Miracle at Colts Run Cross

“The abductor was adamant that we not go to the police.”

“And in the meantime, what about my sons? What’s happening to them?”

“The kidnapper wants money, Becky. He’s made that clear almost from the second he took them. There’s no reason for him to hurt them as long as we cooperate.”

“Since when do you know so much about kidnappers? Since when do you know about anything except football?”

“Please don’t do this, Becky. It won’t help us to tear each other down.”

His gaze sought out hers, and she turned away, unable to deal with his pain when hers was so intense.

“I know I’m not all that good with reading people,” he said, “but I’m convinced this was a spur-of-the-moment decision with the kidnapper. My guess is he’s desperate for money. And desperate men commit irrational acts when pushed against the wall. That’s why I don’t want to push. I just want to give him the money and bring the boys home.”

“And you really think you can pull this off without David and Derrick getting hurt?”

“I think working without the cops is our best chance of doing that.”

Nick’s face was drawn into hard lines that made him look much older than his thirty-two years. It was odd that she’d never thought of him as aging, though she was keenly aware of it in herself. He was constantly in training, keeping up his speed, agility and strength with the rigorous exercise routine that had kept him at the top of his game.

His boyish good looks and charm had come to him naturally and required nothing but his presence to make them work. But even those were lost tonight in the torment that haunted his eyes.

“If he puts the boys on the phone, I want to talk to them,” she said.

“I don’t know how much time he’ll give us with them.”

“Then put the phone on speaker.”

“He’ll be able to tell and will probably think I have a cop listening in.”

She knew he was right, and yet the frustration started swelling in her chest again until it felt like her heart might burst from the pressure. “Are you certain you don’t know the abductor, Nick, or at least have some idea who he is?”

“Of course not. Why would you think that?”

Actually, she had no idea where that idea had come from, but now that she’d voiced it, it wasn’t all that farfetched. The man had contacted Nick on his cell phone. He’d had to get that number from somewhere.

And he’d known where the boys went to school. She was certain the morning newscast hadn’t mentioned that and was pretty sure that none of the others would have given out that type of information.

“Was the voice disguised?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Did you get any feel for the man’s age?”

“No. He’s not a kid, but beyond that, it’s impossible to say. He tries to sound tough, but his tone wavers at times. So does the timbre, as if he’s getting overly excited or nervous and doesn’t want me to know it. That’s another reason I think he really just wants to get the money and get out. If we convince him we’ll cooperate with him fully, I think this could be over in a matter of hours.”

She ached to believe he was right. “Okay, Nick. I’ll agree to holding off on calling the police or the FBI until he calls again. But if we don’t talk to the boys, or if he’s hurt them in any way, the deal is off.”

“That’s all I’m asking, Becky.”

His cell phone rang again. She tensed, and the quick intake of breath was choking. He shook his head, a signal that it wasn’t the kidnapper. The disappointment laid a crushing weight on her chest.

“I can’t talk now. I’ll have to call you back later.”

Probably Brianna. Becky dropped to the sofa and lowered her head, cradling it in her hands as a new wave of vertigo left her too off balance to stand.

Just keep David and Derrick safe, she prayed silently. If she was granted that, she’d never complain about anything again.

DAVID SUCKED the ketchup from a greasy French fry before stuffing it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed. Momma didn’t like for him to talk with his mouth full. “I don’t think you really are my daddy’s friend,” he said, as he dipped the next fry.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. I talked to your daddy when I was outside unloading the two-by-fours from the top of my car. He’s real eager to see you boys.”

Derrick wiped a dab of mayonnaise from his chin and sat his half-eaten cheeseburger in the middle of the paper wrapper he’d spread out in front of him. “Then how come you didn’t take us to Uncle Langston like you said you were going to do?”

“I told you, there was a little misunderstanding, but you’ll get to see your daddy soon enough, as long as he cooperates.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” David drew a circle in his ketchup with his last fry. He always ate his fries first. Then he ate the meat off the burger. He hated buns.

