Sam said nothing for the longest while. Then he murmured, “I’m proud of you for standing up to him, Jessi.”
Jessica wiped the tears from her cheek and looked away. “If I had just waited until we got home, we wouldn’t be here now. He slapped me, but that was the first time he’d ever touched me in anger. He hit a patch of black ice and…you know the rest.”
Sam crossed his arms over his chest and looked outside.
“You hug me, you call me Jessi, and yet you back away. You won’t completely leave this search, but…”
He looked at the space between them and stepped closer. “So you’re confused by my behavior? You want to know what’s happening between us on a personal note? So do I.”
Jessica hugged herself. “I’ve heard that relationships born under duress don’t stand a chance in lasting.”
“Odds were against you and Amy living through that accident, too. God has bigger plans for your life than to be a statistic, Jessi. You know as well as I do that a relationship is what you make it. And if there’s one strength I have, it’s that I never step back from a challenge. What you just told me changes everything between us. It makes me love you even more. It cost you your husband and a child. I’m guessing that you miscarried.”
She nodded.
“I didn’t ever see mention of that in your file. I never suspected. I’m sorry for all you’ve had to go through. It makes me angry that you stayed in a marriage for all of the wrong reasons, yet at the same time I admire you even more because you were determined to keep your family together. And it infuriates me that Tim didn’t value you enough to support your desire to further your education, whatever your reason for wanting it.”
Jessica felt the warmth of his embrace instinctively, before he was close enough to touch. She had always wondered what it would be like to have a man in her life who supported her despite her mistakes. Her parents had tried to tell her that she deserved better than Tim, yet she hadn’t listened. And despite her mistakes, when she needed them, they had come and taken care of her. They had begged her to find a church again, where she could learn about God’s love. Thank You for loving me, God. And for giving me the love of a good man like Sam.
She wondered if Sam could weasel his way out of the next question. “So what are the statistics on finding Amy after she’s been gone for almost nine days?”
“Don’t think about that.”
“I’m wondering just how likely we are to find Amy.” She pushed herself from the comfort and protection of Sam’s strong arms. “I want the facts, Sam.”
Sam looked into her bright gray eyes, wishing he had half the courage she had. She kept asking the question, and he was so cowardly, he couldn’t answer. “You don’t want to know, and I sure don’t want to tell you. We won’t give up until we find her.”
“Becky got a call last night. She’s been gone all morning. What’s happening?”
Sam knew God had to have sent Jessica to him; she read him like an open book. She challenged him like no other woman ever had, and, like him, she was a fighter. “I thought you were asleep when she got that call.”
She looked confused. “Was I?” Then she smiled. “I’ve had two good nights of sleep since this happened, and no matter how potent the drug, nothing’s going to change until Amy’s here with us.”
Sam nodded in understanding. He couldn’t argue that. “You need to get more rest so you don’t end up in the hospital again.”
“I’m going to be fine. Just like it says in Isaiah, ‘When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you: your troubles will not overwhelm you.’ If anyone should understand what deep water I’ve been under, it’s Isaiah.”
“If you think Isaiah had a rough life, you should read Job.”
Jessica sat on the bed and reached for the drawer. “If we don’t get out of here soon, I probably will.” She lifted the complimentary Bible from the bedside table. “So if we’re to trust God, and turn our lives over to Him, how is letting God be a crutch a bad thing?”
Sam sat on the other bed facing her. “God gives us gifts. We can’t ignore the skills and abilities that He gave us while we wait for Him to answer our prayers.”
She thought a moment. “But doesn’t it say somewhere that when we don’t have the strength to stand on our own, God will sustain us, or carry us, or something like that? You know, like in that ‘Footprints in the Sand’ poem.”
“Metaphorically, yeah, He carries us, but logically, God gives us the hope and faith to get through difficult times.”
“But a crutch is something to lean on until you have the strength back for your legs to carry you on your own. They don’t do the work for you, like a wheelchair does.”
Sam thought a moment, then agreed. “Yeah, I see your point.”
“So it’s okay if I use God as my crutch to get through this ordeal?”
“Fine,” he said with a smile. “We will get through this, and move on with life.”
Jessica sighed. “Will I always live in fear of losing people I love, Sam? Is being a Christian like this, one test after another?”
“It’s not without challenges. Like my mom says, having a baby is painful, but you’re so focused on the new child afterward that usually women forget the intensity of pain.”
Jessica laughed. “Believing in God is like having a baby?”
“Sure. Life gets pretty miserable, and if you don’t know God as your Lord and Savior, what is there to look forward to? After you give your life to Christ, which some people consider a ‘rebirth,’ you have eternal life. After the baby is born, doesn’t life look brighter through a child’s simple joys?”
She looked as if she’d drifted away from him. “Most days, yeah. There will be a lot more joy when she’s back home.”
“Most days, being a Christian is pretty joyful. Days like this we realize how God humbled Himself when He came down to earth. He gave His child so we can have eternal life. God wept, just like we do. He didn’t give His son a privileged life, He lived with the commoners. His friends betrayed Him, yet He continued to love, even His enemies.”
