Taken - Before her very Eyes (7 page)

Hobbling down the broken
driveway, Summer wondered if she’d sliced the bottom of her foot wide open,
because it sure as hell felt that way right now. She rounded the car, eyeing
the soaked boxes and papers inside the trunk then slammed the lid closed.

Without bothering to wipe the
water from the seat, Summer slid behind the wheel and closed the door. She sat
there staring through the tiny gaps in the bushes at the old farmhouse.

“Why here? Why did John Scott
bring me here?” Summer shook her head. How did he know about this place? Either
he’d grown up around here or someone else had told him about it. And if the
kidnapper is working for someone else then who’s really behind all this.

After backing the car from the
alcove, Summer shifted gears then sat staring out across the farmland at the
highway below. She knew the chance of finding Sabrina was slim. He could be
long gone in either direction down the 401, or he could be hiding close by to
check on his demands before letting Sabrina go, but would he release Sabrina
unharmed like he said he would? Summer knew the answer that a cop would think,
but she refused to give in. Hell, right now she was a mother, not a cop.

“Don’t worry, baby,” Summer
whispered as she started down the road, heading toward the city. “I’ll get you
back.”

The drive back to Chatham seemed
to take forever. Summer expected to see cops crawling all over the place, but
then again she had not given her location before the phone had died. She
reached into her purse and grabbed the phone. She had half a mind to toss the
useless thing out the window and watch it smash into pieces for all the good
it’d done. Summer lowered the window then paused, realizing that the kidnapper
might try calling this phone, but it’s dead. She made a mental note to get it
charged as soon as possible.

The morning traffic was starting
to build as Summer turned onto Richmond Street. She wondered if anybody had
come to Dean’s aide, or even if he’d managed to call for help. For all she knew
he could be lying dead in a pool of blood right there on the downtown sidewalk.
The thought of losing him was too much to handle right now. Sure they were
separated, but she needed him now more than ever. He was the last thread to her
unravelling life—the only thing that held her from falling into obscurity right
now. Without Dean… Summer swallowed hard, refusing to finish the thought.

Up ahead a police cruiser sat
behind the damaged car that she’d slid into during the chase. She glanced at
the officer investigating the scene and he returned her stare, then reached for
his radio. It was Jones, the newest recruit. Summer considered stopping and
sending Jones off on the search for Sabrina, but she needed to check on Dean.
Besides, thirty seconds more wouldn’t make a difference in finding Sabrina.

As Summer neared the end of the
street, she saw the lights of the cruiser snap to life. Jones was giving
pursuit, chasing after her. Summer suddenly realized that she was driving the
kidnapper’s car right now. Maybe Jones was following her, hoping to be of service
when she stops downtown. Or, maybe he didn’t recognize her and thought she was
the kidnapper?

The sirens wailed behind,
bouncing off the buildings as they neared the downtown core. The way the
cruiser was tearing down the street, racing to catch up, Summer believed she
was the one who was wanted right now. There was no way in hell she was going to
stop for Jones. He’d have to run her off the road and Summer knew he didn’t
have the balls for that.

Summer ripped the Mercedes around
the last corner, gunned the engine as it straightened out, then slammed on the
brakes sending the car sliding sideways down the road toward the barricade of
police cars blocking the crime scene.

“Shit!” Summer said, shaking
nervously from the adrenaline rush. She jumped from the car as the cruiser came
sliding to a stop, inches away. There was a confused look on Jones’ face as
Summer dashed around the other side of the car, limping down the road toward
the crowd of onlookers.

The officers broke free of the
crowd, guns drawn in her direction, but seemed to stop as one when they saw who
Jones had been chasing.

“Summer?” Nate Long said,
holstering his gun and rushing down the rain slicked road toward her. His arms
were out, waiting as always to give her support.

Summer met him halfway and
allowed herself to be caught in his embrace. His strong arms had never felt so
good as he lifted her off her feet with ease. She choked back a sob. The last time
he’d held her in his arms, she’d been naked, battered and bruised. Left for
dead.

