Нора Робертс - Hideaway

The microwave went off, but Caitlyn kept looking right into Julia’s eyes. It seemed safe there in the gold and the green. In the kindness.

“I tied the sheets together. I couldn’t tear them, but I tied them, and then the one came back, and I was scared because if he came in, he’d see and he’d break my fingers.”

“No one’s going to hurt you now, baby girl.” Maggie set the hot chocolate on the table.

“I had to climb down, and my hands kept slipping, and there were lights on downstairs, and the sheets weren’t long enough so I had to jump. I hurt my ankle a little, but I ran. There were trees, a lot of trees, so I ran there and ran, and fell and hurt my knee, but I ran. I didn’t know where I was.”

Tears rolled now, tears Julia gently wiped away.

“Then I heard the ocean, a little, then more. And I saw the light. You had the light on, and I followed the light, and saw the cows, and the house, and the light. But I was afraid you were bad guys, too, so I snuck in. I wanted to call nine-one-one. I stole an apple because I was hungry, and Dillon came downstairs and found me.”

“That’s one hell of a story.” Maggie put an arm around Dillon. “You’re the bravest girl I’ve ever met.”

“If the bad guys find me here, they’ll shoot me, and everybody.”

“They’re not going to come here.” Julia brushed Cate’s hair back from her face. “Do you know the house where you played hide-and-seek?”

“My great-grandda’s house. He named it Sullivan’s Rest.”

“Sweet girl.” Maggie sat down. “Are you Liam Sullivan’s great-granddaughter?”

“Yes, ma’am. He died, and we had a celebration of his life. Did you know him?”

“I didn’t, but I admired him, his work, and his life.”

“You drink your hot chocolate, Caitlyn.” Smiling, Julia brushed back Cate’s disordered hair. “I’m going to call nine-one-one for you.”

“Can you call my daddy, too? Can you tell him how to find me?”

“Absolutely. Do you know the number? If not, I can—”

“I know it.” Cate rattled it off.

“Good girl. Mom, I bet Caitlyn could use a snack.”

“I bet she could. Dil, you sit down with Caitlyn, keep her company while I scramble up some eggs. Nothing like scrambled eggs in the middle of the night.”

He did. He would have just because she was a guest, and that’s what you did. But he did it more because he found her seriously awesome.

“You made a sheet rope and climbed out of a window.”

“I had to.”

“Not everybody could. That is awesome. I mean, you were like kidnapped, and you outsmarted them.”

“They thought I was stupid. I could tell.”

Since she didn’t seem to want it, Dillon picked up the drumstick, took another bite. “You’re really not. Was it like a house?”

“I think. I was in the back, I think, and all I could really see were trees and the hills. They kept the room dark. I saw the kitchen when I climbed down. It wasn’t as nice as this one, but it was nice. It’s just … I couldn’t tell where I was, and I got all turned around in the trees, so I don’t know. And I don’t know how long I slept from what he had in the needle.”

She sounded scared still, but more tired. To give her a boost, he wagged the drumstick. “I bet the cops’ll find the house and the bad guys. We’re friends with the sheriff, and he’s pretty smart. Maybe the bad guys don’t even know you escaped.”

“Maybe. He said, on the phone to somebody…” She frowned, tried to remember. Then Julia came over with the phone.

“Caitlyn, somebody wants to talk to you.”

“Is it Daddy?” Cate grabbed the phone. “Daddy!” The tears came again, spilling down her cheeks as Julia stroked her hair. “I’m all right. I got away. I ran and I’m with Julia and Gram and Dillon. Will you come? Do you know where to find me?”

Julia leaned down, kissed the top of Cate’s head. “I’m going to tell him exactly.”

“Gram’s making scrambled eggs. I’m so hungry. I love you, too, Daddy.”

She handed the phone back to Julia, swiped at her tears. “He cried. I never heard him cry before.”

“Joyful tears.” Gram put a plate with eggs and toast in front of Cate. “Because his little girl’s safe.”

The little girl plowed into the eggs while Gram plated up the rest.

She ate all the eggs, the toast, and had just started on the pie Julia put in front of her when someone knocked on the door.

“The bad guys—”

“Wouldn’t knock,” Julia assured her. “Don’t you worry.”

Still Cate’s chest hurt as if someone pressed on it when Julia walked to the front door. When Dillon took her hand, she squeezed it hard. And held her breath even though it made her chest hurt more when Julia opened the door.

Then everything fell away, everything, when she heard her father’s voice. “Daddy!”

She leaped out of the chair, ran out of the kitchen, ran to him as she’d run toward the trees. He caught her, swung her up, held her tight, tight, tight. She felt him shaking, felt his scratchy whiskers on her face. Felt his tears blur with her own.

Other arms went around her, folded her in—warm and safe.

Grandpa.

“Cate. Catey. Oh, my baby.” Aidan drew her back, and his eyes filled with more tears as he looked at her face. “He hurt you.”

“I fell, because it was dark. I ran away.”

“You’re safe now. You’re safe.”

As Aidan stood, swaying with her, Hugh turned to Julia, gripped her hands. “There aren’t words to thank you.” He looked beyond her to where Maggie and Dillon stood watching. “All of you.”

“You don’t need them. You have a smart, brave girl here.”

“Dillon found me, and his mom fixed my cuts, and Gram made me eggs.”

“Ms. Cooper.” Aidan tried to speak, simply couldn’t get words out.

“Julia. I put on coffee. The sheriff’s on his way. I felt it best to call him, though I realize you probably want to take Caitlyn home and deal with that there.”

“I’d love some coffee. I just want to call my wife, let her and the others know we have our girl.” Hugh stroked a hand down Cate’s hair. “If it’s not imposing, I think talking to the sheriff here and now would be best.”

“There’s a phone in the kitchen.” Maggie stepped forward. “We don’t get decent cell service here. Maggie Hudson,” she added and offered a hand.

Ignoring the hand, Hugh embraced her.

“Well, this has been a day, and the sun’s not up. We meet the bravest girl in California, and I get a hug from Hugh Sullivan. Come on back, Hugh.”

“Cate’s mother finally took a sleeping pill not long before you called,” Aidan explained. “She’s going to be so happy, Cate, when she wakes up and sees you. We were so scared, so worried.” He lifted her bandaged arm, kissed it.

“Why don’t you and Cate sit down, catch your breath. I’ll go help with the coffee. How about some more hot chocolate, Cate?”

Still cuddled close to her father, she nodded. “Yes, please.”

But even as she said it, headlights swept across the front windows. “That should be the sheriff. He’s a nice man,” she told Cate.

“Will he go after the bad men?”

“I bet he will.” Julia walked to the door, opened it, stepped out on the porch. “Sheriff.”

“Julia.”

Red Buckman looked more like a surfer than a cop. He may have cruised past forty to inch his way toward fifty, but when time allowed, he still grabbed his board and hit the waves. His hair, a short, sun-bleached braid, fell just over the collar of his jacket. His face, tanned and lined from his hours on the beach, on the water, often held a deceptive “whatever” expression.

Julia knew him to be smart, sharp, and dedicated. Just as she knew he and her mother had an easygoing friends-with-benefits relationship.