Relentless Protector

by Colleen Thompson

  * * *

  “WHAT IF I picked wrong?” Lisa asked Cole for the third time as they sped toward the tiny town of Coffee Creek.

  He had no idea how to answer, since all the what-ifs were eating him alive, too. That, and the undeniable fact that dusk was staking its claim. If they didn’t catch a break by nightfall...

  “No more,” he said firmly. “We both agreed they’d be more worried about getting caught on the interstate than making time.”

  She took a deep breath, clearly making an effort to pull herself together. He had admire how well she succeeded, how even under these horrific circumstances she was able to push past pain and panic, and do what needed to be done.

  “We should stop in town. Ask around to see if anyone has seen them,” she suggested, looking stronger than she had looked earlier. Stronger than any woman should ever have to be.

  He nodded his agreement. “We ought to fuel up anyway, pick up a couple things in case we’re on the road longer than we think.”

  She hesitated before erupting. “I can’t stand this worrying and wondering if every tiny decision is the wrong one. If I should have stayed and talked to the authorities instead of dragging you out here, running off in what might be the wrong— Stop, Cole! Pull over here, quick.”

  He looked where she was staring, into the unmown ditch in front of a fenced pastureland dotted with live oaks. Something was moving down there, too low for him to see.

  As he skidded to a stop some thirty feet beyond it, he prayed he wasn’t seeing what he was afraid of. That the abductors hadn’t tossed a living child from a speeding car. He threw the truck in gear and bailed out, intent on beating Lisa to what might be a horrific sight, his instincts demanding that he protect her from it.

  Despite her injuries, she was out of the truck and running before he was, calling, “Come on, sweetie! It’s okay. Come to Mama!”

  She dropped to her knees as a little blond dog emerged from the tall grasses, yelping and wagging furiously as he limped toward her on three legs.

  “It’s Rowdy,” Lisa cried, trying to fend off the animal’s frantic kisses. “They must have dumped him out here. Do you know what that means? We’ve been driving in the right direction after all.”

  But as reassuring as that thought was, Cole was already running along the roadside, looking for any sign that the abductors, in their haste to rid themselves of their burdens, might have dumped a child, too.

  Lisa quickly caught on, staggering after him and shouting, “Tyler! Tyler! I’m here!”

  There was no reply, only the whisper of an evening breeze through the grasses and the screech of a red-tailed hawk in the distance.

  They searched frantically, kicking through weeds and climbing down into the ditch, stopping periodically to call again, then listen. They found no sign of Tyler, not a toy or shoe or shirt. And not, thank heaven, his small corpse, which made Cole wonder if the boy’s abductors had decided they wanted to hang on to him for some reason. Maybe to hold him for ransom, or as a hostage in case they were caught, or, God forbid, for some darker purpose. One tiny, optimistic corner of Cole’s psyche held out a dim hope that maybe the female captor had buried maternal instincts and planned to keep Tyler for herself. Then, at least, he would remain safe long enough to be found.

  A few yards distant, Lisa abruptly stiffened, then looked down at her dog. “Where’s Tyler, Rowdy?” she asked, her strained voice pitching higher. “Where is he? Where’s Tyler? Hide-and-seek, boy.”

  The little dog’s ears pricked up, and he spun in circles barking. When she tried a second time, he did the same.

  She shook her head, her face moon-pale with strain. And dangerously appealing, with the breeze ruffling the soft waves that framed it. Waves bronzed by the slanting gold rays of a dying Texas sun. “It’s no use. Tyler isn’t here, Cole. If he were, Rowdy would take us to him. If I’d been halfway thinking, I would have tried that stupid game the second we found Rowdy.”

  “Well, I’m glad you did think of it, no matter when.” And gladder still he didn’t lead us to a body. “Now we can get to the gas station and find out if someone saw where they went. Then we’ll call the authorities so they can get an AMBER Alert going and apply some real manpower to getting your son back safely.”

