Tuesday's Child (24 page)

“Count me in. Is Vianne in there?”

“No, she’s at the station. She managed to get out and raise the alarm. Are you armed?”

Debone nodded curtly. He unbuttoned his jacket to reveal a shoulder holster. “Yes, I am.”

“Come. We’re going around the back.”

The men ran into the alley. A padlocked gate and a six-foot tall fence stood between them and the doll hospital. The pouring rain soaked into their coats as they pulled themselves over the fence, dropping quietly into the backyard.

Hunching down to avoid being seen by anyone inside the building, the men ran to the door. Dane pulled aside the plant pot and picked up the spare key.

“That’s not very safe,” Nate said bluntly. “Didn’t you ever tell them that?”

“Jas said it was for emergency use only. I reckon breaking in to rescue a hostage counts as an emergency, don’t you?”

“Well, we are the emergency services, so yeah, I think it does.”

“Is this really the time for inane chit-chat?” Agent Debone asked.

“It’s something we’ve always done. It relieves the tension. Ready?”

Dane quietly unlocked door, as Agent Debone slid his gun from its holster and pulled back the safety. Nate lifted his radio to tell the Guv and get permission to go in.

A shot came from inside.

Nate’s heart leapt. All conscious thought left. He reacted purely on instinct. “Shots fired. Going in.”

17

The phone rang again, flashing its light just as the metal twine binding her slid to the floor. Her wrists were now slick with blood, and pins and needles shot down her fingers. Adeline took a deep breath, leaning towards the microphone. “Hello?” Lightning split the room as she answered.

Storm brandished the gun in her face, leaning across to speak into phone.

Adeline took her chance, everything Nate had taught her filling her mind. She caught hold of his wrist and twisted the gun in his hand. She felt the vibration and flash as it went off.

Storm’s hand came up, gripping her.

Adeline kicked as he pulled her back against him, his arm around her throat. She threw her head back, feeling a satisfying crunch as something broke under the force of the blow. She bent forwards, and gripping Storm’s arm around her throat, tugged him over her shoulder onto the desk.

There was another flash, and she fell to the ground, as something hit her arm. Pain flooded her.

Storm leaned over her, blood and venomous curse words falling from his lips. The gun pressed against her head, and she knew in that instant she could die.

Storm jerked, and his eyes widened. Then he fell to one side, his grip on her vanishing.

Not sure what happened, Adeline froze. Her gaze slid to the man standing over her, gun pointing downwards.

Agent Debone?

“How…?” she began, her voice fading.

A hand turned her face to the left. Nate’s concerned gaze met hers.

“Nate…” She tried to sit up.

“Don’t move, not until someone checks you over.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted, pushing against the floor. She gasped in pain, clutching her arm.

“You’re bleeding and you’re in pain. That’s as far from fine as you can get.”

Strong arms folded around her, and she leaned into Nate. She glanced at Storm, who was face down and in cuffs. “It’s nothing, been through worse.”

Dane and Agent Debone hauled Storm to his feet. Blood poured from his nose and his arm.

“That’s some right hook you have, Miss Monroe,” Agent Debone told her. “You’ve broken his nose.”

“It’s a talent I have, and it wasn’t my hand.”

Nate laughed. “You head-butted him?”

Adeline nodded, her gaze swiveling between the two men as they spoke.

“I should never have taught you that one.”

“It did save my life. He’s the Herbalist. He kills the women. The man you have in custody moves the bodies afterwards.”

Dane froze, his fists clenching. He took a step towards him.

Storm grinned. “Yeah, the Herbalist is what the papers call me. Much better than anything I could have come up with myself.”

“You killed my wife.”

“Yeah. What of it?”

Nate moved over to him. “Dane?”

Dane shook his head. “Don’t worry, Nate. I’m not going to hit him. He’s not worth it. The courts can deal with him.”

Adeline watched the exchange. “Nate? Is Vianne safe?”

“She’s at the station with Ben. You know she came without her hat?”

“He took it away, trying to stop her from leaving. She really found you? On her own? Without a hat?”

“Yeah. One very brave little girl. I will let her know you’re all right.”

