Her Mistletoe Protector

She cleared her throat, trying to hide the evidence of her tears. “Thank you, Nick. And I’m sorry I snapped at you. I didn’t know you lost your wife and daughter. I guess you really do know what I’m going through.”

“For a long time I wanted to join them up in heaven,” he admitted. “But God chose another path for me, so I’ve decided to dedicate my life to putting bad guys away and leading a Christian life, until God calls me home to be with my family.”

She wasn’t sure what to say in response to that, since truthfully, his plan sounded a bit lonely. Although who was she to argue about being alone? She wasn’t interested in having a relationship again, either, especially not while she was raising her son. She was too afraid to trust her instincts about men after the way she’d messed up with Anthony.

Was Nick subtly warning her that he wasn’t interested in being anything more than friends? If so, she was happy to oblige.

Right now, she didn’t care about anything except getting her son back safe and sound.

As the minutes passed slowly, she stared out through the car window at the stars scattered across the night sky. And suddenly, she found herself uttering a simple prayer to a God she wasn’t even sure existed.

Please keep my son safe.

FIVE

Rachel must have dozed in spite of herself, because, when she opened her eyes, dawn was breaking over the horizon and she didn’t recognize the area. She assumed Nick had driven somewhere else at some point in the middle of the night. It took a moment for her to realize the beeping noise that woke her up came from a phone. She scrambled around, searching for her phone as Nick twisted in the driver’s seat to look at back at her.

“Another text message?” he asked.

She pushed the button on her old phone and her heart leaped into her throat at the message that bloomed on the screen.

Ten million dollars will buy your son’s freedom. Details on the exchange to follow. Remember, no police or your son will pay the price.

She tore her gaze from the message and held up the phone to show Nick. “It’s the ransom demand,” she said in a choked voice. She wasn’t sure if she should be relieved or worried that the message had come so early in the morning.

She stared at the phone, wanting desperately to believe that some sort of contact from the kidnappers was better than nothing.

“Text them back that you need proof that Joey is still alive,” Nick ordered, starting the car and driving out of the parking lot. “Tell them you want to talk to your son.”

She hesitated, afraid that if she made the kidnappers mad they might hurt Joey.

“Rachel, you have to know Joey is alive, or there’s no point in agreeing to the demand.”

Although she hated to admit it, she knew he was right. She took a deep breath and texted back, No money until I speak to my son.

The moment she pressed Send, she wanted to call the message back. She stared at her old phone for several long moments, hoping the kidnapper would respond. With every minute that ticked by, raw fear rose in the back of her throat, suffocating her.

“What if they don’t let me talk to him?” she asked, unable to hide the quiver in her voice. “What if they hurt him, instead?”

“You have to insist on it,” Nick said, a hard edge of steel lining his tone. “Please trust me on this, Rachel.”

“I do, it’s just that I don’t care about the money,” she whispered in agony. “I just want them to give me Joey.”

“I know that, and believe me, they know that, too. They’re playing on your fear, Rachel. They’re doing this to keep you off balance. You have to be strong. For Joey.”

She nodded, but the vise grip around her heart wouldn’t loosen. She wanted to talk to Joey. Desperately needed to hear his voice.

Please, God, please keep Joey safe.

Just when she was about to give up all hope, her old phone rang, from another blocked number. She pushed the button and lifted the device to her ear. “Hello? Joey?”

“Mommy? Are you there?”

Hearing her son’s voice made her eyes well up with tears. “Yes, Joey, I’m here. Are you okay? They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“No, but I’m scared,” Joey said, and she could tell he was crying, too.

“Ask him something that only he knows,” Nick whispered from the front seat. Belatedly, she realized he’d pulled off to the side of the road. “To prove it’s him and not some other kid playing the part.”