Lone Star Christmas Rescue

by Margaret Daley

  As Drake came around the side of the cabin from the back, the sat phone rang. He answered the call from the Texas Rangers’ office in El Paso. “Tell me you have good news.”

  “We found her. Her name is Kayden Rollins, and she’s a firefighter in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The department reported her missing yesterday. She’d been on vacation but didn’t show up for work when she should have. She didn’t call to let the station know she wasn’t coming in, so they checked on her. Right before she left, she told one of the firefighters that she was concerned about driving down to see her sister in Mexico. The sister lives not too far from Juárez. Kayden’s house was ransacked. They reported it to the police. That’s all I know at this time, but the detective working the case will stay in touch with us.”

  “What did you tell him about why we were inquiring about Kay?”

  “That I wasn’t at liberty to say anything. I got the description of her car and license plate number. I told him we’d be on the lookout for her and her car. I’m sending you a copy of a photo the police had of Kayden Rollins.”

  Drake waited until the picture appeared on his phone. He stared at the smile that dimpled Kay’s cheeks. Her dark eyes gleamed, and her long light brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. None of the fear and weariness he’d seen was evident in the photo. He wanted to see her like that.

  “Kay is Kayden Rollins. Give me the description of the car and her tag number. She’s remembering more each day.”

  After Texas Ranger Pierce recited the license plate information, he said, “It’s a gray 2011 Taurus.”

  “Thanks. I’ll try to pull up a picture of one to see if it jogs her memory. Can you have the detective send you a photo of the outside of her home? That might help, too.” Although Pierce didn’t mention anyone living with Kay—no, Kayden—Drake asked, “Does she live alone?”

  “Yes.”

  “No child, husband, boyfriend?”

  “I figured you’d want to know, and I asked. No one. She lives in the home she grew up in. Her mother died a few years ago and left the place to Kayden and her sister, Kassandra.”

  “See if you can find out the location of her sister in Mexico. Did Kay cross the border at Juárez? Also, check the Presidio and Del Rio crossings and the recently reopened one at Boquillas.”

  “I’ll see what I can find out about her going and returning and let you know.”

  The cabin’s door opened. Drake turned and waved to Dallas. “And I’ll talk to Kay—den.” Maybe she went by Kay and that was why she’d responded to his suggestion to use it. After he ended the call, he handed the sat phone to Dallas. “Pierce might call back with more information.” Drake gave his partner a rundown on what Pierce had discovered about Kay.

  Dallas pocketed the phone. “She was visiting her sister in Mexico?”

  “Yeah. Do you think Kaleb is her sister’s child?”

  “Maybe, but why would she have the baby? Where is her sister?”

  “Pierce is checking that out. I feel for the first time we have some useful information that may lead to what’s going on.”

  Drake started for the cabin. Dallas had only voiced two of the many questions Drake had. If Kay had visited Mexico, it could explain why she’d ended up in Big Bend. It was on the border, but then, how did she return to the United States? There were two legal border crossings that were closer to Big Bend than the one at Juárez. Of course, it was possible if Kay was fleeing the people after her that she crossed the Mexican border somewhere along the hundred-plus miles that the national park encompassed. Or at Boquillas, a small crossing used by people who visited Big Bend to go to Mexico for a few hours. She wouldn’t want to cross where someone would be expecting her to.

  When Drake went inside, he found Kay holding Kaleb, pacing from one end of the living room to the other. Would he ever get the answers to what happened? Some people never remembered, especially if a traumatic incident caused the amnesia.

  “How’s Kaleb?”

  “Settling down. He finally drank almost two ounces. I wonder if he’s coming down with a cold. He was breathing heavily while sucking his bottle.”

  Drake stroked Kaleb’s head. “It looks like he’s sleeping now.”

  “I tried to lay him down ten minutes ago, but he woke up and started crying. Pacing was the only way to calm him down.” She walked to the playpen and gently placed him on the mat and covered him with a blanket. When she straightened, she watched Kaleb sleeping. “This has been so hard on him. We’ve got to get to the bottom of what’s going on.”

