Read Online Second Chance by Christy Reece - Free Book Online Page A

began to ease.
    “I know you’re new to the case, but Eden, Jordan, and the FBI believe that the same person who had Stephen kidnapped could also be responsible for Hailey and Hannah’s disappearance. Do you agree?”
    “The person who paid for the abduction could well be the same person.” Cole Mathison’s eyes went icy cold as he continued, “Donald Rosemount, the man responsible for the actual abduction, is dead.”
    “Yes, I was told he was killed by one of his victims.”
    “That’s true, also.”
    “You seem to know a lot about Stephen’s case. You worked on it, too?”
    “Yes.”
    “So you think it’s possible it’s the same person?”
    “Abductions are rare enough in this country. To have two in the same family is too much of a coincidence.”
    “But if that’s the case … who? And why would they try to take me, too?”
    “I know you’ve been asked this before, but are you sure there’s no one in your past who could hold a grudge against you?”
    “I’m certainly not the most popular person in town, but other than Elizabeth hating me for marrying her son, I can’t think of anyone in my past who hates me.”
    “No old boyfriends?”
    “No. I didn’t date a lot. Stephen was my first serious relationship.”
    The man across from her leaned forward. They locked gazes, and she saw a flash of something intense as he said, “We will find your children, Keeley. I promise you that.”
    Behind that hard exterior, Keeley glimpsed not only determination but also compassion. That strange tension she’d felt on meeting him disappeared. Cole Mathison did indeed care. For some reason, he wanted to hide it, but she sensed his kindness and his resolve. He shared the same conviction that everyone else did.
    Without any concrete reason, Keeley felt more optimistic than she had in weeks. Somehow, just seeing the steady, resolute look in this man’s eyes, hearing his deep, masculine voice filled with purpose, reassured her. There were too many people working for the same goal for it not to come true.
    She was going to get her babies back. She was sure of it.
       A door slammed somewhere in the house. Elizabeth jerked, losing her concentration on the book in front of her. This time of night, no one should be up. It was probably Miranda coming in late as usual. She’d left her daughter, Maggie, in the care of one of the servants while she, no doubt, went slumming around again.
    Elizabeth couldn’t care less where she had been or what she did as long as she brought no more shame to the Fairchild name. She’d done enough for a lifetime.
    When Stephen lived at home, he had often come in this late, sometimes later, and had made no effort to be quiet. She had never been able to break him of that irritating habit, but he’d been so charming, she’d often overlooked his less desirable qualities.
    Melancholy hit her, as it often did, when she thought about her son. Why, oh why, couldn’t he have taken after her instead of his philandering father?
    Her husband, Baker, had been undisciplined, emotional and fiery, uncaring of his status in the community. She had saved his ass on numerous occasions, and saved him from destroying what his ancestors had worked so hard for. Without her, the Fairchild name would have been forever soiled.
    She’d never expected great things from Miranda. She’d been a whiny, irritating child; Elizabeth hadn’t seen much improvement in her as an adult. Though Miranda hadn’t seemed to be anything like her father, getting pregnant in the midst of her sophomore year of college by a man she refused to even name changed Elizabeth’s mind. And Maggie, no doubt, would grow up to be just like her. Another Fairchild failure.
    At one time she’d thought Stephen had inherited at least some of his mother’s qualities. She took pride in the family name and their stature in this world. She had thought Stephen did, too, but when he’d married that tramp, he had deeply disappointed