He sighed and tossed his cell to the table. The rest of the team had gone home. Another evening with no word from his son. The hours looming ahead were endless and bleak. He didn’t know how he would endure the night. One thought popped into his head: Taylor. He’d ended up in her bed the last two nights. Granted, he’d been fully clothed both times, as had she, but it still felt intimate. His head fell back against the chair cushion. His heart was filled with fear for his son and her daughter. They were in grave danger. There was no room for any feelings of interest or desire. Sympathy, sure. Empathy even. But lust and longing were as unwelcome as they were unexpected.
Still, there was an unmistakable bond there, one forged in fear, but a connection nonetheless. His heart sped up when she entered the room. He wasn’t happy about the reaction, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. Chemistry, he supposed. He closed his eyes and pictured his late wife. It was getting harder and harder to remember her beautiful face. He could almost hear her voice, telling him to let her go. Be happy. Live life instead of just existing. They’d talked about moving on if something happened to one of them. They both agreed that they wanted the other to find happiness again. He’d brought up the conversation because he was a military man…a SEAL. His job was dangerous and every time he left, there was a very real chance that he might not return. He didn’t want Leilani to spend the rest of her life mourning him. He wanted someone to watch out for her, take care of her if he wasn’t around to do the job. Never in a million years when he brought the issue up, did he think it would be him having to face the future without her. He never even considered the possibility that he’d outlive his wife.
In the years since her passing, his heart hadn’t been touched once. He’d met nice women, dated some of them, gone to bed with a few. But not a one tempted him to risk his heart again. He’d resigned himself to watching his son grow up alone. And he was okay with that. But unimaginable circumstances brought Taylor into his life. He didn’t know what the future held, but she was the first woman since Leilani he could picture at his side.
With a sigh, he stood and shut the lid on his laptop. Officer Lynch looked up from his smart phone. “Hitting the sack?”
Dante nodded. “Got everything you need?”
“I’m all set.”
Dante bid him goodnight and left the office. Taylor was sitting on the couch again, Midas curled up at her side. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall to watch her. Her hand stroked the dog’s golden fur as she stared at the television. He was pretty sure she wasn’t even seeing the program. Her eyes had a stark, far-away look, troubled and sad. She must’ve sensed his presence. She turned her head and offered a sad smile. She was valiantly holding back tears.
“Any word?”
He shook his head and padded over. Midas lifted his head, his tail thumping against the couch as he approached. He scratched the dog the way he liked it and he closed his eyes in doggie ecstasy. “Did you take the pills Amelia left?”
Biting her lip, she looked away. “No.”
“Taylor, you need sleep,” he chastised.
“I don’t want to be knocked out,” she protested.
“The human body needs rest and it needs food. You’re going to make yourself sick if you don’t take better care of yourself. You need to stay strong for Grace.”
She sighed. “I know.” Her face crumpled. “It’s just too painful when I wake up and remember.”
It hurt his heart to see her cry. He pulled her up and into his arms. Once again, he realized she fit against him perfectly. “I know. This will all be over soon.”
She inhaled deeply but kept the tears at bay. Pulling back, she looked into his eyes. “Will you hold me again?”
He stared into the sky blue depths and felt like a drowning man. He nodded slowly and carried her up the stairs.
Chapter Fifteen
Sunday
Dante stared into the darkness, listening to Taylor’s even breathing. She hadn’t been asleep for long. She’d fought it, but eventually the exhaustion caught up with her. He hadn’t slept more than three or four hours since Kai disappeared. He knew it’d hit him sooner rather than later, but he just couldn’t rest when his son was out there somewhere, needing him.
They talked for hours into the night, telling each other stories of their children. He told her about the time Kai was three and he took him to see Santa Claus at the local mall. They had to wait in a long line and Kai was getting sleepy. When Mrs. Claus finally placed Kai on Santa’s lap, he was so tired he started to fall, so he grabbed onto Santa’s beard…pulling it clean off his face. Kai’s eyes had widened in horror and then he started to bawl, loud, pitiful wailing that broke Dante’s heart. He’d cried so hard, Dante couldn’t console him. Kai was afraid Santa wouldn’t come to visit him anymore. He made sure Kai got everything he wanted that Christmas so he’d know Santa still loved him.
