“That would mean putting the hunt for whoever might be behind the threatening letter on hold,” Guy warned. “Unless it is the same person.”
“I accept that.” Cynthia nodded.
“Someone should stay here and guard Cynthia and the children.” Hunter wasn’t about to leave his mate and her children completely unprotected.
“I can help guard them here,” Jenna offered.
“We can also enroll the help of Brad and his deputies. I’ve alerted him to the letter you received. And I’ll personally take the original documents over to his office as soon as we are done here.” Guy glanced at the pieces of evidence once more. “The fact it was hand-delivered might give us an edge. Brad might be able to contact his counterparts in your district and get them to pull up any CCTV footage from around your house. We might get lucky and connect one of the people on your list to a car in the area. It’s a longshot. But worth a try.”
“Thank you. All of you.” Cynthia rubbed her hand over her eyes, brushing away the last of her tears. She looked done in, the events of the day catching up with her.
“You’re more than welcome,” Guy replied. “The work you’ve done helping others deserves some kind of reward. A threatening letter is not it.”
“Why don’t we get the call set up and then Cynthia and the children should get some rest,” Hunter suggested.
“We still haven’t decided where they are staying.” Jenna glanced at Flint. “We can shoehorn you into the house somehow.” She looked down at her watch. “Which reminds me, I have to go to the store before the kids get home from school.”
“Why don’t you and the children stay with me?” Hunter offered Cynthia. “No strings. If you want, I could even sleep in the barn.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to give up your bed for me,” Cynthia told him. “Let alone your house.”
“Decide while we set up the recording equipment for the call,” Guy stood up and went to the door. “Maybe if you stay at Hunter’s, he could stay behind, and Flint and I’ll go to the forest tomorrow.”
Jenna paled. “I just realized that would mean me managing the children on my own.”
“Which you would do just fine.” Flint leaned over and kissed his wife. “They are good kids and you make an amazing mom.”
“Thanks. But it just feels so alien to me,” Jenna admitted.
“Hey, Jenna, give yourself a break. You’ve only been a parent for a couple of weeks. It took me months to get used to having a child, and I carried Laurel for nine months and had plenty of time to get used to the idea,” Cynthia’s supportive attitude was mirrored in the other people in the room, but Jenna didn’t seem convinced.
“I just want to do the best for them, they’ve been through such a horrible time. They were betrayed by people they trusted and who should have taken care of them.” Jenna looked close to tears. “Children deserve to have someone to watch out for them who has their best interest at heart.”
“Which brings us back to the children in the forest,” Guy said. “And Cynthia is right. Even if this has nothing to do with the letter, we should go and check that the children haven’t been abandoned there. We all know that the police might have missed something. Something a shifter might find.”
“Thanks. All of you. It’s so good to know I’m not alone. And not crazy.” Cynthia stood up and swayed a little on her feet.
“Here.” Hunter fetched a packet of cookies from the sideboard and handed them to her. “Eat these. As soon as we are finished here, you should eat a proper meal. You’ll need your strength. I’ll cook you something and then you should sleep.”
“I’ve always been an independent woman,” Cynthia began. “But right now, I am willing to let you look after me. If only for one night.”
“I’ll take one night and hope to impress you enough that you’ll let me share the rest of my life with you.” Hunter offered her his hand and she got up from the table and walked to the door. The others were leaving the room, too, although Flint and Jenna were hanging back and talking quietly together.
Hunter knew how they felt about the children they had fostered, he was getting a similar feeling when he thought about being a father to Cynthia’s children. It was a huge step. One he relished, but that did not diminish the enormity of the situation. Hunter had always figured he’d meet his mate, get married and have children. Instead, he’d been given an instant family.
“Hunter?” They were in the corridor, alone.
He snapped his attention back to Cynthia. “Sorry, lost in a daydream.”
