Читать книгу Mistletoe Reunion Threat - Virginia Vaughan - Страница 11

TWO

She felt herself falling, and her only thoughts were of Jacob and to wonder if he was crying for her. She was going to die without ever knowing what had happened to him.

She slammed into something hard and felt Garrett’s arms surround her as they both fell to the ground. He scrambled up before she could even process what was happening and pulled them both toward the safety of the house as the shooter fired over the balcony. Garrett’s arm tightened protectively around her and Ashlynn was surprised by the way her heart picked up speed at being this close to him. She chided herself. Her son was missing and someone was shooting at her, but she felt safe swept up in his arms.

Garrett pulled his gun and fired upward into the balcony. Tension was rolling off him in waves. The shooter scrambled back into the room to avoid the shots.

“Run to my truck now,” Garrett commanded, and Ashlynn did as she was told without question. She heard shots and screamed at the fear that ripped through her, but she didn’t stop running. She was also keenly aware that Garrett was beside her, matching her steps and stopping every now and then to return fire into her house before easily catching up with her. The Christmas lights she’d placed on a timer flickered on, illuminating her bullet-riddled home and making this entire situation seem less real and more like a terrible action movie gone wrong.

She reached the pickup and slid into the passenger’s seat. He jumped behind the wheel and started the engine, roaring away a moment later. The shooter started firing again and shots hit the vehicle. One pinged the rear windshield, causing it to shatter. Ashlynn winced as glass spilled over her but she knew it could have been so much worse.

She glanced in the side mirror and saw a masked man with a long gun run toward a waiting car.

“Hang on,” Garrett said, then punched down on the accelerator, putting distance between them and the man, their attacker.

* * *

Ashlynn was shivering by the time they reached the downtown police precinct and it wasn’t from the chill in the December air. Whoever had been shooting at them either hadn’t been able to keep up with Garrett’s driving or had given up. It didn’t matter if they didn’t kill her right then. They had her son, which meant they could have whatever they wanted from her. She would do anything to get him back.

Garrett led her inside, telling the on-duty officer about the incident. Within minutes, the precinct was on alert.

Garrett slipped his jacket around her shoulders and tried to offer her comfort as he led her to a quiet office. “They’ve got officers headed to your house right now to process the scene. They’re also trying to contact your husband. Is it possible Jacob is with him?”

She saw a hopeful look in his expression, but she knew that wasn’t the case and shook her head. “Mira doesn’t live with us. If Stephen had picked up Jacob, she would have gone home.”

“You don’t live together?” Garrett asked, surprise coloring his face.

She shook her head. “He lives on Barrister Avenue in the Wood Hills subdivision. We divorced a few months ago.” She didn’t want to discuss such personal matters with Garrett, and thankfully, he didn’t ask any further questions about her and Stephen. It was embarrassing to admit to him that her marriage had broken down.

Ashlynn felt numb. Her thoughts were all about Jacob. Her arms ached at the thought of not being able to hold him and her heart broke at the idea that he was probably crying for her. It wasn’t fair! Ripping a child from his mother’s arms was the cruelest thing anyone could do.

She’d never been much of a praying woman. Her anger at God was too strong. He had allowed too many bad things to come into her life. She’d foolishly thought things were turning around when she’d met Garrett, but then he’d turned against her, too, choosing the rangers over her and Jacob. And now it seemed God was still not on her side.

Vince arrived at the station, his hair tousled and his clothes dirty. Since she’d known him, he’d always been cool under pressure and presented a well-kept appearance. It was the first time she could remember seeing him look so disheveled. He apologized for not being there when they’d arrived and explained he’d had to leave to fix his wife’s car that had stalled on the interstate. Garrett filled him in on what had happened, how they’d entered the house and found Mira dead, then been attacked by an armed gunman.

“Did you see the man?” Vince asked her once Garrett told him about the incident on the balcony. “Can you describe him?”

