“Yes. We’re fine.” Her voice held a faraway, hollow quality. “I just don’t understand any of this.”
“I know. I’d hoped—” He broke off, unsure what to say.
Tightening his grip on the steering wheel, he shot a glance to Colette. She had the baby cuddled close to her chest, but still appeared dazed, numbed by the entire experience. Her face was chalk white, her eyes huge as she stared blankly straight ahead.
Good, he thought. The last thing he needed at the moment was hysterics. Kidnapping hadn’t exactly been in his master plan, but all the ingredients had been handed to him for a perfect kidnapping. He looked at her again, wondering what her reaction would be when she realized she was his prisoner.
* * *
COLETTE STAREDunseeing out at the passing scenery, her mind replaying those terrifying moments when the window had exploded in front of her and she realized somebody had shot at her.
No longer was her death meant to look like a tragic accident. There was no way to make a bullet appear to be accidental.
She shivered and hugged Brook tighter. What if one of the bullets had ricocheted off the walls and hit the baby? Apparently whoever had been shooting at her hadn’t cared, and that thought chilled her throughout.
Beneath the fear, beyond the terror of what might have happened, a surge of anger rippled through Colette. Why was this happening to her? No matter what she might have done, what could warrant these repercussions? Why would somebody want to kill her so badly they wouldn’t care if an innocent baby got caught in the crossfire?
Slowly, she began to pull herself away from her inner thoughts and focused out the window. They were traveling down the highway that led toward the city of Cheyenne.
“How did you know?” she asked. “How did you know I was in trouble?” She knew Hank couldn’t have been the one shooting at her, but why was he always around when she found herself in danger?
He kept his gaze divided between the highway in front of them and the rearview mirror. “I was standing outside the barn and heard the sound of a shot. I knew with all the activity in the barn it was a perfect opportunity for somebody to try to get at you.”
“Whoever it was, they got into the house first.” Thank God she’d heard the muffled sound of the kitchen door clicking shut. If she hadn’t…if she hadn’t grabbed Brook and run to her room, she knew without a doubt Abby and Belinda would have discovered her body in the middle of the living room floor. “Whoever it was, I heard them come in and Igrabbed Brook and ran to my room. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“That was quick thinking. I’m sure it saved your life.”
She looked at him, searching his face. Lines of tension cut across his forehead, slashed down his cheeks, only adding to his brutal attractiveness. “Hank, do you know what’s going on? Do you know why this is happening to me?”
“We’ll talk later.” His gaze was intent on the rearview mirror.
“Are we being followed?” Colette asked, turning around to peer behind them. She saw nothing.
“I’m not sure. We’ll drive for a little while to make sure nobody is following us. These people mean business and now the gloves are off.”
Again she focused back on him. “Maybe we should go back. Everyone will wonder what happened. Abby and Belinda will be wild with fear. I’m sure Abby has called the sheriff by now. Surely he can straighten all of this out.”
Hank didn’t answer.
His silence filled Colette with a strange, gut-wrenching dread. She had the feeling she’d somehow jumped from the hot skillet into the roaring fire. “Hank? You need to take me back home.” She heard the desperation heavy in her voice, the slight tremor that spoke of a near loss of control. “Abby and Belinda will be worried sick about me. We need to tell the sheriff what happened, let him deal with it.”
“We aren’t going back, Colette.”
She stared at him, wondering if her recent traumahad somehow affected her hearing. “What do you mean? Of course we’re going back.”
He shook his head. “No, Colette. You’re going to have to trust me.”
“Trust you? I don’t even know you,” she exclaimed, the dread exploding into full-fledged panic. She swallowed hard, refusing to give in to the hysteria that beckoned her. “If you aren’t taking me back to the ranch, then just where do you think you’re taking me?”
He hesitated a moment, then turned and looked at her, his eyes dark with secrets. “California. I’m taking you back to San Bernardino.”
