MISSING CHILD

Someone wants Mississippi prosecutor Ashlynn Morris dead...and they’ve taken her son to get to her. The only person she can trust to get him back is his father, a man who doesn’t even know about their secret child. When grief and survivor guilt pushed army ranger Garrett Lewis to run out on their wedding five years ago, he knew he was leaving behind the love of his life. But a son? Finding out he’s a father has him reeling, especially since his little boy is missing. But now the tormented ex-soldier has a new mission, one that can’t fail. Protect the woman he’s never stopped loving...and bring her son—their son—home for Christmas.

A flicker of fear raced through her.

Beside her, Garrett reached for his gun. “Stay here,” he commanded. “Someone tried to kill you today. He could be back to finish the job.” He pushed open her front door and entered the house.

But she wasn’t going to obey his command. Her son was inside that house!

“Jacob!” She ran past Garrett and inside.

“Ashlynn, wait.”

Sounds from the TV greeted her, but she heard nothing else. The house was too quiet. Panic ripped through her and she searched in a haze of anxiety and fear...but he wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

“Jacob!”

She rushed into the next room and tripped over something. A leg jutting out from behind the couch. The nanny. Ashlynn didn’t need to check for a pulse to know she was dead.

Garrett grabbed her shoulders and she sank into his arms. The nanny was dead, murdered, and Jacob... If something had happened to him...

Anguish rushed through her.

Where was her child?

Dear Reader,

Thanks so much for reading Garrett and Ashlynn’s story!

Have you ever felt like God just wasn’t on your side? Sure you have. We all know that feeling. Life is hard and in some seasons of our lives we get beaten up by circumstances. It is so easy to forget that God is present and active in our lives. This is how Ashlynn feels at the beginning of the story. Everything she has fought so hard for all her life has been ripped away from her, and she is so angry and bitter at God that she cannot imagine putting her trust in Him. But Garrett’s reappearance in her life at just the time she needs him helps show Ashlynn that God, indeed, is with her and that He works all things for good.

In Deuteronomy 2:15 God assured Moses and the Israelites that He had been with them throughout their forty years of wandering in the desert. We have the same assurance that God is with us, watching over us and providing for us.

I love hearing from readers. You can connect with me through my website, www.virginiavaughanonline.com, or through the publisher.

Blessings!

Virginia

VIRGINIA VAUGHAN is a born-and-raised Mississippi girl. She is blessed to come from a large Southern family, and her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted around the dinner table. She was a lover of books from a young age, devouring tales of romance, danger and love. She soon started writing them herself. You can connect with Virginia through her website, virginiavaughanonline.com, or through the publisher.

Mistletoe Reunion Threat

Virginia Vaughan

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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He has watched over your journey through this vast desert. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.

—Deuteronomy 2:7

This book is lovingly dedicated to my family. Thank you all for putting up with me during this incredible journey.

You know me at my best and at my worst and still love me.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Assistant District Attorney Ashlynn Morris’s hands were shaking as she hurried down the steps of the courthouse toward her car. It couldn’t be him. It just couldn’t. But it had been Garrett Lewis in the foyer of the courthouse. The one man she’d never expected to see again.

She hadn’t seen him in years—five to be exact—and she hadn’t allowed herself to think about him in all that time except when she looked into her son Jacob’s face and saw Garrett’s eyes staring back at her. But she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how he’d devastated her when he abruptly ended their engagement, choosing his life as an army ranger over a life with her and Jacob.

The December wind nipped at her cheeks as she reached her car and opened the door, dumping belongings that had been in her briefcase onto the seat. She hadn’t even bothered to slip on her coat in her haste to get out of the courthouse. She’d gone stone cold when she’d seen Garrett standing in the hall, his hands casually in his pockets and his easygoing manner apparent. His sandy hair was long on his neck and ears, and a goatee decorated his face, but his eyes were unmistakably kind when he turned to look at her, his expression just as surprised as she knew her own must be. She’d frozen in place, engulfed in a trance until someone had bumped into her, knocking her briefcase from her hands and spilling its contents on the floor. After quickly recovering her items with the stranger’s help, she’d turned and rushed from the courthouse.

“Ashlynn,” Garrett called, his baritone voice another shock to her system. “Ashlynn, wait.”

How could she face him now when she’d loved him so amazingly deeply? He’d shattered her world by rejecting her, leaving her a twenty-two-year-old law school student suddenly on her own with a baby on the way.

It had been a struggle to raise a child alone and finish law school, but she hadn’t given up. She’d fought for a better life for herself and Jacob just as she’d battled for everything good in her life. Her mentor, Judge Warren, often called her a survivor, and she was. She handled more pressure on a daily basis in her job as a prosecutor than most people ever faced, and she never blinked. She wouldn’t—she couldn’t—let Garrett see her blink, either.

Steeling herself against the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her, she shut her car door quickly before she acted on her need to jump inside and roar away. She would face him. It was time to finally put this behind her once and for all. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she took a deep, fortifying breath then turned and closed the distance between them. “Garrett, what are you doing here?”

His green eyes bored into hers so intensely that it made her breath catch, and when he spoke, his low, husky voice was just as she remembered; his deep southern drawl unmistakable. “I’ve started mentoring foster kids through my local church, and one of the boys is here to see his mother, who was picked up for drugs. I’m here to support him.”

