Love Inspired Suspense January 2014 (19 page)

She ducked through the doorway, found herself in what looked to be a kitchen.

There had to be a way out. A delivery door or something.

She didn't dare turn on a light as she eased through the darkness, making her way past a counter and a sink. There was a window above it. If she could get it open, she could crawl out and run.

“Where we going, Mommy?” Sophia asked, popping her head up.

“Shhhhh,” she said, her muscles taut with fear.

Had he entered the room behind her? Was he creeping toward the kitchen?

She felt sick with terror, but she climbed onto the counter, set her feet in the sink. The window was stuck tight, too many layers of paint preventing the lock from opening.

Something rustled in the darkness beyond the doorway, and her heart nearly burst with fear. If she couldn't get out, she had to be ready to fight.

She jumped off the counter, opened a cupboard beneath the sink. Nothing that she could use as a weapon, but the area was large, and she thought she and Sophia could both fit. Or, maybe, she'd just put Sophia in the cupboard, hide her there until it was safe for her to come out.

“Let's play hide-and-seek, Sophia,” she whispered. “Be really, really quiet, okay?”

“Okay,” Sophia agreed, but she didn't sound very confident.

If Annie died, would anyone find her daughter? Would Hunter figure out what had happened and come looking?

She kissed Sophia's soft cheek, put her in the cupboard, leaving the door open just a crack so that she wouldn't be scared. She couldn't let anything happen to her daughter. She had to find a weapon, she had to fight and, most important, she had to win.

NINETEEN

H
unter ran down the flight of stairs that led to the basement of the old warehouse, his heart thundering in his ears, the beam from his flashlight bouncing on old marble. Two St. Louis police officers pounded down the steps behind him. They'd planned to enter silently, approach cautiously, but a gunshot had broken the stillness of the building, the sound echoing up from the basement.

Please, Lord, let them be okay,
he prayed as he reached the stairwell door. A glass window looked into a long dark corridor. Hunter thought he saw someone moving through the gloom.

He put up his hand, signaling for the officers to approach slowly.

“I think I see our perp,” he whispered.

More movement in the hall, and he could make out a few more details. A man, moving cautiously. No sign of anyone else.

Had the bullet found its target?

He refused to let his mind go down that dark path. He had to believe that Annie and Sophia were okay.

He watched as the perp disappeared in a room.

Now was his chance.

He signaled again, opening the door and stepping into the corridor, pressing close to the wall, his body humming with adrenaline. Thank goodness Annie's father and Burke had followed the fleeing suspect. If not, the St. Louis P.D. and U.S. Marshals would still be hunting for Burke's stolen car.

He eased into the room the suspect had disappeared into, heard a loud bang and a sharp curse.

He stepped into the room and flashed his light straight into the eyes of a man who looked so much like Luke Saunders, Hunter could have almost believed they were the same. The guy had one hand pressed to his thigh and the other wrapped around a handgun.

“Drop the weapon,” Hunter commanded, his firearm pointed straight at the guy's heart.

The perp released the Glock he'd been holding, letting it fall to the floor with another curse.

“I think I need stitches,” he moaned, lifting his hand so that Hunter could see blood bubbling up from a deep cut there. He must have slammed into the edge of one of the metal tables and ripped his leg open.

Hunter had no sympathy for him.

“You're going to need more than that if you don't put your hands up and leave them where we can see them,” one of the officers said.

“I know my rights, and I got a right to medical treatment.”

“Trust me,” the other police officer responded. “You'll get everything you deserve.”

Hunter stepped aside and let them frisk the suspect, read him his Miranda rights and cuff him.

As soon as they finished, he approached. “Where are the Delacortes?”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” the perp spat, his dark eyes flashing ire.

“Just like you don't know how one of my men was shot twice or how the gun you were carrying was used to do it?”

“I'm not saying nothing until I have my lawyer,” the guy said, pressing his lips together.

It was all Hunter could do not to grab him by the collar and shake the truth out of him.

“We're not playing games here,” the older of the two cops barked. “Did you come here alone, or is there someone else working with you?”

The perp smirked and kept his mouth shut.

Hunter clenched his fists to keep from doing something he'd regret. His fault. All of it. He should have stuck with the original plan, refused to go to the prison to meet with Fiske.

That had been a waste of valuable time.

Fiske had insisted that he and Saunders were working for a guy named Mr. Big. According to him, Mr. Big had hired Saunders's brother to make sure Annie didn't testify.

Saunders's brother
Don.

No wonder the perp looked familiar.

“Look, Don,” he growled and was pleased to see the guy's eyes widen in surprise. “We already know what you're doing and who you're working for. Tell us where the Delacortes are and you might not spend the rest of your life in jail.”

