Chapter 19
19
T iny specks of snow dotted the windshield, and the wipers charged to life as Heath sat in the back of Owen’s cruiser. Twilight crept in, the sun racing toward the edge of the earth. Deep purple, the color of Clara’s bruises, covered the sky.
His gut wrenched at the thought of her. She’d clung to him before he’d left her behind, but as hard as it’d been to walk away, it was the right decision. She was safe at the sheriff’s station with enough security to keep Mitch away and a deputy on guard just in case.
Unease skittered down Heath’s spine as he ran over the plan on repeat in his head. He’d been a sheriff’s deputy for years and had been on countless task forces. He’d done everything from taking down bad guys to rescuing kittens in trees, but he’d never been so terrified as they drove behind the other unmarked cars toward an unknown location in the middle of the woods.
His phone rang, and Clara’s number on his screen was no surprise. If he was a ball of nerves, she was a strobing disco ball about to explode. He drew in a steadying breath then answered. “Hey.”
“Sorry,” Clara said. “I know you left a few minutes ago but I’m going out of my mind. Where are you?”
“Owen, Tommy, Sadie and I are a few miles outside of town. Agent Tinsdale is ahead of us with two more FBI agents.”
“I know I can’t be there, it sucks, but I get it. Can you at least tell me the plan again? Give me something to focus on to help me calm down?”
He replayed it through his mind quickly, wanting to get the details straight. “Owen and I will park at the front of the house, far enough away that no one inside can see us, while Tinsdale drives to the back of the property.”
“How can she park in the back of the property if it’s in the woods?” Clara asked.
He shrugged even though she couldn’t see him. “The property isn’t too big, and there’s an old mining road that cuts across the back of it. That’s her best bet. Once we’re all in position, we’ll move in, flanking the house from all sides.” The more he spoke, the more relaxed his muscles became. He’d trained for this, knew how to operate under the extreme stress and emotion.
“If children are in the house, if they’re being held there, how do you get them out without anyone being hurt?”
He hated the fear weighing down her voice, hated even more that he didn’t have an answer that would erase that fear. “Hopefully once we sneak up to the house, we can gain a better understanding of what’s going on inside and determine their locations to the best of our ability. With six armed lawmen, we can move efficiently. While they’re handling any obstacles, I’ll search for the children.”
“And what if they use the children as shields? Or they run? Or they’re armed and decide they’d rather take out as many people as possible, including themselves, rather than be tried for their crimes?”
“Tommy will be outside, keeping watch and alert us if anyone is outside the house or takes off running. As for the other stuff…” he squeezed his eyes shut for a beat, wishing he had an answer. “All I can promise is that we’re highly trained professionals. Our intent is to get everyone out safely. And I promise you, I would give my own life to protect Davey and Avery.”
She sniffled. “I don’t know what I did to deserve to have you walk into my life, but when this is all over, I hope you know how lucky I feel to have you beside me and my kids.”
Her words warmed a cold, dark place inside him. He longed to tell her how hard he’d fallen for her months ago, but he had to stay focused. Had to keep his mind sharp and thoughts squared solely on the mission ahead.
But when Davey and Avery where safely home, he couldn’t wait to let down all his walls and see what a future with Clara and her kids would bring.
“Tinsdale needs a few minutes to get in place,” Owen said, breaking into his moment with Clara. “Tommy’s jumping out in a second. He wants to find a good spot to keep watch. If we’re lucky, he’ll be able to give us some intel on what to expect inside.”
Emotion wedged inside Heath’s throat. “I’ve got to go. Keep your phone on you. As soon as I get a chance to let you know what’s going on, I’ll either call or text you. Don’t be too worried if it takes some time. We’ll move slowly and with intention. Like Tinsdale said before, no rushing in first and thinking later.”
“You’re a fool if you don’t think I’m already worried half to death. The terror lodged in my soul hasn’t left since those kids were ripped away from me, and it won’t leave until I know they’re safe. I trust you to take care of them. To bring them home.”
