Protecting Her Daughter. Lynette Eason

huge headache, and he should have listened to his father’s advice about hiring a temporary person to fill in, but then he’d have the headache of training the person. He grimaced. He still hadn’t decided which choice was the lesser of the two evils. Regardless, he didn’t like to stay gone too long. Then again, that was one of the advantages of living in a small town. Everyone had his cell number and if someone needed him, they’d call.

      Aaron drove down the drive and out of sight of the house then stopped at the base of a sloping hill. He tapped his fingers on the wheel. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t just leave. There’d been something in her eyes when she’d looked at him then cut her eyes toward the left. Had someone been there? Someone she’d been afraid off? What if an abusive ex had found her or something? Or what if she really did have a concussion? He didn’t remember seeing any sign of one when he’d looked into her green eyes, but he hadn’t been looking for one, either. Had her pupils been even?

      He grunted. Nope. He couldn’t leave. Aaron turned the vehicle around and drove back up to the house. He parked next to the strange truck and shut the engine off. He hesitated only a second before he opened the driver’s door and stepped out. He stared at the other truck, walked over to it and looked inside. Fast food wrappers and cigarette butts littered the cab, but nothing that set off any alarms. He sighed and marched back up to the front door. Before he could knock, the door opened and he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun.

      Aaron froze. Now his internal alarms were ringing. Okay, he’d thought she’d looked scared, but this wasn’t what he’d pictured. The angry dark eyes behind the gun glittered. “Get in here, hero. You had your chance to leave, but guess you get to join the fun.”

      * * *

      Zoe wanted to weep. Her only hope of rescue had just joined them as a hostage. Aaron lifted his hands in the surrender position and walked into the house. His eyes landed on her and Sophia, huddled together on the couch. She knew she probably looked terrified as she locked her gaze on his. Well, that was fine. She was terrified.

      Aaron moved closer to them, putting his body between her and Sophia and the gun. The other man, whose name she hadn’t learned yet, shut the door behind Aaron. “What’s going on?”

      “Just taking care of a little business is all. Now hand over your cell phone and your weapon.”

      “I’m a veterinarian. What makes you think I have a weapon?”

      Pete laughed without a smidge of humor. “You don’t live in this kind of town and not carry a weapon.” His hard eyes turned to chips. “Hand it over.”

      Aaron didn’t bother to protest, just pulled his .38 special from his shoulder holster and gave it to the man. When he did, his keys fell to the floor.

      “I’ll take those, too. No sense in giving you something that could poke an eye out.” Aaron hesitated then snagged his cell phone from the clip on his belt and released that, as well. From her position behind him, she could see the tension in the set of his shoulders and prayed he didn’t do anything that would cause one of the men to shoot him. Or her. “What kind of business?” Aaron asked.

      “Shut up.” Pete looked at his partner. “Now what?”

      “Tie him up,” the partner said. He eyed Aaron. “Anyone know you’re here?”

      “Several people know I’m coming out here on a regular basis to check on one of the heifers ready to deliver any day now.” He stayed still while Pete used duct tape to secure his hands behind him.

      The partner shoved the gun at him. “Let me rephrase the question. Anyone know you’re here right now?”

      “No, but when I don’t show up for dinner, my family will be looking for me.”

      Zoe stayed still, listening, feeling Sophia’s heart beat against her side. Her rapid heartbeat. Zoe looked closer and saw the sweat on her daughter’s forehead. She lifted Sophia’s chin and looked in her eyes. She stood. “My daughter needs some food.”

      “Shut up and sit down,” the partner said without taking his eyes from Aaron.

      Zoe stayed put. “My child needs sugar in her system. She has diabetes. Her sugar is dropping, and I need to give her something sweet. Now.” She tried to keep her voice steady and firm. She failed miserably on the steady part. She lifted her chin and met Pete’s eyes when he finally turned them on her. “She could die and while I don’t think you care if I do, for some reason you want her alive.”

      The man’s eyes narrowed, and he stared at her as though trying to figure out if she was telling the truth or not.

      Zoe wanted to scream. Instead, she clamped down on her emotions and pointed at Sophia. “Look at her. Sweating, rapid pulse, lethargy. If we don’t regulate her blood sugar, she could faint and go into a coma.”

      For a moment he simply studied her. “Fine. Get her something, but Cody’s going to be watching you. You try to get a knife or something, and you’ll pay, you understand?”

      “I understand. I just want to get her some orange juice.” Zoe turned to Sophia. “Stay right here. I’ll be back in a second.”

      “No, Mom—”

      “Shh. You need some sugar. Do as I say, sweetie.” She tried to comfort Sophia while watching the man with the gun. His impatience escalated, and she backed toward the kitchen. Sophia’s lower lip trembled.

      Aaron moved closer to Sophia. “It’ll be a bit awkward, but you can hold my hand, honey. Your mom will be right back.”

      Sophia’s eyes darted back and forth between her mother and Aaron, and she nodded. Zoe suspected she was feeling a bit dizzy as she simply laid her head against the back of the couch and shut her eyes.

      Zoe moved toward the kitchen, not wanting to leave Sophia, but knowing the man beside her baby was an honorable one—at least according to everything she’d heard about him during the short time she’d been in town—and wouldn’t let anyone hurt Sophia if at all possible.

      Zoe acted fast. She could feel Cody’s eyes on her, watching, waiting for her to make a wrong move. She grabbed the orange juice from the refrigerator and a glass from the cabinet. Her hands were shaking so hard she was afraid she’d spill the liquid. She stopped for a second and took a calming breath.

      Then she picked up the carton and poured the juice into the glass. Sophia didn’t usually have a problem with her diabetes when she ate right, got her exercise and did what she was supposed to do, but it had been a stressful few weeks and her body was reacting to it. This situation definitely wasn’t helping.

      Zoe hurried back into the den and over to Sophia. “Here, honey, drink this.”

      Sophia wrapped her hand around the glass while Zoe helped her. Her daughter drank the juice while Zoe’s eyes met Aaron’s. His shoulders gave a slight twitch, and she realized he was using her as a shield while he worked on getting his hands free. She stood over Sophia for as long as she dared then turned to find their two captors in conversation. Discussing how to kill them? Bitterness welled and she tamped it down. God, get us out of this, please.

      “Sit down,” Pete said and jabbed her with his weapon.

      Aaron stilled, and Zoe sat beside Sophia who seemed to already be doing better with the juice. Zoe set the glass on the table then turned back to Sophia. She ran a hand over her daughter’s face and pulled her close. Pete and his partner, the one he called Cody, moved to look out the window then went back to their discussion. Aaron leaned closer. “What do they want?” he whispered.

      “I don’t know.” She wasn’t going to tell him what the man had said about wanting Sophia. Not while her daughter was listening to every word.

      “How many are there?” Aaron asked.

      “I’ve only seen the two.”

      Pete turned a sharp eye in their direction, and she snapped her mouth shut then leaned over to kiss the top of Sophia’s