Summer squirmed until Nate set
her back onto the ground. He wasn’t the type of man to openly express his
feeling in public and that’s what made Summer so grateful that he was there for
her. Just the feeling of his arms around her body was more soothing than a
bullet proof vest and she knew she’d never forget that feeling as long as she
lived.

“Nate, he spiked my tires then
dumped his car.” Summer fought to catch her breath. “He’s got Sabrina.”

“I’m so sorry. I heard the call
come in and I… I can’t believe it happened. But why? Why Sabrina?”

Summer shook her head as fresh
tears filled her eyes.

“He was waiting for us—for Dean
to arrive with…” She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t bring herself to say the name
again. It was almost as if saying her name would condemn Sabrina to death.

“Don’t worry.” Nate raised her
chin. “We’ll get her back.”

“Jones! Put it out on the wire.
The kidnapper has switch vehicles.”

Officer Kyle Jones looked
surprised that of all the cops standing around, he was the one Nate had chosen
to make the call. “But what should I tell them to look for?”

“I don’t know? Give me a few
minutes, but for now, a man with a little girl—every man with a child—boy or
girl!”

“Dean?” Summer pulled back and
stared up into Nate’s blue eyes. Eyes she had looked into many times before.
Eyes that seldom showed any signs of fear. Loving eyes that seemed to be
looking deep inside. Deep into her soul whenever he spoke. “Where’s Dean?”

“He’s in the hospital.” Nate
pulled her close, squeezing tight. “In the OR.”

“Is he going—”

“He’s lost a lot of blood.” Nate
shook his head. “Luckily the knife didn’t hit anything important. Looks like a
few stitches and some rest and he’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Nate kissed her head then held
her out at arm’s length. “I’m not a doctor, but I’ve seen worse come through.”
He stared for a moment then ushered her toward the nearest cruiser, noticing
her limp. “You’re hurt?” He gave her foot a queer glance. “Where’s your other
shoe?”

“I lost it.” Summer glanced down
at her muddy sock. “I think I might have cut my foot, too.”

Nate scooped her into his arms
and headed toward the ambulance on the other side of the crowd. “Change of
plans. Let’s get the paramedics to look at that foot while you warm up.”

Summer felt her face flush. She
tucked her head down, refusing to look at the crowd of onlookers as Nate
carried her like a bride over the threshold, to the ambulance. Sure he’d been
her partner for the last two years and they had been very close. Close enough
to spur rumours around the station, but they had only been partners—close
partners.

Summer heard the ambulance door
open and a second later Nate set her on the stretcher.

“I’m fine,” Summer insisted,
pushing herself back and sitting up. “It’s probably only a scratch or a small
cut.”

The paramedic donned a pair of gloves
then slid off Summer’s mud covered sock. “Well, let’s have a look.”

Nate pulled out his note pad.
“Tell me what happened to Dean and Sabrina.”

“Sabrina,” Summer muttered. Her
body began to shiver despite the increased warmth inside the ambulance. “He
took her. He was waiting for Dean and he took her.”

“Where? Which direction did they
go?”

“I chased him down Howard line.
He’d set a trap and my car got stuck in the cut through.” Summer shook her
head. She felt the hot tears burning her eyes. “It was all a setup. He led me
to the place… the place John Scott had held me.”

Nate’s eyes were studying her
closely. “How do you know it was the same place?”

Summer dug in her pocket and
withdrew her old badge then dropped it into Nate’s palm. His nostrils flared
and his eyes narrowed as the sight of the badge brought back memories that he’d
been hiding away.

“It was the right place.” Summer
closed her eyes. She could see every step she’d taken inside that place. She
could still smell the rot and mildew as if she were lying on that bloodstained
bed right now instead of this stretcher. She opened her eyes and saw the angry
look of hatred in Nate’s eyes. “Trust me. It’s the place.”

Nate turned to Officer Jones, who
was standing just beyond the side of the door. “Take Stevens and Malroy out to
the cut through on Howard line. Find Summer’s Volvo and secure the scene. I
want the entire place searched and the farmhouse down the street processed for
evidence.”

Jones looked nervously around at
the group of officers who weren’t busy processing the scene of the attack, then
to the detective standing close by. “But what about Detective Grimshaw.
Shouldn’t he be involved?”

