Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Buck didn’t like this. Not at all. Two more days had gone by since they’d learned about little Bibi’s death. Mandy was hanging on, but he could see the stress and sadness in her eyes, her body language, her very essence.
Even though he’d told her not to feel guilty, that nothing Blair had done was her fault, that there was no possible way she could have known of Blair’s mental illness when she’d expressed interest in adopting Bibi…
the child’s death was weighing on her. He wished he could help her more, ease her pain.
But unfortunately, all he could do was hold her at night and keep reminding her that he was there.
That Tex and the police would find Blair. That everything would be all right.
But that was the thing—he didn’t know if it would be all right. He had a bad feeling that danger was lurking just out of sight. That something was about to happen. His gut was screaming to lock Mandy away and not let her out until Blair was found.
But Mandy was a sociable person. An extrovert. She needed to be around people to be happy. She was in her element when she was with others. Caring for them. Teaching them.
She’d received word that she’d gotten the long-term subbing job at the school on the naval base. She was thrilled, but knowing she was supposed to start in two weeks just added more stress to her shoulders, because of their current situation.
She was worried about the kids. If Blair wasn’t found by the time she started teaching, would the children be in danger?
Would her fellow teachers? Would Blair be able to get on the Navy base?
It was unlikely, but then again, being kidnapped and taken into the rainforest had also seemed unlikely.
As had everything else that happened. Mandy knew better than most not to take her safety, or the safety of those around her, for granted.
So Buck took Mandy and Rain to the base with him every morning, left them in the hangar with Laryn, and went to his meetings.
It was awful. This constant worry hanging over his head. It was all-consuming, hoping Mandy was all right, that they wouldn’t get any more bad news. He’d spoken with Tex a couple times in the last two days, but the man had nothing to report. He had a few leads but nothing concrete yet.
It was frustrating…yet, Buck wouldn’t change anything about his life and the direction it had taken in the last couple of months. Because doing so would mean he wouldn’t have Mandy in his life. And there was nothing, no amount of stress or worry, that would make him regret that. He loved her.
But there was no way he could tell her yet. It was too soon, and the last thing he wanted was to add another heavy emotion on top of her stress and grief, or give her second thoughts about their relationship if she wasn’t on the same page.
Buck knew what he felt though. Every morning when he woke up with Mandy in his arms, in his bed, he thanked his lucky stars that she was with him.
She could have any man she wanted. She was beautiful, smart, compassionate, funny…
why the hell she was with him, he had no idea.
But he wasn’t going to fuck things up, no way.
He knew what he had, and was determined to make her life better as much as possible.
The time would come for him to say the words in his heart.
To introduce her to his family. His mom and dad would absolutely love her.
They’d take one look at Mandy and steal her away to monopolize all her time.
Natalie would be a touch more cautious, but it wouldn’t take his woman long to win her over, as well.
And his niece and nephew would be drawn to her like moths to a flame.
She was fantastic with kids, and his sister’s children would be no exception.
She’d fit in with his family as if she’d always been a part of them, of that Buck was certain. But he had to bide his time, be patient. Not overwhelm her. She’d already been accepted by his Night Stalker family. His biological one could wait just a little longer.
She and Laryn had gotten even closer over the last week or so.
Whenever Laryn took a break, she’d sit with Mandy and Rain, spoiling the dog without any guilt.
Buck had been surprised when Mandy told him they’d had a conversation one afternoon about what Laryn had been through in Turkey.
About her kidnapping. To his knowledge, she hadn’t talked that much about her experience to anyone, not even Casper.
So that she’d opened up to Mandy was a big deal.
He assumed it was because she and Mandy shared the experience of being taken against their will. They’d bonded over a similar emotional trauma. He hated that either woman had gone through what they had, but he was beyond relieved that Mandy and Laryn were getting along so well.
Now it was Saturday, and instead of enjoying a day alone with his woman, Buck had attended an unexpected meeting at the base right after lunch.
