Her Mistletoe Protector (8 page)

“I have the cash pulled together in the vault,” Edward said as Gerry finished his portion of the agreement. “It wasn’t easy... I had to send couriers to several other branches to get what you needed. I—uh, put it all in a large duffel bag for you. I didn’t want it to look too obvious as you left the building. A cashier’s check would be much safer,” he added, even though he’d already lectured her on the perils of walking around with so much money.

“I know, thanks, Edward.” She forced a smile as she turned toward Gerry. “I haven’t told anyone at the office yet, but I’d appreciate it if you’d tell Edith first, privately.”

Gerry’s forehead was puckered in a concerned frown. “I will. Rachel, I wish there was more I could do to help you....”

“You’ve helped more than you could ever know,” she assured him. “Thanks again.”

Gerry gave her a quick hug and then tucked his copy of the paperwork into his briefcase and made his way toward the door. She turned her attention toward the bank manager. “I’m ready.”

Nick stayed close at her side as they walked into the bank vault. Edward used his ID to open the first door and then punched in a key to access the second door. Once inside the vault, she saw the duffel bag he’d mentioned, surprised to find that it was the size of a small suitcase.

“I promise it’s all there,” Edward said, as she opened the bag and went through the contents. She’d never seen so much money before, especially not such crisp one-thousand-dollar bills.

“I’m sure you’ll understand Rachel’s need to verify the amount,” Nick said, standing over her as if worried the bank manager himself was in on the kidnapping.

“Of course,” Edward agreed, discreetly wiping more sweat from his brow.

She focused on the task at hand. The thousand-dollar bills were bound in stacks of one hundred so it didn’t take long to validate the amount was correct. “Thanks again, Edward,” she said, as she rose to her feet, slinging the duffel bag strap over her shoulder.

“We’d like to leave through the back door,” Nick announced.

Edward nodded and led the way back out the vault, pausing long enough to close and lock both doors before he took them to the back of the bank.

Nick stayed close to her side as they left the building and climbed back into the car. She crammed the duffel bag on the floor between her feet, too afraid to store it in the backseat. The minute they were settled, she pulled out her phone.

“Wait just a minute, okay?” Nick said, putting a hand on her arm. “Let me call Jonah first.”

The image of her son being hurt was impossible to ignore. It took every ounce of willpower for her to wait for Nick to call Jonah. He hadn’t even completed his call when she quickly texted the kidnapper,
I have the money.

Within seconds, her phone rang. Before she could push the button to answer, Nick whispered, “Put the call on speaker.”

With trembling fingers she did as he directed. “This is Rachel.”

“Go to the abandoned barn located twenty miles outside the city near the intersection of Highway F and Highway 93 in exactly one hour,” the mechanically distorted voice directed. “Come alone or your son will pay the price.”

Rachel swallowed hard. “I’ll be there,” she whispered, never doubting for one moment the kidnapper would make good on his threat.

If he hadn’t hurt Joey already.

EIGHT

N
ick watched the blood drain from Rachel’s face, leaving her pale and shaking. He wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and offer comfort, but this wasn’t the time or the place. Right now, they had to get to the abandoned barn as soon as possible, if they were going to be successful in getting Joey back.

He called Jonah, repeating the kidnapper’s directives. “I’m not sure where this place is, but we need to take only one car, as it doesn’t sound like there’s a lot of cover,” he told his friend. “And, if you don’t mind, it might be best if we take your car to change it up a bit. Rachel and I have been driving around town in mine, and the kidnappers might recognize it. What do you think, buddy?”

“Sounds good.” Jonah quickly gave him directions to where he was parked at his hotel on the edge of town and they agreed to meet there in less than ten minutes.

“It’s almost over, Rachel,” he said, reaching out to squeeze her hand before he put the car in gear and drove away from the bank. “We’re going to get Joey back.”

“I’m so scared,” she whispered. “There are so many things that could go wrong.”

“Try not to think of the worst-case scenario,” he advised, knowing that was his job.

“I won’t. But I’ll be glad when this is over.”

He didn’t bother pointing out that even if they managed to get Joey back unharmed, the nightmare might not be over. There was no guarantee the kidnapper would simply disappear once this exchange was completed. Especially since Morales was nothing more than a hired thug, doing what he was told. Whether the source of the kidnapping was the Mafia or someone related to her company, Rachel and Joey could still be in danger.

And of the two scenarios, he still found himself leaning toward the possibility that this was all somehow connected to her company.

He slowly unclenched his hands from the steering wheel. He needed to keep a cool head. Right now, it was best to focus on the upcoming swap. Later, there would be plenty of time to think about who was behind this.

The moment he pulled into the hotel parking lot, they quickly switched vehicles. Rachel lugged the duffel bag of money and Jonah handed the keys to Nick, choosing to climb into the backseat.

Nick quickly introduced the two and then started the engine. “Pleased to meet you, Rachel,” Jonah Stewart said as he buckled himself in.

Rachel tried to smile, but it wasn’t much of one. “Thanks for helping us.”

“I don’t mind at all. We’re going to get your son back, Ms. Simon,” Jonah said reassuringly.

