If Rafe waited for the train to stop, he’d still have to rent a car and drive back. He’d lose an hour and a half—maybe two.
But the train was passing by the Stones’ ranch right now. He could be with Rhianna within minutes.
All he had to do was jump.
RAFE STOOD ON THE CABOOSE platform. Wind whipped his hair and he lurched from foot to foot in impatience, waiting for the train to slow on an uphill section. He took several deep breaths as he watched for a spot free of boulders and trees.
Then he leaped from the speeding train. He took the brunt of the fall on his feet but didn’t try to maintain his balance. Instead he rolled, letting the momentum absorb the shock of his fall, grateful the backpack protected his spine.
He tumbled and somersaulted down the steep grade. His shoulder struck a rock, the impact knocking the wind out of him. But as his lungs started to pump again, he moved his arms and legs. Everything worked, and grateful he hadn’t suffered anything more serious than a few bumps and bruises, he pushed to his feet.
Rafe backtracked to the dirt road and then followed the dusty path to the Stones’ property. Although he suspected the kidnappers would be long gone, he still kept a wary eye out. But he saw nothing except a white-tailed deer, cattle and an eagle circling high overhead. A glance at the sun told him he had another hour, hour and a half of daylight left.
Rafe shifted the pack that Cameron had given him and took out the cell phone. He called his father, who promised to send help, but Rafe knew he couldn’t expect anyone from the Sutton ranch to reach him for at least an hour.
Luckily, he’d visited the Stones many times and knew exactly where Rhianna was being held. He bypassed the main house and the barn and headed directly to the old cabin that had once been Hal’s bachelor pad.
Rafe ran the last mile and arrived out of breath and more worried than ever. The door and windows were covered with nailed planks from the outside—to keep out kids. Or to keep Rhianna a prisoner?
Heart pounding, Rafe pried a board loose from over the front door. He shoved the door open with his shoulder and stepped inside. “Rhianna?”
“Get out!” she screamed, and then followed with a groan and a gasped whimper.
She sounded out of control and tortured, and her moan of pain made him fearful for her health. Rafe’s eyes hadn’t adjusted to the darkness. He couldn’t see inside the room. “It’s Rafe. Are you okay?”
When she let out another low moan of pain, Rafe rushed forward. He bumped into a chair and swore under his breath, but kept moving toward Rhianna, who was panting in a loud, steady rhythm.
Rafe couldn’t see a damn thing. Didn’t want to leave her side, but couldn’t help her in the darkness. “I’ll be right back.”
She just kept panting.
He ran outside and pried plywood off two windows. He rushed inside once more to find her lying quietly on her side.
Kneeling beside her, he smoothed damp hair off her forehead. “We need to get you to the hospital.”
“I don’t…think…there’s time. Contractions are—” She gasped. Started panting again. Grabbed his hand and squeezed so hard he thought she might break the bones, but he didn’t pull away.
With his free hand, he yanked out the cell phone and called Cameron who picked up on the first ring.
“How far apart are the contractions?” his brother asked calmly.
“A minute—no more.”
“Has her water broken?” Cam asked.
“I don’t know. I just got here.”
Rhianna let out another low moan. Rafe shuddered, wishing he could take the pain away. He wedged the cell phone between ear and shoulder, slid the pack off his back with his free hand and yanked on the zipper. “Is there anything you gave me that will help her with the pain?”
“Yes. But I’d rather you didn’t give it to her unless absolutely necessary. An anesthetic can slow the labor, and that isn’t good for the mother or baby.”
Rafe’s heartbeat seemed to echo in his ears with every labored breath Rhianna drew. “What can I do?”
“Keep her calm, encourage her.”
“What else?”
“You need to calm down, too.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Most babies don’t need any help. The main thing is to keep Rhianna and the baby clean and comfortable.”
Rhianna let out a low scream.
Rafe squeezed her hand and kept his tone low. “You’re doing fine.”
“I’m…not…fine!” Rhianna panted. She was having little rest between contractions.
