Tina wasn’t sure how much time passed. Since she couldn’t see anything but a sliver of light from the bottom of whatever was tied over her eyes, she couldn’t tell if it was daylight or lamp light. Every thought imaginable raced through her mind, but she clung to one.
Chance will find me.
She repeated it like a mantra, over and over. Whenever panic edged closer, she’d imagine his face. That cocky grin he wore when he teased her. The cocksure way he took charge, refusing to take no for an answer when he helped others. The little boy eagerness when he was around his mom. Each endeared him to her, because there was nothing fake or artificial about the man. He was an enigma wrapped in a gorgeous package. One she’d wanted to unwrap, layer by layer, to uncover the complex, but totally lovable man.
He’d managed to do the one thing she’d sworn would never happen again: Capture her heart. In the privacy of her room, when she curled up in her bed at the Big House, she’d admitted the truth, because she couldn’t hide it from herself anymore.
She loved Chance Boudreau.
Finally admitting it, letting the truth soak into her, had a freeing effect. She was in love with the aggravating, hardheaded, wonderful man. When she was with him, he made her feel alive, blossoming awake like Sleeping Beauty awakening after being oblivious to everything, her emotions buried beneath a mountain of self-doubt and fear.
Deep inside, warmth built inside her, a feeling like everything was going to work out, because she believed deep in her gut Chance would find her and bring her home. Because Shiloh Springs, the whole Boudreau family, had become her home.
Her captor, because what else could she call him, hadn’t spoken another word after their earlier conversation, though she’d heard him texting a couple of times. Either that or he was playing games on his phone.
Guess as a hostage I’m boring. Too bad, so sad.
“Hey, what time is it? I really need to use the bathroom.”
Silence answered her.
“Come on, Mr. Kidnapper, I promise I’m not lying. I’ve didn’t get to go at the restaurant, and now I really can’t hold it.”
An aggrieved sigh, followed by footsteps, was the only response she got. A strong arm slid beneath her backside, another cushioning her back, and she found herself lifted in the air. She bit back her startled scream. He walked several steps, and then she was unceremoniously deposited on her feet. It took a second to get her equilibrium, and then she felt the coolness of a knife against her wrist, before a quick flick freed them.
“Five minutes. You try anything, and next time I’ll let you piss yourself.”
“What about my legs? Aren’t you cutting them loose, too? How am I supposed to—”
“Figure it out, they stay tied. Take off the blindfold once you’re in the bathroom. Put it back on when you’re ready to come out. Got it?”
“Yes, sir, boss.” Darn her and her sarcastic mouth. It was going to get her in trouble one of these days. Like today.
The hand in the center of her back gave her a light shove, and she stumbled forward, hands outstretched, and felt a doorjamb. One shuffling step and then another brought her deep enough into what she assumed was the bathroom, and the closing of a door behind her got her moving. Grabbing onto the edge of the blindfold, she yanked it down below her chin, and looked around the darkened room. There wasn’t a window, which meant no avenue of escape there.
Because her feet were bound together, her movements were hindered. But she carefully turned around, finally spying a light switch on the wall. Clicking it on revealed a single bare lightbulb in the ceiling, shedding barely enough light to see her hands in front of her face. Thankfully there was a toilet and a small sink sitting side-by-side, because she really had to go.
Hobbling over, she managed to maneuver her jeans down to her knees and hover over the seat. No way was she plopping her backside down on it. Who knew how long it had been since it had been cleaned? Definitely a yuck moment, but it was this or squatting in the corner.
Business handled, she washed her hands and looked around, searching for anything she might use as a weapon. No sense sitting quietly like a meek victim. If the opportunity presented itself, she’d pretend to be Wonder Woman, because she was never going to be helpless again. She might be down, but she wasn’t out. Too bad there wasn’t anything she could find to help her. Nothing under the pedestal sink, Nothing behind the toilet, not even a plunger.
“You done in there?”
“Just a second.” Taking one last look around, she spotted a rusty nail poking halfway out of the wood above the toilet, crooked and bent, like something had been hung on it that had since been removed. Grabbing hold, she pulled and tugged, wiggling it back and forth, and hallelujah, it finally popped free in her hand.
“Get out here or I’m coming in and getting you, and you don’t want me coming in there.”
“I’m coming, I’m coming.”
With a sigh, she pulled the blindfold up past her chin, covering her eyes, and fisting the nail in her hand, she opened the door. Mr. Bad Dude clasped her arm above the elbow, his grip fiercely tight, and he started walking her across the room. After the first step, her feet tripped against one another, her bound ankles unable to keep up with his larger stride. His tight grip was the only thing that kept her upright, but she knew she’d have fingerprint-shaped bruises when she got out of here.
“Hey, big fella, shuffling gait here. Still tied up, remember?”
“Move it. This is what I get for being polite.”
“Well, excuse me. I’m not up on all the latest kidnapping etiquette. Especially since it’s my first time. I’ll try to do better.”
