Cry in the Night (35 page)

The ice bucked again. Black water yawned at the back of the cave. A wave swept over the top of the ice and nearly touched Bree’s boots. She gripped Davy’s hand. They had to escape.

Her gaze on the hole, Jenna sprang to her feet. “Let me out!” she wailed.

Landorf swerved his gun toward her. “The water might kill you, but I sure will if you move again. Step over by your boyfriend. Drop your gun, Quinn.”

Quinn had the gun aimed at Landorf ’s head. “No, you drop yours.”

“I’ll shoot her.”

Quinn shrugged. “Go ahead. You’ll save me money.”

Jenna’s mouth gaped. “You swine!”

His gaze flickered to the mouth of the cave, and Bree nodded. Tightening her grip on Davy’s hand, she inched toward the opening. The ice crackled and moaned. Was it her imagination or did it rise under her feet? Davy’s eyes widened and he stared up at her. She put her finger to her lips and gave him a reassuring smile.

One more foot and they’d be able to dive for safety.

Landorf ’s gun came her way. “I know you don’t want the boy to die. Drop the gun or he’s dead, Quinn. I can shoot him before you drop me. You willing to take the chance?”

Bree held her breath. She saw murder in Landorf ’s eyes.

Rob lowered the gun.

“Drop it,” Landorf said. The gun slipped from Rob’s fingers, and Landorf smiled. “Get over by your husband,” he said.

“He’s not my husband,” she said. “I’m married to Kade.” And she knew she belonged to him. Not to this stranger with the cynical eyes, the one who’d broken her heart and walked away. She could only pray the man she loved still lived. Rob had good in him. She’d seen it. But he’d chosen a crooked path, and she wasn’t going to follow it.

She heard a sound and turned to see Kade’s head poking into the cave. Her involuntary movement attracted Landorf ’s attention.

Landorf ’s eyes widened, but as he brought the gun around toward Kade with clear intent, Rob shoved Jenna toward the opening, then launched himself at Landorf. The two men fell to the ice and rolled over and over, first one, then the other on top.

Rob managed to wrench the gun from Landorf. “Get my son out of here!” he yelled.

His words broke the spell over Bree. She felt the ice lurch again, then it began to break apart under her feet. She thrust Davy into Kade’s arms, and her husband pulled the boy to safety. Jenna went next, then Bree ordered Samson to follow.

“Bree!” Kade called, his voice frantic.

She turned for one last look at the men locked in grim battle on the only sliver of ice left. Landorf lurched away from Rob and grabbed the gun. Rob fought for possession of it and someone pulled the trigger. The bullet struck by Rob’s feet and spit ice into the air. As Bree dove for the opening, the ice began to break apart. The men fell into the icy water together.

Tears clogged her throat, but there was no time for mourning. All around them, the ice shattered. The cracks and moans announced doomsday. A huge fissure separated the ice they stood on from the shoreline.

“We’re going to have to jump!” Kade said. He swept up Davy in his arms. “Jump, Samson!”

The dog leaped two feet over open water for the only solid ice. Jenna wasted no time in following suit. Bree didn’t think she had the strength to make it. Kade jumped across with Davy in his arms.

He set the boy down. “Jump, Bree, I’ll catch you.”

She slumped to her knees as the gap widened to three feet. “I don’t think I can make it,” she sobbed. The crackling ice disoriented her.

“I’ll come get you.” Kade coiled his knees and prepared to jump back across.

“No, stay there! I’m coming.” She had to try or he’d fall and she’d never be able to pull him to safety. She looked at the dark waves. Another second and it would be much too far for her to reach.

Whispering a prayer, she leaped, then she was sailing, sailing through the air with her gaze locked with Kade’s blue eyes. She thought she was actually going to make it, then her feet touched nothing but water and the shock of cold stole her breath. Icy waves closed over her head, and she saw nothing but blackness.

Her clothing was soaked in an instant and the heavy drag pulled her down, down. Superior held her close in its unshakable embrace. Until a hard hand yanked on her collar. She sailed up toward the gray sky. Her head broke the surface, and she drew in the sweetest breath of her life.

