Stolen Child

by Jane M. Choate

  The hope died when Rachel crossed her arms over her chest. “Say what you’ve come to say.”

  “I’ve told you how it was with me and Maggie. I let her down. I failed her in the worst way possible. And she’s dead because of it. I wasn’t here to protect her. If I had been, things might have been different. I let you down, too. And you almost died because of it. I should have been there.”

  Rachel shifted on the bench. “What happened to Maggie wasn’t your fault. From what I learned from Roberta, Maggie was given everything but love. That’s why she clung to you, begged you to stay with her. That’s why Roberta could manipulate her so easily. As far as what happened to me, I made my choices. I knew what I was getting into. You’re not to blame. For any of it.”

  “That’s just it. I should have been there for her. Instead, I was off playing war.”

  “You were doing what you were meant to do,” Rachel said, voice earnest. “You had no way of knowing what Roberta was planning. You couldn’t have known how truly twisted she was. How could you?”

  “I’m beginning to see the truth of it, but with Lily looking so much like Maggie, I got it all mixed up in my head.”

  “Grey, you are one of the finest men I’ve ever known. But I can’t absolve you. Only God can do that. If you’re willing to let Him.”

  “Sounds like you’ve had your own reunion with the Lord.”

  “I have. And I realized that He doesn’t blame me for what happened three years ago any more than He blames you for what happened to Maggie and Lily. That isn’t Who He is.”

  “No, it’s not.” He worked for the right words and found they weren’t as hard as he’d feared. “The Lord forgives us and asks that we forgive others. Can you forgive me?” It was the single most important question he’d ever asked. “Can you forgive me for being stupid and selfish and shortsighted and—”

  She cut him off. “You smell good.”

  “I do?”

  “Like baby powder and grape jelly.”

  He laughed. “Maybe I can bottle and sell it.” The laughter died in his throat. “You didn’t answer my question. Can you forgive me?”

  “Always.”

  “I need you. Lily and I need you.” Never had he meant anything more.

  “And I need both of you.”

  When he pressed his lips to hers, Grey felt the rightness of it. “I’ve dreamed of this since the first time I kissed you,” he said when he lifted his head. “I love you. I fell in love with you somewhere between you pulling me off that roof and you dragging me through the forest.”

  “I fell in love with you at the same time.”

  He kissed her again. Her response filled him with a sense of joy incomparable to anything else save that of finding Lily. Rarely did Grey cry, but he did so now, the tears running freely down his face. Unashamed, he didn’t wipe them away.

  When Rachel reached out to catch a tear on the tip of her finger, he watched in wonder as she brought it to her lips.

  His heart turned over. He let it settle before he turned to more practical matters.

  “There’s something else,” he said. “I can’t live on Lily’s trust fund, so I need to find work. I’ve lined up a nanny...” At her raised brow, he hastened to add, “A grandmother who’s missing her grandchildren and jumped at the opportunity to take care of Lily and make some extra money. Now all I need is a job. That is, if my idea of selling ‘Eau de Baby Powder and Grape Jelly’ doesn’t work out.”

  “Shelley mentioned the other day that S&J could use another operative, especially one with your skills. You’ll have to talk with her and Jake, but I think you could find a home right here.”

  “It sounds perfect.”

  Lily chose that moment to squirm in his arms.

  Rachel laughed. “I think she’s getting impatient.”

  “You’re right.” He started to lift his daughter to his shoulder, but Rachel stopped him.

  “Can I?”

  In answer, he passed Lily to her.

  Lily snuggled on Rachel’s shoulder like a contented kitten.

  Rachel patted Lily’s back. “We’re going to be very good friends. Would you like that?”

  Lily cooed.

  “I think that’s a yes,” Grey said and folded his arms around the two most important people in the world. “Unless you haven’t picked up on it,” he said over Lily’s head, “I’m far from perfect.”

  “You don’t have to be perfect,” Rachel said. “We just have to be perfect together.”