She thought a moment. “I don’t think I can be that forgiving of Deanne. So if that means—”
“Life is full of tests for all of us. I’m not a patient man, and I’ve been reminded several times this past month that life is not under my control, but His. All my life I’ve had this image of the woman I’d marry. I’ve prayed that God would let me know when I’ve really found the right woman.”
Sam looked at the smile on her lips, the blush on her face, and he knew, as sure as he knew Jesus had died for his sins, that he’d found the love of his life.
“And I’ve wished that the next time I fall in love, it would be with a really good man who doesn’t care about all of my mistakes.”
The phone trilled, startling both of them from the emotional bond that had intensified between them in the past hour.
“Detective Vance.”
“Is Detective Hilliard there yet? This is Sheriff Collins. She left here a few minutes ago, but she needs to call the Colorado Springs police station.”
Sam needed to be careful not to raise Jessica’s hopes. “Sure, I’ll have Becky call them as soon as she gets here. Any other message?”
“You’ll want to start packing your bags, Detective. The FBI agent in Santa Fe is setting up stakeouts at a couple of hotels, trying to locate a woman and a little girl. We don’t have a positive ID on Jones yet.”
Sam could see the anticipation in Jessica’s eyes, and hesitated to ask more with her in the room. “Who made the report?”
“An eyeglass salesman gave a woman and a little girl a ride from Flagstaff to Albuquerque. The woman claimed to be Annabelle, and insisted on sitting in the back seat with her daughter. He said they both slept a fair amount of the trip. She said she could get a bus to Santa Fe, where she had a job waiting. He didn’t hear the Amber Alert until the day after he’d dropped her off. The FBI agent verified that a woman and a littl
e girl boarded the bus, but only had enough money to get to Santa Fe. She wanted to get to Colorado.”
Sam felt a chill run up his spine. Jessica had said they were on their way home. “And they fit the description?”
“Not exactly—this little girl is brunette, and the woman has longer hair. Probably bought a wig to help hide her scars.”
Sam reached for a pad of paper and took the pen from his shirt pocket. “Who’s the FBI agent?” He scribbled the name and phone number. Since he dealt with major crimes, he hadn’t worked with this agent yet. “What’s the fastest route?”
“Take Highway 24 South, which is just past the hot springs. Stay on 84 through Chama, where the highway makes a turn right. Stay on that clear into Santa Fe. It’s a three-to four-hour drive under normal circumstances. I’ll let the New Mexico State Patrol know what you’re driving. You shouldn’t have any delays.”
“Thanks, Sheriff. Do you still need Becky to call?” Sam leaned toward the phone, anxious to get moving.
“That about covers it. Good luck, and be careful down there.”
When Sam turned around, Jessica was already packing and cleaning up. “Where are they?”
Sam touched her shoulder. “Don’t get your heart set on this, Jessi. It might be them. Might not. The woman traveler had long brown hair, and the child has brown hair, too.”
Jessica looked puzzled. “Brown hair? Amy has brown hair? And Deanne’s scar—how could anyone miss that?”
“Settle down, honey. We don’t have all the answers yet. But we’re about to get them.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Sam and Becky discussed the sheriff’s call and agreed that Sam would drive so that Becky could coordinate plans with the FBI. Ten minutes after Becky arrived, they were on the road.
“Are you comfortable, Jessica?” Becky asked. “Have your water?”
“Don’t worry about me, let’s just get there and find Amy.”
Sam looked at Becky. “Before you say anything, yes, I’ve made it clear that they aren’t sure this is Deanne and Amy. And, Jessica, we may have another day of waiting, even if it is them. We’ll have to assess the situation, make sure both of them are okay, what the conditions are, figure out any possible escape routes…” He paused, not wanting to tell her that she couldn’t be anywhere nearby. “Why don’t you try to sleep?”
“Not a chance. I don’t want to miss anything.”
Sam didn’t bother trying to argue with her. There would be enough to disagree about when he dropped her off at the hotel.
Despite her attempts to stay awake, Jessica dozed again, and before long, they had arrived in the capital city of New Mexico. “There’s our hotel. I’m meeting the FBI agent in the restaurant. Why don’t you get Jessica settled, then meet us. He’ll take us where we need to go.”
Becky checked them into their rooms in the City Center Hotel and brought a set of key cards to Sam. He woke Jessica, and carried essential bags inside, leaving his own and Becky’s for later. “Jessica, this way.” He lifted the strap of her bag to his shoulder and took her hand. “We’re on the fourth floor.” She maneuvered the stairs fine, though she looked like a walking zombie, yawning, as if exhaustion had finally taken over.
“Is Amy here?” she said, yawning again.
“I don’t know,” he admitted, thankful that he didn’t know more right now. “I’m meeting Becky and the FBI agent downstairs. So I need to get you into the room and comfortable.”
“But I want to see if it’s Amy.”
Sam reached their room and unlocked the door. He set the bags down, then coaxed her inside with him. “You can’t come with us this time, honey.”
“But…”
He placed a finger over her lips. “This is a federal investigation now. I’m sure the agent will need to talk to you, and I want you to stay in here in case we need to reach you. Okay?” Their eyes met and he could see the fear hiding behind her brave facade.
