Olivia had to be honest with herself. It had been a tough week, and she didnโt mind that Dean was picking Eli up for their Thursday afternoon together. She could use the time to relax and unwind. Theyโd had to file another police report earlier that day about more vandalism on the current site, coupled with time on the phone soothing the council. Ensuring their job timeline will be honored. It was almost time for Dean to drop Eli home; she sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coco, but she didnโt expect him to come inside the house. Saturday and Tuesday past. Dean had picked up and dropped off Eli without coming inside. It irritated her. She didnโt feel relieved he was seeking some distance from her. She felt more than a little disappointed.Olivia saw the happiness and joy emanating from her son when he came home from his time with Dean. The two were growing very close. Perhaps it was time for her and Dean to sit down with Eli and tell him the truth. Maybe it was time for her to t
โWe need to get out there and look for him, Dean. Maybe heโs lying somewhere hurt.โ Olivia grabbed Deanโs arm, her eyes wide with alarm. โWeโve got to find him.โ Her voice held signs of panic.Dean placed his hands firmly on her shoulders. โOlivia, I checked the street and front yards of every house along his walk home. He isnโt there.โ It was apparent she was in complete denial Eli had been abducted. โThink hard now. Any other friends he might have gone to play with?โโPerhapsโฆ Maybe Steven. Eli has gone to his house for playdates before.โ Her face was now drained and colorless.โOkay, call anyplace you think he could have gone, and Iโll call sheriff Tanner.โ Dean knew she wouldnโt find Eli at any friendโs house.Somebody had kidnapped his son. He knew this with a gut instinct, and the faster the sheriff and his men got involved, the better the possibility of finding him. Looking back, he should never have removed the backpack. Of course, he had enough law enforcement training to kno
By seven-thirty pm, Olivia was in the kitchen making sandwiches and more coffee for those that had come to help. The house was full of well-meaning people; she appeared calm and in control unless Dean looked into her eyes, revealing her intense screaming despair. Deputy Dan Williams sat on a chair in the kitchen and coordinated fellow officersโ calls and neighbors and friends who had shown up to search.Dean was grateful Olivia had a couple of friends to offer support and chat with her. He paced the floor, waiting for news. Finally, he climbed the stairs to Eliโs bedroom. He stood in the doorway and stared in. He tucked Eli into his bed with a ruffle of his hair, and Eli placed his hand on Deanโs cheek.Dean, Iโm glad you want to spend time with me. He said. Because I like being with you. Dean had tucked him in and wished him happy dreams. He wanted to do it again. He wanted to hold his son and tell him how much he loved him. How happy he was that Eli was his son. His heart swelled in
Oliviaโs heart was now sitting in her throat. She looked at the phone on the table. The caller I.D box displayed a PRIVATE NUMBER instead of a phone number.The phone rang a second time. She was suddenly more afraid than she had been throughout the entire evening.โAnswer it,โ Dan said, ready to record the conversation. The phone rang a third time. โOlivia, answer the phone,โ Dean said calmly.Hands trembling, she picked up the receiver and whispered a faint hello. โI have your son.โ The voice echoed throughout the kitchen. The voice was digitally distorted, making it impossible to know if the caller was male or female. โWho is this? What do you want?โโAt midnight tomorrow, bring three million dollars in hundred-dollar bills to the Bosque River marina. There is a delivery box at the number three wharf. Inside, you will find instructions on where to leave the money. If I see any cops, the boy dies.โ Dean grabbed the phone from Olivia. โYou get nothing unless we get proof of life,โ
Dean stood in the doorway of Oliviaโs room for a few minutes. It was just after dawn. She was sleeping soundly. He was grateful she needed the rest to face the day ahead. She looked beautiful in the faint dawn light. Her face was relaxed and her hair lay in a satin cloud around her head. Sheโd been so strong the day before, he knew she would be close to a breaking point. He hoped the sleep sheโd gotten would keep her strong.He turned and headed off to take a shower. He stood under the water and allowed the heat to massage his tense muscles. He recalled the previous nightโs events. There was no doubt in his mind that his father had kidnapped Eli for monetary gain. Jack was on the run from the law and the first thing he would need would be plenty of cash. He had hated no one in his life as much as he hated him. How would Olivia feel about him if the kidnapper turned out to be his father? He turned off the shower and grabbed a towel. He dressed in the same clothes heโd worn yesterday.
