Virginia Vaughan - Mistletoe Reunion Threat

“Did you see the man?” Vince asked her once Garrett told him about the incident on the balcony. “Can you describe him?”

She thought back, reliving the terror of the man bursting into the room and raising his gun at her. But she wasn’t able to offer much in the way of description. “He was wearing a dark mask over his face, like a ski mask, and he was dressed all in black. I couldn’t see any of his features, but he was a large man, tall with big shoulders.”

“He had an automatic weapon,” Garrett added. “I would say by his tactics he’s probably had some military experience. He came prepared.”

Vince nodded. “The question is, did he come prepared to take the child or was it an impromptu decision? And why kill the nanny if Ashlynn is the one he wants?”

“We didn’t see Jacob, but he could have had him tied up in the car.”

Vince’s face grew grim. “Whoever this guy is, he has access to both automatic weapons and explosives.”

Ashlynn shuddered and folded her arms around her. They were talking so clinically, as if it wasn’t her child missing or her world falling apart.

“Did Mira have any family that needs to be notified?” Vince asked her.

Ashlynn nodded. “Her parents live in Memphis.”

“Is it possible this is about her?” Garrett asked.

“It’s possible, but unlikely given the bomb was in Ashlynn’s car.” Vince looked at her. “What about your husband? I understand you divorced recently. Was it an amicable split?”

Ashlynn swallowed hard and wished Garrett wasn’t listening to every word she said. She didn’t like sharing information about her personal life, especially unpleasant details. She nodded. She doubted Stephen was involved in this. He was a good man and loved Jacob like his own son. “Stephen isn’t a violent person. I can’t believe he would try to kill me.”

“But he could have hired someone to do it. It wouldn’t be the first time a man has tried to off his ex-wife over a custody dispute. I’ll send someone to his house to update him on what’s happened and try to ascertain his involvement, if any.” Vince’s phone rang and he pulled it out. “It’s the commander on scene at your house.” He answered the call and listened intently.

Garrett walked over to her and rubbed her arms. “How are you holding up?”

She wanted to scream and rant, but her arms and legs were numb with shock and fear. Her chin trembled as she spoke. “I just want him back,” she whispered, fighting with everything she had to keep her emotions under control. Falling apart now wouldn’t do any good. She had to keep her wits about her in order to figure out who was targeting her and who had Jacob.

Vince ended his call and turned back to them.

“My men have been through the house and there’s no sign of your son. We did gather photos of him.” He pulled up one that had been sent to him. “Is this a recent snapshot?”

She looked at the photo and bit back tears. It was his preschool Christmas photo, taken only two weeks earlier. She traced the outline of his face, her heart breaking at the sight of his beautiful green eyes and his wide, mischievous smile. “Yes, it’s very recent.”

He nodded. “We’ll add this photo to our Amber Alert. Don’t worry, Ashlynn. We’ll find him. Ken sent me those names and my officers are checking them all.”

“How sure are you that this has to be someone she’s prosecuted?” Garrett asked.

“Without any other identifiable enemies, it’s a logical place to start. We’re still on the scene processing the house and interviewing neighbors so we may find some more evidence that might lead us in the right direction there.” He looked at her and his face softened. “You can’t go home. Do you have somewhere to go, Ashlynn? Somewhere safe?”

“I’m not going anywhere until Jacob is found.”

“You won’t do anybody any good here. You need to get some rest.”

“I can’t rest until I know he’s safe. Besides, with someone trying to kill me, I couldn’t possibly put any of my friends in danger that way.”

Garrett placed an arm on her back, but he addressed Vince when he spoke. “She can come home with me. I’ll keep her safe.”

“No!” Ashlynn insisted. “I said I’m not leaving.”

“I need you to rest, Ashlynn,” Vince told her and Garrett agreed.

“You can’t do Jacob any good if you’re so tired you can’t function. There’s nothing you can do here.”

She wanted to lash out at him for using Jacob against her. He had no right to act so concerned. He’d lost that right when he’d abandoned them five years ago. Yet she knew he was right. She needed to be at her best for Jacob’s sake.

She stared up into Garrett’s face and saw the worry in his expression. He wanted her to trust him and she instinctively desired to. She’d trusted him with everything she’d had once upon a time He’d been her rock and her protector, and she had to admit she was glad he was by her side now. Her initial displeasure at seeing him was beginning to fade. What would she have done if he hadn’t been there? She would have been dead in her car this afternoon or at the very least in her house tonight.

But how could she rest when her child’s life was at stake? She shuddered thinking of the possibility that Jacob might need her and she wasn’t close by. She shook her head stubbornly. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Garrett glanced over at Vince then tried a different tactic. “Okay then, we won’t go anywhere. We’ll stick around and man the phones for the Amber Alert.” He looked at Vince, who nodded his agreement.

“I’ll keep you updated if we get any new leads,” he promised then walked off.

She was glad that was settled. She wasn’t just any crime victim. She was also a prosecutor and she didn’t want to be handled. She had to stay strong and make certain every lead and angle was being investigated in finding her son.

Garrett reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her arm that sent tingles through her. “We’ll find him. I promise.” She stared into his green eyes and melted a little inside, remembering how much she’d once loved this man. “Do you trust me, Ash?” he asked, using his old nickname for her.

She stared at her hands to avoid looking into his eyes. Every instinct told her she could trust him, but her heart knew better. She’d once trusted him more than anyone in the world. She’d believed he was someone she could count on forever, but that trust had ended when he’d shut them out after discovering she was pregnant. The memory of how alone and broken she’d been brought back anger and bitterness so intense that she nearly couldn’t breathe.

Instead of answering him, she asked a question. “When did you leave the rangers?”

He looked like he didn’t want to answer, but he did. “Two years ago.”

So he’d given up on them for something he hadn’t even stayed with.

He sighed. “I owe you an apology, Ash.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do, and I want to explain. I never told you this, but after I left you to return to my unit, my ranger team was ambushed. I saw men with wives and families who were suffering because their husbands and fathers had decided to take on a dangerous task. I knew I couldn’t let you have that kind of life. My life, my work, is dangerous. I was trying to protect you from that.”

She cut him off, anger pulsing through her at the idea that he was going to try to justify abandoning his family. “What you did was to make the choice for me. You made a decision that affected us without even consulting me. You cut me out of your life.”

His expression held regret and pain, but he nodded reluctantly. “I know.”

“I can’t even begin to fathom how I can trust you to help me look for Jacob.”