by Hope White
“What are you doing, little man?” She went to him, using the child to derail the conversation.
The kiss. The intense connection growing between them, a connection he suspected had developed in part because of the danger hounding them.
But these feelings, the kiss, none of it was real.
Really, Weller? You sticking with that story?
She pulled a toy out of Eli’s bag, and Matt turned on the TV with the remote. Any sounds were preferable to awkward silence. He’d crossed the line.
The little boy burst into giggles. Eli’s joy reminded Matt of what he’d been missing: a wife, a family.
Sarah had been right when she said being married to Matt meant raising children as a single parent. He couldn’t expect any woman to agree to those terms because, well, no one could love Matt enough to live under that kind of pressure.
He glanced over his shoulder into the parking lot. The same five vehicles that had been parked when he and Jenna arrived were still there. No new cars had pulled in.
Redirecting his attention to the television, he surfed a few channels until he found the news.
And there, filling the screen, was Jenna’s face.
He took a few steps closer to the TV.
“We’re standing outside of the Cedar River Police Department, where the chief just finished a news conference about a missing child, Eli McFadden...”
Clutching a building block in her hand, Jenna snapped her head around to look at the television. As the reporter continued, Jenna’s face drained of color.
“If seen, the Cedar River Police request you call the one eight hundred number at the bottom of your screen. The suspect, Jenna North, is not considered dangerous, but the child has a medical condition and needs to be returned to his family immediately. Back to you, Amy.”
“A medical condition?” Jenna glanced at Matt. “Chloe never said anything about a medical condition.”
“That type of alert creates a sense of urgency to motivate witnesses to call the police.”
“Even more people will be looking for us now.”
As if on cue, someone pounded on the cabin door, and Matt drew his weapon.
TEN
Jenna instinctively grabbed Eli. Matthew motioned for her to take the little boy into the bedroom, out of sight.
They both knew the reality of this situation: they were trapped in the cabin with no escape route.
She snatched Eli’s diaper bag and rushed into the bedroom.
This was it, the end. Her brain spun with panic. It had to be the authorities coming to take Eli away from her, arrest Jenna for kidnapping and give the child back to his father.
No, that wouldn’t happen, because Gary was on the run. So where would this precious little boy end up?
She shut the bedroom door. Eli squirmed against her, wanting to get down and play. She glanced at the closet. Her first instinct was to hide...
“No more hiding,” she said softly.
Instead, she put Eli down on the floor with a few toys, and she searched the room for a weapon, something with which to defend herself and Eli.
As she went through the closet, she decided she could use a wire hanger to poke someone in the eye. It would inflict more pain than was necessary, but it would serve the purpose, giving her time to get away.
Could she overpower a thug sent to retrieve her and Eli? If not...
She prayed that Matthew would stop the guy from getting into the bedroom. If he couldn’t, Jenna would be ready.
As she untwisted the hanger, she wondered how on earth Billings’s men kept finding them. Tracking them to Marcus’s cabin made sense because he was Chloe’s cousin, but how had they found out about this remote spot? Jenna was using a burner phone, and Matt had disabled his GPS. Maybe Chief Billings had tracked them from the recent phone call using triangulation? No, she’d watched too much TV. A small police department like Cedar River wouldn’t have access to such technology, would they?
Eli entertained himself by opening and closing the nightstand drawer, putting his bear inside, then taking him out. Jenna uncoiled two more hangers and folded them together to create a four-pronged weapon. She clutched the hangers in her right hand and pressed her ear to the door, but the wood was too thick to hear much. On one hand, she was relieved she couldn’t hear what was going on because that meant no one could hear Eli’s squeals of delight each time he’d find Bubba in the nightstand drawer.
On the other hand, her adrenaline pumped with the anticipation of the bedroom door crashing open and a violent encounter between her and one of Chief Billings’s men taking place. She stood behind the door.
Waited.
Inhaled slow, deep breaths.
Casting all your care—
A tap on the window made her yelp. She spun around and spotted Marcus waving from the other side of the glass. Rushing across the room, she slid the window open.
“Marcus, how did you—?”
“Later. Hand me the kid.”
She hesitated.
“Don’t second-guess yourself now, Jenna. The local police are on the other side of the bedroom door questioning Matt, and they’re coming in here next to search for you and Eli.”
Trust your gut. Patrice had taught her that. Well, Jenna’s gut told her Marcus was one of the good guys.
She tossed her weapon on the bed and grabbed Eli and his bear.
Marcus reached out and she passed Eli through the window. “Bring his bag. Don’t leave anything of his behind.”
She stuffed Eli’s things into the bag and dropped both hers and Eli’s bags out the window. She climbed out and landed on the soft snow.
“Close the window,” Marcus whispered.
She slid it down, aware of the blue and red lights flashing across the parking lot. Marcus motioned her away from the small cabin.
Jenna couldn’t worry about what would happen next.
About what was happening to Matt.
He’d want her to concentrate on keeping herself and the little boy safe.
