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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

T he trooper had been shot and left for dead.

Gavin used gauze from a first aid kit in the patrol car to staunch the wound. Smoke and flames poured from Claire’s childhood home. Her parents were gone. It’d taken eight minutes for two deputies to arrive at Maribelle’s cabin. Every second had been torture. Gavin couldn’t leave until they arrived. He had a duty to keep Xavier in custody and to provide first aid to Maribelle.

And now…he had no idea where Claire or her family were.

The trooper groaned at the pressure applied to his injury. His eyes fluttered but didn’t open. It wouldn’t be possible for him to tell Gavin anything.

Footsteps came from the other side of the patrol car. Gavin whirled, raising his weapon. He found himself face-to-face with the barrel of a gun. Relief flooded through him when he recognized the man holding the weapon. Ryker.

The ranger rushed to Gavin’s side. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” Gavin lowered his weapon as Keith circled the vehicle. “Keith, take over providing first aid. I need to find Claire and her family.”

The chief deputy knelt and grabbed more gauze from the first aid kit. “Claire’s mother called. She’s racing to the hospital. Daniel was shot and Jacob kidnapped. Claire went in pursuit. Last thing she knows, Claire was headed for the dock.”

Gavin bolted to his feet. The gunshot wound sent white-hot agony racing down his nerve endings. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Gavin broke into a run, heading for the lake. He barely heard Keith shout, “More deputies are coming. Five minutes out.”

Ryker fell into place beside him without a word, gun in hand. The heat from the blaze eating the log cabin faded as they raced for the dock. A boat—similar to the one the intruder had escaped in on the night of the bombing—was pulling away from the mooring pole.

Claire and Jacob were on it. There was no question in Gavin’s mind.

“The boathouse.” He deviated from the path to race for the building. Claire’s father owned boats for his business and had moved several into the newly secured boathouse. Gavin’s head swam, and he stumbled. Ryker caught him before he hit the ground.

“I’m driving the boat,” Ryker said.

“Good idea.” Gavin didn’t intend for the rescue to turn into a suicide mission. He brushed off Ryker’s aid and kept running. At the boathouse door, he punched in the code. The two men boarded one of the vessels quickly and fired up the engine. Every movement took time, precious seconds that Claire and Jacob were in danger, but there was no way to move faster.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

The biblical verse popped into Gavin’s mind. It was a reminder that Claire and Jacob were not alone. Neither was he. They had God and He would be with them every step of the way.

Please, Lord. This couldn’t be how their story ended. Gavin and Claire were falling in love. And Jacob…it was unthinkable to lose him. Gavin shoved the bleak thoughts from his mind and focused on his prayer. Help me find them in time, Lord. You sent them to me. You opened my heart. Please don’t take them from me now.

Ryker pushed the throttle and increased their speed. Icy wind tore through the thin layer of Gavin’s clothing. The lake was choppy from the thunderstorm and rain pelted the roof. He clung to the dash as they bounced over the surface. Every jolt sent agony through his shoulder.

“Where are they?” Ryker yelled the words to be heard over the rain and wind. “Do you see the boat?”

Gavin scanned the lake, panic clawing at his last thread of control. They were too late.

The boat carrying Claire and Jacob was gone.

Claire twisted her hands, attempting to free her wrists from their bonds. The zip ties dug into her skin. Warmth trickled down her fingertips. Beside her, on a bench inside the boat, Jacob slept. He hadn’t woken during the entire incident with their captor, which wasn’t normal. His breathing was also shallow. It terrified her.

Her gaze swung to the man driving the vessel. Alex Sheffield. His clothes were soaked from the rain, and yet some animal hair still clung to the fabric. Anger flooded Claire’s veins. “What did you drug my son with?”

He smirked. “Don’t worry, Sheriff. He’ll be fine.”

Jacob didn’t look fine. His complexion was pale, his freckles standing out in sharp relief. Claire twisted her hands more, attempting once again to break the zip ties, but it was no use. They were industrial strength.

