by Lynn Patrick
Finally they emerged into the darkness outside. The man continued carrying her, only putting her down when they reached a car. A woman who looked familiar was sitting in the front passenger seat. Didn’t she work in the mansion?
When she saw them, she climbed out of the car. “What is this?” she demanded. “What are you doing with the kid?”
“She saw me.”
“You’ve got her tied up. Just leave her. She’s not going to follow us.”
Hope sprang in Taylor’s heart but was quickly dashed.
“There’s a bunch of tourists running around,” the man said. “One of them could find her and then they’d have the cops after us in a flash.”
“Kidnapping is a federal offense, Ernie!” cried the woman, sounding upset.
“We’ll leave her at a rest stop as soon as we’re some distance away. Come on. Get back in the car. I found something I want to show you.”
With that, he opened the trunk, grabbed Taylor and threw her inside. As he did so, she felt her cell phone slide out of the pocket of her shorts. The man saw it and picked it up. “Glad I found this.”
Then he slammed the trunk closed, leaving Taylor alone in the dark. She sobbed and struggled against the tape holding her wrists. She’d wanted to disappear, but not like this!
She might never see Mommy or Addison again.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
WHEN THE FIERY show ended with a spectacular bloom of color across the sky, Heather turned, wanting to see the awe on the girls’ faces. But only Addison sat looking up at the display. Where was Taylor and how long had she been gone?
“Taylor!” she yelled, jumping to her feet. She grabbed Addison. “Where is your sister?”
“I think she had to go the bathroom, Mommy.” Addison gestured toward the mansion. “She went that way.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I don’t know...”
“Plenty of guests are on the patio,” Cora pointed out, no doubt trying to be reassuring. “She isn’t totally by herself.”
“And she may have gone into the coach house,” Rick put in. “That’s the nearest bathroom.”
But that only calmed Heather a little.
What in the world was the matter with Taylor? She thought she’d gotten to the bottom of the twin’s misbehavior when they’d had the talk about Rick after the wedding. Now Taylor had gotten “lost” a second time. It was too much. “I’ll go and look in the coach house,” Rick told her.
She didn’t meet his gaze, hadn’t said much to him all evening. If she’d known he was coming to the picnic, she might not have stayed.
Rick headed for the coach house while Cora and Mr. Guildfren accompanied Heather and Addison to the mansion to check for Taylor there. No matter what anyone said, what she told herself, Heather couldn’t help worrying. At least the last time, it had been daylight. But in the dark...
A few minutes later, Rick rejoined the group. “Not there. I even checked the closets.”
“I’m not surprised she isn’t there. She’s never visited your place.” Heather had been alone with Rick the time he’d shown her around.
She yelled “Taylor!” but got no response.
When they passed the terrace, she glanced at a couple who sat on the terrace quietly conversing. Ahead, several people were bunched up near the door.
“Taylor!”
Heather kept calling out and Addison tightened the grip on her hand.
One of the guests gestured toward the mansion. “I saw a little girl like that one go inside a while ago.”
“Thank you, Mr. Zucker,” Cora told him. “I’m sure we’ll find her.”
They headed straight for the portico and entered through the music room. Empty.
“Let’s look in the conservatory,” Heather said. “She was hanging out somewhere around there last time.”
“She’s gotten lost in the mansion before?” asked Cora.
Heather sighed. “Unfortunately, yes, and I think it was deliberate.”
“Children like to play,” added Guildfren. “I’m sure she’s just having a good time.”
Heather wasn’t going to offer details about Taylor and her problems with Rick, so she said nothing. As they entered the darkened conservatory, Cora turned on the lights.
“That helps,” Rick said.
But the conservatory seemed empty, the plants barely moving except for a leaf or two quivering in a draft from the vents. The statues stood mute and still, keeping watch. Rick paused near one, an upright of a woman holding flowers.
“What happened here?” He looked down with a puzzled frown.
Heather stared, noting that the pedestal of the statue seemed to have a panel. And it was standing open.
“I never saw this before.” Rick squatted and felt around. “A secret compartment.”
In which Heather could see a stack of old, dusty books and a dilapidated canvas bag. He picked the bag up to shake it, dislodging what appeared to be another bill.
Heather recognized the gold certificate, similar to the one Taylor had found. “Do you think this is where she got it?”
“Very likely. This would make a good hiding place for a kid.”
“Wow,” said Addison, who’d been watching. “A secret place!” She crouched down and started to crawl in herself.
Heather grabbed her, hard. “You stay out of there! I’m having enough problems with your sister.”
Addison looked stricken. “’Kay.”
Heather immediately felt guilty. “I’m sorry, honey.” She hugged the little girl, knowing she’d been a bit rough. But her concern was growing. “I’m just upset. We have to find your sister.” She looked around. “Where can she have gone?”
Addison’s eyes widened. “Look! The wall is open!”
“What?” Heather followed the direction of her daughter’s gaze, spotting the crack.
“The tunnels,” said Rick. “Someone’s been in there.”
