Page 53 of Bridge to Safety

The child was a nuisance. He’d have to figure out what to do with her. He didn’t like hurting animals or kids, but sometimes a man didn’t have a choice.

Better yet, he’d use the kid as leverage to persuade the deputy to leave town. That would give Duke what he wanted. Shiloh.

~

Rowan grabbed the three burger meals from the passenger seat and headed for the front door. The whine of a dog pulled his attention to the side of the house.

“Peanut?” The dog lay under a rose bush. She belly crawled to him. “You okay?” Shiloh would be devastated if anything happened to her dog.

A skitter of fear ran up his spine. The dog didn’t seem to be bleeding or have broken bones, but she trembled as if the devil himself was after her. The shovel lay in the middle of the yard. “Where’re the girls? The other dogs? Did you put up a good fight?” He patted her head. “You’re a good girl, aren’t you?”

His mouth dried. His gut told him they weren’t here, even before he checked the house. Rowan checked the fuse box, only to discover the wires were cut. When he spotted the open back door and didn’t hear the wailing of the alarm, he knew his fears were founded. “Come on, Peanut. Let’s find them.”

Why hadn’t he secured the box as he’d planned to? Recovering from the accident had made him forget. He hadn’t thought the danger great while he lived here. How wrong he was.

The dog perked up and trotted out the back door.

Rowan dropped the bags on the kitchen table, retrieved his gun from the painted pickle jar on top of the refrigerator, and followed. The fully-loaded gun was enough for what he needed.

Rachel’s homework still sat on the coffee table. Rugs flapped in the wind on the back deck. Shiloh’s phone sat on the counter. Things appeared as if Shiloh and Rachel would return at any moment. He made a quick call to the sheriff’s department asking for backup, then ran toward the trees.

“Find them, Peanut.”

The dog barked and, nose to the ground, headed south. Rowan followed.

He wasn’t much of a praying man, but he prayed more as he searched for Shiloh and his daughter than he had since Rose was diagnosed with cancer. Her life hadn’t been spared, but she had lived longer than the doctors gave her. It had been something.

Now that he was ready to love again, he didn’t want a repeat of losing the woman he loved. He had to find her and his daughter. Then, he’d hunt Duke down like the rat he was.

Peanut led him to the guard dogs. Steak bones lay next to them. They both were breathing. At least the man wasn’t into killing animals. After making sure they were okay, Rowan let them be and coaxed Peanut to continue.

She took one last look at them, whined in her throat, and headed down the creek.

Shiloh had mentioned a place special to her once. She’d even promised to take him there. Hopefully, that’s where she and Rachel hid. Hopefully, he’d have the chance to spend time there with her.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Up there.” Shilohpointed for Rachel to start climbing. “Hurry. We can’t let Duke find us.”

The child scampered up like a monkey, then stared back at Shiloh.

“Here.” She parted the brush hiding the cave’s entrance.

“No way. It’s dark in there.”

“I have a light. Go.” She gave her a small shove.

The darkness inside the cave engulfed them. “Sit against the wall while I cover the entrance. Then, I’ll light the lantern.” Her fingers were numb from splashing through the creek, her feet, soaked and aching.

Once the brush was back in place, she crawled to where Rachel huddled. Finding the blankets, she handed the child one and wrapped another around her shoulders before finding the lantern. Minutes later, a small flame cut through the inky blackness.

Shiloh removed Rachel’s shoes and socks, then her own, and tucked them under the blanket. “We have to be quiet. I have some granola bars and water in that backpack. If you have to go to the bathroom, use the far corner. I don’t know how long we’ll be here.”Please, God, not long.

Shiloh pulled Rachel close so they could share each other’s warmth. “This used to be my special place,” she whispered. “My parents fought a lot. They weren’t as nice as your father, so I would come here and pretend this was my home. A place that belonged just to me. I still come here sometimes when I want to be alone.”

“But you live alone.” She rested her head on Shiloh’s shoulder.

“I know. Silly, isn’t it?”

---