Her gaze swept the cabin. She needed something sharp to cut the bonds with. Beyond the windshield, the lake shore whizzed past. Claire’s stomach bounced with each bump along the choppy waters. “Whatever you’re planning, it won’t work. Every law enforcement officer in the state will be looking for us.”

Gavin would send help. Tears pricked Claire’s eyes as she thought of her brave Texas Ranger. By now, he would’ve discovered she was missing. Along with Jacob. She couldn’t imagine the depths of his worry and fear. It threatened to overwhelm the last bit of emotional control she was clinging to.

Don’t think about it. There wasn’t time. Her focus needed to be on saving Jacob. As long as there was breath in her body, there was hope they could get out of this alive.

Alex’s smirk widened. “I certainly hope everyone will look for you. How else can I frame Xavier for the murders?”

Claire’s mind whirled as she struggled to put the pieces together. In Maribelle’s cabin, Xavier had been insisting that someone was after him. Making it look like he’d done things he hadn’t. He’d disappeared to find out who.

It was a member of his own group. Alex had attempted to take control of the Chosen once before. This was his opportunity to get rid of Xavier once and for all. She swallowed hard. “You killed Stephanie? And Faye?”

“Faye was collateral damage. She shouldn’t have involved herself in matters that weren’t her concern.” His expression hardened. “As for Stephanie…she betrayed me. I loved her. I would’ve given her the world, but she decided our relationship was over. She was going to marry Ian. I couldn’t let that happen.”

They were trapped with a cold-blooded killer. Dread slithered through Claire like sludge. Alex wouldn’t hesitate to hurt—even murder—Jacob. He had no conscience. Her gaze swept the sparse cabin again, searching desperately for anything to use as a weapon. She wouldn’t let him hurt her son.“Where did you get the boat, Alex?”

It didn’t belong to him. His family didn’t own one. Alex passed her a quick glance. “I have friends in high places, Sheriff. I didn’t start this without knowing I’d be protected if things went south.”

So he wasn’t working alone. That explained why he’d come after her. Alex didn’t have the ability to pick a new sheriff, but whoever his partner was, did. Sweat beaded down Claire back. She had to figure out a way to overpower her kidnapper.

Alex lowered the boat’s speed, bringing them closer to shore. The boat’s rocking increased. Claire tumbled off the bench. She landed on the floor in a heap, crying out as Jacob’s small form landed on her swollen knee. Her little boy didn’t stir.

She wrangled herself into a sitting position. Jacob’s breathing was still shallow but steady. Claire took some small comfort from that. She closed her eyes, folding herself over her son’s small form. Please, God, give me strength. Help me get through this. Watch over Jacob and keep him safe. He’s just a little boy.

The prayer centered her. She opened her eyes. A piece of twisted metal glinted on the floor nearby. Drawers used for storage were built into the bench she’d fallen from. A handle had recently been replaced. It was newer than the rest. The old one must’ve broken because a sliver was left behind.

Was it strong enough to cut the zip tie with? Maybe. Claire glanced at Alex, but his focus was on driving the boat. She twisted her body, wincing against the pain, and snagged the jagged piece of metal from the carpet. Twisting it in her fingers, she used the jagged end to slice at the zip ties. It was slow going.

“We’re here.” Alex killed the engine. He hauled Jacob back onto the bench with rough movements.

“Don’t hurt him.” Fury blinded her as she struggled to gain leverage into a standing position, even with her hands tied behind her back. The zip ties were weaker, but she still couldn’t break them. “He’s just a child. He has nothing to do with this.”

Alex ignored her, grasping Claire’s arm with a bruising grip. He roughly pulled her into a standing position. Pain shot through her swollen knee and she cried out. The jagged piece of metal tumbled from her fingers. Alex began dragging her to the door. “Let’s go.”

Suddenly, she realized he intended to separate her from Jacob. She tried to break his hold. “I’m not going anywhere without Jacob.”

Alex tightened his grip and shoved a gun into her side. “Stop.” His foul breath washed across her cheek, his dark eyes cold and flat. Evil. “If you do as I tell you, then Jacob will be left alive someplace safe where he’ll be found. Fight me, and I’ll kill him.”