Her mind spun at the idea that he was mentoring foster kids. Yes, he’d been one, and yes, he’d found a successful career as an army ranger, but what kind of role model ran out on the people who needed him most? He might fool some with his good-guy act, but not her, not after how he’d abandoned her. But he’d misunderstood her question. “No, what are you doing here in Jackson?”

“Oh, that. I’ve been back in town for a while now. I’m living over on Sutton Lane out by the Reservoir.” He gave her an uncertain shrug. “I didn’t know whether or not to call. I heard you’d gotten married and started a family.”

Yes, she’d gone on with her life after he’d left her. No need for him to know how it was currently falling apart. Her marriage was over, and her ex-husband wanted Jacob to live with him full-time. But those were her problems, and he didn’t need to know about them.

“It’s better you didn’t,” she said, determined not to let her vulnerability show. “We’ve both moved on.”

“I’m working with the police now. I took a job training local law enforcement in anti-terror response tactics.”

She gasped at this revelation. “You left the army?” Being a ranger had been everything to him. He’d chosen that life over a life with her, having promised to marry her during an extended leave from the rangers only to change his mind once he rejoined his unit.

He nodded, but his voice caught and she thought she spotted something lurking in his eyes—pain? “I did.”

For Ashlynn, that was a final blow to her ego. He’d told her he couldn’t be a ranger and be with her, then he’d abandoned them both. Now he would be around town and working with the police. She might see him through the course of her work. Jackson, Mississippi, was a big town, but law enforcement was a small community, and in her job as a prosecutor she often worked closely with the police. It was just one more insulting kick in the teeth to her already encumbered life. “I have to go. I’m expected at home.”

She hurried away from him and back toward her car. It unnerved her to think he was so close now and she might see him regularly. She made a mental note to conduct as much of her business as possible at the secondary jailhouse, where she would be less likely to run into him again instead of the primary jailhouse where he was now working. But, for now, she needed to concentrate on Jacob and looked forward to winding down after an incredibly hectic day by snuggling with him on the couch tonight and watching A Charlie Brown Christmas on television.

She was nearly to her car when an explosion rocked the air. Ashlynn was thrown backward, landing hard on the asphalt. She tumbled back against a car, ramming her head. Blinding pain ripped through her and her head felt heavy, but she managed to glance up to see her car in flames and debris falling all around. People were running toward her. Garrett was the only one she could make out clearly. He appeared to be screaming, but she couldn’t hear him or anything over the ringing in her ears.

He reached her and pulled her to her feet then hurried her away from the debris and flames. Her body was numb, but when her knees buckled beneath her, he scooped her into his arms and carried her. Noise began to seep back through to her—the huff of air through Garrett’s lungs as he ran, the distant wail of sirens and the roar of the fire raging a few feet away. The overwhelming smell of burning rubber permeated the air. She caught the worried expression on Garrett’s face as her vision faded, and she laid her head against his chest and slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

The sky was on fire from the force of the blast and the heat radiating from what was left of the car. As she passed out in his arms, a horrible realization rushed through Garrett. He’d seen her put her things into the vehicle that was now ablaze. That was definitely her car. A sickening feeling pulsed through him. If he hadn’t stopped her, she would have been inside the car when it had blown up.

The explosion immediately made him think of his time in the army and the night his ranger team was ambushed. Five years later and he was still reliving it. Anything could bring those memories front and center again, whisking him back to that dark place. To the echoing blasts of mortars and gunfire, the cries of agony and the anguish of hauling his best friend from the battle only to have him die in Garrett’s arms. This was his Ashlynn in the line of fire. And here he was, carrying someone he cared for out of danger once again. The way she slumped in his arms filled him with terror.

Please, God, don’t let her be seriously injured.

People rushed from the courthouse and surrounding downtown buildings. The fire still raged and the air smelled putrid. He carefully set Ashlynn down in a patch of grass beside the courthouse steps. She was light as a feather in his arms, and her skin was soft as he touched her face. Her brown hair spilled from a clip at the back of her neck. And he’d noticed while they were talking that her eyes still blazed with fire and her chin jutted when she spoke. She was a petite powerhouse of dedication and energy when she fixated on something important to her. He’d always loved that about her.

He turned back to look at the car. Black smoke was pouring from it. He’d broken their engagement five years ago in order to keep her safe. His job as an army ranger had been a dangerous one, something he hadn’t fully considered in the midst of their whirlwind courtship. But on returning to the army after proposing, he had, in fact, been scarred by war and the ambush that wiped out his ranger squad.

It was that ambush, and watching his friends die and turn their wives into widows and their kids into orphans, that had convinced him he didn’t want that life for Ashlynn. He hadn’t wanted to saddle her with wondering if he would come home from a mission. He was glad she’d gotten on with her life, glad she’d found someone else to love and start a family with. Yet he’d always assumed her life without him would be quiet and uneventful. He’d never once dreamed she might become the victim of a car bomb.

The police arrived from the downtown precinct behind the courthouse. He could see the confusion on their faces as they wondered what had happened. Their first priority would be to keep the public safely away from the blaze and then scope out the area for other threats of danger.

