by Sharon Dunn
Bethany’s low-level fussing in the backseat only added to her anxiety. She felt pulled in two directions and helpless. She couldn’t leave Bethany to go look for Lexi.
“I suppose you will want to lend a hand with finding Lexi,” Valerie said.
Of course he would. Trevor was the type who had to be part of the action, not doing something as mundane as taking care of a sick baby.
He studied her for a moment. “Looks like they have enough men on this. I’ll stay with you until Bethany quiets down.” His gaze flicked around the car and he added, “If you want me to.”
“I’d like that,” she murmured. Trevor was full of surprises. She hadn’t realized how wearing it was to deal with a sick baby alone. His presence did seem to make the worry and anxiety more bearable. “I’ll go tell them what I know, if you want to get Bethany out of her car seat.”
She saw that flash of fear in his face again and couldn’t help smiling. “It’s easy to take her out. Just unclick the latch and lift her. Be careful not to hit her head on the door frame.” How ironic to see this man, who could probably take down half a dozen criminals, single-handedly turn to a puddle of mush around a toddler.
The bloodhound Justice and his handler, Austin Black, from the K-9 Unit waited for her on her lawn. Justice’s tracking skills were second to none. She approached Detective Black.
“I’m glad you could make it out here to help. The backyard was the last place I saw her.” Her throat had gone tight from the surge of emotion over the loss of Lexi.
Compassion etched across Detective Black’s face as he squeezed her elbow. “We’ll find her.”
“She wouldn’t run away. Someone took her. I just know they did.” She couldn’t hide her desperation. Life without Lexi was unimaginable.
Austin looked toward the door of her house where Trevor had just stepped inside. “Looks like you got your hands full. We’ll take care of this.”
As she retreated toward the house with the sound of the baying bloodhound pressing on her ears, the feeling of being pulled in two directions intensified. She longed to be a part of the search. It would ease the angst if she could be doing something to find Lexi. But the thought of leaving Bethany tore her insides up.
When she stepped into her house, Bethany was crying. Trevor held on to her while she arched her back.
“What should I do?” The helplessness on his face was endearing.
“Sit down with her in the rocking chair. I’ll get her medicine measured out.” Every cry from Bethany was like a stab to Valerie’s heart. She’d do anything for her not to be in pain. She’d take the pain on herself if she could. She measured the medicine out into a syringe and hurried into the living room.
“She doesn’t like having the medicine. You’re going to have to hold her so she can’t turn her head away,” Valerie said.
Trevor’s eyes grew wide.
“She’ll be all right. Just hold her chin with her mouth open. Then I can shoot this far enough down her throat so she won’t spit it out.”
Trevor’s forehead wrinkled. “Are you sure about that?”
“Trevor, I’ve done this before. She needs this medicine.”
Gingerly, he cupped his fingers around Bethany’s chin.
Valerie soothed Bethany’s hot cheek. “All right baby, open your mouth for me.”
Bethany jerked her head to the side. Trevor pressed his hand flat against Bethany’s cheek and pulled her mouth open with his thumb. Valerie shot the medicine toward the back of Bethany’s throat before she had time to react.
Bethany’s features pinched together in a look of utter betrayal.
“I’m so sorry, pumpkin.” Valerie stroked her blond head.
Trevor sat back in the rocking chair. “Whew. Glad that’s over.” He continued to rock Bethany as her crying subsided.
Valerie returned the medicine to the kitchen cabinet. When she looked across the island into the living room, Bethany was gripping Trevor’s finger while he pretended to try to pull away. Then he bent his head toward Bethany’s and a look of pure delight filled Trevor’s face as he elicited a smile from the sick little girl.
The moment passed quickly when he glanced up and saw Valerie. He frowned and bent his head self-consciously. He seemed almost embarrassed that she had caught him showing affection for Bethany.
After getting Bethany a bottle, Valerie collapsed on the love seat opposite the rocking chair. She was beyond exhausted.
“Do you want to take her?”
