An hour later, Devin pulled up to another cabin. This one belonged to a longtime family friend, Jim Rogers. Devin had called him and mentioned that he needed to get away for a few days. Jim had seemed more than okay with that.
This cabin was similar to Devin’s family’s place—it was on a secluded lane, surrounded by trees.
Devin had checked the rearview mirror on the entire drive, but he hadn’t seen anyone following him. He hadn’t seen hardly anyone behind him at all, for that matter.
Good. That was what they needed. They had to stay one step ahead of whoever was behind this.
He cringed as he thought about the confrontation in the woods.
The man he’d been shooting at had been desperate. He hadn’t backed down, not even after being shot.
People who were that desperate would go to any length to get what they wanted.
Even worse, Colby and Sienna were in the crosshairs here. They were the ones with the most to lose—Sienna with her life, and Colby with being snatched away into the unknown.
Just what was this guy planning on doing with Colby? Was he the boy’s father, someone who wanted Colby back in his life? Or was there an even darker reason? Maybe this man wasn’t related and he wanted Colby for some type of black-market adoption.
There were too many horrible reasons out there why someone would want this precious child. Devin couldn’t bear to think about some of them.
Dear God, please place Your hand on this situation. Work in a way that only You can work. Keep Colby safe. Sienna, too. Give me the wisdom to know the best choices to both keep people out of harm and to find the person responsible for this.
He treasured his relationship with God. It had always been there, for as long as he could remember. In fact, his father had run a church for cowboys back in Grand Junction. It had been such a huge part of their home life, and it was the only thing that had carried Devin through the death of his wife and child.
Speaking of Sienna and Colby…they’d both drifted to sleep on the way here, affording Devin some time of quiet reflection. But he would have to wake them now and get them inside. He couldn’t risk having them exposed for any longer than necessary.
He nudged Sienna beside him, and her eyes fluttered open.
Suddenly, she sat up straighter, glancing around frantically.
“It’s okay,” he told her, keeping his voice calm and soothing. “We’re here.”
She released her breath and ran a hand through her blond hair. “How could I have fallen asleep?”
“You must be exhausted. There’s no shame in that. Besides, you’ll need your energy.”
She craned her head around to the back seat to check on Colby.
“He fell asleep as well,” Devin told her. “No worries.”
She swung her head to the windshield and stared out at the cabin. “I’ve been wanting a mountain getaway since I moved to Colorado. I just never expected it to be like this.”
“Good that you can keep your sense of humor.” He nodded in front of him. “Let’s get inside. I know you have to be hungry. Jim always keeps this place stocked, unlike my family’s cabin.”
She scrambled out and gently lifted a sleeping Colby from his car seat. The boy lay limp against her chest and shoulder.
Devin’s heart pounded with another moment of grief. He remembered his wife holding their daughter like that. It had been such a beautiful sight.
One that would never be recreated. A memory that would never come to life again.
How he missed them. Grace and Willow. He pictured Grace with her bob of dark hair and slender figure. Remembered Willow with her mom’s hair—but with curls.
Grace had insisted on naming their daughter Willow. She’d grown up in a house with two willow trees out front. She used to take her books and sit beneath the trees to read and draw and have secret club meetings.
She’d decided when she was ten that she would name her firstborn daughter that. And she had.
Devin smiled at the thought.
But this wasn’t the time to get sentimental. Instead, he hurried up the steps, grabbed a spare key from under a flowerpot and unlocked the door.
He quickly scoped the place out before ushering Sienna inside. The interior was chilly—probably too chilly for Colby. It was always so much cooler here in the mountains, even in the summer. He adjusted the thermostat.
Meanwhile, Sienna placed Colby on the couch and found a blanket to place around his sleeping figure. His breath caught as he looked at her. Even with everything that had happened, she looked so lovely with her wheat-colored hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. The long-sleeved baby blue T-shirt she wore gave her an air of innocence, and her jeans showed off her thin figure.
Sienna straightened, her eyes still on the child, and sighed. Her voice sounded wistful as she said, “He looks so peaceful, doesn’t he?”
Devin paused beside her. “Yeah, he really does. What I wouldn’t give to get some rest like that.”
“The worries that can keep us awake at night as adults are hard for a child to comprehend.”
“For most children, at least.”
“You’re right. I work with my fair share of kids who’ve had to grow up too fast because of the bad hand life has dealt them. I’m hoping Colby won’t be one of those children who learn the harsh realities of life too quickly.”
“Me, too.” He licked his lips. There was so much more he could say. But he wouldn’t. Not now. Instead, he started toward the kitchen. “Let’s get something to eat. We need to keep up our energy, especially since we don’t know what’s in store for the next couple of days.”