  * * *

  If you enjoyed Stolen Child, look for these other great books from author Jane M. Choate, available now:

  Keeping Watch

  The Littlest Witness

  Shattered Secrets

  High-Risk Investigation

  Inherited Threat

  Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Justice Undercover by Connie Queen.

  Dear Readers,

  Thank you for joining me on another love journey. Our hero and heroine’s love path did not run smoothly. Kidnapping, betrayal, loss of faith and other perils faced them, but they remained strong, remained true to their values.

  Holding on to our beliefs requires commitment, courage and, most of all, faith. When my sister, Carla, died, I felt as though part of me had died, as well. We were not only sisters; we were best friends—always. I wondered if I could go on, if I wanted to go on. For a while, I let my writing go, I let friendships suffer, I let myself despair in a well of grief and pain so intense that I was certain it would swallow me. Most of all, I let my faith go.

  But the Lord had different ideas and brought me back, to my writing, to my friends, to my faith. He never let me go, even when I had let myself go.

  I pray each of you will hold fast to your faith.

  With gratitude for His love,

  Jane

  WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS BOOK FROM

  Courage. Danger. Faith.

  Find strength and determination in stories of faith and love in the face of danger.

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  Justice Undercover

  by Connie Queen

  ONE

  Kylie Stone glanced over her shoulder, unable to shake the feeling she was being watched. No one was there except an elderly couple feeding the flamingos. No suspicious person lurking nearby.

  Would the day ever come when she could truly relax? Or a day when she wouldn’t think about the sweet mother and two precious children that had perished under her care in the Witness Protection Program?

  It’d been three long years since she had disappeared, abandoning her job at the United States Marshals Service, and had become Kylie Stone.

  The huge Texas flag waved lazily in the warm afternoon breeze, and a red bird hopped from limb to limb in the pecan tree above. By all appearances, everything was peaceful at Rocky Creek Zoo.

  The uneasiness still lingered. Her instincts were normally spot-on. Maybe they should’ve stayed home today. She held out her hands. “Time to go.”

  “No,” two-year-old fraternal twins, Braden and Zoe, cried in unison.

  “Now, come on. I told you we were leaving after we saw George.” The gorilla knuckle-walked across his spacious enclosure and climbed up a large leaning tree. He wasn’t nearly as interested in the children as they were in him.

  Kylie dropped down to one knee between the blond-haired, blue-eyed sweethearts. “Tell him ’bye.”

  “Unca Luke is coming.”

  Zoe’s hopeful expression twisted Kylie’s gut. A glance at her smart watch told her their uncle, Texas Ranger Luke Dryden, was almost ninety minutes late. She couldn’t wait any longer for him to join them. “It’s time to go.” She gave them both a quick peck on the head. “Don’t forget we have cook
ies waiting for us.”

  The twins reluctantly waved to the five-hundred-pound gorilla. “Bye-bye.”

  Kylie fastened the toddlers into the stroller and surveyed her surroundings once more. Then, when she was satisfied no one was there, they headed toward the exit.

  Braden glanced up, his expression hopeful. “Too-kie.”

  “When we get home,” Kylie told him and continued moving quickly.

  “Two too-kies.” Braden kicked his cowboy boots against the footrest. “One for Unca Luke.”

  Kylie smiled, not wanting to discourage the toddlers, but their uncle had worked late almost every night since Kylie had been babysitting for him. Being in law enforcement, she knew, made it difficult to be a single parent with his niece and nephew, but he needed to find more time.

  Zoe stared silently into her lap. Kylie wished she’d show half the enthusiasm as her brother. She didn’t know whether the girl had always been shy, or the quietness was brought on by the loss of her mother.

  The Ranger had agreed to take off early today to meet them at the small city zoo for the afternoon. He’d texted a couple of hours ago that he’d be late. Since then, they had already seen all the exhibits once, some twice, and now the twins were missing their naps.