Taylor told him how when Grace was four, she would only answer to the name Ariel. She loved to swim and decided she wanted to be a mermaid. Disney’s mermaid princess had red hair and blue eyes like her and she was positive she was Ariel. She played the movie on an endless loop until she had the entire film memorized. She even dressed in a purple top and sparkling green tail for Halloween that year.
Telling stories about Kai and listening to Taylor speak about Grace was bittersweet. He loved remembering the special moments from his son’s life, but it only made his absence that much more real. It was like pouring salt into a raw, open wound.
Dawn was already lightening the sky. He checked the bedside clock. Sanat Vasin was an early riser. He might have the results already. He carefully slid his arm out from under Taylor’s head and eased out of bed. Her brows slashed down. Dante wasn’t sure if it was the loss of his body heat or troubling dreams. She shifted but didn’t wake.
He stuffed his feet into his sneakers and picked up his cell. His heart lurched. A missed text from Sanat. He pulled up the message, expecting the worst. He got it.
#
Taylor spotted Grace standing on the sidewalk across the street. Her heart leaped with unfettered joy. She yelled her daughter’s name, jumping up and down and waving her arms to get her attention. Grace didn’t see her. Cars sped by, not even slowing as she weaved in and out of traffic. She barely dodged the bumper of a semi and she felt a Prius clip her, but she was determined. She made it to the middle but a steady stream of vehicles wouldn’t allow her to cross the rest of the lanes, which seemed to progressively grow in numbers. Horns honked and people cursed but she didn’t give up. She finally made it to the other side, only to find Grace gone. She spun in a circle, calling her name. A flash of red caught her eye and she spotted her on a school bus, her face pressed to the window. She was crying and calling for Taylor but the bus was pulling away from the curb. Taylor took off running and though her legs were moving, she wasn’t gaining any ground. The bus picked up speed and grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared from sight.
“No. Grace. Come back.”
“Taylor. Wake up. It’s just a bad dream.”
Taylor gasped and bolted upright. She glanced around the room, disoriented from her nightmare. Dante was sitting on the bed beside her, his hand gently rubbing her back. She looked into his eyes. “It wasn’t just a bad dream,” she whispered, the reality of Grace’s disappearance crashing down on her. He pulled her into his arms and she sagged against him. The pain stabbing her heart was excruciating. Troubling dreams kept her from resting all night and she could feel exhaustion crushing her under its weight, but anxiety was valiantly fighting it off. She finally gathered the energy to pull away.
“Better?” he asked.
“No,” she wanted to say. “Hold me again,” was on the tip of her tongue. She just nodded.
He gave her a brief smile and rose from the bed. Light filtered in through the windows, highlighting his amazing body. He was so tall and strong. He was the most perfect man she’d ever met. She didn’t want to have to face anoth
er day of worry and uncertainty, but having him by her side gave her strength. They’d talked long into the night, neither wanting to shut their eyes and face the demons lurking in dreams. He held her close and she’d absorbed his heat. There was nothing sexual in their touches, but whispered words of hopes and fears in the darkness was almost more intimate than sex.
Dante’s back was to her and she took the opportunity to study him closely. His shoulders were massive and muscular, tapering down to a lean midsection. She hadn’t seen him without a shirt, but she knew he had at least a six-pack of abs, probably an eight-pack or maybe ten. His butt was firm and muscular, as were his thighs. It was more than apparent he took very good care of his body. He’d been a SEAL and they were the strongest, smartest, fittest elite warriors…the best of the best.
As if sensing her appraisal, he turned. “I’m sorry, Taylor.”
Fear punched her in the gut and stole her breath. She jerked upright, knocking the cover to the floor. “What? What is it?”
With a resigned sigh, he handed her his phone. She looked from his eyes to the screen.
