He caressed her cheek. “I always wanted you to. Didn’t think you would since you’re a woman of independent means who already has children. You hardly need me.”
She stood and sat Penny on the desk. “That’s where you’re so very wrong, Curtis.”
With her heart in her throat, she laid her hand on his strong jaw. “I do need you. The children need you. It’s the money I don’t need.”
His arms surrounded her in an embrace. “Having it has come in handy today. I didn’t complain to Mr. Longfellow, but I did have a few words with Kroffitt about his blunder. If he hadn’t been careless, those men wouldn’t have targeted you. At least that’s my opinion.”
“I know, mine as well. From his expression today, he realizes it and is apologetic. He’s a nice man and I can’t find it in me to dislike him. It’s those two men who deserve our scorn.”
“Sure was hard not to attack Shaw. I wanted to pound him hard, but not enough to risk any harm to Tom.”
Meg rubbed her arms. “Do we just sit here and wait?”
“For a while. I don’t think it will be long before we hear from someone. Either those two kidnappers or Quinn will show up.”
Penny tugged on Meg’s sleeve. “Can I play under your desk with Bella?”
Meg moved to let the little girl crawl into the kneehole space. Penny sometimes pretended it was her doll’s house.
A few minutes later the door opened and both men came in.
Meg stared at them. “Where’s my son?”
Jack Brown, as the tall one called himself, shook his fist at her. “You think you’re so smart. You ain’t getting’ the boy back less’n we have the cash. Got that?”
Curtis advanced on the man. “You aren’t getting any money until we see Tom is all right. If we gave you the money first, we have no way to be sure you’d deliver Tom.”
“That’s too bad. You give me that money now or that boy can rot where he is.” He pulled a gun from his coat pocket. “Hand it over.”
Quinn slipped in behind him and cold-cocked him. Deputy Eugene Phillips came up behind Mike Shaw.
Curtis said, “Before you cuff him, can I have my coat back? He won’t need it in jail.
Shaw shrugged out of the coat. “Sure felt good to wear such a warm jacket while I could.”
Eugene cuffed Shaw. Quinn cuffed the semi-conscious Brown and hauled him to his feet. “We’re going to have a cozy chat at the jail.”
Brown shrugged. “I got nothing to say to you.” He looked at Curtis, then Meg. “You shoulda paid when you could. You done lost your boy. You’ll never find him.”
Quinn shoved him out the door toward the jail.
Meg stood and her voice was only a squeak. “Curtis?”
He pulled on his coat, then grasped her shoulders. “I’ll go to the jail. As soon as I learn anything, I’ll let you know. Please, go home, honey. The snow is getting worse and we may be a while.” He lifted Penny and kissed her cheek. “Take care of Mama.”
“If Tom gets away he might come here.” Even as she said it, she knew her son would not be able to escape wherever Jack Brown had hidden him.
“Tom knows where we hide the spare key. Go home and at least Penny can go to bed on time.” He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers.
She touched her fingers to her mouth. After all this time, he finally showed affection to her and to Penny. But at what a cost? Poor Tom was alone, cold, and frightened.
Chapter Sixteen
Curtis hurried to catch up with Quinn, Eugene, and their prisoners. As he’d feared, the snow was heavier. At this rate, the town would have to cancel tomorrow’s Christmas Eve party.
And they’d better find Tom soon. He doubted there was any heat wherever the boy was held captive. Brown wouldn’t care about the safety of the child he’d kidnapped.
The prisoners were locked in separate cells. Shaw appeared afraid of Brown. No wonder, because the man acted deranged. He yelled at Quinn, Eugene, and him, but also at Shaw.
“Mike, you tell them anything and I’ll kill you. Don’t think I won’t.”
Quinn stood in front of Brown’s cell. “You better talk now or you’ll hang for this.”
“I ain’t talkin’. They shoulda paid up when they had the chance. Smart aleck kid said his papa would find him, but he was wrong, wasn’t he?”
Curtis’ legs almost gave way. He had to sit down by Quinn’s desk. At least Brown couldn’t see him now. He rested his elbows on his knees and propped his head in his hands.