  Drake clasped her shoulders and kneaded his hands into her tight knots. “It’s been harder on you. Thankfully he doesn’t know everything that’s gone down.”

  “And it has to stay that way.”

  He turned her around. “We need to talk.”

  “What’s happened?”

  “I talked to Pierce at the El Paso office, and with the information about you being a firefighter, he was able to track down where you live and your name.”

  Kay didn’t say anything but stepped over to the couch and sank onto it. “From your serious look, I figure it’s not good news.” Straightening her shoulders, she sucked in a deep breath. “Okay, tell me.”

  Drake relaxed his own tense muscles and sat next to Kay. “Sorry about that. A lot of questions have been answered, but not all of them. You work for the fire department in Albuquerque. When you didn’t show up for work and didn’t call in, they became worried. They went by to see if you were okay and called the police after they saw your house had been ransacked and you weren’t there.”

  “So someone came into my house and I managed to flee with Kaleb? Why did I end up in Big Bend?”

  “According to your coworkers, you don’t have a child. You were on vacation over Thanksgiving and driving to your sister’s. She lives somewhere southeast of Juárez.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “I have a sister who lives in Mexico?” She glanced back at the playpen. “Then where did I get Kaleb? How did I end up in the park?” She lowered her head and scrubbed her fingertips into her forehead as though somehow that would lift the barrier to her memories.

  He wanted to pull her against him. He couldn’t even imagine how hard it was to have important parts of the past left blank. His heart ached for her.

  When she looked up at him, tears glistened in her eyes. She clutched her necklace, opening the locket. “How did I end up with photos of myself and Kaleb in this?”

  “What if Kaleb is your nephew? You could easily have a picture of him.”

  “Then where are my sister and Kaleb’s father?”

  “The El Paso office is looking into that.” He knew Kay felt helpless, had since he’d found her, but so did he. He wanted to take this all away for her, but he didn’t even know: Away from what?

  “Meanwhile, what do we do?”

  “We stay here. Can you remember anything about your sister? Who she married? Your coworkers told the police her name is Kassandra and your real name is Kayden Rollins.”

  “Kayden? Kassandra…” Kay leaped to her feet. “Excuse me.”

  Drake rose. He didn’t think her eyes could get any wider, but they did. Her color washed from her face and her hands shook.

  She whirled around and rushed toward the bathroom. She slammed the door. The click of the lock reverberated through the living room.

  Drake moved to the playpen to make sure Kaleb was still asleep. He’d handled this all wrong and didn’t know what to do. Ever since he’d realized his emotions were tied up in this case, he’d felt as though he was a juggler who had lost all his tossed balls.

  Dallas opened the front door and stuck his head into the cabin. “A call from El Paso for you.”

  Drake hurried across the room, hoping this was good news.

  *

  Shaking all over, Kay sank down onto the lip of the bathtub.

  I have a sister. Kassandra. Why haven’t I remembered that? I’ve had memories about my father and mother.

/>   She closed her eyes and tried to picture her sister. Was she older or younger? Was Kaleb Kassandra’s baby?

  No image materialized in her mind.

  She took in one deep breath after another to compose herself. She needed to remain calm and figure out what was going on. But that was easier said than done.

  I feel so lost, God. What do I do now?

  Silence greeted her desperate plea.

  She squeezed her hands into fists until her fingernails dug into her palms. She relaxed her tight grip and rose. Sitting in the bathroom wasn’t going to help her to fill the blank spaces in her mind. As she started for the exit, a soft rap sounded against the door.

  “Kay, are you all right?”

  “Yes, I’m fine,” she said with more forceful confidence than she felt.

  “I have more news.”

  “I’ll be out in a second.” Kay—or should she refer to herself as Kayden?—glanced at her image in the mirror. She looked as though she’d been put through the wringer. After she splashed cold water on her face, she left the bathroom.

  Drake waited for her, lounging against the rear of the couch, his feet and arms crossed. “I know this is a lot to take in all at once.”

