Bone Cold

by Webb, Debra

  “Whatever.” Tom guided him toward the stairwell door. “As long as you’re behind bars where you belong.”

  When he and his prisoner exited the garage, official vehicles, ambulances, and cops were all over the place.

  “It’s about time,” Tom said to Larson.

  “I got here as fast as I could,” Larson said as he took custody of Meltzer. “I brought the cavalry with me.”

  “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that,” Tom admitted.

  Paul Phillips cut through the crowd of cops and agents. He reached for Tom’s hand and pumped it hard. “You did it, old friend. You finished it. I can’t thank you enough.”

  Tom gave him a nod. “It’s good to see you, man.”

  Paul grinned. “I owed you a rescue.”

  “Tom!”

  He turned and watched as Sarah and Sophie hurried toward him. Sam was right on their heels.

  Tom dropped to his knees and hugged his family.

  Williamsport Regional Medical Center, October 27, 6:00 a.m.

  Tom’s face was looking better after a half dozen or so ice packs. His knuckles were scraped and his shirt was a little bloody, but otherwise he looked so damned good to Sarah. They were all alive and that was what mattered.

  Her head had finally cleared of the drug hangover. She’d wanted to stay with Sophie and Josh while the doctors examined them, but Larson and Phillips had insisted she and Tom have coffee and food. She was glad now that she had agreed. She felt human again.

  Soon the exhausted and relieved parents of the children they had rescued would be filtering in. Except for Katie Adams and Cassie Cashion’s parents. Katie’s aunt, her mother’s sister, was en route from Richmond. She and her husband would take care of Katie. Cassie’s grandmother was coming for her. Chief Larson had kindly ordered a police escort for Carla Parsons. She, too, would be here any minute. The FBI was all over the compound. Thankfully, Meltzer’s briefcase had contained electronic copies of his files. He would never have simply blown up his life’s work. He wanted the world to know.

  Paul Phillips gave Sarah a hug. “I should get back on the road.”

  “Thank you,” Sarah blurted before she lost her nerve. “For today and… for before. You tried to help when Sophie first went missing and I never thanked you. It means a lot that you came.”

  Phillips nodded. “I was in a bad place then.”

  Sarah smiled. “You’re good now though and that’s what counts.”

  Phillips looked healthy and vibrant. He’d showed Sarah and Tom photos of his family. It was obvious the man was immensely happy. He gave her a nod before saying goodbye to Tom. The two had helped each other survive their worst nightmares.

  Speaking of good friends, Sarah turned to the man who was also her boss. “Thank you, Chief, for believing in us when no one else did.”

  He hugged Sarah hard. She felt his tears against her forehead. In reality, Reginald Larson had been like a father to her. He’d been there when she thought nothing would ever be right in her world again. She was so grateful she could share this incredible moment with him. All this time she’d thought she no longer had any friends and she’d been wrong.

  “I expect you back to work,” he warned. “I know you and Tom will need some time off but I don’t want to lose my best detective.”

  “Not going to happen, Chief.”

  When Phillips was gone and the chief had hurried off to greet more arriving parents, Sarah sat down in the small waiting room. She was exhausted, but in a good way. She couldn’t wait to take her baby home.

  Tom sat down next to her. “I guess we did pretty good.”

  She laughed and almost started cried before she could get what could only be called a moment of hysteria under control. “We did damned good, Agent Cuddahy. “ The FBI director himself had shown up at the hospital to check on the children and to thank Tom. Sarah suspected he’d be getting a promotion soon and Swinwood would be closing his investigation.

  Tom took her hand in his. “I want us to be a family again, Sarah.” When she would have interrupted, he held up a hand for her to wait. “I know it won’t be easy. We have things to work out. But I want to try.”

  Sarah leaned toward him, grimaced at his bruised and battered face. “I can promise you one thing, Tom Cuddahy. There is no force on earth that will be able to tear us apart again. We are a family. We fell apart for a while, but that’s not happening again.” She gently brushed her lips across his. “You’re stuck with me.”

  He pulled her against his chest. “I love you, Sarah. I’ve never stopped loving you.”

  She put her hand over his heart, so very thankful for the rhythmic beating there. They could have both been killed. “I know. And I never stopped loving you, no matter how much I denied it.” She intended to get the counseling and whatever else she needed and to stick with it for as long as it took this time.

  The door opened and a nurse motioned for them. “You can see Sophie now.”

