Never Let Go

by Elizabeth Goddard

  “I need to find out about my brother,” he said.

  “They told me he would be fine. All we can do is wait now.”

  “Thank you for saving his life,” Austin said. “Sheriff Everett told me you made the call for help.”

  “I found the horses too and something I could use to stop the bleeding. I don’t think help would have made it in time otherwise. Not to pat myself on the back, but I want you to know it was serious. I tried to come back and warn him not to trust Sheriff Haines. All he cared about was you two. He wanted to know if you were all right. I see now that you are.”

  How much did Charlie know about what had happened? And what exactly had transpired between her and the sheriff?

  Coffee in hand, Austin motioned for them to have a seat in the waiting area. “You look like you’ve been through a rough day.” His smile was broad for Charlie’s benefit, but deep inside he knew Willow’s news was about to shatter her world again. News of the crime her mother committed would come as a genuine shock to her, as well as the fact that she could still be in danger.

  So could Willow. He reached for her, but she stepped away. “If you’ll excuse me, can I borrow your phone?” she asked.

  Austin handed it over and she headed down the hallway. He trusted she wouldn’t go too far. They weren’t out of this yet.

  He purchased pretzels, chips, and cookies from the vending machines to go with their coffee. Charlie ate up the snacks like she hadn’t eaten in far too long.

  “It feels so good to be free. Finally free. It’s a long story, but usually I don’t talk to anyone except, well, Mack. He was the only one who knew I was here.”

  “Is that right?”

  “I don’t know what he told you, but I’ve been hiding, trying to find out who killed my mom. I still don’t know why she was killed. All along I thought Clyde had done it, and that his cousin, Sheriff Everett, had protected him. But it turns out Sheriff Haines was responsible. I have bank statements back at the house. They have something to do with it.” She covered her mouth, her face turning several shades of crimson. “I should tell this to someone official. The deputy who brought me was supposed to take my statement, but he had to rush away.”

  “Someone should be here soon to take our statements about what happened. I don’t know if they told you, but Sheriff Haines is dead.”

  She nodded slowly. “I heard talk on the radio. It should be a relief, except I don’t understand why. Why would he kill her?” Tears choked her voice. “He said he didn’t kill her, but he tried to kill me. Why should I believe a liar? He kept talking about the truth. The truth would tear me apart. What truth could hurt me more than watching my mother murdered in cold blood?”

  “I’m sorry about your mother.”

  She swiped at her eyes. “At least it’s over now. At least he got what he deserved. I wanted answers. Now all I have are questions, memories, and the house. She and I owned the house together, but I don’t want to go back there. Not without her. I tried, but I hear her voice like an echo. I miss her so much.”

  Charlie broke down and cried. Austin pursed his lips. Willow lingered in the hallway, watching, a look of turmoil on her face.

  Chapter sixty-three

  Willow moved down the hall with Austin’s phone to her ear. She hadn’t connected the call to Katelyn yet because Charlie’s anguish ricocheted through her heart. But it was time. Still, she hesitated. Katelyn had hired Willow to find her daughter. But Charlie loved Marilee as deeply as any daughter should. She loved the woman who raised her.

  The woman who abducted her.

  It was painfully obvious that Marilee had loved Charlie in return. Still, Willow suspected that someone had paid her to take the baby. Had she so desperately wanted her own child and then all the pieces had fallen into place? Clyde had mentioned a man she’d loved for years. A man who wasn’t from here. She thought back to his words.

  “He’d come back to town. She was going to go see him. Meet him at a motel. But someone killed her instead.” Was the man she loved and couldn’t get over somehow connected to the abduction? Or to Marilee’s murder? Regardless of the answers to those questions, Charlie was the one who had to deal with all of this now.

  How could Willow shatter the young woman’s world once again? Bottom line? It wasn’t up to her.

  She pressed the call button and waited for Katelyn to answer. Part of her hoped she wouldn’t. Willow drew in a breath. She had to see this through.