“I told you. I got nothing to say,” he insisted.

“We'll see how much good that does you once you're booked on attempted-murder charges,” Hunter muttered, stalking from the room. He had to find Annie and Sophia. He had to make sure they were okay.

Please, let them be okay.

The younger of the two officers followed him into the hall. “Sergeant Cline is going to take the suspect out to the patrol car. He's calling for a K-9 team. That will make the search easier.”

“Agreed, but I don't want to stand around twiddling my thumbs until they get here. Why don't we split up? You head right. I'll go left. Check every room. A shot was fired. We just need to figure out where that happened. And be careful. We don't know if Saunders was working alone. There could be someone else hiding around here.”

“Will do.” The officer took off.

Hunter made his way down the long hallway, cautiously checking one room after another. Nothing. No sign of a struggle. No hint that Sophia or Annie had been there. He would have called for them, but if there was a second perp hanging around, he didn't want to give advance warning.

A splotch of something gleamed in the beam of his flashlight, and he bent down to examine it.

Blood. He didn't need a forensic team to know it.

He ran the beam of his light along the floor until he found another splotch and another. He followed them into what looked like a cafeteria, where he thought he heard a baby crying.

He cocked his head, the cry so faint he wasn't sure he was really hearing it.

He crept through the room, the sound growing louder as he approached another doorway. He flashed the light in before he crossed the threshold. A kitchen. One window and a long counter. Plenty of cupboards.

A shadow moved to his right, lunging out from beside the large fridge, tackling him with enough force to send him tumbling backward. The flashlight flew from his hand, clattering onto the floor and rolling away.

He fell hard, but managed to twist so he was on top, his hands tight around someone's wrists. Someone's very slender wrists.

Not a man.

A woman.

He could smell her perfume, flowery and light, feel the fabric of her dress scrunching up near his legs.

“Annie,” he whispered, releasing her wrists, smoothing his hands up her arms. “Are you okay?”

“Hunter?” Her voice was shaky, and her cheek was bleeding, but she was alive. Thank the Lord.

“A little late but finally here.” He pulled her to her feet, his heart pounding with the need to drag her into his arms. “Where's Sophia?”

“I's still hiding,” Sophia said, her voice muffled.

“You can come out, sweetie.” Annie hurried across the room and opened the cupboard under the sink, lifting Sophia from the darkness.

His muscles went weak with relief, all the icy fear that had been in his heart since Burke called to say that Annie and Sophia had been kidnapped melting away.

He crossed the room in two long strides, pulled them both into his arms. They fit perfectly there, and he knew it was exactly where they were meant to be.

“Thank God,” he whispered. “You're both okay.”

“Burke isn't. I think he's—”

“Okay. The first bullet grazed his shoulder. The second one creased his scalp. It's a good thing Saunders's brother is a poor shot and that Burke has got such a hard head. He and your dad are the reason why we found you so quickly. They were able to follow Burke's car while Bud called 911. The guy who kidnapped you is already in custody.”

“I can't believe it. Burke was out cold when Luke's brother grabbed me. I was sure...” She shook her head. “I'm just glad Burke and my father are okay, and I'm even more glad that you're here.” Her arm snaked around his waist, her hand clutching his waistband. “I have never been so scared in my life.”

“I'm sorry, Annie. I should never have let you go to dinner without me.”

“You couldn't have known this would happen.”

“I still—”

“Don't.” She pressed a finger to his lips. “I'm okay. Sophia is okay. Tomorrow, we're going off to start our new lives, and we're going to do it knowing that the guy who planted bombs and threatened me is behind bars. That's a wonderful gift, Hunter, and I can't thank you enough for it.”

“I don't need you to thank me, Annie,” he said, looking into her face, seeing everything he'd ever wanted there.

“Then what do you need?”

“You by my side while
I
start
my
new life.”

“Hunter—”

“I'd already decided to take some time off work because I need it and because I can't imagine not having you and Sophia in my life. I'm going to bring you to your new home and help you settle in.”

“But—”

He pressed a finger to her lips, sealing in any protest she might have made. “Let's just call it a first step to forever, okay? We don't have to know where it leads—we just have to start the journey.”

“I'd...like that,” she admitted.

“Then how about we get started?”

She looked into his eyes. He didn't know what she was searching for, but he wanted to give it to her.

“You know what?” she finally said. “I think we should.”

He smiled, lifting Sophia from her arms. “How about you, munchkin? You want to find forever with me?”

“And cookies?” she asked.

“That, too,” he promised as he linked hands with Annie and led them both from the room.

TWENTY

O
bviously, it isn't a straight shot to forever,
Annie thought as a doctor stitched the deep gash in her cheek.