Kade’s harsh breath rasped in her ear as he struggled to pull her to safety. He lay on his stomach on the ice and dragged her toward him. “Hang on, Green Eyes. Don’t let go. Don’t you leave me.” His gaze bored into hers, and she drew strength from that lifeline.

Then she lay gasping like a dying fish on the ice while a wave crashed over them all and threatened to sweep her away.

“We’ve got to get to shore,” Kade panted. He crabbed backward, dragging her farther from the black water that hadn’t given up on her yet.

Bree struggled weakly to help him, then darkness claimed her.

27

Birdsong filtered through Bree’ s consciousness. She blinked and opened her eyes. Warmth flooded her muscles, and she stretched drowsily.

Davy!

She bolted upright and realized she was home, in her own bed. Her gaze took in her husband on top of the covers, still in his clothes. Davy lay between them, snuggled down in the covers with his face turned toward her.

They were all still alive.

Tears sprang to her eyes. Thank God, thank God.

She must have made an involuntary sound, because Kade’s eyes flew open. He sat up. “Bree? You okay?” He bolted from the bed and rounded it to sit on the edge of the mattress by her.

She clutched his hands. “Fine, I’m fine,” she said, sobbing the words. “Just so thankful to see you and Davy are safe. What happened?” She dimly remembered him hauling her from a certain cold and watery grave.

“You passed out. I carried you to shore. Mason called in a chopper and got us all back to town. Doc stopped by to check on you and said you’re suffering from exposure and fatigue and to let you sleep. I’m supposed to call him.”

Her throat thickened. “Rob?”

Kade’s tender smile slipped away. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Bree. He and Landorf didn’t make it. Mason said we may never find their bodies. Superior keeps its own.”

She knew that well. It had tried to keep her too. Her gaze touched her sleeping son. “It’s going to be hard on him.”

Kade nodded. “He knows about his dad. He cried some and clung to me for a while, but he’s going to be okay. He’s thought of Rob as dead for so long.”

Thank God for Kade
. Her husband was one in a million. She struggled to make sense of what she knew—and didn’t know.

“Where’s Jenna?”

“Telling Mason everything she knows.”

There was a note in his voice that made her look up. “Is she in trouble?”

“Probably. She did help him take Davy.”

Bree was suddenly aware there was no crying baby. Her lungs squeezed. “Where’s Olivia?”

“Sleeping.” He glanced at his watch. “But her parents will be here in a few minutes, I think.”

Bree threw off the covers and got up. Her throat tightened, and she blinked at the moisture in her eyes. “So soon?”

“They’ve been looking for days,” Kade reminded her.

“Is the adoption even legal?” Bree asked, hope stirring.

“Mason says all the documents are in order. Any illegalities were well-covered. Ellie’s mother could question the adoption, but she isn’t interested.” He tipped his head to one side. “I think I hear a car.”

She heard it then. Samson stretched and padded to the door, then looked back at her. Pulling on a robe, she went to the bassinet and lifted Olivia in her arms. She kissed the baby’s soft head one last time. Her throat thickened with the memory of the baby’s first smile. She prayed Olivia would have a happy life.

The doorbell rang. Her gaze met Kade’s, and she forced down the lump in her throat. He picked up Olivia’s diaper bag and followed her down the stairs.

“Go to the living room and I’ll get the door,” he said.

Holding Olivia close, Bree went to the chair by the fireplace and sat. Her gaze went to a picture of her son. God had allowed them to come through last night, but she’d so hoped he would answer her heart’s cry for this child. Giving up Olivia would tear out her heart. Her vision blurred and she pressed her lips to the infant’s sweet-smelling skin.

She heard a woman’s voice, full of stress, then footsteps as Kade led the couple to the living room. Bree’s arms tightened around Olivia. If only she had the right to refuse to turn over the baby, but she had no authority.

A woman stepped into the room. Blonde, professional. Except for the tears raining down her cheeks. A distinguished man followed. She took a timid step forward. “I’m Karen Saunders. I think you found our daughter. Can I see her?”

