Kisses to Remember

by Christine DePetrillo

****

  Johanna left Golden Dragon with a bag of Chinese food and hopped into the Bronco. She hadn’t been able to get in touch with Ted and Kam, because her phone battery died after the lingerie spree. She’d meant to charge it this morning, but had forgotten while rushing out to her meeting. No biggie. It wasn’t like Ted or Kam ever said no to Chinese food.

  Singing along with the radio, Johanna coaxed the Bronco home. It sputtered and coughed as usual, but the noise was familiar. She knew Holden would want something better than the Bronco if he were going to stick around.

  “Holden versus Bronco,” she said. “Sorry, Bronco.” She patted the steering wheel. “You know I love you, but I love that man more.”

  She glanced at her purse where all the lingerie hid. A little embarrassing that it all fit in her purse, but a little exciting too. “I must love him if I spent all that money on such a small amount of fabric.” She rolled her eyes and turned onto the dirt road leading to her farmhouse.

  As she got out of the Bronco, she scanned the yard and the closer field, but didn’t see Kam or Ted. She made a few kissing sounds and called for Miles with no results either.

  “Where is everyone?” She pulled open the screen door of the house, toting the Chinese food and getting hungrier by the second. She wouldn’t eat too much though. She had some lingerie to look good in after all. “Hello? Anybody here?”

  She set the food on the kitchen table and poked her head into the living room, Kam’s bedroom, the guest room, even downstairs.

  She found no one.

  Sighing, she set the table for three, changed into jean shorts and a tank top in her bedroom, and stepped into her sandals at the back door. Outside, she headed for the barn first. Only the cows stood milling about, making a little extra noise than usual, but otherwise going about their normal business. A few loose feathers floated around the chicken coop, but still no family members. She headed for Ted’s cabin site, figuring maybe Ted and Kam were daydreaming about when it was finished. When she got, there all she found were three of her ducks waddling toward the stream behind the cabin skeleton.

  Turning in a circle, Johanna shielded her eyes and again scanned her property. Maybe she’d missed a note inside. Maybe Nurse Nancy came early and took Ted and Kam, even Miles, somewhere.

  Liking that rationalization and pushing aside the nervous flutter growing in her belly, Johanna jogged back up to the house. She searched the kitchen, but no notes graced the refrigerator or kitchen counter—the usual spots Ted would leave a message. She went into her office and checked the answering machine, but the light wasn’t blinking.

  Don’t panic. There was no reason to. The boys were simply out and would probably be back any minute. Johanna went into the kitchen and rolled the Chinese food bag closed more securely. She didn’t want it to get cold, but the microwave was always kind to lo mein. No big deal if the guys didn’t come back right away. Hopefully, they were having some fun.

  She went back to the Bronco and pulled the lingerie bag from her purse. Something dropped onto the passenger side floor, but she couldn’t find it. Shrugging, she took the bag and her purse into the house. In her bedroom, she spread her purchases out on her bed like a lace and silk rainbow. Royal blue, sea foam green, and ruby red. The red one was no more than a mesh of lace, almost net-like. She hoped to thoroughly catch Holden with it. Again, she wished she could contact him. Why hadn’t she bought the man a cell phone? Then she could make sure everything was going well. Make sure he still intended to come back to Nebraska. Being this insecure was so adolescent, but Johanna couldn’t believe she’d found Holden. Or he’d found her. Whatever the case may be, she’d be absolutely crushed if he didn’t return. If he changed his mind. If…

  Stop it, Ware. She shook the doubts off. He had said he loved her. He had said he wanted to call Nebraska home. She had to believe him.

  After tucking the lingerie into her underwear drawer, she went back out to the kitchen and decided to make chocolate chip cookies for dessert. While those were baking, she retrieved her laptop from the Bronco, kicked off her sandals, and got to work on the paperwork for Evan. She’d be meeting him again tomorrow and wanted to be ready to talk serious business this time. She said a quick prayer that things would go well between Evan and Meri. If they didn’t, that might affect her professional relationship with Mr. Salisberg and his Peppers restaurants. That would suck. Royally.

  Be positive. Evan and Meri will hit it off.