“Oh, no!” Heather cried. “Taylor went in the tunnels?” Where it was dark and dangerous?
“She can’t have opened the door from this side, Heather,” said Rick. “Someone else opened it from the inside.”
Heather tried to wrap her mind around the idea. “The intruder? But...where is Taylor?”
“Maybe he scared her and she’s hiding,” Rick offered.
He opened the hidden door wider and Addison pointed at the purple barrette lying on the stairs. “That’s Taylor’s!”
Heather picked up the barrette, fighting hysteria. “Taylor!” she yelled again into the darkness, trying not to think the worst. “Taylor, please answer me!”
Silence. Heather’s heart thundered.
Rick took out his cell phone. “I’m going to call her and see if she picks up.” Meanwhile, he used his other hand to hold on to Heather and keep her from running down into the dark. “Wait, she might not be there.”
“Remember? There isn’t cell phone reception way down there!”
He kept listening to his phone, obviously getting no answer. Then he took it from his ear and punched in some numbers. “GPS.” He traced a finger across the screen. “And it says the phone is not here, not even on the property. It’s moving west...”
“West? What on earth?”
“Moving fast. Probably in a car.”
“Taylor’s cell phone is in a car? What...” Heather could only think of one awful explanation. “He’s kidnapped her!” Oh, why hadn’t she demanded that Taylor and Addison sit right next to her on the beach? Why hadn’t she watched them more closely? “My baby has been kidnapped!”
“Hold on,” said Rick. “We don’t know for sure what is going on.”
“Taylor is kid-napt?” said Addison worriedly.
/> “I’ll go after them, using the GPS, and I’ll notify the police,” Rick said, heading for the door.
Mr. Guildfren offered, “I’ll search the tunnels with you, Heather.”
“I can’t believe that someone took her!” It was every parent’s nightmare.
“You keep looking for her here,” Rick told Heather before taking off. “Don’t worry, I’ll find her.”
“And I’ll take care of Addison.” Cora had the little girl’s hand.
Heather was so numb, she stood stock-still. Then she took a deep breath and felt adrenaline course through her veins.
“We’re going to need a flashlight,” Mr. Guildfren said. He had used one when he and Cora left the beach and now took it out of his pocket, flicked it on and started down the steps. “Come on.”
Heather followed. “I’ve been down here before. I kind of know my way around.”
“Then stay close behind me and tell me where to search.” Mr. Guildfren didn’t offer to let her pass in front of him, probably because he knew she was beside herself. “Don’t worry—it’s going to be all right. Even if the thief has your child, he has no reason to hurt her.”
Hurt her? Heather pushed that thought aside, not wanting fear to take over again.
Rick was cruising into the night and he would come back with her child. She knew Rick’s capabilities. He might not be ready to settle down with a family, but he would always perform his duties. She could trust that he would do whatever it took to get Taylor back. She had absolute faith in him.
Focusing on that, she followed Guildfren down the stairs.
* * *
OUTSIDE, THE MOONLESS night seemed twice as dark after the fireworks had stopped. Rick drove fast, keeping an eye on the GPS tracking on his phone. When he encountered traffic, people wending their way home from the festival in town, he gunned the car down an alley and slid out the other side. Then he sped along less busy side streets, heading in an easterly direction. From the path it was taking, he realized the vehicle he was chasing was probably on Sheridan Road, the historical street that wound its way along the lakeshore and into Chicago.
He’d called the police and reported what seemed to be a kidnapping. Detective Morse assured him several squad cars were on their way. But Rick wasn’t going to wait for them to appear. He had to find Taylor.
Why the intruder took the child he wasn’t sure, but his gut told him the guy had her. Maybe she’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time the night the thief decided to return, perhaps because the fireworks and general uproar of the festival would cover his presence.
Heather was nearly hysterical and Rick could understand why. He could empathize, knowing what it was like to fear losing men who served under him. But losing an innocent child was twice as bad.
And Taylor was innocent, he thought, a good little kid, even though she acted not-so-sweet at times. She had loads of courage and energy and spice. She was a lot like her mother.
He would catch up to the kidnapper’s car if it was the last thing he ever did.
His emotions had been churning all day, ever since he’d had the go-around with Heather. He just hadn’t known what to say, but his heart was heavy when he realized all the pain he’d put her through, all the hurt he could cause her in the future. That, more than whether or not he wanted to rejoin the army, had kept him from committing to their relationship outright and reassuring her. Was he capable, could he be trusted to take care of a woman and two small children who would depend on him? He wasn’t sure.
He pressed his foot down on the accelerator. He didn’t want to lose Taylor, not any more than he wanted to lose Heather. In the space of a few short weeks, Heather had come to mean a lot to him. He had been telling the absolute truth when he said he cared for her. He more than cared...and the same went for her daughters.
When he finally turned onto Sheridan Road, Rick caught the flash of police cars some distance away in his rearview mirror. Good.
He punched in numbers to call Detective Morse. “I just turned onto Sheridan Road. GPS says they’re now heading south.”
