew Anderson was close by, along with the ambassador and his bodyguards, so Gabe smiled through gritted teeth and begged God to get him out of here.
“Alexis?”
Cassidy’s voice caught his attention.
“Alexis!” Sharper now, worry snagged the edge of her call. Gabe hurried through the mass of bodies, not caring if someone thought him rude.
Frantically, Cassidy locked her eyes on his. Gabe caught her by the arm. Christina McKnight stood next to Cassidy twisting her necklace as she turned in circles looking, searching. “What’s wrong? Where’s Alexis?”
“I don’t know! She was just right here.”
“Did you put her down?”
“She wanted to go to my mother, so I handed her over. Mom held her for a moment then put her down for just a second so she could adjust her purse. She bent down to pick Alexis back up and she wasn’t there.” Tears sparkled on her lashes.
Gabe decided not to waste any time. He stood on the nearest pew, stuck his fingers in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle. Silence claimed the church. Everyone stared at him.
“Sorry, folks. I need your attention. We seem to have a missing little girl. Could you look around you and see if you can spot Alexis Foster? She’s wandered off somewhere. She’s wearing a pink dress with white tights and a pink hat with a yellow ribbon on it.”
Immediately, everyone pitched in to search the area, under the pews, up in the balcony. Even in the baptismal. Anderson Wilmont moved to stand in the door, guarding it as he kept his eyes on Cassidy, who frantically moved from one pew to the next, calling the little girl’s name.
Gabe was on his hands and knees looking for tiny feet when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Cassidy stood there, shoulders slumped. “She’s not here, Gabe. She’s gone. Oh God,” she cried out her despair in a desperate prayer, “she’s gone. Someone took her. How did Anderson let this happen? Why wasn’t he watching?”
Amy rushed up to them slightly out of breath and grabbed Cassidy by the hand. “Cass, someone said they saw a lady carry a little girl out the side door of the church about ten minutes ago. The little girl had on a pink dress with a matching pink hat. She also described the woman who was carrying her—and it sounds like Kara’s sister, Susan. And get this. She got into a silver Mercedes.”
Susan Cooper drove a silver Mercedes.
Amy paced the sidewalk. Cassidy watched her and felt like throwing up. Her parents had finally left, but not without giving strict instructions to call as soon as they heard anything.
How had this happened? With all the bodyguards and all the careful attention, how had Alexis been snatched from right under their very noses? Cassidy looked up from her seat on the church steps. This was where Alexis had disappeared. How could she move?
She and Gabe talked to the police for over an hour. The questions swirled endlessly in their monotony. Who could have taken her? Do you have any enemies? Why would Susan Cooper kidnap the child when you were open to visitation rights?
She clutched her head and choked back her desperate scream.
Craig Monahan had arrived within minutes of Gabe’s call and as soon as he realized that Susan Cooper was a possible suspect, he’d put in a call to the FBI, who’d gotten right to work.
Pastor Bridges had offered his condolences and told Cassidy to call him if she needed anything. He’d offered to stay, but Cassidy told him there was no need. The police were here and would handle it. He left reluctantly, and only because he had someone in the hospital having emergency surgery. He promised to be in touch as soon as he could.
Gabe and Craig came to stand beside her. Gabe looked so secure, a shelter from the storm. She wanted to climb into his arms and forget the world existed, if only for a few precious moments. A headache pounded behind her eyes and she rubbed them, wishing for some relief. Gabe sat beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. Grateful, she leaned into the comfort while Craig stood in front of them.
Cassidy sniffed back tears. “She was suing for custody.”
“What?”
Cassidy looked into Gabe’s shocked eyes. She nodded. “I haven’t had a chance to tell you. They filed Friday.”
Craig frowned. “But if they’re suing, why would she kidnap the child? Filing suit Friday and then kidnapping the child on Sunday doesn’t suggest this was a planned thing. If she’s the one who took Alexis, then she must have just come upon an opportunity. I mean, all she had to do was bide her time and let the court decide. She could have won without worrying about anything.”
“Unless she was afraid she wouldn’t win.” A tall man with thick black hair and reflective sunglasses came up to the three and said, “We’re waiting on Brian Cooper to arrive. He agreed to meet us over here.”
Cassidy looked up, hope written on her features. “Does he know where Susan and Alexis are?”
“Cass, we don’t even know if it was really her or not.”
