FEATURED AUTHOR: Elizabeth Goddard
Shadow Gap, Alaska
Meet me at Tangled Gully. If you want to see your son again, tell no one. Better hurry.
C.K.
Steph Wilton’s knees almost gave out as she read the note. A sob broke through her closed throat.
Clinton Kell.
God, help me! I can’t lose Tommy too. Manny, her husband and Tommy’s father, had died in an avalanche three years ago. Now she faced losing her precious son.
She swiped the tears away and drew in a breath when the knock sounded at the door. She’d hoped Officer Ross Miller would be the one to answer her call because she’d planned to ask him to dinner after reporting that her college stalker had found her again, but now she just needed him to leave. No matter how much she wanted to lean on his strength, she couldn’t take the risk.
She opened the door and forced a smile.
Ross’s shoulders straightened. He examined her face, probably seeing evidence of the strain. “What’s wrong?”
Oh, I want to tell you!
The message had been clear, though. Tell anyone and she wouldn’t see Tommy again. She would meet Clinton and get Tommy back. She would talk him down like she’d done every day since he started stalking her. Again.
“I need to reschedule. Tommy’s sick.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll call you later, okay?”
He frowned but nodded. She closed the door, trying not to slam it in his handsome face.
I have to get my baby back.
Steph shoved a heavy coat for herself and Tommy into a rucksack along with supplies. Through the window, she saw Ross sitting in his Ford Interceptor. Her behavior probably made him suspicious enough to wait around, so she headed out the back door and climbed over the fence. Only six years old, Tommy would be exhausted and freezing by the time Clinton got them to the gully. Anger built in her chest as she hiked through the thick woods and found the treacherous trail.
It’s unsafe for my baby!
She let the tears flow so she could get them out of the way. How could she have let this happen? How had it escalated so fast? Clinton had started showing up at odd times and weird places. He came to her house last night with flowers and she’d had to be rude. This morning, she found her mailbox bashed in, so she called the police. Now she kicked herself for sending Tommy outside so she could talk to Ross privately.
After hiking for what felt like forever, she reached the gully. Steph nearly sobbed again when she saw her son unharmed.
“Mommy!” Tommy sounded scared and relieved to see her. But Clinton held him back as they stood next to three horses, one of them a packhorse.
She crouched, holding her arms out with her eyes locked on her baby. “I’m here. Now let me hold Tommy.”
“Get on the horse.”
“Tommy can’t ride and neither can I.”
“These are trail horses. Just get in the saddle and they’ll do the rest.”
“Tommy’s with me, then.”
“Tommy will ride double with me,” Clinton said, his voice deceptively light. “We’re going someplace fun.”
In the saddle of the sorrel mare, she wished she’d told Ross. How am I going to get us out of this? She just needed Tommy in her arms. Then she’d run and hide. She’d be fearless enough to fight.
Eventually, they stopped. Clinton started pulling supplies off the packhorse. “The cabin’s another day’s ride,” he said. “We’ll make camp here.”
I got news for you, buddy, we are not going to a cabin. She’d have to break free with Tommy tonight. Somehow, someway.
After a dinner of hot dogs over a campfire, Clinton put her and Tommy in a tent and tied their wrists and ankles. Tommy got to sleep next to her, at least, and she’d take that comfort. Before leaving the tent, Clinton chambered a round in his gun.
Her heart pounded as she snuggled close to Tommy. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispered when he sniffled, trying to encourage herself as much as him.
Clinton stepped out of the tent and zipped it closed. She watched his silhouette against the fire, her mind racing with possible escape plans.
Suddenly, another silhouette stepped up, disarming Clinton and punching him in one quick motion.
Her stalker collapsed.
“Steph? Tommy?” Ross’s familiar voice shook with urgency. The tent unzipped and he peeked inside. Her body went slack with the sudden release of tension.
“Steph. Oh, thank goodness. Are you okay?” He crawled inside and cut the ties around their wrists and ankles. His hands hesitated over hers, warming her chilled fingers.
When they exited the tent, Clinton was on the ground, handcuffed. Alaska State Trooper Nolan Long stood over him.
“How did you know?” Steph asked Ross.
“I found the note you dropped in the backyard.” Ross nestled Tommy close. The aurora borealis flashed bright green streaks across the sky, soothing her nerves. It really was going to be okay.
***
A week later, Steph answered her door again.
In jeans, a polo shirt, and a jacket this time, Ross sent her a smile that warmed her to her toes.
“I stopped by to tell you Clinton Kell is incarcerated in Anchorage. He’s going away for a long time. He won’t stalk you anymore, Steph.”
Her chest felt lighter than it had in years. Maybe now she could actually move on. “I can’t thank you enough for what you did.”
“Just doing my job.”
Right. Of course he was. But he could have called instead of coming in person. “You’re out of uniform.”
“Steph, this might not be the right time, but it seems like there’s never a good one. I’ve been meaning to—”
“Would you like to stay for dinner? I’m making stew and homemade bread.”
His slow smile told her everything she needed to know. “I’d love to.”
“Ross!” Steph stepped back as Tommy ran up and jumped into his arms.
Holding her son, Ross Miller stepped into her house and into her life.
When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry.
For more information about her books, visit her website.
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