Travis shot his weapon to the right of Sarah. No doubt to scare her.
With her ears ringing from the punch she received and the sound of the firearm reverberating through her head, she twisted to the side, fumbling for her knife while steeling herself for Travis’s next strike. When it came, she relaxed and let her body go with the blow. She slammed into the wooden floor. He came at her. She scrambled to her feet, the room spinning. She had to stay alert for Alicia and Donna.
Boom! Something crashed against the front entrance.
Her attacker glanced back for a second, giving her time to release the blade from its casing.
Boom! The door flew open.
Travis rushed her as he lifted his gun again. She threw the knife, hitting his shoulder at the same time as a second blast sliced through the ringing in her ears. Then another shot.
The killer’s widened eyes connected with hers for a few seconds.
Travis crumpled to the floor, blood flowing from torso. Death stared up at her.
Sarah lifted her gaze, her body screaming with pain, and locked on Hunter coming toward her. He embraced her and pressed her against him as Mark and her father entered the cabin with more police behind them. He held her while she assimilated what had happened.
Finally, she leaned back, relishing the sight of Hunter and the comfort he gave her.
“You’re safe now. He can’t hurt you anymore.”
“Alicia? Donna?” She looked toward the two bedrooms. “He said they were in there.” She grabbed his hand and headed toward the first door.
When she turned the knob, she tried to prepare herself for what she might see.
But what she found—no one inside—sent her hurrying to the second door and opening it.
The empty room taunted her.
“They aren’t here.” Her shoulders slumped, and her head dropped forward.
“Check everywhere inside and outside for Alicia and Donna,” Hunter said to the others.
As they left, Sarah pulled away and started after them.
Hunter grasped her arm. “You should stay here.”
She spun toward him, shaking off his hand. “I came all this way to find them. I’ve seen a lot of brutal crime scenes in my career—”
“But none that involved your family.” He moved into her personal space. “You need to be checked by a doctor.”
“I was hit a couple of times, but not with a bullet. He wanted to scare me. I’ll be fine.” She swirled around and hastened outside.
As she rounded the side of the cabin with Hunter right behind her, Mark stood at the back of the van inside of the garage, the doors opened. “I found them. Alive.”
* * *
That evening Sarah escaped out onto the deck at her sister’s. She needed some alone time after the past days frantically searching for Alicia and Donna. Hunter was still at the station, wrapping up the case while Mark was here with his daughter and wife.
Both Alicia and Donna had been found alive and safe, and neither one of them had been raped. They had been taken in order to keep Sarah in town and as a lure to draw her to Travis Scott. She’d been taken to the hospital and tests were run to see if she had a concussion. She had a mild one and had been given some medication to help with the throbbing. But she would do it all over again if she had to. Seeing her niece in Ben’s arm had been the best thank you she could get.
The sun neared the western horizon, splashing the sky with brilliant colors of red, yellow, and orange—just a few on God’s bountiful palette. She still had a lot to say to Hunter and hoped he would be here soon, because she didn’t know how long she could stay up after the little amount of sleep she’d had since coming home.
The sound of the back door opening and closing alerted her that someone else was on the deck. Hunter was finally here. She turned from the railing. Her father strode toward her. She gripped the wood she leaned against but remained facing him.
His expression, as usual, was unreadable although the closer he came the more she saw something in his eyes—a softening. Her stomach constricted. She was probably misreading him. She couldn’t think of a thing to say.
“I know you might not want to talk to me, and I can’t blame you for feeling that way, but I need to at least tell you I’m sorry. Earlier today, I said things that I regret. I was shocked at what happened to you and that you never came to me. I was shocked you had a son and never told me.”
“Dad, I can’t change what I did. In hindsight, I should have told you no matter how bad our relationship was, but I didn’t. I have to—”
He stepped closer. “I was wrong. I was the adult and the parent. I should have done things differently. I thought I lost you forever today when that gunshot—” he swallowed hard “—went off and…” He turned his head away, composed himself then looked at her. “I can’t change the past, but going forward, I’ll work to have a better relationship with you. I hope you’ll let me.”
She’d never seen her father vulnerable. She didn’t know what to say or believe. A lump lodged in her throat. Talking was difficult. She stared down at the deck, praying for the right words. When she lifted her head and peered into his eyes, which glistened with tears she’d never seen her father shed, all she could do was throw her arms around him and hold tight. There were no words to express her emotions.
Her dad embraced her, holding her close while the sun disappeared on the horizon. She cherished the moment but also realized reconciliation would require time.
When the back door opened and closed again, Sarah leaned back. “I want a relationship with you, too. I’m not going to dwell in the past. There’s nothing I can do about it now. But I’m going to look forward to the future with you in it.”
“I can come back later,” Hunter said.
