Yuletide Abduction

by Virginia Vaughan

  “Don’t worry,” she told him. “We’ll find out who did this.”

  She reached out to him, but her hand on his arm wasn’t enough to reassure him.

  He bit back his anger aimed at her. Why had she gone to Patti’s alone? Had she brought danger to his sister-in-law’s house? And what if he hadn’t been there when the gunfire began? Would she have been killed? Would Patti?

  She must have sensed his resistance because she didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she turned to him and said uncertainly, “I want to go to the school tomorrow and interview Larkin.”

  As much as he wanted to be there for that, he wasn’t sure he could continue on with Elise if he couldn’t trust her. But he couldn’t give up on finding Candace either and he still needed the FBI resources to do that, especially now that the stakes had been upped by tonight’s shooting.

  He needed to remain close to her. Plain and simple. “You shouldn’t be driving. You still have a concussion. Give me a few minutes to board up these windows. Then I’ll drive you back to the hotel.”

  “I have my SUV. Plus, I still wanted to stop to get a new computer.”

  “Then I’ll follow behind to make sure you get there safely.”

  He secured the windows then made sure Elise made it safely to the hotel after a stop at the office-supply store before heading back to his apartment. Tossing his jacket onto a chair, he fell onto his couch. He rubbed his hands over his face, frustration washing over him. He’d been on rough missions before, assignments where the waiting for intel was frustrating and painstakingly difficult, but he’d always been assured that his part of the mission would eventually occur. Now, in this situation, he was on the sidelines. He should be out combing the area for Candace, but without search parameters, he would be hunting futilely. He was as much in the dark about her whereabouts as anyone else and he hated it.

  He picked up his phone and dialed the number of his buddy and fellow former army ranger. After the fatal final mission that had decimated their ranger squadron, Colton had lost his faith and fallen hard into drinking and gambling until Josh and the remaining members of their squad joined in an intervention that sent Colton into therapy. He recovered both his faith and his sobriety, but not before he’d lost his ranger status and ultimately left the army. Unlike Josh and others who’d taken jobs in the security industry, Colton had retired to a cattle ranch in Georgia.

  “Josh-u-a!” Colton exclaimed when he answered. He had a habit of stretching out Josh’s name into three syllables. Josh grinned at the familiar expression of greeting. When Josh explained the situation involving his missing niece, his brother and even the arrival of the unexpected FBI agent, Colton was quick to offer his assistance. “Do I need to come help with the search?”

  “Right now, we don’t even know where we’re searching,” Josh told him, not at all surprised by the offer. His brothers-in-arms remained a close-knit group even though they’d gone their separate ways.

  “We’ve all been in situations where we’ve had to work with officials from the various three-letter agencies that we weren’t thrilled with, but we make it work because we have to. Stick with the FBI agent. Don’t let her make a move without you. And remember, Josh, to let God’s word light your way. We know better than most that when you’re moving in the dark, you take it step by step.”

  Josh twirled the key he wore on a chain around his neck as a reminder of his ranger days and the command his squad leader always imparted to them from Psalm 119—God’s light is a lamp unto your feet. He will guide our paths always.

  He’d repeated that verse whenever things on the mission got patchy, when they couldn’t see the wisdom of their actions, reminding his men that God could see all things no matter how dark the night or how hopeless the situation seemed. God’s guidance was the lamp that lit their paths, one step of faith at a time.

  His squad leader had also recited those words to them only hours before the ambush that claimed six members of their squad including him. If God had truly seen that coming, Josh wondered again why He hadn’t stopped it. A single interpreter that had double-crossed them had changed everything. For that matter, why hadn’t God stopped whatever had happened to Candace or acted to prevent Max’s death?

  “What I wouldn’t give for a pair of God-centered NVGs,” Josh commented, referring to the night-vision goggles the squad used to see in the dark.

  “We have to trust those above us.”

  That was the rub and Colton knew it as well as Josh did. They’d trusted those above them...and they’d been left abandoned in the fire.

  “Even when we can’t see the big picture,” Colton finished. “Besides, we have a Commander in Chief that will never leave us and never forsake us.”

  Josh nodded, understanding Colton was referring to Jesus as Commander in Chief. Josh wished he had a quarter of Colton’s renewed faith.

  “I’m six hours away, but I’m on the road the moment you give the word.”

  Josh thanked him then hung up, as always feeling better after speaking with Colton. It was a nice reminder that he wasn’t alone, despite how isolated he felt in this life he’d chosen.

  When he’d first returned to Westhaven, he’d expected to step right back into his old life, but he was no longer the kid who’d cruised the streets after sunset. He no longer cared about football, a staple of small-town life while he was growing up. And despite stepping back into civilian life, he didn’t feel as if he fit. He was still the square peg being shoved into the round notch. He hadn’t yet been able to recapture the feeling of belonging that he’d had in his youth...or with his ranger team. He was acting a part, the part of a man he thought he should be instead of the man he really was. That man he kept hidden deep, deep inside. No one here would understand that man, the soldier who’d made the choices he’d made or known the consequences he’d faced. No one in Westhaven understood that the danger and risk were not to be feared but just another issue to confront...no one with the possible exception of Elise.

