Lord, what should I do?
Tanner eased onto the road. He would canvas these streets one by one if that was what he had to do to find them. And he’d pray that the APB would provide some sort of lead that would help him locate Macy and Addie.
Because there was no telling what these guys might do to Macy. They’d shot at his colleagues. Burned down their safe house. Chased them with a baby in the car.
These guys wouldn’t blink an eye at harming Macy.
At the mere thought of it, emotions welled up inside Tanner. He and Macy had a lot of water under the bridge. But he’d seen glimpses of the old Macy he knew and loved. And he missed that Macy.
He only wished he could go back and change things. That he could somehow get through to her. That he could have told her back then that Pruett was wrong. Tanner wouldn’t have resented her or blamed her for holding him back from his dreams.
Was it too late to tell her that now? To somehow try and convince her to believe him?
He prayed he would get that opportunity.
At that moment, he spotted the burgundy sedan he’d seen at the shopping center. His eyes zeroed in on the license plate.
That was it! He’d found them.
Thank You, Lord.
As the sound of an alarm registered in his mind, the truth hit him. His eyes moved from the sedan to what surrounded it.
Red flashing lights. A crossbuck. A gate.
He sucked in a deep breath. But someone had left the vehicle on a train track...and a train was headed right toward it.
* * *
A loud noise rousted Macy. She sat up and tried to reach for her head—which pounded furiously—but she couldn’t.
Her hands were tied behind her.
At the realization, panic raced through her. She tried to move her legs, but her ankles were also bound.
The loud noise sounded again.
She jerked her head to the left, and her eyes widened.
A train was coming right at her.
She was in the sedan. Where was Addie? Deborah and the other two men with her?
They must have jumped out and climbed into a different vehicle. They’d left her here to die, she realized.
Macy tried to scoot near the door, but she couldn’t. Her hands were stuck on something.
She looked behind her, straining to see what held her in place. The rope that bound her hands together was also tied to the seat belt clasp.
Her breath caught. There was no way to get out of this car.
She looked up at the train as it got closer and closer.
She jerked her arms, desperate for the ropes to break or come loose. She had to do something. She couldn’t just sit here and wait to die.
She glanced at the train again. The locomotive still charged toward her. If she had to guess, she’d say she had one minute or less until impact, at most. Sweat sprinkled across her forehead.
Oh Lord, please help me.
Just then, she heard someone jiggle the door handle.
She looked behind her.
Tanner! Tanner was here. He’d found her! She’d never been so happy to see the cowboy.
“Open the door,” he yelled, pounding on the glass.
“I can’t.” She moved forward so he could see her hands behind her back.
His gaze darkened. “Stay back!”
She scooted away from the window. Tanner bent down and, when he reemerged, he was holding a rock in his hands. He slammed it into the window, and the glass shattered.
He reached inside and his hand found the lock. He jerked the door open and climbed in beside her.
Sweat poured down Macy’s back. She glanced over her shoulders again at the approaching train.
One minute tops, she realized.
They weren’t going to make it, were they?
“I’m going to get you out of here.” Tanner worked with the ties at her hand.
“You’re going to get yourself killed, too.” The train was so close, she could not only hear it but she could feel it barreling down the tracks. The air was filled with tension. Certainly, the conductor had seen her by now. But she knew he wouldn’t be able to brake in time.
Tanner pulled out a pocket knife and worked the rope behind her.
“I’ve almost got it,” he told her.
She looked at the train once more.
It was mere feet away.
There was no way she was getting out of this alive. No way.
Eighteen
With one last burst of strength, Tanner plunged the knife into the rope holding Macy in place. Finally, it snapped.
Not wasting a moment of time, he grabbed her wrist and tugged her out of the car. Moving as quickly as possible, he pulled her off the train tracks and ran alongside the road, toward the train. He knew that once the train hit the car, it could go flying. Anything in its path would be destroyed.
Once they were a safe enough distance away, Tanner paused. His arms went around Macy, and she buried her head in his chest as the sound of metal being crushing against metal filled the air.
He watched as the car bent like a soda can before being spit out farther down the track. Nobody had been there, close enough to get injured.
Thank God.
“Are you okay?” he asked Macy.
She nodded, her head still buried in Tanner’s chest. “Yeah, I think so. Tanner, I thought...”
He shushed her and tightened his hold. “Yeah, I know. But you’re fine.”
“We’ve got to find Addie. They took her, Tanner!”
He stepped back, needing to look Macy in the eyes. “Who took her?”
“Deborah.”
“Her supposed aunt?” His eyebrows pinched together.
Macy nodded. “Yes, the aunt. She had two men with her. I didn’t recognize them, but one of them may have been the man who followed us to the barn that day.”
“Did they give any hints as to where they were taking her?” Tanner asked.
She hesitated a moment and rubbed the knot on her forehead. “No, none... I don’t think so, at least. They knocked me out, so I didn’t hear much. What are we going to do, Tanner?”