Her dad shook his head. “A lot has happened today. You two need to talk.”
After her father left, Hunter closed the space between them. “How are you doing? Everything go all right with your dad?”
“Better than I thought, but only time will tell if it’ll last. I hope so. I don’t want to live in the past anymore. What happened fifteen years ago controlled my life for too long.”
Hunter took hold of her hands. “I’m glad you feel that way because I do, too. I wish you’d come to me on our wedding day, but I understand why you didn’t. I’ve handled rape cases and seen the effects the crime has on a woman. Your safety and privacy have been invaded and taken away.”
“Fear ruled my life for a long time. It took a part of me away. I won’t allow it to anymore. I thought I had overcome the trauma, but I didn’t come home for years. I hadn’t really dealt with it. I wasn’t going to let him take my niece and Donna without a fight. I finally faced my nightmare.”
“Yes, and I faced my nightmare today, too. I thought I’d lost you when I finally saw a chance for us again. I felt as though that gunshot had struck my chest and then not half a minute later he had the gun aimed at you again.”
Her heart swelled; her throat closed. She stepped nearer to Hunter, her body flushed up against his, her arms twining around him. “I want us to have a second chance. Do we have a chance?”
He combed his fingers through her hair and cradled her head. “Yes. I love you. That has never changed even in the middle of my anger.”
She stood on her tiptoes and brushed her mouth across his, whispering against his lips, “I love you. That has never changed.”
When Hunter deepened their kiss, Sarah poured all her suppressed love into it. She relished the comforting feel of his arms around her. She’d finally come home.
* * *
One year later
When Hunter came into the kitchen at his home, he found that his very pregnant wife had dragged a chair to the counter. As she struggled to step up on the seat, he hurried across the room. “Here, let me get the pitcher for you, Sarah.” He helped her down then reached for the dish she wanted and set it on the counter. “You go into the living room and enjoy Nana being here. I’ll bring in the lemonade.”
“I’d rather sit in here and watch you make the lemonade. Don’t forget the fudge. It’s Nana’s favorite. She requested it in place of a birthday cake.”
Hunter prepared the lemonade and dumped ice cubes into the drink. “Your grandmother is hoping you deliver today.”
Sarah looked at the wall clock. “She has only ten hours for that to happen.”
“How are you feeling?”
“My lower back hurts, and our son has been kicking more than usual. I think he wants out.” She winced.
“What’s wrong?” Hunter took a platter and placed pieces of fudge on it, trying to remain calm, but his hand shook as he picked up the dessert.
“David was impatient like this one,” she placed her hand on her stomach, “Nana might have her wish. Are Alicia and Ben here?” She started for the door, grabbing the fudge.
“What do you mean Nana may have her wish?” Hunter asked as he followed her from the kitchen with the glasses and lemonade.
“I didn’t want to say anything because a few days ago I was sure I was going into labor and it was only Braxton-Hicks contractions. I wanted to be sure this time.”
“And you’re telling me now?”
In the hallway she paused, putting the fudge down on a table, leaning against it with one hand while her other hand rested on her stomach as she panted. “Yes.”
Hunter took the platter she held. “We’d better leave now.”
“No. I don’t want to go until I have to. I spent enough time at hospitals with David. I want to be distracted by Nana’s birthday party. Besides, I’ll miss Alicia’s big announcement.” She picked up the plate. “Let’s go.”
How could she remain so calm? Their baby could be here by the end of the day. His son.
Sarah entered the den with Hunter right behind her. Her whole family was seated around the room—from Paul and Nana to Mark and Rebecca to Alicia and Ben. After passing out the lemonades and the platter around the room, Hunter sat next to Sarah on the couch.
Nana took a bite of the fudge. “Delicious. Sarah, you have done a great job with my recipe.”
“I learned from the best.”
“Aren’t you going to have anything to eat?” Rebecca asked across from Sarah.
“No, I’d better not.”
Nana clapped. “You’re in labor. My great grandson is going to be born on my birthday.” She placed her hand over her heart. “I feel it in here.”
“Hunter, you seem so calm. I’d have her halfway to the hospital by now.”
“Dad, I’m not going anywhere until my niece tells us her surprise.” Sarah patted her stomach while she held Hunter’s hand tightly.
Alicia smiled. “I’m two months pregnant. We don’t know if it’s a boy or girl yet.”
“That’s wonderful. Our children will be close in age. I’d get up and hug you but that might take a while.” Sarah leaned close to Hunter. “Go get the bag. My water has broken.”
Hunter leaped to his feet “Really?”
Sarah laughed. “Yes. But first help me up.”
Hunter cupped Sarah’s face and planted a kiss on her mouth. “I love you. Now let’s go to the hospital and greet our son.”