  It would also be smart, he knew, to explain what had happened and maybe extricate himself before she found out what his connection to her was. And if he got out in a timely manner, maybe there was some chance of coming through this without totally derailing the career change he had already given up the best friends he would ever have in this lifetime, along with his retired army colonel father’s respect, to pursue.

  As they reached the passenger side of his truck, Lisa skewered him with a look. “Of course I want the AMBER Alert. But you’re thinking about stopping, aren’t you? About getting out of this mess and leaving Tyler out there somewhere.”

  He was stunned by her perceptiveness, or was he just that transparent? “It might be in your son’s best interest if we handed this over to the professionals.”

  “You mean in your best interest, don’t you?” A fierce light blazed in her brown eyes. “You’ll get to walk away from all this, go back to your cozy house and have a beer or hang out with your girlfriend and forget it. But I wonder, will you tell her how you were the one who started shooting and got my child kidnapped? The one who shot a woman with nothing but an unloaded weapon in her hand?”

  Her accusations kicked his conscience, but they were far from the whole story. “First off, there’s no girlfriend and not enough beer in the damned world to forget this. And how the hell was I to know that gun in your hand wasn’t loaded? If you have to blame somebody, you might as well blame yourself for pointing it at me.”

  “You startled me—or that woman at the bank did, yelling about you going for a weapon. I never meant to point the gun. Never wanted to hurt anyone or do anything but get out of that bank and buy my child’s freedom.”

  Cole blew out a deep breath, forcing himself to consider the possibility that despite her tears and the fact that the dog had clearly been dumped, she could still be lying. Over the course of his career, some of the most impassioned pleas and speeches he’d ever heard were given by skilled deceivers out to manipulate the listener’s emotions. Out to exploit another person’s basic decency to achieve their selfish goals.

  Maybe years of wartime service had hardened him, making him too cynical, too guarded, to allow himself to feel. Or maybe he wanted to believe that she was somehow involved because it was easier than dealing with his own debt to her family.

  “Do you want to stand here arguing until we lose the light, or would you rather do something to help your kid?” Angry with both himself and the situation, he heard his voice coming out far harsher than he meant it to. Trying to make up for this, he opened the door for her, then scooped up the little dog, who limped behind as it kept one front paw raised. Gently, he deposited the trembling animal on the floorboard, sparing a moment to stroke its head to reassure it that he meant no harm.

  Looking back to Lisa, he asked, “How ’bout you let me give you a hand up, too?”

  He thought she would argue, refusing his offer out of spite. Instead, she sighed and nodded, clearly realizing how tough it would be to climb up into the cab without aggravating her injured arm.

  He moved in close behind her. Too close, because the scent of her, or of whatever sweet vanilla shampoo she’d used, touched off an attraction as instinctive as it was unthinkable. But he smelled the blood on her, as well, a sharp reminder that their situation was deadly serious. After boosting her up to the seat, he ran around the truck and jumped inside.

  As he started toward town again, he registered the fact that Lisa had bent over in her seat. Just as he was about to ask what she was doing, she shoved aside her straw bag and then sat up and showed him a spiky, ball-like seed between her fingers.

  “Just a burr between his paw pads,” she said, nodding toward the dog. “Otherwise, he
seems fine.”

  Within minutes they rolled into the tiny town of Coffee Creek. What must have once been a small but thriving little farm and ranch supply stop had withered to a collection of boarded brick and peeling wooden buildings. Even the tiny post office had been closed, he noticed, but the lone holdout, the Texas Two-Step, had a handful of pickups and a peeling old sedan parked out front. There was no sign of her Camry, but he hadn’t figured the abductors would waste any more time here than they had to.

  He pulled up to one of the fuel pumps and told Lisa, “I’ll start pumping and then go inside to ask questions. I want you to stay—”

  “You’ve got to be kidding,” she said as she got out, carrying the straw handbag. Pausing just a moment, she gave the dog a pat. “Stay, Rowdy. I’ll be right back.”

  Cole hurried after her. “You’re pretty bloody,” he warned. “You might alarm whoever’s—”

  “Two crazy criminals took my son,” she snapped as she strode toward the low brown building. “Do you really think I give a damn whose appetite gets spoiled?”

