Lost Innocence

by Jannine Gallant

  Keely rested her head on her shoulder. “I love you, Nina.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Teague walked out of the house, leaving the cops who were combing the place for evidence to do their job. The ambulance carrying Stella had left a few minutes before. Standing in the middle of the cul-de-sac, he tried his best to hold it together as his entire life unraveled around him. Staring up at the sky, he shook as he rubbed damp eyes with the back of his hand.

  The absolute only bright spot was the knowledge that Nina was in all likelihood with Keely. His little girl wasn’t alone. Telling himself that Nina was smart and resourceful helped some, but fear that she might be seriously injured . . . He wiped away more tears. At least there’d been no blood on the street near her phone. If the freak had stabbed her the way she had Stella, surely there would have been blood somewhere.

  Quiet whining penetrated the fog of worry surrounding him. Turning, he stared toward the trees as Coco crept out of the underbrush.

  “Hey, girl.” He hurried to the edge of the street and crouched down to pet his quivering dog. “Where have you been? I’m sorry I forgot all about you.”

  He checked her for injuries, then smiled when she stood up and shook before wagging her tail. Just scared, not injured. Coco wasn’t a fan of noise and confusion. “Were you hiding out in the woods to escape the sirens and loud voices?”

  Or did you go after Keely?

  Maybe the kidnapper hadn’t driven off with his daughter and Nina. There’d been no sign of them at the roadblocks set up on the highway. Teague faced the dense forest behind the two houses at the end of the street. What appeared to be a faint trail where ferns had been flattened and the layer of needles on the ground disturbed led past a big Douglas fir. Had the crazy bitch hidden Keely and Nina in the woods?

  Anything was better than standing here, doing nothing. Scooping up Coco, he followed the faint path, not well used but still detectible. When the dog whined to get down, he set her on her feet. She stopped to pee and sniffed a couple of leaves, but she didn’t act like she was on the trail of her missing mistress. But then, Coco was no bloodhound.

  Still, he kept going, pushing deeper into the woods. After walking for a good ten minutes, his steps faltered. There was no way in hell an older woman could have hauled Nina’s unconscious body this far. Unless she was fully lucid and forced to walk at gunpoint . . .

  Teague clamped his jaw tight and pushed aside a tree branch. Someone, or something, had made the trail. Possibly animals. He’d seen a couple of deer in the neighborhood. But if the path had been made by a human . . . He came out of the trees into a small clearing and stopped. Some of the grass was flattened in places, and there were broken branches spread out on the ground near the far edge of the woods.

  The hair on his neck prickled.

  “Nina! Keely!” His shout seemed to be absorbed into the stillness of the forest.

  Leaving his side, Coco wandered over to the branches, sniffed, then let out a soft woof. Not the level of excitement he’d expect if Keely were in the area. Following the dog, he glanced around and frowned. What looked like fresh dirt had been scraped off the weeds near the pile of sticks, and mounds of earth had been flung into the bushes and ferns.

  “What the hell?” Hadn’t Nina mentioned something a while back about finding a hole some kids had dug?

  He pushed at the branches with the toe of his boot, then bent to shift them. If someone had been digging in the area . . . Working faster, he hauled the limbs aside until the remainder of the branches crashed downward into the hole.

  When Coco started barking, he hushed her. Had that been a cry, or just the dog?

  “Keely?” His voice rose. “Keely, are you down there?”

  When the branches shifted and moved, he slid down into the pit and piled them to the side. Frightened eyes stared up at him as he uncovered a girl huddled in a tight ball. Not Keely. But something about her was familiar.

  “Emma?”

  She let out a whimper but didn’t speak. Her terror was almost palpable.

  “I’m a fireman, Emma. I save people.” He kept his voice low and steady. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to take you home.”

  She shook her head. “No. No. No. Mama will bring me back here.” Huge sobs racked her body.

  “Okay, not home. Somewhere safe. Let me help you, Emma.”

  “I’m Lynette, not Emma. I’m Lynette.”