He spotted his friend Vince Mason, his liaison with the Jackson police department, and called to him.

“What happened?” Vince asked, running up to him. “Did you see?”

Garrett swallowed the lump forming in his throat. “It was a car bomb.”

“Do we know whose car it was?”

Again Garrett held the answer. He glanced at Ashlynn lying unconscious on the grass. “It was hers.”

Vince stepped around him and saw her on the grass. “An attack on an ADA? That’s not good. How is she?”

“She needs medical attention.”

“Paramedics are on the way. Stay with her. We’re going to have to question you about what you saw,” he said, hurrying away. “Don’t go anywhere.”

He needn’t have worried. Garrett wasn’t leaving, not until he knew Ashlynn was all right. It had been her dream to become a lawyer and then a prosecutor ever since Judge Warren had encouraged her pursuit of law after her testimony against her abusive foster mother helped send the woman to jail. He was proud of her for accomplishing her dreams, but he’d never considered the danger such a job might place her in.

What else had changed in her world, he wondered. Had she found God since their time together? He hoped she had. His newfound faith was the only thing that had sustained him through the past years since the ambush. And while he still struggled, he was thankful to have God on his side. He hoped Ashlynn had found the same comfort in Jesus that he had, especially when he realized how close she’d just come to meeting Him.

Ashlynn began to squirm. Her hand went to her head and she groaned. “What happened?”

He knelt beside her, in his heart a mix of relief that she seemed okay and horror over what had happened. “There was an explosion. How do you feel?”

She sat up and looked at him, her expression confused as if she didn’t remember why he was there. She glanced past him toward the flames. The fire department had arrived on scene and was working to contain the blaze while the police were keeping people back, questioning witnesses and searching for other explosives. “My car.”

“It could have been worse,” he stated. “You could have been in it.”

Again that thought sent shivers through him. He took a deep breath and thanked God for His intervention today in keeping Ashlynn safe. Garrett had let her go five years ago in order to keep her safe.

Yet it seemed she’d managed to find danger all on her own.

* * *

Ashlynn allowed the paramedics to check her out and bandage a few scrapes she’d sustained in the explosion, but she waved off any talk of going to the hospital. She wasn’t seriously injured and she needed to get home to be with her son and relieve her nanny, Mira. Her mind was scrambled by the thought that someone had tried to kill her. Who had placed that bomb in her car? And why? She didn’t know, but the idea that someone might want her dead shook her.

Garrett approached with the precinct commander and Ashlynn realized that seeing Garrett again after all this time had shaken her nearly as much as the threat against her life. At first, she’d thought he was a dream or a flashback when she’d opened her eyes and seen him hovering over her, but then the events of the afternoon had come rushing in. Garrett Lewis was back in her life.

“Ashlynn, this is Vince Mason, he’s—”

“I know who he is,” she insisted, suddenly irritated that he thought he could waltz into town and act like she was the outsider. “I work with this police force every day.” She’d struggled to put herself through law school after Garrett left her, and she had been working in the DA’s office for nearly two years now.

Vince nodded. “Yes, we’ve worked together on cases many times. How are you feeling, counselor?”

Her ears were still ringing and she was sore, but mostly she was ready to wrap her son in a big hug. “I’m fine. I’m anxious to get home.”

“I know you are. I need to ask you some questions first, though. Do you have any idea who would place a bomb on your car?”

“Not at all.” It was the truth. She hadn’t worked any high-profile cases during her time in the DA’s office. In fact, she hadn’t worked any cases she could remember involving explosives of any kind.

“Have you received any threats recently?”

“No.”

“Can you think of anyone, perhaps someone you prosecuted, who would want to do you harm? We can check on people you’ve convicted that might have recently been released from prison or escaped.”

“I don’t make a lot of friends in my job as a prosecutor, but no one has made overt threats. I can have my investigator send you some names to check out. He’s familiar with all the threats the office receives.”

He nodded. “Tell him to call me. Meanwhile, I’m going to follow up with forensics to see if there’s any identifying information about that bomb. Fortunately, we haven’t discovered any further devices. Until we determine otherwise, it appears you were the primary target. Would you like me to have an officer drive you home?”

“Yes, that would be good,” Ashlynn said. She couldn’t wait to go home and wash this day from her memory.

“No need. I’ll take her,” Garrett said.

Vince looked at her questioningly, allowing her to make the decision.

“It’s fine,” she said, and Vince nodded.

“I’ll be in touch, then.” He walked off, leaving Ashlynn alone with Garrett as he hurried back to the scene.

“You didn’t have to offer,” she said. She didn’t want him thinking she couldn’t take care of herself. She was a successful career woman. She’d built a life without him.

But the glint of his smile melted her resolve. “I would feel better knowing you made it home safely. Besides, I don’t mind.”

She hated that he could still have such an effect on her, but she’d been captivated by Garrett ever since he first smiled at her at a friend’s party. She’d been fresh out of college and he was already a decorated soldier home on an extended leave. She’d fallen hard and fast, and his protective manner had made her feel safe and loved for the first time in her life. But she wasn’t that young girl anymore and she didn’t need rescuing...yet she did like the way his hand rested protectively on the small of her back, guiding her and keeping her steady as they walked toward his truck.

