by Rita Herron
His phone buzzed, and he settled the kitten in the SUV. He didn’t know what he was going to do with it, but he didn’t intend to leave it out here to fend for itself.
Maybe his mother would want it. Or Honey. Or... Charlotte.
Hell, what was he thinking? He didn’t even know the woman. She might not like cats. And no telling how long she’d be hospitalized.
“Lucas, it’s Tradd.”
The agent’s voice jerked him back to the present. “What’s up?”
“Did you find anything?” Tradd asked.
“We’re at some warehouses outside Tumbleweed that appear to have been a holding place for victims, although judging from discarded food containers, they’ve been gone a while. We don’t think it’s the Tumbleweed victims.”
“These crews know how to slide in and out under the radar,” Tradd said.
“What about you guys?” Lucas asked.
“I’m on my way to the Mexican border,” Tradd said. “Got a tip from a CI to check out. Agent Sandino is en route to Miami to look at some containers we suspect the traffickers might be using to transport the human cargo.”
Human cargo. Those two words shouldn’t be used in the same sentence.
“I’ll keep you posted.” Tradd ended the call and Lucas hurried to meet Harrison by his SUV. The crime team had arrived and they were combing the warehouse space, processing the charred van and searching the property. If there had been trouble with one or more of the girls or one had escaped, they might find someone in those woods.
The next three hours were grueling as they combed the area. Lucas and Harrison joined in, searching behind trees, rocks, in the ditches and a section of ground that looked as if it had been disturbed.
The dirt was piled high with leaves and brush spread across it. A grave?
Lucas jammed a shovel into the dirt, and proceeded to clear away the soil, leaves and sticks, while Harrison explored another section that had been covered up as if it led to a tunnel or a cave.
Lucas held his breath as he dug deeper and deeper. The shovel hit something hard, and a sick knot clenched in his stomach.
Was it bones? Or a body?
Chapter Six
Praying it wasn’t one of Charlotte’s students, Lucas dropped to his knees and dug with his hands, tossing aside dirt and leaves. Harrison yanked sticks, leaves and branches away from the space behind him that appeared to be a hidden cave.
Voices echoed from the woods. A coyote howled in the distance.
Dammit, he dug faster. His fingers hit something hard. He felt the surface. Jagged. A large stone.
Not a body.
Thank God.
For a moment, he was so relieved that he leaned his head on his arm and simply focused on breathing.
“Lucas?”
Harrison’s voice made him jerk his head around. The grimness in his brother’s eyes twisted Lucas’s stomach.
“Did you find something?”
“I’m afraid so,” Harrison said.
Lucas stood, dread rolling through him. Just a short time ago, he and his brothers had searched a cave not too far from here and found his sister’s remains.
“One of our girls from Tumbleweed?” Lucas asked.
Harrison shook his head. “I don’t think so. This body has been there too long.”
Lucas stiffened. “You think it could have been one of Elden’s victims that we don’t know about?”
Harrison shrugged. “I doubt it. His mother came clean after we made the arrest. Once we identify her, we can find out if she was a kidnap victim, a runaway or...a victim of another crime.”
Harrison phoned the ME while Lucas crossed to the cave entrance and ducked through the opening.
Sure enough, a skeleton was inside, brittle hair rotting along with the corpse.
Lucas shined the light around the bones, searching for any way to identify the girl, but there was no ID or wallet. Her clothes were decaying on her bones, yet he could see that three of her fingers looked broken.
Defense wounds?
Or she’d broken them trying to claw her way out of her chains in that damn warehouse. An image of her escaping taunted him, followed by another image of her being chased in the woods.
Harrison poked his head in. “The ME and CSI are on their way.”
Lucas nodded and exited the cave, his anger blending with grief over the dead girl.
He hadn’t known her but her young life had been snuffed out way too soon.
* * *
CHARLOTTE’S EYES FELT heavy again. “Thank you for coming, Honey,” Charlotte said. “I have no idea what time it is, but if you need to go home, please go. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not leaving until I hear from the guys.” She patted Charlotte’s hand again. “But you need to rest, so sleep, Charlotte. I’ll wake you when I hear from them.”
The need to close her eyes tugged at Charlotte, although even when she did, the darkness grew blacker. She couldn’t erase the images of what had happened earlier or the sounds of her students’ cries. “Why did they target me and my students?” she asked, thinking out loud.
“I don’t know,” Honey said. “Harrison said that they’re part of a larger group so it was probably random. They probably scope out local businesses or areas where they can find female groups.” She brushed Charlotte’s hair away from her forehead again. “But this wasn’t your fault. No one could have known what they were planning or where they were going to hit. And you certainly couldn’t have stopped them.”
Funny how Honey could read her mind. When she’d heard Honey’s story of growing up in Tumbleweed, Charlotte had instantly been drawn to her. Honey reminded her of herself.
She was a survivor.
Sweet Evie’s face flashed in her mind, along with her other students. Those girls were survivors, too.
The throbbing in her head intensified, and she lifted her hand and touched the bandage. The movement caused her shoulder to ache where she’d been shot.