  By six o’clock, Ted, Kam, and Miles had yet to make an appearance. It wasn’t like Ted to keep Kam out without checking in with her. And how far would Ted go with his leg still in a cast? He was healing, but she caught him wincing uncomfortably from time to time. He wasn’t as young as he used to be and though he didn’t complain much, she knew this leg break, coupled with the destruction of his cabin, knocked out some of Ted’s steam.

  Johanna put the Chinese food in the refrigerator. On her way to the front window to peek outside, she stepped on something sharp.

  “Youch!” She popped her foot up and glared down at a Lego piece. “Kameron Ware, it’s a good thing I love you.” She bent to pick up the Lego, then noticed another by the front door. She picked that one up too. Jiggling the blocks in her palm, she opened the door and stepped onto the porch. Two more Legos sat on the front steps, a third on the walkway, a fourth by the mailbox.

  Johanna ran back into the house for her sandals, then walked to the mailbox. Kam rarely took his precious Legos outside. What were they doing out there?

  She squinted toward the dirt drive leading to the main road. No Legos that way. None by the Bronco either. Past the mailbox to the left, however, more yellow blocks dotted the gravel path leading to the back field.

  “What kind of game is this?” She huffed out a breath, wondering how long Ted and Kam planned on staying out in the farthest field. What the hell were they doing there anyway? What if she had never found the Legos?

  Her stomach growled like a lion. “I should eat without you two goofballs.”

  Instead, she went back into the house to get her keys then hopped into the Bronco. She’d drive down to the back field and bring Kam and Ted back to the house. She’d tease them about eating all the Chinese food while they’d been wasting time hiding out.

  Fools.

  The Bronco bounced over ruts in the uneven path leading to the back field. She recalled running along this path when Holden’s plane had gone down. What had possessed her to chase down a burning plane? To think of it now made her head spin.

  Imagine if you hadn’t though. She never would have seen Holden look at her through the cockpit window. Never would have seen his plea for help. Never would have pulled him from that wreck. Never would have saved his life. He might be dead if she hadn’t thrown all logic away and acted completely out of character. Holy Hell, she was glad she had. What a gift she had received. One she’d cherish forever if Holden would let her.

  She stopped the Bronco shy of the trees bordering the back field. After hopping out, she ran through the short stretch of woods. She skidded to a halt at what waited in her field.

  Not Ted or Kam or Miles.

  But a plane.

  Similar in size to the one Holden crashed, but without the DE logo on it. This plane had landed intact. No accident. No damage to her field.

  Johanna stood paralyzed, not sure what to do. When an unmistakable bark sounded from near the plane, she snapped out of her shock.

  Miles.

  When another Lego caught her gaze in the grass ahead, she broke into a run toward the plane. A tall man dressed in all black opened the side hatch.

  “Looking for something, Ms. Ware?” His voice had a slight accent, German maybe.

  “My son, my father-in-law. Where are they?” She gasped, trying to catch her breath after running across the field.

  “They are safe. For now. Would you like to see them?” The man gestured into the plane behind him. “Just step aboard.”

  That was the last thing J
ohanna wanted to do. “Have them come out?”

  “Is she making demands?” a female voice asked from inside. A pissed female voice.

  “I want my family.” Johanna willed her legs to remain steady.

  A woman filled the hatch and pushed Mr. German aside. Johanna immediately recognized her.

  “I want Holden Lancaster, Ms. Ware.” Sabrina Donovan put her hands on her hips. “I’ll trade you. Holden for your son and father-in-law.”

  “Holden’s not here.” Contrary to earlier, Johanna was glad he wasn’t.

  “Pity.” She motioned to her goon who climbed down a small ladder and approached Johanna. “I’ll add you to my collection then.”

  Before Johanna could make the decision to turn and run away, Mr. German had a vise grip on her arms. He scooped her up and carried her effortlessly toward the plane. Another goon appeared and reached down to grab her. She tried to struggle free as they passed her, but it was as if they had been specially trained in abduction. She felt like a doll as they easily manhandled her.

  Within seconds, she was aboard the plane and pushed into a seat.