  “What else did you find out?”

  “You drove into Mexico via the El Paso border crossing the day before Thanksgiving. There’s no record of you returning to the US. Your sister is married to Alejandro Soto, a wealthy Mexican businessman who has several residences. Their wedding took place in Albuquerque two years ago. The El Paso office will continue looking for information on your sister and Senor Soto.”

  “Has anyone contacted them?”

  “No one was at their main house near Juárez. The Mexican authorities are searching for them.”

  Her sister lived in Mexico? How did she meet Alejandro Soto? She’d been remembering earlier events in her life, so why didn’t she recall her sister’s marriage to Alejandro? That should be a wonderful memory. “What if I was supposed to look after Kaleb while they went on a vacation? That would explain why he was with me and not them.”

  “That’s possible. This is when we have to be patient and let the police here and in Mexico do their job.” He chuckled. “Now I’ll just have to find a way to follow my own advice. I’m usually in the field running down clues and answers.”

  “Waiting isn’t easy. Sitting around waiting can drain more energy than hiking in Big Bend.”

  Drake pushed off the couch and approached her. He cradled her face and grazed his thumbs across her cheeks under her eyes. “You look exhausted. I’ll watch Kaleb while you take a nap in the bedroom.”

  The feel of his hands—a mixture of sensations from warmth to a rough texture—on her skin threw her off kilter. Her legs threatened to buckle. She clutched his arms and steadied herself. She was more tired than she’d realized. It was as though the past few days were finally catching up with her.

  “Okay. But you’ll have to go back outside in three hours. You’ll need to rest, too.”

  “I don’t think I can. I figure Pierce from the El Paso office will call me with updates. If Kaleb gets up, I can change his diaper and give him something to drink or eat. I’m not a total novice around babies.”

  “I’ve noticed, and Kaleb responds to you.”

  He inched closer until his warm breath caressed her cheek. The intensity in his eyes held her captive. She couldn’t move if she wanted to. All she wanted to do was draw him even closer.

  He dipped his head and brushed his lips across hers. Chills flashed through her body as his arms encircled her and brought her against him. She clung to Drake as if he were her lifeline, and in many ways, he was. She probably would have died if he hadn’t found her, especially now that she knew men had been looking for her in Big Bend.

  When Drake lifted his head, his arms remained locked about her. The sense of strength and safety in his embrace shored up her flailing emotions. When he released her and stepped away, she missed his nearness.

  “Wake me up in an hour. If I sleep any longer, I’ll never get any sleep later.”

  “I will.”

  The cherished feelings produced by his smile fluttered through her as she moved toward the bedroom. After that kiss, she didn’t know if she could get any rest. All her senses felt charged.

  And when she lay down on the bed, her mind swirled with random thoughts. She was falling for Drake, but how could that be real? She didn’t know who she was beyond the little she’d learned. There was so much more she needed to know.

  She tried to relax, but questions inundated her. What if the people after her had done something to her sister and her husband? What would make her flee with Kaleb? Why couldn’t she remember unless it was bad? She couldn’t picture Kassandra or Alejandro, but her worry grew. It was just her and Kaleb right now.

  Advice from her mother filled her mind. You can’t let worry dictate what you’re going to do. God is in control. Give your worry to Him.

  Wise words but hard to follow. She closed her eyes and willed all thoughts from her. She fixated on the feelings Drake generated in her when he kissed her, and soon she drifted off…

  A sound disturbed her peace. She barely lifted her eyelids when a bright light jerked her totally from sleep.

  Drake stood in the entrance, cradling Kaleb against him.

  Kay struggled to sit up, cobwebs still clinging to her mind. “It’s been an hour?”

  “No. But something is wrong. Kaleb is burning up.”

  TWELVE

  “Kaleb woke up two times, crying and drawing up his legs. The first time before I could pick him up, he settled down a little. I patted him, and he went back to sleep. This second time when I picked him up, he felt hotter than before, and he’s breathing rapidly.” Drake passed the baby to Kay.