Over the phone, Cam’s confident voice gave directions in Rafe’s ear. “Take the newspapers out of the backpack. Spread them under her. Put more newspapers on the ground or floor and dump the supplies out of the bag onto the paper.”
Rafe did as his brother asked, grateful to see baby blankets, towelettes, towels and a clean robe for Rhianna among a bunch of medical supplies. “Now what?”
“I need to push. Can I push?” Rhianna yelled, loudly enough for Cam to hear.
“Tell her not yet. Rinse your hands in alcohol and put on the surgical gloves. Is the baby’s head crowning?”
“I can’t do five things at once. I’m going to set the phone by Rhianna’s ear. Talk to her.”
Rafe had no idea what his brother said, but Rhianna seemed to calm a little. Meanwhile, he washed his hands, struggled with the gloves, then spread the newspapers under Rhianna.
Finally he lifted her skirt. “The baby’s almost here.”
“Duh! No kidding,” Rhianna panted, almost whacking him with her foot as she writhed in pain.
He grabbed back the phone. “I can see the baby’s head, Cam.”
“Tell her to push with the next—”
“Push.”
Rhianna grunted. Her face tightened with effort. Rafe moved between her legs. “You’re doing fine, sweetheart. The baby’s coming. Push!”
“I’m tired.”
“Come on, darling. Just one more time,” he coaxed.
“I can’t do this.”
“Yes, you can. You’re almost done.”
“Open the jar of lubrication,” Cam instructed. “Try and ease the baby’s head through. Be gentle. Don’t force anything.”
Rhianna thrashed and Rafe steadied her, grateful for the number of foals and calves he’d helped into this world—otherwise he’d have been too nervous to sound calm when his heart was beating a tattoo against his ribs. “Sweetheart, the baby wants you, needs you. I know you’re tired, but soon you’ll be holding the baby in your arms. Push.”
Rhianna labored. The baby slipped into Rafe’s hands and let out a cry.
“I’ve got it.”
“Wipe the nose and mouth. Don’t try and cut the umbilical cord. Use the string and tie it tight.” Cam calmly issued orders and Rafe followed them, his hands shaking with the miracle of life he held.
Tears brimmed in his eyes as gently, carefully, he wiped the baby clean and wrapped it in a towel, then placed it on Rhianna’s stomach. “You did it, sweetheart. She’s a beautiful baby girl.”
Chapter Seven
Two days later, Rhianna thought she’d regained her strength enough to dress and walk around Rafe’s house, but Rafe insisted she stay in bed, even though the doctor at the hospital had told them they’d done a superb job of delivering Allison Joanne.
Rhianna smiled at the eight-pound baby in her arms and thought she might not put her down until she turned five and had to attend kindergarten. She loved the scent of powder and the sweet odor of baby shampoo, marveled over the round pink cheeks, the dark blue eyes hidden by a crescent of inch-long lashes.
Baby Allison snuggled into Rhianna’s warmth, her thumb in her mouth, her huge round eyes staring at her mother with curiosity and contentment. Allison may have come into the world with a shout, but she seemed content to stare quietly at Rhianna and bond with her mama, considerately waking her only once during the night for a breast feeding.
“Knock, knock.” Rafe entered the sunny bedroom, his gaze going immediately to the baby, his eyes gleaming with pride. “Laura sent over more baby stuff.”
Rhianna looked around the room. Allison already had a cradle, a crib, a high chair, a stroller, a car seat, a playpen and a changing table. The entire Sutton family had brought presents, as had Rhianna’s parents. The room overflowed with toys and furniture, so that Rafe had to wind his way through.
“I can’t accept any more gifts,” Rhianna protested.
“Sure you can.” Rafe kissed her forehead and then his daughter’s. “She’s perfect. Can I hold her?”
“Only if you tell me what’s going on.”
“What do you mean?”
He knew damn well what she meant. He’d refused to talk about the stalker ever since the baby had been born.