“I feel as if I’m lost in a nightmare,” she confided. “But not as bad as Michaela. If her son really is in the forest, possibly with other children, then we should be out there now.”
“We all need rest and to prepare,” Hunter told his mate, although he was ready to leave now if he had to. Working as a bodyguard for Bear Creek Protectors meant being ready at a moment’s notice for whatever came his way.
“They must be so scared. So cold and hungry.” Cynthia was dwelling on the children. Which would do none of them any good. They needed to focus on facts and how to move forward, not get stuck in what might be. Cynthia knew this. She just needed reminding.
“When you speak to Michaela, try to keep your voice neutral,” he advised. “Don’t mention the forest. Just ask her how she is. We’re looking for her frame of mind, more than her theories on what happened to her son.”
“I understand. It’s difficult because this is all so bittersweet. I thought I was helping everyone when I broke the trafficking ring, but Michaela and her son might have suffered more.” Cynthia’s statement highlighted her anxiety and why she was struggling with her misplaced guilt.
“You don’t know that,” Hunter said firmly. “You have no idea what might have happened to her son if he’d been sold. Until we know for certain, we assume they are lost in the forest. Alive and lost in the forest, with a chance of being found. If he’d been sold, he might be…”
Hunter couldn’t bring himself to say the word dead. It didn’t bear thinking about. What sort of person bought a child? How could anyone condone this kind of trade?
“You’re right, it could be worse. At least there is still hope.” Cynthia rubbed her forehead. “I’m just tired. I’ll feel much better once the children are settled. I still feel so guilty after what happened. It knocked my confidence. Now I’ve plucked them out of their lives and moved across country to a new town without any plans as to where we’re going to live.”
“You have somewhere to stay for as long as you want.” He gave her a crooked smile. “I hope that will be forever. But no pressure.”
“You’re a good man, Hunter.” She raked a hand through her hair. “Honestly, having you here has made it easier. Bear Creek would be a good place to settle. Especially with the friends I’ve already made here around us.”
“You’ll all have a great life here. If this is where you choose to settle down,” Hunter told her. “The mountains, the people, it’s the best place in the world.”
“And you’ve seen a lot of the world.” The weariness in her eyes told him she had seen a lot of it, too. Much of it not good.
“I’ve seen my fair share of countries and the people that live in them. Some good, some bad. But what I do know is that human spirit is stronger than I ever believed possible. If those children are in the forest, we could find them alive and well.” Hunter opened the door leading into the main office. As they entered, Thomas and Laurel looked up.
“Is someone lost in the forest?” Laurel asked. “Like in Hansel and Gretel?”
“Will they find a witch who wants to eat them?” Thomas asked.
“No, no witch,” Cynthia told them. “But, yes. There may be children lost in the forest.”
“Are you going to rescue them?” Thomas asked, sliding off his seat and coming across the room to his mom.
“Not me, not this time,” Cynthia answered as she gathered her son into her arms and kissed his cheek.
>
Thomas wasn’t too old for kisses, Hunter liked that. He was a good kid who loved his mom and wasn’t afraid to show affection. Cynthia had raised him well. Not all boys grew into men capable of showing emotion, but Thomas would. He also had a sense of right and wrong, which was evident in his next words.
“Why not?” Thomas asked as he looped his arms around his mom’s neck.
“Because I said I’d stay home with you and Laurel.” Cynthia hugged Thomas tightly. “And I can’t break my promise.”
“What if we let you go? You know, like a get out of jail free card in Monopoly. You could have a go on a job card.” Laurel left the computer and came across the room.
“Do you want me to go?” Cynthia asked.
“If there are children in danger, you should go. Especially since you helped all those other children. You’re good at it,” Laurel told her mom.
Thomas agreed. “I know that if I was in trouble, I’d want you to come and find me.”
“It seems as if you might be going after all,” Guy said from his desk.
“But what about you two?” Cynthia asked. “I need to keep you safe, too.”