She swung her gaze toward him. “You don’t think we’ll be safe here?”
“I didn’t say that. I’m just saying we need to be on guard.”
“Agreed.” But her gaze showed that she’d heard the truth and had been reminded about just how dangerous this situation was.
He hadn’t meant to alarm her—but she needed to be aware of the facts.
She followed him and peered into the freezer behind him.
“There’s some steaks in here,” he said. “We can defrost them and maybe cook some of this frozen corn.”
“That sounds great,” Sienna said. “Maybe I can find some rice or pasta in the cupboard.”
“There’s some soda in the fridge. Would you like one?”
“I don’t normally drink them, but that sounds great right now. Thank you.”
He handed her an orange soda, and they began working on preparing lunch together. It seemed so ordinary, so mundane. Yet maybe it was the best thing for them.
“Where did you live before Colorado?” Devin asked as he poured the frozen corn kernels into a pot of salted water.
“Texas,” Sienna said, also pulling out a pot and filling it with water. “God’s country.”
He smiled. “I liken Colorado to the same thing.”
“As you should. It’s beautiful here.”
“What brought you here, if you don’t mind me asking?” Why was Devin asking? He should keep things simple. Impersonal. Yet the conversation seemed natural, and he had to admit he was curious to know more about the woman.
“No, not at all.” Sienna paused at the counter, casually pressing her palms into the laminate top behind her. “I actually moved here to get married.”
His eyebrows shot up. That was not what he’d expected to hear. “I had no idea.”
“No, it’s okay. I gave up my job and moved here so I could get settled before getting married. But my fiancé decided at the altar that marrying me would be the biggest mistake of his life. He called things off.”
Devin’s heart panged with compassion. “Ouch.”
Sienna shrugged, though a sadness passed through her gaze. “It definitely wasn’t the best moment of my life. But you know what? I just have to believe that God has something better in mind for me.”
Did Sienna believe in God? Devin should have figured. He saw her leaving every Sunday morning, and he’d figured she was headed to church.
He’d only seen her because he’d been headed to church also.
“You decided to stay in Colorado?” he asked.
“I’d already moved here. I already had a job at the school. They’d had the goodbye parties for me at home. I figured, why not? Why not give this place a chance?”
“And?”
“And I like it here,” she said. “The people are nice. The mountains are wonderful. At the end of the school year, I’ll reevaluate.”
“And think about moving back?”
“I’m considering it. I mean, I’m single. I have no family here. I’m slowly making friends. Honestly, I just don’t know. But I’ve been praying.”
He hardly knew the woman, but suddenly the thought of her moving away made him feel a new wave of grief. Which was crazy. Because, like he said, he hardly knew her.
Yet he was liking the person he was getting to know more and more.
Sienna was fascinating. Plucky. She had faith that was admirable, and she’d put her life on hold to help a child whose mother was MIA. She didn’t even seem to give a second thought to it.
Guilt rose in him. The last thing he needed was to entertain any ideas about this woman.
No, to do so would be a betrayal to Grace. And he’d never do that to her. She was his one and only love.
Devin grabbed the steaks from the microwave where they’d defrosted, ready to start cooking them. If he was smart, he’d stay focused.
* * *
Sienna noticed the shift in Devin and wondered why he’d suddenly become colder. The man was always brooding and mysterious—though incredibly handsome. His light brown hair was tousled. He hadn’t shaved, so his cheeks and upper lip had the shadow of a beard. Even though he was only wearing jeans and a black T-shirt, he could have been wearing a tux. It was a good look on him.
But the fact that the man was attractive meant nothing. The last thing she needed was to be interested in someone else. Nope, that hadn’t worked out too well for her last time.
Besides, his change of mood didn’t matter, she supposed. Maybe she’d been too honest.
But why skirt around the truth? She’d told him what had happened between her and Jackson. She’d left out the details about how heartbroken she’d been. How she’d cried for days. How her family had tried to talk her into leaving Colorado.
Honestly, she’d thought the healthiest thing she could do was to stay put and get herself together. She hadn’t expected to fall in love with the area or the people in the area.
She’d met Jackson at a high school football game. She’d traveled an hour from her home to watch her nephew play. Jackson had lived in the area and was at the game to support his alma mater—a school where he’d at one time been the football star and homecoming king.
He’d swept her off her feet, lavishing her with flowers and gifts. He was a lawyer, and he’d done well for himself. He’d been offered a partnership with a firm in Denver.
She’d thought they would have a wonderful life together. And they probably would have.
If Jackson hadn’t changed his mind.
