Read Online Born To Be Wild by Patricia Rosemoor - Free Book Online

you, S-Sam,” Isabel said, her voice shaking now. “And thank your m-mom for giving you my number. If you re-remember anything else, you call me again.”
    “Yeah, sure.”
    The moment she clicked off, Isabel cried, “No…no…no!”
    While his own stomach churned, Micah did his best to keep her calm. “At least we got a decent lead.”
    “I don’t understand why Lucy would get in a stranger’s car! She knows better!”
    “Maybe she had no choice. The kid said he thought she looked sick. Maybe she was drugged.”
    “My God. Someone really took her, Micah! Someone took our Lucy! I was hoping it was all a mistake, that she had wandered off somewhere and would show up—”
    “I know. Me, too.”
    Micah reached across the console and pulled Isabel to him. She cried against his shoulder. Having his arms around her to comfort her felt so right, like she belonged there. Belonged with him. But their daughter belonged with them, as well.
    Thank God for Sam. That the kid remembered the tag numbers was a miracle.
    “Surely Ochoa can track down that license plate. We’ll have her back in a matter of hours. I know we will.” But Micah still couldn’t take a normal breath.
    Especially when Isabel collapsed into his arms and cried.
    …
    Isabel looked over Detective Frank Ochoa’s shoulder as he put the partial plate number into his computer database. Micah was pacing the floor behind them. Anxiety was eating her alive.
    How many car owners would he have to pursue?
    How much longer before they had Lucy safe?
    Detective Ochoa turned away from the monitor, his coal-dark eyes meeting hers. “Looks like there are five New Mexican plates that have one-two-two-five as part of the plate number.”
    “Five?” Five leads to follow—how long would that take? “What are we waiting for?”
    “Hang on. Let me take a look at where the vehicles are registered.”
    She felt Micah move behind her. He was barely touching her, but his body heat seared her so that she had to force herself to stay put. Being in his arms earlier had been a huge mistake. But it had felt so good…
    “Las Cruces…way too far south,” Ochoa mumbled. “Farmington…too far north. Albuquerque…closer, but doubtful. Taos…same. But number five is most likely our winner. Tim Whitley. He drives a black Ford and lives about a half mile from the municipal airport.”
    “What’s the address?” Micah asked.
    “Whoa, son.” The detective stood, and while he wasn’t as broadly built as Micah, he was nearly as tall. His short black hair seemed to be bristling, and he aimed his blade of a nose practically in Micah’s face. “You’re not heading this investigation. I am.”
    Micah’s face flooded with color. “Lucy is my daughter.”
    “Which is why you need to stay out of it. I will keep you fully informed.”
    Knowing Micah’s stubborn streak, Isabel put a hand on his arm. “Arguing just means it’ll be longer before we have Lucy back with us. Let the man do his job.”
    “Fine.”
    “Good. You can wait here and I’ll call it in as soon as I have something.” Ochoa turned to the uniformed officers in the room. “I want a squad following me for backup.” He immediately headed for the exit.
    And Micah followed practically on his heels, Isabel nearly running to keep up.
    “Shouldn’t we just stay here and wait like he said?” she asked.
    “Like hell I will,” Micah muttered.
    By the time they got to the truck, Ochoa’s unmarked vehicle had whizzed down the street and the black-and-white was directly behind him. Micah jumped into the driver’s seat, fired up the engine, and was moving by the time she closed the passenger door.
    “Seat belt!” he ordered, hitting the accelerator.
    They whipped out of the parking lot and quickly caught up to the squad car.
    “Detective Ochoa isn’t going to be happy when he sees us.”
    “So I’ll stay back, keep a low profile.”
    Isabel hung on and prayed Ochoa had chosen the right car and the right