Claire’s knees went weak. Alex meant every word. Her only option was to buy time, either until help arrived or until there was an opening to fight back.

Within moments, they were on shore. The frigid air cooled Claire’s overheated skin. The rain had finally stopped, the cloud cover dissipating enough to allow beams of moonlight through. It streamed over the trees. This section of the lake was familiar. Xavier’s land.

A man stood at the end of the dock. Mayor Patrick Scott. He wore a designer raincoat, his mouth twisted into a hard-edged sneer. Claire wasn’t shocked by his presence. She’d been wrong about his accomplice—he’d paid Alex the $100,000 to kill Stephanie—but right about everything else. He’d had Stephanie murdered to prevent her from marrying his son. Faye’s search for the missing woman threatened to expose their secret, and the mayor had killed her. Everything else that followed was part of a cleanup to keep their secrets buried. Including the threats against Claire.

Now the two men were making a desperate attempt to frame Xavier for everything. They didn’t know the man was already in police custody.

Patrick’s glare swept over Claire before landing on Alex. “You’re late.”

“There were some delays.” Alex shoved Claire and her feet stumbled over each other. Her body crashed to the ground with enough force to knock the air from her lungs. The zip ties around her wrist broke. Before she had time to react, the sharp point of Patrick’s boot landed in her stomach. Pain exploded through her body. Claire doubled over.

Patrick leaned down. “You’ve caused me a lot of trouble, Sheriff. I warned you to stay out of my way.”

She sucked in a shallow breath. Spots danced in front of her vision. Patrick grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked until she was looking him in the face. Fire raced along her scalp and the pain exacerbated her body’s need for air.

He sneered. Menace dilated his pupils. “Shooting you is going to make me very happy.”

Patrick released her and Claire tumbled back to the ground. Her hands were free, but her muscles wouldn’t coordinate. The pain was overwhelming. Every breath sent burning through her chest. She felt as weak as a newborn kitten as Alex hauled her once again to her feet. He handed Patrick two handguns. “The Glock is hers. Make sure you dispose of it.”

“I don’t need you to tell me what to do,” Patrick snapped. “Don’t forget who’s in charge. Let’s get this over with.”

Alex half-dragged, half-carried Claire behind the mayor toward the tree line. He deposited her next to a fallen pine. Leaves and pine needles cushioned her fall this time. Her mind whirled. She was an experienced law enforcement officer, but no amount of training had prepared her to take on two armed men with nothing but her bare hands.

She couldn’t run. Jacob was still on the boat. He needed medical attention, and the only way to get to him was through her attackers. She had to fight. But how? Darkness pressed in around her. The boat bobbed on the black surface of the lake. There were no signs of anyone else nearby. Gavin and the rest of the law enforcement officers had to be looking for her by now, but Xavier’s property wasn’t the first place they’d go.

A jagged stick from the fallen log was in front of her. Claire wrapped her fingers around it. The bark cut into the tender flesh of her palm. The crude weapon wasn’t much, but it was something. She sucked in a deeper breath, forcing herself to ignore the ache in her chest.

Patrick’s phone beeped with an incoming message. He glanced at his smart watch. The glow cast stark shadows on his face. His muscles tightened.

“What is it?” Alex asked.

“An update from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department. Xavier’s been arrested. He was taken into custody twenty minutes ago.” Patrick raised a gun, pointing it at Claire. “That changes things.”

He whirled and fired. Alex stumbled back as blood bloomed on his shirt. He collapsed into a heap, like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Horror and disgust churned Claire’s stomach. She gripped the stick tighter in hand.

Patrick tossed her a smile. “You see, Claire. You never stood a chance against me. I’m smarter than anyone knows and I plan for every contingency.” He lifted the gun in his hand. It was her service weapon. “You’ll die, but at least you’ll go out a hero. Killed while shooting your kidnapper.”

Claire shifted her body weight in preparation to attack. She needed to edge closer. “It was your idea to kill Stephanie, wasn’t it? You convinced Alex to do it.”

“He didn’t need much convincing. He was angry with Stephanie. I just provided a way for him to solve the problem.” He smirked. “The money helped, of course.”