He opened the door for her to sit in the passenger’s seat then walked around and slid behind the wheel. He grinned at her in a familiar manner she remembered so well, and she felt her heart flutter. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. She’d just wanted to get home. But now, the twenty-minute drive to her neighborhood seemed like an eternity. What did one say to the man who’d promised to spend his life with her then left her and her unborn child to pursue his career as a ranger?

After giving him directions to her home, she decided avoiding anything personal was the best solution. She should call Ken Barrett, her investigator at the DA’s office, and get him started on gathering those names for Vince. But her phone was a charred mess in what was left of her car. “May I borrow your cell phone to call my investigator?” Her first task tomorrow would be obtaining a new phone.

He handed it over and she dialed Ken’s number, thankful she knew it by heart. He answered, his deep bass voice familiar and reassuring. She had only known him six months, but they had become fast friends in that time, and she often looked to him as a brotherly figure, though they were only ten years apart in age.

“Ashlynn? Are you okay? I heard about what happened downtown. Is it true someone placed a bomb in your car?”

“It does look that way,” she admitted. “Vince Mason wants a list of all the threats our office has received, especially any directed at me specifically or any involving explosive devices.”

“I’ll take care of it,” he said, then in a tone of concern added, “I’m glad you’re safe. I wish you’d be more careful, Ashlynn. I’ve tried to warn you that there are a bunch of crazies out there.”

“I know, Ken, but I’m fine. I just want to get home. I’ll see you tomorrow at the office.”

She ended the call, then handed the phone back to Garrett. He slid it into a holder on the dashboard. Suddenly, the silence grew awkward between them, and she realized she should have kept Ken on the phone longer. She could have asked him for an update on any number of cases they were working on together.

The uncomfortable silence lengthened. At least they were nearly to her house.

“So, you have a son,” he said. “What’s his name?”

Her heart hammered in her chest at his question. She didn’t like where this conversation was going. Didn’t want him asking about Jacob. He’d given up that right when he’d abandoned them, and she already had one man trying to pull her child from her. She didn’t need another. She had to keep him at arm’s length when it came to her little boy. How could he ever make up for the fact that he hadn’t wanted her and his child?

“Jacob,” she said, then thankfully noticed they were nearing her home. “That’s my house,” she said, pointing out the driveway. He pulled in and parked beside Mira’s small sedan.

“Thank you for the ride,” she said, hoping that would be the end of it and they could each go their separate ways.

But Garrett was already getting out. “I’d feel better if you let me check inside.”

“That’s really not necessary.”

“Someone tried to kill you today, Ashlynn. Who’s to say they haven’t come here to finish the job?”

“I would know if someone had been here, Garrett. I have a security system.”

He spotted the car in the driveway. “I guess your husband would have phoned you, huh?”

It was none of his business about her marriage, and she didn’t want him to think she’d failed without him. “My nanny and son are in the house. Mira would have called me if something was wrong.”

“Still, I would feel better if you’d let me check it out. It won’t take long.”

She finally relented and walked to the front door. Anything to satisfy him and get him away from her home and away from her son. However, she stopped walking when she noticed the front door ajar, a flicker of fear racing through her.

Garrett saw it too and stiffened as he reached for his gun, pushing past her. “Stay here,” he commanded. He shoved open the door and entered the house.

But she wasn’t going to obey that command. Her son was inside that house. If someone else was there, someone who meant to get back at her by harming her son, she wasn’t going to be still.

“Jacob!” she screamed, hurrying past him and running up the stairs.

“Ashlynn, wait.”

She heard his footsteps behind her but she wouldn’t stop until she knew Jacob was safe.

Sounds from the TV in the playroom greeted her at the top of the stairs, but she heard nothing else. Jacob was a rambunctious four-year-old and the house was too quiet. Panic ripped through her and she took the last few stairs in a haze of anxiety and fear. She pushed open the playroom door. Jacob’s toys littered the floor and the television was still playing his favorite evening show...but he wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

“Jacob!”

She rushed into the room, intent on looking in his favorite hiding spots. She tripped over something beside the couch and hit the floor, landing hard on her hands. Ashlynn turned to see what she’d tripped over and saw a leg jutting out from behind the couch. Panic hit her at the sight. It was too big to be Jacob’s leg, but...

She looked up at Garrett, who now stood in the doorway, his gun drawn. His eyes focused on the leg. She moved to look behind the couch and saw Mira on the floor. The young girl wasn’t moving, her eyes were vacant, and the carpet was stained red with blood around her.

Ashlynn didn’t need to check for a pulse to know Mira was dead.

She screamed Jacob’s name and leaped to her feet. If someone had broken in and killed Mira, Jacob might have gotten scared and hidden.

“Jacob!” She ran down the hall to his bedroom and burst in, searching under the bed and in the closet. He wasn’t there. She checked her bedroom then rushed downstairs. She called for him, frantic with worry as she checked every nook and cubby, searching for any place he might have hidden.

He was nowhere to be found.

Panic filled her. Mira was dead, murdered, and Jacob was missing. If something had happened to him...

Ashlynn dropped to her knees as anguish rushed through her.