Dean returned to the kitchen. โA news van just pulled up outside.โOlivia took a moment to study his features carefully. She wanted a clue as to what had sent him out of the house earlier. His posture was set square and tension radiated out from him.Glen got up from his chair, anticipating the doorbell to sound. โDo either of you wish to talk to the press or make a statement?โโI donโt,โ Dean said, then looked at Olivia. โYou go ahead if you want to.โโNo, I have no wish to give the monster the pleasure.โ Olivia had seen the parents of kidnapped or missing children begging at press conferences for mercy as they wept. She wasnโt about to become one of those parents unless someone could persuade otherwise her.The doorbell rang. โIโll get the door and tell them to stay off your property,โ Glen replied, and then left to deliver the message.โI think the sheriff will expect you both to stand next to him when he holds the press conference,โ Dan said. โI definitely have no intention of sh
A reporter attempted to shove a microphone into Deanโs face. He pushed past them all and quickly headed for his car. It was time to use his training and start thinking like a texas ranger and not like a father. Dean could see sheriff Tanner was a lazy man, and that there was no way he was up to the task of finding Eli. Besides, his confusing emotions about Olivia would drive him crazy if he didnโt get out of the house.Whenever she touched him or gazed at him, he couldnโt stay angry with her. Sheโd said she needed him, but he didnโt trust that the need for him would be there when Eli came home. Dean headed to Trentโs house. It was the closest. He parked out the front of the address. The house was an attractive, cream-rendered two-story building. He did not know if he would be home. He took a moment to calm himself and find his cold, hard shell that had served him well in his work. He couldnโt interview these men with the emotional turmoil of Eliโs father.Dean walked to the front doo
They drove in silence, full of aching anticipation of finding Eli. The old property had been abandoned for over five years. The last Olivia heard, Emma and John Winchester had passed away within a few months, leaving the three children and Emmaโs younger brother in litigations.The caller said he couldnโt identify the person as a man or a woman. She knew this might be another crank call, but the caller had sounded genuine. Was it Jack they had seen?Her gun sat in her lap as her index finger mindlessly tapped the barrel. Its weight was familiar to her. Sheโd wanted a weapon. Her father encouraged her to learn how to shoot. He knew he wouldnโt be around forever and had wanted her to be able to protect herself and Eli. She was comfortable shooting it. Sheโd never believed until this moment that she could shoot and kill somebody, but she would have no hesitation if it meant saving her sonโs life. Dean had grabbed his gun out of his truck before they had left. When protecting Eli, she kne
The drive home was filled with a sense of relief. Nothing else mattered except they had found their son, Eli. The countryside rolled by. The gentle humming of the tires was a balm to their weary souls. Glancing into his rearview mirror, Dean couldnโt stop gazing at his family in the back seat. Eli cuddled into his motherโs side.As they pulled into the driveway, Mia and Kate were already waiting, their figures silhouetted in the warm glow of the porch light. The scent of freshly cooked pancakes wafted from the open front door, mingling with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.Dean glanced over at Mia and Kate, gratitude evident in his eyes.โThank you both for being here,โ Dean said, his voice filled with appreciation. โIt means a lot.โ He extended his hand, and Kate met it with a firm, reassuring grip.โNice to meet you, Kate,โ Dean said with a genuine smile. โMia has told me so much about you. Thank you for taking care of Eli.โKateโs voice was gentle as she responded, her eyes bri
Chapter 26Deanโs pick-up truck cut through the night, its tires humming against the pavement as four occupants rode in tense silence. The air inside the vehicle crackled with a potent mix of fear, anticipation, and determination. Each passing mile brought them closer to the old, abandoned farmhouse where they hoped to find Eli. The rhythmic patter of rain against the roof added a somber soundtrack to their journey.Deanโs grip on the steering wheel tightened with the weight of responsibility pressing heavily upon his shoulders. He stole glances at Olivia, her face a reflection of his own emotions. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.In the back seat, Ben and Logan exchanged concerned looks, their own worry evident on their faces. The bond of friendship had transformed them into a makeshift family, concentrated on rescuing Eli safely.Deputies Dan and Glen followed behind in the patrol car, their minds consumed by suspicions surrounding Sheriff
Oliviaโs mind raced with a mix of hope and anxiety as she clutched Deanโs arm tightly. The call had promised Eliโs safety, a glimmer of light in their dark journey. Her heart ached to believe it, to embrace the possibility that her son was finally within reach. She looked into Deanโs eyes, searching for reassurance. โDo you think it might be real?โ she asked, her voice trembling with anticipation.Dean squeezed her hand gently, his own heart filled with a flicker of hope. โWe donโt lose anything if we go and check it out,โ he replied, his voice filled with determination. He understood Oliviaโs fear, but deep down, he sensed that they couldnโt ignore this opportunity. It was a chance they had to take.Ben chimed in, adding his voice to the discussion. โWe just checked the shed on the property. We didnโt check the farmhouse,โ he said, his voice laced with cautious optimism. โEli was only moved this afternoon.โOliviaโs intuition tugged at her, urging her to follow this path. Despite her
