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Authors: Allie Harrison
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best to keep a thousand ‘if only’s from going through his mind. It didn’t help seeing blood on the seat and knowing it came from his wife.
His worry for Justine left him weak. He swallowed hard and looked down, waiting for some of his strength to return. The fact that he happened to run across the kidnapper might have been nothing more than a coincidence, pure and simple, but in the life of a cop, nothing was pure and simple.
Maybe, just maybe, the sonofabitch had wanted him to find them, had wanted him to see Justine held that way.
If that were true, it was his second biggest mistake. The first being he took Justine to begin with.
At Dan’s feet, something gold glittered on the pine needles, and Dan stared at it. He knew instantly what it was, and he didn’t want to face looking at it. He was afraid to touch it.
It was Justine’s bracelet, apparently pulled or forced from her wrist between here and the unknown vehicle, a bracelet the robber perhaps hadn’t known was on her wrist. He let out a heavy breath that was almost a groan, but it was all he could manage just then.
He’d given the bracelet to her for their first anniversary. He forced back another groan as he reached down and picked up the delicate gold chain, forgetting his promise to not compromise any evidence. As far as he was concerned, this wasn’t evidence. This was his only link to his wife. Although he already knew what was written on it, he read what was engraved on it. Instead of having Justine’s name or initials engraved on it, he’d had one word. Forever . He ran his fingers across the engraving.
Then, he crammed the bracelet into the pocket of his jeans. But even after it was out of his hand, he couldn’t seem to forget how cold it felt.
Chapter 8
Justine forced herself to remain calm. Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall, fearing she would lose all control if she did. In her mind, she cried out to Dan. Had he been shot? She thought she’d managed to mess up her abductor’s aim, but she wasn’t sure. Her chest hurt at the thought of Dan lying back at the campground, bleeding and hurt. She flatly refused to believe there was a chance he could be dead. But she was certain he must be hurt. If he’d been able, he would have chased after them. Because he hadn’t, her kidnapper had the few moments it took to bind her with duct tape after he dragged her to the van and shoved her in. He finished by putting a large piece of tape over her mouth.
If Dan had been able, he would have pounded his way into the van.
While her abductor bound her, one question continuously gnawed at her belly.
Did Dan and her kidnapper know each other? Dan had said the robber didn’t want her anyway and had offered himself, as if the robber would want him instead. The robber had talked of hurting her to hurt Dan.
Justine hoped she’d get the chance to get the answers she needed. She was unable to stop the tears from sliding down her cheeks.
Her kidnapper started the van and left the campground.
She knew that Dan couldn’t help her, not right now. Just as she knew she could give out or give in, but she could never give up. Not when she still had the power of Dan’s love in her heart. It was enough to see her through this ordeal. It had to be. Despite what just happened, she was determined to survive this and keep her baby safe. Dan was close, she felt him. She hugged her belly and wished she could fight off the coldness that held her in its grip. With her bound hands, she absently rubbed her belly, mentally picturing her child growing there inside of her. The baby was probably no bigger than a quarter, but it was living and growing every moment.
Those breaths and mental pictures helped her keep her head clear as she stared up at the windshield. From the floor of the back of the van, she could only see the sky and the clouds. But she knew they had turned left after leaving the campground, so she guessed they were heading toward
His worry for Justine left him weak. He swallowed hard and looked down, waiting for some of his strength to return. The fact that he happened to run across the kidnapper might have been nothing more than a coincidence, pure and simple, but in the life of a cop, nothing was pure and simple.
Maybe, just maybe, the sonofabitch had wanted him to find them, had wanted him to see Justine held that way.
If that were true, it was his second biggest mistake. The first being he took Justine to begin with.
At Dan’s feet, something gold glittered on the pine needles, and Dan stared at it. He knew instantly what it was, and he didn’t want to face looking at it. He was afraid to touch it.
It was Justine’s bracelet, apparently pulled or forced from her wrist between here and the unknown vehicle, a bracelet the robber perhaps hadn’t known was on her wrist. He let out a heavy breath that was almost a groan, but it was all he could manage just then.
He’d given the bracelet to her for their first anniversary. He forced back another groan as he reached down and picked up the delicate gold chain, forgetting his promise to not compromise any evidence. As far as he was concerned, this wasn’t evidence. This was his only link to his wife. Although he already knew what was written on it, he read what was engraved on it. Instead of having Justine’s name or initials engraved on it, he’d had one word. Forever . He ran his fingers across the engraving.
Then, he crammed the bracelet into the pocket of his jeans. But even after it was out of his hand, he couldn’t seem to forget how cold it felt.
Chapter 8
Justine forced herself to remain calm. Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall, fearing she would lose all control if she did. In her mind, she cried out to Dan. Had he been shot? She thought she’d managed to mess up her abductor’s aim, but she wasn’t sure. Her chest hurt at the thought of Dan lying back at the campground, bleeding and hurt. She flatly refused to believe there was a chance he could be dead. But she was certain he must be hurt. If he’d been able, he would have chased after them. Because he hadn’t, her kidnapper had the few moments it took to bind her with duct tape after he dragged her to the van and shoved her in. He finished by putting a large piece of tape over her mouth.
If Dan had been able, he would have pounded his way into the van.
While her abductor bound her, one question continuously gnawed at her belly.
Did Dan and her kidnapper know each other? Dan had said the robber didn’t want her anyway and had offered himself, as if the robber would want him instead. The robber had talked of hurting her to hurt Dan.
Justine hoped she’d get the chance to get the answers she needed. She was unable to stop the tears from sliding down her cheeks.
Her kidnapper started the van and left the campground.
She knew that Dan couldn’t help her, not right now. Just as she knew she could give out or give in, but she could never give up. Not when she still had the power of Dan’s love in her heart. It was enough to see her through this ordeal. It had to be. Despite what just happened, she was determined to survive this and keep her baby safe. Dan was close, she felt him. She hugged her belly and wished she could fight off the coldness that held her in its grip. With her bound hands, she absently rubbed her belly, mentally picturing her child growing there inside of her. The baby was probably no bigger than a quarter, but it was living and growing every moment.
Those breaths and mental pictures helped her keep her head clear as she stared up at the windshield. From the floor of the back of the van, she could only see the sky and the clouds. But she knew they had turned left after leaving the campground, so she guessed they were heading toward
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