She spun away. “I slept on the way here. If I just go with you now, the FBI can talk to me right away.”
“We aren’t in charge of this case anymore. You’ll be safer in here.”
Jessica turned pale and dropped onto the bed. “You think Deanne is dangerous now? Why? What makes you think that?”
Sam shook his head. He wanted to be patient with her, but he had to get going or he wouldn’t know what was happening. “I don’t know, Jessi. But I do need to go find Amy, and I can’t do that if I’m worried about you.” He knelt in front of her and kissed her trembling lips. “She’s not at this hotel, so we need to coordinate with the FBI.” He noticed the time and felt an urgency to leave. “I need you to promise me you’ll take your medicine again and try to sleep. Trust me, Jessica. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“With Amy.” She smiled, following him to the door. “You’ll find Amy and bring her here to me.”
If it’s Amy, he thought. He opened the door and stepped through it, then turned back for another kiss. “Yeah, I’ll bring Amy back to you. Take your medicine.”
“You go on, I’ll find it.”
Could he trust her? “I don’t want to be worried about you. Amy’s going to be so happy to see you, we won’t be able to get either of you to sleep. You need to rest now, if for no other reason than to make time go faster.”
He realized he’d probably gone too far when Jessica started crying. “You’d better hurry, and Sam, be careful.”
Sam closed the door behind him and listened to the latch click echo off the adobe veranda. He ran down the stairs and looked up to their room from the courtyard below.
“Sam, we’re over here,” Becky said quietly from over the flower-covered adobe wall. Piñon trees and small yucca cacti created a privacy wall on the other side.
He looked up to their room again, then ducked under the canvas umbrella. “What are you doing out here?”
She placed her pointer finger over her mouth. “Things are moving a little quicker than we thought they would,” she whispered. “They’re in the corner room, first floor.”
Sam fought the urge to turn around and look.
She explained a phone call the police had received from a motel manager alerting them to a suspicious woman and child. “The police recognized the description, and contacted area hotels to tell her the credit card had cleared, and to call them right away. That happened about an hour into our drive. They tried to call us, but we must have been in a dead area. I didn’t realize I had a message.”
“So are we sure it’s them?” Sam asked, noting how close the agent and Becky were sitting. He realized they were posing as a couple having a drink before dinner.
Sam had to laugh at seeing Becky with a long-haired agent. The middle-aged man introduced himself; he seemed to be enjoying the cover assignment. “Amy tugged on the wig and almost pulled it off. Jones lost her temper and spun around, and the clerk was able to identify Deanne’s scars,” he added. “We’re just waiting on the city police to set the perimeter.”
Sam had nearly gotten lost in the Plaza downtown in the center of town. He could understand why it was taking so long to contain the area without raising Deanne’s suspicions. Behind them the cathedral bells rang at the top of the hour. Sam closed his eyes, asking God’s protection and favor to recover Amy without anyone getting hurt.
The agent whispered something into Becky’s ear, and she giggled.
“You two want me to leave? I’d hate to blow your cover.” Without thinking, Sam flipped his badge from outside his belt to inside his waistband. He hoped no one had noticed already.
Becky smiled. “Just sit down, you…” She looked at the sliding glass door in the corner.
Sam turned, catching a glimpse of Amy. He’d recognize those eyes anywhere. They were almond shaped, just like her mother’s. He took a small step behind the scraggly pine, hoping to catch a glimpse inside the room. “It’s Amy.”
“Hang tight,” the FBI agent instructed quietly, separating himself from Becky, trying to mo
ve the wrought-iron chairs without making any noise on the concrete slab.
Amy pressed her nose to the glass, then turned and looked behind her. She inched her hand for the door latch, obviously keeping watch for Deanne.
“That’s it, Amy, unlock the door. Quiet,” Sam whispered.
Becky scolded him. “She can’t hear you.”
Sam ignored her. “Mommy’s waiting upstairs for you, Amy. Come out to Sam.” He peeked through the tree. “God, help her escape unharmed.”
“Let’s move.”
“No,” Sam ordered. “Amy sees you two running toward her, you never know what she may do. Let’s see if she makes it.”
Amy peeked out of the curtains again, pressed both of her hands against the glass and pushed.
The door opened a few inches, and Amy stepped out, pausing for a second. They all hesitated, as if waiting for Deanne to snatch her back inside. Amy turned back, reached inside the room, then ran for the pool, and Sam took off running toward her.
“Amy,” he said quietly to steal her attention away from the water.
She looked up at him and smiled. “Thammy.” She turned toward him and ran into his arms, just as Deanne called her name.
Sam glanced over at the table and noticed it was empty. He couldn’t see anyone around. He thought of pulling the gun from his back, but prayed that the other two had him covered. She bolted out of the room, wearing jeans and a baggy sweatshirt, where she could have anything hidden. Since it had taken her five hours to make her way to this hotel, suspicion was high that she’d found either help or a gun. The last hotel clerk may have unknowingly tipped her off.
Finding Amy Page 18