Rafe reached for Allison with an expertise that made Rhianna uncomfortable. Why couldn’t he be one of those men who was afraid of babies? Why did his eyes have to soften and his voice turn to a husky murmur every time he held Allison?
“Any leads on the kidnappers?” Rhianna asked. Now that Allison had been born, she was more anxious than ever to solve the problem and return to her home. In just two days, Rafe had become very attached to his daughter. And Allison seemed to respond to Rafe, waving her little fists in excitement whenever he came by—about every fifteen minutes. He seemed as fascinated with the baby as Rhianna.
“That’s a good girl. Your uncle Cam says it’s good exercise to suck on your thumb.”
“But it might make her teeth crooked.”
“She doesn’t have teeth.”
Rhianna handed him the pacifier. “See if you can get her to take this. I haven’t had any luck.”
Allison turned her head away. “She’s stubborn like her mother,” Rafe said.
“And good at avoiding things, like her father. Just because I’ve had a baby doesn’t mean my brain’s turned off. Did the detective find out who might have—”
“Nope. Sheriff Demory wants to talk to you. He hopes you’ll remember some detail that you forgot to tell me.”
She sighed in frustration. “I didn’t see anything. No one ever spoke one word to me.”
“Easy. We’ll find whoever’s after you.”
But when? “What about the money? I overheard the twins say that you put a bug in the duffel bag to track the bad guys.”
“The empty duffel bags were dumped about two miles from the train tracks. Another dead end, I’m afraid.”
“And what about Janet and Hal Stone? You found me at their place. Surely it can’t be a coincidence that they bought jewelry from Biddle and Baines and that I ended up imprisoned on their property?”
Rafe took the baby brush off the dresser and ran it through Allison’s curly red hair. “They have an alibi. Both of them were in Denver and have witnesses with impeccable reputations.”
“Maybe they hired someone to do their dirty work?” Rhianna suggested.
“It’s possible. But what would be the motive?”
“The ransom?”
“But the Stones are already rich. I did ask Janet about her jewelry boxes from Biddle and Baines.”
“And?”
“She claims she never saves them.”
Despite the covers and the warm robe she was wearing, a sudden chill made Rhianna shiver. “Are you telling me we still have no clue—”
“You’ll be safe here.” Rafe looked down into his daughter’s face, and Rhianna saw the worry clouding his eyes. “We have ranch hands riding the fence line. Sheriff Demory is no slouch. He’ll keep his eyes open. And the detective is still digging.”
Rhianna could see she would have to drag every detail out of Rafe. “The twins also mentioned that your family had to mortgage the ranch to save us.”
Rafe sighed. “Cam and Alexa need to teach those boys when to keep their mouths shut.”
Rhianna didn’t understand why Rafe was trying to protect her. Didn’t he understand that knowing the situation was much better than being kept in the dark? But she didn’t argue. Rafe had been so good to her, she’d never forget how tender he’d been while he delivered their child. Without his words of encouragement, she might have panicked. For the past two days, he’d been thoughtful and, if she hadn’t known better, she would have believed loving. She had to keep reminding herself that he’d acted to save his daughter—not her.
Still, she didn’t want to bicker. “The twins are adorable. And smart. Remind me to thank them for assembling the tricycle Tyler bought for Allison.”
“Who gave my sons tools?” Cam walked through the bedroom door. “And how are you feeling?” he asked Rhianna.
“I’m fine, but Rafe insists on coddling me,” she said softly. She liked this brother of Rafe’s who’d talked her through a very difficult moment of labor over a telephone. Dr. Cameron Sutton had a solid presence that Rhianna found comforting. She’d always wanted a brother like Cameron.
“The bike came with tools,” Tyler admitted as he limped into the crowded bedroom, carefully making his way with his cane. Rhianna liked this quiet brother, too. He carried himself with a certain dignity and his face showed he was a caring man.
“Did you get the hammer and screwdriver back?” Cam asked with a slight raising of his eyebrows.
Tyler scratched his head, his face puzzled. “How much damage could they—”
“Don’t worry.” Rafe grinned at Cam. “My office is locked. The computer’s safe.”