Brave Tom who only wanted a papa and mama. What was he going to do? After a few minutes of wondering, he motioned to Eugene.
“Doesn’t Herb Logan own a lot of the rent houses out the way those two said they lived?”
“Sure does.”
“I’m going to ask him to go searching in those places. Several are vacant.”
Eugene said, “Wait, let’s tell Quinn.”
The three conferred quickly. They agreed that Quinn would keep working on the two kidnappers—especially Shaw. Curtis and Eugene would go rouse Logan and get him to help.
He and Eugene each carried a lantern and turned up the collar of his coat with a scarf wrapped around his neck and face. The wind was bitterly cold and the snow growing thicker. They had to bang on Logan’s door to be heard over the wind.
Curtis explained his mission.
Logan cursed. “I know the two men you mean. They’re behind on their rent. If it hadn’t of been Christmastime I’d have kicked them out. I gave them until the first to pay up or move along.”
“Will you take us to the place they rented and any vacant places where they might have held my son?”
Logan let out another string of curses. “Let me bundle up and get another lantern. Have to tell the wife where I’m going. Gonna make her mad. She’s already upset because the party is likely to be cancelled.”
The three men set out at a brisk pace. The wind grew stronger and snowfall increased. They were in danger of getting lost. Fortunately, most homes had lights on inside that helped them know where the streets were.
Logan stopped in front of a dark house. “This is the one those men rented.” He unlocked the door.
The three of them went inside and Curtis called, “Tom? Tom, make a noise if you can.”
But there was no sign of Tom. They carefully inspected each place a boy could have been hidden, including the outhouse.
Curtis suffered a huge let-down. He’d hoped they’d find Tom right away. “If there’s no root cellar here, aren’t there vacant houses nearby?”
Logan nodded. “Four of them. This way.” He led them next door.
After repeating the process at all four vacant houses, there was no sign of Tom.
Logan braced himself against the wall of a house. “Sorry, but the rest of the houses are occupied.”
Curtis was panicking. Darkness had fallen and the snow was so heavy he couldn’t see details, but he couldn’t give up without Tom. “What about lean-tos or sheds, chicken houses—any structure where they could hide a small boy?”
Logan mulled over the question. “There’s a shed behind the house next to where those two live. Kind of rickety and I’ve been meaning to have it torn down for the lumber.” He led the way. “If he isn’t there, then I don’t know where else to look.”
Walking against the wind was difficult. Heavy snowfall was deeper by the minute and they struggled to make their way through drifts. They came to a shack with boards missing so the wind whistled right through it.
The door wasn’t locked but had a simple closure. A piece of wood nailed to the door frame turned to allow the door to be opened. Curtis opened the door and went inside holding his lantern high.
He called, “Tom? Tom, are you in here?”
A rustling noise in the corner attracted his attention. He held his lantern that way. Huddled in a corner was his boy, trussed up and gagged. A couple of toe sacks covered him, hardly adequate protection for the frigid temperature.
/> Curtis rushed to him and removed his gag. “Oh, Tom, we’ve been so worried. I thank God we found you in time.”
Curtis cut the ropes binding his boy. Tom was shivering. Curtis took off his coat and wrapped it around the boy, then lifted him in his arms.
Through chattering teeth, Tom said, “I knew you’d come.”
“Oh, my brave boy, let’s get you home where Mama will feed you something warm.” He turned to Logan and Eugene. “Thank you both for helping rescue our boy. Mr. Logan, I’m especially indebted to you.”
Herb Logan chuckled. “Well, this turned out all right after all. Frankly, I’d given up hope. Leave it to a father to keep searching until he finds his son. I’ll go on home now while I can still get there. Won’t be anyone going anywhere soon or tomorrow.” He held his lantern high as he left.
Eugene wrapped his scarf around Curtis’ shoulders. “I’ll make sure you get home before I go to the jail. Reckon I’ll have to stay with the prisoners tonight.”
