Chapter 6 - THE WOODEN TRAIN
I crossed the distance before Miller could adjust his aim.
He fired, the gunshot deafening in the cavernous metal building. The bullet grazed my left shoulder, a white-hot line of agony that sent me stumbling, but adrenaline pushed me forward.
I swung the heavy iron fire poker, catching him squarely in the wrist.
Miller screamed, his gun clattering to the concrete floor.
I didn't stop. I tackled him, driving my shoulder into his chest and taking him to the ground. We rolled across the dirt and broken glass. He was heavier, trained in hand-to-hand combat, and he immediately threw a brutal punch that caught me in the jaw. My vision swam, but I grabbed his uniform collar and drove my forehead into his nose.
He roared in pain, shoving me off. He scrambled desperately toward his dropped weapon.
I grabbed his ankle, pulling him back.
Suddenly, a loud, heavy THUD echoed behind us.
Miller went limp, collapsing onto the floor.
Standing over him, breathing heavily and holding a massive rusted iron wrench she had found on the ground, was Caroline.
She had managed to kick out the back window of the cruiser, wriggled out, and freed her bound hands using the broken glass.
I stared at her, blood dripping down my arm. "You always were the tough one."
She dropped the wrench and fell to her knees, wrapping her arms around me. We held each other for a desperate, breathless second before we both turned.
Noah was still sitting on the hood of the car, his legs dangling.
"Mommy?" he whispered.
Caroline let out a sob that tore from the very bottom of her soul. She scrambled up and ran to him, pulling him off the car and crushing him to her chest. I wrapped my arms around both of them, burying my face in Noah's hair. He smelled like dust and unfamiliar laundry detergent, but underneath it all, he was still my boy.
"We've got you," I cried, kissing his cheeks. "You're safe now. I promise."
Noah reached into his oversized pocket with a trembling hand.
"I kept this, Daddy," he murmured.
He held out a small object. It was a wooden toy train. I had carved it for him for his fifth birthday. He had been holding onto it for fourteen months in the dark.
I took it, my heart breaking all over again. "I see it, buddy. You did so good."
Behind us, a groan echoed from the floor. Miller was shifting, slowly regaining consciousness.
"We need to go," Caroline said, her eyes flashing with protective fury as she shielded Noah.
I picked up Miller's gun, checking the safety, and tucked it into my waistband. I grabbed the zip-ties he had used on Caroline and bound the sheriff's hands and ankles tight.
"The state police can deal with him," I said.
I picked Noah up in my arms. He felt painfully light. He rested his head on my uninjured shoulder, his small arms wrapping securely around my neck.
We walked out of the dark warehouse and into the cool evening air.
My truck was exactly where I left it.
But as we approached, my heart sank.
May you like
The passenger door was wide open.
Meredith and Lily were gone.
