Surviving the Wilderness, page 18
Thankfully, Quinn’s business had rebounded like a phoenix, thanks to the idea of her new freelance media consultant Marcel that they presell packages where campers didn’t know where they were going until they got there. The concept had taken off like hotcakes with mystery-loving millennials and she’d already sold out over six months in advance. And Jeff had taken the money he’d wanted to give her and used it for a down payment on a house just down the road from her family’s. Bit by bit, every stray thread was being tied.
Which just leaves the fears in my heart, Lord, Jeff prayed. Help me continue to face them, fight them, heal and grow into the man who Addison, Quinn, my friends and my country need me to be.
“One, two, three, go!” Addison’s voice shouted from the trees behind him.
His heart soared as he watched as Quinn and Addison burst through the leaves, holding hands as they ran down the hill together. They reached the ground, tumbled into the grass and rolled, giggling. Then they started back up the hill again. Quinn flashed a dazzling smile at him as they passed.
How he had ever found a woman so amazing to agree to be in his life was beyond a mystery. But ever since they’d been rescued from the rock together, he’d made good on his promise to her and to God to be a better man and stand by her side. He’d met with the therapist his brother had recommended, who, to be honest, hadn’t been a good fit, but had a second appointment with another he liked a lot better. He’d also attended a few meetings of the trauma support group and, while he hadn’t been ready to open up and talk about what had happened overseas, he found listening to other people’s stories and hearing the advice they shared with each other really helped and reminded him he wasn’t alone.
His phone buzzed to announce an email had arrived. He opened it and was startled it to see who it was from.
Paul.
“One, two, three!” Addison shouted again.
“Quinn!” Jeff called and stood so he could see them through the trees. “When you’re done this trip, can you join me for a second?”
Her eyebrow quirked. “Absolutely.”
He watched as they careened through the trees together one more time. Then Quinn took Addison over to the farmhouse porch, where Rose stood flipping burgers, Leia was setting out food, and Butterscotch was having an animated discussion with Moses the cat, who was lazily watching the enthusiastic puppy through the window.
He watched as Quinn turned and walked up the hill toward him. Sunlight fleeced her limbs and seemed to dance in her eyes. His mouth went dry. Then she was by his side, brushing his lips with a kiss and taking his hand in hers. They sat on the ground.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“I just got an email back from Paul,” he said. “Someone in my trauma group suggested I write to him, so I did, and he replied. But I haven’t read it yet. I’m kind of worried about what it might say.”
“How about I read it for you?” she asked. She held out her hand and he gave her the phone.
“‘Dear Jeff,’” she read. “‘Thank you for your kind email and your congratulations on my recent wedding. I have to admit I never expected to hear from you. I’m really sorry for how miserable I made things after Della died. I was hurting a lot, but that doesn’t justify my taking it out on you. I appreciate the offer to be part of Addison’s life. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll ever take you up on it. Actually, my lovely wife and I are expecting a child of our own. But if you or Addison ever need anything, feel free to reach out. Paul.’”
He let out a long breath.
She handed him back the phone. “That was kind of him,” she said, “and it was good of you to reach out and try to make peace.”
“Thanks,” he said and looked out over the trees. “I’m beginning to see just how much I misjudged a lot of people, including myself.”
She didn’t answer for a long time and when he looked back, he was surprised to see she was frowning.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“I think so,” Quinn said, worry filling her eyes. “You’ve just seemed really distracted all day and then you needed some time alone to think, and I’m worried if something’s wrong with you. Are you okay?”
“Quinn, I am more than okay,” he said and reached for her hand. “I am unbelievably happy. You make me the happiest I’ve ever been.”
“You make me happy too,” she said. She turned to face him. Their knees bumped. “But, am I right that something’s on your mind?”
How did she know him so well? “There is.”
“Well, then share it will me and let me help you,” she said.
“I can’t—”
“Yes, you can—”
“Fine,” he said. “I’ve been sitting here alone, reviewing the events of the past few weeks in my mind, because I’ve been trying to figure out how to ask the woman I’m in love with to marry me! I even went to the store yesterday and looked at all these traditional gold and diamond engagement rings that didn’t look like anything you might want to wear. They all seemed wrong for you.”
Her eyes widened and, for a long moment, he just gazed into the face of the woman he knew without a doubt he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Then she leaned her forehead against his.
“The camping equipment store sells silicon bands for about twenty bucks,” she whispered. “They’re great because you don’t have to take them off while climbing or canoeing. They’ll even replace it if it breaks.”
He chuckled softly. “I didn’t know that.”
“Well, you should’ve asked me,” she said with a smile.
“And if a guy bought you one of those silicon rings and asked you to be his wife, would you say yes?” he asked.
She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. “Only if that man was you.”
“Good,” he said. “Because I’m determined to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Deal.” Joy illuminated her eyes. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
“Please do,” he said. “I love you, Quinn.”
“I love you too,” she said. “And I want to marry you, raise Addison alongside you, have a family with you, and share all of my life adventures with you for the rest of my life.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he said.
