by T. L. Haddix
“Okay, so we don’t know where Wes might have gone. What about Pam? What do we know about her?” Chase asked.
“She was all about Pam, all the time. If something didn’t benefit her, she didn’t have any part of it. We were able to trace the places she’d lived the last few years, thanks to her friend Maggie Turner.” Garrett frowned. “Shit, I should have thought of that sooner.”
Everyone was watching him.
“Should have thought of what?” Chase asked.
“All the places Pam stayed were all abandoned houses, places that the locals didn’t want any part of. When we found that out the other day, Stacy said something about a local doctor. Nobody wants to have anything to do with his house, and the bank can’t sell it.”
“Ormsby’s house.” Jason exchanged a look with Ethan. “Do you think maybe that’s where they are?”
“Could be. It would fit. It’s out of the way. Nobody goes there.”
“Is it nice? Amenity wise, I mean?” Garrett asked.
“Very nice.” Ethan jumped to his feet. “Sammy has that listing. I’ll call her, see if she knows anything.”
“I’ll call Wyatt, see if we have anyone out that way,” Jason said.
Ethan was off the phone first. He practically vibrated with excitement. “Sammy’s not been out there in a few weeks, but she got a call from the bank a couple of days ago. Apparently, the electric bill is much higher than it should be.”
Jason relayed the message to Wyatt as Garrett and Chase stood. “Got it. We’re on our way.”
“Need some help?” Garrett offered.
“No. Stay here. If this all goes south, Gordon’s going to need you,” Ethan said. “Is Wyatt meeting us there with SWAT?”
Jason nodded. “Yeah.”
“Be careful, boys,” Richard said as they hurried toward the driveway.
“We will, Dad. Wish us luck.” In seconds, they were on the road, light bar on.
“Should we wake Gordon?” Chase asked.
“Not yet. Let’s wait and see what they find,” Garrett answered. “Either way, he’s going to need his rest. How far away is this place?”
“About fifteen minutes, regular driving. They’ll make it in ten,” Richard answered.
“So we’ll know soon.” Garrett’s nerves set his stomach on fire.
Chase clapped him on the shoulder. “Yeah. We’ll know soon. God help us.”
Stacy was dozing when she heard the running footsteps, then the crashing of glass. Loud, angry voices were followed by rapid-fire gunshots. She didn’t stop to think before diving under the cot and covering her head with her arms. If Wes got away from whoever was shooting, he might come after her, and she intended to present him with the smallest target she could.
Instead of Wes, she heard what sounded like an army of boots tromping about overhead, then coming down the basement stairs.
“Stacy? Stacy, where are you?” Ethan yelled.
“I’m here!” Scrambling out from under the cot, she rushed to the door so quickly that she tripped. Half crawling, she reached out and pounded on the door. “I’m here!” she screamed. “I’m here!” She stood, wincing as her ankle protested, and pounded on the door again.
“I’ve got her!” he shouted.
And then the door was opening. Laughing, crying, and absolutely petrified, she fell into his arms.
“I’ve got her. She’s alive. Oh, thank God.” He hugged her so tightly that Stacy couldn’t breathe for a minute.
Desperate for news, she fought until he let go and she could see his face. “Galen? Is he okay? Please, Ethan, tell me he’s okay.”
“He’s fine. He’s at the farm with my in-laws and Chloe. He’s fine, Stacy.”
“If you’re lying to me, I’ll shoot you.” She burst into tears.
“Have I ever lied to you?”
She shook her head, too distraught to answer.
“I’m not lying now. He had a close call. He got very lucky, but he’s fine.”
By then, the basement was full of law enforcement officers, but all Stacy wanted was go to Gordon. She told Wyatt that as he hugged her.
“Make a hole, people! We’re coming up.”
With Ethan’s assistance, Stacy limped to the top of the stairs, a trail of law enforcement officers following her. She wasn’t surprised to see Wes lying on the kitchen floor, eyes staring sightlessly at the ceiling.
“Who shot him?”