  Lord, help me to do what’s right. I don’t even know what that is.

  “Hello?” Katelyn answered the phone.

  “Hi, Katelyn, it’s Willow. How are you? Are you still in the hospital?”

  “I’m home for the time being. My white blood cell count is up. I keep fooling them by living. Never mind about me. What is it? Do you have news?”

  Willow squeezed her eyes shut. Lord . . . “We found her.”

  Silence.

  She listened intently. “Katelyn? Are you all right?”

  “Yes.” She sniffled. “Yes. I just . . . I can’t believe it. I can hardly believe it.” The woman’s laugh was sheer joy.

  Now Willow would have to bring her back down to reality. “I haven’t told her anything.”

  “Why on earth not?”

  Willow squeezed her eyes shut. How would she explain the situation? “She’s been through so much. She loved the mother who raised her. It was heartbreaking listening to her talk about her. Jamie witnessed someone kill her mother two months ago, and she’s been afraid for her life. She’s been hiding. I thought you would want to know about that. I thought that, given the circumstances, you might even change your mind about telling her. It would just be that much more for her to deal with.”

  Katelyn hesitated, then sniffled again. “I don’t want to hurt her or make this hard for her, but I’m desperate to see her. Maybe if you tell her about me, that will be the good news she needs to hear. That her biological mother is still alive for the time being. Jamie has a second chance, in a manner of speaking.”

  “It’s Charlie.”

  “Pardon?”

  “Her name is Charlotte Clemmons. She goes by Charlie.”

  “Would you please tell her I’m coming? Where are you exactly?”

  “At the moment, we’re in the hospital. My friend’s brother was wounded. It’s complicated.” Willow wasn’t sure she had the energy to tell Katelyn the whole story.

  “Do we know who abducted her?”

  “We have a few leads. Someone who was involved was killed, though, so we can’t get all the answers yet.”

  “Well, of course, we want the person responsible brought to justice, but right now I’m making plans to come and see my daughter. She needs the support of family now. Willow, can you do this or not?”

  “Yes. I can.” Willow wouldn’t leave it to anyone else. Charlie definitely needed to be warned her birth mother was coming. “But there’s just one thing. What if she doesn’t want to see you?”

  “Not want to see her mother? Let’s hope that’s not the case. I haven’t been searching all these years to be rejected now.”

  No. I wouldn’t think so.

  Footfalls in the hall drew her head up. Charlie and Austin headed her way. They must have news about Heath.

  She needed to go. Willow hesitated, then asked, “Are you well enough to travel?”

  “I’ve been released from the hospital, Willow. This news does more for my health, my well-being, than anything. Now please tell me where I can meet you.”

  “Fly into Jackson, Wyoming. Call me when you get there. I’ll tell her you’re coming.” Willow ended the call and handed the phone back to Austin. “Is it Heath?”

  “Yes,” he said. “He’s out of surgery. They’re letting me see him. You’re coming too. I won’t leave you alone. Not until this is over, and maybe not even then.” He turned his attention to Charlie. “You either. You stick close to us. This isn’t over yet.”

  “What do you mean?”


  “The real killer is still out there.”

  Charlie narrowed her eyes as if unsure she could believe Austin. Willow followed Austin and Charlie down several hallways. How would she break this news to Charlie? How would she tell her about the heinous deed committed by the woman who raised her?

  Austin pushed open the door to Heath’s room and entered quietly. Willow and Charlie followed. “Mack—” Charlie rushed to the edge of the bed and acted as if she would put a hand on his arm but decided against it. Tears formed in her eyes.

  Willow hung back in the corner, watching the scene. Monitors beeped and IV lines connected Heath with clear bags of meds. Austin stood near the bed, his features brooding at the sight of his unconscious brother.

  A nurse bustled into the room, unsurprised by their presence. “He’s going to be just fine. I want to see some smiles now for when he wakes up.” She disappeared in the same way she’d rushed in.

  “I’m going out into the hall to make another call,” Willow said. “All right if I use your phone again?”

