Page 162 of Noel Secrets

“There’s a BOLO on your vehicle from the Sheraton Police Department. They want a welfare check on you.” He glanced at the man in vehicle. “Do you need help?”

Oh boy, did she. But even more, she needed to reach David. She forced herself to give him a comfortable smile. “I’m fine, officer.”

“Who is that man with you?”

“Just a friend. We’re taking a trip. Everything’s fine.”

His eyes narrowed as he gazed at her, clearly trying to figure her out. “Stay here, please.”

He walked back to Darby’s rental car. He leaned in and spoke with her passenger. He over his driver’s license. “I’ll call this in,” he said as he walked back to his police vehicle.

Darby stopped him. “Officer…?”

“Turner,” he supplied.

“Officer Turner, we’re in a big hurry. We’re picking up my son at Silver Lake Camp and we’re already running late. Please, he’s only eleven. You have my word. Everything is fine.”

He thought for a moment then agreed, handing her the license. “Okay, give this back to your friend. You’re free to go.”

She hurried back to the car and slid behind the wheel. “Here’s your license back,” she told him. “Everything’s fine.”

He took it and slid it back into his pocket. “It’s a fake anyway. You did good.”

“Let’s get going. I want to see my son.”

She pulled back onto the road, breathing a sigh of relief that that officer hadn’t insisted on keeping them any longer. The person holding David might get tired of waiting and harm him.

She prayed the entire time. She’d done her best to depend on God, but even through the threats on her life, she’d struggled to believe everything was going to be okay. But trusting Him was so difficult when her son’s life was at risk.

A few more miles up the road, her companion instructed her to turn off. She made a right into a different campground, one with RV set ups and cabins scattered about. She followed his directions to a cabin. The place was isolated and the park nearly deserted at this time of year.

“Park in front,” he instructed.

She pulled to a stop then put the car into park, whispering a prayer that David was safe inside. Her heart pounded as he exited the vehicle, grabbing the suitcase and motioning her out too. He led her up the steps to a cabin. The door was slightly ajar when she lifted her hand to knock. He shoved her inside.

Darby stumbled into the cabin’s darkness. No lights were on but the sun filtered in from the windows. Through that little bit of light plus the sun coming from the door, she spotted a small figure in the corner and heard sobbing.

“David,” she cried, running across the floor to him.

“Mom?” His voice was questioning then ecstatic. “Mom.”

She pulled him into her arms and hugged him tightly, checking him over injuries. He didn’t otherwise appear to be hurt but his tear-stained-face and trembling shoulders told her how frightened he’d been. Anger flowed through her at the thought of someone doing this to him just to get back at her. “Are you okay?”

He wrapped his arms around her and clung to her. “I was so scared. I chased after a ball into the woods, and someone grabbed me.” His voice cracked with sobs. “Mom, I want to go home.”

The door slammed and she glanced back at the man who’d brought her here. The suitcase sat at his feet. He clicked on a light, and only then did she realize there was another person in the room with them.

“Hello, Darby,” the female voice said, her lips spreading into a big smile as she covered them both with the gun in her hand.

Darby hadn’t recognized the man who’d jumped into her car. But she recognized his partner.

Suzanne Crompton.

Chapter Sixteen

“Suzanne! You’re the one behind this? You kidnapped my son?”

“He’s fine.” She reached down and slid the suitcase closer to her. Her eyes widened then her face broke out into a grin at seeing the cash.