Something that couldn’t wait until Monday, as new intel had come in about the mission they’d be sent on soon.
He’d brought Mandy and Rain with him, as usual, and left them in one of the empty conference rooms down the hall from where he and his fellow pilots were gathered.
He rejoined her hours later, and they headed straight back to his apartment.
Now Mandy was sitting on the couch, quieter than usual, and Buck was desperate to do something, anything, to cheer her up.
She had to be sick to death of the four walls of his apartment, and sitting around doing nothing while he was at work.
She’d been working on lesson plans for her upcoming sub job, but that couldn’t occupy all her time.
He’d just made the decision to get her out of the apartment, to take her out for dinner, when his phone rang.
Mandy looked up with a concerned frown on her face, which Buck hated. Didn’t like that every time his cell rang, she assumed the worst. That he was either being deployed, or whoever was on the other end would bring more bad news about Blair.
“Hello? Yes, she’s here. Okay, hang on.”
It was Tex. He’d asked if Mandy was nearby, and if so, requested Buck put the phone on speaker.
He would’ve preferred to know what Tex wanted to tell them first, before he shared it with Mandy.
He could only hope the man had good news, and that was why he was so insistent on Mandy hearing it first-hand.
“Can you hear me?” Tex asked.
“Yes, we’re both here and can hear you just fine,” Buck said, pulling Mandy in front of him and linking his fingers together at her belly, resting his chin on her shoulder. His phone sat on the counter, and he stared at it intently, praying Tex was about to tell them that Blair had been found.
“One of the men involved in your kidnapping was arrested in Guyana last night,” Tex said, not beating around the bush. “And he’s talking.”
That was good news. Buck’s hopes rose.
“Basically your instincts were dead on, Mandy. Blair Gaffney was behind the raid at the school. She wanted you gone. Ranted and raved about what a horrible person you were. How you were trying to take over her job. Said you were turning the children and the other employees and volunteers against her.”
Mandy inhaled sharply. “That’s not true!” she exclaimed.
“Of course it isn’t,” Tex said calmly. “But in her declining mental state, I’m guessing she truly believed it.
The man—who was arrested for being in Guyana illegally—said that Blair wanted you taken, and she agreed they could take the older boys as well, as part of their payment.
She was well aware that boys were often taken away from their families and forced to join the rebel army.
He said the boys were supposed to be separated from the others, but when they arrived, the children were all together instead. So they just took them all.”
“But they didn’t even seem particularly interested in me at first,” Mandy protested. “Not until one of the men grabbed me. I thought it was because I refused to make little Bibi let go of me, when they were separating the kids from the adults.”
“I’m just telling you what the man said.
All I know is that Blair was behind it. In addition to the older boys, she paid them funds from the orphanage as well.
And apparently she was highly agitated when you showed up again.
When the children were returned, she was thrilled.
She’d gotten them back, which made the orphanage look both sympathetic and triumphant, but you were still gone.
It was the perfect outcome for her. But then you came back.
I think that’s when something in her snapped, and she lost what little common sense she still had. ”
“Have you found her?” Buck asked, feeling sick inside at the confirmation that the woman had hated Mandy so much, she’d actually arranged for her to be kidnapped by dangerous rebels.
She had to know what would happen. That Mandy would’ve been assaulted and eventually killed.
And yet, she’d knowingly paid to make it happen…
and used children as part of the payment. It was disgusting.
Tex sighed. “No. I did figure out how she got into the country with the little girl. She paid off a mule to smuggle them both in through a checkpoint in Juarez. They crossed at a busy time and were hidden inside a trunk. It was just bad luck that they weren’t discovered.
Blair then bought a used car—again with funds she’d stolen from the school—and drove east.”
“So you know what kind of car she’s in,” Buck said, desperately trying to find a bright side to this phone call.
“We know what kind of car she was in,” Tex corrected. “The car was found abandoned at the same park where Bibi’s body was found.”
“Shit,” Buck muttered.