Where was her child? Oh, God, where is Jacob?

* * *

Seeing her this way was like a sucker punch to his gut, and all Garrett wanted to do was sweep her up into his arms and make everything better. He checked that response, realizing not only might she object, but her husband wouldn’t be too thrilled with him, either. He’d noticed the family portrait of them when he entered the house. And he no longer had that right. Even if she hadn’t been married with a child, there could never be a future for them, not after all he’d seen and all he’d done. He’d walked out of a firefight unscathed when other men, better men with families, had died, and his grief had pushed him to kill and maim all in the name of war.

But his heart hurt for her. He couldn’t imagine the devastation of having her child ripped from her. She’d already had such a difficult life, having lost her parents in a car accident when she was eight then being placed in an abusive foster home and nearly beaten to death by her foster mother. But it seemed she’d turned that all around now. She had a nice home in a fancy neighborhood, a good job in the DA’s office and a beautiful family.

He holstered his gun and pulled out his cell phone to alert the police about the dead girl in the playroom and the missing child. This couldn’t be a coincidence. It had to somehow be connected to the bomb in her car earlier today.

Garrett stopped dialing when he heard a noise from outside the house. His ears perked up and all his senses went on alert. He put away his phone and retrieved his gun. Someone was here. He grabbed Ashlynn’s hand, pulled her to her feet and pressed his hand against her mouth to keep her from speaking. Her eyes widened in fear and her lashes were wet with tears, but she didn’t ask questions.

“Follow me,” he whispered, his instincts warning him to tread cautiously. He led her away from the front windows but peered out of them from the side, peeking through the heavy curtains. He saw nothing but the setting sun.

Something was wrong. He felt it in his gut. He sensed someone watching them. His truck was parked in the driveway but the direct route to it would be dangerous if he was right and someone was out there.

He grabbed a lamp from the end table and waggled it in front of the window. A shot rang out, bursting through the glass and shattering the lamp in his hand. Ashlynn screamed, but Garrett grabbed her arm and pulled her back up the stairs, his heart heavy at the continuing threat against her. Now that the shooter had made himself known, but failed to kill them, he would watch the exits closely or possibly come inside to finish them off. They had to find a way out of the house.

He led her into the master bedroom and locked the door. It wouldn’t hold off an intruder with a gun for long, but possibly long enough for them to escape. He had his weapon, but it would be no match for the shooter’s gun which, by the sound of it, Garrett recognized as a semi-automatic rifle, a serious weapon with serious intent. He hurried to the balcony and swung open the doors. Their only chance was to get out of this house, and now that they were upstairs this was their only way out. They would have to jump. He glanced down and saw a concrete patio below. It wasn’t a high drop, but it would hurt. He holstered his gun.

“I’ll go first. Then you follow behind me.”

She shook her head, fear pooling in her wide brown eyes. “I can’t.”

“You have to, Ashlynn. You have to stay alive for Jacob.” His words were meant to provoke her to action, knowing she would do whatever she had to in order to find her son. It worked. She considered his words for only a moment before fortifying herself and nodding.

He crawled over the railing and climbed down, letting himself drop and hitting the ground. Pain ripped through his leg, but he ignored it. He’d sustained worse injuries and kept moving. He looked up and motioned for Ashlynn to jump.

She nodded and swung one leg over the railing. Just then, he heard the sound of the door cracking open and the shout of the gunman as he burst into the room. Ashlynn’s head jerked up and the dat-dat-dat of gunfire filled the air. His gut clenched as her fingers slipped from the railing and she fell, tumbling backward toward the ground.

TWO

She felt herself falling, and her only thoughts were of Jacob and to wonder if he was crying for her. She was going to die without ever knowing what had happened to him.

She slammed into something hard and felt Garrett’s arms surround her as they both fell to the ground. He scrambled up before she could even process what was happening and pulled them both toward the safety of the house as the shooter fired over the balcony. Garrett’s arm tightened protectively around her and Ashlynn was surprised by the way her heart picked up speed at being this close to him. She chided herself. Her son was missing and someone was shooting at her, but she felt safe swept up in his arms.

Garrett pulled his gun and fired upward into the balcony. Tension was rolling off him in waves. The shooter scrambled back into the room to avoid the shots.

“Run to my truck now,” Garrett commanded, and Ashlynn did as she was told without question. She heard shots and screamed at the fear that ripped through her, but she didn’t stop running. She was also keenly aware that Garrett was beside her, matching her steps and stopping every now and then to return fire into her house before easily catching up with her. The Christmas lights she’d placed on a timer flickered on, illuminating her bullet-riddled home and making this entire situation seem less real and more like a terrible action movie gone wrong.

She reached the pickup and slid into the passenger’s seat. He jumped behind the wheel and started the engine, roaring away a moment later. The shooter started firing again and shots hit the vehicle. One pinged the rear windshield, causing it to shatter. Ashlynn winced as glass spilled over her but she knew it could have been so much worse.

She glanced in the side mirror and saw a masked man with a long gun run toward a waiting car.

“Hang on,” Garrett said, then punched down on the accelerator, putting distance between them and the man, their attacker.