Marcus led her down a shoveled walkway past four cabins to a clearing at the north end of the property. He opened the back door of an insipid dark sedan and placed Eli into the back seat of the car. Jenna climbed in beside the little boy.
“You don’t have a car seat,” she said.
“I’m hoping we don’t have to go anywhere.”
He shut the door behind her. She entertained Eli by offering him a toy truck. Marcus slid behind the wheel and shut the door.
“How did you find us?” she asked.
Marcus glanced over his shoulder. “Planted a tracking device on the kid’s overalls. Tried to tell you back at the cabin, but didn’t have a chance.”
“What happened with the men who took you into custody?”
“I told them you left yesterday. I said if they released me, I’d help them track you down.”
She snapped her attention to him.
“It’s called being a double agent,” Marcus said. “I convinced them I’m an innocent bystander who could care less about my cousin Chloe or Eli. It wasn’t hard to believe. Because my work is so all-consuming, I didn’t have much contact with my extended family.” He handed her a blanket from the front seat.
“Thanks.” She tried draping it around Eli’s shoulders, but he would have none of it. “Who took you into custody?”
“Said they were federal agents, but I’m not convinced. Their IDs didn’t look real, and once they figured out I could be bought, they let me go—well, with a tracker on my phone. They didn’t think I’d notice. Idiots.”
“So they followed you?”
“Nah, I tucked the phone beneath the front seat of an eighteen wheeler headed south. Anyway, picked up my spare vehicle from a storage facility outside of town and followed you guys here. I hear
d on the scanner that local authorities were checking out all cabins, resorts, you name it, in Bonner County. I figured once they questioned Matt, they’d move on to the next cabin, and when they’re done questioning everyone on-site, they’ll check it off the list and head west. After they’re gone, the resort will actually be the safest place to hide out for a few days.”
“Safe would be nice for a change.” Jenna glanced in the direction of their cabin, but couldn’t see anything. “Don’t you worry that they’ll come ask you what you’re doing sitting here?”
“They’ve already asked. Said I’d been driving for twelve hours and needed to catch some sleep. They bought it. They’re looking for a couple and a little boy, not a single guy who hasn’t shaved in a week.”
She wheeled one of Eli’s toy trucks across the leather seat. “By the way, Gary found me in the shed.”
“What? How?”
“I have no idea. You think he’s tracking Eli like you tracked him?”
“I should check the kid’s stuff. Hand me his bag.”
She passed it to him. “Gary seemed scared. He said he wanted out. That’s why they’re after Eli, for leverage against him.”
“What did that lug nut get himself into this time?” he muttered.
“This time?”
“I did a background check on the guy before Chloe married him. Gary likes to push the envelope. He built his business by breaking into secure IT systems and exposing their vulnerabilities. Maybe he broke into one system too many.”
“Or maybe he’s involved with the cartel.”
“What cartel?”
“Matt thinks there’s a connection between Chief Billings and the Guerro drug cartel suspected of laundering money through the foundation.”
“Does he have proof?”
“Not yet.”
“Too bad. That would put a quick end to all this.” He rolled Eli’s clothes up one piece at a time and repacked them in the bag. “It’s clean.”
“How did you track us?”
“Top right button on his overall strap.”
Jenna looked closely and saw a small dark disc.
“Cops are headed this way,” Marcus said. “Stay down.”
Jenna coaxed Eli onto the floor and draped the blanket over herself and Eli. “We’re in a fort, Eli,” she whispered. The floodlights from the parking lot gave off enough light to illuminate the blanket fort. Eli reached out with a dimpled finger, poked at the blanket and giggled.
Time seemed to drag by as she struggled to keep Eli entertained so he wouldn’t cry out for something, such as a bottle, which she didn’t have handy.
You can do it, Jenna. You’re a natural at this.
She dug into his bag for a new and exciting toy to entertain him. “What’s this?” She pulled out a clear wand with sparkling stars that glittered as they slid from one end to the other. The little boy’s eyes lit up.
She steeled herself for the tap on the window from police, demanding to check Marcus’s car again.
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.
At least she knew God cared for Eli, an innocent child.
She used a visualization technique her counselor had taught her after she’d left Anthony. She pictured taking her anxiety and fear and forming it into a snowball, then hurling it toward a tree, where it exploded into pieces. She much preferred the freedom of release to the bondage of anxiety.
As she pointed the star wand up toward the top of their fort, she noticed her trembling hand.
Apparently her visualization didn’t totally ease the trepidation in her body.
“Look at those beautiful stars, Eli,” she said softly. “Blue and green and red.”
Eli grabbed the wand out of her hand and waved it left, then right. As he swung it over his head, he hit the blanket and she suspected they’d lose their cover if she didn’t act quickly.
“Eli, look at this.” She pulled a pink plastic pig out of his bag and made a soft oinking noise.
Eli giggled and mimicked her. She couldn’t help but smile.
