Rita Herron - Silent Night Sanctuary

“And the police didn’t find any DNA or fingerprints?”

“They said they didn’t.”

Her wording roused his suspicions “What do you mean, they said they didn’t? Do you have reason to believe the police might be lying?”

She jerked her head up, her eyes wide as if she’d just realized what she’d said. Oftentimes people gave the truth away innocuously.

“Leah? Is there some reason you don’t trust the police or think they didn’t do their jobs?”

She chewed her bottom lip before answering. “Not exactly….”

“What?”

“It’s just that Charlie is the deputy now, and his father always ran everything.” She shrugged. “They don’t tell you much.”

He’d never liked Charlie Driscill himself. Had Charlie run a shoddy investigation?

He studied the child’s room, debating how much to prod Leah. A small table and chairs held a sketch pad and crayons, dolls crowded a baker’s rack and books and puzzles overflowed a bookshelf. “Does your sister have a computer?”

“No, it was a sore subject between us, because she wanted her own laptop in her room, and I wouldn’t allow it.” Her chest rose up and down with a shaky breath. “I know how dangerous it is for kids on the Internet, so I let her use mine but only with supervision.”

She had the right answers and appeared to be caring and protective. “The feds looked at my computer and found nothing,” Leah added.

“Was anything else missing? Any clothes, toys?”

Her eyes darted around nervously. “Her Matilda doll is gone. She might have it with her.”

So the kidnapper hadn’t packed a bag to take with them. “Good. That might prove to be helpful somehow.” At least in tracing her, or, if they found a body, in identifying her. But he refrained from relaying that thought.

She paced, wringing her hands together, then paused and traced her finger over a drawing Ruby had done. It was a childish sketch of a girl and a woman smiling, hands outstretched to each other in a meadow of wildflowers.

The sight of the room was obviously torturing her, so he moved toward the hall. “Let’s go downstairs.”

Relief softened the lines on her face. She was so petite, and fragile looking. Creamy skin, golden hair that fell in soft waves around her heart-shaped face, eyes the palest green he’d ever seen.

But the photo of the little girl burned in his pocket, reminding him to keep this strictly business. Every second counted. He didn’t want another child to end up dead on his watch.

And her comment about the police bugged him. If there was some reason she didn’t trust them, he needed to know what it was. It might prove to be the lead they needed to find Ruby.

LEAH STARED AT Gage’s folded hands as he sat in the club chair in the den.

His hands were large, masculine, callused. A jagged scar crisscrossed his right one, disappearing into the sleeve of his shirt.

She claimed the love seat and held Ruby’s Pippi doll, gently running a finger over its long red braids. The yarn hair was coarse, not like Ruby’s soft red curls.

Where was she right now? What was happening to her?

“All right, Leah. Give me a blow-by-blow of the events leading up to Ruby’s abduction.”

She took a deep breath. “The night before she disappeared I took Ruby to the park. They had a mini-fair with a merry-go-round and cotton candy and games.”

“Did you notice anyone following or watching you and Ruby?”

She bit down on her lip and struggled to think, but she’d been caught up in Ruby’s laughter and chatter, and hadn’t noticed anyone. “No, I…Maybe I should have but I didn’t see anything strange. There were a lot of families there—teenagers, kids laughing, running around, all excited.”

“Did you lose sight of your sister at any time?”

“No, I never left her side. We played some games and rode a few rides.” She paused. “I understand how important it is to watch children closely, and how quickly they can slip away.”

He nodded. “Go on. What did you do then?”

“Ruby wanted a corn dog and cotton candy, and then an ice cream sundae.” She remembered Ruby’s shriek of joy when Leah had finally given in and allowed her the sweets. “Normally I don’t let her have so much junk food, but it was our ‘Fun Friday,’ that’s what we call it, and I caved.” She shrugged helplessly, wondering if they’d ever share another Fun Friday again. Knotting her hands to compose herself, she pressed on. “Unfortunately she got an upset stomach, and went to bed as soon as we arrived home.”

He narrowed his eyes and her heart pounded. “What?” she asked.

“I was just wondering if a stranger could have slipped something in her food at the fair.”

A bead of perspiration trickled down the back of her neck. “I…don’t know. I didn’t see anyone near her food except the vendors.”

He nodded but she had to wonder. If someone had followed them, was it possible? The place had been packed. They’d stopped to play dart balloons and others had squeezed beside Ruby while she’d hung back and given them space. Although she’d kept an eye on Ruby, she could have missed something.

“Leah,” Gage said in a deep voice. “I understand this is difficult, but I need you to finish. Did you go to bed when Ruby did?”

She hesitated, driving her fingers through her hair. “Not right away. I locked up the house and read for a while, then turned in.”

“Did you check on Ruby?”

Her gaze shot to his. “Yes, I always do. She was sleeping peacefully, but she’d kicked off the comforter. I went in and covered her.”

“And the window was closed?”

“Yes.”

“Did you sleep all night?” he asked. “You didn’t hear anything?”

Tears pooled in her eyes. “No, not until the morning.” Her gaze lifted to his. “How could I sleep while someone was breaking in and taking her?”

“It happens, Leah.” His expression softened slightly, and she decided maybe he did have a heart.

“What time did you notice she was missing?”

“I woke up right before dawn when I heard the wind screaming, and I had a bad feeling.” She pressed a hand to her aching chest, drawing in a tortured breath. “I got up and ran to check on Ruby. I wanted to make sure she was tucked in, not freezing.”

“And you saw the open window then?”

She nodded. “Then I saw that Ruby wasn’t in her bed.” Tears trickled down her cheeks, and she brushed them away. “I called her name but she didn’t answer, and I panicked and flipped on the light. Then I saw the bear and the note.”

And sheer terror had ripped through her.

“The police questioned the staff and vendors at the fair, didn’t they?”

She nodded. “No one saw anything.”

And the feds hadn’t turned up anything suspicious on them. They speculated that a vacationer or someone traveling through might have seen her, followed her home and absconded with her in the night. Obviously, whoever had kidnapped her hadn’t drawn anyone’s attention.

“Did you have a gardener or any workers—repairmen, cable guys, anybody like that—in before the kidnapping?”

She massaged her temple. “No. I mow my own lawn, and I don’t remember any strange workers being in the neighborhood. I certainly hadn’t hired any.”

“I know the police already questioned the neighbors, but I’d like to do that myself.” He looked at her, hard. “But first, I have to ask you, Leah. Can you think of anyone else who’d kidnap Ruby? Her father—”

“Our father died before she was born,” Leah said, cutting him off. “You know that, Gage.”

He stared at her for so long that she started to fidget in her seat. “I just thought that maybe your mother had met someone else….”