She felt a wall at her back, and he pulled her hands forward. Holding onto the nail took a bit of maneuvering, because he’d notice if she held out clenched fists. Positioning the nail lengthwise between her middle finger and her ring finger, she kept those two pressed tight against each other as he slid another zip-tie around her wrists and pulled it taut. The pressure of his hand on her shoulder pushing down had her scooting down the wall until her backside hit the floor.
“This whole job is turning into a gigantic mess. Stay there, and don’t screw with me. I’m not in the mood.”
Figuring now might not be the best time for another sarcastic comeback, Tina pressed her lips together, biting back her instinct to shoot off her mouth. Things might be turning out bad on his end, but his preoccupation had proved to be a bit of a blessing for her. Mr. Bad Dude had been careless and made a mistake. He’d tied her hands in front of her this time, instead of behind her back. The nail between her fingers, in all its rusted glory, slid into the palm of her hand and she clenched her fist around it.
Now all she could do was wait for the moment she could make her big break.
Chance braked his dad’s truck in front of the sheriff’s office and sprinted for the door, the engine barely having time to shut off. Everyone else stayed at the Big House, setting up their own command center and waiting to hear from the various feelers they’d put out, calling in every single favor they were owed.
He couldn’t sit back and wait. This was too important. Tina had been missing for hours, and he couldn’t handle it. Not knowing who had taken her, because he knew deep in his gut she hadn’t just walked away. Just because Jared Webster was in California, it didn’t mean he hadn’t somehow arranged to have Tina snatched while providing himself with the perfect alibi. Right now, he was sitting in a board meeting at the hospital, surrounded by his peers.
He stormed through the front door, stalking past Sally Anne’s desk without a word, seeing her stand as he stalked past her. Nothing was going to stop him from talking to Rafe. He’d apologize to her later, but right now, nothing mattered except Tina’s safe return.
Rafe sat behind his desk, phone between his shoulder and his ear, while he shuffled through some papers in his hands. He hadn’t noticed Chance in the doorway as far as Chance could tell, and from the scowl on his brother’s face, he wasn’t in a good mood. Did that mean he didn’t have any news on Tina—or was it all bad news?
He must have made a sound or moved, because Rafe’s gaze rocketed to the doorway, and he motioned Chance in with one hand, while listening to whoever chattered away on the other end.
“I don’t care. I want the warrant signed by Judge Willis in my hand in the next thirty minutes, or I’m coming over there personally, and believe me, he doesn’t want to have me show up on his doorstep today. You tell him he still owes me, and I’m calling in that chip. If he’s got a problem with signing the warrant, he can find a new sheriff.”
Slamming the phone down on its cradle, Rafe ran his hand through his dark hair, and then pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes.
“Bro?”
“I’m sorry. There’s nothing new since I talked to you an hour ago.”
Chance flung himself into one of the chairs across from Rafe’s desk, feeling like a deflated balloon, limp and helpless.
“I can’t believe somebody didn’t see anything. Daisy’s was busy, not packed, but it wasn’t empty, either. She went out the back; there’s no other explanation. Why? I’m telling you, Rafe, she wouldn’t just walk away without a word. I know it.”
“I’ve got Dusty and Jeb at Daisy’s interviewing everyone. Nobody saw anything. I doubt anybody would lie about it. Unfortunately, there were several folks in there today who stopped on their way headed north, so they’re unknowns.” Rafe gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m working on Judge Willis to get warrants for Tina’s phone, even though I don’t need it. Also getting one for Jared Webster’s phone, though it’s a longshot.”
“I told you, I can get whatever you need.”
“And I told you I want to do this strictly by the book, no favors.”
Chance quirked his brow, though he didn’t say anything.
“Okay, no favors called in by anybody but me. Willis owes me because I didn’t arrest his grandson for drunk driving. Blood alcohol level double the legal limit, along with other questionable…things in his car.”
“I’ve called Tina’s number at least a dozen times. It keeps going straight to voice mail.”
Rafe leaned back in his chair and ran hands over his face. “Yeah, Destiny’s pinged the cell towers in the area, and it’s not registering. I hate to say it, but it’s probably been smashed and tossed, or the battery’s been pulled out.”
Chance mirrored his brother’s action, scrubbing his hand over his face, trying to calm his racing heartbeat. Adrenaline coursed through him, and it took every ounce of discipline he had to stay seated, when all he wanted to do run as far and as fast as he could to find Tina. His gut told him she was in danger, though he refused to allow the worst-case scenario into his thoughts. She was out there, alive and scared, waiting for him to find her. There was no other option as far as he was concerned. And he would find her, no matter how long it took. He would never give up—never.
Rafe’s phone trilled, and he grabbed it before it had a chance to ring a second time. He hit the speaker button, letting Chance hear the other end of the conversation.
“Boudreau.”
“Boss, it’s Dusty. You need to get down to Daisy’s. We’ve got a possible witness.”
“I’m on my way.”
Chance rocketed to his feet and headed for the door before Rafe even got the phone back in its cradle.
“Hold up. We go together.”
“Then you’d better hurry, because I’m leaving.”
Rafe grabbed the jacket hanging over the back of his chair and his hat, and shoved his way past Chance, bumping his shoulder against his. “Let’s go.”