Page 38 of The Sheriff's Baby

And she was. A perfect little face with fingers so tiny that Duncan hoped Molly didn’t insist he hold her. She seemed way too fragile for that, but he got a reminder that soon, in four months or so, he’d have to get past that fear since he’d be holding his own child.

Joelle put on a mask and walked closer, peering down at the baby. Even though Duncan couldn’t see her expression, he knew she was smiling. “Molly, she’s adorable.” Joelle gave Molly’s arm a gentle squeeze. “Congratulations, Mom.”

“It’s all a little daunting,” Molly admitted, “and a whole lot amazing.” She seemed ready to go on about the joys of motherhood. She didn’t, though. She looked at Duncan. “You want to ask me questions about the kidnapping.”

“Are you up to that?” he offered. “Because it can wait—”

“I can tell you what happened,” Molly interrupted, “and then maybe we can do a more formal statement after I’ve gotten some sleep.”

Duncan nodded and decided to let Molly say whatever it was she clearly wanted to say. If he saw her energy levels draining, then he would put a stop to this and come back.

Molly dragged in a long breath. “I was asleep when I heard my security system go off. I picked up my phone, thinking that maybe it was some kind of malfunction, but it wasn’t. I heard someone moving around in my living room so I hit the last number I’d called. Joelle’s. Then, I saw two men coming into my bedroom.”

“Two?” Joelle asked.

Molly nodded. “They were both wearing ski masks, dark clothes. Both were about six feet and with somewhat muscular builds.”

That described Willie Jay. Hell, it described a lot of men, and while Duncan was certain they had one of the kidnappers in custody—Willie Jay—they obviously needed to look for his partner. And Joelle’s attacker. Of course, it was possible the second kidnapper was also the one who’d fired those shots into the cruiser at Joelle.

“I tried to get to my gun that I keep in the drawer next to the bed, but they grabbed me before I could do that,” Molly went on. “I hit one of them with my phone and then dug my nails into his arm. I guess I cut him deep enough for him to leave blood at my house.”

“We’ve identified that blood,” Duncan told her. “Willie Jay Prescott. We have him in custody.”

Molly’s breath hitched, maybe from relief. “And the other?”

“We’ll find him,” he assured her, and Duncan hoped that was the truth. They needed to find the remaining person or persons responsible for this.

Molly paused a moment, kissed her daughter’s cheek and then started again. “They put a hood over my head, tied up my hands and feet, and got me into a vehicle. A truck, I think, because of the way they had to lift me to put me in it. And they drove away.”

It was hell for Duncan to hear all of this. To know the terror that had to have been going through Molly’s mind. She’d probably thought she would lose her precious baby as well as her own life.

“The men didn’t talk when we were driving,” she went on. “But we weren’t in the vehicle long. Maybe ten minutes or less.”

Duncan calculated that was about the time it would have taken the kidnappers to get from Molly’s house to the McCullough ranch. “Did they take you to the location where we found you, or did you go somewhere else first?”

“Just that one location. Your dad’s ranch,” Molly muttered, looking at Joelle. “I didn’t know that’s where I was until the EMTs were taking me to the ambulance.”

That made Duncan do more mental cursing. All those hours, Molly had been so close. But they’d had so many places to search, and Molly hadn’t had any connection to the McCullough ranch. She had been taken there because the kidnappers no doubt knew it was empty.

Molly cleared her throat before she continued, “After I was in the shed, I’m sure one of them left. The one who smelled like cinnamon stayed, and the other left.”

“Cinnamon?” Duncan pressed.

Molly nodded. “He was chewing some kind of gum or candy. He’s the one who made the calls to Joelle.” She paused. “And I honestly believed what he was saying, that he regretted kidnapping me.”

Maybe he did. But obviously Willie Jay hadn’t felt that.

“A couple of hours before you found me,” Molly continued, “the second man came back, and they had a whispered conversation. The cinnamon guy was pleading with the other to let me go, but the second man said no. They went out of the shed, and they argued, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Then, neither one came back in. I didn’t hear anyone else until you and the deputies showed up.”

Duncan could only speculate as to what’d happened. Maybe the “cinnamon guy” had stormed off. Or maybe Willie Jay had eliminated him. If so, the man’s body hadn’t been found on the ranch, and the CSIs and some of his deputies had been combing the place.

“If you get me a sample of Willie Jay’s voice, I should be able to confirm he was one of the kidnappers,” Molly offered.

“I’ll do that,” he said just as the baby let out a kitten-like cry. That was his cue to leave and let Molly have some time with her daughter.

Joelle gave Molly another gentle hug, ran her fingers over the baby’s cheek and left with Duncan. He was about to call Slater or Luca to provide backup while they went to the sheriff’s office, but Slater was already in the hall, waiting for them.

“Ruston told me about Hamlin’s connection to Willie Jay,” Slater explained as they headed for the exit. “He’s on his way in for an interview, but he’s not happy.”

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