A Texas Hero

“Yes, I did.” He stroked wet curls from her face. “You swim like a fish.”

“That’s what Holly said.”

Holly walked in with an oversize towel wrapped around her waist. Her eyes zeroed in on Doug. “I didn’t know rats came out of the sewer at this time of day.”

“Your daddy is here,” Everett said quickly before heated words could start.

“Hi, Daddy.” Chloe raised a hand, but she made no move to go to him.

Doug squatted by Everett’s chair. “Do you want to go to Daddy’s house?”

Chloe shook her head. “I have to stay with Grandpa. Mommy’s coming to get me.”

“Okay, sweetie.” Doug leaned over and kissed his daughter’s cheek. “Daddy has a lot to do, but I’ll come back for you.”

“No, Daddy. Mommy’s coming.” Chloe’s little face scrunched up in worry. Even at three she sensed something was not right.

“C’mon, cutie,” Holly said. “Time to get dressed.”

Chloe gave Doug a hug and ran after Holly.

Doug left without another word.

Everett looked at his wife. “I knew you were crafty, but you’ve taken devious to a new level. Doug didn’t even catch on.”

She shrugged. “You didn’t want Chloe to leave and I figured out a way to accomplish that.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m not a monster.”

“I know, honey. I said things this morning I didn’t mean.” He raised his eyes to hers. “Did you mean it when you said we’d take care of Abby?”

“Yes. I’m not the motherly type, but I will try.”

“Don’t try, Gayle. Let it happen naturally.”

She kissed his forehead. “I’ll make us a nice dinner.”

“Chloe—and Holly, too?”

“Of course.”

His cell buzzed and he quickly pulled it out of his trousers. “Hello.”

“Mr. Baines, this is Detective Logan.”

“Yes, I know. Have you found my daughter?”

“Sorry, Mr. Baines, no. But a SWAT team and the feds have arrested Devon Williams at his girlfriend’s.”

“And Abby wasn’t with him?”

“No. He said the van broke down and he left it on the side of the highway in Houston. He called his girlfriend and she picked him up and they traveled to her apartment in south Houston. The girlfriend verified his story. He said he doesn’t know anything about a bank robbery.”

“You believe this?”

“Not for a minute. He’s being transported back here and I’ll get a crack at him. I’ll stay in touch.”

“Thank you.”

Everett stared at his phone and suddenly threw it across the room. It landed with a soft thud on the large Oriental rug.

“Everett!”

He told Gayle what the detective had said. “My daughter is probably lying dead in a field somewhere, and he just didn’t want to tell me.”

“No. No. Don’t say that.” Gayle wrapped her arms around him. “We’re staying positive. Do you hear me?”

“I think I will lie down.”

“No.” She kissed his face. “I’ll get the checkerboard out and you can play checkers with Chloe. She loves it.”

“But you hate it when we make a mess.”

“I don’t care.” She wrapped her arms around him again and he held on tight. “Abby will come home, Everett. We have to believe that.”

And he did.

* * *

WITH EACH STEP, Ethan cursed himself. One look from her sleepy blue eyes and he’d let his guard down—allowed himself to wonder what it would feel like to have her lips on his skin. He’d come to his senses quickly, telling her they had to keep moving. She’d seemed startled, but complied. Concerning Abby Bauman, he had one goal—to return her safely to her family. That was it. No hanky-panky.

“E-e...”

He swung around to see Abby crumpled to the ground. He fell down beside her and lifted her upper body onto his thigh. “Abby!”

She’d passed out from the heat, and her breathing was shallow. Balancing her on his leg, he whipped his T-shirt over his head and wiped her face with it, running it around her neck trying to cool her.

“That feels good,” she murmured, opening her eyes. Lightly touching his chest, she added, “That feels even better.”

He slowly removed her hand from his hot skin, even though he had the urge to press it closer.

“What happened?”

“You fainted.”

“Oh. I’m so hot.” She moved restlessly. “I’m sticky and miserable.”