She thought back, reliving the terror of the man bursting into the room and raising his gun at her. But she wasn’t able to offer much in the way of description. “He was wearing a dark mask over his face, like a ski mask, and he was dressed all in black. I couldn’t see any of his features, but he was a large man, tall with big shoulders.”

“He had an automatic weapon,” Garrett added. “I would say by his tactics he’s probably had some military experience. He came prepared.”

Vince nodded. “The question is, did he come prepared to take the child or was it an impromptu decision? And why kill the nanny if Ashlynn is the one he wants?”

“We didn’t see Jacob, but he could have had him tied up in the car.”

Vince’s face grew grim. “Whoever this guy is, he has access to both automatic weapons and explosives.”

Ashlynn shuddered and folded her arms around her. They were talking so clinically, as if it wasn’t her child missing or her world falling apart.

“Did Mira have any family that needs to be notified?” Vince asked her.

Ashlynn nodded. “Her parents live in Memphis.”

“Is it possible this is about her?” Garrett asked.

“It’s possible, but unlikely given the bomb was in Ashlynn’s car.” Vince looked at her. “What about your husband? I understand you divorced recently. Was it an amicable split?”

Ashlynn swallowed hard and wished Garrett wasn’t listening to every word she said. She didn’t like sharing information about her personal life, especially unpleasant details. She nodded. She doubted Stephen was involved in this. He was a good man and loved Jacob like his own son. “Stephen isn’t a violent person. I can’t believe he would try to kill me.”

“But he could have hired someone to do it. It wouldn’t be the first time a man has tried to off his ex-wife over a custody dispute. I’ll send someone to his house to update him on what’s happened and try to ascertain his involvement, if any.” Vince’s phone rang and he pulled it out. “It’s the commander on scene at your house.” He answered the call and listened intently.

Garrett walked over to her and rubbed her arms. “How are you holding up?”

She wanted to scream and rant, but her arms and legs were numb with shock and fear. Her chin trembled as she spoke. “I just want him back,” she whispered, fighting with everything she had to keep her emotions under control. Falling apart now wouldn’t do any good. She had to keep her wits about her in order to figure out who was targeting her and who had Jacob.

Vince ended his call and turned back to them.

“My men have been through the house and there’s no sign of your son. We did gather photos of him.” He pulled up one that had been sent to him. “Is this a recent snapshot?”

She looked at the photo and bit back tears. It was his preschool Christmas photo, taken only two weeks earlier. She traced the outline of his face, her heart breaking at the sight of his beautiful green eyes and his wide, mischievous smile. “Yes, it’s very recent.”

He nodded. “We’ll add this photo to our Amber Alert. Don’t worry, Ashlynn. We’ll find him. Ken sent me those names and my officers are checking them all.”

“How sure are you that this has to be someone she’s prosecuted?” Garrett asked.

“Without any other identifiable enemies, it’s a logical place to start. We’re still on the scene processing the house and interviewing neighbors so we may find some more evidence that might lead us in the right direction there.” He looked at her and his face softened. “You can’t go home. Do you have somewhere to go, Ashlynn? Somewhere safe?”

“I’m not going anywhere until Jacob is found.”

“You won’t do anybody any good here. You need to get some rest.”

“I can’t rest until I know he’s safe. Besides, with someone trying to kill me, I couldn’t possibly put any of my friends in danger that way.”

Garrett placed an arm on her back, but he addressed Vince when he spoke. “She can come home with me. I’ll keep her safe.”

“No!” Ashlynn insisted. “I said I’m not leaving.”

“I need you to rest, Ashlynn,” Vince told her and Garrett agreed.

“You can’t do Jacob any good if you’re so tired you can’t function. There’s nothing you can do here.”

She wanted to lash out at him for using Jacob against her. He had no right to act so concerned. He’d lost that right when he’d abandoned them five years ago. Yet she knew he was right. She needed to be at her best for Jacob’s sake.

She stared up into Garrett’s face and saw the worry in his expression. He wanted her to trust him and she instinctively desired to. She’d trusted him with everything she’d had once upon a time He’d been her rock and her protector, and she had to admit she was glad he was by her side now. Her initial displeasure at seeing him was beginning to fade. What would she have done if he hadn’t been there? She would have been dead in her car this afternoon or at the very least in her house tonight.

