“I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. Now, try to get some sleep.”
When she left the room, he was spreading the blanket out on the couch, and she smiled as she walked toward her bedroom. She loved how he didn’t even presume that he’d be coming with her—yes, she did know everything about him that was important, and she’d enjoy every minute of finding out the rest.
***
Sam and Carly spent the weekend making fun memories with their girls, and Sam considered it a triumph every time Carly laughed without a hint of fear in her eyes. He so badly wanted to hear her laughter every day, and she should never feel fear again. He taught her how to French braid Barbie hair, and he showed her the best way to paint toenails on a wiggly little girl. They got all the laundry caught up, he fixed her bathroom door that stuck every time she tried to open it, and they watched movies. At night after the girls were asleep, they’d have long conversations, and Sam felt himself growing more and more in love with her. It certainly wasn’t hard.
Deputy Grant had narrowed down all the cars on the traffic cams to one vehicle that had been reported stolen in Texas. All the other drivers had alibis or were people Sam knew personally and could vouch for. The fact that the car was stolen wasn’t any help at all because it gave no face to the driver, and that in turn didn’t make Sam feel any more relaxed about the situation.
Carly had asked Julia for ideas about where she could go, and Julia had promised to get back to her. It was eight o’clock on Sunday night when Julia finally called back, and Carly pounced on the phone like a kitten on a string.
“Hello? Hi. Um . . . what? Are you sure? Uh . . . okay. Yeah. Please tell him thank you for me.”
She hung up and shook her head, looking bewildered. “Quinn Dawson wants me and Sophie to come stay out at his ranch.”
“He does? That’s fantastic! He’s got great security out there.”
“I know he does, but it just seems too generous. He’s already done so much for me—he brought me into Lotus Leaf, he let my daughter ride his pony, he fed us ice cream . . . and now this? It seems completely beyond anything a regular person would do, but Julia says he’s insisting, and Sophie and I would have a whole suite to ourselves, and Quinn won’t even be there most of the time because he’s got a quick three-day concert gig before the wedding. Should I really take him up on it?”
“Yes, you should. Has he ever given you any reason to feel uncomfortable around him?”
“No. I’m just blown away by his generosity. I’m not used to people being so nice to me.”
Sam grinned. “I think it’s time you got used to it. You deserve nothing less.”
“What I deserve and what I’ve gotten haven’t always been the same thing.”
Sam wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “I know that. I also know that I plan to make sure that changes.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah. By the time I’m done with you, you’re going to know what it means to be treated with love and respect.”
She leaned back and looked at him. “When are you going to be done with me?”
“Now that you ask, I don’t think I ever will.” He lowered his head and kissed her softly, feeling her relax in his arms. “When are you expected out at the ranch?”
“Right after school tomorrow. Julia said she’d ask Tommy to bring the album files out to the ranch so I don’t have to come in to Nashville to hear them.”
“That’s another great idea. The more you talk about Julia, the more I like her. I mean, aside from the fact that I had to pull her over for speeding, but I’m completely willing to let go of that incident.”
“She’s been great to me.” Carly stood up and stretched. They’d been sitting on the couch for a long time. “How much do you think we should pack?”
“I have no way of knowing how long this is going to take. I wish I did.”
“Well, Julia said Quinn’s offer has no time limit on it. Maybe I’ll take several days’ worth of clothes and do laundry there if we have to.” She paused, shaking her head. “I don’t want to intrude on him—he’s about to get married. No one wants house guests when they’re newlyweds.”
“He’s not the kind of guy who would offer if he didn’t mean it, is he? He doesn’t seem like the pushover type to me.”
“No, he’s really not, but I do worry that he tries a little too hard to save the world.”
“In this case, the world could use some saving,” Sam pointed out.
“So, I should just accept and not feel bad about it?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
She sighed. “Okay, okay, I’ll swallow my pride and let him do this for me. But if he ever needs a kidney donated or something, you can bet I’ll be the first in line to get tested for a match.”
