Her Lifeline: (A Romantic Suspense) (13 page)

Chapter Thirteen

Nick stopped at a gas station near the bar he had first met John at. He didn’t need gas, but wanted to double check the address Amelia had wrote down for him. He wasn’t too familiar with the neighborhoods, but since the town was small, finding it wouldn’t be a challenge. He thumbed the yellow paper, staring down at the address for a few seconds. His nerves were getting the best of him. He had been on multiple combat missions, but for some reason, this was getting to him. Anything involving a child did. He had quick flashbacks of the private who let a child get the best of him too.

Closing his eyes, Nick heard the gunshots ring out, followed by the explosion that ended the young soldier’s life. Gripping the steering wheel, he took a deep breath to try and compose himself. Now was not the time to lose it. Opening his wallet, he flipped to a picture of Amelia he had taken a few weeks back, next to her horse, her smile beautiful as the sunlight hit her olive complexion just right. The photograph held an instant calming effect for Nick, and his daydream dissipated.

He nodded at a couple of women who passed by the truck, looking in at him as they walked by. Were they concerned for him? Did they know he was up to something? He was paranoid. They probably just didn’t recognize him.

No more stalling. Amelia was waiting on him. Mr. Tucker was too. There was no telling what poor Noah was going through. Merging the truck back out onto the street, he searched for Magnolia Street. Slowing, he found the road he needed, and made a right turn. He was on the two-hundred block and needed five-hundred. The numbers on the houses were getting smaller, so he made a quick U turn and headed the other direction. The three-hundred block approached, four-hundred, and now, the block he needed.

The house would be on the left side, and Nick felt his clammy palms slide on the steering wheel. If someone were there, would they recognize his truck? Pulling his hat low, he tried to make the brim hide his face better. The house was right across the street from him, so he pulled to the curb and shut the engine off. Waiting, he tried to see if anyone was home, but the place looked vacant. A heavy feeling settled inside of him.
Where could they be?

Getting out of the truck, he grabbed the handgun and slipped it inside his waistband. He’d have to leave the shotgun for now. He didn’t want to tip any neighbors off, but at least the magazine held fifteen bullets.
Fifteen bullets.
Was he overreacting?

Nick walked up the sidewalk, attempting to keep a steady pace. There were a few people out and about, but they were all minding their own business, oblivious to the fact that he was here, ready to take out anyone who stood in his way of getting Noah back.

The porch steps creaked and he hurried up to prevent any clue that someone was outside. The front window was closed and made it impossible for Nick to see inside. Leaning against the door, he held his breath and tried to stay as quiet as he could. Maybe there was a TV on, but it was completely silent.

Maybe they weren’t in the living room. Rounding the corner of the house, he walked toward the backyard, but stopped in his tracks when he heard voices and a couple of car doors shut. Where would he hide? He needed a place where he could see who it was.

Ducking into some bushes, he still had a clear view of the front porch. It was John and he was fumbling with his keys as he talked on his phone. Nick tried to lean in to hear, but if he moved any closer out of the bush, he’d definitely be spotted. Where was Noah? He wasn’t with John at that moment, but that didn’t mean anything.

“Yeah. I’m just stopping off at my house right quick. Don’t worry, no one is here. No one has a clue.”

John was about to go inside, hindering any chance of Nick hearing any more of the conversation, but instead, leaned against the porch railing as he continued to talk with whoever was on the other line. Nick was glad he was so careless. With how loud and open he was, he was either arrogant to think he wouldn’t get caught, or just stupid. Either way, hopefully Nick would get some good information. Doubt crossed his mind. What if John had nothing to do with the kidnapping? What if he was being careless on the phone because he really didn’t have anything to hide? No, Nick couldn’t play mind games with himself. His instincts were telling him otherwise.

“Let me grab a few things and I’ll be on my way. Give me like ten minutes and I’ll head over.”

John hung the phone up and went inside. Nick fought the urge to follow, but he couldn’t blow his cover. If he confronted him now, John might never reveal where Noah was. Instead, Nick planned on following him. With as careless as John was being, he’d slip up soon. 