“Please, call me Rachel.”

Nick listened to their brief conversation as he drove, pushing the speed limit as much as he dared while following the directions leading them to the designated meeting spot. The GPS took them directly out of town, into farm country. As the traffic thinned, he pushed his speed even further, wanting to make good time.

The kidnapper hadn’t chosen the location or the tight timeline by accident. Clearly the guy didn’t want to give them too much time to prepare. And Nick absolutely didn’t want to get there after the kidnappers were already there. He was hoping that the perpetrators might have to pick up Joey first, before meeting them, which would give them the time they needed.

A half hour would be nice, but he’d take less time if he had to. They would need every second to get the lay of the land. And to get Jonah hidden someplace nearby where no one would see him.

“Dear Lord, please keep my son safe in Your care,” Rachel whispered.

Her quiet prayer caught him off guard, but he quickly joined in. “And, Lord, please guide us and give us strength as we fight to get Joey back safe and sound.”

“Amen,” Jonah said from the backseat. Rachel glanced over her shoulder at Jonah in surprise.

Nick reached over and squeezed her hand. “Jonah is a believer, too.”

“Good to know,” she said in a soft voice. “I feel like I need all the help we can get.” There was a slight pause before she asked, “Does praying always make you feel calmer?”

“Absolutely,” he agreed. “Sharing my burdens with God always helps me feel better.”

“I wish I knew more about God and faith and prayer,” Rachel said. “I feel like I’m not worthy of His help.”

“You are worthy, Rachel, and so is Joey. But if you’d really like to learn more, I’d be honored to teach you.” He didn’t want to push her too hard, but he was thrilled that she had opened her heart and her soul to God and faith. “Once we have Joey back, I’ll be happy to study the Bible with you.”

“After we have Joey back,” Rachel repeated. “I’m going to hold you to that, Nick.” She was twisting her hands together in the way he knew meant she was worrying again.

“We’re going to be okay, Rachel,” Jonah chimed in from the backseat. “God will guide us through this. We’ve been in other tight spots before, right, Nick?”

“Right,” Nick agreed drily.

There was so much more he wanted to say, but off in the distance he caught sight of an abandoned barn at the end of what looked to be a hard-packed dirt road. That must be the meeting place. His heart sank as he realized it was out in the middle of a wide-open space, where it would be difficult to hide any backup.

“Take a look, Jonah,” he said, gesturing toward the barn. “They sure didn’t leave us many options.”

“We’ll find something,” Jonah replied with confidence. “I doubt they’re going to take the time to search the entire barn. I suspect they’ll make this a quick exchange and get out of Dodge.”

“I hope you’re right,” Nick muttered, pushing down harder on the accelerator. He couldn’t help constantly looking at the clock on Jonah’s dashboard. It seemed that time was slipping away from them.

The kidnappers would be there in forty-two minutes. Unless, of course, they decided to show up early. In that case, there was no way to judge how much time they had to prepare.

* * *

Rachel’s stomach hurt so badly she feared she might be sick. She took several deep breaths and wrapped her arms tightly across her middle. She could do this.

She had to do this.

The big dilapidated barn loomed ominously as they approached. This was it. The moment she’d been waiting for and dreading at the same time. In less than forty minutes the kidnappers would drive up with her son, demanding money in exchange for his freedom.

Please, Lord, please keep Joey safe!

The calm she’d felt before after praying seemed to have deserted her now. Maybe because her prayers betrayed the depth of her desperation. Despite Nick’s reassurances that she was worthy, she couldn’t help feeling that maybe God thought she was a big fraud. But she hoped He wouldn’t punish her son for her previous lack of faith. She took another deep breath.

Nick backed up the dirt road so that the car was facing outward toward the road. The minute he shut off the car, he and Jonah jumped out to see what they had to work with.

She was still trying to pull herself together. But when she stared down at the duffel bag, she realized she couldn’t sit here. She had to be in the driver’s seat, as if she’d just driven here by herself. Swallowing hard, she shoved open the door, hauled the duffel bag up so that it was on the seat, and then slammed the door.

Nick had Jonah’s car keys, so she went to find him. She needed the kidnappers to believe she’d followed their instructions to the letter.

The barn door was open only about a foot, so she turned sideways to slide inside. The interior was surprisingly dim. She’s expected it to be brighter considering there were several missing boards and glassless windows. The place reeked of fertilizer mixed with musty old hay, thanks to the piles that looked as if they’d been there untouched for years.

Nick stood, looking up at the loft. She followed his gaze and gasped when she saw Jonah carefully going up a rickety old ladder that didn’t look strong enough to hold his weight.

“Are you sure that’s safe?” she whispered.

“Not really, but he insisted on giving it a try.”

There was a loud noise as Jonah’s foot broke through one of the rungs of the ladder. Her heart lodged in her throat as he hung there for a moment before he regained his balance. In a few minutes, Jonah was safely on the loft.

“Wouldn’t he be better off down here?” She couldn’t imagine the rotted wood that made up the loft floor would be any sturdier than the ladder.