Testing concluded between G. Hudson and P. Sweeney. Positive match.
Taylor gasped and dropped the phone like it was a hot potato. No. It couldn’t be true.
Patrick Sweeney was truly Grace’s biological father.
Chapter Sixteen
Kai woke and stretched and his nose wrinkled. He was afraid he was starting to smell ripe…not surprising since he’d lived in the same jeans and t-shirt for three days now. He’d swiped a bar of soap from the medicine cabinet so maybe he’d head to the lake and take a quick bath. There was nothing he could do about the clothes. It never even crossed his mind to grab a shirt when he searched the camper.
Tossing the cover aside, he sat up. He slept with his shoes on in case he needed to make a run for it. He didn’t even want to think what his socks smelled like. Maybe he could whip them off and use them as a weapon against Grace’s captors. He pictured sticking them in their faces and watching as their eyes rolled back and they collapsed unconscious to the floor. He chuckled.
A quick check of the peep-hole showed no movement around the camper. It was still early so he hoped they were sleeping in. Sliding the plank aside, he climbed out and then reached back inside for the soap. Keeping low, he scurried to the trees and kept going until he came to the water. Bending down, he tested the temperature. Gah! It was cold. Oh well, nothing he could do about that. He scanned the area to make sure he was alone and then stripped off his clothes. Holding his breath, he jumped in, gasping at the shock to his system. He took the quickest bath in the history of time, lathering up and rinsing off in under a minute. He climbed out and hopped from foot to foot, trying to dry off and warm up at the same time. The thought of putting his dirty clothes back on wasn’t appealing, but he had no choice. He sat on the ground to tie his shoes. Once he had them knotted, he stood and ran his hands through his wet hair before heading back to his lair.
All was quiet so he slipped back inside and closed himself in. He dug through his supplies and picked brown sugar cinnamon pop-tarts and grape juice for breakfast. He stabbed the straw through the hole on the box and sipped. He vowed this would be the day he’d rescue Grace from her evil captors. It was Sunday, God’s day of rest. Maybe if He wasn’t too busy, He could reach down and give Kai a hand. He said a prayer, asking God for his help today. While he was at it, he said a prayer for his dad. He knew he’d be worried sick.
#
Grace jerked awake when she heard the door at the back of the camper open. The TV was playing cartoons and she took comfort in the familiar faces of the characters she loved. She didn’t want to get up, but her tummy was growling. It was Sunday. Her mommy would be making pancakes with faces made of blueberries and sliced bananas.
The woman came over to her and untied the rope from around her foot. She didn’t say good morning or anything, she just ordered her to go to the bathroom. They didn’t bother to tie her up when they were around. They knew she wouldn’t run away because she had nowhere to go.
After she used the bathroom, she washed her hands and brushed her teeth. She wanted to stay locked in the room where she didn’t have to face the man and woman but she was afraid they would hurt her if she did. They hadn’t hit her yet, but the woman looked like she might a time or two. When she stepped out, the woman had a bowl of cereal on the table. Her mommy wouldn’t let her have cereal with animated characters on the box, saying they were packed with too much sugar. She hoped Mommy didn’t get mad at her for eating it but she was so hungry. She slid into the booth and picked up her spoon. She’d only taken a few bites when the bedroom door opened and the man came out.
“Good morning, sunshine.” He ruffled her hair and she cringed. Thankfully he didn’t seem to notice. She didn’t want to make him mad. “Guess what? We’re going to ride horses today,” he announced. “Won’t that be fun? I always wanted to be a real cowboy. I played one on TV. Did you know that, Grace? Your daddy is famous. A movie star.”
Grace shook her head, the cereal feeling like a big sugary lump in her tummy. She hated when he said he was her daddy. She’d always wanted one, but she wanted a nice one like her grandpa. Not this one who took her from her mommy and her home and threatened her and made her cry.
“We’ll have a busy day, so eat up,” he ordered as he slid across from her. He poured a mountain of cereal into a bowl, splashed milk on top, and dug in.
