Saving His Son. Rita Herron

      

      Tenderness softened his dark eyes

      Gavin’s breath brushed Lindsey’s cheek as he leaned close to her. “Try to hang in there, okay?”

      “Okay.” The look in his eyes destroyed her resolve to remain uninvolved with him.

      He had a tough exterior that made him appear fearless. Emotionless. But she knew what it was like for him to lose control. Gavin had deep emotions—feelings he channeled into work instead of sharing with a woman.

      “So you’re not giving up?” Lindsey asked, knowing her heart lay in her eyes.

      “No.” His fingers wiped away a tear she hadn’t realized she’d shed. “You have to trust me, Lindsey. I’ll find our son.”

      Saving His Son

      Rita Herron

      MILLS & BOON

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      To Tashya for all your great suggestions!

       Thanks for letting me write this one.

      Rita

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Rita Herron is a teacher, workshop leader and storyteller who loves reading, writing and sharing stories with people of all ages. She has published two nonfiction books for adults on working and playing with children, and has won the Golden Heart Award for a young adult story. Rita believes that books taught her to dream, and she loves nothing better than sharing that magic with others. She lives with her “dream” husband and three children, two cats and a dog in Norcross, Georgia.

      CAST OF CHARACTERS

      Lindsey Payne—A woman who has loved only one man in her life—the same man who unknowingly gave her a son. But now their son is missing.

      Gavin McCord—A man who thought he was protecting the love of his life by pushing her away. Did he push her into the arms of danger instead?

      Dr. William Cross—An old-fashioned doctor who runs a small-town birthing clinic—is he hiding something?

      Janet Quinn—The nurse who helped deliver Lindsey’s baby, then disappeared. Could she have stolen Lindsey’s child?

      Andy Atkins—A mentally challenged orderly who claims another woman gave birth the same night as Lindsey. But is he reliable?

      Lamar Forbes—The sheriff who insists his small town is a haven from big city crime—until someone tries to kill Lindsey Payne.

      Christopher Little—A lawyer with a big bank account and a very closed mouth. How far would he go to protect his clients?

      JoAnn Haney—Lindsey’s best friend. She’s desperate to have a baby—but how desperate?

      Jim Faulkner—Lindsey’s ex-husband. She put him in jail; is he out for revenge?

      Yvonne & James Faulkner—Lindsey’s ex’s parents; they hated Lindsey for putting their son behind bars.

      Danny Swain—A prisoner who threatened to get even with Gavin. Could he have orchestrated the kidnapping from his jail cell?

      Dwight Johnson—His son died under Gavin’s care—could he have taken Gavin’s son as a replacement?

      Dear Reader,

      What is every woman’s worst nightmare? To lose a child or have a child kidnapped.

      Real-life stories about missing children are a common occurrence, yet the mystery, the suspense, the emotions are universal. Every time I see a newspaper article or TV clip or a picture of a missing child, my heart wrenches for the family. And each time, I hope for a happy ending.

      Having three children of my own, I can’t imagine missing any part of their lives—so my heart certainly went into writing Saving His Son. But in my version, you get the happy ending…plus a little romance!

      Hope you enjoy.

      Please write me at P.O. Box 921225, Norcross, GA 30092-1225 for updates on other releases.

      Sincerely,

      Contents

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Chapter Seventeen

      Chapter Eighteen

      Chapter Nineteen

      Chapter Twenty

      Chapter Twenty-One

      Chapter Twenty-Two

      Epilogue

      Chapter One

      “Your baby is alive.”

      Lindsey Payne’s hand trembled around the phone receiver as the hoarse voice faded into nothingness. It was the second time the person had called in two days, the fourth call this week. Could it be possible? Could her son really have survived?

      “Who is this?” she finally croaked. “Why are you doing this to me?”

      The harsh click of the phone cut her off, jarring her senses into a thousand frayed nerve endings. Just like the other times. Tears spilled out of her swollen eyes as grief consumed her. Her baby would have been six weeks old today. If he had lived.

      She’d been so distraught in the hospital the doctor had prescribed sedatives, but by the end of the first week, she’d weaned herself from the drugs and the memories had surfaced. Blurred memories which raised questions in her mind. Someone had tried to kill her in the hospital. At the time she hadn’t cared. She’d been in too much pain to fight.

      Later, when she’d told the hospital staff, they claimed she’d been hallucinating. She’d pleaded with the local sheriff to listen, but he’d insisted nothing ever went wrong at Maple Hollow’s birthing clinic. That she should try to move on with her life. And she’d tried.