***
Carly had thought she’d get tired of having Sam around all weekend, but she’d found herself missing him when he was just in the next room, and when he left for work on Monday morning, it was hard to see him drive off. He was taking the girls to school on his way, and she was packing up the last bag she’d be taking to Quinn’s. Julia had come out to help her finish and then to get her settled in at Quinn’s, since no one was there at the moment besides Quinn’s parents out in the guest house.
“Sophie was a bit put out that she couldn’t bring all her Barbie stuff along with us, but she felt better when I reminded her about Quinn’s pony,” Carly said as she zipped up the suitcase. “Is he always this kind?”
“He really is,” Julia replied. “I’ve known him for a long, long time, and he’s always helping out wherever he can.”
“How did he even know I needed a place to go?”
“I called Meg, and he overheard her half of the conversation. He says his ranch is no good to him if he can’t share it.”
“Yeah, he said something like that when we were out there last week.” Carly looked around, double-checking. “Okay, I think that’s everything we’ll need, and we can come back if we’ve forgotten something, right? It’s not like we’re never going to see this place again.”
“Exactly, and I know Sam’s working hard on this. It won’t be forever.”
They carried everything out to Carly’s car and piled it in the backseat. She couldn’t wait to go car shopping—Sam had promised they’d go the next day. She wanted something different—red, or maybe silver. A little sportier, but still practical, and it had to be affordable. She wanted to pay for it upfront, and that meant nothing too extravagant. She wasn’t going to get herself in debt over it.
Julia followed her out to Quinn’s place so she could leave from there without having to pick up her car, and together, they carried everything upstairs.
“Quinn said it was the last room on the right.” Julia opened the door and entered, Carly right behind, and Carly gasped. It was the most beautiful room she’d ever seen. A California king stood against the wall, covered with a huge downy comforter. She and Sophie would both fit in that bed with miles to spare. There were two walk-in closets, and a full bathroom connected to the side. It was heaven.
“Oh, wow.” Carly turned in a circle, taking in the rich colors and the coordinating pictures. “This is incredible.”
“Quinn had a decorator come in because his tastes run to the very minimalistic,” Julia replied with a chuckle.
“I love it. We’re going to be so comfortable here. That bathtub is calling me already.” Just then, Carly’s phone rang, and she laughed. “See? It knows my number.”
Her laughter died down, though, when she answered and heard, “Ms. Wayne? This is Rose from the Cherry Creek Police Department. You’re needed at the elementary school right away.”
Chapter Fourteen
“We have a report of a hostage situation at Cherry Creek Elementary.” Rose’s voice carried over the radio, and Sam immediately sat bolt upright in the seat of his patrol car. “Five-year-old female hostage taken by a male suspect thirty-five years of age, armed. Still
on the premises.”
Sam threw on his siren and darted through the streets, his focus on the road in front of him and every possible obstacle. Mick had done it. He’d waited for the perfect opportunity, and he’d snatched Sophie. Sam was about to do everything in his power to stop him from succeeding.
One by one, his deputies radioed in, reporting they were on their way to the scene. He responded, asked Rose to call Carly without alarming her, and continued on his way, wishing he could push the accelerator even harder. He couldn’t get there too late—he just couldn’t.
When he pulled up in front of the school, he saw the children huddled in one corner of the schoolyard, their bodies pressed up against the fence, their teachers standing between them and the rest of the playground. He saw a crazed-looking man clutching a little girl in front of him, his hand over her mouth, and in his other hand, he held a gun.
Sam pulled out his own gun and edged around the fence to the gate, then entered. “Mick,” he said calmly, “we can talk about this. Let Sophie go—you’re scaring her.”
The man turned and pointed his gun at Sam. In that moment, three things became very clear. First, he wasn’t about to have a conversation about anything—blood and hatred burned in his eyes. He was prepared to shoot anyone who got in his way. Second, it wasn’t Mick, and third, it wasn’t Sophie.