  Was it possible she was a kindred spirit even if she was a three-lettered agent? Being FBI, she would understand the order, the risk and the chain of command. She would know the structures of missions and about risking her life for a greater purpose. He stared past his ribbons and his medal of honor to the photograph of him and Max as teens. Even if she’d never lost a brother, she might understand losing a brother-in-arms.

  He sighed wearily and rubbed his eyes. Was he actually thinking Elise Richardson might understand him? The woman who’d taken his brother from him? Could he ever find it in his heart to forgive her for her role in Max’s death? Why couldn’t he get past this bitterness that had taken root inside of him? She wasn’t really responsible. He knew that. Max had died doing what Max had always done—helping others.

  He propped his elbows on his knees and leaned into his hands. He was tired of the bitter taste of unforgiveness in his mouth. He was tired of pretending to be someone he wasn’t. He was ready to find the joy and comfort of life he knew he should have. “God, release me,” he prayed. “Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and I will follow Your lead.”

  Even if that first step meant trusting Elise Richardson.

  * * *

  Elise was setting up her new computer equipment when someone knocked on the hotel door. She opened it to find Bobby Danbar.

  “A delivery came for you, Agent,” he said, holding out a FedEx envelope.

  Her flash drive.

  Thank you, Lin.

  She took the envelope and set it on the table. She hadn’t yet confronted Mr. Danbar on spilling the beans about her being in town. Now seemed to be as good a time as any. “Come in, please.”

  “Is there something else I can do for you, Agent?” he asked, stepping into the room and surveying, perhaps looking for something that needed repair.

  She pasted on her best interr
ogation look and faced him. “As a matter of fact, there is, Mr. Danbar. I’ve heard rumors around town that you were bragging that the FBI had checked into your hotel.”

  His eyes grew wide at her accusation and he had the good sense to look ashamed. “I may have let that slip while I was out drinking with some friends. I apologize, Agent Richardson.”

  “Make certain nothing else slips out while you’re out drinking, Mr. Danbar.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He hurried out the door and closed it behind him.

  Elise opened the envelope, confirming it contained her flash drive. She spent the next few hours reloading her computer and printing out photographs on her new mobile printer. She taped up several of girls who she was convinced had been abducted as part of this human trafficking ring. She added the photo Patti had given her of Candace. Finding these girls was the key to finding Candace or vice versa. There was an evil presence simmering beneath these cases, one she had yet been unable to uncover. These girls needed her to stop this.

  She closed her eyes, the memory of that fateful night ten years earlier still so vivid in her mind. She’d been minding her own business when the stranger tried to abduct her. She could still feel the weight of the man’s hand as he grabbed her, still hear her own screams for help ringing in her ears, still feel the hardness of the gun against her skin. The sheer terror and panic that had grabbed hold of her had never completely dissipated. Had it not been for the intervention of Max Adams, Elise was certain she wouldn’t have made it out of that situation alive.

  She sat on the bed and stared at each of the girls’ photos she’d taped to the wall. Each one of them knew that feeling, that same feeling she’d experienced, and much worse.

  She couldn’t...she wouldn’t...give up on finding them.

  * * *

  Josh spent the morning going over security specs for a client trip to Baghdad. Like so many of his ranger buddies had done, he’d gone into the security business. It was what he knew. He knew how to spot evil and protect from it.

  Yet he hadn’t been able to protect Candace...or his squad.

  That cold reality pressed into him, causing him to question his competence and go over the specs one more time to make certain he’d accounted for all contingencies.

  He didn’t like the thought of leaving the country with Candace still missing and he’d briefly thought of handing off the assignment to someone else. The trip was still a month away, but he might still if she hadn’t been found by the time he had to leave. But it seemed now that the FBI was in town investigating perhaps things would move more quickly.

  He shuddered, thinking on all the evil things that could have happened to Candace. Whether she’d run away from home or not, evil knew no boundaries. He quickly pushed those thoughts from his mind. He would drive himself nuts pondering all the things that could have happened to her. Instead, he had to forge ahead, reminding himself that she was out there and he could find her...even if he hadn’t so far.

  He should be grateful that the FBI was in town looking for Candace. It was more than anyone else had done, but he couldn’t get past the fact that it was Elise Richardson. Was this some cosmic joke that God was playing on his family? But he’d decided to trust Elise and he meant to do it.

  When he arrived to pick her up, Elise seemed steadier on her feet and didn’t require his assistance to walk to the car. He was glad for the distance. Things between them had got too cloudy, and being so near to her had only blurred the lines. He had to keep reminding himself who she was—the woman who’d caused his brother’s death—because he was surprised by the intensity of his attraction to her. She was someone he could see himself falling for in another time and place, but despite her involvement in his brother’s death, she was a woman who put her life on the line every day and he wasn’t going to set himself up to lose someone else he cared for.

  She popped a couple of Tylenol as he drove to the high school and parked. He hadn’t seen her take anything stronger, although he knew she had to be feeling that concussion. She was devoted to staying alert so she could find Candace.

