A Texas Hero. Linda Warren
for you.”
“No, Daddy. Mommy’s coming.” Chloe’s little face scrunched up in worry. Even at three she sensed something was not right.
“C’mon, cutie,” Holly said. “Time to get dressed.”
Chloe gave Doug a hug and ran after Holly.
Doug left without another word.
Everett looked at his wife. “I knew you were crafty, but you’ve taken devious to a new level. Doug didn’t even catch on.”
She shrugged. “You didn’t want Chloe to leave and I figured out a way to accomplish that.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m not a monster.”
“I know, honey. I said things this morning I didn’t mean.” He raised his eyes to hers. “Did you mean it when you said we’d take care of Abby?”
“Yes. I’m not the motherly type, but I will try.”
“Don’t try, Gayle. Let it happen naturally.”
She kissed his forehead. “I’ll make us a nice dinner.”
“Chloe—and Holly, too?”
“Of course.”
His cell buzzed and he quickly pulled it out of his trousers. “Hello.”
“Mr. Baines, this is Detective Logan.”
“Yes, I know. Have you found my daughter?”
“Sorry, Mr. Baines, no. But a SWAT team and the feds have arrested Devon Williams at his girlfriend’s.”
“And Abby wasn’t with him?”
“No. He said the van broke down and he left it on the side of the highway in Houston. He called his girlfriend and she picked him up and they traveled to her apartment in south Houston. The girlfriend verified his story. He said he doesn’t know anything about a bank robbery.”
“You believe this?”
“Not for a minute. He’s being transported back here and I’ll get a crack at him. I’ll stay in touch.”
“Thank you.”
Everett stared at his phone and suddenly threw it across the room. It landed with a soft thud on the large Oriental rug.
“Everett!”
He told Gayle what the detective had said. “My daughter is probably lying dead in a field somewhere, and he just didn’t want to tell me.”
“No. No. Don’t say that.” Gayle wrapped her arms around him. “We’re staying positive. Do you hear me?”
“I think I will lie down.”
“No.” She kissed his face. “I’ll get the checkerboard out and you can play checkers with Chloe. She loves it.”
“But you hate it when we make a mess.”
“I don’t care.” She wrapped her arms around him again and he held on tight. “Abby will come home, Everett. We have to believe that.”
And he did.
* * *
WITH EACH STEP, Ethan cursed himself. One look from her sleepy blue eyes and he’d let his guard down—allowed himself to wonder what it would feel like to have her lips on his skin. He’d come to his senses quickly, telling her they had to keep moving. She’d seemed startled, but complied. Concerning Abby Bauman, he had one goal—to return her safely to her family. That was it. No hanky-panky.
“E-e...”
He swung around to see Abby crumpled to the ground. He fell down beside her and lifted her upper body onto his thigh. “Abby!”
She’d passed out from the heat, and her breathing was shallow. Balancing her on his leg, he whipped his T-shirt over his head and wiped her face with it, running it around her neck trying to cool her.
“That feels good,” she murmured, opening her eyes. Lightly touching his chest, she added, “That feels even better.”
He slowly removed her hand from his hot skin, even though he had the urge to press it closer.
“What happened?”
“You fainted.”
“Oh. I’m so hot.” She moved restlessly. “I’m sticky and miserable.”
“Maybe take off your bra. It’s restrictive and might rub blisters.”
Her eyes opened wide. “Oh, you want to get me out of my bra?”
“This isn’t personal.” He had to make that clear.
“Oh, no, we don’t want to get personal. That could get messy, messy...” Her head tilted against his chest.
“Abby, stay awake.” He rubbed her face and neck again and she stirred. “Is it a front or back hook?”
“F-ront.”
He slid his hand under her top and unhooked her bra, touching unbelievably smooth, soft skin.
“You did that rather easily,” she said, watching him.
“It’s in my repertoire of skills.”
“I bet.”
“Can you get it off? Or do you need me to help?”
“I can do it.”
Some of her stubbornness was back. She pulled her arms through the sleeveless top and finagled a strap over her arm and then another. Removing it, she threw the lacy beige bra into the leaves. Then she jammed her arms back into the openings.
They both stared at the lacy bra. “Can you imagine the conversation when someone finds that?” she asked.
“Only nocturnal creatures will find it, or birds will use it to make nests.” He looked down at her. “Ready to continue on?”
She reached up and touched his face. He froze. There was that thing again between them. He kept pushing it away and it kept coming back. Describing it was difficult. Attraction? Sexual awareness? Or gratitude?
He was well aware of all three, but their connection hinged on gratitude. He was positive of that.
A snort and a thrashing rumbled through the trees. Before Ethan could move, a big buck came charging out, leaped over them and disappeared just as quickly.
“What was that?” Abby sat up.
“A deer and I’m betting he’s headed for water. We have to follow.”
“Oh, water. Do you think it’s close?”
“We have to go to find out. Can you stand?”
She pushed to her feet and he slipped into his sweaty T-shirt. With his arm around her waist to steady her, they started off. She didn’t stumble or complain so he kept them moving. They stopped as the trees meandered down into a small overgrown valley. In the middle sat an old shack.
“There has to be a creek running by it. Let’s go.” He started off, but she stayed at the top. Glancing back, he called, “C’mon. What are you waiting for?”
“I’ve been waiting for you, Ethan. I’ve been waiting for you all my life.”
What? She was delirious. That was the only answer.
“That’s crazy,” he said before he could stop himself. “C’mon.”
She walked toward him and against every sane objection in his head a delusional thought slipped through. He’d been waiting for her, too.
The heat had finally gotten to him. He was a hard-nosed, badass cop and he was well insulated from silly, romantic nonsense.