But how could she rest when her child’s life was at stake? She shuddered thinking of the possibility that Jacob might need her and she wasn’t close by. She shook her head stubbornly. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Garrett glanced over at Vince then tried a different tactic. “Okay then, we won’t go anywhere. We’ll stick around and man the phones for the Amber Alert.” He looked at Vince, who nodded his agreement.

“I’ll keep you updated if we get any new leads,” he promised then walked off.

She was glad that was settled. She wasn’t just any crime victim. She was also a prosecutor and she didn’t want to be handled. She had to stay strong and make certain every lead and angle was being investigated in finding her son.

Garrett reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her arm that sent tingles through her. “We’ll find him. I promise.” She stared into his green eyes and melted a little inside, remembering how much she’d once loved this man. “Do you trust me, Ash?” he asked, using his old nickname for her.

She stared at her hands to avoid looking into his eyes. Every instinct told her she could trust him, but her heart knew better. She’d once trusted him more than anyone in the world. She’d believed he was someone she could count on forever, but that trust had ended when he’d shut them out after discovering she was pregnant. The memory of how alone and broken she’d been brought back anger and bitterness so intense that she nearly couldn’t breathe.

Instead of answering him, she asked a question. “When did you leave the rangers?”

He looked like he didn’t want to answer, but he did. “Two years ago.”

So he’d given up on them for something he hadn’t even stayed with.

He sighed. “I owe you an apology, Ash.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do, and I want to explain. I never told you this, but after I left you to return to my unit, my ranger team was ambushed. I saw men with wives and families who were suffering because their husbands and fathers had decided to take on a dangerous task. I knew I couldn’t let you have that kind of life. My life, my work, is dangerous. I was trying to protect you from that.”

She cut him off, anger pulsing through her at the idea that he was going to try to justify abandoning his family. “What you did was to make the choice for me. You made a decision that affected us without even consulting me. You cut me out of your life.”

His expression held regret and pain, but he nodded reluctantly. “I know.”

“I can’t even begin to fathom how I can trust you to help me look for Jacob.”

“I know I’ve let you down in the past, Ash, but I’m here now and I won’t leave you again. I’m right here by your side and I promise you I’ll find your son.”

His eyes steeled with determination, but she noticed he still referred to Jacob as her son, not their son. Well, he was right. Jacob was her son. He’d abandoned them when they’d needed him most. But he had skills that could help her. He had been an army ranger. She needed him in order to find Jacob. And even though she didn’t want to, she instinctively trusted him in that regard.

* * *

Garrett hung around the precinct and kept an eye on Ashlynn. For the next few hours, she answered calls from the Amber Alert and he could see the devastation on her face when each lead proved unworthy. He agreed with Vince that she didn’t need to be here in the center of all this. She needed to distance herself and allow others to field through the evidence. Yet he also knew she wasn’t the type of person to sit around and wait for answers. Like him, she was action oriented. It was one of those things he’d once loved most about her. She’d never played the part of a victim no matter how many obstacles life threw at her. He knew she wouldn’t now, either.

He had to admit he was feeling antsy himself. He needed to do something and his mind was focused on speaking with Ashlynn’s ex-husband, Stephen Morris. He’d been surprised to learn of their divorce. It wasn’t really his business, but this was Ashlynn they were talking about, and as far as he was concerned she was still his business.

Despite what she’d told Vince earlier, his stomach constricted as he realized the attempt on her life along with her son’s abduction made much more sense when you added an angry ex-husband to the mix, especially since they had yet to receive a ransom call. Had Stephen hired someone to plant that bomb in Ashlynn’s car? And was he behind the murder of their nanny? He wanted to believe such a thing would shock him, but unfortunately he’d seen too much and was no longer surprised by the depravity of the world. Both his time in the rangers and his private search-and-rescue missions had cemented his belief that evil knew no bounds and betrayal was a bitter pill. It pained him to think that Ashlynn might have been betrayed by someone she’d once cared for.