Curtis clasped Tom to him. “If it was up to me, I’d say leave them there with no heat or food for a couple of days. I know that wouldn’t be Christian or in the spirit of the season. And I’m so happy to have Tom back that I can be forgiving.”
After struggling through the snow for what seemed miles and miles, they reached home. Meg had lights in the downstairs windows visible from the road. They beamed as if to welcome their safe return.
“Eugene, I can’t thank you enough. Come in and warm up before you go further.” He returned the deputy’s scarf.
Eugene wrapped the scarf around his neck and lower face. “I need to get on to the jail and let Quinn know Tom has been found and is all right.”
Curtis bid the deputy good night and walked up to his house. He didn’t have to unlock the door.
Meg must have been watching for him because she opened the door as he stepped onto the porch. She followed him into the parlor. “Oh, my men are home. I’m so glad to see you. You’re both freezing.”
He deposited Tom on the couch. “Let’s see you, son, and make sure you’re really all right. You’re a brave boy.”
Tom was still shivering but his teeth had stopped chattering. “No, I cried ’cause I was scared of those men. That tall one acted crazy. He said I was going to freeze to death, but I knew you’d find me. I-I couldn’t help peeing on myself ’cause I was tied up so long.”
Meg kissed Tom’s cheek. “Don’t worry about that. We’ll clean you up when you’ve had time to get nice and warm. What matters is that you’re home and safe.”
Meg wrapped each of them in a warm blanket she’d spread in front of the fireplace.
Curtis relaxed in his chair, grateful to be home with his family. “Ah, that blanket and the fireplace make me feel much better. The snow is so thick it’s dangerous to be out.”
“I couldn’t even see Melody and Nick’s house. I was afraid you’d get lost in the snow.”
He smiled and reached for her hand. “I’ve been a little lost, but I think I’ve found my way now. With your help, maybe I won’t get lost ever again.”
Tears pooled in her eyes. “Oh, Curtis, you found Tom and you want us to stay. This is the best Christmas present you could give us.”
She brought them both stew and hot coffee for him and warm milk for Tom.
After frequently checking on their boy, they decided to put him to bed. Curtis carried him upstairs. Together, they cleaned him up and got him into his warmest pajamas. Meg had a fire going in the fireplace so the room was nice and warm.
Curtis laid him in bed and felt of Tom’s forehead. “You think I should ask Nick to come check Tom and make sure he’s all right?”
Meg shuddered. “It’s far too dangerous. You can’t even see their house and I don’t want to risk losing you. I’ve taken care of my niece and nephew. Tom’s temperature seems normal. I believe you rescued him in time to prevent any permanent damage. He may have a bad cold but we can see he rests for a couple of days.”
Curtis sat on the other bed in Tom’s room. “I’ll sleep here tonight in case he has nightmares. If he wakes up alone, he might be afraid, even with a lamp burning.”
“If you’re going to stay with Tom, I’ll go tidy up the kitchen before I go to bed.” She left the room.
He’d looked forward to having Meg in his arms, but he understood what being a father really meant. He supposed one of his parents must have sat with him when he was sick as a child, but he couldn’t recall any time that had happened. He intended to be a different kind of parent than his had been.
He took off his boots and outer clothes and crawled between the covers. His feet stuck out the end if he straightened his legs, but the room was warm. What a tiring day this had been. He turned on his side facing his son and fell asleep.
Chapter Seventeen
Meg checked on her men. She added wood to the fire and checked Tom’s forehead. He was a tiny bit too warm. She did the same with Curtis, who had been so cold when he came home with his coat wrapped around Tom. His temperature appeared normal.
Her touch caused Curtis to open his eyes. He smiled and pulled her beside him. She started to tell him the bed wasn’t wide enough for both of them, then thought better. She spooned to him.
He nuzzled her neck. “We have a good family, don’t we?”
“Yes, and I knew you’d find Tom. I simply knew deep inside that you would bring him home.”
“I can’t explain how frantic I felt when I couldn’t find him. I thank God for leading me to Tom. Honey, the storm was so bad and dangerous. I couldn’t stop until I’d found our son. Mr. Logan was ready to quit, but in the end he led me to where Tom was hidden. Eugene was willing to risk his life to help me find Tom and get him home safely.”
