Stockyard Snatching

by Barb Han

  Embarrassment?

  Dallas noted the emotion as his friend moved on. “Well, then, your place has been broken into,” Tommy said.

  “What happened?” Kate’s face paled.

  Dallas’s first thought was Allen. But wouldn’t he already have access to her house?

  Not if she never let him inside. Maybe the date bit was a ruse to get into her home.

  “The back door was ajar and the lock had been tampered with. My deputy on the scene said that nothing obvious is missing inside. All the pictures are on the walls and the place is neat.” Tommy listened and then said a few “uh-huh”s into the phone.

  “Do you have a home computer?” he asked Kate.

  “A laptop on my desk,” she answered.

  Tommy repeated the information to his deputy and then frowned.

  So, someone took her laptop?

  “Are you sure it was on your desk the last time you saw it?” Tommy asked.

  “Certain. Why? Is it gone?”

  He nodded. “The cable is still there.”

  That same look of fear and disbelief filled her blue eyes.

  “Can you think of anything on your hard drive someone would want?” Tommy asked. He also asked about work files, but Dallas figured whoever broke into her house wasn’t going after those. This had to be personal, especially after the failed kidnapping attempt.

  If someone was trying to scare her, then he was doing a great job of it, based on her expression.

  “No. Nothing. I keep all my work stuff at the office. I vowed not to work at home ever again once I left the corporate scene. I have a manila file folder in the drawer, right-hand side, about Jackson’s adoption,” she added, holding tighter to her baby. “Is it missing?”

  Once again Tommy relayed the information and then waited. “There’s nothing labeled Safe Haven or Adoption,” he said at last.

  “Then that’s it,” she murmured, almost too quietly to hear.

  Tommy thanked his deputy and ended the call. “How did you get connected with Safe Haven?”

  “Through my lawyer. He was the one who arranged everything,” she said, and based on her expression, Dallas figured her brain was most likely clicking through possibilities.

  He made a mental note that they needed to speak to her brother, and the rest of her family, as well. Dallas didn’t like to think that her family wouldn’t be 100 percent supportive of her choices, but he wasn’t stupid. He couldn’t fathom it, but if her mother was really against the adoption, then she could be trying to interfere by shaking Kate up. Maybe even hoping that she’d realize she’d made a mistake.

  If that were true, then Kate’s mother hadn’t seen the woman holding Jackson.

  A family intervention, albeit misguided, would be so much better than the other options Kate faced. Such as an employee’s fixation or the fact that this could’ve been a shady adoption gone bad for Safe Haven.

  * * *

  KATE HELD ON to Jackson as if he’d drop off a canyon wall if she let go. She’d walked away from the only life she’d ever known to have a chance at a family. Her husband, Robert Bass, had filed for divorce within weeks of learning that she had a 4 percent chance of ever getting pregnant. Four percent.

  Half the reason she’d worked so hard at the start-up was so she could sell her interests when she became pregnant and be home with the baby. And then suddenly that wasn’t going to be an option, ever.

  At thirty-three, she’d had everything she thought she wanted, a nice house, a Suburban and a husband. She’d believed she was on the track to happiness, and it was easy to ignore shortcomings in her marriage to Robert considering how much time she spent at the office. He worked all the time, too.

  Within weeks of learning the devastating news, her entire life had turned upside down, and all she could do was kick herself for not seeing it coming earlier. All those times Robert had decided to stay late at the office even when she’d made special arrangements to leave early… And she’d been too busy to really notice how frequent his ski trips had become—ski trips she later realized hadn’t been with his best friend, but with his coworker Olivia Gail.

  In fact, he’d been on the road more than he was home and Kate felt like an idiot for thinking he was working hard to secure a future for their family, too.

  Whatever love had been between them had died long before she’d been willing to acknowledge it. Or had she kept herself too busy to notice? Too busy to face the reality of the loneliness that had become her life?

  She’d been trapped with a husband who cared for her but didn’t love her. And the worst part was that she’d kept convincing herself that they’d be able to get back what they’d had in the early days of their relationship as soon as she had more time or had a baby. How crazy was it to think a child would somehow make things better, make them a family?

  To make matters worse, Kate Williams didn’t give up. Hard work and staying the course had made her business a success. It had gotten her through a difficult childhood with a mother who was bent on controlling her. Was her mother’s lack of real love the reason Kate had fallen for Robert in the first place? Was she seeking approval from someone who would never give it?

  Robert had been all about keeping his tee time and staying on track with his future career plans. He even seemed content to have a family with Kate though he no longer loved her.

  And then when the disappointing news had come that having a baby would be next to impossible, he’d started traveling even more. He’d lost interest in her sexually.

  Kate had reasoned that he needed time to process the news, as she did. It was a bomb she’d never expected to be dropped on her, especially not when her biological clock wouldn’t expire for years.

  Robert’s decision to give up on the marriage shouldn’t have come as a complete shock. Except that she’d ignored or made excuses for every single one of the signs that it was coming.

  Given the amount of time he had spent calculating return on investment with his stock portfolio, she should’ve realized he’d cut his losses with her when she was no longer a good deal. Apparently, she hadn’t been worth the risk. It had taken Robert about six weeks to divest himself of her.