“It means your Dad and I are working out a deal. He comes up with cash. You go home.”

The fry slipped from David’s finger and plopped into the puddle of ketchup. “Have we been kidnapped?”

“No, no. Nothing like that. This is just a business deal, and you’re the collateral.”

“How much cash are you trying to get from Daddy?”

“Just a little pocket money. Five million. Do you think you’re worth that?”

David choked and had to spit out the fry he was eating. His allowance was only a dollar a week, and when he’d asked for that super skateboard with all the fancy stuff on it the last time they went to Houston, Momma had said it was too expensive. And that didn’t cost even a hundred dollars.

He didn’t figure anybody had five million dollars except the Queen of England and maybe that woman who wrote the Harry Potter books. He and Derrick were in big trouble. He looked at his twin brother and could tell he was thinking the same thing.

Derrick jumped up from the rickety chair. “I’m getting out of here right now.” He sprinted across the room, heading for the back door.

The guy with the dirty denim jacket grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back until Derrick yelped in pain.

David ran over and kicked the man in his shins. The guy let go of Derrick and grabbed David. “You kick me again, and I’ll take a belt to you, you hear me, boy? You won’t have an inch of flesh that’s not bruised.”

“Then don’t you hurt my brother.”

Surprisingly the guy laughed. “So you two stick together, eh.” Then he stopped smiling and his face turned red. “Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t want to hurt either one of you, but you try anything funny and I’ll lock you in the bathroom and leave you there until this deal is done, do you understand?”

“Sure, I understand,” Derrick said. “You’re a criminal.”

“Right, so don’t even think of trying to escape. Besides, even if you did escape, you’d be so lost no one would ever find you but the snakes and buzzards.”

“You hurt us and my daddy and uncles will kill you,” David said. He was trying hard to act like he wasn’t afraid, but he was plenty scared. Not for him but for his brother. Derrick didn’t like to listen to anybody, and he might do something stupid.

“I’m treating you good, now aren’t I?” the man said. “I bought you hamburgers and fries just like you said you wanted.”

“Yeah, but you told us we were coming here to meet Uncle Langston so he could fly us to Dallas.”

“I lied. Now I’m going to let you talk to your dad, but you have to tell him how good I’m treating you. And that’s all you say. Tell him you’re fine and that you want to come home. That way he’ll close the deal, and this will all be over.”

David nodded. He wanted to talk to Daddy. He wanted that real bad. He didn’t like being kidnapped, and he didn’t like this cabin. He didn’t even want to go to visit his dad at the hospital now. He just wanted to go back to Jack’s Bluff. But if he made this man mad, he might never get back.

The man took the cell phone from his pocket and started punching the buttons, whistling the same tune he’d been whistling when he’d picked them up in the car. David put his arm around Derrick’s shoulders. He’d do what the man said for now, but he’d find a way out of this. Fast. He wasn’t missing Christmas.

THIRTY MINUTES later, there was still no return call. Nick paced the floor, the pain from his injury shooting up his back and settling like smoldering embers in his shoulders and neck. He welcomed the pain. It was familiar and deserved. He’d willingly taken the risks that playing ball in the NFL carried with it.

His boys didn’t deserve this mess they were in and neither did Becky. She might have turned against him, but she’d always been a terrific mother. She was the mainstay for both his sons—steady, constant, yet filled with a love of life.

The same Becky he’d fallen so madly in love with from the first day he’d spotted her jogging across the campus in a pair of tight blue running shorts and showing off the best pair of legs he’d ever seen. He’d asked her out for beers and pizza that very night. To his utter amazement, she’d said yes.

The phone vibrated in his clammy hand an instant before its piercing ring shattered the ominous silence surrounding them. No ID information. His muscles tensed as he took the call.

“Nice that you’re so available these days, Nick. Who’d have ever thought you could call a famous Dallas Cowboys receiver and get him on the first ring?”

His grip tightened on the phone. “Are my boys with you?”