Crawling out of the bushes, he stayed low as he ran back to his truck. Thankfully, the sun was going down, aiding in him staying concealed just enough. Lowering himself in the truck seat, he kept an eye on the house. John’s car was parked right in front and Nick memorized the license plate for safe measure.

He had to be patient. This was for Amelia and Noah. That was enough inspiration to fuel Nick’s desire to catch these sons of bitches and get the boy home where he belonged.

***

Amelia couldn’t stop pacing. She continuously checked her phone to make sure that the signal was fine and that she somehow hadn’t missed a call or text. Nick had only been gone about forty-five minutes, but she still had to wonder what was going on. Her imagination was driving her crazy – what if they kidnapped him too? What if he was shot dead in a ditch somewhere? What was happening to Noah and would she see her beautiful boy again?

A chill shot down her spine. She was tempted to call John and play it cool. She could discuss the next time he was scheduled to take Noah for the weekend, but she was a terrible liar. He’d see right through her and it would be a big enough clue to spook him.

She smoothed her hands down her hair and jumped when her dad came into the kitchen. “Nothing yet?”

“Nothing yet,” she replied, eyeing the clock. “Do you think Nick should’ve gone into town?”

“Yes. You know Sheriff Grady is back at the station twiddling his thumbs.”

“It’s just sad that we have to take the initiative to get things rolling. And Nick at that. He didn’t sign on for this.”

Her father sat beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in for a tight hug. “He didn’t sign on to fall in love, either, and it happened just the same.”

“All of the drama I’ve caused him, you’d think he’d say to hell with it and be on his way.”

“That’s how I know he’s a good man,” he replied. “A man who truly loves a woman takes on her entire life. Her problems become his problems too. If Nick didn’t love you, he’d have hit the road. Instead, he’s out there looking for Noah. Stop beating yourself up about it. Nothing could ever make him
not
do what he’s doing.”

“Are John and Chris capable of killing a person?” She hated to think that the father of her child would do something so evil, but as the years passed, the less she knew him.

“I can’t answer that. All I know is money makes people greedy. It makes them do things they usually wouldn’t do. And Chris wants his money. I’m not sure how John got involved, but I’m sure the money has clouded his mind as well.”

Amelia stood up again, unable to sit still. The uncertainty was enough to make her want to scream, and it was strange not having Nick and Noah at the house. Usually they’d be getting ready to have supper. Now, it was her and her father, alone, in a quiet house where the second hand on the clock seemed to tick louder than she could ever remember.

“I hope my boys get home safe. Please, let Noah and Nick make it back to us.” Her voice quivered, and the tears flowed, the moisture warm as it trickled to her lips.

Chapter Fourteen

Nick was starting to wonder if John was on to him. It had been over ten minutes and he hadn’t come out of his house yet. Looking at his watch again, he debated on moving his truck in fear of being spotted. Just as he went for his keys, John came out of his house, taking his porch steps two at a time. His heart skipped a beat and he allowed a bit of distance between John’s car and his own as he merged out onto the road.

Traffic was light, so staying back was proving to be a bit of a challenge. Hopefully John would be just as careless with watching his back as he was with his conversation on the phone. Maybe he did know Nick was following him, but his driving behavior didn’t show that. Before he knew it, they were on the other side of town, headed out into the country. The road began to wind and the trees grew thicker, playing in Nick’s favor. He didn’t want to be too fast, but if he slowed any more, there was a chance John would turn off on a side road and he’d miss him.

Past finding out where they were going, Nick didn’t have much of a plan. What was he going to do when they got there? Hopefully it would all play out smoothly, but his gut was telling him differently.

He allowed John to get farther up the road, and noticed he finally turned off onto a dirt road. Taking his time, Nick followed, keeping a comfortable distance. The vehicles were kicking up dusts and he hoped that would skew John’s rear view. Pulling to the side, Nick saw a house farther up on a hill. John continued, parking under a carport next to another car. Was that the Mercedes that Chris had driven out to Annie’s ranch? How many of those types of cars were in this area?

