LITMIR.BIZ

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the bed, taking in the reddening skin around her eye and swelling on the left side of her jaw. “What happened?”

      “I ran into a fist.”

      “One of the kidnappers?”

      “Don’t know. He got away, but the doc who checked me out earlier said I’ll look like a chipmunk trying to store food for the winter, not to mention my shiner.” She glanced at Michelle, sleeping, her head bandaged. “You called Deputy Jones and told him what your daughter said about the abduction. I want to make sure we have the correct information before I move forward with the investigation. Is this a good time to talk?”

      He slanted a look at Michelle. “This is fine.” He gestured toward the loveseat and chair in the hospital room.

      When Rachel took a seat in the chair, he sat on the couch catty-corner from her. “It’s not much. She’ll probably remember more later. She said there were two people—a woman and a man.”

      “What did they look like?”

      “She couldn’t tell me much. All she could say was the woman had large dark sunglasses and big blond hair. The man had a mask on.”

      “What kind?”

      “A black ski mask.”

      “Did she see what color his eyes were? How tall he was?”

      Dallas remembered Michelle crying as she talked about the kidnappers. “All she said about him was that he was taller than her and the woman with him.”

      “How did they get into the house?”

      “She blames herself. She opened the front door to the woman. Then the woman barged into the house and Michelle ran toward where she’d left Brady sleeping on the blanket. The first time she saw the guy was on the screened-in porch. He’d kicked the door in and was standing over my nephew. After that, she doesn’t remember much.”

      “Why did she open the door to the woman?”

      Dallas let out a long breath. “Normally she wouldn’t open the door, but my sister told her that a lady was bringing over a file she needed for the committee Lenora is on. Michelle thought she was that woman. Have you talked to my sister yet?”

      “Briefly, right before I came back to the hospital to talk to you and Michelle. Lenora kept asking for you. Your brother-in-law called her doctor, who came over and gave her a sedative. She’d barely been able to answer even simple questions, like when she left the house. I’d like you to be there when I talk to her the next time. Paul’s supposed to let me know when she wakes up.”

      “When did Paul arrive home?”

      “Fifteen minutes after your sister. She kept asking where you and your mother were.”

      “I’ve been trying to get hold of Mom. She has a tendency of silencing her cell phone. She only has one for times she wants to get hold of someone or for emergencies. I left her a voice message and texted her. Hopefully she’ll use the phone and notice them.”

      “Where is she?”

      “This is her day to run errands so she could be many places. Once a month she goes to San Antonio. I don’t know if that’s today or not. Has the Amber Alert gone out?”

      “Yes. Paul gave me a current photo of Brady, and Lenora told me what he was wearing.”

      Exhausted from the past months of working a tough case, Dallas glanced at Michelle. He had to pull himself together. He couldn’t rest until he found the kidnappers. What if they came back after Michelle? Her head injury was serious, and she’d lost quite a lot of blood. They’d left her to die, and she could have if he and Rachel hadn’t gotten there in time. When the kidnappers discovered she hadn’t, they might come after her again. “Michelle saw the woman and might be able to pick her out in a lineup.”

      “Wearing sunglasses and possibly a wig?”

      “Yeah. Michelle loves to draw and is quite good at it. She might be able to sketch a picture of her. She remembers things like that. She told me once she looked at the world through an artist’s eyes.”

      Rachel checked her watch. “Deputy Jones dropped me off and took the evidence in to the station. We need to process what little we have as quickly as possible. I told him I’d be in here with you, and I’d call him to pick me up after I talked to you. I’m officially asking you to help with the case. I know you’ve got a personal stake in this, but if I were you, I’d be investigating—whether or not I’d been asked to assist. This way we can coordinate with each other.”

      “What do you know so far?”

      “Paul couldn’t think of a reason for anyone to take Brady. Most likely, the kidnappers had left out the rear screen door, crossed the yard and climbed the fence. After the recent rain, there were only one set of unique tire tracks and two different sets of boot prints, one much larger than the other, which supports what Michelle told you that there’s a woman and a man involved. Possibly a couple who wanted a baby?”

      Dallas frowned. “Coming into a house is risky, but then, maybe they knew my sister left Brady with Michelle. I have a call in to Texas Ranger headquarters. I want to know if other babies have been taken in recent months in the area, especially snatched from their homes. This could also be part of a baby smuggling ring or people brokering illegal adoptions.”

      Rachel massaged her temples. “I know. I’ve been considering that aspect, too. I called the FBI to see if they know anything about a ring operating in this part of Texas.”

      Dallas received a call and quickly answered it. “Mom, I’m glad you called. Have you talked with Lenora yet?”

      “No, I got a call from Paul and was going to talk to him after you. What’s going on?”

      “Are you driving?”

      “I’m at a gas station about ten miles from Cimarron Trail.”

      “Are you sitting down?”

      “Son, you’re scaring me. What happened?”

      Dallas wished he didn’t have to tell her over the phone. “A couple of hours ago Brady was kidnapped while Michelle was babysitting him. She was attacked and now she’s in the hospital with a severe concussion. She has ten stitches on the side of her head.” When his mother didn’t say anything for a long moment, he asked, “Mom, are you all right?”

      “No,” she replied with a sob. “How could this happen? Cimarron Trail is a quiet town.”

      “I wish I had an answer for you, but I promise you and Lenora I’ll work on this case until it’s solved. No one hurts my family.” The hand clutching the cell phone ached from his tight hold. “They left Michelle there bleeding and...” His words jammed in his throat.

      “Are you at the regional hospital with her?”

      “Yes. She’s sleeping.”

      “I’m headed straight there. I’ll sit with her. You need to find Brady. I’ll call Paul and let him know what I’m doing.”

      Before Dallas could say anything else, his mother disconnected. He dropped his arm to his side while he stared at the bed where Michelle lay sleeping.

      A hand touched him. “What’s wrong?”

      Rachel’s soft words brought him out of his trance. He blinked then swung his attention to the sheriff. “My mother’s coming here. She wants to sit with Michelle while I search for Brady, but I can’t leave her unprotected. And yet my sister needs to know I won’t give up until her son is found.”

      “Of course, you won’t. She knows that.” Their gazes connected. The comfort in Rachel’s eyes pulled him in, and for a few seconds nothing else existed.

      “I’ll have one of my deputies stand guard outside the room. Michelle is the only witness we have. She’ll be safe.”

      “The

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