Then he gathered her into her arms and kissed her deeply, before they stood, linked hands and walked down to the house to tell Addison the good news.
* * *
If you enjoyed this story, look for these other books by Maggie K. Black:
Witness Protection Unraveled
Christmas Witness Conspiracy
Undercover Protection
Keep reading for an excerpt from Amish Cradle Conspiracy by Dana R. Lynn.
Dear Reader,
As I was working on an early draft of this book, I looked out the window and saw my neighbor trying, and failing, to train his adorably stubborn golden retriever puppy to walk on a leash. Many years ago, when I was in college, I walked my cat in a harness and leash when I lived downtown, and that was a major challenge! The cat absolutely loved being outside but had no interest in “walking,” choosing instead to dash madly from spot to spot, occasionally leaping up trees or even onto my shoulder. But walking Tandia the tabby was a breeze compared to what my neighbor was going through as he tried to coax his pup to please stop rolling around on my lawn. Finally, he gave up, picked up the dog and carried him.
I’m thrilled to share that this book will be my twenty-fifth Love Inspired Suspense and I’m incredibly grateful to my editor Emily Rodmell for all of her help, support, hard work and guidance on this journey.
If you’re familiar with my stories, you’ll know I’ve written about a lot of brave, noble, well-trained and protective dogs who’ve defeated evil and saved characters from harm. For this book, I wanted to write about a dog more like my own two beloved small dogs, who sometimes make a mess, knock over the garbage can, refuse to walk, bark at the pizza delivery people, and can be an absolute nuisance. Recently the vet warned me that the fluffy white one is now nearing the end of her life and it has filled me with a fresh appreciation of how much happiness her daily nonsense has brought to my life.
So, here’s to all the loveable nuisances in our lives and the joy they bring.
Thank you again to all of you who’ve shared this journey with me. Your letters and messages fill me with such absolute joy.
Mags
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.
6 NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE EVERY MONTH!
Amish Cradle Conspiracy
by Dana R. Lynn
ONE
Sergeant Nicole Dawson glanced at the dashboard when the phone rang. Seeing her boss’s name and number glowing back at her, she punched the button. She rode shotgun while her partner, Sergeant Kathy Bartlett, sat behind the wheel, taking each curve on the twisting Ohio back road with white-knuckled concentration, her lips pinched together.
Kathy hated driving fast. Nicole definitely didn’t want her looking away from the road ahead of them. As Kathy steered around another corner, Nicole reached out and braced herself on the smooth dash in front of her.
“Hi Chief. This is Sergeant Dawson.”
“Sergeant, what’s your ETA?” Police chief Mike Spencer’s voice boomed through the car’s speakers. He had one of those voices that rumbled and carried, no matter how quiet he attempted to talk. It reminded her of a human thunderstorm, even though the man himself was one of the calmest people she’d ever met.
Nicole leaned over, angling her head to glance at the GPS on the dashboard of the Sutter Springs Police Department cruiser, where the map was displayed.
“Four minutes, Chief.” Nicole tapped her fingers on her thigh, trying to control her nervous energy. Lives were at stake. Every second counted. If she’d been driving, they would have been going at least eight miles an hour faster. It would only have knocked off a few seconds, but even a second or two could be crucial.
They had already been in Kathy’s car when the call came through around eight that morning. Otherwise, she would have taken the wheel herself.
“I have backup headed your way. Hansen and Zilhaver should be there in under ten. If possible, wait to enter the building. I don’t want any carelessness. Or any casualties.”
Hansen was still a rookie, but Zilhaver had some experience behind him. He was just shy of his sergeant stripes.
“That might not be possible, Chief.” Nicole mentally replayed the phone call she’d received less than an hour ago. “The woman who saw our missing person said she was wounded. And she thought she saw a gun on one of the men she was with. Lucy Hilty is eight months pregnant. And Leah’s less than two years old.”
They’d been combing the streets for Lucy, an Amish woman from one of the local districts, ever since the woman’s family had reported her and her youngest child missing two days earlier. Nicole knew the area and its people well from previous assignments. Although she didn’t see her often, she’d interacted with Lucy previously and had seen her daughter.
“I’m aware of that, Sergeant.” The chief paused. “Any word on her child?”
“No.” Nicole swallowed past the fear the word brought. Nicole had nearly worn out her knees praying for the safe return of both mother and her young daughter. It terrified her that the caller hadn’t seen Leah with Lucy.
A sigh drifted through the phone. They all knew that the longer a victim remained missing, the less likely they would be found alive. “Be cautious. Don’t take any unnecessary risks.”
“Understood.” Nicole disconnected the call. She hated the phrase “unnecessary risk.” Three lives were in jeopardy. Leah, Lucy and the unborn child. Risks were part and parcel with wearing the badge, as far as she was concerned. That didn’t make them any easier, though, when faced with life’s horror stories.
They were only a minute out and were still running hot. Nicole frowned. They needed to be discreet, if they could manage it.
