Page 80 of Tough as Steele

“Thank you.”

“Love you,” he said, wanting her to know how much he cared.

“You, too, but sweetie, that makes me even more nervous. You don’t say that often, and when you do, I have to be concerned.”

“Then maybe I need to start saying it more. It’s never a bad idea to tell others you care about them.” He looked at Londyn, and she gave him a soft smile, and that look cast his way reduced his stress for a brief moment.

But he had to focus. “Okay, going silent so you can concentrate.”

“I’ll let you know when the drop is over and I’m back in my car.” Her voice trembled, and it put a big lump in Nate’s throat.

He’d only felt this helpless on the day the officers came to the door to tell them his dad had died and then when police officers came to school to tell him his mother had passed away.

Please don’t let this end the same way.

He turned his attention to the details of the drop. The sidewalk that passed the trash can where Clarice would leave the money looped around the grassy park. Clarice would enter on one end, drop the bag about five hundred feet in, and then continue on back to her car. All in all, it should take less than fifteen minutes.

Fifteen of the longest minutes of his life.

Londyn would give anything to help Nate right now. Sweat beaded on his forehead and upper lip, though the car was cool under the rain running down the windows. The drop was happening, and he was terrified for the woman who was basically his surrogate mother. He suddenly drew in a breath and held it.

Londyn couldn’t sit by any longer and do nothing. She grabbed his hand and clutched it. His fingers were like ice.

He looked at her. “Guess it’s obvious that I’m losing it.”

“Yeah.”

“Not much of a tough guy now, am I?” He held her gaze. “What you said earlier is resonating with me. I’ve always thought of myself as a tough guy. A guy with exceptional training and physical expertise. But you’re right. I’m counting too much on myself and not enough on God.”

She understood him far more than he could ever know. “Do you want to pray together?”

“Yeah. Yeah. That would be great.”

Londyn held his hand tighter and offered the most heartfelt prayer she could utter. They remained connected and sat under God’s protection, a peace in Londyn’s heart. She hoped Nate felt some of it too.

He suddenly jerked his hand free and flashed it up to his earbud. “It’s Clarice. She’s in her car.”

Nate pressed his mic. “You okay?”

He listened intently, and Londyn saw his shoulders relax a fraction.

“Good.” He let out a breath and took another. “I need you to get out of there and head to Mimi’s so you can wait for the kidnapper’s call with details on Mimi’s release. We’ll stay on the comms unit, and I’ll tail you to be sure you arrive okay.”

“Drop went off without a hitch. She’s fine. Thank God for that.” He grabbed his mic for the police radio. “All units be advised the drop has been made. Hold locations but be alert for the suspect.” He described Wigg again for the deputies and provided the details of his pickup truck.

“You don’t know how much I wish we could move in and grab Wigg or whoever came to pick up the cash,” Nate cranked the engine, the rumble echoing in the rain.

“I get it,” she said. “Trust me.”

He started to shift into gear when his phone signaled a call. “It’s Bishop.”

He pressed his mic again. “Clarice, I have an urgent call that I need to take. But I’m still connected to you, so don’t worry.”

Nate answered his lieutenant’s call, and his serious expression was appropriate for everything that had happened in the last few hours as he listened intently.

“We’re on our way.” Nate placed his phone into the dashboard holder and glanced at Londyn. “I’ll update you on Bishop’s call after we get Clarice safely to Mimi’s.”

He pressed the mic again and told Clarice they were on her tail as he got them on the road. They fell silent for the drive, just thethump, thump, thumpof wipers scraping across the windshield until the rain let up just shy of reaching their destination. Londyn desperately wanted to know why Bishop had called and where Nate said they would head to, but Clarice was first priority now, and Nate checked in with her often.

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