  Kate had signed the divorce papers and then made a life-changing decision.

  She was going to have a family anyway.

  When she’d told Carter, her brother, he’d scoffed at the idea, initially telling her to take a long vacation instead. Then he’d reminded her how much she’d be hurting their mother, as if Charlotte Williams hadn’t already made her position clear throughout the whole divorce. Chip and Charlotte had been the perfect parents, to hear her mother talk about their life.

  Kate had been clear on what she wanted, and being a mother had more to do with love than DNA, so she’d decided to adopt.

  Carter came to his senses, apologized and then located the best adoption attorney he could find.

  Not long after, Kate had sold her interests in the company and moved to Bluff.

  Life might have thrown her a twist, but that didn’t mean she had to roll over and take it.

  The move had given her a new lease on life. Becoming Jackson’s mother was the greatest joy she’d experienced. And, dammit, no one would take that or him away from her.

  A voice she immediately recognized as Allen’s boomed from the other room.

  Kate popped to her feet. “Why’s he here?” she asked, glancing from Tommy to Dallas.

  “I’ll be interviewing everyone on your staff,” the sheriff said, drawing her gaze back to him. “Would your family members be willing to come down and speak to us, as well?”

  “My family?” she echoed, as Allen walked into the office.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, concern widening his eyes as he zeroed in on Kate and the baby.

  Dallas stepped in front of her, blocking his path.

  “Did something happen?” Allen shouted over him. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine now,” she said, hating that
her employees would be worried.

  “Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” Allen begged, and there was desperation in his voice as he was being hauled away.

  * * *

  DALLAS POSITIONED HIMSELF near the two-way mirror on the other side of the interview room. His cup of coffee had long ago gone cold, but holding on to it gave him something to do with his hands.

  “Miss Williams authorized my department to take a look at your computer,” Tommy said to Allen.

  “So what?” The confusion on the guy’s face was either an award-worthy acting job or he really didn’t have a clue.

  “Would you agree to give one of my deputies access to your house?” Tommy asked. He knew full well that an innocent guy would have nothing to hide.

  “Not until you tell me what this is about,” Allen retorted.

  Fair enough.

  “We’re looking for information that will aid an ongoing investigation,” Tommy hedged.

  “One that involves my boss.” It wasn’t a question.

  The lawman nodded.

  “Look, I would do anything to help Kate. She’s like family to me,” Allen said. “But I have no idea what’s going on.”

  So asking out a family member was okay in Allen’s book? Dallas covered up his cough.

  “And I’m not sure how invading my privacy will accomplish your mission, so I’m afraid you’ll have to tell me a little bit more about what you think you’ll find,” Allen added.

  Dallas had been sure this guy was guilty as sin, but something was gnawing at him and he couldn’t figure out what. He might be covering for a crush he had on his boss and didn’t want to be embarrassed any further.

  Based on his actions so far, Allen was coming across as a concerned friend. But then, he might just be that good at acting.

  Dallas returned to Tommy’s office, where Kate waited.

  “How long has Allen worked for you?” he asked.

  “He was my first hire,” she said, looking as if she was about to be sick. “So, about six months now.”

  “Do want water or something else to drink?” Dallas asked.

  She shook her head and mumbled that she was fine.

  Tommy walked in.

  “How would you characterize your relationship with Allen Lentz?” he asked Kate.

  “Professional,” she retorted.

  “I had to ask.” Tommy brought his hand up defensively.

  “But he wasn’t kidding about our office being like a family. Do you really think he broke into my house and stole my laptop and adoption files?” she asked Tommy, looking as if she was trying to let that possibility sink in.

  “Not completely, no,” he answered. “It doesn’t mean he’s not involved, though. The kidnapping attempt could’ve been a distraction while the burglar got what he really wanted.”

  Kate pinched the bridge of her nose as though staving off a headache.

  Tommy’s cell buzzed. He glanced at the screen. “If you’ll excuse me.”

  Kate nodded as Tommy hurried out of the room.

  Dallas didn’t say that none of this added up quite in the way he wanted it to. All her employees would know that she was already at the soup kitchen. If someone wanted her laptop and adoption files, all he had to do was break in while she was gone. But it was clear that her adoption was at the center of the kidnapping attempt. Could someone be trying to erase the paperwork trail? “Do you ever go back to your place after leaving for work?”

  “Not unless I’ve forgotten something for Jackson,” she said.

  “Do you normally take him to work with you?” Dallas asked.

  “Yes. And then Mrs. Zilker picks him up, although sometimes she sticks around the office for a while,” Kate stated. “Oh, no. I forgot to let her know I don’t need her today.”

  “Then someone could’ve been trying to make sure you didn’t go back home,” Dallas said.

  “I hope that’s all it is and not the fact that someone wants to take Jackson away from me.” Kate clutched him closer, as if daring anyone to try.

  “If Allen will agree to let a deputy search his house, then that’ll go a long way toward clearing him,” Dallas said.