  “Okay, Lynette. I’m going to pick you up and lift you out of this hole. I’m not going to hurt you. Will you let me do that?” When her only response was to cringe farther away, he tried again. “I have a little girl of my own, Keely. You met her on the beach one day. Do you see Coco up there?” He pointed toward the furry face staring down at them, issuing an occasional bark. “Coco is her dog. I promise you can trust me.”

  Her uncontrollable crying slowly subsided, and finally she nodded. “I remember her. She seemed nice.”

  “She is nice. She liked you. Are you ready to get out of this hole now?”

  When Emma gave another nod, Teague gazed skyward in relief. Carefully, he bent to take her into his arms and tried a cautious smile. “When I lift you up, you need to scramble out onto the ground, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Boosting her upward, he held on until she’d crawled out onto the grass. Once she’d moved away from the edge, he stood on the broken branches, then heaved himself up and out of the hole. Coco came over to lick his hand and sniffed the cowering girl.

  With a shaking hand, Emma reached out to pet her. Tears slid down her cheeks when Coco rolled onto her back for a belly rub.

  Teague stood, pulled his phone from his pocket, and called Art Cantrell since his was the only direct number he had. When the officer answered, he turned his back on Emma and spoke in a low voice. “I found the girl.”

  Cantrell hesitated for a moment. “Your daughter?”

  “No, the kidnapping victim we were looking for yesterday. She was left in a hole some distance into the woods behind the house where that psycho was living. Her mental condition is questionable, but she doesn’t seem to have been harmed physically. I’ve calmed her down to the point where I think I can carry her out of here.”

  “That’s excellent news. I’ll let Chief Stackhouse know to expect you with her shortly. Do you need any help?”

  “I think we’re okay. She’s beginning to trust me. Maybe the chief can contact the couple who reported her missing, although the girl may not remember them.”

  “I’ll do that. There’s no sign of the perp in the woods?”

  “No, the woman must have left her here alone when she went after Keely.” Teague glanced over his shoulder, but Emma seemed to be occupied with the dog and not listening to his conversation. “I’m not sure how long she was in that pit.”

  “All right. Contact me if you have any problems, and make sure you can find the way back to the site again afterward. We’ll need to process the scene once you bring the girl down here to safety.”

  “I can do that. I’ll see you shortly.” He closed his eyes. “Any word on Keely and Nina?”

  “Not yet, but we’ll find them. For now, just get that poor child back here.”

  “I will.” Teague shoved his phone into his pocket and turned to face Emma. “Ready to go? I’m sure you’d like to put on some clean clothes and have something to eat.”

  She nodded but didn’t look him in the eye.

  “I’m going to carry you, okay? You’re probably tired, and the trail is pretty rough.” When her hand stilled on the dog’s fur, he hurried on. “Don’t worry, Coco will be coming with us.” When she glanced up, wary caution in her eyes, he smiled. “Are you ready?”

  After a moment, she nodded again.

  Relieved, Teague bent to pick her up. With Coco running along beside them, he headed into the woods. After a few minutes, her body relaxed, and she rested her head on his shoulder. His heart contracted and tears formed
as he prayed he’d soon be able to hold Keely just like this.

  And Nina.

  He didn’t talk as he carefully made his way through the woods, only hoped he was providing a modicum of security for the traumatized child. He couldn’t imagine what she’d been through. Didn’t want to try. For her, at least, the nightmare was over.

  When the trees ahead began to thin, and voices carried through the forest, Emma’s grip on him tightened.

  He stopped and glanced down into frightened blue eyes. “It’s okay. I’ve got you, and the people waiting are here to help you. Policemen who only want to make sure you’re safe.”

  She clung with one arm around his neck in a stranglehold. When she didn’t struggle against him, he moved onward, pushing a tree branch aside to cross the weedy grass to the street.

  As he met Stackhouse’s gaze, a second car with a county logo on the door rolled up the street and stopped. A young woman with kind eyes, freckles, and red hair got out and approached. She paused for a moment to speak to Chief Stackhouse before continuing toward Teague. When she reached him, she smiled at Emma.