  If she was a real nanny, she would’ve set their uncle straight from the beginning and let him know she wouldn’t stay late. But she had sought this job in hopes of getting closer to Luke, so she could learn if there was a connection between the death of the Texas Ranger’s sister and Hal Alcott, the man who’d killed Kylie’s witness and made it clear on that fateful day three years ago that he intended to kill her, as well.

  So far, she hadn’t found a link.

  The nanny service had warned her that Luke had gone through two previous sitters the month before she took the job, and he had been fined multiple times for being late.

  She returned the rented double stroller to the self-serve island and grabbed her backpack. Holding the twins’ hands, they exited between two giant giraffe statues on the way to the almost empty parking lot.

  Kylie assessed the perimeter before they stepped onto the sidewalk.

  Her gaze narrowed on the rusty minivan parked next to her blue Jeep Cherokee in the second row. Her breath hitched as she studied the vehicle. A woman sat behind the wheel. The van backed out and left, little heads bobbing in the back seat. Just a mom and kids. A smile spread across her lips. She was extra jumpy today.

  “Carry me.” Zoe wiggled out of her grasp and thrust her tiny hands in the air.

  She gathered the little girl into her arms and gave her a slight squeeze, savoring the closeness. She missed protecting families. Missed her job.

  The protective instincts were difficult to hide after years of service. No one knew her identity, and evidently, no one was after these kids. To everyone around her, Kylie was simply the nanny.

  She took Braden’s hand once more. “Come on, let’s go.”

  The boy took leaping steps, never seeming to tire.

  Luke Dryden’s white pickup pulled in at the far end of the premises and stopped at the parking attendant’s booth. Finally. At least he would be able to share cookies and spend a little time with the children today.

  Relieved at seeing his truck, she almost didn’t notice the silver SUV barreling down the lane toward them. Warning bells went off in her brain as fear crawled up her spine. This wasn’t just a guy ignoring the fifteen-mile-per-hour speed zone. She picked up Braden, and with a child in each arm, ran for her vehicle as fast as she could manage.

  The SUV came to a screeching halt as she reached the Jeep. Time slowed as her heart raced—she needed a weapon.

  Kylie set down the kids next to her vehicle and pulled a hairbrush from the backpack. “Stay here.”

  A hefty man jumped out of the SUV and rushed toward her. Curly brown hair protruded from under a red baseball cap. Though he didn’t have a visible weapon, her heart seized. On impulse, Kylie dropped the backpack and put her hand on top of Braden’s head to make sure he stayed behind her.

  “Ky-ee,” Braden yelled.

  Please, God, help me protect these kids.

  The attacker’s gray eyes connected with hers and there was triumph in his gaze, before he swung a fist.

  She slapped down his punch while simultaneously stepping forward to generate more power as she struck him in the jaw with the blunt end of the hairbrush. His head snapped back, a curse blasting from his lips, but he didn’t go down.

  He was large and slow. Before he could recover, she advanced and executed a sharp jab to his ribs.

  “Ugh.” He bent over, wrapping his arms around his middle.

  The kids cried and clung to the back of her capris.

  She regripped the brush and eyed him, noting the disbelief in his expression. Gently shoving the twins behind her once more, Kylie stepped forward with her left foot and put her arms in an on-guard position, ready to strike again.

  “You think you’re pretty tough,” he shouted. “Well, stop this.” He whipped a KA-BAR knife from his waistband.

  Tires squealed. A blur of white flashed to her right, but she kept her eyes trained on the man in the red hat, prepared in case he decided to throw the knife. He turned, scrambled into his SUV and peeled out of the lot.

  “Are you okay?” Luke Dryden’s baritone voice boomed through his open door.

  “Yes.” But, of course, she wasn’t. Her voice was shaky, and her chest heaved with each runaway breath. She willed her body to stop trembling. The kids were crying, but safe.

  Luke grabbed his cell phone. “I need backup. Possible attempted child abduction...” The words drifted away as he slammed the door and took off in pursuit of the SUV.

