Page 48

Pulling out of his gentle grasp, she said, “You know it.”
He gave a resigned sigh. “All right, but at least stay close by.”
Relieved he didn’t argue, she said, “Glad to.”
And she was. The more she was around Mason, the more she wanted to be.
Climbing into the car, she closed her eyes.Please, Jesus, let me find my daughter. Keep her safe. Keep us safe.
When she opened her eyes, Mason was looking at her over his shoulder from the front passenger seat. “I’m praying, too.”
She lifted a brow. “You are? I thought you and God weren’t on speaking terms.”
“I wouldn’t say that. He was speaking to me, I just haven’t been listening much—until now.”
“Does Bethany have anything to do with your change of heart?”
He nodded. “Yeah. A lot.”
The car turned and all conversations ceased as Catelyn spoke into her phone to let the other officers know they were there.
“Where is she?” Lacey craned her neck, desperate to catch a glimpse of her daughter. All she saw were two men walking toward the door.
A patrol car came up next to them. Catelyn rolled her window down and the officer said, “She’s been pacing back and forth in front of the pay phone. Finally, she just went around the back.”
Lacey jumped out of the car.
“Lacey!” Mason voiced his disgust with her. “Get back here.”
She paused and looked at him. “Come on.”
No sooner had the words left her lips than a crack sounded and something struck the ground beside her. Then the building spewed brick and cement and she felt the sting of it bite into her neck and upper arm.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
In the time it took her to process the fact that someone was shooting at them, Mason snagged her hand and yanked her back into the car.
Screams echoed around her.
Hers intermingled with those of the people on the street.
In a blur Lacey watched Catelyn snatch her gun from her holster while Mason did the same. He yelled, “Where’s it coming from?”
“Over there!” Catelyn pointed and called for backup, while bystanders frantically ducked behind whatever cover they could find.
Lacey felt her heart stutter as adrenaline pumped through her veins.
Bethany!
Where was she? Who was shooting at them? At her?
Mason no longer held her down and she risked a peek through the window when she heard sirens. Backup had arrived.
* * *
Mason bit back the frustration and anger as best he could. Would they never catch a break?
A dozen black-and-whites now covered the scene. If Bethany had been there, she was gone now. Catelyn had disappeared in the direction the bullets had come from. Mason ordered everyone to stay down. The scene hadn’t been cleared yet.