by Lisa Harris
What would have happened if he’d kissed her?
“You think he’ll come back?” she asked.
“I doubt it. Like I said, they don’t want an encounter with us any more than we want one with them.”
She tore her gaze away from him, because whatever she had felt didn’t matter. That was a place she couldn’t go. She forced herself to refocus. She wasn’t ready to put her heart on the line. Not with Liam, and certainly not with another soldier. Not with anyone. It simply wasn’t a place her heart could go, especially now of all times.
“How far are we from the cabin?”
He glanced up the trail. “Another mile at the most.”
He pulled out his radio and tried to call again.
“Still no signal?”
“Nothing. But it won’t be long now.”
Despite the sun now hugging the horizon, the temperatures seemed to be dropping and snow was falling again. The wind had picked up and if it kept snowing, it was going to be even harder to maneuver over the terrain. But what choice did they have? With only two ways out, the cabin was closer than going back to the house.
She worked to push away the fear. Fear that Mia wouldn’t survive the cold. Fear that her daughter was hungry and wet.
Fear that she wouldn’t see her baby again.
Liam wrapped an arm around her as if he understood the emotions flooding through her, leaving her tingling from his touch. “Let’s get to the cabin and rethink our plan.”
She nodded, then started walking beside him, focusing on the stunning sunrise and her determination to find her daughter instead of his nearness.
You know I’m so tired of doing this alone, God. So tired of feeling like all I’m doing is surviving.
But that didn’t mean Liam was the answer.
Or had He answered her prayers before she even asked? She pushed back at the question, wanting to suddenly run away from everything, to beg God to let her wake up back at the ranch in the bedroom with sweet Mia still sleeping in her crib and make all of this go away.
Just because Liam had always been someone she admired, didn’t mean she was falling for him. Like Will, he’d volunteered to serve his country, risked his life so she and others could have freedom. She’d never make him leave that for her. But neither was she willing to go back to that life. Falling for him meant a future of deployments, moving and dangers. She knew the toll military life could take on a marriage. Leaving friends and family, giving certain life decisions over to the army, parenting alone, being apart...
She didn’t want that again. If God was going to ever send her someone else to love, it would have to be someone who had a normal nine-to-five job.
A flash of color caught her eye about twenty yards to the left. She blinked twice then looked again. She was tired and had to be imagining things, but it was still there. A flash of bright orange in an otherwise gray and white terrain.
“Liam...”
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure, but it looks like Mia’s giraffe.”
She pulled away from him. She was so tired and cold. Maybe her eyes had simply been playing tricks with her.
A lake spanned out in front of them to the right. The sun shone down on its shiny surface, and it was surrounded by rows of tall spindly trees.
“Gabby, wait... Don’t get too close to the edge. The water’s frozen, but this time of year it can crack easily.”
“I’m not going far. I just need to find out what’s out there.”
She pulled away from him and walked toward the edge, careful to stay on the ground and not too close to the water. She was a few feet away now. Panic settled in again. It was Mia’s giraffe. There was no doubt about it now. But why had they come here? This far off the main trail? Had they known, like Liam, that this was a shortcut to the cabin? She listened for her daughter’s cry in the wind. She had to be out here somewhere nearby.
She studied the horizon, looking for a flash of red from the blanket that had gone missing along with Mia.
She turned back to the stuffed animal. It was close now. Only a couple feet away. As she reached out and grabbed the orange giraffe, the ice split beneath her with a loud crack. She hadn’t even known she was on the water, but by then it was too late. She heard another crack, screamed, then slid into the icy water.
* * *
“Gabby...”
Liam pulled her out onto the solid ground, away from the ice, thankful she hadn’t completely fallen through, but even with the sun out, the temperatures were dropping and this was only going to make things worse.
Her lips had paled, and she was shaking. No. This couldn’t be happening. Why hadn’t he convinced her to stay back at the ranch? Why did she have to be so stubborn? But he couldn’t think about that now. He needed to get her to the cabin. He managed to peel off her wet coat, then slipped his on her before shoving Mia’s stuffed giraffe into his pocket.
He glanced back at the trail. Thankfully, they were close to the cabin now. Gus would have a fire going and something hot for her to drink. He managed to lift her over his shoulders and started walking. He’d known Gus since he was a little boy. He wasn’t sure if the old man would have a cell phone, but he did remember Gus had a ham radio for emergencies.
His limbs felt frozen from the cold by the time he pounded on the cabin’s wooden front door.
“Gus... Gus are you in there?”
The door swung open and Liam was met with the barrel of a shotgun. “Put your hands in the air where I can see them now.”
Liam’s gaze shifted to Gus’s bearded face. “It’s me. Liam.”
“Liam?” Seconds later, the door swung all the way open, and Gus dropped his gun to his side. “What in the world happened?”
Liam didn’t wait for an invitation. Instead, he strode into the one-room cabin with a bedroom loft and set Gabby on the thick shaggy rug in front of the fire place. “Sorry to barge in, but I need to warm her up.”