“One of the state boys,” Wyatt answered. “Ethan, you’ll have to carry her through that glass. Sorry, Stacy.”
Without protest, she let Ethan pick her up and carry her to a waiting ambulance. She tightened her arms around his neck, refusing to let go. “I’m not going to the hospital. You’re taking me to Galen.”
“You need to get checked out,” Wyatt said. “Then you can see him.”
She sucked in a breath. “Why can’t I see him now? I’m fine. Unless you lied to me, and he’s dead. That’s it, isn’t it? He’s dead?” Tears started again, and everyone rushed to assure her that Gordon was very much alive.
“He’s too ornery to let something as silly as a bullet keep him down,” Jason teased her gently. “Danged thing bounced off him and took out that clock on the mantle.”
Still uncertain, she looked to Wyatt.
“He’s fine. Not quite bulletproof.” He cast Jason a scolding look. “But he’s very alive. If the medics give you the all-clear, we’ll take you to him. But you have to let them look you over. I’m not budging on that.”
Stacy impatiently sat through the exam. When the medic pronounced her good to go, she glowered at the men. “See? I told you. I’m fine. Now can we please go to him?”
“Not yet, you can’t,” Russell DeHart said. “I need to take your statement.”
Wyatt frowned. “Russ, can’t that wait? Just a few hours?”
“I won’t give it to you right now,” Stacy told him flat out. “The only thing I’m doing now is going to my husband. Do you understand what he’s been through?”
With a sigh, DeHart gave in. “Fine. I’ll swing by in a few hours then. Glad to see you in one piece, Detective.” After a brief salute, he stalked toward the house. Stacy couldn’t care less if he was angry. She started to stand, but the paramedic stopped her.
“You really don’t need to walk barefoot right now. Not with those scrapes on your feet.”
Resigned to being carried, she looked at Ethan. Without a word, he scooped her up and followed Wyatt to his SUV.
“Jason and I came here from the farm. Gordon was resting. He had to be sedated last night. He doesn’t know we came to found you.”
“How’d you figure it out?”
“Your brother-in-law. Something about the places Pam had been. In any event, we didn’t want to risk upsetting him if this didn’t pan out.”
“I’ll get Stacy over to the farm. You and the others check in with Russell and try to get home, get some rest as soon as you can. I’ll be back as soon as Stacy’s settled,” Wyatt told him.
“Yes, sir.”
As they drove, Stacy became conscious of how she must smell. Being held captive for nearly forty-eight hours, despite the sponge baths she’d managed, had taken its toll. “Do you have any wet wipes?”
“In the back. Do you need one?”
“I need several. I don’t want him to see me like this.”
Wyatt glanced at her. “Do you want me to call Jackie, have her get some things pulled together for you so you can shower as soon as you get there? We need to let them know you’re alive, anyhow.”
“Please.”
He made the call, and when they pulled in the driveway, everyone hurried to meet them.
“You don’t know how glad I am to see you,” Garrett told her, his grin so much like Gordon’s that seeing him was painful. He enveloped her in a tight hug that almost took her breath away. Stacy let him hang on to her for a minute, then pushed back.
“I have an idea. How is he? Where is he?”
> “Still asleep in the guest house,” Jackie answered. “Let’s get you cleaned up and out there to him. I’ve got everything set up in Joely’s old room in the main house, including clean clothes.”
As much as she wanted to see Gordon, Stacy had to get clean first. She didn’t expect that he would let her go for a long time, and she was too dirty to go to him as she was. When Jackie showed her the bathroom, she asked if Stacy needed anything else.
Embarrassed, Stacy told her she did. “Wes found some rags, and I’ve been using those. It’s mostly stopped, but I’m still spotting a little. Do you have anything else I can use?”
“I’ll find something. I’ll put it on the bed here, and you can come out and get it when you’re ready, okay?”
“Thanks, Jackie.”