  She laid him on the bed and put her palm against his forehead. “You’re right. His temperature is going up. I haven’t had to change his diaper in several hours. Did you?”

  “No.”

  Kay unsnapped Kaleb’s onesie and opened his diaper. Her hand shaking, she stared at him. “He’s bloated, and his stool is runny.”

  “And he’s pale.” Drake lifted his tiny hand and held it between his. “This is cold and clammy. I think he’s going into shock. I’m calling for help.”

  While Kay changed Kaleb’s diaper, Drake hurried outside to get the sat phone from Dallas. “Kaleb’s sick. We need to take him to the hospital.”

  “That’s almost two hours away.”

  “Yeah, that’s why I’m calling El Paso. He can be airlifted to the hospital. I could take him and you could stay here with Kay.” Drake punched in the numbers for the El Paso office, quickly listing the baby’s symptoms to Pierce.

  “I’ll get a helicopter to bring him to the hospital as well as talk to a doctor to see what you need to do. I’ll call you back and let you know the ETA.”

  Drake disconnected the call and started back to the cabin.

  Dallas followed. “She’ll never go for you taking Kaleb without her.”

  “I know. But I’m going to suggest that option. It would be safer for her.”

  “Even if she isn’t his mother, she loves that little fella. At least in El Paso, we’ll have more manpower to guard her and Kaleb.” Dallas stopped on the porch. “If you need me, I’ll be right out here.”

  “Yeah, we still need to be vigilant. I’ll let you know when the helicopter is going to arrive.” Drake ducked inside.

  Kay stood in the middle of the living room, holding Kaleb, tears running down her face. “I knew he wasn’t feeling well, but…” She swallowed hard. “At first I thought he was teething and then maybe he was getting a cold or exhausted and confused from all that’s been happening. I should have…”

  Drake closed the space between them. “This developed quickly. We’re dealing with a lot.” The sat phone rang, and he answered the call from Pierce. “When will the helicopter be here?”

  “Forty-five minutes. The doctor th
inks he definitely needs to go the hospital. It could be several serious illnesses. If he’s going into shock, keep him calm, warm and comfortable. Keep checking his pulse and breathing. He could be dehydrated. If he hasn’t had a lot of fluids, try to get him to take some. In the meantime, I’m working on security at the hospital.”

  “Anything else about the case?” He didn’t want to take Kay and Kaleb away from the safe house, but he’d seen a person rapidly decline and die.

  “Yes. Since I talked with you, we discovered Alejandro Soto has done business with Diego Redondo, who is the known head of the Muerte Cartel.”

  “What kind of business?”

  “Legit, as far as we can tell.”

  “Could Soto be secretly connected to the cartel?”

  “Maybe. The authorities don’t know everyone involved in the running of this new cartel.”

  “Is Soto still missing?”

  “Yes, as well as his wife and child who might be Kaleb. So, you see why it’s important to secure Kayden Rollins.”

  Drake turned away from Kay and headed into the kitchen. “He might not be part of the cartel—maybe he crossed someone in it. What if something happened to her sister and Soto? Kay might be a witness to it and somehow managed to escape with their baby. Do you have a picture of them?”

  “I’m working on that. As soon as I do, I’ll send it to your phone.”

  “Let me know any updates you get.”

  “Will do.”

  Drake ended the call and returned to the living room.

  “Who’s missing?” Kay asked as she cuddled Kaleb and paced behind the couch, the baby crying the whole time.

  “So far, the authorities can’t find your sister or her husband.”

  She stopped pacing. What color Kay had left in her face drained from it. “You think they’re dead?”

  “I don’t know what happened, and right now you need to focus on Kaleb. Pierce talked with a doctor.” Drake repeated what the El Paso Texas Ranger had said.

  “He could be dehydrated, especially after what occurred in Big Bend. Anna and I were giving him fluids, as much as he would take, but in the past day or so, he hasn’t drunk what he should if he was still dehydrated from the park.”