FOUR

Daniel glanced in the rearview mirror. Ellie was staring out the window into the night, her expression pensive as they turned out of the church parking lot. But there was something fragile beneath that controlled exterior, a contradiction to the rigid line of her shoulders.

The woman had secrets. That much Daniel was certain of.

But did they pertain to the attack on her and Owen?

He wasn’t sure. Considering their interaction at the church, it would be difficult to get Ellie to open up, but he had to try.

The more he learned about the attack at the church, the more concerned he became about Owen’s safety.

Daniel eased to a stop for a red light. He pointed toward the feed store at the corner. “My first job was at Jake’s. I was thirteen, hired to sweep floors and stock shelves on the weekend. It turned out to be a complete catastrophe.”

He caught Ellie’s gaze in the rearview mirror. She arched a brow in silent invitation for him to continue.

“One morning, I forgot to lock the back gate. Twenty-seven goats got loose, devouring several flowerbeds and nearly causing a three-car pileup before trotting straight down Main Street to interrupt the mayor’s reelection speech.”

Her mouth dropped open. “That was you! I’ve heard about the incident, but everyone described the kid responsible as just ‘the youngster’.”

He chuckled. “It was me all right. A photographer caught me mid-chase during the mayor’s speech.

The newspaper put it on the front page. My mom still has the clipping somewhere.

” The light turned green, and Daniel accelerated.

“Needless to say, I wasn’t allowed anywhere near the livestock after that. ”

He heard her faint chuckle and was pleased to see, when he glanced in the back seat, that the tension in her shoulders had eased. Daniel focused back on the road as he followed the GPS to Ellie’s subdivision. “How long have you lived in Silver Creek?”

“Three years.”

“Ah. Long enough to hear most of the folklore, including the great goat escapade.” Daniel combed through his brain, trying to remember the details his mom had shared about Ellie during their phone calls.

He suspected Marta was playing matchmaker at the time, and had tuned out most of it, but some things stuck.

“Before that, you lived in Austin, right? Is that where your folks are?”

“No. My parents passed shortly after I graduated college.”

Her tone was taut with a pain he recognized. Daniel briefly met her gaze in the rearview mirror. “I’m sorry to hear that. We lost my dad five years ago. It’s the kind of loss that stays with you.”

She nodded but didn't reply. Daniel reduced his speed for another red light just as Ellie laid her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes.

Her polite, nonverbal way of telling him to shut up.

Daniel was secretly amused by the tactic.

Ellie knew he was doing his best to put her at ease and then dig into her past. Her ability to anticipate his maneuvers…

her description of the perpetrators… the way she'd fought back during the attack…

If he didn't know any better, he'd peg her for a cop.

A whimper rose from the back seat. Ellie’s eyes instantly snapped open, and she bent over Owen’s car seat. “Shhh, sweet boy. It’s okay.”

The cry fell silent. Daniel pressed on the gas as the light changed. “Is Owen okay?”

“He cries out sometimes in his sleep. I always worry he’s having nightmares.” She sighed. “He’s been through a lot.”

Daniel hesitated and then said gently, “Mom mentioned he has a heart condition. She asked me to pray for Owen when he had surgery a few months back.”

Ellie gave a slight nod, her gaze dropping to the sleeping boy in the car seat. “He was born with Tetralogy of Fallot. It’s a congenital defect—four structural problems with the heart, all at once. It affects the way blood flows through the body, making it hard for him to get enough oxygen.”

Daniel’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “That sounds serious.”

“It is. Thankfully, Owen was strong enough to undergo a complete repair at seven months. He’ll never play professional sports, and he may need another surgery later in life, but for the most part, he’s perfectly fine now.

A bit delayed in his development, but that’s normal for TOF babies.

” She smiled down at Owen. “He started crawling only last month, but he’s already standing up on his own and doing his best to walk. ”

The love in her voice reached deep into Daniel's heart, squeezing it tight. Ellie might be keeping secrets, but her devotion to Owen was obvious. “He’s lucky to have you in his corner. What made you decide to become a foster mom?”

Ellie seemed to consider her next words carefully.

“Being a foster mom is an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself. Providing safety, love, and care to a child who—through no fault of their own—was put into a bad situation can change everything for them.” She glanced at Owen again.

“What I didn’t expect was how much it would make a difference in my life. ”

“The sleepless nights? The smelly diapers?”

