“I never liked the man,” Tony muttered.“Too interested in money.I need to leave early.My wife will need me.”
“Wait,” Sienna said.“Before you go, I want to gather a team to rescue Sophie.It won’t be easy, but we must try.”
“Count me in,” Tony said.“I’ll put the word out.Where should I tell them to meet?”
“Would they be willing to gather at our place?”Sienna asked.“It would be best not to draw attention.Our cottage is out of town.”
“I’ve heard rumors but never met your father or siblings.You’ve been nothing but kind and generous to me, especially since we’ve gone into business together.I’m willing to help.My friends will too.Sophie is a kid.”
The man hurriedly served the few lingering customers and packed up his stall.
“Jamie, could you let Papa and the boys know what has happened?We’ll need their help if we want to free Sophie.”
“I’ll leave now,” Jamie said.
Tamsin gave him a quick hug.“Be careful.Don’t attract attention.”
He nodded and hurried away.
“I’d better pack up,” her mother said.
“No, Ma.You should stay here and sell what you can before returning home.We need the income, especially if I end up losing my job.”
A muscle in her mother’s face twitched, and for an instant, Sienna saw the pain she couldn’t hide.This weighed heavily on her, and she’d given up a lot to mate with Hedrek Teague.Her parents had disowned her, and life had been a constant struggle.
Sienna gave her mother a robust hug.“I’m sorry, Ma.None of us is making life easy for you.”
“I’m scared, Sienna.Lately, every day, I wonder if someone will take your father or your brothers away from us.I wonder about our food situation.”Her slender shoulders shook.“I wonder what fresh horror will arrive next.”
Tears stung Sienna’s eyes.“I kidnapped Liam.”
Her mother gripped her shoulders.“And what a godsend that turned out to be.Liam is the one bright spot in our world.”
“He’ll want to go home to New Zealand,” Sienna said.“Listen, Ma.I need to discover where the hunters are keeping Sophie and what they plan.No matter the mayor’s excuses, we can’t turn our backs on her.I can’t.”
“Be careful, Sienna.I couldn’t bear to lose you.”
Sienna squeezed her mother’s biceps.“I’ll be careful.All I’m doing is gathering information.We’ll make a plan once Liam, Pa, and the boys get home.I’ll try to find others to help.”
“Ask them to meet at our home,” her mother said.“If they’re willing to meet Hedrek, I might trust them.”Her mother’s tone held defiance.
“I love you, Ma.You’re the strongest person I know.”An understatement.
Her mother patted her cheek.“You take after me, Sienna.”
They grinned at each other before a woman and her two teenage daughters stopped to ask about the hearts.Sienna left her mother telling the customers about the local artists who made the hearts and hand-painted the designs.She wandered down the street, pretending to window-shop but using the reflection in the shop windows to check if anyone was watching her.Two hunters entered a coffee shop, but Sienna saw no sign of the others in the village.
Gradually, she made her way to the Pascoe house, hoping there might be visitors or people who could offer help, perhaps even provide a rescue plan.The other villagers’ absence was conspicuous, and Sienna’s anger bloomed.She tapped on the door, feeling the weight of the neighbor’s stares as she waited for someone to answer.
Sophie’s father, Arthur, answered the door.His eyes were red as if he’d been weeping.
“Hello, Mr.Pascoe.Can I come inside?I want to help.”
A quick glimpse of disbelief showed before he stood aside in a wordless invitation for her to enter.Sienna waited while he closed the door.His two older brothers and their wives were in the sitting room with Sophie’s distraught mother.
“How can you help?”Arthur’s brother demanded while his wife tried to comfort Sophie’s sobbing mother.“We tried to fight them off last night and failed.Tonight we’ll try again.”
The instinct to snarl struck Sienna first, but she fought for calm.This wasn’t about her or her family.This was about an innocent young shifter girl sucked into this mess through no fault of her own.