Her faith in him chipped away at the wall of steel he’d erected to keep his nerves steady and emotions in check. He wished he could cup her jaw, kiss her mouth. “I’ll do everything I can. I promise. You just think about all the fun things we’ll do together once they’re home.”
“Be careful,” Clara said before the line went dead.
“All right,” Owen said, shifting to gain a good visual of everyone in the car. “Tommy, you head into the woods. Use your communicator if you spot anything we should know before approaching the front of the house.”
Tommy nodded in acknowledgment.
“Me and the others will head in through the front while the feds hit the back door,” Owen continued. “We take down any threats while Heath’s priority is searching for the children. Medics are on standby. We don’t know what we’ll find inside, but we don’t want to alert anyone that we’re here. If there are minors who need immediate medical attention, they will be transported directly to the county hospital. Anyone else will be taken to the shelter. It’s close and Mrs. Collins has volunteers and medical professionals waiting. At the very least, these children will be scared and need a safe, comforting place to stay while the feds sort out who they are and where they need to go.”
Heath’s stomach turned but he couldn’t get bogged down in the what ifs. It was his job to save whoever needed saving and provide whatever help he could. His own emotions would be dealt with later.
“I’m heading out,” Tommy said. “Keep in contact.” He slipped out and slinked through the trees.
A few minutes later, Heath followed suit. He checked his sidearm one more time, gave Owen one last look, then disappeared into the darkness of the forest.
* * *
Clara slumped in her chair in the conference room and closed her eyes. She could venture into the waiting room and search for something a little more comfortable, but what was the point? Nothing about this situation would bring her comfort until she got the call from Heath that he’d found the kids and they were safe.
She wished she could escape into the darkness of her mind and make believe none of this was real. That every ache and pain in her body wasn’t a constant reminder that her world had been bounced around like a damn basketball, leaving her unsteady. That her life had gone from filled with wonderful possibilities to the deepest pit of hell in the snap of the fingers of whatever deity would allow something so horrible to happen.
On a whoosh of breath, she opened her eyes and let her head fall to the hard table. She couldn’t hide from her reality. Not when the horrors of her experience paled in comparison to what possibly waited in the house that was about to be raided.
The shrill sound of her ringing phone cut through the silence of the room and sent her heart rate higher than her spiraling anxiety. Laura’s face appeared on the screen and loosened a bit of tension holding her hostage.
Needing to keep her eyes on the screen so she wouldn’t miss any texts from Heath, she answered but engaged the speaker option. “Hey,” she said, propping her head in her hand.
“Any news?”
Clara sighed, sending spikes of pain rippling up her side. “Not yet. Heath and the other deputies just headed to the house. I’m sitting at the sheriff’s station. Waiting. Wishing. Praying.”
“We’re all praying,” Laura said.
“My stomach’s in knots. As much as I want Davey and Avery to be inside, to be so close to holding them in my arms and bringing them home, another part of me is terrified that they’re really in there.”
“What do you mean?”
A chill swept over her despite the heat pumping from the overhead vent. “If this house holds what the FBI believes, the children inside have experienced some of the worst travesties imaginable. If Davey and Avery were put through any of that, if anyone t—” A sob stole the rest of her words.
“Don’t go there,” Laura said. “What matters is getting them away from Mitch and back to their mother. We’ll take the next steps as they come. There’s no reason to think the worst. Not yet, okay?”
Clara sniffed back her tears. “Okay. You’re right. I need to focus on the positive and hope for the best. Thank you for calming me down and being there for me. For us. I’m so used to being on my own, being the only one fighting for me and the kids. Having everyone charge forward and fight to bring my babies homes means so damn much to me.”
“Honey, we all love you and those kids. We’d do anything for you. You have already been through so much. They’ll come home safe and sound and one day this will be like one bad dream. Until then, keep praying and keep hoping for this to be over soon.”
“I have no choice but to do both.”