“Sweetie, I’m so glad you’re with us. I’ll be back with those supplies.” She left, closing the door behind her, and Stacy hobbled into the bathroom. She stripped down while the water heated, then stepped under the spray and scrubbed like a madwoman. After five minutes, she finally felt clean enough to get out. She dressed quickly in the borrowed clothes and went to the bedroom for the supplies Jackie had promised. That taken care of, she hurried out of the house as fast as she could on her sore feet.
“He’s still asleep upstairs,” Garrett told her as she approached the porch. “We’re all going to go next door, give you two some privacy. Holler if you need us.”
Stacy crossed her arms over her chest self-consciously. Though Jackie had given her a T-shirt and a tank top to wear underneath, she felt horribly exposed. “Thanks, Garrett. Wyatt, my clothes are all in the guest bathroom if you need them for evidence. I stuffed them in the garbage can.”
“Okay. Go on, kid.”
She went inside and eased up the stairs, barely aware of Richard closing the front door behind her. She slid back the screen enough to slip into the bedroom and stopped, staring at the man stretched out on the bed. Her heart was beating so fast that she thought she might be sick.
Chloe was curled up next to Gordon, who was facing the door, lying on his right side. His left arm was bandaged and in a sling, and he looked as though he’d lost ten pounds. Deep rings, dark as bruises, sagged under his eyes, and tears start to slip down Stacy’s cheeks. Slowly, she approached the bed, not wanting to wake him yet. Careful to not jostle the mattress, she sat down and stared at him.
With a grunting half-purr, Chloe stood and stretched, then walked over to Stacy. Stacy hugged her close.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see him again,” she confessed in a whisper. “Oh, Chloe. Am I dreaming?”
A frown crossed his face, and twisting as though he were trying to escape something, Gordon rolled over slightly and opened his eyes. He froze, and Stacy heard his breath catch.
She smiled. “Hi.”
His mouth moved, but no words formed. His eyes moved over her hungrily, but he didn’t move toward her. “Are you real?” he finally whispered.
“As real as you are.” Setting Chloe down, she held out her hand. His hand moved slowly, as though he were afraid she would disappear the moment he touched her. When their fingers made contact, he gasped. Like lasers, his eyes focused in on her face, and he sat up quickly.
Stacy wasn’t sure who moved first, but they were in each other’s arms, and that was all that mattered.
CHAPTER 43
GORDON WAS SURE HE’D LOST his mind when he opened his eyes and saw Stacy sitting on the edge of the bed. Or she was dead and had come to say goodbye.
If she wasn’t real, Gordon didn’t know if he wanted to know. And he couldn’t figure out how, if she wasn’t real, she was wearing one of the atrocious pink T-shirts Chase had brought back from Florida.
When their hands connected, he came fully awake with a gasp. He met her in the middle of the bed, desperate to touch her and assure himself she was really alive and there with him. Gordon worked his arm free of the sling, tossing it aside with a muttered curse, and ignored the pain in his shoulder. Running his hands over her face, her hair, and her body, he realized he was laughing and crying at the same time. He didn’t care. She was alive.
Stacy was touching him much the same way, as though she couldn’t get close enough.
“How are you here?” he asked. “I love you so much. Please don’t be a dream.”
“I love you back. I’m okay, Galen. I’m really here. I thought you were dead. She was too close when she shot you. I thought you were dead.”
He pulled her onto his lap and moved her damp hair off her face. “She missed everything important, somehow.”
Stacy eased off his shirt and set about inspecting his wounds, needing to see for herself. “How bad does it hurt?”
“It’s sore, but it’s nothing. Are you okay?” He searched her eyes. “Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head, and a few tears spilled over. “No. He didn’t touch me like that.”
“I wouldn’t care if he did. I mean, I’d care, but it wouldn’t change the way I feel about you. Hell, please tell me you know what I’m trying to say.”
“I do. And he really didn’t touch me, Galen.” She traced the planes of his face with her finger. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. I didn’t want to give up hope, but she shot you in the chest from close range. Do you know how much of a miracle it is that you survived?”