“Do you need more pain meds?” Honey asked.
An image of herself as a child with that port-wine birthmark returned to haunt her. She wasn’t a little kid anymore, but she knew her forehead had taken a bashing. “No, I’m okay.” She refused to complain and wanted to clear her head. “Can I ask you something, Honey?”
Honey stroked her arm. “Of course, Charlotte. What is it?”
She felt silly for asking, but she had to face the truth. “Is my face, my eyes, am I...going to be scarred?”
Honey sighed softly. “According to your doctor, you have a half-dozen stitches, but they’re in your hairline, and the wound should heal.” She paused. “I know you’ve lost your vision for now, but your eyes look normal, Charlotte.”
Charlotte blinked back more tears. “That sounded vain, and it’s really not important, especially considering my students are in danger—”
“It doesn’t sound vain,” Honey assured her. “It’s only human to wonder. Besides, you and I are alike, Charlotte. We both have to know what we’re dealing with, then we face it head-on.”
Charlotte’s throat closed. Honey was right.
When she’d first heard how awful some of the locals had treated her friend, she wasn’t sure she wanted to settle in Tumbleweed. But Honey’s giving spirit had made her want to call this place home.
Only now, her studio had been trashed, her future ripped apart and the kids she devoted her heart and time to help were missing.
* * *
LUCAS’S PHONE BUZZED as Harrison drove away from the ranch. Thankfully, his mother had been thrilled to have the kitten. He’d known she was lonely and should have thought of getting her a pet sooner.
Harrison veered onto the road leading to the hospital.
Lucas connected the call. Keenan Hart from the Bureau.
“I’ve been researching those tattoos,” Keenan said. “Snakes are common, and I’ve found several lightning bolts. I need more details. It would help if Charlotte would look at photos—”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Lucas said grimly. “She lost her sight. The doctor doesn’t know if it’s temporary or permanent.”
“Oh, gosh, I’m sorry. I’ll send you the photos of the ones I found and you can describe them to her.”
“Good idea.” Lucas explained about the body they’d discovered at the warehouse and the charred van. “Also, run background checks on the victims’ foster families. Check their financials for trouble.”
“You think one of them is involved?” Keenan asked.
“I’m just covering the bases,” Lucas said. If a foster parent had been bribed or paid off, he could use that as leverage to push him—or her—for more information about the kidnappers.
Before he hung up, his phone buzzed again.
“Keep me posted,” he told Keenan, and then clicked to answer. “Brayden?”
“Yeah, I’m here with Mom. She was upset about what happened in town today.”
Everybody in town was probably upset. Missing children had a way of inciting panic and fear.
“Reassure her that we’re doing everything we can to find the missing teens,” Lucas said.
“I have, but that’s not the reason I called. We were watching TV, Lucas, and the story is plastered all over the place. It made national news.”
Lucas scrubbed a hand through his hair. Of course it had.
“Some reporter named Gerald Ingram showed a picture of Charlotte in the hospital.”
“What the hell?”
“He announced that she was the only surviving witness.”
A litany of curse words spewed from Lucas’s tongue. “That idiot bastard. He might as well have put a bullet in her head.”
“I know. I’m sorry, man. Is there anything I can do?”
“Just stay with Mom for a while.”
They said goodbye just as Harrison pulled into the hospital parking lot.
“What happened?” his brother asked as they parked and walked toward the entrance.
Lucas relayed the news about the reporter. “I should have posted security at Charlotte’s door,” Harrison said.
“I should have thought of it, too.” But they’d both been too anxious to track down that van and look for the kidnapped victims. “I’ll stay with her tonight,” Lucas offered. “Tomorrow we’ll assign a detail.”
Harrison nodded, and they went inside and rode the elevator to the second floor. With that damn news report on his mind, Lucas scanned the halls and corridors in case one of the kidnappers returned to try and take out Charlotte.
* * *
CHARLOTTE WAS ROUSED from sleep again as footsteps echoed in the room. Then voices.
“How’s she doing, Honey?”
Harrison. She heard the smack of his lips as he kissed Honey, stirring other emotions inside her. She’d watched those lovebirds with envy the last couple of months.
Harrison was lucky to have found a wonderful woman like Honey. She was lucky, too. Harrison seemed completely devoted to his wife.
“She’s been resting some,” Honey said.
“That reporter Gerald Ingram just aired the story that Charlotte survived.”
This time, Lucas. His voice was slightly deeper than Harrison’s. And darker. Intimidating.
“Oh, my God,” Honey said. “That’s not good, is it?”
“Afraid not,” Harrison said grimly.
Charlotte shifted, pushing herself higher on the pillow to prop up. The room blurred into darkness, but she sensed the presence of Honey and Harrison and Lucas.
“I didn’t know he was a reporter,” Charlotte said. “He said he was a cop.”
“Bastard,” Lucas said. “He plays dirty.”
“It’s not your fault,” Harrison said. “We should have anticipated that he’d try to sneak in and prevented it.”
