Page 25 of Her Faithful Protector

“Just hide, Jack. As long as you’re not in the bedroom or his study, you’ll be fine.”

“I’m in Quinton’s room.”

“He may or may not go there. There’s an extra bedroom next to it that the babysitter used. Try hiding behind the corner armchair there.”

I quickly make my way to the suggested hiding spot, barely managing to fit myself. Fortunately, whoever is inside the house doesn’t even venture up to the second floor and leaves shortly after.

With no new discoveries in my search, I trace my way out empty-handed but filled with fresh nuggets of emotion.

I report back to Sam, and he then fills me in on his findings based on Ava’s sketches of the kidnappers. The round-faced man, who has been identified as a resident of Helena,has a history of being involved in kidnapping cases in Montana, Utah, and Wyoming.

“How about the bearded one?” I ask.

“We’re still looking for him.”

“He’s here with Willem. I’ll send you photos. My guess is he’s from California. He seems close with Willem.”

“Every powerful man has his puppet.”

“Sam, I don’t believe Quinton is in L.A. The round-faced man and Quinton are still in Montana. Most likely, they have more accomplices, probably including a woman.”

“We’ll keep working on it.”

I explain, “I think they’re planning to make a demand soon, but they want to do it outside of California. Willem and Ava may not be celebrities yet, but they are recognizable here. But in Montana? Ava is unknown—and you can easily find a location where you can commit a murder without anyone knowing. Plus, it would simplify the logistics. Ava is already there, so she doesn’t have to travel and risk being seen.”

Sam agrees with my analysis. He then asks, “When are you flying back?”

“It’s late. I probably won’t be able to catch a flight tonight. I’ll follow Willem some more. See what he’s up to. Tell Ava I’ll call her soon, and I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

Ava is currently surrounded by people who genuinely care for her. Staying here another night wouldn’t make much of a difference. But she’s a mother desperately waiting for the safe return of her baby. Reflecting on my own mother’s inability to cope when she lost me, I know that even one night matters greatly. I’ll make sure she doesn’t feel alone tonight, even if I have to be on the phone with her till morning.

8

AVA

My eyes are wide open, as if I just downed six cups of coffee in one go. I have been without my baby for three days, and I’m losing my mind. Without the weight of his little body against me, life feels devoid of any goodness. I feel numb, unable to hear his laughter or see his face scrunch up when he cries. The absence of his soothing suckling has left my breasts aching with emptiness.

Jack tried to console me last night during our call, but there was only so much he could do. His voice, though he meant well, only served to make me miss him more.

“He’s coming,” Sam assures me as I repeatedly sit and rise from his living room couch in the past hour. “Once his plane has landed, I’ll drive you to Belgrade, your new safe home. And he’ll meet you there.”

I nod, still worrying about Quinton and thinking about Jack.

“You know he’ll do anything for you and Quinton,” Sam continues.

“That’s comforting, Sam. But to be honest, that worries me too,” I admit.

“He knows what he’s doing, and you have no reason to feel guilty about it,” he tells me as if he can read my thoughts.

“I just don’t want him to think this is the only way to redeem himself.”

“Maybe he does. But that doesn’t mean he’ll be careless.”

I mentioned it because I can see how desperate Jack is to prevent what happened to him from happening to anyone else, especially my baby. Honestly, Jack doesn’t have anything to redeem for.

Silence falls. My mind is like a restless pendulum, swinging back and forth between Jack and Quinton. Sam has reassured me countless times that it’s unlikely for Willem to harm Quinton, and I believe him. But there’s still that small ‘what if’ lingering in the back of my mind. Besides, there’s no one else who can look after my baby as well as I can. Quinton should be with me, not with some random person hired by Willem. On the other hand, I don’t want Jack to sacrifice himself for us.

In a bid to distract myself, I ask, “What happened to him, Sam? I mean, Jack had told me about his kidnapping, but he didn’t tell me exactly how. When we were in Bozeman, we mostly talked about the aftermath, like how we perceived birthdays differently. I had fond memories of mine, while he didn’t have any recollection at all.”

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