The sound of footsteps behind her caused her to turn around. She hoped it wasn’t Robbie. Josiah stopped a few feet behind her.
“Thomas told you about Foster being outside the window?”
She nodded and stared out the window at the spot where Foster had stood. “Why has this happened?” On top of all that I’ve dealt with in the past, now Foster is after Robbie.
“Thomas told me he’d do everything he could to find this man. Until then, I’d like you to come stay at my family’s home.”
She faced him again. “I can’t—”
He touched his hand to her cheek, setting her heartbeat racing. “All I ask is that you think about it. I know Alex would love to have you. And Robbie will have two dogs to fall in love with. It would just be until Foster is caught.”
Tears clogged her throat. She took in his kind expression, full of compassion. She couldn’t remember anyone looking at her quite like that. She swallowed several times before saying, “I’ll think about it. I still need to make arrangements for someone to care for Robbie while I work.”
“Have you taken any vacation time lately?”
She shook her head.
“Then do. Spend time with Robbie at my family estate. When my sister and I are at work, both Sadie and Buddy stay there along with a couple that take care of the place. Harry is an ex-Marine, and his wife, who is the housekeeper, was a police officer.”
“A Marine and a police officer? That’s quite a combination. And they’re caretakers now?”
“Yup. They’ve been working for my family for twenty-three years. Harry was my hero growing up. Still is. When he retired after twenty years in the US Marines, he married the love of his life, Linda, and they moved to Alaska. I learned so much of what I know about life and the wilderness from him. My parents were busy people, and Harry and Linda basically raised Alex and me.”
“Now I understand why you became a Marine.”
“He instilled in me a sense of duty to my country.”
“How long did you serve?”
Josiah turned away from her and started for the hallway. “Ten years. You have a lot to do today. We better get moving.”
What is he not telling me? She knew when someone was shutting down a conversation. She hated secrets. Keith had always kept a lot of them. She didn’t want to go down that road with Josiah, also.
* * *
After dropping Ella, Robbie and Buddy off at the Northern Frontier hangar at the small airport, Josiah went to his cabin on the grounds of the estate, showered and changed, then headed for work.
“How’s Ella doing after yesterday?” Alex asked Josiah when he entered her office at Outdoor Alaska, on the second floor of the main location.
“Foster came to her house and was peeping into Robbie’s room last night. Buddy and I stayed the night with them.”
“The police haven’t found him yet?”
Josiah settled in the chair in front of his sister’s large oak desk, which was neat and organized as usual. “No. Thomas came out to the house and looked around last night, then came back this morning. He showed Robbie some photos, and the kid picked Foster out of the lineup.”
Alex scowled. “Eight-year-olds shouldn’t have to be doing that.”
“That’s why I’m here. Ella hasn’t said yes yet, but I’ve invited her and Robbie to stay at the estate. I thought they could stay in the main house with you. If not—”
She waved her hand. “Of course they can. It’ll be nice to have a child around, and Sadie will love it.”
“Yeah, Buddy has taken to Robbie. I’m going to let them have the pick of the litter.”
“Where’s Buddy now? Sadie missed her playmate last night.”
“I left him with Robbie at the hangar. He promised to walk Buddy and play with him.”
“But mostly you want Buddy protecting the boy?”
Josiah nodded. “It’s hard for me to comprehend people going after children. I also saw that in the war zone. Too many kids being hurt or killed.”
“I don’t understand how such evil can exist in this world. Look what happened to you. You were tortured and held captive for months in the Middle East. How could God let that happen when you were saving a group of children from a burning building?”
His sister’s faith had been shaky after their parents’ deaths, but his captivity had caused her to question even more what the Lord’s intentions were. He hated that, and nothing he said would change her mind. “At least the children were saved.”
“And I’m glad for that, but you shouldn’t have had to pay for it like you did.” She pushed to her feet. “Let’s just agree to disagree about God. He’s constantly letting me down.”
“But I’m alive and helping others with Buddy.” He’d struggled while a prisoner, but his fiancée and his faith had pulled him through. It was hard enough losing Lori and rebuilding his life because of his capture. He was not going to turn away from the Lord, too.
“Will you still be able to go to the Fairbanks store and meet with the employees and city officials about the expansion on Monday?”
“Yes.”
“What about Robbie and Ella?”
“I might take them with me. A change of scenery could be good for both of them.”
One of Alex’s eyebrows rose. “First you loan Buddy to them, and now you’re including them in your life. Is there more going on than simply protecting the child?”
He frowned. “If I’m protecting them, then I need them close by.”
“You haven’t been apart from Buddy since you got him.”
“I don’t need him like I did when I first came back to the States.”
“But what if you have an anxiety attack or nightmares?”
“I haven’t had one in months, and besides, I have other techniques to help me.” Having PTSD after his release from captivity had nearly destroyed him until Buddy had come into his life and he’d gotten help for his panic and anxiety attacks.
“Still, it’s good to see you forming friendships outside your small circle of close friends.”
“Quit worrying about me, big sis.”