“Only if I come, too.”

More police ran into the building, and Nate turned and conferred with his boss. Then he turned back to her. “OK. Come on. You need to be seen by the police surgeon at the station.”

****

Nate stood in doorway with Dane, half listening to the Guv as he watched Adeline and Vianne talking.

Adeline had given her statement and had her arm bandaged by the police surgeon. A bullet burn, all it needed was dressing. Things could have been so much worse, and he was so incredibly grateful to the Lord that they got there when they did. A litany of praise ran through his mind every few seconds.
Thank You, God. Thank You for saving those I love.

DI Welsh touched his arm. “Nate, are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

She smiled. “Then take them home. We’ll see you in the morning.”

“Are you sure?”

Dane nodded. “I’ll start the paperwork. They need you more than we do right now.”

“Thanks. See you tomorrow.” He moved closer to the girls, able to hear what they were saying.

“I’m glad you’re OK.” Vianne’s voice, although quiet, was stronger.

“I’m glad you’re OK, too. You’re a clever girl to go get help. And without a hat.”

“Jesus is way better than a hat. He does the same thing only from the inside.”

“Yes, He does. Way, way better than a hat. He looked after me, too.”

Nate hunkered down in front of them, taking one of their hands in each of his. “Ready to go home?”

Adeline nodded. “More than ready.”

Vianne nodded, her hand still clasped in Adeline’s fingers.

Nate leaned over and kissed Adeline. “Then let’s go home. We have a wedding to plan. I almost lost you today. I don’t want to wait longer than I have to before I make you my wife.”

“Then how does February sound? That’ll give your mum six months to get used to the idea.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Vianne looked from one to the other. “Did you say wedding? Are you getting married?”

“We sure are. I asked her last night.”

“Yay!” Vianne’s shriek of delight almost deafened him and she hugged them both. Then she pulled back and winked at Adeline. “I’d moved you to the top of the list, anyway.”

“What list?” Nate asked.

Vianne giggled. “The list of women you could marry so I can have an auntie.”

He ruffled her hair. “You, child, are incorrigible.”

Confusion flooded her small face. “Is that a good thing?”

Adeline laughed. “Yes, it’s a good thing.” She hugged her and held Nate’s gaze over the top of Vianne’s head. “It is
really
over now, isn’t it?”

Nate nodded. “Yes. It’s really over.”

18

Six months later.

Nate didn’t think it was possible to be this nervous. Not since Adeline had been held at gun point had he felt like this. A dozen thoughts dashed though his mind, each scenario worse than the preceding one.

Why couldn’t the snow have held off for one more day? What if she’s too late and we have to postpone the wedding? What if the car crashes on the way to the church? What if she gets stuck in all that snow out there? What if she changes her mind, or gets cold feet? What if…?

He glanced at Dane, his best man. He fiddled with his tie and pulled at his jacket.

What if she doesn’t come at all?

“You look like a cat on a hot tin roof,” Dane chuckled. “Relax, she’ll be here. Of course, she’ll be wearing pink pajamas, riding six white horses, and we’ll all have chicken and dumplings when she comes, but yeah, she’ll turn up. For some reason that defies logic, that woman loves you to bits, as Vianne would say.” He raised an eyebrow. “Not even a hint of a smile?”

Nate shook his head and checked his watch. Something must have happened. She should be here by now. He peered over his shoulder at the full church. This might be the worst, most embarrassing day of his life. He just knew it. He loved her so much, had opened himself to her in ways he had never dared do with anyone, not even Dane.

Corrine, Adeline’s mother, waved at him from where she sat next to David, Adeline’s father, on the end of the front pew. The stroke he’d had on the cruise had almost killed him and left him confined to a wheelchair. Unable to walk or speak right now, he communicated via sign language. As far as Adeline knew, Mark was walking her up the aisle in his place, with David planning on giving her away himself.

But he, David and Mark had hatched a plan.

God, please, keep her safe out there. Don’t let anything have happened to her, today of all days—not that I’d want anything to have happened to her any other day. You know what I mean. We’ve planned this, longed for this day for so long. And even despite her father’s stroke, we managed to get this far.