She laughed. “Yes, that too. But Owen’s made me softer somehow, and he’s shown me there’s no limit in my capacity to love.” Ellie paused. “That sounds cheesy, doesn’t it?”

He chuckled. “It sounds like a mom.” Daniel waited a beat.

This avenue of conversation wasn’t revealing much about Ellie’s past, but it was giving him a sense of who she was.

And the more he saw, the more he liked. No wonder the entire town adored her.

“It couldn’t have been easy, taking on a sick baby by yourself. You weren’t scared?”

“I was terrified. Most people have nine months to prepare. I had two hours’ warning that Owen was coming home with me.

But once word got out that I had a newborn, my doorbell started ringing.

Marta brought over clothes and babysat so I could catch a catnap.

Virginia organized a few ladies at church to pop in and clean my house, and the sewing circle made enough casseroles to fill my freezer two times over.

Everyone in Silver Creek adores Owen, and I’m grateful we have so many good people around us. ”

She grew quiet and pensive, her gaze drifting to the window and the trees lining the side of the country road. A stiffness in her jaw indicated she was thinking the same thing Daniel was. His voice was sympathetic as he said, “It makes the attack today even more shocking.”

“Yes.” She tilted her head to one side. “How long have you been with the Texas Rangers?”

“Twelve years. I worked for the Criminal Investigations Division before that, specializing in organized crime.”

Daniel let that settle between them as he turned into a neighborhood filled with cookie-cutter style homes.

It was one of the newer developments in Silver Creek.

There was a sprawling park, a swimming pool, a cabana for hosting events, and bike paths.

Mature trees lined the sidewalk, providing shade in the summer.

Ellie’s house was at the end of a cul-de-sac. It was one story with a tiny front porch and neatly trimmed grass. Her porch light was on, illuminating a hanging plant next to her front door. Daniel pulled into the driveway and killed the engine. He twisted in his seat to face her.

“Based on my experience investigating organized crime, snatching children off the streets is rare. Human trafficking rings prefer easy marks. Homeless teens they can turn into baby-making machines, for example. They prey on those who can’t defend themselves, and as a general rule, don’t want to call too much attention to themselves.

Kidnapping a medically challenged child in broad daylight in the middle of a church parking lot…

it doesn’t fit the mold.” He met her gaze in the semi-darkness.

Held it. “This feels personal. So I need to know, are you involved in something criminal? Is there any reason someone would want to hurt you by kidnapping Owen?”

Ellie’s eyes narrowed, just slightly. “No.” Her voice was steady, but a flicker of hurt crossed her face. “There’s nothing in this world I love more than Owen. If I thought for one moment this had something to do with me, I would tell you.”

Sincerity coated every word. Daniel believed her but couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to the kidnapping. “Could be an ex-boyfriend, maybe.”

She snorted in reply. “I haven’t dated in years.

Trust me, none of my exes are paying attention to anything I’m doing.

” Ellie’s hand went to the door handle, but then she paused and her voice grew quiet.

“I know it’s farfetched, but I believe those men were hired to kidnap Owen.

Why? I can’t say. The only thing that makes any sense is that someone wants him.

It could be a woman who can’t have a child.

Or a baby-selling ring. Most crimes follow patterns, but there are exceptions. ”

“And you know this because of all the research you do for your mystery books.” His tone was dry, and Daniel didn’t even attempt to hide his sarcasm.

Ellie didn’t even blink. “Yep.”

The woman could lie. He’d give her that. There wasn’t even a flicker of hesitation in her expression. It certainly made his job a lot harder. Daniel believed she had Owen’s best interests at heart, but he wasn’t entirely sure she was seeing the case clearly.

Before he could formulate another question, Ellie opened the door and hopped out of the vehicle. Within seconds, she had the car seat free too.

He grabbed the diaper bag and joined her on the walkway.

The night air was crisp, the temperature dropping quickly now that evening was settling in.

A car engine roared on a nearby street, sending a jolt of awareness through Daniel's nerves. Something was wrong. He placed a hand on Ellie’s arm, stopping her before she reached the porch.

“Wait.” Daniel scanned the property, trying to figure out what had triggered his instincts.

That’s when he noticed the shattered windowpane just beyond the glow of the porch light. The diaper bag hit the ground with a thump as he pulled his weapon from its holster.

Someone had broken into Ellie’s house.

And they might still be inside.

Lying in wait.