***It was dark when the men came through the front door. Ben and Logan headed into the kitchen, where they found the deputies. The look on Deanโs face told her everything she needed to know. He was beaten, his eyes filled with sorrow and pain she recognized well. He jammed his hands in his pockets. โI missed him, Liv; Eli was being held in that basement.โ He looked at her with the shine of tears in his eyes. โI wasnโt enough for my father to love, I couldnโt get it right with you, and now I canโt find my boy.โShe reached out and ran a hand over his face. Eli had his bright blue eyes, bold brow, and cheekbones. It was a face she loved. It was a face she had always loved; sheโd seen the likeness of it every time she gazed at her son. At this moment, sheโd never felt so close to Dean. She hadnโt realized until this moment that there was still a part of him, a little boy who longed for his fatherโs love. Who knew the pain and suffering of being overlooked and neglected by the father w
The storm had arrived, thunder rolled, and lightning flashed. Outside the abandoned farmhouse, a car door slammed, and a motor whined. Ed squinted through the grimy living room window and watched as the white van headed down the long driveway and onto the highway.His expression grew smug as a sneer crossed his narrow lips, and he recalled how easy it had been to move the boy from Wayneโs house. Those stupid rangers drove right past us. Now the brat is safely tucked away in the basement, and with the sleeping pills I put in his soda, he should sleep for a couple more hours yetโฆ And I donโt have to listen to him crying for his mommy.Lightning flashed again, turning the whole world purple. In its glare, Ed saw something standing a few yards from the house, looking at him. He blinked and looked againโฆ the lightning was gone, and with it, the something. It was nothingโฆ a trick of the light.Ed drew the curtains against the approaching darkness. A lantern sat on the sideboard across from
Late that afternoon, on the outskirts of Waco, Texas, clouds gathered like a thousand black kites knotted together and trapped. The air inside cabin 13 suggested the smell of burning rubber and paint fumes. The Lone Star hotel had a long reputation for drug sessions and sleazy hookups. The roomโs two occupants lay naked on the bed. The woman had taken her last breath half an hour ago. The needle hanging out of her arm had seen to that; there was nothing he could do. His thoughts were now of sorrow. He wanted to try, but it hurt too much. Raising his eyes to the ceiling, he whispers a prayer. A tear escapes as he slowly let go. His life slipped away. At last, he is rid of that stuck-up bitch of a boss Olivia Reed. * * *โIโm assuming there is still a patrol car parked at Wayneโs,โ Dean said when they were a block away. โIโll park out of sight and sneak through backyards. I donโt want to get shot by some nervous deputy.โ He pulled up to the curb six houses away from Waynes. Ben grab
Eli tossed and turned in endless dreams. Flashing images of his mother and Dean calling him, he couldnโt find them, and worse, they couldnโt find him. His eyes opened in time to see the large black figure disappearing up the stairs. His heart was beating fast. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. He had been crying in his sleep again. Next to his cot, resting on a small table, was a glass of orange soda; it was his favorite soda. A treat his mother allowed sometimes. He drank it down; the sweetness felt cheerful. A moment later, he yawned the most enormous yawn he could ever remember as a sudden heavy sleepiness overcame him. He put his head back down on the pillow.***Logan walked to the end of the porch and turned to face his two friends. โHereโs what we know so far,โ he said with solid eye contact. โThe DNA results from the blood found on the side of the van at the Mexican border belong to Ed Stringer.โโJackโs lackey,โ Dean exclaimed, his mouth falling open.โThereโs more,โ added Logan
โHow dare she question my motives.โ Dean was seething with anger. He clenched and unclenched his hands around the steering wheel. She hadnโt lived through the emotional turmoil and damage his father had put him and his siblings through. His motherโs death was enough to send him over the edge. To bargain for his sonโs life was the most challenging thing heโd ever done.He drove faster. He was headed down to the marina where the exchange was supposed to occur. He wanted to look around and cool off. He hoped Ben and Logan could come up with some new information that would find Eli before Monday night. He drove down the gravel driveway and into the Bosque River Marina carpark. Attempting to push away the heated argument with Olivia, he focused his attention out of the window. His eyes scanned the area. He could see the number three wharf, where most of the moorings were occupied. He saw a large metal box next to the pier security door. Nearby a man was standing in the cockpit of his boat
Lying on his side, Eli willed his eyes to open. His clothes felt dirty against his skin. He needed a bath. He knew he was still chained to the wall, but the chain was long enough to allow him to move around the basement and reach the toilet next to an old sink where a cup sat so he could drink. Sitting up, he inspected his ankle and reached down to try to loosen the shackle again, but his ankle was now too swollen and sore to keep trying. He began to cry again. It scared him that nobody had found him. Was he still in Valley Mills? For all he knew, he could be in New York, he had learned a little about that place in school, and he knew that it was a long way from his home. He also knew his kidnapper wore a black coat and ski mask; Eli didnโt know if it was a man or a woman. He heard footsteps coming down the stairs. The black figure was carrying something new, an old wooden chair and something white folded under his arm. Eli tried to speak with his capture again. โWhy are you keeping