Finding Her Son(34)

Ian opened the back of his vehicle, revealing footballs, pads and more equipment than Mitch ever brought.

“You went overboard, but thanks, bud. I owe you.”

“Yeah, you do. I swiped it from a local high school with the help of a very sweet English teacher who was going to make me breakfast.”

“We’ll return it, and I’ll find a way to replace what got blown up yesterday.”

Several boys shuffled over. Ian barked out a few orders and threw some balls to them. As they passed the ball around, Mitch rested his hand on Ricky’s shoulder. “You know a girl named Vanessa Colby?”

“Sure.” Ricky’s face lightened. “Did you find her? She’ll know where Kayla is. She’s her best friend.”





Chapter Eight


Nausea rose in Emily’s throat as she approached the Denver PD building, but Mitch’s truck wasn’t there. She glanced at the portable GPS unit on the supple leather seat next to her. The blinking green dot indicated Mitch had parked his vehicle a few blocks away. She pressed down on the accelerator, her heart speeding up the closer she got.

She didn’t know if she wanted to slap him or kick his injured leg. Okay, so she didn’t want to really hurt him…or did she? Her heart felt empty, her entire being drained. She didn’t want to believe he’d betrayed her. But the evidence… She didn’t know how he could talk his way out of it. If he even cared enough to try.

Just ahead, she caught sight of his truck and an SUV parked behind it. She slowed a bit. The scene wasn’t what she’d expected. Mitch stood with Ricky Foster, the teen whose sister had disappeared. Ian tossed a football around with some other boys in the vacant lot. She hesitated, but she’d seen the green dot parked in front of the Denver PD. She knew it. She deserved an explanation. She scooted in behind the second vehicle and stared out of the window. Mitch’s narrowed gaze widened in recognition, then fury.

Before she’d even turned off the engine, he raced toward the SUV and yanked open the door, letting in a blast of cold. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Emily shoved him back and threw the portable GPS at him. “You lied to me. You went to the police. What are you, a spy? Undercover? Using me to prove I killed Eric?”

“I’m doing what I have to do.” Mitch grabbed her arms. “They found a body. A blond-haired girl who’d recently given birth.”

Emily gasped and shot a quick glance to Ricky, who caught a pass but then dropped the ball, clearly distracted.

“It wasn’t Kayla,” Mitch said. “It was her best friend. Seventeen years old.”

Her anger flowed away. Guilt took over. “I thought—”

“Well, you should’ve waited until I got home. It’s not safe—”

A shot rang out from the side of the street and pinged off the hood right next to Emily.

Mitch let out a shout at Ian and shoved Emily to the ground as the kids scattered. He draped his heavy body over her while she peered out from under him. Pounding footsteps slid to a stop next to them.

Ian crouched down.

“You see anyone?” Mitch asked.

“Shots coming from along the houses,” Ian said in a clipped voice. “No visual on the shooter.”

“What about the kids?” Emily panted as the rocks on the pavement bit into her back. She twisted just enough to see the once crowded lot now empty.

“Whoever it is, he’s shooting at you, but the boys know what to do,” Ian said grimly as he checked his .357. “A quick duck and disappear.”

“Do all of your friends carry weapons?” Emily muttered, her knee digging into the pavement under her.

“Lucky for you,” Ian said. “When you investigate dead bodies, you tend to question guys who carry knives and guns. A big gun keeps the lines of communication open.”

“See if you can get a better view from behind my truck,” Mitch ordered as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed for backup. After barking out the location, he pocketed his phone and shifted over Emily. She could barely breathe, and squirmed underneath him.

“Quit wiggling or you’re going to get more than you bargained for.”

She stared up at him as she felt his body harden. “How can you be thinking about—” her voice lowered to a whisper “—that when someone’s trying to kill us.”

“Stay behind the tire.” He sent her a harsh glare. “I mean it.”

Mitch rolled off of her, clearly keeping his body between her and the houses. Emily hunched over, trying to make herself as small a target as possible. Her lack of faith had put him in danger. This was all her fault. He peered around the front of the vehicle. Another shot rang out, and she heard the shattering of glass.

“Man, Noah is going to be livid,” Mitch muttered. “The guy’s a sucky shot unless he’s just trying to pin us down.”

“I can’t see anything to pick him off,” Ian called out.

Emily buried her head in her arms. She should’ve been more scared, but with Mitch here, she believed he’d get them out. She peeked up. Still placed between her and the shooter, he scanned the run-down houses across the street.

Another shot rang out, this time ricocheting off the front window.

“Ian,” he called. “Get over here.”