“Why not let Flint sit this one out?” Guy asked. “He and Jenna could protect them, just like they did before. This way Jenna isn’t left alone with their two foster children either. And Thomas and Laurel can help the other two children settle in.”
“It sounds as if you have it all worked out,” Jenna said, looking relieved.
“If you are absolutely sure you can manage,” Cynthia began. “And Thomas and Laurel are certain they don’t mind me going. Because my promise was meant to keep you safe and stop you from being scared that I won’t come back.”
“You will come back to us. You always do. And you have a mate now and Hunter will look after you and make sure nothing ever happens to you.” Thomas kissed his mom. “I love you. And you are as much a superhero as Flint, even if you don’t have super senses.”
“Thank you, Thomas. You and Laurel are my heroes.” Cynthia looked close to tears, her pride in her children evident.
“We love you, Mom.” Laurel took hold of her mom’s hand and leaned in close.
“I guess we’d better make this call,” Cynthia said as she took a moment to enjoy the love of her children. “You’ll be okay with Jenna and Flint. And you’ll have two new friends.”
“We will,” Laurel assured her. “We might even help Jenna and Flint tell them about shifters.”
“Yes, we could. We can tell them about superheroes and how not all of them wear a cape and tights,” Thomas agreed. “Some superheroes turn into bears.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Perhaps if Flint wore a cape and tights, they would see he had superpowers and was a superhero,” Guy said drily. “Especially if he wore his underpants on the outside.”
“Never going to happen,” Flint said. “Although I do remember you wearing tights once.”
Guy shook his head. “That was a costume for Halloween.”
“Did he have the legs to carry it off?” Jenna asked as they all gathered around Guy’s desk.
“Okay, let’s get down to business instead of discussing how amazing my legs are.” Guy quickly changed the subject as he spoke to Cynthia, “Use this phone and I’ll record the call. If you can keep her talking long enough, I can also trace the call. If she’s in the vicinity of your house, then we can bump her up the list of suspects. If she’s not, then we rule her out for the moment and consider all other options.”
“After we’ve brought the children home,” Cynthia lowered her eyes, seeking confirmation.
“After we’ve looked for the children. I can’t promise we will bring them home. And neither should you,” he warned.
“I know.” Cynthia walked toward the desk and picked up the phone, but then placed it down again. “I want us to concentrate on finding the children even if we do rule Michaela out. The child trafficking case might still be the reason the letter and photograph were sent to me. It seems too much of a coincidence for the two things to be unconnected.”
“We will,” Guy agreed.
Cynthia picked up the phone once more and dialed a number she copied from her cell phone. As she dialed, she looked up at Hunter as if seeking reassurance
He reached out and touched her shoulder lightly, the connection between them sparking electricity from his fingertips. “You can do it.”
Hunter wished he could help her, lend her his strength. But he suspected Cynthia had enough strength of her own.
Chapter Seven – Cynthia
Cynthia stared at Guy as she listened to the phone ring. Michaela wasn’t going to answer. She was either out, perhaps looking for her child, or busy doing something else. But what else was there to do when your child was missing?
Cynthia closed her eyes and squeezed them tight to stop the tears that threatened. She could not imagine losing her children and having no idea if they were dead or alive. How did you live with that question hanging over you? How did you function?
“Hello?” A wary voice on the end of the phone jerked Cynthia back to the present and swept away the nightmare scenario running through her brain. In her nightmare, she was looking for her children in a forest filled with trees so close together it was difficult to squeeze between them. Tree roots rose up to trip her, while branches reached out to snag at her clothing, as she searched endlessly for Thomas and Laurel.
“Michaela?” Cynthia asked, even though she recognized the voice of Horatio’s mother.
“Yes, who is this?” Michaela asked.
“Cynthia Callaghan.” Her name was greeted by a sharp intake of breath and then silence. “Are you still there?”