“I’ll be down on the ground level, and he’s going to try and get some leverage from up above. See that window up there?” He indicated the open space in the wall of the barn located above the loft. “It overlooks the front of the barn, and that’s our best option.”

She felt dizzy watching Jonah ease his way into position, so she lowered her gaze and tried not to sneeze. Despite the cold December air, the moldy hay was making her eyes water. “Where are you planning to be?”

“Outside, as close to you as I can manage,” he said grimly. “There are several stacks of hay outside along the north side of the barn. If I drag a few more out there, I should be fairly well hidden.”

She helped Nick carry a couple of stacks of smelly, musty hay outside. They had to open the barn door wider and it groaned loudly in protest. She froze, hoping it wouldn’t fall off.

After two trips, they had a decent-size stack of hay along the side of the barn. Nick carefully closed the barn door and then used a bunch of hay like a broom to brush the dirt, covering up their footprints.

The north side of the barn seemed too far away for her piece of mind, but she bit her lip so that she wouldn’t complain. After all, she couldn’t very well expect Nick to hide in the backseat of Jonah’s car. Truthfully, she was lucky to have any backup at all.

“You might want to give me the car keys, just in case they want me to go someplace else,” she said.

Nick scowled and dug them out of the front pocket of his jeans. “Here you go. But don’t follow those guys someplace else, Rachel. There would be nothing to prevent them from killing both you and Joey, while still taking off with the cash. Your best option is to stay right here, where Jonah and I can protect you.”

“I know,” she said, taking the keys from Nick. As much as she knew he was right, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to say no if it came to the kidnappers giving her an ultimatum. Her greatest weakness was her son’s safety. If they threatened to hurt him, she knew she’d go along with whatever they asked of her.

She turned to walk away, but suddenly Nick grabbed her hand to stop her. Glancing over her shoulder, she found him staring at her intently. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing. Just—be careful, okay?” he said gruffly. Then, before she could respond, he pulled her close and gave her a quick kiss.

The kiss was over before she had a chance to register what had happened. But she longed to throw herself into his arms, absorbing some of his strength. This wasn’t the time or the place, though, so she said the first thing that came to mind. “Remember your promise,” she blurted. “No matter what happens, save my son.”

He stared at her for a long moment. “I won’t forget my promise, Rachel. But my goal is to get both of you out of here safely.” He turned away and began digging a hole for himself in the hay.

She turned and hurried back to the car. By the time she’d slid into the driver’s seat, she couldn’t hear him any longer. He must have gotten himself hidden very quickly.

Her lips tingled and she wondered if Nick had kissed her on purpose to distract her. If so, his ruse had worked. For a couple of minutes her stomach hadn’t hurt, although now the pain was back with a vengeance. She took another deep breath and focused on the task at hand, anxious to be ready if the kidnappers showed up early.

The driver’s seat was all wrong, so she scooted the seat up so that she could reach the pedals and adjusted the mirrors to accommodate her smaller frame. From the way Nick had parked the car, she couldn’t see much of the north side of the barn, which was back and to her left. Using the rearview mirror, she could just barely catch a portion of the stacked hay.

Nick and Jonah were both armed and ready. She tried to find comfort in the fact that if she couldn’t see Jonah or Nick, then the kidnappers couldn’t see them, either.

The minutes ticked by with excruciating slowness, and she resisted the urge to turn on the car to warm up. If she was cold, surely Jonah and Nick were even more so.

Within five minutes of waiting, she spotted a black Jeep coming down the highway from the same direction they’d come. With a frown, she followed the Jeep’s progress. If this one belonged to the kidnappers, they were fifteen minutes early.

Rachel clutched the steering wheel and strained her eyes in an attempt to catch a glimpse of her son. She thought there might be someone in the passenger seat, but the Jeep was too far away to be certain.

At the last possible moment, the Jeep slowed and then turned onto the dirt road. She held her breath as the vehicle approached. The driver was the same big dark-haired man who’d snatched Joey out from the car crash. There was a smaller person in the passenger seat and when the Jeep came closer, she could tell the small person had a dark hood over his head. The Jeep pulled to a stop about thirty feet from her vehicle.

Panic threatened to overwhelm her. What if the person in the front seat really wasn’t Joey? What if this was nothing more than a horrible trick? What if they planned to kill her and take the money, while keeping her son to sell him in the black market of human trafficking?

Her pulse thundered in her ears as she pushed open the car door. She grabbed the duffel bag of money and dragged it over the console so that it was right next to her, as she stepped out of the car.

“I want to see my son!” she said in a loud voice.

The driver, who had to be Morales, reached over and yanked the hood off her son’s head. Joey squinted and ducked his head, shying away from the light. He reminded her of a prisoner who’d been locked in a cell for days, unable to bear normal daylight.

Cold fury swamped her. It was all she could do not to rush over to grab Joey and yank him out of there. She narrowed her gaze and stared, waiting for direction.

Morales slowly and deliberately pushed open his door and stood. Her heart dropped to the soles of her feet when he leveled his gun directly at her son. “One wrong move, lady, and I’ll shoot to kill.”