The Rancher's Holiday Hope. Brenda Minton

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СКАЧАТЬ evening. She’d been playing in her backyard with the dog and must have decided to go exploring. Her name is Linnie.”

      Sierra glanced down at the child in her arms. “I’ll take her to my office.”

      “Do I look like someone who would kidnap a child? Whisk her away in my helicopter?” the stranger said.

      “It’s a crazy world,” Sierra responded as she moved away with Linnie clinging to her neck.

      “Yes, it is.” He followed her into her office.

      Sierra held the little girl in one arm while she poured hot water into a cup that she’d prepared with her favorite herbal tea. The aroma filled the air, fruity and light.

      “This will warm you up. And I have donuts.” She handed one to the girl clinging to her for all she was worth. A dirty hand released its hold on Sierra’s neck and grabbed the powdered-sugar-covered donut.

      Sierra heard the crunch of tires on gravel and moved to the window as Linnie made short work of her breakfast. A county deputy had pulled up out front. She ignored the man still standing at the door to her office, watching her.

      The officer got out of his car, spoke into his radio and then headed for the front door of the building. Sierra made quick eye contact with the cowboy who’d invaded her space. He gave her an “I told you so” look before stepping into the entryway to greet the deputy.

      “We’ve found her. If you could convince the woman inside to hand her over to us,” he said as he led the officer through the door of her office.

      “Sierra, looks like you found our missing child.” Deputy Coleson smiled first at Sierra and then at the child in her arms. “Linnie, your momma is worried sick.”

      Silent tears began to slide down Linnie’s cheeks.

      “Do you want me to take you to her?” Deputy Coleson offered. “She’s waiting at the police station in Hope.”

      Linnie nodded but she gave a quick look at Sierra, as if asking permission.

      “You go with him and he’ll take you to your mommy.”

      The child sniffled and held her hand out. Sierra gave her two more donuts and then escorted her to the officer’s side.

      “I’m sorry, Jeff, I just didn’t know what to do.” Sierra didn’t know how to explain. “Better cautious now than regretful later.”

      “You’re fine, Sierra. I doubt there’s a woman alive who would turn her over without asking questions first. Linnie’s mom will be thankful that you found her and kept her safe.”

      “Who is her mom?” Sierra asked as they headed for the front doors of the chapel.

      “Patsy Jay. She lives at the Cardinal Roost mobile home park, just down the road. Unfortunately the place is in the middle of a field with no fences and just a short distance from a heavily wooded area. Her mom was outside with Linnie but she stepped inside to turn off the stove. Didn’t take Linnie but a few minutes to disappear into the woods.”

      Sierra nodded. “Thank you. I’d like to check on her later, to make sure she’s okay.”

      “I’m sure she’d like that.” Jeff carried the child to his car.

      The other man had left, also. She watched as his long-legged stride ate up the ground. He walked with confidence. He owned his world. He didn’t suffer from fear as he stepped up into the helicopter.

      Before she could turn away, his gaze caught and held hers. She shivered and backed away from the door. She didn’t want to be standing there when the helicopter lifted from the ground. She didn’t want to hear the rotors beating the air.

      She retreated to her office to wait out the fear and the memories.

      “Ready, boss?” Hank, Max’s pilot of three years, asked as Max climbed aboard the Airbus.

      Max shook his head as he reached for the headset. He sat there for a full minute contemplating the stable that he knew to be a wedding venue. He couldn’t walk away. As much as she had irritated him with her unwillingness to hand over the child, he couldn’t leave.

      He’d known when he returned to Hope, Oklahoma, that there would be people questioning his motives each and every time he tried to do something for the people and the town he cared about. But this woman at the wedding venue had given him a whole different vibe. She feared him for a completely different reason and, if he had to guess, he would say he looked too much like his Assyrian grandparents.

      He’d seen the look before. The one of suspicion. But there had been more in her expression. Terror, carefully held in check, contained.

      “I’ll be right back,” he said as he climbed down from the helicopter.

      “Need me?” Hank asked.

      “No, I’ve got this.” He ducked slightly as he hurried away from the helicopter.

      When he reached the building he hesitated, unsure if he had a right to go inside. He could call Isaac West and let him handle this. He could walk away and pretend he hadn’t noticed anything off. He could avoid getting involved because that only led to problems. When a man cared too much, women tended to think long term and not a helping hand.

      He stepped through the door into the large entry with its vaulted ceilings. No noises greeted him. The woman—Sierra—had disappeared.

      He glanced in her office. Empty.

      Next he tried the hallway off the main entry. He heard a noise from a room on the end. As he approached he saw that it was a kitchen. He entered the brightly lit room. It appeared empty. He turned and started to leave. Then he saw her. She was sitting next to a worktable, knees drawn to her chest. There was a stark look of terror in her eyes. Her hands covered her ears and she stared as if not seeing him.

      He approached cautiously. When he reached her, he crouched to the floor and waited to see if she would notice him. Eventually her head turned slowly, her gaze locking with his.

      “Go,” she said.

      “I’m afraid I can’t.” The last thing he wanted was to get involved here. But he knew this feral look. It’s what happened to a person when they’d seen too much, been exposed to too much. But he also knew she saw an enemy as she perused his features, his dark hair. Maybe an hour from now that look wouldn’t be there. But, at this moment, her mind was telling her he was someone to fear.

      “Look at me,” he said. “You know where you’re at.”

      Her fists curled as if she meant to strike out. But then she curled her arms around her knees, hugging them tight as she shook her head. “Go away. Please.”

      “I can’t. I have to make sure you’re okay.”

      “Why wouldn’t I be okay?” she said with a surprising bit of bravado that could have convinced someone else she was just fine.

      “I’m not sure, СКАЧАТЬ