  As they followed the nurse to Sophie’s room, Sarah held onto Tom. As happy as this moment was, there were still dark moments to come. “I suppose there will be extra tests and follow up exams for Sophie and Josh.”

  “That’s a safe bet.”

  “I just don’t want any of these children turned into guinea pigs.” They’d been through enough already.

  “I’ve been assured the children will be protected. We can only hope the powers-that-be will stand by their word.”

  Maybe Paul Phillips had the right idea. He’d taken his family and disappeared.

  The nurse paused at a door. “Go right on in.”

  Tom thanked her. Before they went into the room to be with Sophie, he lifted Sarah’s chin and looked deep into her eyes. “I will protect you and Sophie. You don’t need to worry about that.”

  She smiled. “I know.”

  Tom opened the door. Sophie sat on the exam table with her little legs swinging and Sam was sprawled on the floor beneath her feet. The hospital had allowed him to stay with her under the circumstances.

  “Mommy! Daddy!” Sophie beamed a smile. “The nurse gave me a lollipop.” She waved the cherry red treat.

  Sarah hopped up on the table next to her. “Red lollipops are your favorite.”

  “I know that now.” She licked the candy. “I had to try a blue one and a yellow one before I remembered it was the red I liked best.”

  Sarah and Tom exchanged a glance. Meltzer had said that would be the case. On some level Sarah was grateful he was alive just in case problems cropped up that only he could answer. Still, she hated what he had done and wanted to see him pay.

  “Can we go home now?” Sophie looked to her dad. “I’d like to sleep in my bed tonight.”

  Sarah smoothed a hand over her daughter’s hair. “I hope so. We’ll have to see what the doctor says.”

  A light rap sounded at the door before it opened. Chief Larson stuck his head in the room. “Sarah, do you have a moment.”

  “Sure.” Sarah hopped off the bed. “I’ll be right back.” She left a kiss on Sophie’s forehead.

  When she was in the corridor and the door to Sophie’s room closed, she searched her boss’s face for any indication there was new trouble. “What’s up?”

  “Carla Parsons is here and she wanted to see you for a moment.”

  Sarah’s heart lifted. “Of course.”

  “She’s with Josh just a few doors away.”

  Larson showed Sarah to Josh’s room. Sarah knocked on the door.

  “Come on in,” Carla called.

  Inside Josh and his mom sat side by side on the exam table. Carla instantly hopped off the table and rushed to hug Sarah.

  “Thank you.” Tears glittered in her eyes. “I don’t have to tell you what this means.”

  Sarah hugged her again. “We found our babies.”

  “I am forever in your debt,” Carla said, her words broken.

  “No.” Sarah took Carla’s hands in hers and squeezed. “You are the o
ne who never gave up. I am in your debt.”

  Carla nodded, too emotional to speak.

  “Call me if you ever need anything,” Sarah insisted before waving goodbye.

  She hurried back to Sophie’s room and cracked the door open just enough to watch her little girl and her daddy together.

  Before… Sarah had loved standing at Sophie’s bedroom door at night watching Tom read bedtime stories to her. Sarah had been certain she would never again be able to share a precious moment like that with her family.

  Those fears were behind her now. She had her family back and at least one monster who stole children for his own evil purposes had been stopped.

  Sarah joined Tom and Sophie. Sam sat his head on the exam table, wanting some of the attention and they all laughed.

  The nightmare was over.

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  A Note from the Author:

  Thousands of children are reported missing each year. Of those, a hundred or more will be murdered. Please pay attention to the children around you. If something appears wrong, or simply a little off where a child is concerned, please make the effort to determine if the child is safe. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Never allow a child to be harmed on your watch. Contact your local Department of Human Services or just call 911.

  About the Author

  DEBRA WEBB, born in Alabama, wrote her first story at age nine and her first romance at thirteen. It wasn’t until she spent three years working for the military behind the Iron Curtain—and a five-year stint with NASA—that she realized her true calling. A collision course between suspense and romance was set. Since then she has penned more than 100 novels including her internationally bestselling Colby Agency series. OBSESSION, the first novel in her romantic thriller series the Faces of Evil, propelled Debra to the top of the bestselling charts for an unparalleled twenty-four weeks and garnered critical acclaim from critics and readers alike. Don’t miss a single installment of this fascinating and chilling ten-book series!

  Visit Debra at www.thefacesofevil.com or at www.debrawebb.com. You can write to Debra at PO Box 10047, Huntsville, AL, 35801.