  Kylie picked up the kids. “It’s okay. Don’t cry.”

  “Unca Luke...” Braden’s lip puckered, and he held out his hands toward the disappearing truck.

  “He’ll be back, honey.” She clung to the little fellow. She had saved them. This time. What if she couldn’t the next time? What if, just like the Coffey family, she failed to protect them? Another family would be devastated.

  “Scary bad man.” Braden’s face scrunched. “Me don’t like him.”

  Still trembling from the close call, Kylie pulled the twins closer. “Me, neither. Everything’s going to be all right.”

  Minutes later, Luke pulled back into the parking lot and stopped beside her Jeep. Decked out in his Texas Ranger attire of jeans, white shirt and red tie, he took the frightened kids from her and pulled them into his arms.

  Kylie’s own arms dropped to her side, and she relaxed her stance. After all, she was just the nanny.

  * * *

  “He got away.” Luke Dryden had wanted to continue pursuit of the Tahoe, but fear for the twins’ safety won out. Anger pulsed through his veins, but he reined in his emotions for the kids’ sakes. They were upset enough. Megan’s kids. His sister hadn’t been gone three months and already he was failing as a guardian. Every muscle in his body tensed as he thought of how easily he could’ve lost them.

  “Are you two okay?” he asked. Tears lined Braden’s blue eyes, but at least he’d stopped crying. Zoe continued to sob even as Luke held her close. “It’s okay, Zoe girl. Uncle Luke’s got you.”

  Had the man been after the twins or Kylie?

  His gaze landed on his nanny—she had a hairbrush clutched in her hand and her face was red. Sweat beaded above her lip. Her breathing was still not quite back to normal. “Did you know that guy?”

  Kylie licked her lips as though she was considering the matter. “No, I didn’t recognize him. I saw you pull into the lot, but then this SUV came speeding toward us. I didn’t know what else to do except try to get the kids in the vehicle. But I didn’t have time.”

  “Did you hit him with that?”

  She fidgeted with the brush. “Uh, yeah
.”

  “I’m glad the man didn’t have a weapon.” He stared at her as the kids settled their heads on his shoulders.

  “He pulled a knife, but thankfully you drove up and scared him off before he could use it.”

  “I didn’t need to hear that.” Luke shook his head.

  At barely five feet, she wasn’t as big as a mite. She had big eyes and a high-pitched voice. She looked scared, but something in her expression caused him to doubt his initial analysis. Dressed in a pink T-shirt and denim capris, she appeared sweet, and non-threatening. His dad would’ve called her cute as a button. His gaze went back to the brush. She hadn’t screamed. That’s what was bothering him. Her cool confidence. When she’d swung at the guy, he thought she was the one with a knife. “A brush? Really?”

  The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, and a dimple formed. “I didn’t have anything else. I thank God I even thought of it.” Grabbing the backpack from the pavement, she quickly stuffed the brush inside.

  “Nice job” was all Luke could say. He didn’t reply to the God comment. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in God, or was even mad at Him for not saving his sister. His faith, though, wavered. Guilt tugged at him, but no matter how much he prayed, his faith seemed to be growing weaker. He simply didn’t know how to get it back.

  Kylie held her hands out toward the toddlers. “You want me to put them in their car seats?”

  Even though Braden leaned toward Kylie, Luke pulled back, not wanting to let them go just yet. “I’ve got them.” Zoe clung to his neck, and his chin dropped to the top of her head. He inhaled the clean scent of baby shampoo. The little girl was the image of his sister at that age. “What I need to know is...did the man attack you or was he after the kids?”

  “I’m not certain. When he first jumped out of his vehicle, he eyed the twins. I felt sure his intention was to take them since he didn’t go for my backpack.”

  Luke’s chest constricted. She confirmed his speculations. The SUV had partially blocked his view and the attacker had kept his head down. Luke hadn’t seen his face. “I need to call this in. Can you give me a description of this guy or what he was wearing?”