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Tears leaked from Lacey’s eyes, and he felt her despair. His heart beat with a love it hadn’t forgotten. The feeling shocked him and stirred him. With renewed hope, he realized that it might be possible to overcome the past. In one move, he pulled her to him and wiped her tears away. She sniffed and parted her lips to speak.
Before she could, he noticed the blood around the edge of the neck of her tank top.
“Are you all right?”
“No. I’m not,” she whispered. “I won’t be all right until Bethany is back.”
“You’re bleeding.” Making his way to the trunk of the car, Mason pulled out a first-aid kit. Opening a bandage, he pressed it to her neck. She winced, and he said, “Sorry. Debris from the building got you.”
“I felt it but didn’t realize what it was.” She shot him a grim smile. “Seems like you’re patching me up quite a bit lately.”
Through narrowed eyes, he regarded her. “Yeah, I don’t like it.”
“I can’t say I’m real crazy about it myself.”
Catelyn returned and, with a disgusted look, shook her head at Mason and Lacey. “Sorry. The shooter got away.”
Lacey groaned.
Mason bit back a growl of frustration.
“Bethany?” he asked.
“She’s gone, too,” Catelyn replied.
Officers began reporting back that they’d found nothing. The scene was officially declared clear and a crime-scene unit arrived and began their job, while Catelyn began hers. Questioning those in the area.
Lacey looked at Mason. “What now?”
“We pray she calls. Come on, I’ll take you home.” He frowned. “Or to the hospital to get that checked.”
“It’s just a couple of scratches, Mason, I’ll be fine.”
Lacey’s cell phone rang and hope flashed across her face. Snatching it from the pocket of her shorts, she looked at the screen and bit her lip. Her shoulders drooped.
It wasn’t Bethany.
“Hello?”
Mason listened in on her conversation and refused to feel guilty about it.
“Yes, I know, Mr. Hill, I promise to get right on it. Bethany is still missing and—” She broke off then ended with, “Yes, sir. I will. Thank you.”
Hanging up, she pulled in a deep breath.
“Your boss giving you a hard time?”
The smile she flashed him was forced. “Yes, but it doesn’t matter. There are other jobs out there. I only have one Bethany.”
Mason let himself admire her tenacity. She was determined to find her daughter no matter what it took. Too bad she hadn’t put as much effort into telling him about Bethany as she was in finding the girl.
The brief thought hit him and he grimaced.Don’t go there, Stone.
Shoving down those emotions, he motioned to Catelyn that he was taking the car. She nodded. He knew she’d grab a ride back to the station with one of the officers.
Mason helped Lacey into the passenger seat and then climbed behind the wheel.
The strained, drawn look on her face worried him. Dark circles had formed beneath her eyes and she looked ready to drop.