* * *

Ashlynn was shivering by the time they reached the downtown police precinct and it wasn’t from the chill in the December air. Whoever had been shooting at them either hadn’t been able to keep up with Garrett’s driving or had given up. It didn’t matter if they didn’t kill her right then. They had her son, which meant they could have whatever they wanted from her. She would do anything to get him back.

Garrett led her inside, telling the on-duty officer about the incident. Within minutes, the precinct was on alert.

Garrett slipped his jacket around her shoulders and tried to offer her comfort as he led her to a quiet office. “They’ve got officers headed to your house right now to process the scene. They’re also trying to contact your husband. Is it possible Jacob is with him?”

She saw a hopeful look in his expression, but she knew that wasn’t the case and shook her head. “Mira doesn’t live with us. If Stephen had picked up Jacob, she would have gone home.”

“You don’t live together?” Garrett asked, surprise coloring his face.

She shook her head. “He lives on Barrister Avenue in the Wood Hills subdivision. We divorced a few months ago.” She didn’t want to discuss such personal matters with Garrett, and thankfully, he didn’t ask any further questions about her and Stephen. It was embarrassing to admit to him that her marriage had broken down.

Ashlynn felt numb. Her thoughts were all about Jacob. Her arms ached at the thought of not being able to hold him and her heart broke at the idea that he was probably crying for her. It wasn’t fair! Ripping a child from his mother’s arms was the cruelest thing anyone could do.

She’d never been much of a praying woman. Her anger at God was too strong. He had allowed too many bad things to come into her life. She’d foolishly thought things were turning around when she’d met Garrett, but then he’d turned against her, too, choosing the rangers over her and Jacob. And now it seemed God was still not on her side.

Vince arrived at the station, his hair tousled and his clothes dirty. Since she’d known him, he’d always been cool under pressure and presented a well-kept appearance. It was the first time she could remember seeing him look so disheveled. He apologized for not being there when they’d arrived and explained he’d had to leave to fix his wife’s car that had stalled on the interstate. Garrett filled him in on what had happened, how they’d entered the house and found Mira dead, then been attacked by an armed gunman.

“Did you see the man?” Vince asked her once Garrett told him about the incident on the balcony. “Can you describe him?”

She thought back, reliving the terror of the man bursting into the room and raising his gun at her. But she wasn’t able to offer much in the way of description. “He was wearing a dark mask over his face, like a ski mask, and he was dressed all in black. I couldn’t see any of his features, but he was a large man, tall with big shoulders.”

“He had an automatic weapon,” Garrett added. “I would say by his tactics he’s probably had some military experience. He came prepared.”

Vince nodded. “The question is, did he come prepared to take the child or was it an impromptu decision? And why kill the nanny if Ashlynn is the one he wants?”

“We didn’t see Jacob, but he could have had him tied up in the car.”

Vince’s face grew grim. “Whoever this guy is, he has access to both automatic weapons and explosives.”

Ashlynn shuddered and folded her arms around her. They were talking so clinically, as if it wasn’t her child missing or her world falling apart.

“Did Mira have any family that needs to be notified?” Vince asked her.

Ashlynn nodded. “Her parents live in Memphis.”

“Is it possible this is about her?” Garrett asked.

“It’s possible, but unlikely given the bomb was in Ashlynn’s car.” Vince looked at her. “What about your husband? I understand you divorced recently. Was it an amicable split?”

Ashlynn swallowed hard and wished Garrett wasn’t listening to every word she said. She didn’t like sharing information about her personal life, especially unpleasant details. She nodded. She doubted Stephen was involved in this. He was a good man and loved Jacob like his own son. “Stephen isn’t a violent person. I can’t believe he would try to kill me.”

“But he could have hired someone to do it. It wouldn’t be the first time a man has tried to off his ex-wife over a custody dispute. I’ll send someone to his house to update him on what’s happened and try to ascertain his involvement, if any.” Vince’s phone rang and he pulled it out. “It’s the commander on scene at your house.” He answered the call and listened intently.

Garrett walked over to her and rubbed her arms. “How are you holding up?”

She wanted to scream and rant, but her arms and legs were numb with shock and fear. Her chin trembled as she spoke. “I just want him back,” she whispered, fighting with everything she had to keep her emotions under control. Falling apart now wouldn’t do any good. She had to keep her wits about her in order to figure out who was targeting her and who had Jacob.

Vince ended his call and turned back to them.

“My men have been through the house and there’s no sign of your son. We did gather photos of him.” He pulled up one that had been sent to him. “Is this a recent snapshot?”

She looked at the photo and bit back tears. It was his preschool Christmas photo, taken only two weeks earlier. She traced the outline of his face, her heart breaking at the sight of his beautiful green eyes and his wide, mischievous smile. “Yes, it’s very recent.”

He nodded. “We’ll add this photo to our Amber Alert. Don’t worry, Ashlynn. We’ll find him. Ken sent me those names and my officers are checking them all.”

“How sure are you that this has to be someone she’s prosecuted?” Garrett asked.

“Without any other identifiable enemies, it’s a logical place to start. We’re still on the scene processing the house and interviewing neighbors so we may find some more evidence that might lead us in the right direction there.” He looked at her and his face softened. “You can’t go home. Do you have somewhere to go, Ashlynn? Somewhere safe?”