  “Mom! You saw the Legos!” Kam squirmed in his seat, tugging at the ropes binding him. Miles was tethered to a seat at the back of the plane, his barks turning frantic when he saw Johanna.

  She shot a look at Ted who was slumped across two seats, his eyes closed.

  “What did you do to him?” She tried to get up to go to Ted, but Goon Two held her firmly in place while Goon One tied her feet together.

  “The old man has lots of fire. We had to sedate him.” Sabrina studied her fingernails and sighed. “This entire trip is taking far too long. Holden was scheduled to be dead already.”

  “Because you made his plane crash?” Johanna curled her hands into fists.

  “Technically, it was my plane, but yes.”

  “Why?”

  “He didn’t tell you? Oh, that’s right. A doctor did mention the amnesia.”

  “So whatever Holden knew, he’s forgotten,” Johanna said. “Let us all go.”

  “Your child said Holden went to Texas. He probably remembers everything now, and I can’t have him walking around with that knowledge. I simply can’t.” Sabrina shook her head and when Miles let loose another round of menacing barking, she ordered one of the goons to gag the dog.

  A phone rang and Sabrina slipped her hand into the pocket of her very expensive cream-colored pants. She looked at the screen, touched it, and said, “What is it, Aaron?”

  “I’ve been trying to reach you!” Aaron’s voice filled the cabin of the plane.

  Johanna shot Kam a look and mouthed the words, Don’t be scared. He nodded, but nervously glanced at Ted still motionless in the seats across from him. Miles whimpered softly.

  “I’m in the middle of something important, Aaron.” Sabrina yanked at the ropes holding Johanna’s wrists to her seat and gave a thumbs up.

  “Lancaster was here,” Aaron said.

  “Great! You have him then.” Sabrina motioned for the goons to get into the cockpit.

  “No. He left.”

  “What do you mean?” Sabrina asked through gritted teeth. She switched off the speakerphone, put the cell to her ear instead, and listened. “So he’s coming here then? Perfect.”

  Oh, Holden. Johanna fought to keep the tears from spilling. Tears would do her no good. She would not see her family harmed. She would not see Holden led into a trap.

  She would not let Fate screw her out of love again.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Holden didn’t wait for the taxi to come to a complete stop in front of Johanna’s farmhouse. He paid the fare and nearly rolled out of the backseat with his bag.

  The Bronco wasn’t in the driveway. Agitated mooing and clucking were the only noises around.

  After dropping his bag on the porch, Holden went to the barn. He skulked along it until he was sure no one was inside besides the animals. Grabbing a shovel, he swung it, baseball bat style, testing it as a possible weapon. It would have to do.

  He started with the house, searching it room by room, softly calling for Johanna, Kam, and Ted. When he didn’t find them, he went back outside and noticed the tire tracks leading away from the house and toward the back field.

  Unease grew tenfold in Holden’s gut as he hoisted the shovel onto his shoulder and ran along the tire tracks until he arrived at the Bronco. He ducked behind the trees as the back field came into view. He knew who was waiting inside the plane resting in the field. Glancing back at the Bronco, he also knew he was too late to keep Johanna, Kam, and Ted out of it.

  He spiked the shovel into the earth beneath him and jogged back to the Bronco. He searched it for anything that would make a better weapon. He found flip-flops, sketch pads, water bottles, a handful of Legos, and two baseball caps. Not much of a selection.

  Glancing under the passenger seat, he poked his hand down there and ferreted around until his fingers closed around something. When he pulled his hand out, the Epi-pen sat in his palm. Uncapping it, Holden studied the needle-like tip waiting inside the unit. He remembered Vaughn giving him the how-to speech years ago when they first started flying together and then Dr. Sakala’s instructions when he’d left the hospital with Johanna. He recapped it and slipped the medication into his back pocket. Not the loaded gun he was looking for, but it was something.

  Crouching behind the trees once more, Holden stared at the plane parked in the field. He had no way of knowing how many people were on the inside, if Johanna, Kam, and Ted were all right, if he had it in him to smash someone’s head in with a heavy duty garden shovel. A second later he knew he’d do anything for Johanna.

  Anything.