She'd thought they'd go to Hunter's house, grab their things and head out. Hunter had insisted they go straight to the hospital.

She was glad. Her parents were both there, playing with Sophia. Seeing them with her was bittersweet. They'd have to say goodbye again, be separated again, but she had to trust that eventually God would bring them back together.

“So, you have to leave us again, huh?” her father, Bill Stanley, said for what seemed like the hundredth time. “You're sure it isn't safe to stick around here?”

“I wish it were, Dad. I've really missed you guys.”

“We've missed you, too, but we'd rather have you alive and out of reach than gone forever.”

“I know.” Annie winced as the doctor jabbed at her cheek.

“I wish we could go with you, honey,” her mother said, a wistfulness in her voice that Annie had never heard before.

“You love it in St. Louis. When I was a kid, you said that you never wanted to leave.” She tried to turn her head to see her mother's expression, but the doctor frowned. An on-call plastic surgeon, he'd insisted that he could make sure that Annie's scar was almost unnoticeable.

“Try to hold still. You don't want to have a jagged scar when this heals,” he said sternly.

She honestly didn't care. She'd been through a lot of pain and a lot of trial, but she'd survived. A scar on her cheek seemed a fitting reminder of that.

She held still anyway.

“Because you were here,” her mother continued. “St. Louis just doesn't seem like home when you're not around.”

“You know, Sandy,” Bill said. “I can take early retirement. If the marshals would help, maybe we could start over with Annie and Sophia.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Sandy gushed. “We could be a family again!”

It sounded more than wonderful. It sounded like all the dreams Annie had been afraid to hope for during the past year.

Someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Annie called.

The door opened, and Hunter walked in. He looked rugged, handsome and so wonderful that her heart jumped with happiness.

“How are you doing?” he asked, crossing the room in three long strides.

“Better now that you're here.”

He smiled and lifted her hand, turning so that he was looking at her family. “I'm sorry this happened to your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley. I take full responsibility.”

“I told you that
I'm
taking responsibility,” Burke said as Serena wheeled him into the room. He was pale, his head bandaged, his T-shirt pulled tight over his bandaged shoulder. “If I'd parked in the driveway, this wouldn't have happened. I'm a failure as a marshal. I need to resign.”

“It's getting awfully crowded in here,” the doctor sighed as he applied a bandage to the wound. “You're all set. I'll have the nurse come in with aftercare instructions.” He glanced around the room, sighed again and walked out.

“Like I was saying,” Burke continued, his words slurring slightly. “I'm going to hand in my resignation as soon as I get back to the office.”

“You're still loopy from the drugs they gave you, Burke. So shut up and stop having your pity party,” Serena said, but she pulled a blanket up a little higher on his lap and patted his uninjured shoulder.

“I'm not—”

“You can't resign. I'm taking extended leave beginning tomorrow,” Hunter cut in. “I'm not sure when or if I'll be back.”

“Why not just take a vacation?” Josh walked into the room, skirting by Serena and the wheelchair. “You haven't had one in years.”

“Because I really don't think I'm coming back.” Hunter squeezed Annie's hand, looked down into her eyes. She didn't want him to give up his job for her, but she wanted him happy, and right then, she could see all the joy on his face.

He felt good about his decision. Right about it.

She couldn't feel any other way.

The group of marshals looked stunned.

“Did you hire that Colton Philips guy?” Burke asked, a scowl etching deep lines on his face. “Because it sounds like we're going to need him.”

“I spoke to him a couple of times, but I think he's too brash for our team. The three of you will do fine until a replacement can be found. Bud Hollingsworth said he'll do whatever he can during the transition.”

Serena sighed. “Daniel's gone. You're leaving. The office is going to be empty.”

“Not empty. Josh will be there, and so will I. I obviously can't resign until we get someone to take Hunter's place,” Burke griped, but he looked relieved rather than upset.

“It's not like I'll be out of contact,” Hunter assured the team. “I'll be as close as a phone call if you need to consult with me. We still have to find out who was leaking information to Don Saunders.”

“Or to his boss,” Annie said without thinking.

The room went completely silent. Even Sophia stopped babbling and squealing.

“What do you mean?” Hunter asked quietly.

“He made a phone call to someone he called ‘boss.' He told him that I wouldn't tell anyone anything ever again.” She explained the rest quickly.

When she was done, Josh let out a long low whistle. “It sounds like your husband knew something that he didn't share with you. We're going to have to do some more digging to find out what.”

“Maybe visiting Fiske wasn't a waste of time after all,” Hunter added. “He mentioned a boss, too. Some guy he called Mr. Big. I thought he made it up, but maybe the guy really exists. The officers who booked Saunders called me a few minutes ago. They said he hasn't stopped talking. He insists he has information that we need.”