  “Of course.” His eyes dark with emotion, he lifted his chin with a clear warning in his eyes. Stay close.

  “I’ll be just right there.”

  He handed her his phone. “Leave the door open.”

  Willow did as he asked, but she didn’t want anyone hearing her call to Dana. The woman’s panicked voice probably echoed down the hallway.

  “Sh. I’m okay. Keep your voice down. I think everyone can hear you. It’s been a long night. An impossibly long night.”

  “I’ve left dozens of messages on your voicemail.”

  “Unfortunately, I lost my phone. It’s a long story—one I can’t go into right now.” Willow whispered her next words. “But I wanted you to know . . . we found her.”

  Dana’s exuberance exploded over the phone.

  “I’ve contacted Katelyn and she’s on her way here. But it’s not all good. I haven’t told Charlie yet. And the person who doesn’t want Charlie found is still out there. She could still be in danger. Maybe I’ve had it all wrong. Maybe whoever did this isn’t connected to Katelyn through Wyoming.”

  Dana’s sigh was heavy. “I know what you’re thinking, Willow—that you don’t have JT’s gift for following hunches, but remember he led you there. So don’t give up, and please, be careful. I’ll keep searching on my end. I’m sorry I haven’t found anything yet.”

  “There’s no need to apologize. You’re good at what you do. I trust you. Just let me know once you’ve found something.”

  Willow turned to see Charlie standing there.

  “What’s going on? What haven’t you told me?”

  Chapter sixty-four

  Willow ended the call and tucked the phone away. “We need to talk.”

  “What’s this about?” Charlie narrowed her eyes again. She’d been suspicious for so long, it had probably become second nature.

  Austin appeared in the doorway. “I talked to Heath. Just briefly. But he’s going to be okay. I just needed to see him. I’m going to let him rest now.”

  Willow wanted to go to Austin. Feel his arms around her. Comfort him after everything they’d been through. But she remained where she stood—Charlie between them.

  “Charlie needs answers.”

  His lips flattened as he gave a subtle nod. “We should go somewhere private.”

  “Wait. You’re scaring me. I don’t know if I should leave Mack.”

  “Charlie.” Heath’s ragged voice barely registered. “Charlie . . .”

  She answered his call, entering the room, Willow and Austin behind her.

  “Go with them. You can trust them. They’ll protect you. And you need to listen to what they have to say.”

  Charlie’s eyes widened. Her bottom lip trembled.

  Willow had thought she was setting out to do good when she’d accepted this assignment. JT had believed the same. But right now, she didn’t know. She really didn’t know. “It’s okay, Charlie. We know what happened to your mother. Why someone killed her. That’s what you want to know, isn’t it?” Or at least they had their suspicions. Willow had some ideas, and after this hard conversation, she would chase down another clue.

  “Yes. I don’t understand. How could you know?”

  “Maybe you should tell her here in the room,” Heath said. “I can’t keep my eyes open. But I’m listening. Charlie, have a seat.”

  This would put a strain on Heath, but then again, maybe he’d be more worried about Charlie if she left with them. She slowly eased into the chair. “Tell me. Why did the sheriff kill her?”

  “He claimed he didn’t kill her, but he knew who did.” Willow glanced at Austin. “We’re still working on the who, but we came here to find you. We’ve been searching for you, Charlie, before we knew anything about your mother’s death.”

  Her face paled. “Go on.”

  Willow didn’t know how to continue, except to start at the beginning. “A woman named Katelyn Mason hired us to find her daughter. Her baby who was abducted from a hospital room twenty-one years ago.”

  Silence filled the room. Charlie shifted in the seat. “What does that have to do with me?”

  Willow edged closer and crouched in front of Charlie. Help me, Jesus. “It’s you, Charlie. You’re the girl.”

  Charlie’s expression morphed into unbelief and she forced herself as far back into the chair as she could, like a little girl afraid of a monster. “What? What are you saying? Are you saying my mother isn’t my mother? That’s crazy. Mack, you can’t believe them.”