“I’m only five minutes older than you, little brother,” Alex said with a laugh.
The intercom buzzed, and Alex pressed it down. “Your ten o’clock appointment is here.”
“I’m leaving.” Josiah stood. “See you tonight.”
“Let Linda and Harry know if Ella and Robbie come to the estate. You know how they are if they don’t have any warning.”
At the door, Josiah glanced back. “I’m surrounded by organizational freaks. As soon as I know, they’ll be informed.”
In the reception area, he passed a young gentleman dressed in a three-piece business suit that mocked Josiah’s casual clothing of tan slacks and black polo shirt. Later he would load some equipment into his truck to use at tomorrow’s training session, but for now he had reports to write on last month’s sale numbers.
As he left his sister’s office, he again wondered at the differences between Alex and him. She would fit right in with the man who had an appointment, whereas Josiah would be more comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt, but that would shock his sister. If Alex ever saw how messy he was at the cabin, she would be appalled. On second thought, she probably wouldn’t be. They knew each other well—in fact, she was the only person who knew how much his captivity had changed him. He hadn’t shared that with anyone but Alex and God, and even his sister didn’t know all of it.
* * *
Ella finished a chart for the training session tomorrow and printed off the copies she would pass out to the participants. Robbie, Buddy and David were out in the hangar setting up some of the areas concerning search and rescue. She checked the wall clock and noted that it was three-thirty. She almost had ever
ything ready to go, then she could go home, get some rest and—
The phone on her desk rang. She snatched up the receiver. “Northern Frontier Search and Rescue. How can I help you?”
A few seconds’ silence, then deep breathing filled the earpiece.
She started to repeat herself when the caller hung up. Ella slowly replaced the phone in its cradle. The second call today. She looked at the caller ID and saw the number was blocked. Since the people who contacted her needed help finding someone, even when she was sure it was a prank call, she stayed on the line in case the person was in trouble.
Was that Foster? If so, why was he calling?
“Mom, what’s wrong?” Robbie asked when he came into the office.
“Nothing. Counting down the time until Josiah picks us up.”
David appeared in the doorway. “He should be here in an hour with the equipment he’s loaning us.”
Robbie held on to Buddy’s leash. “It’s time I take him for a walk. I can do it by myself. I’m only gonna be on the grass near the hangar.”
Ella shoved back her chair. “No. I’ll come with you. David, I finished the last chart. It’s still in the printer. When I get back, I’ll put the packets together, and then we should be all ready.”
“Great. I want to call it an early evening. Let’s pray there aren’t any search and rescues tonight or tomorrow.” David headed for his office.
“I hope there aren’t any the whole weekend. I have some sleep to catch up on.” And how am I going to do that unless I accept Josiah’s invitation to stay at his family estate? He would expect an answer when he came to take her and Robbie home. For the past four years she’d depended only on herself to keep her and Robbie safe. She couldn’t tell anyone about her ex-husband. The more people who knew her real past, the greater the risk. The New Life Organization had stressed that to her.
“Mom, Buddy is pacing around. He needs to go outside bad.” Her son waited by the door that led to the airfield.
“Okay, I’m right behind you.”
That was all Robbie needed. He shot out of the office and made a beeline for the patch of grass on the left. At a much more sedate rate Ella followed and gave her son freedom to move in a wide arc with Buddy while she lounged against the building, wondering if it was possible to fall asleep standing up.
Robbie let the dog off the leash to get some exercise. He threw a tennis ball across the grassy area at the side of the hangar to the other end. Buddy barked and raced after it.
Behind Robbie there was a road that was only a few yards from the main street. A black truck, going five or ten miles over the posted speed limit, headed out of the airport. Suddenly the driver swerved the pickup onto the grass, going straight for her son.
“Robbie!” Ella screamed, sprinting as fast as she could toward him. “Run.”
Eyes big, Robbie pumped his short legs as fast as she’d ever seen him do. Buddy charged toward the truck, barking. Her son flew into her embrace while Buddy raced after the vehicle.
The driver swerved his pickup back toward the road, the rear tires spinning in the dirt and grass. Even when the black truck bounced onto the pavement, Buddy continued to chase it.
Robbie twisted to watch the German shepherd. “Mom, I can’t lose him.”
“Cover your ears.” Then Ella blew an ear-piercing whistle. “Buddy. Come.”
The dog slowed and looked back at her.
“Come!” She shouted the command she’d heard Josiah use with his dog.
Buddy trotted toward her and Robbie. When the animal reached them, her son knelt and buried his face in the black fur on the German shepherd’s neck.
Robbie peered up at Ella, tears running down his face. The sight of them confirmed that she would be staying with Josiah and his sister. She needed all the help she could get to keep her son safe.
“Let’s go inside.”
Her son rose, swiping the back of his hand across his cheeks. “Was that the man from the woods?”
“I couldn’t tell. The truck’s windows were tinted too dark, and there was no license plate.”
“Is...is—” he gulped “—it my—” his chest rose and fell rapidly “—my dad?” The color drained from her son’s face, and he continued to breathe fast.