“Yes. I’m still here.” The mother’s tone hardened, yet there was a trace of raw emotion which she was trying to contain. “What do you want? Another story so you can gain more popularity? Well, not at this mother’s expense. You have taken enough from me.”
The words were similar to the those in the letter, but Cynthia was not convinced Michaela was the one responsible for sending it. Yes, she was hurt, of course, she was. But it was a big step from words of blame to threats of possible violence.
“I’m not looking for a story. I just wanted to ask if you had heard anything. Anything at all?” Cynthia asked gently.
A pause and then Michaela’s choked voice told them, “No. Nothing. The police say there is nothing they can do, there is no trace of him. Only his jacket puts him anywhere near those men or that place.”
“There’s no way he could have dropped it elsewhere and it simply ended up at the farmhouse?” Cynthia asked.
“I told the police, Horatio was wearing it the day he disappeared from the movie theater.” Michaela was adamant and Cynthia believed her. “It was his favorite jacket. I can’t see why he would have given it away. And if he’d lost it, that still doesn’t explain how it ended up in the farmhouse, or why he didn’t come…home.”
“And the police have no clue?” Cynthia watched Guy, waiting for the signal that he’d tracked the whereabouts of Michaela. She had to keep on talking. But for once words evaded her. All she could think of were Michaela’s pain and loss.
“No, they had no clue and no intention of searching for Horatio any further.” Michaela swallowed a sob. “I am glad you broke the trafficking ring, Miss Callaghan, but I am scared for my son. They got rid of the children in that farmhouse to cover their evil deeds. I cannot help thinking...” She paused. “But we will never know.”
“Will you tell me what Horatio…is like, please?” Cynthia tensed, she had so nearly said what he was like. Past tense. Meaning she thought he was dead. Hunter’s hand on her arm made her jump but gave her instant comfort. “I’d like to know what kind of child he is. Does he like the outdoors?”
“You’re doing great,” Hunter mouthed as Michaela fell silent on the other end of the line.
Cynthia nodded and continued, “Michaela. Is he an active child? Or does he like computer games and gadgets?”<
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“Horatio loved the outdoors. He would trek into the woods back home and make a camp. He knew how to light a fire with nothing but what nature gave him. There he would spend the night alone looking up at the stars.” Michaela paused, at the same time Guy gave her a thumbs-up. He had traced the call. “I like to think of him that way. That if he is dead, he is up in the heavens, one of the stars looking down on us all.”
“That’s a good way to think of him. And if he is alive, he will be looking up at those same stars,” Cynthia said.
“Do you think he is alive?” Michaela asked suddenly.
“Yes. At least I hope so.” Cynthia didn’t want to give Michaela false hope, but she couldn’t help herself. “I truly hope so. I’m going to do whatever it takes to find out what happened to him, Michaela.”
“I hope you have more luck than I have.” Michaela sighed with resignation, as if she had given up. Or been worn down by lack of progress in the search for her son. Cynthia intended to follow through on her promise to help Michaela find Horatio, until she’d exhausted every avenue of investigation. “Thank you for calling, Miss Callaghan.”
“Cynthia, please.” Cynthia ended the call, her heart heavy. “It wasn’t Michaela.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Guy agreed. “I don’t think we need to send this tape to a specialist to know that.”
“But we’re still going to search the forest, aren’t we?” Cynthia asked, wiping tears from her cheek.
“Of course,” Hunter assured her. “We’ll do whatever it takes to get those kids home.”
Cynthia nodded, grateful that Hunter hadn’t said, “dead or alive.” They all knew the stakes, they all knew what the possible outcome might be.
“Go get some rest and meet back here in the morning,” Guy told them all.
“I’ll help Guy organize what you need,” Flint offered. “Jenna, do you want to head home and work on the sleeping arrangements?”
“Yes.” She looked at her watch, “The children will be home from school in a couple of hours. Why don’t you all come over to dinner and meet Jake and Marion them?”
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