Bree pulled the blanket back from the baby’s face. Karen’s tears dried, and a smile lifted her lips. “Alexa,” she breathed.

“Her name is Alexa?”

Karen nodded. “Alexa Grace.” She went to her knees in front of Bree and held out her arms. Bree had no choice but to slip the baby girl into them, even though she wanted to hang on tight. Mike Saunders looked on with a watery smile.

Karen nuzzled the baby and hugged her to her chest. “Oh, Allie,” she said, her voice choked. “I’ve missed you so much.” She pulled back and stared into the baby’s face. “I prayed and cried every night for her safe return. I thought maybe God wasn’t listening.”

“God always hears the cries of his children,” Bree whispered, echoing what Anu had told her. Though her own heart was about to explode with grief, she knew this was right. Olivia belonged with this woman who had mourned and prayed for her through the long nights. The woman who had finally stood up to evil and told the truth.

Mr. Saunders put his hands in his pockets. “Thank you for caring for her, for loving her. The sheriff told us you loved her very much.”

“I do,” Bree managed to choke out. “I’ll miss her so much.”

“Come see us sometime,” Karen said, rising from her knees. She dug a card from her purse and handed it to Bree. “Here’s my contact information. You can call and check on her any time.”

“I will. Thank you.”

The two women, united in their love for the baby, stood with gazes locked for a long moment. Bree’s heart was filled to overflowing. “Take good care of her,” she whispered.

“You know I will.” Karen carried the baby to the door. Her husband picked up the diaper bag and followed.

Bree heard the door open and close, and she let the tears she’d been holding back fall. Her arms were empty. No, not empty. She had Kade and Davy. Those blessings could so easily have been taken from her.

Kade stood in the doorway. “You okay, babe?”

“I will be,” she said, crossing the few steps that separated them.

He put his arm around her and they walked upstairs to the bedroom. Davy still slept.

Bree took off her robe, suddenly exhausted. She climbed into the bed. “What about Pia?” she asked, remembering the other death.

“They picked up Rosen for kidnapping the baby. He agreed to turn state’s evidence against Landorf ’s operations in return for a lighter sentence. He told Mason he shoved Pia, trying to make her tell where the baby was, and she fell on that pointed branch.”

Pain engulfed her. She knew the pain of losing a child, had experienced that long dark year when she thought Davy was dead. At least Olivia’s mother loved her.

She stared into Kade’s eyes. “Rob killed people, Kade. I can’t wrap my mind around it. How could I have been so deceived?”

Kade’s held her gaze, and the compassion anchored her. “He had good in him, Bree,” he said. “He saved us all. But the downward road is a slippery one. You take one small step and slide down a yard. The conscience gets hardened, little by little.” His grip on her hands tightened. “I can see how it happened. It almost happened to me. Landorf wanted me to skew some figures and some data on the grant application. I went along with it until I asked God for strength to fight it.”

“Rob was always self-sufficient,” she said. “He never liked to admit a weakness.”
Rob
, her Rob, had done so much evil. Swindled people. Sold babies. Smuggled. And embezzled money. “Does Anu know all he did?”

Kade nodded. “She’s a strong lady, but it knocked the props out from under her. She didn’t go into the shop today. She’s coming over to check on you later this morning.”

Closing her eyes, she let the tears slip out. Tears for who Rob might have been, for Anu’s pain, for Hilary’s. And for her own. She’d loved him once. Maybe a tiny part of her still did.

She opened her eyes and stared into her husband’s face. The love she’d had for Rob was an immature love of a young girl. This man was her soul mate. The other part of her heart.

“I love you,” she whispered.

His blue eyes crinkled with his smile. “I love you too, Green Eyes. We have a lot to get through, but we’ll make it as long as we’re together.”

Paulie sang outside her window, a pure tune full of hope and joy. Kade was his own self through and through. There was no pretense with him, no mask. Just like Paulie had raised a cowbird deposited in the nest last spring, Kade raised a chick that wasn’t his own.