He tracked down the detective Vince had sent to interview Ashlynn’s ex and asked him what his take was on Stephen Morris.

“The husband would automatically become a person of interest in an attack on his wife, but this guy seemed genuinely shocked at the nanny’s death and understandably worried about his kid. We’ll keep looking into his business dealings and financials, but my personal opinion is that he’s not involved.”

Garrett hoped the detective was correct, but it was hard to take the man’s opinion at face value. He didn’t know him that well and didn’t yet trust his judgment. In fact, there wasn’t anyone on the force he trusted that much yet. Garrett wanted to look into Stephen’s eyes himself in order to know for sure he wasn’t involved in this.

But he wasn’t leaving Ashlynn alone. He found her refilling a cup of coffee in the break room and pulled her aside. Her face showed signs of weariness and her eyes were red and sad. He hated seeing her this way and had the sudden urge to take her in his arms. Instead, he dug his hands into his pockets before he acted on it.

“How are you holding up?”

She shook her head. “It’s frustrating. The Amber Alert isn’t generating much usable information. I feel like I should be out doing something, even if it’s just driving around with my head out the window screaming Jacob’s name.”

He smiled at that image, but he agreed with her sentiment. They’d been at the precinct for hours. They both needed to be out doing something.

“I was thinking we should go talk with your ex-husband. I know the police have already questioned him, but he may say something to you that he wouldn’t say to the police.”

“I know Stephen is the most logical suspect given that the bomb was in my car, but I still have a hard time believing he would kill Mira.”

“This may have nothing to do with him or he could be involved indirectly. What if someone is targeting his family to get back at him? We should check out every possibility.”

He could see she was still hesitant to believe Stephen could be involved, but her urge to do something obviously won out because she agreed to go with him. She followed him outside and slid into the passenger seat of his truck. The back window was still out so he cranked up the heater to knock off the chill of the December night air.

He headed for the neighborhood where Stephen Morris now lived. Garrett knew it by reputation. It was an upscale area in a well-to-do part of town. Stephen obviously made a good living. Garrett didn’t like the twinge of jealousy that nicked at him. He wasn’t some poor kid from the wrong side of town anymore. He, too, made a good living and while his house might not be as large or grand as this one, it offered him all he needed.

He slowed as they approached the house and he memorized the layout as he passed it. The garage door was closed. All the window blinds were down. The house seemed dark, but Garrett noticed a faint light in the kitchen window. It wasn’t unusual even this close to midnight, but it caught his attention. He scanned the area looking for suspicious cars or activity that might indicate that whoever was after Ashlynn had either followed them there or was waiting for them.

“That’s his house,” Ashlynn stated, pointing. “You just passed Stephen’s house.”

He sped up and turned, circling the block. “I know. I’m checking out the area first.”

“Oh.” She glanced out the windshield and tried to see something. “Do you see anything?”

“No. Everything looks clear.” He wished they had stopped by his house first so he could grab his gun bag. The only weapon he had on him was the pistol he always carried. He didn’t like to walk into any situation unprepared. Ashlynn didn’t believe her ex could be involved, but Garrett had seen too many relationships go bad to take anything for granted. “I see a light coming from the side window. Looks like he might be up.” But was he awake because he was hiding his son in the house or because he was concerned about the shooting gone wrong at his former home?

Garrett parked several houses down and got out. He placed his arm on her elbow as they approached the house. She headed for the front door, but he stopped her.

“We’re not going in that way.”

“Why not?”

“Ashlynn, we have to make sure he isn’t in on this. I want to know what’s going on inside that house before we enter. If he’s involved, he might have Jacob inside.”