“What kind of information?” Josh asked.

“Something about a baby-smuggling ring.” His gaze shot to Sophia.

“Are you saying that the men who murdered Joe were trying to snatch my daughter?” Had Joe been protecting Sophia? Was that why he'd died?

“We don't have all the information yet, but we're keeping the arrest quiet. We don't want any information leaked out. If he's right, the less information Mr. Big has, the better it will be for the investigation.”

“But—” She wanted to ask a million more questions, try to wrap her mind around the new information, but Josh cut her off.

“I think I'll pay Fiske a visit tomorrow, see if I can get any more information out of him,” he said.

“Keep me posted, okay?” Hunter responded. “I may be taking a leave of absence, but I want to know what's going on.”

“That being the case, you've been careful with information regarding where she's relocating to, right?” Serena said, shooting a look at Annie's parents.

“Very,” Hunter responded.

“Glad to hear it. We've gotten them this far. I don't want anything to happen to them now that the trial is over. Come on, Burke. I'm supposed to get you home and make sure you don't kill yourself climbing into bed.”

“I'd better head out, too. I want to go over the Delacorte files, see if there's anything in there we missed.” Josh followed Serena out of the room.

“I thought this was over,” Bill said, taking Annie's hand and squeezing gently. “I thought you were finally going to be safe.”

“She will be,” Hunter assured him. “I'm going to make sure of it.”

“What can we do to help?” Sandy carried Sophia over.

“Pray and wait for an opportunity to join your daughter and granddaughter.” He took Sophia from her arms, and Annie's heart swelled with love as she looked at the two of them together. They looked comfortable together, happy together.

They looked like a family together.

“So, you think that might be a possibility? Because I really don't want to go the rest of my life without seeing my daughter and granddaughter again.” Sandy's eyes welled with tears.

“I already have it in the works. As soon as you're ready—”

“We're ready,” Annie's father cut in.

“The marshals will arrange everything, then. You should be able to join us in a few weeks.”

“
Us?
So, there's going to be a wedding?” Bill asked, his brow furrowed into a million lines.

“Dad!” Annie cut in quickly. “I'm going to have my own place. Hunter will be...?” What would he be doing?

She met his eyes, and he smiled. “I'll find a place to rent for a while.”

“Oh. Okay, then.” Bill nodded. “Glad to hear it. Now it seems to me, the best thing for my daughter and granddaughter would be to get them out of town quickly.”

“That's what I intend to do.”

“Then we'll say goodbye. Hopefully, it won't be for long,” Bill said, kissing Annie's uninjured cheek and pulling her in for a bear hug. She swallowed back tears, pasting a smile on her face as she said goodbye. Again.

“You okay?” Hunter asked after her parents walked out of the room.

“I think so.” She ran a hand over her hair, pulling out pins that were barely holding it into place. “It's just really hard to say goodbye again.”

“It'll only be for a few months.” He put Sophia down, ruffling her hair as he gazed straight into Annie's eyes.

“I know.”

“Then why do you look so sad?”

“Because I've missed them, and they've already missed so much of Sophia's life.”

“I'm sorry,” he murmured, slipping his arms around her waist, his lips grazing her forehead, so lightly, so tenderly, tears filled her eyes.

“It's not your fault. It's all because of Joe. Everything that happened is because he—”

“May have saved her, Annie. If what Saunders told the police is true, he probably did,” Hunter said gently, his hand cupping her jaw, his eyes warm and brown and filled with promises. “Let's make sure we tell her that when she's older. I want her to have good feelings about her first father.”

“First?”

“Sure. I kind of liked your father's suggestion about having a wedding. I was hoping that, in a few months, there might just be one.”

“You know what?” she said, placing her hand over the one he'd rested against her waist. “I think I like that idea.”

“Think?” he asked with a small laugh. “I'd rather you be sure.”

“I am,” she whispered, leaning forward and sealing the words with a kiss that she felt to the depth of her soul. “You're everything I was afraid to hope for after Joe died.”

“And you're everything I didn't know I needed but do. I love you, Annie.”

“I love you, too,” she murmured against his lips.

“I loves you, Hunter! I loves you!” Sophia cried.

Hunter broke away, laughing as he scooped Sophia into his arms.

“I'm glad to hear it, munchkin, because I plan to stick around for a long time. Come on.” He slipped his free arm around Annie's waist. “Let's go back to my place and pack. I'm ready for our forever to begin.”

“So am I, Hunter,” Annie said, her heart nearly bursting with joy as they stepped out into the hall and walked into their future together.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from FRAME-UP by Jill Elizabeth Nelson.