“You’re fine. Let me catch my breath.” She tilted her head and closed her eyes as the heaviness of fatigue settled in.
She rested for maybe fifteen minutes. When she opened her eyes, Bethany was taking the bottle while Trevor held her. Her eyelids flicked up and down and then closed altogether as she sucked on the bottle.
Trevor’s stiff posture had softened a bit. He stared down at Bethany. What was he thinking right now? Did he care about Bethany or was she just an encumbrance to getting his job done? Why, then, had he offered to stay with them when he could have been part of the action combing the countryside for Lexi?
She wondered, too, what he had been thinking when he looked at her so intensely at the drugstore. He had leaned toward her as though to kiss her. She’d seen the smolder in his eyes and been pulled in by the magnetic force of his gaze. As the hours passed and they took turns rocking Bethany, the glow from the sunlight spread across the living room, giving everything a warm, golden quality. She wondered if maybe there could be something more between her and Trevor than a working relationship.
Trevor lifted his gaze toward her. That same look, filled with longing, colored his features and brought light to his eyes. Something had changed between them after their long night together with Bethany.
“Looks like you got her to sleep,” Valerie murmured.
“I didn’t think I would ever experience something like that.” He looked down at the sleeping toddler. “Have a baby fall asleep in my arms.”
She detected just a tiny hitch of emotion in his voice.
She heard baying and voices at her back door and got up to see what the noise was about. Her heart fluttered as she neared the sliding glass door. She opened it, half-expecting to see Lexi with her heavy jowls and dark eyes and her little bobbed tail vibrating in joy at seeing Valerie.
Detective Black stood outside, holding the leash while Justice sniffed the grass in vacuum-like fashion.
Valerie’s hand went to her heart. “Did you find her?”
Austin Black shook his head, unable to hide his disappointment. “We lost the trail. I brought Justice back to see if we could pick it up again. I’m concerned that maybe at the point we lost the trail, Lexi was stashed in a car and taken somewhere.”
Valerie took in a painful breath. What was the syndicate doing to poor Lexi?
Austin’s voice filled with compassion. “I want to find her as bad as you do, Valerie. I know how much she means to you.”
Valerie thanked Austin and returned to the living room with a heavy heart. Trevor, still holding Bethany, had drifted off to sleep. They looked so cute together. Both Trevor’s and Bethany’s head were angled to one side, their mouths slightly open...almost like they were father and daughter.
Valerie gathered the sleeping baby in her arms and trod upstairs to her room. She lay Bethany on her tummy, rubbed her back a few times and placed a blanket over her. Bethany stirred, rubbing her face against the sheet. Valerie braced for another bout of crying, but the baby quieted and grew still.
She tiptoed toward the door.
Trevor was standing in the hallway waiting. With his broad shoulders and firm jawline, he was still an imposing figure. But she felt as though she had seen a softer, more vulnerable side to him.
“She still sleeping?”
Nodding, Valerie turned and eased the door shut.
When she pivoted, Trevor was standing even closer to her. He gathered her in his arms, drawing her close and pressing his lips on t
op of hers.
She responded to his kiss. A tingly sensation, like warm honey moving through her veins, overtook her. Her hand rested on the hard muscle of his chest. He backed her up to a wall and deepened his kiss.
With his face still close to hers, he pulled her away from the wall and encircled her with his strong arms. He held her close. His kiss had left her breathless and wobbly in the knees. Trevor didn’t seem to want to let go of her. She sensed his longing and was overcome by the tenderness of his embrace.
He pulled away for a moment and looked at her. His lips parted as though he wanted to say something to her. He cast his gaze downward and pulled her back into a hug that completely enveloped her.
It didn’t matter to her if he couldn’t express what he was feeling. The power of the kiss and the tenderness of his embrace spoke volumes to her.
I could stay in his arms forever.
The sweetness of the moment was broken by the sound of the doorbell ringing.