“I wish there was some way—” She broke off and sat up straight. “Wait a minute. The security cameras.”
“What?”
“Look.” She got up and walked to one of the poles that marked a parking-lot row.
Gabe looked. A camera mounted at the top. Craig caught their excitement. He said, “Where’s the control room?”
“Follow me.” She ran into the media building. Not bothering to knock on doors, she called out, “Hello? Mr. Dewitt?”
Gabe and Craig thundered up after her.
“Hey, what’s all the commotion?” Mr. Dewitt emerged from the men’s bathroom to her left. Cassidy gasped, “We need to look at the security tapes from just after the service ended today. Can you help us?”
“This about that little girl that’s missing?”
“Yes, please.”
“Sure, come on.” He walked down the hall at a quicker pace than normal. He was in his late fifties, with gray hair and a wide girth. He was one of the nicest men on the face of the earth and had been weekend security for the church as long as Cassidy had attended.
Craig said, “I’m going to get the FBI guys. They’ll want to be in on this.”
Gabe nodded. “I’ll stay here with Cass.”
Mr. Dewitt opened a room to reveal TVs set up, each depicting a different part of the church, and about three angles of the parking lot.
The men from the FBI arrived with Craig and the viewing began. It was so simple, it was silly. A flick of a switch. Rewind the tape to about twelve-fifteen and push play. The first tape showed the parking lot with cars lined up to exit the premises.
Nothing on that one.
Mr. Dewitt shoved in the second one.
A view of the second parking lot.
“Hey, what about that?” Cassidy pointed to a car parked along the curb just outside of the lot. Since the video was in black and white, she couldn’t really tell what color the vehicle was, just that it was light with a Mercedes symbol on the trunk.
“Can you enhance that?” one of the FBI agents asked.
Mr. Dewitt responded, “Well, I don’t have all that fancy equipment you fellows have, but I can do my best.” He zoomed in on the light-colored car.
“Got the license plate. Let’s see who it’s registered to. I’ll call it in.” The dark-headed agent stepped into the hall to have a brief conversation with someone on the other end of his cell phone.
The tapes kept rolling.
Finally, the mass exodus from the church.
“Stop right there. We don’t need the license-plate confirmation,” Gabe said. “I’ve never met Susan, but I’d know Alexis anywhere. That’s her.”
“And that’s Susan.” Cassidy let out a pent-up breath as she watched the woman clutc
h the child as she hurried down the front steps of the church while glancing back over her shoulder.
Craig called it in. The FBI put out an APB on Susan Cooper and arranged for another agent to go to the home and question Brian Cooper since he hadn’t bothered to show up at the church.
Cassidy slumped to the floor to have a good cry.
EIGHTEEN
April 17
Monday morning
Cassidy stared at the phone willing it to ring by sheer mental willpower; she held back the tears with the same thing. Her throat ached with the need to release the emotion.
It was raining again. The dreary day fit. Breakfast had been a handful of grapes and a cup of the strongest coffee she’d ever brewed. The FBI had questioned Brian yesterday afternoon and gotten nothing from him except that to his knowledge his wife was visiting an old college friend in North Carolina. He vehemently denied any knowledge of Susan even thinking about taking Alexis and stated there was no way she would have acted on it if she had thought about it.
Craig entered the living room of her house and shed his coat. The FBI were officially on the case. Craig was there as a friend. She looked up, trying to assess the expression on his face.
“Well?”
He shook his head. “Mrs. Cooper’s not there. The friend that she was to visit said they had no plans to get together and she hadn’t heard from Susan since Kara’s and Jacob’s funerals.”
Cassidy wilted.
Amy’s voice called from the foyer. “Cass?”
“In here, Amy.”
Amy came over to sit beside Cassidy and grasp her hands. “Nothing, huh?”
“Craig just said Susan wasn’t at the friend’s house.”
“Where’s Gabe?”
“On his way. He’s been at work at the hospital all night and now he’s coming here.” Cassidy frowned and shook her head. “He needs to go home and sleep.”
Amy patted her shoulder. “He’ll be where he wants to be. And besides, you didn’t sleep last night, either.”
That was true. She’d prayed and paced. “Any phone calls?”
Cassidy grimaced. “Just from Dad asking if we’d heard anything. I really expected Susan to call.” She shrugged and sighed. “Although, I don’t know why. She’s not going to ask for ransom.” Cassidy swallowed hard. “She wants Alexis, not the money.”
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