He glanced around. A couple of cars gathered near the tracks. Sirens wailed in the background. The train was almost at a complete stop halfway down the tracks. The smell of hot, burning metal filled the air.
“First of all, we have to get out of here.” Tanner took her arm. “Come on.”
He led her to his car, helped her in, and then they took off. Ordinarily, Tanner would try to wait for authorities. But he and Macy would just be wasting valuable time if they did that right now.
He could see that Macy’s limbs were still trembling all over. Anyone would be reacting like this in the situation. Tanner knew good and well just how close they’d both come to dying.
He headed back to Devin’s old family farmhouse. Everything replayed in his head as the wheels churned against the asphalt. He should have been more careful. He shouldn’t have let Macy and Addie out of his sight, not even for a minute.
Finally, he reached the house, pulled into the garage, and put the car in Park. Both he and Macy sat there in silence for a minute, almost as if they both needed to decompress after the events of today.
“You don’t think these guys who are after us know we’re here?” Macy finally asked, breaking the silence.
“I think they’re done with us. They have what they want. Who they want. They have Addie.”
“So we’re no longer a threat.” Macy’s voice caught with emotion.
“Probably not.” He climbed out and took Macy’s hand as he led her inside.
He made no apologies about it, either. He couldn’t stand the thought of letting her go or of something else happening to her. He’d almost lost her for the
second time, and he could barely stomach that thought.
Once they were inside and behind closed doors, Tanner pulled Macy into his arms. To his surprise, she seemed to melt there. She clung to him.
He waited for her to pull away. To object. To reject his touch. She didn’t.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he mumbled into her soft hair.
She nodded, moisture welling in her eyes. “I guess. I mean, I’m still shaken. But I’m not really worried about me. I just worry about Addie. Do you have any idea who these people really are, Tanner?”
“No, I don’t. But Devin left a message. We have a meeting with Sarah’s friend Clementine lined up. You up for the trip?”
Macy stepped back, visibly pulling herself together until a new determination lit her eyes. The sorrow was still there, as was the worry and the sadness. But her underlying strength shone through.
“You know it,” she said.
“Great. We’ll leave in an hour.”
* * *
Every time Macy thought about Addie, the sick feeling in her stomach churned harder and harder.
Was the child okay? What if they hurt her? Did Addie miss Macy?
Macy knew she wasn’t the child’s mom, but she felt so connected with the infant. That little girl needed someone to look out for her. She felt confident that Deborah and her posse were not those people.
Please Lord, help us find her. Keep her safe. Give us wisdom.
She glanced over at Tanner as they headed down the road. They’d only stayed at the farmhouse long enough for Tanner to make some calls. Macy had taken a shower to wash away the grime—to wash away the feeling of the gun against her back—and then she’d had some coffee.
Against all odds, she was glad it was Tanner she was working on with this. She could see his focus in the set of his jaw. She soaked in that handsome cowboy profile, and her heart fluttered.
That was bad news. She knew it was. But the man had saved her life. He’d been there throughout this crazy ordeal when it would have been easy to turn this case over to someone else.
“What are you thinking about?” Tanner’s voice broke the silence of the car ride.
She dared not tell him the whole truth—that she’d been thinking about him. Remembering what it was like to run her hand through his light brown hair. To touch that strong jaw. To rest in his embrace.
“My thoughts are kind of jumbled right now,” she said instead.
“It’s a lot to take in.” He reached over and grabbed her hand. She didn’t object. In fact, she welcomed it. Something about his touch calmed her in a way that defied logic.
She stared out the window at the road as they drove. The sun was setting. She’d always loved Texas sunsets. Today, despite all that had happened, was no different. It reminded her of who was in control, of who ordained their days, and that there was a much Higher Power at play here than what she could comprehend by her own reasoning.
“Where are we meeting Clementine?” she asked.
“At a diner outside of Houston.”
Macy glanced at Tanner, uncertain if she’d heard him correctly. “But she lives in Oklahoma.”
“I guess she was coming out this way, hoping to find Sarah maybe.”
“Does she know about Sarah?” Macy asked quietly.
Tanner nodded solemnly. “Devin told her.”
Macy frowned, burdened at the death of the young mom who had so much potential. Sarah had always been pleasant. Confused? Yes. On the wrong path? At times. But she’d had a good enough head on her shoulders to pull through. Certainly Addie had changed her perspective. Being a mom often did.
Macy recalled their conversations and remembered Sarah telling her once that Macy was a godsend. The girl had needed someone in her life. Macy had done what she could. Maybe she should have done more, but there had been professional boundaries in place.
“Maybe Clementine can help us make some sense of this,” Macy finally said.
“We can only hope.”
They pulled up to a restaurant ten minutes later. The place was a dive—a dinky one-story building on the side of the highway with a crooked sign reading Val’s outside.
Devin was waiting against the wall for them.