  He stayed low, almost on his belly as he approached the plane. Fortunately, the grass in this field was high and served as excellent camouflage. Feeling like a snake, Holden slithered closer, closer, closer until the ladder leading to the open hatch was right in front of him. He listened at the bottom for a few moments. Amidst the muted whimpers of a dog, voices wafted down to him.

  “I need to get back to Texas.” Sabrina’s impatient tone was as Holden remembered it. Even when she had been making suggestive comments to him, a note of hurry-the-hell-up was always present.

  “Would you like us to go search the house?” an accented male voice asked. “Perhaps Lancaster is there looking for them.”

  “Yes, both of you go. I can handle them. If he’s there, bring him back to me. I want to do the honors, make sure the job gets done.”

  “There can be no more loose ends,” another male said.

  “I know that,” Sabrina said.

  Some shuffling sounded and a black-booted foot clanged down on the ladder above Holden. He immediately scurried under the plane, spreading out flat on his stomach. He willed himself to go unnoticed as two huge men descended from the plane’s open hatch. As they waded through the tall grass, Holden recognized them as two of the San Fran execs.

  Once they were beyond the Bronco, Holden crawled toward the ladder again. From what he’d heard, it sounded as if it were only Sabrina and the two execs on Team Bad Guys. He assumed Johanna, Kam, and Ted were being held inside the plane.

  Why hadn’t they talked? Couldn’t they? Had Sabrina already harmed them in some way? Had she killed…

  No. He wouldn’t let himself think that. To do so would bring on utter hopelessness. Instead, he left the shovel in the grass and climbed the ladder on silent feet. He peeked into the cabin and immediately caught Kam’s eye. Holden shook his head when Kam opened his mouth, and the boy clamped his lips closed. Johanna was in the seat one row ahead of Kam and facing away from Holden while Sabrina was on the phone at the back of the cabin.

  A quick assessment told him Johanna and Kam were tied to their seats. The end of Ted’s cast stuck out from the row behind Johanna’s. Was he lying down? Was he hurt?

  Sabrina swiveled around on her heels and Holden backed down the ladder. He heard her pace down the aisle, turn, and pace b
ack the other way.

  “No, Aaron, he hasn’t shown up yet. At least not where the plane landed. Claus and Eli are checking the house. You’re going to have to cancel my San Fran trip. I’ll never make it in time. Tell them I’ll head out tomorrow if I can with the merchandise.”

  With the weapons you mean. Holden clenched his teeth. Vaughn had died because of that little secret they’d uncovered. He would not let Johanna suffer that same fate.

  He waited for Sabrina to pace back and away again before climbing up into the plane and dashing into the cockpit. Peeking out, he saw Kam kick Johanna’s leg and motion to the front of the plane. Slowly, Johanna turned her head, her eyes wide. Holden put his finger to his lips, darting back out of view when Sabrina turned around again.

  “We can’t back out now, Aaron, and if you grow a conscious on me, you’re out of the deal. If you’re out of the deal, dear, you’d better consider how you’d like to spend your last moments. There’s no room for error here. You know that. You’re playing with the big kids now and a lot of money is headed our way.” Sabrina laughed at something Aaron must have said.

  Holden couldn’t believe that flimsy Aaron was in on the illegal business. He didn’t look like he had the intestinal fortitude to get involved in such dealings. That was probably what made him perfect at it. He had a good cover. Playing Sabrina’s pet had worked out for Aaron. Holden wondered if all the flirting Sabrina had done with him had all been to get him involved. Staying away from her had been right on many levels.

  What to do now? He leaned against the small wall between the cockpit and the main cabin.

  “Mom,” Kam said. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “You’d better not be, child,” Sabrina said. “Aaron, I’ll call you back.”

  “Try to think of something else, honey.” Johanna’s voice had a soothing edge to it that even put Holden at ease.

  “Yes,” Sabrina said. “Think of how this is the last place you’ll ever see, little boy.”

  Holden curled his hands into fists.

  “Don’t tell him that,” Johanna said. “What’s wrong with you?” She huffed out a breath. “Can’t you at least move me to the seat next to my son? Maybe I can keep him from puking on those overpriced shoes.”