“I’m not going anywhere until Jacob is found.”

“You won’t do anybody any good here. You need to get some rest.”

“I can’t rest until I know he’s safe. Besides, with someone trying to kill me, I couldn’t possibly put any of my friends in danger that way.”

Garrett placed an arm on her back, but he addressed Vince when he spoke. “She can come home with me. I’ll keep her safe.”

“No!” Ashlynn insisted. “I said I’m not leaving.”

“I need you to rest, Ashlynn,” Vince told her and Garrett agreed.

“You can’t do Jacob any good if you’re so tired you can’t function. There’s nothing you can do here.”

She wanted to lash out at him for using Jacob against her. He had no right to act so concerned. He’d lost that right when he’d abandoned them five years ago. Yet she knew he was right. She needed to be at her best for Jacob’s sake.

She stared up into Garrett’s face and saw the worry in his expression. He wanted her to trust him and she instinctively desired to. She’d trusted him with everything she’d had once upon a time He’d been her rock and her protector, and she had to admit she was glad he was by her side now. Her initial displeasure at seeing him was beginning to fade. What would she have done if he hadn’t been there? She would have been dead in her car this afternoon or at the very least in her house tonight.

But how could she rest when her child’s life was at stake? She shuddered thinking of the possibility that Jacob might need her and she wasn’t close by. She shook her head stubbornly. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Garrett glanced over at Vince then tried a different tactic. “Okay then, we won’t go anywhere. We’ll stick around and man the phones for the Amber Alert.” He looked at Vince, who nodded his agreement.

“I’ll keep you updated if we get any new leads,” he promised then walked off.

She was glad that was settled. She wasn’t just any crime victim. She was also a prosecutor and she didn’t want to be handled. She had to stay strong and make certain every lead and angle was being investigated in finding her son.

Garrett reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her arm that sent tingles through her. “We’ll find him. I promise.” She stared into his green eyes and melted a little inside, remembering how much she’d once loved this man. “Do you trust me, Ash?” he asked, using his old nickname for her.

She stared at her hands to avoid looking into his eyes. Every instinct told her she could trust him, but her heart knew better. She’d once trusted him more than anyone in the world. She’d believed he was someone she could count on forever, but that trust had ended when he’d shut them out after discovering she was pregnant. The memory of how alone and broken she’d been brought back anger and bitterness so intense that she nearly couldn’t breathe.

Instead of answering him, she asked a question. “When did you leave the rangers?”

He looked like he didn’t want to answer, but he did. “Two years ago.”

So he’d given up on them for something he hadn’t even stayed with.

He sighed. “I owe you an apology, Ash.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do, and I want to explain. I never told you this, but after I left you to return to my unit, my ranger team was ambushed. I saw men with wives and families who were suffering because their husbands and fathers had decided to take on a dangerous task. I knew I couldn’t let you have that kind of life. My life, my work, is dangerous. I was trying to protect you from that.”

She cut him off, anger pulsing through her at the idea that he was going to try to justify abandoning his family. “What you did was to make the choice for me. You made a decision that affected us without even consulting me. You cut me out of your life.”

His expression held regret and pain, but he nodded reluctantly. “I know.”

“I can’t even begin to fathom how I can trust you to help me look for Jacob.”

“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.”

“Did you have anything to do with that, Stephen?”

He sighed. “No, Ashlynn, of course not. How could you think I could be involved?”

Garrett motioned for Stephen to sit down at the table and he put away the gun. He pulled the laptop to him and examined the screen. Stephen Morris appeared to be looking up only investment statistics. It seemed an odd thing to focus on when your child was missing, but other than that it didn’t strike him as a suspicious activity. Perhaps he was merely trying to keep his mind off his missing child.

It was looking more and more possible that he wasn’t involved, and Garrett was glad. He would hate to believe Ashlynn had been betrayed again by someone she thought cared for her.

But then who had Jacob, and why?

Ashlynn sat down and her shoulders slumped, defeated. He knew she hadn’t really thought her ex was involved, but it must be hitting her hard that Jacob wasn’t here. At least if he’d been with his father, she would know he wasn’t in any danger. She no longer had that assurance. The lack of a ransom request after all these hours didn’t bode well for Jacob’s safe homecoming. Kidnappers who didn’t want a ransom generally had no intention of returning the child. That meant finding him soon became much more urgent for his safety.

Garrett faced Stephen Morris and got down to business. “Someone is targeting your ex-wife and son, Stephen. Family can be a powerful weapon to use against a person. What are you into?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I’m not into anything.” Stephen grew a little more confident and gave Garrett a harsh look. “Who are you, anyway?”

“I’m an old friend of your wife’s and I’m the one who is going to find out what’s going on here.”

Stephen looked at Ashlynn. “You have to believe me. I have no idea why someone would be doing this to us. It must have something to do with one of your cases.”

She closed her eyes against his accusation. Garrett knew she was already worrying that her job could have made her son a target. She didn’t need Stephen reminding her. A tear slipped from her eye. She wiped it away before rushing to the bathroom.

Garrett gave him a long, hard stare, not liking the accusation he’d hurled at Ashlynn. “The police are sifting through her files and following up on that. We’re looking into different angles.”