  Tears surged in Willow’s eyes. If only Katelyn could see how much this hurt Charlie. She’d been through so much already. “We can do a DNA test if you’d like, but considering someone has gone to a lot of trouble to keep us from finding you and to try to stop the truth from coming out—even murdering your mother for what she knew—we’re pretty sure.” Willow wouldn’t be there saying the words if she didn’t know for certain she was looking at Katelyn Mason’s daughter.

  Tears streamed down Charlie’s cheeks. “My mother. She’s my mother, not this stranger who hired you.”

  Austin fiddled with his phone, then held it up to Charlie. “Here’s a picture of Katelyn Mason at twenty-one.”

  Charlie took in the woman in the image. “She looks like me. So what? That doesn’t mean she’s my mother.” Charlie pressed her face into her hands and sobbed.

  “I’m so sorry about all of this. Katelyn . . . your mother . . . she has leukemia. She’s gone in and out of remission, and now she only has a couple of months to live. She might not have much time. She wanted to find her daughter. She wanted to see you, have a chance to speak to you before she dies.” Acid erupted in her throat. Willow hated the words. Hated feeling like she was guilting Charlie into seeing Katelyn.

  “The good news is that you still have time to see her and get to know her before it’s too late.” Austin crossed his arms. “Just give her a chance.”

  “There’s something else you should know.” Willow wasn’t sure Charlie, who continued to sob, was listening anymore. “She’s coming here to Jackson. Katelyn Mason will be here in the next few hours. No later than tomorrow morning.”

  “Yeah. Well, what if I don’t want to see her?”

  “Try to understand. She lost you once years ago, and she’s longed to find you and see you. She’s spent a lot of money paying private investigators over the years. Could you bear to break her heart? Please. Just give her a chance.” She echoed Austin’s words.

  “I think Charlie needs a few minutes, guys.” Heath’s words were garbled.

  Willow agreed. Heath knew her better. He could talk to her. The news might have been better coming from him to begin with. She and Austin left Charlie in the room with Heath, or Mack, as she preferred. They stood in a shadowed corner of the waiting area outside this section of rooms. The killer was still out there and Charlie wouldn’t be safe until they found out who was behind this. Down the hall, Deputy Taggart marched in their dir
ection.

  “We need to go back to the nursing home,” she whispered to Austin. She needed to speak to Mr. Haus again.

  “I think you’re right.”

  That surprised her. She hadn’t thought he would agree. She assumed he would tell her they had found Charlie, which was all they had been hired to do. But like her, he knew Charlie wasn’t safe until the person behind her abduction was found. Besides, Willow wouldn’t give up until she found justice for JT and Marilee. She and Austin—they were in this together. It should have been JT, but instead it was Austin. Willow thought she just might have finally accepted that fact.

  Deputy Taggart hung near Heath’s door and eyed them from across the hall, a question in his eyes. Then he crossed the space and approached them. “Well, how is he?”

  “He’s strong. I think he’s going to be okay.”

  “I need to talk to Charlie. Then I need to hear from you two. We have a sheriff down. I think I understand all the facts, but I still have to do the hardest part of my job as acting sheriff now. I have to deliver the news of his death to his widow.”

  Chapter sixty-five

  SATURDAY, 1:35 P.M.

  EMERALD M RANCH

  Deputy Taggart had delivered Austin, Willow, and Charlie to the ranch after taking their statements and was leaving two deputies there to watch over Charlie. He was taking the threat seriously or at least didn’t want to take any chances that Sheriff Haines hadn’t been working alone.

  “Is it all right if Willow and I go visit Mr. Haus at the nursing home?” Austin asked.

  Deputy Taggart angled his head. “Why would you want to do that at a time like this? That girl needs you.”

  Evelyn set down a tray with mugs of steaming coffee. “She’s sleeping soundly, and she knows and trusts me. I can take care of her if these two have something they need to do.”