“Let me know when you have any news. I’ll pass the word on from there.”
She thanked her friend again and disconnected. As much as she appreciated Laura checking in, she didn’t have the bandwidth to focus on anything other than what was happening deep within the woods.
Sweat coated her palms, and she willed Heath to call. The clock on the wall ticked away the seconds. She tapped her toe against the thin carpet. Every instinct yelled at her to run past the deputy sitting in the bullpen and out of this stupid building—run to find her children. Her arms were empty, her heart shattered, and she was sitting around with idle hands.
Drawing in a deep breath through her nose and out her mouth, she attempted to calm her nerves.
No, she had to stay put. Leaping into action could put everyone she loved in danger.
She stilled, her brain latching onto her last thought.
Everyone she loved.
No, she didn’t love Heath. That wasn’t possible. She liked him a lot. Respected and appreciated him. She loved watching him with her children and knowing she could depend on him, loved the way he made her laugh and created lasting memories she’d cherish forever.
Did that mean she was in love with him?
A beat of excitement pulsed through the terror encapsulating her body. Her feelings for Heath had come on so fast she’d barely had time to sort through them. No way could she figure them out now, but all she knew for sure was she was falling hard. She’d wade through her emotions once she could actually wrap her mind around anything other than her kids.
Her phone buzzed in her lap, and she jumped. Her fingers trembled as she picked it up and read the message from Elsie.
Hi Clara. Mila and I are thinking of you. Let us know if there’s anything we can do.
She appreciated all the support from her village, but each ring or buzz shot her heart through the roof. Disappointment shoved her back against the leather chair.
Another buzz vibrated her phone, but the number was unknown. Frowning, she opened the message and fear fisted her throat as she stared at photos of herself entering the sheriff’s station.
Another message had her heart pounding.
Your boyfriend has it all wrong. I still have the brats. If you want to see them alive, you’ll come outside now. I’m parked out front. Don’t do anything stupid. I’m watching you.
She leapt from her seat and dashed for the door then stopped. As much as she wanted to race outside to her kids, her brain screamed to slow down. To think. To not fall into some stupid trap Mitch had set. She glanced around the room.
No windows.
Mitch might have seen her entering the station but there was no way for him to see what she did next. Her entire being ached to call Heath but he had to keep his focus on the mission. Even if Mitch had Davey and Avery, other children’s lives were at risk. With shaking fingers, she dialed the station’s main line, knowing she’d reach the young man tasked with keeping her safe. At this hour, the sheriff was home and all on-duty deputies were searching for Mitch, while a handful of others assisted the FBI.
“Sheriff’s department,” the young deputy sitting at his desk said.
“Silas, it’s Clara. Don’t look this way.” She stared through the doorway to the bullpen, willing the young man to listen.
Silas stiffened at his desk but kept his gaze forward. “What’s going on?”
“I got a text from Mitch. He said he has the kids and wants me outside. He knows I’m here and says he’ll kill them if I don’t come out.” Her words were choppy, and her teeth chattered from fear.
“Stay put. I’ll handle this.” Silas stood and snatched his gun from the harness.
Clara walked to the door and watched, hating the all too familiar feeling of helplessness weighing her down.
Silas disappeared around the corner, and she watched the clock. If she’d made the wrong call, if Mitch hurt the kids because she didn’t comply, she’d never forgive herself.
Gunfire rang in her ears, and she fell to the floor. She slammed the door closed and crawled behind the chair she’d occupied. Indecision tore through her. Her mind ran over her options, but they were all so limited. The mace she’d stuffed in the pocket of her jeans when Heath left was no match against bullets.
She held her breath and prayed Silas would come back inside. She grabbed her phone but the door to the conference room banged open. Mitch stood in the doorway, a silver weapon aimed at her head and a smirk lifting one corner of his mouth.
“Stupid woman. I knew exactly what you’d do. Stand up and get your ass outside now before somebody else gets shot.”