He moved quietly around the side until they reached the back. He glanced in through a window. The kitchen was dark except for a light above the sink, but Stephen Morris sat at the table poring over his laptop. Garrett pushed Ashlynn behind him then found a stick and used it to scratch against the back door. He watched Stephen react to the sound. Stephen stood and glanced out the window but Garrett pushed Ashlynn down so they wouldn’t be seen. He heard the locks on the door unlatch and knew Stephen was coming out to investigate. Garrett readied his weapon and when the door opened, he leaped forward and pushed Stephen back into the house, his gun raised and aimed at the man’s head. Stephen stumbled backward, his hands up in a surrendering manner until he saw Ashlynn enter behind Garrett.

She rushed past him and ran toward the bedrooms, calling her son’s name. She reappeared several moments later, disappointment coloring her face. “He’s not here.”

Stephen’s eyes rounded in surprise as he stared at her, then anger set in. “Of course he’s not here. I wish he was. The police have already been here and filled me in on what’s happened.” His eyes bored into hers. “I knew working that job in the DA’s office would bring nothing but trouble. It’s already destroyed our marriage. Now it’s taken our son.”

“Did you have anything to do with that, Stephen?”

He sighed. “No, Ashlynn, of course not. How could you think I could be involved?”

Garrett motioned for Stephen to sit down at the table and he put away the gun. He pulled the laptop to him and examined the screen. Stephen Morris appeared to be looking up only investment statistics. It seemed an odd thing to focus on when your child was missing, but other than that it didn’t strike him as a suspicious activity. Perhaps he was merely trying to keep his mind off his missing child.

It was looking more and more possible that he wasn’t involved, and Garrett was glad. He would hate to believe Ashlynn had been betrayed again by someone she thought cared for her.

But then who had Jacob, and why?

Ashlynn sat down and her shoulders slumped, defeated. He knew she hadn’t really thought her ex was involved, but it must be hitting her hard that Jacob wasn’t here. At least if he’d been with his father, she would know he wasn’t in any danger. She no longer had that assurance. The lack of a ransom request after all these hours didn’t bode well for Jacob’s safe homecoming. Kidnappers who didn’t want a ransom generally had no intention of returning the child. That meant finding him soon became much more urgent for his safety.

Garrett faced Stephen Morris and got down to business. “Someone is targeting your ex-wife and son, Stephen. Family can be a powerful weapon to use against a person. What are you into?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I’m not into anything.” Stephen grew a little more confident and gave Garrett a harsh look. “Who are you, anyway?”

“I’m an old friend of your wife’s and I’m the one who is going to find out what’s going on here.”

Stephen looked at Ashlynn. “You have to believe me. I have no idea why someone would be doing this to us. It must have something to do with one of your cases.”

She closed her eyes against his accusation. Garrett knew she was already worrying that her job could have made her son a target. She didn’t need Stephen reminding her. A tear slipped from her eye. She wiped it away before rushing to the bathroom.

Garrett gave him a long, hard stare, not liking the accusation he’d hurled at Ashlynn. “The police are sifting through her files and following up on that. We’re looking into different angles.”

“I’m telling you I had nothing to do with this. I want to find Jacob and bring him home.”

“Ashlynn told me you’re suing for custody. If you thought you might lose, that’s a good motive to have her killed.”

Stephen shook his head. “I’ve already decided to drop that suit. I called my attorney this afternoon. I hoped Ashlynn and I could work this out between ourselves.”

“That’s convenient. You drop the custody suit and suddenly Jacob goes missing.”

“I’ve already told you I had nothing to do with that. I would never hurt Jacob. I’ve helped raise him these past three years. I love him like he’s my own child.” He fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair but his words had a feel of truth to them.

But one point struck Garrett as odd. “When you say you love him like he’s your own child, are you implying that Jacob isn’t your biological son?”

Stephen nodded. “Jacob was already born when Ashlynn and I got married, but that doesn’t mean he’s not my son. He is.”

Garrett looked toward the closed door where she’d disappeared as a rush of thoughts flooded him. If it was true that Ashlynn’s ex wasn’t the father of her child...who was?

