Page 49 of Snowed Inn For Christmas

Gage pressed the call button, and we waited as it rang on speakerphone.My knee bounced nervously beneath the table as we waited through several rings.

“I was wondering when you’d call,” Joel said, finally picking up.

“Where is my daughter?”I snarled, my whole body trembling as Gage rested his hand firmly on my knee to make it stop bouncing and to remind me to stay calm.“I want to talk to her.”I softened my tone the best I could as I sighed heavily.

“Our little Daisy is currently sleeping.She had quite the busy day.”

“I need to know she’s okay,” I said, trying to hide that I was crying.“Please.Show me that she’s okay.”

“You’ll just have to take my word for it.”

“I can’t do that.You know how much she means to me.Please, Joel.”

“She means a lot to me, too.I thought you knew that by now?There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do for my family, Julie.I’ve been taking care of Daisy since she was just a baby.What makes you think I wouldn’t take care of her now?”

“She needs her mother.She needs to be with me.Just please tell me where she is and I’ll come get her.”

“You and I both know that’s not how this is going to work.You can’t take something that’s mine away from me, Julie.I thought I made that clear?”

I covered my mouth as I cried, not knowing what else to say.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said, his tone changing to the menacing one I heard the night he attacked me.“Instead ofmecoming to findyou, why don’t you come find us instead?”

“I don’t even know where to begin,” I stammered.“Please, just tell me where she is.I promise there won’t be any trouble.I just want my daughter.”

“Not to worry, we’re closer than you think.You come find us, and if you bring anyone with you, I’ll put a bullet in your daughter’s head.Time is ticking.Tick tock.”

Then the line went dead.

Thirty-Three

Gage

“This is a terriblefucking idea,” I bit out, my body tense as I stared at Julie as she pulled her heavy winter jacket on.

Shortly after the phone call with Joel, Patrick and her parents returned from their walk and reported that it seemed someone was staying at one of the nearby cabins.Duke had gone wild, barking and yanking Patrick’s arm to try to get to the cabin, which left us all feeling confident that was where Daisy was.Not only that, but Joel had said they were close, which was helpful.It seemed his interest remained in having Julie and not just in kidnapping her daughter.