“The nurse ran him out.” Charlotte ran a hand through her tangled hair. “You think one of those men will try to kill me?”
An awkward tense silence followed.
“You don’t have to answer that,” Charlotte said. “I guess that’s obvious.”
“We aren’t going to let anything happen to you,” Honey said.
“She’s right,” Lucas agreed.
Harrison cleared his throat. “We’ll assign a guard to watch your room while you’re here.”
“I’m going home as soon as possible,” Charlotte said. She hated hospitals.
“I’ll stay with you when you come home,” Honey offered. “We can have a sleepover.”
A footstep, then something rustled. “That’s not going to happen, Honey,” Harrison said brusquely.
Another awkward silence, then whispering.
“Is something wrong, Honey?” Charlotte asked.
A heartbeat passed. “No, nothing’s wrong,” Honey said.
“What’s going on, Harrison?” Lucas asked.
“Maybe this isn’t the time,” Honey said in a low whisper.
“For heaven’s sake, I may be blind, but I’m not deaf,” Charlotte said. “What’s wrong, Honey?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” Honey’s hand brushed Charlotte’s arm. “I’m pregnant, Charlotte.”
A light lifted inside Charlotte. “That’s wonderful, Honey. I’m so happy for you.”
She tugged Honey into a hug, tears dampening her cheeks. Hers? Honey’s? Both.
“Congratulations, brother,” Lucas said.
She heard motion and realized the brothers must be hugging.
“Have you told Mom?” Lucas asked.
Harrison shook his head. “You’re the first to know.”
Honey tucked a strand of Charlotte’s hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry, Charlotte, I know this isn’t the best time—”
“Shh.” Charlotte hugged Honey again “This is wonderful timing. We need good news right now. And a baby...there’s nothing more exciting than knowing you’re having a little one.”
“But you’ve been hurt—”
“Hush.” Charlotte set Honey away from her, felt for her hands and cradled them between her own. “I’m happy for you. You’re going to be a great mother.”
“She will be,” Harrison said. “Just like she’s a great wife. But it’s my job to protect her.”
“You’re damn right it is,” Charlotte said with conviction. “And if having Honey near me puts her and the baby in danger, then take her someplace far away.”
“That’s not necessary,” Harrison said. “But I do want her on the ranch.”
“I’ll take the first watch here tonight,” Lucas said matter-of-factly.
Fear of the kidnappers slithered through Charlotte. But she wasn’t about to show it in front of Honey. “Go home, Honey, please. Take care of yourself and that baby.”
Honey hugged her again. “You know I’m here for you, Charlotte.”
“I know. But I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you and that baby.”
“There’s nothing more we can do tonight,” Lucas said. “Take your wife home, Harrison. Maybe we’ll get a lead in the morning.”
Shuffling echoed in the room as the men said goodbye, and Honey pressed her hand against Charlotte’s cheek. “Call me if you need me.”
Charlotte nodded, although there was no way she’d put her best friend in jeopardy.
Voices and footsteps followed as the three of them filed from the room. Charlotte blinked hard, willing her vision to return. Just a sliver of light. A color.
She always associated colors with moods, feelings, emotions. Blue for relaxing and calming, like the ocean. Red, orange and bright yellow for sunsets and optimism. Green fo
r melancholy.
Black—the darkness she saw now—for emptiness. Fear. Uncertainty.
She tugged the covers over her as if they were a safety net. Honey said to trust Harrison and Lucas. Trust had never been in her vocabulary.
Chapter Seven
Lucas walked Harrison and Honey out into the hallway to leave, then slapped his brother on the back. “Congratulations again. You’re lucky, bro. Take care of her and that little Hawk.”
Harrison wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders, tugging her close to him. “Don’t doubt it, man. I will.”
Honey smiled up at him, her eyes glowing. “I hate to leave Charlotte. She acts tough, but she’s scared. More for her students than herself, but I’m worried about her.”
“We aren’t going to let anything happen to Charlotte,” Lucas said, surprised at the fierceness of his own voice. He’d barely met the woman, but there was something about the combination of her vulnerability and strength that roused his admiration and respect.
She also aroused parts of his body he couldn’t think about. He had no business noticing how beautiful she was when she was lying in the hospital injured and in danger.
“Let me know if you hear anything,” Harrison said.
Lucas nodded. “You do the same.” He gestured to Honey. “Now take her home. Mom will never forgive us if we keep the mother of her first grandchild up too late.”
Harrison chuckled, and he and Honey walked down the hall, hands linked. Their mother would be ecstatic over the news. She’d grieved for Chrissy for nearly two decades. Although at first she hadn’t welcomed Honey, she’d changed. Now she adored Honey and would love that child with all her heart.
A seed of envy sprouted inside Lucas. For years he and his brothers had harbored guilt over Chrissy’s disappearance.
It was nice to see that Harrison had found a family of his own.
Lucas had never considered the possibility himself.
Do not go there. You have a case to solve. Charlotte Reacher is part of that case, nothing more.
Why the hell was he thinking about this stuff now? He had to keep his mind on the job. Being focused was imperative to being a successful agent.