* * *

Ashlynn went to the bedroom Stephen had fixed up for Jacob. The boy loved being here and Stephen was a good father. She picked up one of the stuffed animals on the bed and hugged it to herself. Where was Jacob right now? She couldn’t help wondering if he was safe. Was he crying for her? Shame and guilt filled her. She should have been there for him.

That’s why her marriage had broken down, too. Stephen had told her she spent too much time worrying about work and not about him. He’d called her obsessed and maybe he was right.

She’d always hated the injustice of the world, mostly because in her childhood she’d been a victim of life. She’d made a vow to herself that she would provide a better life for her child, and while she hadn’t gotten off to a good start—his own father hadn’t wanted him—she had mostly succeeded.

Jacob would never have to worry about the lights being turned off for lack of payment or going hungry because his father spent all their grocery money on booze. Yes, Stephen had been a good husband and father. He’d provided for them well, and still did. Yet she hadn’t been able to keep it all together for him and he’d obviously sensed it and felt alienated. She’d never loved Stephen the way he’d wanted her to, and she knew the reason was standing in his kitchen right now.

The connection she’d shared with Garrett could never be topped. She’d done a disservice to Stephen by marrying him when she couldn’t forget Garrett, but she’d done what she’d thought was best for her baby at the time. She’d given him the father who wanted him and could provide a good life for him. And she had loved Stephen and been hurt when he’d left her, although that pain had been nothing like she’d felt when Garrett walked away.

Indignation bristled through her at that reminder. She would never allow him to hurt Jacob. She may need him, even be grateful to him, for helping her find Jacob, but once her son was home safely, Garrett Lewis could not be a part of their lives.

* * *

Garrett scanned the living room, looking at photos that were all around. A large Christmas tree that looked flawlessly decorated stood in the corner. Not an ornament was out of place. It looked too picture-perfect for a house with a four-year-old and he doubted Stephen Morris had done the job himself. His gaze landed on the mantel and pictures depicting happier times with Stephen, Ashlynn and Jacob—a trip to Niagara Falls, a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, Jacob’s second birthday party, complete with cake and candles and Billie the Bear, a franchise he recognized as a local favorite for kids.

He turned away from the photos. They were painful to look at. That should have been him with Ashlynn and only his foolishness had prevented it. Letting her go had been one of his greatest mistakes, but at the same time he knew it had been for the best. He hadn’t been seriously injured in the ambush that took the lives of many of his friends, but it had shattered his life in ways he was still discovering.

Only Colton had escaped physically unscathed, although Garrett knew he’d carried emotional wounds deep inside him until he’d met Laura Jackson recently and found a reason to believe in life again. Garrett missed the times he and Colton had spent working together after leaving the rangers, just the two of them on privately funded search-and-rescue missions. After Colton had hung up his gear and retired to ranch life, the solitude had quickly turned to loneliness for Garrett.

That was when his friend and former Ranger buddy Josh Adams had heard about the opening at the local police agency and all his ranger friends had encouraged him to take the job. Garrett was glad he’d finally relented. He enjoyed the camaraderie with others and enjoyed putting his skills in action in a way that didn’t always have to put his life in danger. Only a few days ago, he’d convinced himself he was content with his life now, but seeing Ashlynn, hearing her voice and having her need him, had sent him once again into a tailspin. And having evidence of her perfect life before him in high-quality photos didn’t make it any easier. Ashlynn might now be single, but he’d done too much to ever be worthy of a woman like her.

“Are you him?” Stephen asked from the doorway, causing Garrett to startle. “Are you the one who broke her heart?”

Heat rose in his face as he realized Stephen Morris had just managed to sneak up on him, all because he’d had Ashlynn on his mind.

“She never got over it,” Stephen continued. “I tried to make it work between us. I thought she would learn to love me the way I loved her, but that never happened. I just wish she could have—”

Suddenly, a shot rang out. Garrett ducked, reaching for his gun as he watched the bullet burst through the glass in the window and slam into Stephen’s chest. The force of it knocked Stephen from his feet, tossing him backward. He landed on the edge of the sofa then slid to the floor, the life draining from him in a matter of moments.