“How much longer are we going to be here?” the woman asked as she placed a steaming mug of coffee in front of the man. Grace wanted to know the answer to that question, too.
“Until I say so,” he answered, shoveling in another spoonful. “I want that bitch to suffer.”
Grace’s eyes widened. He said a bad word and she was afraid he meant her mommy.
“Before we go, we’re going to make a phone call. If you ever want to see your mommy again, you have to say exactly what I tell you to say, Grace? Got it?”
She nodded. She wanted to see her mommy more than anything else in the world so she would say whatever he wanted.
“Now listen to me. If you don’t repeat the words exactly, or if you add anything else, I will hurt your mommy and you will never see her again. Do you understand?”
She nodded again.
“Good. When I hand you the phone, you say, ‘I want to stay with daddy’. Just those six words. Easy. Repeat them to me.”
Grace’s stomach hurt and tears pooled in her eyes. She didn’t want to stay with the man, but she didn’t want him to hurt her mommy, either. “I want to stay with daddy,” she whispered.
The man smiled. “Perfect. Now let me get your mommy on the phone and you say exactly that.”
#
Taylor eased the curtain aside and checked the driveway next door. Her parents were scheduled to arrive home today after finally managing to arrange a flight out of Alaska. She prayed they’d hurry…she needed her mom and dad.
She couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that Patrick Sweeney fathered her daughter. The lengths of his revenge were staggering. What must Grace be feeling right now? No doubt Sweeney had told her he was her dad. Would she believe him?
Her ringing phone was a constant hum in the background. The media wasn’t giving up trying to land an interview. The cops had been successful in running them off from in front of her house, but they just kept trying via the phone.
“Taylor?” She turned to see Nancy poking her head out of the office. “It’s him.”
Taylor’s feet felt like lead as she made her way to the room. Dante met her at the door, his smile both reassuring and calming. He grabbed her hand and squeezed. She could do this. She nodded at Nancy and she activated the speaker.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Taylor. Now that we’re family, I’ve been trying to decide what to call you? What would it be, in-laws? Step-parents? I’m not up on the terminology.”
He was trying to goad her. Do not give him the satisfact
ion of knowing he’s beaten you. If you do, he wins. “I’m not up for your small talk, Sweeney. I want to make the exchange…me for my daughter.”
“Well now, isn’t that right generous of you, Taylor,” Sweeney taunted. “But I’ve changed my mind about that deal.”
Taylor’s heart thumped against her chest. “What do you mean you changed your mind? That’s what you said you wanted, me for my daughter. I’m prepared to make the switch.”
“Yes, that is what I wanted…before I got to know my daughter. She’s just the sweetest little thing. Quiet, shy. But she’s a little skittish. I’m thinking she needs a male influence in her life.”
“She doesn’t need anything from you, Sweeney.”
“Now that’s not true. She needed my sperm to bring her into this world. If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t even be on this earth.”
She shuddered. God, how she wished that wasn’t true.
“Come here, Grace and say hi to your mommy.” There was some low murmuring and then Grace’s sweet voice came on the line.
“Mommy?”
Tears flooded her eyes. “Hi baby, are you okay?”
“I-I want, I want to stay, um, with Daddy.”
Taylor’s hands flew to her mouth but they couldn’t block the gasp that burst forth.
Sweeney’s taunting laugh grated on her like nails on a chalkboard. “See, she’s forgotten all about you. She wants to stay with me instead. So deal’s off.”
The line went dead.
Do not give him the satisfaction of knowing he’s beaten you. If you do, he wins. She had to face the truth. He’d beaten her. He’d won. Blackness reached out and enveloped her.
#
Dante lost a year off his life when Taylor fainted. Her eyes closed and she swayed before her muscles gave out. He barely caught her in time before she hit the floor. He carried her to the sofa and someone placed a damp cloth over her forehead. Panic set in when he couldn’t wake her. He sat on the edge of the cushion by her hip and shook her lightly, calling her name. Finally her lids fluttered and he was staring into her baby blue eyes.
Hide and Seek Page 14
