Virginia Vaughan - Mistletoe Reunion Threat

“I know I’ve let you down in the past, Ash, but I’m here now and I won’t leave you again. I’m right here by your side and I promise you I’ll find your son.”

His eyes steeled with determination, but she noticed he still referred to Jacob as her son, not their son. Well, he was right. Jacob was her son. He’d abandoned them when they’d needed him most. But he had skills that could help her. He had been an army ranger. She needed him in order to find Jacob. And even though she didn’t want to, she instinctively trusted him in that regard.

* * *

Garrett hung around the precinct and kept an eye on Ashlynn. For the next few hours, she answered calls from the Amber Alert and he could see the devastation on her face when each lead proved unworthy. He agreed with Vince that she didn’t need to be here in the center of all this. She needed to distance herself and allow others to field through the evidence. Yet he also knew she wasn’t the type of person to sit around and wait for answers. Like him, she was action oriented. It was one of those things he’d once loved most about her. She’d never played the part of a victim no matter how many obstacles life threw at her. He knew she wouldn’t now, either.

He had to admit he was feeling antsy himself. He needed to do something and his mind was focused on speaking with Ashlynn’s ex-husband, Stephen Morris. He’d been surprised to learn of their divorce. It wasn’t really his business, but this was Ashlynn they were talking about, and as far as he was concerned she was still his business.

Despite what she’d told Vince earlier, his stomach constricted as he realized the attempt on her life along with her son’s abduction made much more sense when you added an angry ex-husband to the mix, especially since they had yet to receive a ransom call. Had Stephen hired someone to plant that bomb in Ashlynn’s car? And was he behind the murder of their nanny? He wanted to believe such a thing would shock him, but unfortunately he’d seen too much and was no longer surprised by the depravity of the world. Both his time in the rangers and his private search-and-rescue missions had cemented his belief that evil knew no bounds and betrayal was a bitter pill. It pained him to think that Ashlynn might have been betrayed by someone she’d once cared for.

He tracked down the detective Vince had sent to interview Ashlynn’s ex and asked him what his take was on Stephen Morris.

“The husband would automatically become a person of interest in an attack on his wife, but this guy seemed genuinely shocked at the nanny’s death and understandably worried about his kid. We’ll keep looking into his business dealings and financials, but my personal opinion is that he’s not involved.”

Garrett hoped the detective was correct, but it was hard to take the man’s opinion at face value. He didn’t know him that well and didn’t yet trust his judgment. In fact, there wasn’t anyone on the force he trusted that much yet. Garrett wanted to look into Stephen’s eyes himself in order to know for sure he wasn’t involved in this.

But he wasn’t leaving Ashlynn alone. He found her refilling a cup of coffee in the break room and pulled her aside. Her face showed signs of weariness and her eyes were red and sad. He hated seeing her this way and had the sudden urge to take her in his arms. Instead, he dug his hands into his pockets before he acted on it.

“How are you holding up?”

She shook her head. “It’s frustrating. The Amber Alert isn’t generating much usable information. I feel like I should be out doing something, even if it’s just driving around with my head out the window screaming Jacob’s name.”

He smiled at that image, but he agreed with her sentiment. They’d been at the precinct for hours. They both needed to be out doing something.

“I was thinking we should go talk with your ex-husband. I know the police have already questioned him, but he may say something to you that he wouldn’t say to the police.”

“I know Stephen is the most logical suspect given that the bomb was in my car, but I still have a hard time believing he would kill Mira.”

“This may have nothing to do with him or he could be involved indirectly. What if someone is targeting his family to get back at him? We should check out every possibility.”

He could see she was still hesitant to believe Stephen could be involved, but her urge to do something obviously won out because she agreed to go with him. She followed him outside and slid into the passenger seat of his truck. The back window was still out so he cranked up the heater to knock off the chill of the December night air.

He headed for the neighborhood where Stephen Morris now lived. Garrett knew it by reputation. It was an upscale area in a well-to-do part of town. Stephen obviously made a good living. Garrett didn’t like the twinge of jealousy that nicked at him. He wasn’t some poor kid from the wrong side of town anymore. He, too, made a good living and while his house might not be as large or grand as this one, it offered him all he needed.

He slowed as they approached the house and he memorized the layout as he passed it. The garage door was closed. All the window blinds were down. The house seemed dark, but Garrett noticed a faint light in the kitchen window. It wasn’t unusual even this close to midnight, but it caught his attention. He scanned the area looking for suspicious cars or activity that might indicate that whoever was after Ashlynn had either followed them there or was waiting for them.

“That’s his house,” Ashlynn stated, pointing. “You just passed Stephen’s house.”

He sped up and turned, circling the block. “I know. I’m checking out the area first.”

“Oh.” She glanced out the windshield and tried to see something. “Do you see anything?”

“No. Everything looks clear.” He wished they had stopped by his house first so he could grab his gun bag. The only weapon he had on him was the pistol he always carried. He didn’t like to walk into any situation unprepared. Ashlynn didn’t believe her ex could be involved, but Garrett had seen too many relationships go bad to take anything for granted. “I see a light coming from the side window. Looks like he might be up.” But was he awake because he was hiding his son in the house or because he was concerned about the shooting gone wrong at his former home?

Garrett parked several houses down and got out. He placed his arm on her elbow as they approached the house. She headed for the front door, but he stopped her.

“We’re not going in that way.”

“Why not?”

“Ashlynn, we have to make sure he isn’t in on this. I want to know what’s going on inside that house before we enter. If he’s involved, he might have Jacob inside.”

He moved quietly around the side until they reached the back. He glanced in through a window. The kitchen was dark except for a light above the sink, but Stephen Morris sat at the table poring over his laptop. Garrett pushed Ashlynn behind him then found a stick and used it to scratch against the back door. He watched Stephen react to the sound. Stephen stood and glanced out the window but Garrett pushed Ashlynn down so they wouldn’t be seen. He heard the locks on the door unlatch and knew Stephen was coming out to investigate. Garrett readied his weapon and when the door opened, he leaped forward and pushed Stephen back into the house, his gun raised and aimed at the man’s head. Stephen stumbled backward, his hands up in a surrendering manner until he saw Ashlynn enter behind Garrett.

She rushed past him and ran toward the bedrooms, calling her son’s name. She reappeared several moments later, disappointment coloring her face. “He’s not here.”

Stephen’s eyes rounded in surprise as he stared at her, then anger set in. “Of course he’s not here. I wish he was. The police have already been here and filled me in on what’s happened.” His eyes bored into hers. “I knew working that job in the DA’s office would bring nothing but trouble. It’s already destroyed our marriage. Now it’s taken our son.”