“In sight?” asked the detective.
“Not yet.”
“I’m putting a couple of cars on your tail and sending another down the main highway to cut them off.”
The state road ran parallel to the lake and Sheridan.
Rick sped on, his car’s headlights cutting through the dark. The other car should be coming into view any minute. Was it Gina and her friend?
He had to slow when he came to an open area where encroaching fields made the road zigzag. When he came out the far side, he finally spotted a speck of red up ahead, then two. Taillights. He shoved his foot on the accelerator.
A couple of minutes later, everything seemed to happen at once. Rick saw a police car suddenly come into view on a side road up ahead and heard squealing brakes. The light-colored sedan whose taillights Rick had spotted careened sideways on the road. More flashing lights appeared behind him as he hit the brakes himself.
Parking and jumping from his car, he watched the police drag out Gina and the wiry guy he’d seen at the restaurant to line them up against the sedan.
Rick was focused on finding the little girl. He grabbed the guy and the police didn’t try to stop him. “Where’s the child? Where’s Taylor?”
“In the trunk,” said Gina. “I didn’t have anything to do with it! It was all Ernie’s fault!”
Rick paid no attention to her. He wanted to punch Ernie in the face but thought better of it. Instead he threw him back against the car. “Give me the keys.”
Ernie dropped a set of keys on the pavement and Rick grabbed them. He ran to the trunk and heard muffled thumps, small feet kicking against the metal. “I’m coming, Taylor!”
Full of emotion, he quickly opened the trunk to find the frightened child inside. A piece of thick silver tape covered her mouth and a longer one bound her wrists. She gazed up at Rick with huge eyes.
“Taylor!” Rick was careful in removing the tape. As he did so, huge tears ran down the girl’s cheeks. “Are you okay?”
Taylor sobbed and threw her arms around his neck. When he picked her up, she wrapped her legs around his sides and clung to him like she never wanted to let go. He didn’t want to let go himself. He cradled her against him.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe now, honey.”
She finally managed to gasp, “It...it was dark. I was s-scared.” Luckily, she only seemed shaken up.
“I know what it’s like to be stuck in a dark place, and it’s not fun.” An enclosed space. That had been really scary, all right. And he’d been an adult. A trained soldier. Taylor was just a little kid. “But I’ve got you now.” He hugged her closer.
Taylor tightened her grip on him. “D-don’t let go.”
“I won’t.” He got out his phone. “But I have to call your mom.”
He suddenly knew he couldn’t let any of them go. Not Taylor, not Addison, and especially not Heather.
* * *
LATE THE NEXT morning, Cora was hiding a yawn when Heather and the twins came downstairs at Flanagan Manor. They’d all been up until the early morning hours giving statements to the police, so Cora had insisted they stay the night.
“Thank you again for giving us that room so I didn’t have to drive home after all the upset. It was very comfortable.” An unused guest suite with a queen-size bed for all three of them allowed Heather to hold both twins tight all night.
“No problem,” said Cora. “Not after all the trouble we had. The room was available and I didn’t want you to get on the road that late.” She leaned down to look at Taylor. “How are you doing, honey?”
“Okay,” Taylor told the woman soberly. “My arm is sore is all.”
“She has some bruises,” said Heather, who had checked her
daughter over thoroughly. “That creep grabbed her and threw her around.”
“He was a bad man!” said Addison.
“Yes, he was. I’m glad he’s in jail now.” Cora explained, “Rick’s down at the police station finishing things up. He should be back soon. Meanwhile, why don’t you sit down on the terrace and Kelly will bring you some breakfast?”
“Thanks, Cora.”
Heather took the girls outside and walked them around to the terrace.
The moment Mr. Guildfren spotted them, he waved them over and rose to help them into seats at his table. “I bet you’re still exhausted.”
“It was emotionally draining,” Heather admitted. As well as physically demanding. She and Guildfren had still been scrambling around in the tunnels when Cora called down to say that Rick had found Taylor. “I’m sure you’re tired, too. I really appreciated your help last night.”
“No problem,” Mr. Guildfren said. “I had my own run-in with that scoundrel not long ago.”
Heather could see that Cora and Mr. Guildfren had a nice give-and-take chemistry between them and were probably dating. It was never too late to find love.
At least she hoped not.
* * *
WHEN SHE THOUGHT about Rick, he filled all her empty spaces, including the one left in her heart when Scott had been killed. And if she hadn’t already fallen in love with Rick, she would have after the way he’d rescued her daughter. The questions were: Did he feel the same for her? And would he be around much longer, or would he re-enlist?
Heather decided the second question no longer mattered. To love meant you might very well suffer loss one day. Most of the beautiful things on earth—a rose, a sunrise, a baby’s smile—were ephemeral, fleeting. She loved Rick and wanted to be with him no matter what he decided. The heart simply wasn’t practical. It took chances. Thinking about how quickly she and Rick had connected, how could she not be willing to take a chance on him?