Gordon nodded, his throat tight. “As much as I told everyone else that I knew you were okay, I didn’t really. I was so afraid the autopsy would come back, and you’d be gone. Please don’t ever leave me. I couldn’t bear losing you.”
“I’m right here, and I’m not planning on going anywhere,” She leaned in to kiss him.
He lay back on the bed, taking her with him. For a very long time, they held each other, kissing, touching, each trying to reassure themselves that the other was safe. A knock sounded downstairs, and Garrett’s voice rose up to them from the living room.
“Sorry to bother you, but the guy’s here from the state police to take Stacy’s statement.”
“We’ll be down in a couple minutes,” Gordon hollered.
“I’ll let him know.”
The door shut behind him, and Gordon let his head fall back against the pillows. “Time to face the music.”
When they went into the main house, the kitchen was a flurry of activity, with several women bustling around. Neva was there, as were Carrie and Jason’s wife, Hannah. In another room, a baby was crying.
Jackie smiled at them over her shoulder as she carried a casserole into the dining room.
“There you are. Russ is grabbing a bite to eat. Why don’t you two do the same and join him in the sunroom?”
Stacy blinked at her. “What’s going on?”
“You’re alive. We’re all tired and hungry, and we’re doing what people in small towns do—bringing food.” Neva hurried over to them. “Can I get a hug?”
Stacy said yes and squeaked as she was enveloped in a bear hug. When the older woman pulled back, she was wiping her eyes.
“Damn it, you’re not to do this again. Understand me? We thought we’d lost you.”
Stacy managed a watery, “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. Now Russ is waiting for you, but someone else is, too. Maria’s in the living room. You need to go see her first.”
Clearly torn, she looked at Gordon. Understanding that she was reluctant to let him out of her sight, he tipped his head to the side. “I’ll be right here. Go on.”
Neva squeezed his uninjured arm. “Let’s get you some food.”
He let her lead him to the island, where she set about preparing a plate.
“How’d you all get this food ready so fast?”
“Part of life in small towns. Most of us have things stashed and stored away for just this sort of situation. As soon as word broke that you’d found her, we pulled it together. I’ll take you to Russ. What do you want to drink? There are sodas and waters in the cooler by the door.”
He picked out a sof
t drink. “I can carry my plate.”
“Uh-huh. Which hand? The one with the soda or the one in the sling?” She winked at him. “Come on. You look ready to keel over.”
Gordon gave in and followed her. As he greeted the state trooper, who was talking with Garrett, he gave Neva a one-armed hug.
“Thanks, Neva.”
“Don’t mention it. When you’re ready for more, come on back.”
Sitting down, he looked across the small card table to Garrett, who was smiling. “Quite the community you’ve landed in. I can see why you’ve settled here.”
Gordon nodded, his whole world lighting up as Stacy came in the room. Even the few short minutes they’d been apart had seemed like too long. She hurried to his side and positioned her chair close to his; he figured she felt the same way. He answered his brother as he smiled down at her.
“It’s home.”
By nine o’clock that evening, Stacy and Gordon were safely ensconced in the guest house, and everyone had gone back to their homes for some much-needed sleep. Tucked under Gordon’s uninjured arm, Stacy was running her hand lightly over his chest. His skin was still damp with sweat from making love. The lamp was on because they needed to see the other.
“I didn’t think I’d ever get to lay like this with you again, to touch you again,” she murmured. “To just look at you.”
He tightened his arm around her. “I know. When Garrett told me they’d found her body and she had your ring… That’s going to take a while to get over.”
“We’re both probably going to have nightmares for a long time from this.” She tipped her head back so she could see his face. “Have you spoken to Kathryn?”
A muscle ticked in his jaw, and his eyes shuttered. “Not exactly.”
Stacy raised up on her elbow. “That sounds ominous.”
He shrugged his good shoulder. “She came to the hospital while I was in surgery, and I guess she and Garrett got into it. All he would tell me was that she was there, and they had words, but Sandra said it was more than that. Much more.”
“How much?” Stacy could tell he didn’t want to talk about it, but she needed to know. “Galen, please tell me.”