  “I hope he does so we can cross him off the suspect list,” she said, and she sounded as if she really didn’t want her friend to be involved, more than that she was convinced he wasn’t.

  Tommy entered the room with a stark expression.

  Dallas didn’t like the look on his friend’s face.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “A vehicle registered to Wayne Morton was found abandoned off of Farm Road 23,” Tommy said, a look of apology in his eyes. “They found blood spatter but no sign of a body.”

  “I’m guessing there’s no other indication of Morton anywhere?” Dallas asked. But he already knew the answer to that question and an ominous feeling settled over him. Between the blood spatter and the fact that Morton hadn’t checked in with his assistant this morning, Dallas feared the worst. “We need to talk to Stacy to find out what she knows about his itinerary.”

  “No. I need to talk to his assistant,” Tommy said. “I can send a deputy to Morton’s office.”

  “Might be best if I speak to her personally. She might open up to me more than a stranger,” Dallas suggested. He felt guilt settle heavy on his shoulders, knowing that if anything had happened to Morton it could be his fault. History would be repeating itself. He muttered a curse too low for anyone else to hear.

  “Does this have anything to do with my case?” Kate asked. “Because if it does, I’d like to go with you.”

  “No,” Dallas said. “You should stay here in the sheriff’s office just to be safe.”

  He hadn’t anticipated the uncomfortable feeling he got in his gut at the thought of leaving her. She’d be in good hands with Tommy and yet he felt the need to stick around and watch over her. He told himself that it was all protective instinct and had nothing to do with the sizzle of attraction he felt when she was near.

  “Hold on a sec. Did Lentz give you permission to search his place?” Dallas asked Tommy, figuring it would be good to rule out one suspect.

  His friend said, “No.”

  “Are you done questioning him?” Dallas pressed.

  Tommy frowned. “He lawyered up.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “Deputy Lopez just briefed me on the computer search at the soup kitchen,” Tommy said to Dallas. “Turns out that Allen Lentz has an unusual amount of pictures of Ms. Williams on cloud storage that we accessed via his computer.”

  Dallas didn’t like the sound of that.

  “He takes all the office party photos.” Kate jumped to Lentz’s defense.

  Abigail knocked on the door to Tommy’s office and all eyes focused on her. “There have been six other kidnappings in the past three weeks in Texas, all boys, all adopted and all at gunpoint.”

  “He used a knife with me,” Kate stated, shivering at the thought that it could’ve been worse.

  “The first infant was found three days later in a car seat on the steps of his day care center,” she said. “The second and third were found several days after their disappearances, under similar circumstances.”

  “Three are still missing?” Tommy asked.

  His secretary nodded. “The three most recent ones.”

  “Was there a ransom demand in any of the cases?” Tommy asked.

  “Not once,” she stated.

  “Have Deputy Solomon check into the incidences to see if we can find a link to Safe Haven,” Tommy said.

  Kate perked up. “That means Allen is innocent, right?”

  The sheriff looked from Dallas to her apologetically. “Not necessarily. He could be mimicking other kidnappings to distract attention away from him. The MO was different with you and I can’t rule anyone out until I know why.”

  “To be clear, someone is taking babies who are the same sex and around the same age with no ransom demand and then making sure they’re found a
couple of days later?” Dallas asked Tommy.

  “I’m inclined to draw the same conclusion,” Tommy said. “The kidnappers are looking for a specific child.”

  Abigail moved to Kate, motioning toward Jackson. “Let me take him in the other room where he can sleep peacefully.”

  Kate stilled.

  “I’ll take good care of him. Don’t you worry,” Abigail assured her. “He’s in good hands with me.”

  “Thank you.” She handed over her sleeping baby. “So the pictures you found on Allen’s computer aren’t office pictures, are they?” she said, sinking back into the chair.

  “No, ma’am.” Tommy waved her and Dallas over to his desk and then pulled up a file on his computer, positioning the monitor for all three of them to see.

  One by one, pictures of Kate filled the screen.

  “These were taken in my house,” she said, shock evident in her voice.

  “Actually, from outside your house, like through a window,” Dallas observed.

  “He’s been watching me?” Her hand covered her mouth as she gasped. “Pictures of me sleeping?”

  The questions were rhetorical, and the hurt and disbelief audible in them was like a punch to Dallas’s gut.

  He reached out to comfort her, not expecting her to spin around into his arms and bury her face in his chest.

  This close, he felt her body trembling. A curse tore from his lips as he pulled her nearer, ignoring how soft her skin was or how well she fitted in his arms. His attraction to her was going to be a problem if he didn’t keep it in check.

  “Sheriff, can I see you in the hallway for a moment?” Deputy Lopez peeked inside the door.

  Tommy agreed and then shot a warning look toward Dallas. He was telling him not to get too close to the victim, and Dallas couldn’t ignore the fact that it was sound advice.

  He had moved past logic and gone straight to primal instinct the second her body pressed to his.

  But he wasn’t stupid enough to confuse this for anything more than what it was for her—comfort from a stranger.

  The sudden urge to lift her chin and capture her mouth with his wasn’t logical, either. But Dallas couldn’t regret it the instant her pink lips pressed against his.