Holding her close, his breathing changed so she knew he’d fallen asleep. She relaxed against him and drifted to sleep in her husband’s arms for the first time.
Something patted Meg’s cheek. She opened her eyes to see Penny leaning over her.
Penny wore a fierce expression as she whispered, “Why is everyone in here and no one told me?”
Meg sat up and whispered, “After Papa found Tom and brought him home, we were making sure Tom didn’t get sick or scared.”
She slid her feet into her slippers, then lifted her daughter in her arms. “Why don’t you and I go make breakfast?”
“There’s so much snow I can’t see anything out my window. Santa Claus might not be able to find us tonight.”
“Remember he’s used to snow. I don’t think you should worry.”
She was finishing up the morning meal when Curtis carried Tom down the stairs.
“Our son said he can walk by himself but I wanted to carry him. It’s part of my plan to convince all of you that I’m indispensable.”
Meg smiled at him. “You are indispensable to us. You already have us convinced. Our food is ready to eat.”
Tom was pale and appeared frail. He didn’t protest when Curtis carried him to the table and sat him in the chair he always used.
Penny looked at her brother. “Mama said not to worry, that Santa Claus will find us ’cause he’s used to snow.”
Tom stared at Penny. “This is Christmas Eve, isn’t it?”
Meg set a platter of bacon and sausage on the table. “Doesn’t our tree look really pretty? I didn’t put candles on it, children. I don’t want to risk a fire in our nice home.”
Curtis nodded. “Thank you. Candles and evergreens are not a good combination.”
Penny leaned forward. “Guess what, Tom? There are real presents under the tree.”
Tom’s smile was wistful. “That’s nice. I wish our other mama could have had presents.”
Curtis laid a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “She had your love and that was the very best present anyone could give her.”
Tom kept his head down for a few seconds before he raised his head to meet Curtis’ gaze. “We love you and Mama, too. That crazy man said you’d be glad to get rid of me beca
use I wasn’t even your son.”
“I guess he knows how wrong he was by now. And you are my son. I planned to ask you if it would be all right if Mama and I adopted you and Penny formally. That way, you’d always be ours and no one could argue you weren’t.”
Tom’s face lighted. “Really? That would be great, wouldn’t it, Penny?”
“What does ’dopt mean?”
Meg beamed at Curtis. “It means a lawyer would get a piece of paper from the court that said you’re ours forever.”
Penny frowned and picked up her fork. “We’re already yours. If you want to ’dopt us, then that’s fine with me. Sounds like a lot of trouble for nothing.”
Curtis’ laughter joined Meg’s.
When they’d eaten and the kitchen was clean, Curtis brought stationery and his pen and ink to the table. “As Tom suggested, I’m going to write my folks a letter. Meg, would you let me send them one of those photographs of you and the children?”
“That’s a good idea. I’ll send one to my sister and one to Uncle Grady and Aunt Felicia. I had to buy a package of ten photos.”
Curtis dipped his pen’s nib into the ink. “In that case, if you share them, I’ll send a photo to each of my sisters. The letters won’t go out in the mail for several days, but they’ll be ready when the stage is able to travel again.”
Tom leaned toward Curtis. “Don’t forget to ask your papa for a picture.”
“I’ll remember and I’ll tell him you suggested it.”
Writing letters took until lunch. Outside, the blizzard continued. Meg was content to be in the McClain cocoon, safe from harm and with the people she loved most.
Through the rest of the day, Meg was conscious of heightened emotions. She knew that tonight she would become Curtis’ wife in every way. Happiness thrummed through her. What better Christmas gift could she receive? She was married to a wonderful man with two precious children and a home where she belonged.
That evening after the children were asleep, she and Curtis filled the stockings and laid out the gifts from Santa. Afterward, Curtis led Meg to the room they’d share. Her heart fluttered and her body tingled with anticipation. In the bedroom, Curtis stopped.
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