A loud crash downstairs made the adults jump.
Chase’s raised voice floated up the stairs as he lectured the twins. “Doors tend to fall when one removes the pins.”
Cam’s eyes twinkled. “I’m assuming no one was hurt or Chase would have already called for help.”
“We’ll fix it, Uncle Chase,” the twins replied. “Rafe locked his office door and we just wanted to prove we could get inside.”
Cam made his way out, his voice imperturbable. “I’d better go check out the damage.”
Rafe looked at Rhianna and grinned. “Don’t worry, Cam, I’ll send you a bill.”
Tyler held out his arms for Allison, and Rafe reluctantly passed her to him. Rhianna had no qualms about Tyler holding the infant. Rafe’s sisters-in-law had trained these men well, and even the unmarried Tyler seemed to enjoy cooing at the baby.
Gently Tyler pulled Allison’s thumb out of her mouth and inserted the pacifier. “Thank God we finally got a sweet little girl.”
Allison spit the pacifier in Tyler’s face. While he jerked back in surprise, Allison calmly put her thumb back in her mouth.
Rhianna and Rafe burst into laughter, but their shared mirth was cut short by the senator. He strode into the room, wearing a suit and tie as if he’d just come from an important meeting. Tyler and Rafe noted their father’s solemn expression and their grins died.
“What’s wrong, Dad?” Rafe asked.
Tyler handed Allison back to Rhianna. Her daughter gazed at her so trustingly that she had to refrain from hugging her too tightly. The Suttons had been careful to protect Rhianna from problems, but clearly something had occurred that the senator felt she should know about.
Rhianna sat straighter against her pillows. “You don’t need to coddle me. The only reason I’m still in bed is because Rafe insists on spoiling me.”
The senator took her hand, but his gaze rested on his granddaughter, a fond light in his eyes that reminded her of Rafe. “You deserve to be spoiled.” While the elder Sutton clearly had something difficult to say, he seemed to weigh whether she could take the news.
Rafe sat next to her on the bed. “Rhianna’s tougher than she looks.”
“It’s not Rhianna I’m worried about.” The senator’s gaze moved from the baby to his youngest son, and suddenly Rh
ianna realized that his concern was for Rafe. But why?
“Rhianna has another visitor downstairs.”
Rhianna frowned. Her parents had already come and gone. They couldn’t afford to take time off work or away from the horses for very long. But she’d phoned them this morning and all seemed well at home.
Her friends didn’t know that she was hiding here. And she’d already met all the Suttons. So who had tracked her to the ranch? And why did the normally unflappable senator seem so worried about his son?
As if steeling himself for bad news, Rafe drew into himself. His eyes took on a quicksilver glint. His shoulders braced and he shoved himself to his feet. “Don’t keep us waiting. Who’s downstairs?”
“Duncan Phillips.”
Tyler let out a low whistle. “Want me to get rid of him?”
Rhianna sighed. “How’d he find out I was here?”
Rafe turned to her, but not quite before he’d hid his worry beneath a sweep of dark lashes. “Obviously, Duncan has his own resources. Do you want to see him?”
“Not particularly.” At her instant response, Rafe and the senator shared a long look. The senator’s eyes burned with questions. Rafe remained silent. Rhianna shook her head. “The last time I saw Duncan, I thought I made it clear we had nothing more to say to one another.”
The senator’s brows rose but his voice remained gentle. “Men like Duncan don’t take no for an answer.”
Rafe shrugged slightly, as if the matter had already been resolved. “I’ll send him away.”
Rhianna tugged on Rafe’s hand, stopping him from leaving. “Maybe I should hear what he has to say.”
“Why?” Rafe asked.
“The kidnapper knew I was with you. Duncan knows I’m with you. If Duncan is the kidnapper, maybe he’ll slip and say something that could help us nail him.”
“I won’t leave you alone with him,” Rafe promised, and she took comfort in his words. “But you needn’t face him unless you’re ready.”
Lullaby and Goodnight Page 9