Nate rechecked his watch and then sighed as he realized less than a minute had passed. He turned his attention back to Dane. His stomach twisted and his heart broke. “I don’t think she’s coming. I should say something.”

Dane gave him a pat on the shoulder, holding him still. “Give her a bit longer. The roads are awful. It took us ages to get here as it is, everyone was late arriving. And they’re coming from further.”

“She’s forty minutes late. Everyone’s talking. I—”

“Let me go ring Mark. Do you have his number?”

“I don’t have my phone. It’s packed because I didn’t think I’d need it.”

“OK.”

“I’ll go and ask her mum to ring.” Nate shoved his hands into his pockets. “She’s bound to have her phone with her.”

Corrine came over to them.

Nate smiled nervously. “I was just coming to see you.”

She smiled. “Mark just rang. They are on the way, but got stuck in a snow drift.”

Nate groaned and pushed his hands through his hair. “Noooo.”

“It’s fine. They’ve called for help and will be here as soon as they can.”

“Maybe I should get over there and—”

“And get stuck as well?” Dane asked. “Just sit and wait and she’ll be here before you know it.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

Dane put a hand on his shoulder. “Then sit down and we’ll pray for her safety and the rescue crews.”

He nodded and glanced over at David.

David held his gaze and slowly signed at him.

Nate smiled. “Thank you,” he signed back.

“What did he say?” Dane asked.

“Do not be afraid appears in the Bible three hundred and sixty-six times. That’s one for every day of the year.”

Dane smiled. “There you go then. Don’t be afraid, she’ll be here.”

He nodded and glanced towards the back of the church to check on Vianne. She sat in her bridesmaids dress on one of the chairs by the welcome desk, swinging her feet. He caught her eye. “Love you,” he signed.

She winked at him and signed back. “Love you, too.”

****

Adeline sat in the limousine, shivering in her wedding dress, despite the heat being blasted through the car. Snow lay seven inches deep in places on the roads and the car was stuck. Rescue services were on the way, but she had no idea how long they’d take to get here. She was late for her own wedding. And she was never late for anything. And she didn’t want to start being late now.

She turned away from the snow-covered landscape, and heaved a sigh. “Nate will think I’m not coming.”

“I already rang Mum. She’ll tell him what happened and that we’ll get there.”

She ran her hands over her white velvet gown. Her tiara of roses and diamonds lay flat against her blonde hair, the veil cascading over her shoulders. On her lap lay her bouquet of red and white roses. They had cost a fortune for a February wedding, but one she deemed worth it.

Ben sat next to her, a red velvet collar around his neck. He licked her fingers, and she petted him. “What if she doesn’t tell him? What if we never make it?”

Mark gave her a smile. “You worry far too much. You’ll get there. Do you want me to ring the church again and tell them we are still coming?”

“No.” She signed emphatically as she spoke. “Why keep calling?”

“Pfft, woman. He’ll be out of his mind with worry. How much longer?” he asked the driver, receiving a shrug in response. Mark touched Adeline’s hand. “Back in a tick, going to ring the church.” He exited the car and pulled out his phone.

Adeline shook her head and looked down at Ben. “If he thinks pacing in the snow will help, it won’t. It’ll just ruin his suit. Why did it have to snow last night? It could have held off for one more day.”

She gazed out of the window at the snow.
Lord, you know how much I want to marry Nate. We’ve come through so much to get this far. Please, let me get there.

Four minutes later Mark climbed back into the car, bringing a blast of frigid air in with him. “I called the church. Pastor Jack said he’d let Nate know.” He grinned. “He doesn’t have his phone on him, either.”

Adeline rolled her eyes. “And where am I supposed to put a phone? I don’t have a handbag. At least he has a pocket in his jacket.” She smirked at him. “I suppose I could have stuck it inside my bra along with my purse and my tissues.”

“There’s no need for that, sis. ‘Sides, I called the cavalry. We’ll be out of here in no time.”

Adeline looked at him wondering what he had planned. “Mark?” He shook his head. She wrapped her arms round herself, shivering. “I should have worn a coat.”