“Still don’t like talking to people like me, though, do you, Nick Ridgely? Your sons are standing next to me. You can have thirty seconds with each boy.”

“Their mother wants to speak to them as well.”

“Thirty seconds. You guys divvy it up any way you like. Maybe Brianna Campbell can take a turn, too.”

Go to hell! The words hammered against Nick’s skull, but never left his mouth. The rotten piece of scum held all the power, and he couldn’t risk riling him.

“Daddy.”

His heart stopped beating for excruciating moments and then slammed into his chest. “Hi, Derrick. Good to hear your voice.”

Becky was at his side in an instant, her eyes begging him for reassurance. He nodded but held on to the phone.

“David and I got kidnapped. Momma’s gonna be mad ’cause we got in the car with a stranger, but we thought he was Uncle Langston’s friend.”

“Mom’s not mad, son. Are you okay? Has he hurt you?”

“Not really. He didn’t buy the kind of hamburgers we like, though, and he doesn’t have much of a TV. It gets lines in it all the time.”

A sorry TV. Nick swallowed hard as relief rushed through him. If that was their biggest complaint, he’d called this right. The guy wasn’t a child molester. Now Nick just had to get the bastard the money and get the boys back before the situation worsened.

“Momma wants to say hello.”

Tears filled Becky’s eyes as she reached for the phone. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

Nick could only hear her side of the conversation, but he could hear the relief in her voice when she realized as he had that their sons were apparently unhurt.

“Daddy and I are taking care of everything. You’ll be back with us soon.” There was a short pause, and then she whispered I love you and was apparently handed off to David.

“No, David, I’m not mad. I just want you home with me. Daddy’s fine. He’s here at the ranch. You’ll see both of us soon. Are you warm? Did you get enough to eat? Okay, you can talk to Daddy. I love you.”

She handed Nick the phone. His time was almost up with the boys, but now that he knew they were safe, it was the abductor he wanted to talk to. The quicker they made the exchange of his sons for money, the less likely they’d have complications.

“Satisfied?” the man asked after letting Nick have only a sentence or two with David.

“For now, but I mean what I said that you’d best not hurt them.”

“Yeah, big guy. I’m doing my part. Now it’s time for you to do yours.”

“I’m ready.”

“I’ll give you twenty-four hours to get the cash together. Let’s see, that will make it at 4:00 p.m. tomorrow.”

“I won’t need that long.”

“Let’s leave it at that for now. And have the plane ready.”

“Where do you want to meet?”

“I’ll call you in the morning with the details. And, remember, no cops or you’ll be very, very sorry.”

“I’m doing this your way, but if you hurt my sons, I swear I’ll track you down, tear your heart out and feed it to the livestock.”

“Just get the money and the plane.”

Nick held on to the phone after the connection was broken, staring into the flames and the crackling logs in the big stone fireplace. His boys were safe, but he wouldn’t breathe easy until they were back on the ranch.

He told Becky what the abductor had said. She cringed even though there was basically nothing new in the kidnapper’s demands.

“And that’s all?” she asked. “We just hand over the money and he releases the boys?”

“Apparently.”

“Then we don’t need twenty-four hours. The bank knows I’m good for the funds even if I don’t have that much in totally liquid assets. If that’s not good enough, my brothers and mother will sign any documents the bank requires.”

“I told him we’d have the ransom sooner, but I’ll get the money,” Nick said, his tone more adamant than he’d intended.

“This isn’t about you, Nick, and I couldn’t care less about some silly pride thing you seem to have going. I just want David and Derrick home—and safe.”

“Don’t you think that’s what I want?”

She shrugged and walked away, stopping to stand near the blazing fire. She warmed her hands before turning to meet his gaze.

“I don’t know what you want anymore, Nick. Maybe I never did.”

“No, I guess maybe you didn’t.”

And that summed up their ten years of marriage. Nothing could compare with the torment of the abduction, but still knowing he was losing Becky cut straight to the heart. He might deserve this, but he didn’t see how.