“What are you doing out in this weather?”
“Long story, but the bottom line is that she fell in the lake.”
“I’ll grab something to help warm her up, then get the kettle going. You’ll need to take off anything that’s wet.”
Liam took the pile of blankets Gus handed him, then hurried to get her dry. “Gabby...can you hear me? I need you to talk to me.”
“It’s so cold.” Her teeth were chattering, but at least she was conscious. “And I’m so sleepy.”
“I know, and I’m going to warm you up, but I want you to stay awake for now, okay?”
“Where’s Mia’s giraffe? It was there near the water. She has to be nearby.”
“I have the giraffe and we’re going to find Mia, but right now, I need to get you warm.”
Gus rummaged around in the small kitchen on the other side of the room while the hot water heated up on his stove. “Does this have anything to do with the men that just burst into my cabin about half an hour ago?”
Liam glanced around the room. Nothing looked out of place and Gus seemed fine. At least they hadn’t hurt him. “I need to hear exactly what happened as soon as I get her warmed up, but more than likely, yes. Was there a baby with them?”
“Yes. She looked fine. Snuggled up in a thick blanket, sound asleep. I gave them what they wanted, and they left.”
“What did they want?”
“A radio, for starters, but with this storm, communication’s pretty impossible. They were trying to get ahold of someone. Ended up taking some water and food and leaving after they’d warmed up.”
A minute later, Gus handed him a steamy mug of tea.
Liam helped Gabby sit up, hoping to get as much of the hot drink into her body as possible. “I need you to take a few sips of this.”
She pressed her hands against the mug, her fingers still shaking, but at least
she swallowed some.
“Good girl.” He set the mug on the mantel when she was done, then felt her pulse. It was already stronger than it had been twenty minutes ago. And her breathing seemed more even as well. This could have ended so differently. She’d be okay. He only wished he could say the same for Mia.
There’s got to be a way to find her, God. Gabby’s already lost so much. Please...please help me find these men.
“Who is she?”
Gus’s question pulled him away from his prayer. Gabby had laid her head down on the stack of pillows, her cheeks now flushed from the warmth and her eyes closed again. He stood up and walked across the room.
“Her name’s Gabby Kensington. The men that came here have her daughter. I need to get ahold of my brother in Timber Falls and let him know where they are.”
“That’s actually what I’ve been trying to do.” Gus headed for the desk in the corner of the room. “I didn’t mention to the men that I’ve been tinkering with a new system that allows me to get on to the internet when wireless carrier signals are spotty. Even with the storm, I think I should be able to get through with my antenna. Keep an eye on her and get her to drink the rest of that tea when she wakes up. I’ll keep working on getting a message to your brother.”
“I also need your ATV,” Liam said.
“Sorry, but they decided to split up. One of them took off in it with the baby while the other one left with the horses. They didn’t talk much, but from what I gathered, they were heading for Mountain Springs and trying to get ahold of someone.” Gus nodded toward the fireplace. “How do you know her?”
“She was married to my best friend, Will Kensington.”
“The soldier who was killed back in the Sandbox?”
“Yes.”
“I remember you talking about him. And telling me about his death.”
“Liam?”
He turned back to the fireplace where Gabby was stirring again. “Hey...can you drink some more tea?”
She managed another couple sips before pushing the drink away.
“Do you feel any warmer?”
She nodded. “I think so, but what about Mia?”
“Gus is trying to contact Griffin right now. We think they’re headed to Mountain Springs, which is really the only way out of here. The only easy way, anyway.” He brushed back a strand of her hair, knowing he had to tell her everything. “Gus saw Mia.”
“What?” She struggled to sit up.
He rested his hand against her shoulder. “Stay still. They stopped here, then one of them took her on his four-wheeler.”
“She was okay?”
He nodded. “I don’t think they want to hurt her. They just want leverage.”
“But I don’t have what they want.” She pulled up the blanket against her cheek, her eyes welling with tears. “I’ve got to get up. We need to find her.”
“We will, but there’s nothing you can do right now. Go back to sleep. Gus will get ahold of Griffin and let him know what’s going on, then once the storm passes we can rethink our plan.”
She snuggled back down beneath the blankets and closed her eyes, seemingly too tired to argue with him. He watched her breathe. Her heart rate and breathing were regular, and her lips were back to a normal color. But the incident had scared him. For the past year and a half, he’d done his duty checking on her. But he’d also done his best to keep his distance, because he’d carried guilt over not saving Will.
How had all of that suddenly changed? The sense of duty had vanished along with any motivation because of guilt. Now, she’d somehow managed to leave his heart in a tangled mess. He watched her sleep. She looked so calm and peaceful.
The heaviness of fatigue surrounded him as well. All the worry had drained him and he couldn’t keep his eyes open. The fire crackled next to him. Gabby’s breathing stayed steady as her core temperature continued to rise. But he needed to stay awake. Needed to keep checking on her. As soon as the weather cleared up, he was going to leave her here and go after Mia. But for now, he was so tired.