“I’m sure he’ll follow along.”
Nate rolled his eyes. “Won’t wanna miss a thing.”

When Jones hurried across the
street to Stevens and Malroy, Nate turned back to Summer. “Did he leave a
ransom note? Anything else.”

Summer stared out through the
ambulance doors at the plain clothed detective standing near the ambulance.
Detective Grimshaw was the one who had captured John Scott last night. He was
the reason the kidnapper had taken Sabrina and he was the reason Sabrina was
being used as a pawn right now.

“Ow!” Summer squirmed as the
paramedic pulled a bloodied thorn from her foot. She opened her purse and
withdrew the crumpled sheet of paper as Detective Grimshaw watched her every
move through the opening, then handed it to Nate.

After unfolding the sheet, Nate
read the demand then glanced over his shoulder at the detective. “He’s not
gonna like this.”

“Well, fuck him!” Summer said,
holding her eyes locked on the detective as he walked toward the back of the
ambulance. “He’s the cause of all this. If he doesn’t like it then he can go
crying to the chief.”

“Are you going to let me in on
this, or do I have to wait for a briefing at the station?” Grimshaw said,
stepping behind and plucking the crumpled paper from Nate’s hand.

“It’s the ransom note,” Summer
choked as the paramedic poured some disinfectant on the gash in her foot. It
burned like hell and Summer felt like screaming out, but she held it inside,
concentrating on the pain, trying to ignite it into an infernal of anger that
would help her get through this day.

Grimshaw withdrew a plastic bag
from his pocket and slid the note inside. “Looks like we’ve picked up the right
suspect last night. This kidnapper must be his accomplice.” He tucked the bag
inside his jacket and stepped closer to the ambulance door. “Officer Demure, I
know this is a difficult time, but the sooner you come to the station, the
sooner you can ID John Scott and we can—”

“Can what?” Summer grabbed the sides
of the stretcher and slid herself to the end, knocking the paramedic back.
“Lock John Scott away and allow that monster to hurt my baby!”

“Officer Demure, must I remind
you that we do not negotiate over hostages.”

Nate jumped down from the
ambulance, his large frame knocking Grimshaw back. “This is not the time or
place to be discussing the situation. When the time is right, Summer will come
to the station and see if she can ID the suspect you’ve arrested.”

“Given the situation, I’d say
we’ve got the right man.” Grimshaw lowered his voice as he escorted Nate away
from the ambulance. “Don’t let this little stunt change her mind. She knows
we’ve got the right guy. He fit the sketch perfectly. I’d bet my life on this
being her assailant.”

“That may be so, but when an
innocent girl’s life hangs in the balance,” Nate glanced back at Summer, then
turned away, “don’t be surprised at what might occur.”

“Then I suggest you put Officer
Demure in your car and talk some sense into her on your way down to the station,
because I’m not willing to let this guy walk free.”

“But you’re willing to let a
little girl die?”

“Statistics show that we’ll be
able to negotiate her release under the circumstances.”

“Statistics! You’re willing to
gamble on statistics?” Nate shoved his finger into the detective’s chest,
backing him up a few feet. “How many children do you have?”

“That’s not relevant.”

“Exactly. Only a man with no
children would answer that way. Now, I’m gonna give you a piece of advice and
you’d better listen hard. Leave Summer alone. She’ll come to you if she needs
your help, but until then, back off!”

Summer overheard their
conversation and knew the detective was right, but sometimes being right
doesn’t always matter. What John Scott had done to her five months ago didn’t
seem to matter much right now. What was going to happen to Sabrina was all that
she could afford to worry about. Summer watched as the paramedic secured a
plastic protective boot over the bandages, then slid off the stretcher.

Without saying a word she limped
from the ambulance, past Grimshaw’s cold black eyes, toward Nate’s cruiser.
Nate immediately hurried to her side, grabbing her arm and taking the weight
off her bad foot, but in the excitement he lifted so much Summer found it
difficult to walk.

“That guy is such an ass,” Summer
said, pulling free from Nate’s aggressive grip. “Who the hell does he think he
is to tell me what to do?”

Nate opened the car door. “What
are
you gonna do?”