Bart stepped into the den. “Mother gave Juanita the week off so that she didn’t have to explain to her about the kidnapping, but the ladies made sandwiches and warmed soup. Can I get you some?”

“I can’t eat,” Becky said, “but we’ve finished up in here. Tell mother I’m going to my room for a while—and that I really need to be alone.”

“Sure.”

Being alone was the last thing Nick needed. And oddly, the soup sounded good. “I’ll join you. I just need a minute to wash up.”

“You’re holding your neck at a funny angle,” Bart said. “You must still be in a lot of pain from that hit you took yesterday.”

“Some, but don’t talk about it. I figure if I ignore it, it will give up and go away.” He didn’t believe that for a second, but still he’d leave the pain meds in his duffel bag. He was in the middle of the biggest game of his life, and he had to be completely alert.

DERRICK LAY in the twin bed and stared into the blackness. It was so dark he couldn’t even see David though he was just a few feet away. There was a window, but the weird guy who’d brought them here had nailed boards over it so they couldn’t escape while he was sleeping.

This was all Derrick’s fault. He should have known Uncle Langston wouldn’t send someone to get them who looked like this guy. But then he didn’t look so different from some of the cowboys who worked at the ranch. Some of them had tattoos, too, and they were good wranglers and nice people. Uncle Nick and Uncle Matt said so.

Only the guy hadn’t mentioned Uncle Langston until Derrick did. He just stopped the car and called them by name. Then Derrick had asked him if he was there to take them to the hangar where Uncle Langston kept his jet. He said yes and told them to get in. Derrick had hopped in first.

All his fault, so he had to come up with a plan to get them out of here before this crazy guy started twisting their arms behind their backs again. Grown men weren’t supposed to hurt kids.

Christmas was Friday. Their pageant was Christmas Eve. He had to come up with an escape plan fast.

He was smart for a third grader. He made A’s, well except in math. He figured math didn’t really matter if you were going to be a football player. He’d never once seen his dad working multiplication problems.

They could blindside the kidnapper and knock him out with a skillet. He’d seen that once on a TV show. Or sneak into his room while he was asleep and tie him up with the sheets. Only he and David were locked in the bedroom, and if they tried to break the door down he’d hear them.

But they could…

He closed his eyes and then opened them suddenly as the plan appeared like magic in his mind. He climbed out of the bed in the dark and felt his way to David’s bed, sliding his hands across the covers until his fingers brushed his brother’s arm.

“David.” He kept his voice low but shook him awake. “We don’t have to worry about Daddy getting five million dollars. I know how we can escape.”

Chapter Four

As it turned out, getting five million dollars in cash on short notice was more of a problem than any of them had anticipated. Nick had the funds but not in liquid assets. Converting it to cash would incur time that they didn’t have.

Finally, it had been Langston who’d arranged the transaction through the business account of Collingsworth Oil. Becky wasn’t sure how Langston had explained his need for so much money in small denominations, but apparently he had, or else the bank didn’t ask questions of their larger business accounts.

Becky and Nick were on their way into Houston to pick up the money from one of the main branches now. Nick was still in obvious pain from Sunday’s injury, so Becky was at the wheel and fighting the noonday traffic. Nick was holding his head at a weird angle and massaging the back of his neck.

“Do you have something to take for the pain?” she asked.

“Back at the ranch, but I’m not taking anything that affects my judgment.”

Becky took the freeway exit to the downtown area. The city was decorated for the holidays with huge wreaths on the fronts of buildings and storefronts and holiday displays in all the shop windows. The light changed to red, and she stopped near the corner where a Salvation Army worker was standing by her kettle and ringing a large red bell.

The spirit of the season came crashing down on Becky like blankets of gloom. Ever since the boys were old enough to tear wrapping paper from a present, Christmas had been her favorite time of year. She loved the carols and decorations, the boys’ excitement and the traditions.

They always decorated the tree before dinner on Christmas Eve. The entire family took part, but David and Derrick had more fun than anyone even though they spent as much time sneaking fudge from the kitchen as they did hanging ornaments.