Lucas Dodge was holding Tillie hostage in the school playground.
Sam felt all the air in his lungs leave like he’d been hit with a baseball bat. Tillie . . . He glanced around and caught sight of Sophie. One of the teachers was cradling her, keeping her from running over to join her best friend. Good—at least one of the girls was safe. He had to stay calm now. He had to get his daughter out of this.
“Hello, Officer Bolton,” Lucas said, spitting out the words. “Or should I say, Chief. Congratulations. You came a long way in the world while I was rotting in jail.”
“Let her go, Lucas. You and I can talk this out, whatever it is.”
“Whatever it is? Are you saying you have no idea why I’m here?”
“I’m starting to get an inkling, but I’d like to hear it from you.” Sam swallowed. Tillie’s eyes were full of tears, but she was trying so hard to be brave. He’d have to try too—she needed him.
“You’re the reason I was in jail. You’re the reason I lost my wife, my job, my house—everything. Everything I had was taken away from me, and I have to live in that hellhole. Do you know what prison’s like, Bolton? Do you know how the prisoners are treated, the crappy food they’re given, the rotten medical care if you can prove that you’re sick enough to deserve some help? You did that to me, and now I think it’s time you learned what it’s like to lose the things you care about.” He squeezed Tillie a little harder for emphasis.
Sam’s mind raced furiously. He knew his men were on the way. He knew there was an opening in the fence behind Lucas, and he also knew someone could access the playground by going through the school through the back door. He had to trust that the deputies would remember what they’d discussed in training—they’d never had to use it, so he didn’t know how well it had sunk in. He just had to trust.
“Drop your gun,” Lucas said, and Sam immediately lowered his pistol to the ground. He’d been trained never to put down his weapon for any reason, but this was his daughter, and he would comply until he had a window of opportunity to take action.
His radio blipped just once. That would be one of his deputies telling him they were on the scene.
“Throw your radio over there,” Lucas commanded. “It’s annoying.”
Sam did as he was told, his eyes on Tillie as he did so. Please, God, he prayed. Make a miracle here today.
***
Of course, because that’s how things always went, Carly’s car wouldn’t start when she most needed it. She pounded on the steering wheel, then climbed out and raced over to Julia’s car. Together, they sped into town, not caring if they got pulled over. If they did, they’d just explain that they were speeding on Chief Bolton’s orders.
When they reached the school, Carly was startled by how many cars were lined up outside, and how many people were gathered across the street. She climbed out and approached the nearest person on the walk.
“What’s going on?” she asked, terror climbing in her throat.
“A gunman is holding one of those precious babies hostage,” the woman replied. “Chief Bolton’s trying to talk him down right now.”
A surge of nausea washed over Carly, and it was all she could do not to vomit. She felt Julia’s arm come around her shoulders.
“I need to get closer to the fence,” Carly mumbled. “I need to see what’s going on.”
Her knees felt stiff and wooden as she tried to make her way through the crowd. None of them were speaking or shouting—they all stood silently, holding vigil, and they moved out of the way as she pushed through.
When she got to the fence, she all but fell to the ground. It wasn’t Mick, and it wasn’t Sophie. Her relief was replaced by a new rush of terror, though, as she saw that it was Tillie being held in the gunman’s crushing grip. She’d only known the little girl for a week, but she already loved her with a depth that surprised her, and this was too much. It was too, too much.
She looked over at Sam, at his rigid stance, at the set of his shoulders and his jaw. He was set to spring at his first opportunity, and she wished there was anything in the world she could do to help him. But going in there would be the most foolish thing she could do—she wasn’t armed, she wasn’t trained, and she wasn’t calm enough to be effective.
Just then, she caught sight of Sophie, and she held her fingers up to her lips, hoping her daughter would understand the need to be absolutely silent. Sophie nodded, tears still running down her cheeks, and Carly sank to her knees, a fence keeping her from her daughter.