  The door jingled as she pushed it open and charged inside, as bold as any Ranger. And Cole could only pray that in her state of mind she wouldn’t start a panic—and that word had not preceded their arrival of a desperate bank robber and his female accomplice on the run.

  Chapter Five

  In spite of the bell that announced her entrance, none of the half dozen people gathered near the counter turned a head to look Lisa’s way when she walked in. Instead, they were clearly transfixed by a wildly gesticulating, red-faced man with his back to her.

  “Then I watched that scrawny, tattooed bastard make off with my Explorer, right out of this lot. Where the hell’s that deputy?”

  An attractive brunette in a blue smock gestured for calm. “Now, take it easy, Clem. I just got off the phone with the sheriff’s office. They’ll have someone out in no time at—”

  “Which way was he driving?” Lisa interrupted. “And did you see an older silver Camry with a woman and my little boy inside?”

  Every head snapped toward her, horror written in their faces as they took in her blood-spattered shirt and bandaged arm.

  “Please,” she begged the owner of the stolen SUV, “you have to help me. They carjacked me in Coopersville and took off with my son inside the Camry. He’s only five years old.”

  “You poor thing,” said the brunette, whose name tag read Karla. “You’re hurt, darling. Let me call an ambulance—”

  “There’s no time. I’ll be fine.” Though pain hovered in the background, Lisa barely registered it.

  “We’ve been trailing them in my truck,” said Cole, who had come in behind her. “I’m Captain Cole Sawyer, Army Ranger, and I witnessed the abduction.”

  The firm authority in his voice demanded both respect and cooperation as he added, “We’ll need a plate number, and a good description of the vehicle and where it was heading, a few supplies and a quick fill-up so we can try to catch them.”

  Clem was the first to recover from his shock. “You’ll find my Explorer?”

  “The boy’s our first priority,” Cole answered, “but I’ll do what I can.”

  A man with a bushy gray mustache and a cowboy hat quickly nodded. “I served our country, too, sir. Let me get you started with that fill-up.”

  As he hurried off, Karla took charge, asking Cole and Lisa, “You notify the Tuller County Sheriff?”

  “The kidnappers took my purse and phone,” Lisa said.

  Cole shook his head, his mouth tightening. “And I didn’t have one on me.”

  The waitress nodded. “Tell me, what do you need?”

  In record time, Karla, who was apparently the owner, directed her customers to help gather up first-aid supplies, drinks, food and assorted other items they deemed helpful, while the owner of the stolen Explorer described his four-year-old blue SUV.

  Once they were ready, Cole tried to press a handful of twenties on Karla, but she waved him off.

  “Forget it.” Her compassionate blue eyes found Lisa’s, and she pulled something from her pocket and pressed it into Lisa’s hand. “Just get out there and find your little boy.”

  It was a cell phone.

  “Reception’s pretty spotty out here, but you’ll find places you can use it. I’ve got another phone here.” Karla jerked her chin to indicate a corded model on the counter. “I’ll look up the Tuller County Sheriff’s number and let them know what you’ve told us.”

  “Please tell them about my son,” said Lisa. “If you have something to write on, I’ll give you his name and my Camry’s plate number so they can put out an AMBER Alert right away.”

  “Of course.” Karla hurried to get her a pen and order pad.

  “Thank you so much.” Lisa was humbled by the generosity and teamwork of these total strangers. And struck by guilt at the way Cole was stepping up, when only a few minutes before she’d been so convinced he was going to abandon her that she’d been willing to risk everything to stop him.

  The weight of the straw bag on her shoulder reminded her of the item she’d slipped inside it earlier to ensure his cooperation, but she pushed regret aside to leave her information for the sheriff. As soon as she was done, she and Cole rushed back to the truck, though this time she insisted on climbing inside on her own power.

  Heading in the direction Clem had indicated, they quickly turned onto an even smaller, southbound county road that Lisa had never before noticed, much less traveled. Out here, there were no streetlights, and the few houses were flanked by barns and other outbuildings. Stars were popping in the cloudless night sky, more of them by the minute, but they did little to relieve the gathering darkness, or the even bleaker blackness threatening to swamp her.