Halfway back to the hangar, Ella stopped and squatted in front of Robbie and clasped his arms. “No. The photo you and the other boys identified looks nothing like your father.”
“I’m scared.”
So am I. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise. Josiah has asked us to stay with him and his sister at their house. You remember his twin, Alex. Her dog’s name is Sadie. So you’ll get to play with two dogs. That should be fun.”
He nodded.
Ella fought to suppress her tears. If she broke down, it would upset Robbie. He hated seeing her cry. She’d done enough of that while living with her ex-husband. “I told David earlier that I was going to take at least a week off to spend time with you.”
“Can we go camping?”
“Maybe.”
“If we leave, the bad man can’t get me.”
She couldn’t tell her son that wasn’t always the case. If Keith ever found out where they were, he’d come after them, even though he’d lost his paternal rights because of his criminal activities working for a crime syndicate and his violence against her. “I’ll talk with Josiah and the Detective Caldwell to see what’s best.”
The sound of a vehicle approaching drew Ella’s attention. Josiah parked at the side of the hangar. When Robbie saw him climb from the Ford F-150, he snapped the leash on Buddy, then hurried toward Josiah. Ella watched her son run to him, pointing to the area where the black truck had driven off the road.
Even from a distance Ella could feel the anger pouring off the man. As he bridged the distance between them, a frown carved deep lines in his face. A storm greeted her in his blue eyes, but she didn’t feel any of the fury was directed at her.
“Robbie, will you let David know I’m here with the supplies?” Josiah asked. “Take Buddy with you.”
“Sure.”
While her son led the German shepherd toward the hangar, Josiah asked, “Was it Foster?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. The license plate was missing from the truck.”
“Will you stay with Alex and me?”
“Yes.”
“Can you leave now?”
“Right after I put the training session packets together. It shouldn’t take me long.”
“Good. I’ll take you home so you can pack what you’ll need. I’ll have Robbie help David and me unload the truck while you finish up.” He started for the hangar.
“Is this all right with Alex?”
“Are you kidding? She’s thrilled to have others in that big old house she lives in.”
“You don’t live there?”
“I’m out back in the caretaker’s cabin. Harry and Linda have a suite of rooms in the main house. They’re more like family than employees.” As David and Robbie emerged from the office door, Josiah caught her arm to pull her around to face him. “I’ll call Thomas while you’re packing. He’ll want to know about this incident.”
Ella nodded. She’d give whatever information she could to the police and pray it would help them find whoever was doing this to her and Robbie.
* * *
Later that evening, Josiah sat on the deck at the estate, watching Robbie play with both Buddy and Sadie. The sound of the boy’s laughter penetrated the hard shell around Josiah’s heart, put there to protect him from further pain after Lori’s betrayal. He’d always wanted to be a father but had pushed that dream aside. Having a family meant trusting a woman enough to open up to her. He couldn’t do that. If he couldn’t give his heart to a woman, how in the world could they ev
er build a lasting relationship?
When Ella’s son finally sank to the thick green grass and stretched out spread eagle, he called Sadie and Buddy to him. One dog lay on his right while the other sat on the left. Robbie stroked each one and stared up at the sky. It was good to see the child lose himself in the moment and forget for a while that someone was after him.
The French doors opened behind him, and he spied Ella coming toward him. Beautiful. Kind. But something was wrong. He could see it in her eyes, even before Robbie had been threatened. Had she been betrayed like him? She never talked about Robbie’s father.
He turned his attention back to the boy playing between the dogs. He shouldn’t care about Ella’s past. But he did care. Why did she always look so sad?
“Well, we’re all settled in our rooms.” Ella sat in the lounge chair next to him.
“Good. I’ve decided to stay down the hall, and I want Buddy to sleep in Robbie’s room, if that’s all right with you.”
“I couldn’t say no. My son would disown me. He’s so attached to Buddy. I need to get him his puppy soon or you’ll have a problem when all this is over.”
“We can go to the breeder on Tuesday. On Monday I’m driving to Fairbanks to talk with the team at Outdoor Alaska. I hope that you and Robbie will come with me. I’ll only have to work a few hours, and then we can spend the rest of the time sightseeing or whatever else you’d like to do.”
“Sounds wonderful. Robbie wants to go camping while I’m off. I’m not sure we should.”
“If Robbie wants to camp out, we could do it here on the estate. We have woods.” Josiah pointed toward the grove of trees along the back and side of his property. “It’s not big, but it should give Robbie the sense of camping out in the forest.”
“Is it safe?”
“It should be. We live in a gated community and even have private security guards patrolling the area. But the best security will be Buddy and Sadie. Nothing gets by them.”
“Thanks. I don’t want my son obsessed about the man stalking him. Did you notice on the drive here he didn’t say a word?”
Josiah slid his hand over hers on the arm of her chair. “Yes. Young people generally never think anything bad will happen to them, and it is very sobering when that illusion is challenged or broken.”
To Save Her Child Page 6