She fully embraced this moment, even with danger looming close, and surrendered her worry to God.
“We’re clear,” Marcus said from the front seat.
Jenna threw back the blanket. “They’re gone?”
“They’re pulling out of the lot.” He slid a device out from beneath the driver’s seat and clicked it on. “Let’s listen in on the scanner.”
“Base, we’ve cleared the Lazy Shade Resort, over,” a voice announced.
“Where to next, over?”
“South to Coeur d’Alene, over.”
“Ten-four.”
Marcus glanced at Jenna. “Let’s get back to the cabin. We’ll leave the car here in case we need to make another escape out the bedroom window.” He winked.
“Eli’s going to wear a cape, like Superman, aren’t you, Eli?” She packed up his toys and wrapped the blanket around him. “Ready.”
Marcus got out and opened the door for her. She noticed he’d brought the scanner with him so they could continue to monitor police activity. Even though he said police had left the premises, she still found herself peeking between cabins to scan the parking lot for cops.
They made it back to the cabin and reentered the same way they’d left, through the window. The minute she put Eli down on the floor, he ran back to the nightstand to continue his game of hide-and-seek with Bubba the bear.
The boy was remarkable. If only Jenna could be as unflappable as Eli.
As she headed for the door to the living area, Marcus stepped in front of her.
“Let me go first,” he said.
He slipped his gun out of a holster at his belt and cracked open the door. She watched as his eyes darted left and right.
She instinctively went to stand near Eli.
Marcus pushed the door wide, stepped into the living area...
And froze, raising his hands.
* * *
The county police officer had asked pointed questions, which Matt answered directly. Then the cop said he needed to search the cabin. Matt held his breath when he pushed open the bedroom door, trying to figure out how to explain Jenna and Eli’s presence.
When the cop turned, thanked Matt and left, Matt bolted into the bedroom.
They were gone. Vanished. He rushed to the closet.
Empty.
He looked out the window. No sign of them.
Matt tried coming up with an explanation. She wouldn’t have taken Eli away.
Not willingly, at least.
He shoved the window open. Boot prints were visible in the snow. As well as a second set of prints, and both led away from the cabin.
They’d taken her and the child. Matt had failed to protect them.
Panic coursing through his body, he rushed into the living room and grabbed his jacket to go in search of Jenna and Eli.
Then he heard a thump in the next room. Matt stalked silently across the cabin, positioning himself beside the bedroom door.
It creaked open, and a pistol pointed through the doorway into the cabin.
“Drop the gun,” Matt said.
The intruder did as ordered and stepped into the living area.
Marcus.
Didn’t matter. Matt couldn’t trust anyone.
“Take it easy,” Marcus said.
“Drop the pack.”
Marcus squatted and let it drop off his shoulders.
“Matt—”
“Where are Jenna and Eli?” Matthew said.
“We’re here,” Jenna said, stepping up to the doorway.
He couldn’t look at her, not when he needed every ounce of attention to be on Marcus.
“Eli and I are fine,” Jenna said. “Marcus kept us safe. What are you—
?”
“Go sit at the kitchen table,” he ordered Marcus.
The former Navy SEAL did as ordered.
“Jenna, tie Marcus’s hands behind his back. There’s duct tape in my bag.”
“But Matt—”
“Do it.”
She hesitated, and then followed Matt’s order. The little boy toddled behind her. Noticing the barrel of his gun pointed across the room, Matt felt remorse about Eli witnessing Matt’s aggressive stance.
But he had no choice. He needed to keep Jenna safe.
He wasn’t going to lose her again.
Jenna led Eli to the sofa and handed him his bear. “Bubba wants to play.”
Matt didn’t take his eyes off Marcus, who directed his gaze to the floor.
Jenna went to Marcus and tied his hands behind his back. “Sorry,” she said softly.
“It’s fine. Matt’s doing his job.”
Standing, she planted her hands on her hips and squared off with Matt. “I don’t get it. He’s on our side.”
“Don’t be naive, Jenna. He led the authorities here.”
It was the only explanation as to how they’d been found so easily.
“I didn’t, Matt, honest,” Marcus said.
Jenna wandered closer to Matt. “Then why would he protect me and little Eli?”
“It probably earns him a bigger payout in the end.”
“He’s Chloe’s cousin. Eli’s cousin,” Jenna argued.
“Then how did the police know to check this resort for us?”
“It was a random check,” Marcus argued.
“Because you knew we were here.” Matt leaned against the wall and lowered his gun. “How did you know our location?”
“He put a tracker on Eli’s overalls,” Jenna said.
“Making sure you don’t lose your payday, huh, Marcus?”
“There is no amount of money worth Eli’s life,” the man argued.
“Save it. I found out your bank account has a little over a hundred-dollar balance, and you’ve got a balloon payment due on your cabin next month.”
Marcus didn’t say anything at first. Matt supposed that was because it was hard to argue with the truth.
“I’ve got an explanation if you’re willing to listen,” Marcus said.