Then, as far back as Becky could remember, they’d had hot tamales and Texas chili on Christmas Eve before leaving for the community Christmas pageant at their church. It was the highlight of the evening with even the eggnog, hot chocolate and desserts that followed taking a backseat.

“Derrick has a speaking part in the Christmas pageant, and David plays his drum.” She didn’t know why she’d blurted that out except that the thought of Christmas without them was unbearable.

“They’ll be there for it,” Nick said. “The boys will be back with us by tonight.”

She wanted desperately to believe that, but the cold, hard knots of doubt wouldn’t let go. The light changed again, and she sped through the intersection, eager to get the money in hand.

“I’d like to be here for the pageant,” Nick said. “And for Christmas morning, too.”

The old resentment surged. “Don’t you have a big game in Chicago on Saturday?” Even when he hadn’t been cleared to dress out, he’d always traveled with the team.

“I’ll miss the game,” he said.

“Are you feeling guilty, Nick?”

“I just think it’s important that I be here for Christmas this year. Can we just leave it at that?”

She spotted the bank ahead and determinedly forced her bitterness aside. She parked the car in a lot across the street from the bank. Nick paid the attendant while she grabbed the large valises they’d bought for the money and locked the car door. When they left the bank, an armed guard in street clothes would walk them to the car.

“I’ll take those,” Nick said, joining her and slipping the bags from her arm.

He slung the strap over his left shoulder and linked his right arm with hers. An incredible feeling of déjà vu swept over her. Walking arm in arm with Nick, the valise over his shoulder, a feeling of urgency burned inside both of them.

Like the night they’d rushed to the hospital for the twins to be born. Her water had broken and she’d been propelled into labor with strong contractions that came much faster than normal. Nick had flown into action, trying to be tough but clearly as frightened as she was. But he’d stayed with her every second.

The image of him holding both the boys in his arms minutes after they were born pushed its way into her mind. His smile. His wet eyes. The tenderness when he’d kissed her and thanked her for giving him the world. She shivered as the memories took hold.

Nick let his hand slip down to encase hers. “It’s going to be okay, baby. This is all going to be okay.”

But who was Nick to promise a happy ending?

DAVID WAS CURLED UP in a smelly old chair with stains all over it. He looked like he was asleep, but Derrick saw his eyes move every now and then and figured he was just faking it, probably thinking about Derrick’s stupid plan.

It had sounded great in the dark. The kidnapper couldn’t watch them every second. He had to go to the bathroom and when he did, they’d raise one of the windows, kick out the screen and make a run for it.

They were fast. Derrick had won the relay race at school field day last year, and David had come in second. The kidnapper wouldn’t have a chance to catch them if they had a head start. Sure, they might get lost in the woods, but Derrick wasn’t worried about that. Uncle Matt had taken them camping lots of times and taught them all about survival. They’d find their way back to the road and wave down a passing car. Super easy.

Problem was that while they were locked in the bedroom last night, the kidnapper had nailed wood over the rest of the windows. That had made Derrick really mad, but he wasn’t giving up. He just needed a better plan. He’d seen all the Home Alone movies a bunch of times. If that kid could take care of himself, so could Derrick and David.

In fact he and David could do it better. There were two of them and only one jerky kidnapper. That’s why he wasn’t really all that afraid. He’d let them out of the bedroom this morning, but the house was sealed tight. The kidnapper had the key to the front door and the back door was nailed shut.

The guy was lying on the lumpy old sofa now, whistling that same weird tune he was always whistling and watching a movie on the old TV that kept fading in and out. It looked like it could be a hundred years old, except their neighbor Billy Mack had told him they didn’t have television back then.

Derrick waited for the commercial. The guy always hollered for him to shut up if he talked during the show. An advertisement for Dodge trucks popped up on the screen.

“How come you live out here all by yourself?”

“’Cause I’m not filthy rich like your parents.”

“You could get a job and make some money.”

“Don’t get smart with me, kid.”

“I wasn’t.”

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