  “I bet you’re scared and confused right now, aren’t you?”

  The girl nodded.

  “I don’t blame you one bit. You’ve been through a lot. My name is Kitty, and I help kids. Would you let me help you?”

  Emma’s grip on his neck loosened. “Kitty’s a funny name for a lady, but I like it.”

  She smiled again. “I like it, too. Would you be willing to come with me? I imagine you’re hungry, and we can go get whatever you’d like to eat.”

  “Pizza?”

  “Sure.” When Kitty held out her hand, Emma took it.

  Teague slowly lowered her to the ground and met the woman’s eyes before facing the girl again. “Kitty will take good care of you. I promise.”

  “I definitely will.”

  Stackhouse approached as they drove away. He laid a hand on Teague’s arm. “Kitty from Child Protective Services is a wonder. She’ll make that poor child feel comfortable in no time.”

  “I hope so. What about the parents?”

  “They’ve been notified, but there are legal channels we have to go through first.”

  “If I were them, I’d be—”

  “They’ll get to see their little girl shortly. That story will have a happy ending. I’m sure of it,” the chief said gruffly.

  Teague pushed his hands into his pockets and clenched his fists tight. “I’m glad. Now I want the same happy ending for my child. For Nina.”

  “We’ll find them both. After what I just witnessed, I have a good feeling this day is only going to get better.”

  His heart nearly tore apart with fear for the two people he loved most in the world. “It has to.”

  * * *

  The single streak of light through the crack above them had faded some time ago as the sun moved across the sky. Nina shifted slightly on the hard ground, even though it was agony simply to move. At the moment, Keely was asleep in her lap, and she didn’t want to disturb her. The longer they waited, the more certain she became their captor wouldn’t return until dark provided her some modicum of safety.

  After a while, Keely stirred and stretched then sat up. “I have to go to the bathroom.”

  “You can pee in the corner over by the shelves if you need to.”

  “Eww.”

  “I know, but we don’t have a lot of choices.”

  The girl stood and moved away. Overhead, footfalls vibrated, and metal clicked against metal.

  “Keely, stay where you are, crouch down, cover your head, and stay quiet.” Nina spoke in a sharp whisper.

  “Is she coming?”

  “Yes. Now do as I say. Please.”

  Wood creaked and groaned before the trapdoor thumped open onto the ground. Dim gray light filled the empty space before a bright beam flashed down in her face.

  “I see you’re awake.”

  Nina reached behind her for the first jar and shaded her eyes from the blinding light with the other. “No thanks to you. I could have broken my neck when you pushed me down those stairs.”

  “It’s just too bad you didn’t. Where’s Lynette?”

  “She’s not feeling well.”

  “What?” Panic sounded in her voice as the light flashed around the chamber and landed on the huddled figure. “Lynette, baby, what’s wrong?” When there was no response, she came down the first two steps and glanced at Nina. “I have a knife. Don’t try anything stupid. Do you hear me?”

  “I hear you.”

  The stairs creaked, and the light wavered. Bringing out the jar, Nina hurled it with all her strength. The flashlight flew through the air and landed with a thud but didn’t go out as the glass jar shattered against the wall.

  “You bitch!”

  Nina heaved two more jars in quick succession, then jumped to her feet when the woman tumbled down the stairs. Metal gleamed in the light as her adversary rolled over, knife raised. Picking up the fourth jar, Nina threw hard, and the knife went sailing toward the bottom of the stairs as the jar broke. Behind her, Keely screamed long and shrill when their captor pushed upright. Nina aimed the fifth jar at her head and threw.

  The jar smashed against the side of her face with a sickening thunk, and the woman dropped like a stone.

  “Keely, go. Be careful of the broken glass. I want you to run to the first house with lights on and tell the people there to call nine-one-one. Tell them to send help.”

  Keely skirted around the fallen woman and scampered up the stairs.

