Page 59 of Protecting the Newborn

Was he hurt? Or worse? And what about Duncan? Gracelyn was almost certain they’d still been in the hospital when she had been taken.

She moved her wrists a little, testing out the restraints. Flex-cuffs. It was what cops used to restrain perps. But it was also what Devin had used on Allie.

Allie.

Her thoughts went there for a moment. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed since she’d been dragged away from the hospital, but Allie had still been in surgery then. Had been critical. Would the killer send someone after her, too?

Maybe.

But Gracelyn had to hope that the medical staff and the deputies would be able to stop that. Even if they couldn’t, she couldn’t help Allie herself. Not from here. She’d have to escape to do that.

“You awake?” the driver said.

It was a man. She didn’t know who he was, but she thought it was the same person who’d barked out that order for her to move at the hospital.

“Who are you?” she asked, and she tried to make that sound like a demand. It didn’t.

Her throat was still burning from the effects of the tear gas, and her vision wasn’t 100 percent either. Everything was swimming in and out of focus, but she could see that the man was still wearing a gas mask that concealed all of his face. That blurred vision wasn’t helping any with her figuring out where they were either. A country road...somewhere.

“My name’s not important,” he said, his voice a low, rasping growl. “Just consider me a lackey. A well-paid one,” he added with a chuckle. The laughter turned her stomach.

“A lackey,” she repeated. So, not the killer. Well, maybe not. She didn’t think it was either Devin or Tony, anyway, but the killer could turn out to be someone who wasn’t even on their radar. “Where are you taking me? And where’s Ruston?”

“Ruston’s on a wild-goose chase.” He chuckled again.

Oh, that didn’t help the panic building inside her. If he was telling the truth, Ruston wasn’t coming for her. That could be good, she supposed, since she was probably going to become bait. That was the only reason she could think of as to why she was still alive.

“Why didn’t you just take Ruston when you took me?” she asked.

“Too risky to have you both together. My orders were to get you, and once I drop you off, then I can wait around for your boyfriend to show up.”

Her bait theory was right. She didn’t ask why the lackey was so certain Ruston would come for her. No need. Because Rustonwouldcome, and she knew there was nothing she could do or say to stop him. That meant she had to try to end this before Ruston walked into a trap.

But what exactly was this?

Gracelyn sat up in the seat and stared out the windshield at the scenery. Oh, God. She knew where he was taking her. Back to a nightmare.

Back to the baby farm.

“Now, don’t go hyperventilating on me,” the man said as if it was part of his continuing joke. “Before I drop you off, I’m to give you a message. My boss knows the medical examiner found the username and password for an online storage site that Zimmer set up. If you give it to him, he won’t gun down Ruston.”

So, that was what the killer wanted. Zimmer had hidden away something that could ID the killer.

“I don’t know that information,” she said.

“Then you’ll get it.” He pressed the phone function on his dash screen, and she saw Ruston’s name and number pop up. “Tell Ruston what you need and ask him to bring it to you.”

He didn’t give her a chance to respond or even gather her breath. He just pressed the number, and Ruston immediately answered.

“Who is this?” he demanded. “Do you have Gracelyn?”

“I do indeed have your little darlin’,” the man verified, “and this is how you’ll get her back. Tell him, Gracelyn. Spell it out for him.”

“Ruston,” she managed to say. She wished she sounded stronger. Because she was. Despite the nightmare bubbling up inside her, she was a heck of a lot stronger than she sounded.

Think, she told herself. Ruston would be just as frantic as she was, so she had to be smart about what she said.

“I’m okay,” she told Ruston and hoped he believed that. If he thought she’d been injured, that might cloud his judgment. He might be willing to do anything to get to her.

---