Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“Good morning,” I said with a smile, or at least a half-hearted smile. Krista looked up and blushed.
“I hope you don’t mind me taking over your kitchen. I got up earlier, and with everyone still sleeping, I got bored.”
“Don’t mind one bit.” I glanced around. “What do you need me to do?”
“I was thinking scrambled eggs to make things easy.”
Heading to the refrigerator, I took out the eggs. “Where is Chad?”
“He got up earlier and headed home to grab us some things. I think he wants to stay here a few more days, or at least until they find Jonathon. He’s worried about me, I think.”
I got a bowl out and a fork. “You’re more than welcome to stay here as long as you want. I feel better with us all together.”
She chewed nervously on her lower lip. “He used to stay at the house sometimes, you know. When Chad was out of town, Jonathon would come over to check up on me. That could have been me…he could have taken me.”
I quickly made my way over to her and pulled her into my arms. “Shh, it wasn’t you, though. You’re safe and the baby is safe.”
She drew back and wiped furiously at her tears. “Look at me acting like this. You’re the one who was kidnapped and taken from your home.”
“You have every right to feel the way you’re feeling, Krista. Every right. I can’t imagine knowing how close he was to you both, and then learning what a monster he was. He had been in this house a few times and I never even knew it was him! I think he knew he couldn’t laugh, or I would know. He never laughed.”
The sound of a vehicle pulling up had me walking into the living room. Jimmy was sitting up on the sofa, stretching. “It’s Chad. He left about an hour or so ago to run home.”
“That’s what Krista said. She’s started breakfast and I smelled coffee.”
He stood and stretched more. “Thanks, I fell asleep around four this morning.”
I walked up and hugged him, catching him by surprise. “Thank you so much for being here. It means the world to me, Jimmy.”
When I stepped away, he was blushing. “Anything for Liam, and for you now. You’re all family to me.”
I felt my eyes fill with tears. Chad walked into the house with Bubba following him. They both looked concerned.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
They both attempted to clear their face of any worry.
“Nothing, just talking is all,” Chad said with a forced smile. He looked through the house and smiled when he saw his wife.
“I was just about to call you,” Liam said as he walked up to his brother. “They found it. I’m heading there now.”
“What?” a chorus of voices said at the same time. Billy and MaryAnne were walking down the steps, with Howdy and Larson following. We really did have a full house.
“They found the barn?” Krista asked as she walked into the living room to join everyone else.
Liam nodded. “I’m heading that way, if you guys wouldn’t mind hanging here and making sure…um…just watching the place.”
“Of course,” Billy stated.
“I’m going with you,” Chad stated as he put down the bags he had carried in.
“What do you mean, you’re going?” Krista asked in a panicked voice. “Why?”
He walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “I need to be there for Liam, babe. With Mallory and Emily being involved, I need to be there because he’s my brother.”
Krista nodded and hugged Chad. “Please be careful.”
He brushed her hair back and my heart swelled as I looked at the two of them. “It will be fine. Don’t leave, okay? Stay here, the guys will watch over everyone.”
“Okay.”
Chad turned and looked at Liam. “Let’s go.”
Liam pulled me to the side and leaned down so only I could hear him. “I want you to be careful. Don’t go outside alone. I don’t think Jonathon would be stupid enough to come after you, but I don’t want to let my guard down. Not until we find him.”
I nodded. “Liam, I love you.”
He smiled. “I love you, too, Mallory. I’ll keep you updated.”
Tears pricked at the back of my eyes as I watched him and Chad leave. Krista went to pick up the bags, but Billy got them and carried them upstairs for her.
“I’ll finish up breakfast,” I called out to her.
“I’ll help finish up in the kitchen,” MaryAnne stated as she wrapped her arm in mine.
I nodded and exhaled. “Let’s get these men fed!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Liam
Chad and I pulled up and were stopped by a police officer. I put the truck in park and rolled down the window. “Liam Sanders, Officer Sanders knows I’m going to be showing up.”
He nodded. “Right, he instructed me to tell you to wait here. They’re searching the entire barn now.”