“Kath, let’s kill the lights and the siren.”
“Yeah.” Kathy switched them off. “It wouldn’t do to warn them we’re coming.”
Nicole frowned at the road ahead of them. All she saw was tall grass, lush from an abundance of rain, mud puddles and a long country road.
“Are you sure this is the right road?” Kathy peered into her rearview mirror.
“I think so. I’ve never been on it before.”
“Me, neither. I just can’t figure what kind of abandoned building would be back here. I mean, who builds a business on a dirt road?”
“We don’t know it was a business.” The woman on the phone hadn’t said what kind of building it was. Only that it looked abandoned. She was from out of state and had been on the road by accident. The caller had said she’d seen the woman and two men entering an abandoned building and had given the address.
“There’s a lot we don’t know. I don’t like it.” Kathy flexed her fingers on the steering wheel.
Nicole shrugged. She’d plugged the address into the GPS, having never heard of the road, despite living in Sutter Springs for the past ten years and knowing the community well.
She’d liked Berlin County, Ohio, immediately. It was a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she’d grown up. Plus, it allowed her to distance herself from all those who knew of her father’s duplicity and how it had destroyed her mother’s life. She liked it well enough that she’d stayed, even after a brutal betrayal by her then fiancé, Jack, which had ended their relationship. Infidelity was the one thing she couldn’t forgive or forget. She’d seen what her mother had suffered. That would never be her. Jack had denied it, but when she’d asked for more information, he’d also closed up, saying it was classified. How could she trust a man who wouldn’t talk to her about something that important? She couldn’t, and that was a truth she’d learned to live with.
Never again would she fall into that trap. On those infrequent times when she and Jack were together, she was polite and professional. Nothing more. Fortunately, he was no longer with the police department, having accepted a position with the FBI several years ago.
“Turn right at the next intersection.” The robotic GPS voice pulled her back to the present. Kathy slowed, then braked at a stop sign almost completely hidden in the overgrown brush.
“That’s an accident waiting to happen. Remind me to report it.”
“Okay.” Nicole straightened in her seat. At least they were back on a paved surface. Half a mile down the road they reached their destination. A two-story building with faux log cabin siding loomed before them. It had obviously been a house at one time.
Both women exited the vehicle, hands on their service weapons. The structure had seen better times. Shingles littered the ground surrounding the building. Large cobwebs clung from the faded sign in front, shivering as if alive when a breeze stirred them.
Sunshine Day Care. Rather ironic if the perps were using the former day care to hide abducted children.
Hopefully, they wouldn’t find any bodies. She readjusted her grip on the weapon.
There was no sign of movement, nor were there any other cars or vehicles in view. The hope she’d held that they might find Leah and Lucy began to fade.
Kathy motioned for Nicole to go around the right. Nodding, Nicole headed to the side. Near the back of the house, she halted. An older model compact car was parked near the back door. The vehicle the caller had seen. They were here.
Keeping low to avoid being spotted out the windows, she made her way back to the front. At the corner of the house, she paused, scanning the area for any visible threats or signs of danger. All she saw was Kathy creeping back to the car. Nicole ducked down and ran to meet Kathy near the cruiser. She leaned one hip against the passenger door, keeping both hands on her weapon, holding it low and away from them.
“They’re here.” She jerked her head toward the side of the building. “I saw the car.”
Kathy frowned, the lines around her mouth deepening, and squinted through the morning May sunlight to the door. “Backup should arrive at any—”
A shot rang out. Kathy yelled and dropped her Glock, grabbing her shoulder. The bullet had gone in right where her Kevlar vest ended.
Nicole shoved her partner down behind the cruiser and worked to remove the vest, hands shaking. A stain was already beginning to spread on her dark blue uniform shirt. Nicole squelched down the fear that clawed inside her. Kathy needed help now. Praying the bullet hadn’t nicked the thoracoacromial artery, she crouched down and twisted to scan the area for danger. The hairs on the back of her neck raised. Lifting her head, she focused on the window above the front porch.
And stared into the face of a killer. It was hard to see clearly from that distance. She had a vague impression of a long face. Shaggy hair. There was something uneven about his features, but the window seemed to be warped. From where she stood, squinting at him, he was hazy. She couldn’t see much at all.
She raised her weapon to get a shot off, but he was gone before she could shout “Police,” let alone pull the trigger.
Could she identify him if she saw him again? It was doubtful. She hadn’t gotten more than a vague idea of what he looked like. At least, she thought it was a man, based on the way he stood and the width of his shoulders.
Kathy groaned. Nicole lowered the weapon but kept it close by. She had to tend to her fallen partner. Peering into the other woman’s face, Nicole pressed her lips together. Kathy’s usually clear gaze was off. Her pupils seemed larger than normal. Not a good sign. Gently pushing Kathy against the car, she opened the door and grabbed her coat from the floor. She needed something to stop the flow of blood. Kathy gasped when she pressed the material against her wound but made no other sound.