“You didn’t plan on Faye looking for Stephanie two years after she disappeared.”

“I knew to keep my eye on her.” He tucked her service weapon into his pocket and removed the second gun. “I heard rumblings around town and asked Alex to meet with Faye at the bakery. Like most people in town, she believed Alex had turned over a new leaf and put aside his criminal ways. She thought he cared about Stephanie as much as she did.”

Faye had trusted Alex. That one mistake led to her death. Claire’s mind filled in the blanks from what she knew about the case. “Faye believed Ian was involved in Stephanie’s disappearance.”

Patrick nodded. “I couldn’t have that. I ordered Alex to eliminate her.”

His tone was callous. Claire’s body shook with rage, even as she slid toward the mayor. One hand gripped the stick. With the other, she grabbed a handful of dirt. “Alex sliced her tire and shot her in cold blood. And the private detective she hired.”

“Yes. Most of the threats against you were him, too. I was the brains, but he was the muscle.” Patrick pointed the gun at her. “He messed up quite a few times, but it worked out in the end. You’ve caused me a great deal of grief. Like I said, I’m going to enjoy shooting you.”

Now! She flung the dirt in his face and the mayor yelped as it hit his eyes. He stumbled back and Claire swiped out with one leg to knock him off his feet. He hit the ground with a thud but held on to his weapon. She beat him with the stick. He rolled to get away from her. She kept up the assault, the pain in her chest making it hard to breathe, the throbbing in her leg slowing her down.

Claire attempted to restrain his hand with the weapon. She jabbed her elbow into his neck. He punched. Stars exploded in her head as his fist collided with her cheek. She fell back. Patrick followed the hit with another. Her body went limp.

He rose from the ground, like a horrific goblin from a scary movie. Blood dripped from his busted lip. Dirt and pine needles coated his clothes. Breathing heavily, Patrick lifted his weapon. Inside her head, Claire was screaming for her muscles to move, but they refused.

A shadow shifted behind the mayor. “Drop it.”

Gavin’s voice was an answer to a heartfelt prayer. The clouds parted and a beam of moonlight reflected off the gun held to the back of the mayor’s head. She followed the arm holding it, lifted her gaze to the ranger’s fierce expression. Claire’s heart soared. She didn’t know how Gavin had found her in time, but he had.

Ryker came into view, his weapon also drawn. “It’s over. Drop the gun.”

Claire held her breath. There was a chance Patrick would still decide to pull the trigger. She could see the war waging inside him. Finally, resignation seeped into his eyes. Patrick released his fingers, and the weapon dropped to the ground.

Claire kicked it away with her foot. Ryker moved in, grabbed the mayor by the back of the neck, and forced him to the ground. Gavin didn’t shift his weapon away until the killer was handcuffed. Then he raced to Claire’s side. Blood coated his shirt and his complexion was pale, but he was alive.

“Where are you hurt?” Gavin’s hands ran over her face, smoothing away the strands of hair from her temple. The fear and concern in his eyes twisted her insides. She wanted to dive into his embrace and never let go, but now wasn’t the time.

Claire grabbed his arm. “Forget about me. Jacob’s on the boat. Alex drugged him, but I don’t know with what?—”

Gavin raced for the vessel. He disappeared inside the cabin and came out moments later, cradling Jacob in his strong arms. Claire’s heart tore at the look of anguish on Gavin’s face. She struggled to her feet. “No, no, please no.”

“He’s okay, Claire.” Gavin closed the distance between them. “He’s waking up.”

Relief rippled through her, threatening to weaken her knees and send her back to the ground. Tears ran down her face as she pressed a hand to her son’s cheek. Jacob’s eyes opened, his sleepy gaze fixing on her face. “Hi, Mommy.”

She showered him with kisses. Thank you, God, thank you.

Gavin wrapped his arm around her, tucking her close. Tears shimmered in his eyes. He brushed his lips across hers. “I love you, Claire.”

The world stopped, stealing Claire’s breath. There was no denying the truth. Her heart belonged to Gavin and always would. Claire met his gaze before returning his kiss. “I love you too.”