But she had to believe that it was for the best and that there were better things ahead. If she didn’t believe that, then what hope would she have for the future? Besides, God hadn’t let her down yet, and she didn’t think He was going to start now.
Besides, Jackson had been impulsive and free-spirited. Too much like her—except when it came to commitment. Sienna believed in keeping her promises.
She stirred the pot full of penne pasta, feeling the steam warm her cheeks until she put the lid back on.
“I guess you grew up here since your family has a cabin in the area,” she said, trying to be careful how much she pried. She could sense Devin was a private man, yet she was desperate for small talk. Besides, he’d surprised her—in a good way—and she was curious.
“That’s right. I did. Not far from here at least, over in Grand Junction. My dad owns a pretty large ranch out that way.”
“Wait, am I hearing that you’re actually a cowboy?” She grinned.
He smiled. “Maybe back in the old days I was. It was a fun way to grow up, but not what I wanted to do forever.”
“You managed to get stationed in Denver with the FBI,” Sienna said. “I hear that’s difficult.”
Someone else she’d gone to college with had made it into the FBI, and she knew new agents didn’t have much choice where they were assigned, especially when just starting.
“I actually started out in DC.” The steaks sizzled on the griddle in front of Devin, and he looked like a natural in the kitchen—another surprise. “But my wife wanted to come back here to family. I was thankful when I was finally able to make that happen.”
Sienna’s heart pounded in her ears. His wife? So he’d been married. Was he divorced now?
“I see.” Sienna bit her tongue so the questions wouldn’t pour from her.
Based on the tension of his voice, the subject matter wasn’t pleasant.
“Where did you meet your wife?” she heard herself asking.
“At college. We were in the same history class and ended up working together on a project. We were inseparable after that.”
Sienna smiled, finding it hard to imagine Devin being head over heels about anyone. No, he seemed too much like a lone ranger. But maybe he hadn’t always been like this. Maybe at one time he’d been full of life and love.
Then the proverbial rug had been snatched out from under him.
“Well, it seems like a great place,” she finally said. “You been with the FBI for long?”
“Ten years. As you know, I’m on leave right now.”
Another mystery. Why was he on leave? What had happened?
“How long is your leave?” She stirred the pasta, letting the steam from the pot warm her face.
“I’m not sure.”
Had he messed up? What could have happened?
The man seemed to have everything together—except for the frown he always wore.
“My supervisor didn’t like the way I handled a situation,” Devin finally said, putting down the tongs he used for the sizzling steak.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“A drunk driver crashed into a school bus.”
“I heard about that.” Sienna could hardly breathe as she waited for him to continue. “It happened not long after I moved here.”
“I didn’t work the case. Drunk drivers aren’t FBI jurisdiction. But I happened to drive past the scene right after it happened, and I stopped to help. The supervisor thought I got a little too rough with the driver. I didn’t hurt him. I was just trying to scare him, to make him realize the weight of his actions.”
“He did almost kill twenty students. If I remember correctly, twelve were taken to the hospital with injuries. And they weren’t sure the bus driver was going to make it for a while.”
The muscles at his neck tightened. “That’s right. He was a repeat offender. He should have known better. But he only cared about himself and getting in one more drink. I’ve heard the story a million times before.”
“It’s certainly a tragedy when people get behind the wheel after they have too much alcohol in their system.”
“A tragedy describes it well.” Devin closed his eyes.
What was going on in his head? Sienna had no idea.
Without opening his eyes, he said, “My wife and daughter were killed by a drunk driver.”
Sienna’s lungs froze. “I’m so sorry.”
“That’s why I got a little too rough with the driver. I know firsthand the effects—the aftermath—of these people’s actions.”
“How long has it been?” She could hardly breathe as she imagined his loss.
“Three years. They were killed on impact and didn’t suffer. That news did bring me some comfort.”
“And your daughter? How old was she?”
“Eighteen months.”
“Devin… I’m sorry.”
He raised his hand. “Don’t feel sorry for me. That’s not why I told you. In fact, I don’t really know why I told you, except that you’ve entrusted me with your life. I figured maybe you deserved to know some of what happened.”
She searched for the right words of comfort, words that wouldn’t emasculate him or make him feel pitied.
She came up with nothing.
So why did she still feel the need to speak. “Devin, I—”
Before she could finish the sentence, Devin’s phone rang. He put it to his ear, and his face went a little paler. He hung up a moment later and turned to her.
“That was Detective Jenson,” he started. “The police found a body in the woods not too far from Woodard’s Mill.”
“Okay…” Where was he going with this? Was it someone she knew?
“They believe it’s Anita.”