He stayed parked a few more minutes, giving them some time to settle in so he could catch them off guard. The handgun was still in his waistband and he grabbed the shotgun from under the seat, leaving the truck on the side of the road. They’d hear the engine if he pulled up any closer, so he jogged the rest of the way up, his adrenaline providing enough energy to make it.

Nick stopped behind a pile of wood. Taking a deep breath, he tried not to think about the situation. He doubted himself again, wondering if they even had Noah inside, but what else could this be? Crouching, he started across the yard when a gunshot rang out, echoing against the nearby hills. Another crack rang his ears, and a sharp pain hit him in the leg, right in the thigh. Falling, his head hit the ground and his vision grew black for a few seconds.

No, this couldn’t happen like this. Gritting his teeth, Nick fought through the pain and didn’t look down at his injury. If he saw how bad it was, his mind would play tricks on him. Crawling, he was able to get behind a tree and get his first look at who was shooting him.

Both Chris and John were on the porch, guns pointed right at Nick. Reaching in his pocket, he grabbed his phone and sent Amelia a text. He wasn’t able to type fast enough as more shots hit the tree, splintering pieces of the trunk around him. All he was able to send was, “
Call police. At a house on rural road twenty on the west side of town.”
Pocketing his phone, he tried to think of a way to get out of this. He finally looked at his leg. Blood soaked through his jeans and he winced at the sight. It wasn’t as bad as he thought, but he also hadn’t taken his clothes off to see the bullet hole.

“You follow me here, you son of a bitch?” John yelled out. “You think I didn’t know?”

“Let Noah go!”

“Or what? From the looks of your blood trail, we hit you. What are you gonna do now, soldier?”

He hoped Amelia got his text. His phone buzzed, but he wasn’t able to check it. He heard footsteps, and when he looked up again, John was approaching. Pointing the shotgun, he aimed at him, but didn’t shoot. Chris was nowhere to be found, and he had to make sure they didn’t take him somewhere else.

John smiled. “Well, looks like you came prepared, didn’t you?”

“Let him go,” Nick said, his throat dry as he stared up at Amelia’s ex. “Let Noah go.”

“You’re gonna shoot me? Then what?”

How long would the police take? Nick wasn’t sure how long he could hold them off. They had no restraint in shooting – his leg was proof of that. What would stop them from taking him out into the woods and finishing him off? He kept the gun trained on John, still unwilling to lower it.

“It’ll be one step closer to getting Noah back.”

John shook his head and looked back at the house. “No, you won’t shoot me. If you did, Noah would be next.”

“You’d do that to your own kid?” Nick couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Chris would.”

Just as if they had planned it, Chris stepped out on the porch with Noah in front of him. The child looked terrified, and Nick tried to stand up to get to him. Just as he did, his leg gave out, and he crashed back to the ground, but was still able to hold the shotgun up.

“Lower the gun!” Chris yelled, and kept Noah in front of him. “Lower the gun or you’re both dead. How’d Amelia handle it then? I’m serious when I say I want my money! Get me my money!”

Nick looked right at Noah. If he put the gun down, he was dead anyway, but maybe they’d at least spare the kid’s life. How would he know that for certain? He couldn’t allow for anything to happen to him, and though it was against everything he wanted to do, the shotgun fell to the dirt beneath him. He still had the handgun, but what good would that do?

John kneeled beside him and put pressure on his wound. Pain seared through Nick, and his head fell back as the other man kept his hand pressed hard against it. Letting out a groan, he opened his eyes, staring him down. Sweat dripped down and his body shook from the sudden shock.

“You’re a piece of shit, John. You do this to your own kid for money.” It came out in pants, but John understood him completely.

“No, you got that all wrong, soldier. I’m doing this for custody. Chris is doing it or money. When I found out he was after her for payment, it was the perfect plan. Use Noah for leverage and I get custody. She’ll do anything for that damn ranch. I’ve got her right where I want her.”

Nick tried to keep him talking. Maybe if he sent him off on a tangent, the police would get here. Would Sheriff Grady take this seriously? Amelia would make sure help would come.

“No, you got that all wrong, John. Amelia wouldn’t sacrifice her son for such petty bullshit. He means more to her than property and you just view him as property. I don’t even know you and I hate you for it.”