  Nina focused on the figure sprawled in front of her. Reaching past her, she grabbed the flashlight and pointed it toward the foot of the stairs, then scooped up the knife.

  “Lynette!” The woman spoke the name on a moan as she struggled to sit, using one hand to hide her face when the light hit her in the eyes.

  “I have your knife and more jars. I won’t hesitate to brain you or stab you if you move an inch. Is that clear?” Nina’s voice was cold, hard, filled with all the anger she’d kept bottled up inside since this freak had first taken Keely.

  “Where’s Lynette? Where’s my baby?”

  “Keely’s gone, and you’ll never touch her again. Where’s the other girl, the child that was on the beach? What did you do to her?”

  “You’ll never find her. Never!” Her voice rose in a shriek. “She pretended to be my perfect girl, but she was an impostor. I did to her what I had to, what I did to all the rest for their deception.” Slowly the hand came down, and familiar blue eyes flashed with madness. “You’ll never take Lynette away from me. You can’t stop me!”

  “Marge! Are you freaking kidding me?” When the woman lunged forward, Nina swung the metal tube of the flashlight and nailed her in the neck, knocking her backward. “I said don’t move. Next time, I’ll kill you.”

  The soft-spoken, unassuming woman who’d fitted her bridesmaid dress blinked, her lips drawn back in a feral snarl. “This is all your fault.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “You took my winning lottery ticket and hid it. If I’d had those millions, this would all have been so much simpler. But maybe I should thank you. If I hadn’t been searching for the ticket you picked up on the beach, I never would have seen Lynette. My real daughter. Not that sassy fake I harbored in my home.”

  The woman was crazy, utterly and completely mad, but she was the only one who knew where she’d left the kidnapped girl . . . if the poor child was still alive.

  “Maybe I’ll let you have Lynette back if you tell me what you did with the impostor. I’ll even give you the lottery ticket.”

  “You’re lying! I can tell you’re lying.”

  In the distance, sirens sounded. The woman came at her, hands extended like claws. Nina swung the flashlight, but the metal tube glanced off her arm. When fingers closed around her neck, she grabbed the final jar and smashed it down on her head. It broke in a shower of liquid and glass as the grasping finger
s slipped away and Marge crumpled to the ground.

  Pushing to her feet, Nina barely noticed the sharp shard that stabbed her palm. When she reached the stairs, she climbed toward the faint moonlight as doors slammed and voices shouted. Booted feet pounded the ground as the authorities raced toward her.

  “She’s down there.” Raising a shaking hand, she pointed. “In the cellar.”

  “Nina!”

  Turning toward the only voice she wanted to hear, she cried out and ran forward. Teague caught her in his arms and held her tight while she finally gave in to the overwhelming fear she’d kept at bay, for his daughter’s sake. Her whole body shook.

  “Keely’s okay. She’s fine.”

  “I know. I saw her and held her, but I had to find you, too.” Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her. “God, Nina, I was so afraid I’d lose you both.”

  “That’s never going to happen.” She clung to him, so very thankful. “I don’t ever want to let you go.”

  “Neither do I. It’s over, and we have each other. That’s all that matters.” When she touched his cheek, he covered her hand before turning it over. “You’re bleeding.”

  “I cut myself on some glass. It’s nothing.”

  When lights flashed around them, he held her away from him. “Hardly nothing. You look like you’ve been through hell.”

  “A few cuts and bruises. I’ll survive.” She stared into his eyes. “The other girl, Emma . . .”

  “I found her. She’s safe.”

  Nina collapsed against him. “Oh, thank God. What about Stella? I left her bleeding—”

  “She’s out of surgery and in critical condition, but the doctors think she’ll pull through.”

  Holding tight to him, she kissed him, then pressed her face to his neck. “That’s all I need to hear. Let’s take Keely and go home.”

  “We will, right after we get you checked out. I’m not taking any chances.” Scooping her up in his arms, he held her tight to his chest. “Then we’ll go home, the three of us together where we belong.”