  She couldn’t stand to think of how Tyler must be feeling tonight, scared and alone with those two monsters who’d taken him. Couldn’t put it out of her mind, not even when Rowdy jumped onto the seat and nuzzled her hand, offering whatever small solace he could.

  “They could have split up,” she said, her voice shaking. “What if that woman took Tyler with her and went the other way in my car?”

  “I expect they’ve ditched your car somewhere nearby,” Cole told her. “Probably figured it’s too hot to keep driving. We can catch them, Lisa. If Clem’s right about how long ago his Explorer was taken, they’re only fifteen or twenty minutes ahead of us, maybe less, since they had your car to deal with.”

  They drove on, the bumping of the tires on the rutted pavement like an endlessly repeating song.

  When she could endure it no longer, she asked, “Would you like a soda?”

  “Yeah, sure—or better yet, one of those sports drinks. And you should try to eat and drink, too.”

  “Forget that,” she said as she passed him a chilled bottle. “I’ll have something as soon as we find Tyler.”

  “You need to fuel up now so you won’t keel over.”

  The idea turned her stomach, but she took out a couple of wrapped ham sandwiches, passing one to Cole. Rowdy licked her hand, then softly snuffled, reminding her that he was hungry, too.

  She groaned, her stomach pitching.

  “Are you okay?” Cole asked.

  “Tyler asked me for fast food.” Her vision hazed with moist heat. “I told him no, that I’d make dinner. I should have bought him something, should never have told him no.”

  “I don’t know much about you, Lisa,” Cole said softly. “But everything I’ve seen tells me one thing. You’re a good mom.”

  The kindness in his voice was nearly her undoing. She didn’t want his compassion, didn’t need his understanding. She wanted to hate him, to have someone to blame as much as she blamed herself.

  “Before my husband left for his deployment, I told him not to worry about Tyler. I said I would take care of our son so Devin could focus on taking care of himself. I promised.”

  Cole speared her with a look. “What happened today,” he said, his gray eyes troubled, “is
wrong. It’s as evil as anything I’ve seen in wartime. But get this in your head, Lisa. It isn’t because of anything you did or didn’t do.”

  As his words sank in, they triggered a memory that pushed beyond the aching in her temples. The memory of asking Evie if the abduction was because of something she herself had done.

  “The thing is... Remember how you asked if I knew them? Well, I think I do know her,” Lisa blurted. “The woman who kidnapped us.”

  “Are you sure?” Cole asked. “Where do you know her from?”

  She shook her head. “I can’t—I can’t remember. She called herself Evie LeStrange, but it was obviously a fake name. When I thought I recognized her, I tried to ask, to find out if I’d somehow done something to offend her. That’s when she hit me with her gun.”

  “Tell me what she looked like, in as much detail as you can remember. Maybe that’ll help to jog your memory.”

  Nodding, Lisa described the hacked, blue-streaked hair and the cruelly thin face, the blue eyes, the black clothing and the sneer. The more she recalled, the more convinced she became that something familiar lay behind the dark facade. “I’m sure of it now,” she erupted in frustration. “If only I could remember.”

  “Could the name have some significance? Maybe it’s a reference to something. Have you ever known anyone named Eve, Eva, Evita...?”

  Lisa shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

  “What about LeStrange? Could it mean anything?”

  She tried to focus, but nothing came to her. When Rowdy whined, she absently pulled out a second sandwich and clumsily unwrapped it, then fed him small pieces. “There’s something about her, but the harder I try to think,” she said, “the further it slips away.”

  “Then quit trying,” Cole suggested, “and maybe it’ll pop into your head a little later.”

  As they drove on, Lisa wondered how much longer he would be willing to keep driving, how much more he would risk for a fight that wasn’t his. And how long it would take him to notice that earlier she’d pulled his gun from beneath the seat and slipped it into her bag in case he changed his mind.