John’s eyes widened at Nick’s comeback and his fists balled. Rearing back, he punched Nick in the face, sending his body hard against the tree he was just using for cover. He tasted the blood flow in the back of his throat, but if he had it to do over again, he’d say it again. John was scum. If it meant keeping attention off of Noah, he’d do it all in a heartbeat.

“You wanna be Noah’s daddy, don’t you?”

“I’d be a hell of a lot better one than you.”

Standing up, John motioned toward Chris. “Let’s take this piece of shit out in the woods and dig him a shallow grave. We’re done with him. And after that, let’s get Noah out of here. I bet he’s already notified Barney Fife in town. It’ll take them awhile, but they’ll get here eventually.”

“Go on with it. I’ll stay here with the boy.”

John stood over Nick, his nine-millimeter pointed right at the top of Nick’s head. Glaring, a small smirk formed, and the corners turned up on his mouth. He was pure evil, standing right over him. “Why waste my time? I think I’ll blow his brains out right here. You want Noah to see it? You want him to see his daddy take out an impostor? He’s better off with me. What good is his mother if she can’t even pay her bills?”

Nick didn’t say anything. He looked up at John, right in his eyes. He wanted to fight back. He couldn’t let this happen to Amelia and Noah. He tried to lift his leg to kick John away, but there was no brain-body connection allowing for it to happen. If this man was going to shoot him, he was going to make sure he had to look him in the eye as he pulled the trigger.

“Say goodbye, soldier.”

Nick braced himself. Here it came. If only he could say one last thing to Amelia before it happened. If only he could kiss her one more time, make love to her, and spend one more night together.

“Drop the gun! You’re surrounded!”

John’s attention was diverted, and Nick saw several cop cars with officers guns pointed right at them. At first, John didn’t respond to their commands. The cold barrel was pressed right against Nick.

“Drop it or we’ll shoot!”

John looked back to Nick, the same arrogant smirk on his face. “I guess we’ll both get taken out. I’m still gonna shoot you.”

A gunshot rang out, rustling up a flock of birds overhead. John’s body fell right beside Nick, and it was heavy as it toppled on him. Several cops surrounded the house and Sheriff Grady approached Nick, his head downcast.

“Are you okay?”

Nick pushed John off, exposing his leg. “Get Noah. Worry about Noah.”

“Oh hell, son. We need to get you to a hospital.”

Nick was tired of waiting. His body screamed out for him to not move, but he fought through the pain, finally able to get to a standing position. Ignoring the Sheriff, he saw the cops bring out Chris in handcuffs and Noah wasn’t far behind, wrapped in a blanket. The boy fought to get out of the cop’s arms and ran to Nick, hugging his good leg so tight that Nick almost fell over again.

“Thank you for coming to get me!”

Pulling him up, Nick carried him away from the house. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“I’m okay. I was so scared. My daddy is mean. I just wanted Mommy and Grandpa. And you.”

Nick had mixed emotions. They had found Noah in one piece. He watched as several officers hovered over John’s motionless body, and he walked in the opposite direction to keep Noah from seeing it. Even if the man had kidnapped him, he wasn’t ready to see something like that, or completely understand what had happened.

“Let’s get you boys to the hospital,” Sheriff Grady said, motioning them toward the hospital. “We’ll notify Amelia about everything. Y’all don’t worry about that.”

Nick put Noah in the back of the ambulance and took another glance toward the crime scene. Chris was in the backseat of a cruiser and they were bagging John up. Even if he was capable of such evil, the loss of life was always hard to take, but at least the right people had come out on top. Even with his time in the military and the killings he had seen, it was still a hard pill to swallow. How would Amelia take it all? John was a man she once loved and the father of her child. At least her son was okay. Nick had to push the death aside and remember that fact.

Resting on the gurney, he let out a deep sigh, feeling better once his weight was off of the wound. The paramedic cut at his jeans and he leaned his head back and smiled at Noah. He was traumatized, but seemed to be in better shape than Nick.

Closing his eyes, he tried hard to get John’s glare from his memory. He’d be at the hospital in no time and Amelia would be there. Again, the thought of her made his anxiety calm down and his body relax.