Page 146 of I'm Watching You

When Richard pulled down a gravel driveway, the Guardian continued on past until he reached anotherdriveway a quarter mile down the road. He turned the van around, and when he reached the driveway where Richard had turned, he stopped.

He glanced down the long driveway. He didn’t know what awaited him. Richard very well could have marshaled an army. And as much as he wanted to kill Richard all by himself, he didn’t want to risk Lindsay’s life. He dialed Warwick’s number.

Warwick answered it on the second ring. ‘Warwick.’

‘Jacob.’

A tense silence followed. ‘Pete, we need to talk.’

Jacob was upset. It took a lot to rattle that kid. ‘You’ve found the basement.’

‘Yes.’

Pride mingled with sadness. He’d never wanted to hurt Jacob. He didn’t need to shareDNAto know the boy was his son. ‘You were always a smart one. I’m not surprised you figured things out. In fact, I’m glad it was you. The collar will look good on your record.’

‘Jesus, Pete, where are you?’

Pain and sadness resonated from Jacob’s words, but he didn’t dwell on the whys. He understood that questions like ‘Why?’ didn’t matter until the quarry was caught. Smart kid.

‘I need you. And I need all the firepower you can put together.’

‘What are you talking about? We’re after you.’

‘I don’t matter anymore. Richard Braxton is in the city and he has his wife and Lindsay.’ He gave Jacob directions. ‘Just come. I’m going to try to catch him alive but I don’tknow if I’ll be able to do it. It’s more important to save Lindsay and Nicole.’

Pete hung up. He checked his watch. There wasn’t time to wait for Jacob and Zack. Richard wouldn’t waste time. Pete got out of the van.

A small plane buzzed over and circled to land. There had to be a private airstrip close by. It made sense that Richard would have his own plane.

His ribs tightened around him like a vice. It hurt to walk, to breathe. But he wasn’t going to let Lindsay or Debra down.Not this time.

He hurried down the long gravel driveway that disappeared into a grove of trees. The heat of the day made him sweat, and soon his shirt was soaked through. When he spotted the Mercedes parked under an oak, he slowed and moved behind a bush.

On the property was an old farmhouse. At one time it had been painted white, but the elements had long ago stripped the paint. Now it was a faded gray. The wide front porch had collapsed in on itself. The windows on the first and second floors were broken.

The house was too dilapidated to hide anyone. But as Pete stared at the house, a deep sadness caught him by the throat. The place looked like the home where Debra and Lindsay had lived with that bastard Hines.

The first time he’d stood on Debra’s porch it had been twenty-seven years ago. Lindsay had been two and she had hugged her mother’s leg and stared up at him as he’d argued with Debra. He had seen the problems in his sister’s marriage then and had begged her to leave.She had defended her husband and had ordered Pete to leave and never come back. A few years later he’d tried to help her a second time, but she wouldn’t leave her husband.

And, God help him, he’d given up on her and her daughter.

The last time he’d returned to Debra’s house, his sister was dead. Lindsay had run away from her foster care home. That bastard Hines had shot and killed himself in a hotel room.

Pete had been so full of rage and anger. He had burned that house to the ground, believing the flames would singe the sadness from his soul. He’d tried to track Lindsay down but hadn’t been able to find her. She’d been lost to him.

And then this past May he’d seen the article on Lindsay in the magazine. He had stared at her blond hair and blue eyes and immediately had pictured Debra. All the memories had roared to life. And he knew God had given him a second chance to set things right.

‘You are not alone, Lindsay,’ he said. He frantically began to search the grounds.

Nicole stumbled when Richard jabbed the gun in her back. ‘Move.’

Nicole had been afraid enough times in her life. Richard had seen to that. But this time the fear cut bone deep. Today wasn’t about saving only herself. It was about saving her baby. And Lindsay.

‘Open the barn door,’ Richard ordered.

Nicole refused to make this easy for him. ‘Where is Lindsay?’

Richard’s eyes narrowed. Nicole braced, ready for the hard slap that usually came when she questioned him. However, this time he smiled. He reached around her and pulled the door open. ‘She’s inside.’

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