From both her daughters.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Officer Grant edging around the fence. He carried a rifle with a scope, and her gaze flew back to the gunman. Would Officer Grand really risk a shot? He could hit Tillie instead. Surely Sam wouldn’t authorize that kind of action. But then again, she didn’t know the protocol, and she didn’t know how the men had been trained. All she knew was that she needed to stay where she was and keep quiet. This was out of her hands entirely.
She prayed under her breath as she noticed Officer Gray coming around the other way. The gunman had been shouting something at Sam, but she couldn’t make out what it was, and the ringing in her ears probably would have kept her from understanding it anyway. She clutched the chain-link fence, trying not to pass out. Tillie . . . Oh, God. Save Tillie.
Julia hadn’t left her side, and they watched as Sam continued to talk to the gunman. “Any idea who that is?” Julia whispered, and Carly shook her head. She’d never seen him before, and had no clue why he was here at the school. She also didn’t know if he’d targeted Tillie, or if he’d just grabbed the nearest child.
“Breathe,” Julia commanded, and Carly tried to comply. It was so hard, though, so very hard when the three people she loved most in the world were separated from her, and she could see them but couldn’t touch them, couldn’t help them. It was more than she could bear, and she clutched the fence a little tighter to keep herself upright.
***
Sam hadn’t moved his eyes from Tillie’s face. He was trying to send her messages, to tell her everything was going to be all right, but he couldn’t guarantee that. “How will hurting me help you?” he asked Lucas. “You’d just go right back to jail—you have to know this entire school is surrounded by police officers.”
“It would help me because I’d know you got what was coming to you,” Lucas said. “You’d have to live the rest of your life with a hole in your chest and anger eating its way out of you. You’d know what it felt like to be me.”
Sam caught a flash of movement over Lucas’s shoulder. Grant had taken up his position behind a tree and had his rifle at the ready. He wo
uldn’t shoot without a signal, and it wasn’t time for that signal. Tillie could catch the bullet instead. “I don’t think I could ever understand it, Lucas,” Sam replied. “You’ve been through a different sort of darkness, one that few people ever go through.”
“Just save your breath, Bolton. I know how this works—you talk to me, get me to let down my guard. No. That’s not happening today.” He began to walk backward, dragging Tillie with him. “She and I are going for a nice ride. You’ll find her in a ditch somewhere maybe, but you’ll never find me, and you’ll get to wonder and worry for the rest of your life.”
Sam glanced at Grant, a warning in his eyes. Not yet. Stay sharp. Take your opportunity when you can, but not a moment sooner.
Tillie’s legs buckled beneath her, and Lucas had to adjust his grip on her arm so he could keep dragging her. In that one second that he was distracted, a body came flying out from behind the corner of the building and tackled both Lucas and Tillie to the ground. Sam blinked, startled, even as he grabbed his pistol from the ground and crossed the distance. The newcomer wasn’t one of his men—he had no idea who it was as he wrestled with Lucas on the ground.
“Stop! Freeze!” Sam shouted, aiming his gun at the two men. Tillie had managed to squirm loose, and she was running toward her teacher. Good girl—she knew to get out of harm’s way.
The two men stopped struggling, and the second man came to his feet, pulling Lucas up by the collar. Sam grabbed Lucas, whirled him around, and slapped cuffs on him, then turned to the second man.
“Mick Clark, what are you doing here?”
Mick shrugged. “I came to see my little girl.”
Chapter Fifteen
Carly had never experienced such a bad headache in her entire life. Every particle of her brain felt like it had exploded, and she was having a hard time understanding what anyone was saying to her. Even after a long nap, she still couldn’t piece it together.
She sat curled up in the corner of her couch, an afghan around her shoulders, a mug of cocoa pressed between her hands, and Sophie snuggled up at the other end of the couch. “Please, slow down,” she said. “I don’t understand what happened today.”
Sidearms and Songbirds (Hearts of Nashville Book 3) Page 10