  Patti was waiting for them with a copy of Candace’s class schedule and the combination to her locker. “I looked through it when Candace first went missing, but I didn’t remove anything.”

  Elise thanked her then followed him to Candace’s locker. He had it opened in moments. On first glance, he saw normal locker stuff—schoolbooks, notebooks and a sweater hanging on a hook.

  Elise took the schedule Patti had given her and compared the books in the locker to her class schedule.

  “What are you looking for?” Josh asked her.

  “Both her biology and algebra textbooks are missing.”

  “Is that important?”

  “A girl who is going to run away takes the schoolbooks out of her backpack before she leaves. I don’t see these books in here and I didn’t see them in her bedroom, either.”

  He hadn’t even thought about that. If she’d run away, she wouldn’t have taken her books with her.

  The bell rang and kids began to pour into the hallway from the various classrooms. Josh scanned their faces, looking for one in particular. Brooke Martin. Elise had said she wanted to speak to the girl. “There she is.” He pushed through the crowd of kids. “Brooke!”

  The petite blonde stopped and turned worried brown eyes on him. “Mr. Adams. What are you doing here?”

  “This is Elise Richardson. She’s with the FBI and is here looking into Candace’s disappearance.”

  The girl’s eyes widened and she frowned. “Why? Candace ran away.”

  Elise stepped up beside him. “I’d like to talk with you about the last time you saw her and also about the note you gave the police.”

  Brooke frowned and became jittery. “I have to get to my next class.”

  “This is important,” Josh said.

  “And it won’t take long,” Elise assured her.

  Still, Brooke hesitated. “I should phone my father first. He wouldn’t like me talking to you without him.” She pulled her cell phone from her bag and began dialing.

  Josh didn’t like the way she was acting. This was Candace’s best friend. Why wouldn’t she be happy to help in any way she could? “Does she seem edgy to you?”

  He could see Elise had her doubts but was reserving her opinion. “Being questioned by the FBI can make anyone nervous. She may be worried about getting Candace in trouble.”

  Brooke turned back to them. “My dad doesn’t want me talking to you. He said I’ve already told the police everything I know. You can get my statement from them.”

  “Can I speak to him? Is he still on the phone?”

  “No. He said I should go on to my next class.”

  She turned to leave but Josh reached for her arm. “Brooke, please reconsider. Think about how your family would feel if you were missing. Candace’s mother is worried about her and so am I. We just want to bring her home.”

  “She’s not in any trouble, Brooke,” Elise said, playing up that angle. “Neither are you if you’re covering for her.”

  “I’m not covering for her.” She fidgeted with her books nervously.

  Elise didn’t seem to notice. Her tone softened and she inched toward Brooke as if they were old friends just catching up. “Did she tell you where she would go if she ran away? Was she heading anywhere specific?”

  “She always wanted to go to Florida.”

  Josh shook his head, knowing that wasn’t true. Candace had never expressed an interest in going to Florida. If anything, she was always fond of the mountains.

  “Brooke, have you spoken to Candace since she disappeared? Has she tried to contact you?”

  “No.”

  More lies. Josh was certain of it. He knew the way she fidgeted and twirled her hair were telltale signs that she was thin
king about her answers. Surely, Elise noticed, too?

  Elise handed Brooke one of her business cards. “I’d like you to call me if you remember anything that might be helpful.”

  Brooke nodded, and although it looked as if she wanted to bolt away, she hesitated long enough to ask one more question of Elise. “Are you going to find Candace?”

  “If I find something to indicate that she didn’t leave of her own free will, I will use every resource the FBI has to bring her home.” Everything from her stance to her expression showed her resolve, her determination to find out what had happened to Candace, and Josh felt heat rise on his neck. How could he have doubted her? It sometimes seemed she was the only one on his side...on Candace’s side.

  Brooke hurried to her next class, her expression at Elise’s response one of concern and anxiety instead of appreciation.

  Elise turned to him. “She knows more than she’s letting on.”

  Josh bit back a retort. He wanted to push Brooke, to demand she reveal what she knew, but he, like Elise, knew that would only shut her down. Elise had already shown restraint and compassion in dealing with Brooke. But Brooke was supposed to be Candace’s best friend. Why wouldn’t she want to do anything and everything to bring her home safely?

  A sick feeling raced through his gut. There were only two reasons he could think of for Brooke to remain quiet—either she was afraid of something or she already knew Candace was not coming home safely.

  He raked a hand over his face and blew out a breath. “Should we try to talk to her again?”

  She nodded. “Maybe she’ll respond better in a more private environment. I’ll ask Patti if she has a study hall. Away from the crowd of kids, she might open up more.”

  Josh scanned the hall again, spotting Larkin standing outside his classroom. His gaze landed and lingered too long on one female student passing by. Josh felt sick watching this man.

  He’d been all over the world and seen evil, and Peter Larkin was the worst kind—the kind that preyed on innocence. He bit back anger, and his muscles tensed. If this man had done something to harm Candace...