ELEVEN
Trevor was still reeling from the sweetness of Valerie’s kiss when he opened the door and saw one of the officers who had been involved in the search.
“We found Lexi in the brush by the river. She’s alive, but highly unresponsive. They are taking her over to Dr. Mills.”
Valerie, who stood behind him, gasped.
“Thanks...we’ll get over there as fast as we can,” Trevor said.
He closed the door and turned to face Valerie. All the color had drained from her face, and the look in her eyes was frantic.
“I can go check on her if you need to stay with Bethany,” he offered.
The enchantment of the kiss faded as harsh reality barged into his awareness. Valerie’s life was still under threat. She wasn’t safe. The syndicate may have killed her dog.
Valerie turned one way and then the other. “I can ummm...” She held a trembling hand to her lips, then let out a breath and straightened her shoulders. “I can call Mrs. Witherspoon in a little bit. She’s supposed to come over today, anyway. I forgot to cancel her after McNeal told me to take sick leave.”
As he watched her struggle with the decision, he was filled with compassion. “Hey.” He grabbed her delicate hand and pressed it between his. He wanted to tell her that Lexi was going to be okay, but that might be a lie. He moved toward her, brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead. “I’ll wait with you, and we’ll go together to see Lexi.”
Once Mrs. Witherspoon showed up, they sped across town toward the vet clinic.
“Which way?” Trevor glanced over at her.
Her fingers were laced tightly together and resting in her lap. Her lips were pressed into a hard, straight line. Nothing he could say to her would take away the worry. All he could do was walk through it with her.
“Take a left at this next street,” she said, releasing a heavy sigh.
As he drove, he saw signs that indicated an area called the Lost Woods was close by. The vet clinic was set off by itself on a large piece of land. Two horses, one with a bandage on its leg, ate grass in a fenced field next to the stark white building. Valerie jumped out of the car almost before Trevor had come to a stop. He followed behind her.
Valerie rushed over to the woman behind the counter. “There was a police K-9 brought in just a little bit ago?”
“Oh, sure, Dr. Mills is just back there with her now.” The receptionist pointed to a door behind her.
Trevor followed as Valerie pushed through the door. Dr. Mills was a slender fiftyish woman with pronounced eyebrows and candy-apple-red hair pulled back in a bun.
Valerie stopped short when she saw Lexi lying on the sterile, metal exam table. She shuddered. Trevor came up from behind, wrapping his arms around her.
Valerie glanced from the prone dog to the vet. “How is she?”
Lexi managed a tail wag at the sound of Valerie’s voice.
“She’s becoming more responsive. The wagging tail is a good sign.” The doctor put the half glasses she had on a string on her face.
Valerie stepped toward the exam table and rubbed Lexi’s ears.
“What happened to her?” Trevor asked.
Valerie bent her head close to Lexi’s ear and made soothing noises while she petted her. Her eyes glazed as she stroked the dog’s belly.
“The department ordered a tox screen on her, but my guess is she was given some kind of drug that paralyzed her. She’s just now starting to show movement in her extremities.”
Valerie didn’t look up from the dog. “The drug wears off after a while?” She held her hand close to the dog’s mouth. Lexi licked her fingers.
“If that’s what it is, she should have a full recovery.” The vet leaned toward the dog, touching her front flank. “There’s some barbs in her fur consistent with the use of a taser.”
Valerie shook her head. “That would be the only way they would have been able to drug her in the first place.” Her voice tinged with anger as she stroked Lexi’s head. “I can’t believe they did this to her.”
“Can Valerie take her home?”
Dr. Mills stuck her hand in the pocket of her white lab coat. “I’d like to watch her for a couple more hours until the drug wears off completely.”
Valerie straightened her back. She bit her lower lip and turned her head away. Trevor’s ire rose over what had been done to Lexi. How dare the syndicate put Valerie through this emotional turmoil.
“You’re welcome to stay with her for a little bit, but she needs to rest.” The doctor pulled a chart off a wall. “I’ve got a sick parakeet to look after.” She left the room.