Movement beside him jolted him awake.
Liam sat up with a start. “I’m sorry. I must have fallen asleep.”
The old man dropped another log on the fire. “If you ask me, that’s exactly what you needed. Besides that, there isn’t much you can do. Snow’s coming down pretty hard. It would be foolish to go out there right now.”
“What about Griffin? Did you reach him?”
“The connection was bad, but I finally managed to get him a message. The authorities will be waiting for them.”
“I need to go out there. I promised Gabby I’d find her daughter.”
“I know this isn’t easy, but going out into the storm will just put your life in danger. Wait until things clear up some.” Gus glanced at Gabby. “That girl there, she’s beautiful.”
Liam chuckled. “Might be a bit young for you.”
“I wasn’t talking about for myself. I saw the way you look at her. Looks like you’ve lost your heart.”
He frowned. Surely, how he felt wasn’t that obvious.
“I’m just worried about her. But as friends. Nothing more.”
“If you say so.”
He had to, because falling for Gabby was too complicated. She’d never give her heart to another soldier, and he couldn’t blame her. “She was married to my best friend. It wouldn’t be fair to ask her to risk her heart again.”
“So you do feel something toward her, you’re just too stubborn to admit it.”
“Gus...”
“I guess we all have secrets. Pieces of our past we’d like to forget.” He hesitated, then pulled out a photo from the desk drawer. “This is my wife and daughter up at Garden of the Gods. We used to hike that loop every summer, even before Kelly could walk. I’d strap on one of those backpack contraptions, so I could carry her. We hiked all the trails. Up to Emerald Lake, the Fern Lake trailhead...”
Liam studied the photo of the three of them. “I never knew you were married.”
“I don’t tell most people about them. Always ends up making the other person uncomfortable and me...well...it’s always easier not to remember. Easier for people to think I’m just a cranky old man who lives in a cabin by himself.”
Liam handed him back the photo. “Can I ask what happened?”
“They died in a car wreck on seventy. That was thirty-five years ago.”
“You never remarried?” Liam asked.
“Thought about it once. I guess you were right about one thing. Sometimes it’s not easy to risk your heart again.”
“Do you regret it?”
“I did for a while, but now I can’t imagine anyone putting up with me.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
Gus caught his gaze. “Just don’t do anything you’re going to regret one day. Or in your case, don’t avoid taking a chance you maybe should take. Love doesn’t come around too often, but when it does, you’ve got to grab onto it and hold on tight.”
Liam shook his head. “Now you’re starting to sound like my mother. She’s always talking about her need for daughters-in-law and grandchildren.”
“That’s the way the good Lord made us. We love and raise them, then have to send them out of the nest into the world. Grandchildren, I suppose, help feed that loss.”
Liam stared into the fire. He couldn’t imagine what Gus must be thinking about. How he’d never had the chance to watch his daughter grow up. Never held those grandbabies.
“Liam... I’ve got a call coming through from your brother.”
He went to stand by the Gus, praying for good news. “What have you got, Griffin?”
“We found the pair’s abandoned car not far from the ranch and managed to trace it back to Silas Maldin.”
“And Mia?” Liam asked.
“I’m sorry, but we still have no idea where she is.”
NINE
Liam paced the cabin, trying to fight the restlessness, but the walls of the cabin felt as if they were closing in on him. He glanced at the door, then back at Gabby who was still sleeping next to the fire. Doing nothing wasn’t exactly his strong point. His beliefs in both justice and loyalty were what had compelled him to join the military in the first place. And now he needed to do something—anything—to put an end to this.
Like he’d felt ever since the accident.
His jaw tensed at the reminder. Being taken off active duty had sent him to a place he never thought he’d be.
Will was dead, and he’d spent months recovering instead of fighting. Letting someone else wage the war while he was down had left him feeling useless, something he still fought on a daily basis. And according to the army, there were still no guarantees he was going back in.
He turned back to Gus. “I need to do something. I need to be tracking Thatcher down. He’s out there somewhere and has to have Mia.”
“That would be foolish. Your brother and the police are going to find her. Let them do their job. You need to wait out this storm and make sure Gabby’s okay.”
Liam glanced over at her again. Her cheeks were flushed, but at least her breathing was still regular. “And if she’s not, or if they don’t find Mia?”
“She’ll be fine. She’s strong.” Gus stood up from his chair and stretched his back. “Listen, I just checked the weather. There’s a break in the storm coming. Temperatures are going to rise a few degrees and hopefully make it easier to navigate the trails. But until then, you need to stay here.”
“I know. I just...”
I need to stop this.
For a split second, he was there again. Moments after the IED went off. Moments before his best friend died. He shoved away the memories. The days and weeks after he was transported back to the US. Two surgeries to remove shrapnel and weeks of physical therapy to rehabilitate his leg. On top of all of that was the realization of how much had been lost that day. The guilt that he hadn’t been able to stop it.