“You two doing okay?” he asked, his gaze darting back and forth between the two of them. “You look shaken.”
“As well as can be expected,” Tanner said, sauntering up to him.
Devin nodded slowly. “The police are looking for you two, you know. Something about leaving the scene of a crime earlier.”
“That would be the train crash,” Tanner said.
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Devin said. “I’d ask what happened, but maybe it’s better if I don’t know. That way I can plead ignorance.”
“Probably.” Tanner shifted and glanced at the window. “Is she here?”
Devin nodded at the door behind him. “She’s waiting inside for you to talk with her. She looks scared.”
“Anyone else know we’re here?” Tanner asked.
“Not as far as I know.”
“Okay, we’d better get busy then.” Tanner led Macy inside.
“I’ll keep an eye on things out here,” Devin said.
The scent of greasy, fried food hit her when they walked in. Music from the sixties played overhead. Booths lined the front wall and a row of seats along an eating bar stretched on the other side. A black-and-white-checkered floor was sticky beneath her feet. There were probably ten patrons inside. A few glanced at Tanner and Macy, but most simply ate and continued their conversations.
Macy’s eyes searched the restaurant until she saw a girl in the corner, probably in her early twenties. The woman nervously pushed a lock of auburn hair back from her face and glanced around.
That had to be Clementine. Tanner seemed to read Macy’s thoughts, and he led her over to the table. Tension built with each step.
“Clementine?” Tanner asked.
The girl nodded, her hands trembling and her eyes wide circles of fear. “That’s me.”
Macy and Tanner slipped in across from her.
“Thanks for meeting us,” Tanner said.
“Did I have much of a choice?”
“You always have a choice,” Tanner said. “Can I get you something to eat?”
She nodded, and Tanner signaled the waitress. Clementine ordered a cheeseburger and fries. Tanner ordered sandwiches and fries for him and Macy, as well as drinks. They needed to eat, and the act of everyone sharing a meal together might put Clementine more at ease.
“What brought you out this way?” Tanner asked.
Clementine stared at the soda in front of her. “I had to get away from Oklahoma. I knew it was just a matter of time before I ended up dead. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Why is that?” Macy asked. She suddenly didn’t care about her own drink.
“Because I know too much. Too much about Sarah. Enough that people would kill me first and ask questions later.” She nervously glanced out the window.
Tanner leaned closer. “Have you been threatened?”
Clementine’s gaze went back down to the table. “Someone broke into my house back in Oklahoma.”
Macy’s pulse spiked. “What happened?”
Clementine continued to study the cup of soda in front of her. “I wasn’t there. They ransacked the place and left their message very loud and clear they were looking for Sarah.”
“Who’s they?”
“Sarah’s half sister.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m positive. I got there as they were leaving and saw them. I hid behind some bushes so they wouldn’t see me. But I clearly recognized the woman. We had a couple of run-ins before when I was with Sarah.”
“You said they left their message loud and clear,�
� Macy said. “What does that mean?”
“When I wasn’t at home, I got an email. It was from someone who claimed to be an attorney. They were trying to contact Sarah. But I could tell it wasn’t real. I knew what the lawyer’s name was.”
Tanner lowered his voice. “Why does someone want Sarah’s baby, Clementine?”
Clementine’s gaze finally met theirs. “Because she’s worth millions.”
* * *
Tanner stared at Clementine, trying to surmise the truth in her words. Sarah hadn’t struck him as the wealthy type. Most drug-using parolees weren’t. However, Clementine looked convinced that her words were the truth.
The waitress delivered their food, and Tanner waited until she’d walked away to ask his next question.
“Why would you say that, Clementine?” he asked. “That’s the first I’ve heard of that possibility. Please tell us more.”
The young woman sighed and glanced around the restaurant before her eyes met Tanner’s again. “It’s a long, twisted tale. You sure you’re ready for it?”
“As ready as we’ll ever be,” Tanner said.
Clementine leaned forward. “So, after Sarah was released from prison, she started researching who her birth father might be. She wanted to turn over a new leaf and maybe connect with her family. Her mom died when she was younger, so she was pretty much alone in the world.”
“Okay...” Tanner said. He knew that much from talking with Macy.
“She found some of her mom’s old papers and went through them. Long story short, she discovered that her dad was Lionel Richardson.” Clementine’s words hung in the air.
“The oil tycoon?” Tanner finally said. She couldn’t be talking about the same person. Lionel was known throughout the area for his wealth and his generosity in donating to charities.
Clementine nodded. “The one and only.”
“What... How...?” Tanner started.
“It’s true. Sarah didn’t believe it at first, either. But she had evidence.”
“What kind of evidence?” Tanner asked.
“She’d found some pictures of her mother with Lionel,” Clementine said. “She also found some old journals which mentioned him by name. Apparently, her mom never told Lionel that Sarah was born. She didn’t want him to think she was after his money.”
The Baby Assignment Page 14