Valerie looked at Trevor. “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to be alone with Lexi.”
“Sure,” Trevor said, trying to hide his disappointment. He wanted to be with them, but he needed to honor her wishes. He left the exam room and found a seat in the waiting room. Valerie and Lexi were a tight team, partners, and he wasn’t a part of that. Despite the kiss, he was still the outsider.
Valerie emerged from the exam room about twenty minutes later. Her eyes were red from crying.
Trevor struggled to find words to comfort her. What could he say to make her feel better? As they stepped out into the parking lot, his rage over what the Serpent had done returned. The syndicate represented the worst kind of evil, and now they were trying to get at Valerie while she was in her home.
Once they were in the car, Trevor put the key in the ignition. “You want me to take you back home?”
“I’m going to call McNeal and see if he has changed his mind. I don’t like being on the sidelines like this. If I can work the streets, maybe I can take this syndicate apart piece by piece.” The ire he heard in her voice was the same that he had felt. But her drive to make a difference was overshadowing her sense of self-preservation.
“Valerie, I’ve been thinking... After what happened last night, maybe it’s not good for you to stay at your house.” Trevor pulled out of the parking lot.
“I can’t go to my parents’. That would put their lives in danger, too. My dad has his hands full taking care of my mother. Maybe I could stay with Lucy or one of my brothers.”
He shook his head. “You need something with a higher level of security. Maybe the department can set up a safe house for you.”
Her voice rose half an octave. “So then I become the prisoner. I can’t work, and I can’t be in my own home. It could be months before we bring the Serpent in.”
“The Serpent’s ability to get at you seems to be escalating.” He only wanted to keep her safe. His protection and what the department could manage didn’t seem to be enough.
She rubbed her temple as her voice gave way to frustration. “Bethany is just starting to adjust to all the changes. She’d be in a new strange place again and have to adjust all over.” She ran her hands through her hair. “I understand what you are saying, I do, but I just...” Valerie turned away and stared out the window.
Trevor took a moment to gather his thoughts b
efore speaking. He checked his rearview mirror. Only one dark-colored car was behind him on the long stretch of country road.
He understood her point of view, but his desperation to protect her pressed in on him from all sides. “Maybe it would be best if McNeal extended your sick leave for a while.”
“I want to do my job. I want to get these guys out of Sagebrush. If you two want to lock me up in some stuffy safe house all day, it’s like the syndicate has already won. Do you think I can’t do my job?”
“Valerie, that’s not what I meant.” Trevor felt like he was slipping down an icy wall. Valerie thought he was insulting her ability to do her job. Frustration over not being able to shield her from harm gnawed at him.
He’d been so intent on their conversation he hadn’t noticed that the dark-colored car behind him had pulled up beside them without passing. When he looked over, he saw Derek Murke’s leering face as he raised a pistol and aimed at Trevor’s window.
Trevor swerved, and the shot went wild.
Valerie screamed and ducked beneath the dashboard.
Trevor accelerated and checked his rearview mirror. The car was behind them but closing in fast.
Trevor turned onto a dirt road just as Murke’s bumper hit his. Another shot shattered the back window. Then he heard an odd popping sound. The dirt road was surrounded by trees on both sides. He sped up, creating a dust cloud that made it hard to gauge where Murke was.
His car fishtailed and then vibrated. Now he knew what that popping sound had been. Murke had shot out a back tire. He braked with force, causing the car to spin in a half circle. They weren’t going to get anywhere on a bald tire.
“Get out.” He pushed his door open.
As the dust cloud settled, he could see Murke’s car careening toward them. He ran around to Valerie’s side of the car where she crouched low. He grabbed her hand. Murke got out of his car and ran toward them. Trevor pulled his gun and fired a shot. They’d find cover in the trees thirty yards away if they could make it without being hit. Pulling Valerie with him, he ran. Murke stalked toward them. He’d have to get pretty close to have any accuracy with a pistol.
