Page 23 of Vanishing Legacy

Penny!

His head snapped around to look at her. Trejo punched him in the face so hard he saw flashes of light. Cash saw it coming but didn’t move quick enough. He deflected the second strike, and jabbed Trejo in the kidney. They both went to the ground and scrambled away from each other. He was on his feet seconds before Trejo.

That was when Cash saw the gun pointed at his head.

FIVE

Penny’s scream had sent Alana into bodyguard mode, and she was on the move, dodging through the crowd that had formed around Cash and Trejo. Where was that goofy balloon-making clown?

“Mooooom!” Rocco’s voice pierced the air. “Mom, he’s got Penny!”

Alana’s eyes followed Rocco’s trembling finger. A thin man with a hoodie over his head pushed his way through the swarm of people listening to the concert. He carried Penny against his chest. A hand clamped over her mouth. An image of the hoodie-wearing guy from Forsyth Park flashed in her mind. It couldn’t be the same guy.

“Stop that man! He’s kidnapping a child!” Her shouts hit the wall of music. No one could hear over the music and singing.

Alana skidded to a stop and dropped beside Rocco. “Are you okay?”

He was nodding before she finished. “Help Penny.”

Alana thrust her phone into Rocco’s trembling hand. “The police are on the line. I want you to talk to them. You know the drill, right?”

More nodding.

“Cash might be in danger, so don’t go to him without the police. Are you sure?—”

“Go, Mom! Go!”

The last thing she wanted to do was leave her son, but Penny needed her. She kissed the top of his head and bolted into the crowd. Eyes glued to the back of the abductor.

Running was her least favorite activity, but she was good at it. While never a great sprinter, she could outlast most marathon runners. The man holding Penny kept looking over his shoulder. He wasn’t the same guy from yesterday. She could tell by the color of his skin. The other guy was pale. This guy had a dark complexion, like her. Probably Hispanic.

He maneuvered between the hot air balloons, putting obstacles between himself and Alana. His body blocked her view of Penny. She kept calling for someone to help, but either they didn’t hear over the music, or they didn’t want to get involved. Either way, Alana refused to give up. She couldn’t let him get away. Not with Penny.

She cut down the middle of the row, hurdling and ducking ropes stretched out to anchor the balloons. The man saw Alana and skirted around the next row. He dropped Penny into a wicker basket attached to a glowing red and gold hot air balloon. Oh no. He wasn’t about to…no. No way.

He tossed his leg over the basket and climbed in. The gondola was narrow and held four people max. It was anchored with a single tie-off line that the kidnapper worked to unlatch.

“Stop that man!” Her voice rang out with authority. “Stop him! He’s trying to abduct a child!”

The ground crew appeared confused. Their eyes widened and they stared at Alana, completely ignoring the man working to untether the line.

They couldn’t fly without a pilot. No telling what would happen. Alana had to get to Penny before the balloon took flight.

A burly man with a bushy white beard, wearing a baseball cap and overalls, waved his hands at the kidnapper. “Hey, get out of there! You can’t be in the baskets.”

The kidnapper dropped the rope and pulled a small silver weapon out of his pocket. A gun or a knife, maybe. “Get in.”

The burly man’s hands shot up. He shuffled backward. “Hey, I don’t want any trouble.”

The balloon jolted and lifted a few inches off the ground. Arms pumping, legs moving in a blur, Alana locked eyes onto her target. She was close. So close. Five yards.

With everything in her, she launched herself off the ground. Her fingers found the side hole used as a stepping aid. One hand clung to the opening as the balloon ascended into the sky. She looked between her dangling feet. Oh, what was she doing?

The rough texture of the woven wicker cut into her skin. Her fingers and triceps screamed for relief. Above her head were two other holes she could use to climb up.

If she could reach them.

The muscles in her arms stretched as she reached for the second hold. Her fingertips brushed the edge. Not. Quite. There.

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