“I’m telling you I had nothing to do with this. I want to find Jacob and bring him home.”

“Ashlynn told me you’re suing for custody. If you thought you might lose, that’s a good motive to have her killed.”

Stephen shook his head. “I’ve already decided to drop that suit. I called my attorney this afternoon. I hoped Ashlynn and I could work this out between ourselves.”

“That’s convenient. You drop the custody suit and suddenly Jacob goes missing.”

“I’ve already told you I had nothing to do with that. I would never hurt Jacob. I’ve helped raise him these past three years. I love him like he’s my own child.” He fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair but his words had a feel of truth to them.

But one point struck Garrett as odd. “When you say you love him like he’s your own child, are you implying that Jacob isn’t your biological son?”

Stephen nodded. “Jacob was already born when Ashlynn and I got married, but that doesn’t mean he’s not my son. He is.”

Garrett looked toward the closed door where she’d disappeared as a rush of thoughts flooded him. If it was true that Ashlynn’s ex wasn’t the father of her child...who was?

* * *

Ashlynn went to the bedroom Stephen had fixed up for Jacob. The boy loved being here and Stephen was a good father. She picked up one of the stuffed animals on the bed and hugged it to herself. Where was Jacob right now? She couldn’t help wondering if he was safe. Was he crying for her? Shame and guilt filled her. She should have been there for him.

That’s why her marriage had broken down, too. Stephen had told her she spent too much time worrying about work and not about him. He’d called her obsessed and maybe he was right.

She’d always hated the injustice of the world, mostly because in her childhood she’d been a victim of life. She’d made a vow to herself that she would provide a better life for her child, and while she hadn’t gotten off to a good start—his own father hadn’t wanted him—she had mostly succeeded.

Jacob would never have to worry about the lights being turned off for lack of payment or going hungry because his father spent all their grocery money on booze. Yes, Stephen had been a good husband and father. He’d provided for them well, and still did. Yet she hadn’t been able to keep it all together for him and he’d obviously sensed it and felt alienated. She’d never loved Stephen the way he’d wanted her to, and she knew the reason was standing in his kitchen right now.

The connection she’d shared with Garrett could never be topped. She’d done a disservice to Stephen by marrying him when she couldn’t forget Garrett, but she’d done what she’d thought was best for her baby at the time. She’d given him the father who wanted him and could provide a good life for him. And she had loved Stephen and been hurt when he’d left her, although that pain had been nothing like she’d felt when Garrett walked away.

Indignation bristled through her at that reminder. She would never allow him to hurt Jacob. She may need him, even be grateful to him, for helping her find Jacob, but once her son was home safely, Garrett Lewis could not be a part of their lives.

* * *

Garrett scanned the living room, looking at photos that were all around. A large Christmas tree that looked flawlessly decorated stood in the corner. Not an ornament was out of place. It looked too picture-perfect for a house with a four-year-old and he doubted Stephen Morris had done the job himself. His gaze landed on the mantel and pictures depicting happier times with Stephen, Ashlynn and Jacob—a trip to Niagara Falls, a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, Jacob’s second birthday party, complete with cake and candles and Billie the Bear, a franchise he recognized as a local favorite for kids.

He turned away from the photos. They were painful to look at. That should have been him with Ashlynn and only his foolishness had prevented it. Letting her go had been one of his greatest mistakes, but at the same time he knew it had been for the best. He hadn’t been seriously injured in the ambush that took the lives of many of his friends, but it had shattered his life in ways he was still discovering.

Only Colton had escaped physically unscathed, although Garrett knew he’d carried emotional wounds deep inside him until he’d met Laura Jackson recently and found a reason to believe in life again. Garrett missed the times he and Colton had spent working together after leaving the rangers, just the two of them on privately funded search-and-rescue missions. After Colton had hung up his gear and retired to ranch life, the solitude had quickly turned to loneliness for Garrett.

That was when his friend and former Ranger buddy Josh Adams had heard about the opening at the local police agency and all his ranger friends had encouraged him to take the job. Garrett was glad he’d finally relented. He enjoyed the camaraderie with others and enjoyed putting his skills in action in a way that didn’t always have to put his life in danger. Only a few days ago, he’d convinced himself he was content with his life now, but seeing Ashlynn, hearing her voice and having her need him, had sent him once again into a tailspin. And having evidence of her perfect life before him in high-quality photos didn’t make it any easier. Ashlynn might now be single, but he’d done too much to ever be worthy of a woman like her.

“Are you him?” Stephen asked from the doorway, causing Garrett to startle. “Are you the one who broke her heart?”

Heat rose in his face as he realized Stephen Morris had just managed to sneak up on him, all because he’d had Ashlynn on his mind.

“She never got over it,” Stephen continued. “I tried to make it work between us. I thought she would learn to love me the way I loved her, but that never happened. I just wish she could have—”

Suddenly, a shot rang out. Garrett ducked, reaching for his gun as he watched the bullet burst through the glass in the window and slam into Stephen’s chest. The force of it knocked Stephen from his feet, tossing him backward. He landed on the edge of the sofa then slid to the floor, the life draining from him in a matter of moments.

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