Silent Night Sanctuary. Rita Herron

near a toy box overflowing with games and dolls.

      Instincts honed from years on the force kicked in, and he knew he had to remain objective and push Leah. There had to be something the police had overlooked.

      “Tell me exactly what happened.”

      She averted her gaze, walked to the window and looked out as if seeking answers. “I woke up early that morning—it was still dark. The wind was howling but I thought I heard a scream. Maybe it was Ruby…crying out for me to save her.” Her hands rose to her cheeks, wiping at tears. “But I was too late. If only I’d woken up a few minutes earlier.”

      “Was her bed still warm when you came in?”

      She turned to him, angling her head as if in thought. “I…don’t remember feeling it. I panicked, then called for help. I kept thinking that if the kidnapper was trying to leave town the police could find him before he got too far away.”

      “There was no ransom note?”

      She shook her head. “Just the note on the bed by the shredded teddy bear warning me not to call the police.”

      “And you haven’t received any other calls or messages since?” “No.”

      “Do you have any major investments, money tucked away that someone might know about?”

      “No, nothing like that.” She gestured at the room. “As you can see, my house is modest.”

      He folded his arms. “Can you think of anyone who’d want to hurt you or Ruby?”

      “No, no one specific.” She sighed and dragged a hand through her hair. “I’ve already told the police all this.”

      “I know, but humor me. Like I said, maybe they missed something. Think about the school where you teach. Any parents—fathers perhaps—that you’ve pissed off?”

      Her mouth twisted. “There was a man, a single dad, who got angry with me last month.”

      “What happened?”

      “His son had some bruises on his chest and legs and I asked him about them, but I think the police questioned him already.”

      “What did the man have to say about his son’s bruises?”

      “That his little boy is clumsy and accident-prone.”

      Gage grimaced. He’d heard that before.

      He moved inside the room, examining the space without touching anything. Everything indicated that a happy, normal child lived within these walls but appearances could be deceiving. “Your bedroom is on the opposite side of the house?”

      “Yes. But I don’t know how someone got in and took her without me hearing. It’s not a big house. I mean, I thought I heard a scream, but…”

      “Well, you said the wind was howling, right? Maybe it covered the noise. Or maybe she knew him.” He gestured at the window. “The window lock was jimmied. That’s how he got in?”

      She nodded, pain darkening her eyes. “It was locked when I went to bed, but when I came in, it was open.”

      “And the police didn’t find any DNA or fingerprints?”

      “They said they didn’t.”

      Her wording roused his suspicions “What do you mean, they said they didn’t? Do you have reason to believe the police might be lying?”

      She jerked her head up, her eyes wide as if she’d just realized what she’d said. Oftentimes people gave the truth away innocuously.

      “Leah? Is there some reason you don’t trust the police or think they didn’t do their jobs?”

      She chewed her bottom lip before answering. “Not exactly….”

      “What?”

      “It’s just that Charlie is the deputy now, and his father always ran everything.” She shrugged. “They don’t tell you much.”

      He’d never liked Charlie Driscill himself. Had Charlie run a shoddy investigation?

      He studied the child’s room, debating how much to prod Leah. A small table and chairs held a sketch pad and crayons, dolls crowded a baker’s rack and books and puzzles overflowed a bookshelf. “Does your sister have a computer?”

      “No, it was a sore subject between us, because she wanted her own laptop in her room, and I wouldn’t allow it.” Her chest rose up and down with a shaky breath. “I know how dangerous it is for kids on the Internet, so I let her use mine but only with supervision.”

      She had the right answers and appeared to be caring and protective. “The feds looked at my computer and found nothing,” Leah added.

      “Was anything else missing? Any clothes, toys?”

      Her eyes darted around nervously. “Her Matilda doll is gone. She might have it with her.”

      So the kidnapper hadn’t packed a bag to take with them. “Good. That might prove to be helpful somehow.” At least in tracing her, or, if they found a body, in identifying her. But he refrained from relaying that thought.

      She paced, wringing her hands together, then paused and traced her finger over a drawing Ruby had done. It was a childish sketch of a girl and a woman smiling, hands outstretched to each other in a meadow of wildflowers.

      The sight of the room was obviously torturing her, so he moved toward the hall. “Let’s go downstairs.”

      Relief softened the lines on her face. She was so petite, and fragile looking. Creamy skin, golden hair that fell in soft waves around her heart-shaped face, eyes the palest green he’d ever seen.

      But the photo of the little girl burned in his pocket, reminding him to keep this strictly business. Every second counted. He didn’t want another child to end up dead on his watch.

      And her comment about the police bugged him. If there was some reason she didn’t trust them, he needed to know what it was. It might prove to be the lead they needed to find Ruby.

      LEAH STARED AT Gage’s folded hands as he sat in the club chair in the den.

      His hands were large, masculine, callused. A jagged scar crisscrossed his right one, disappearing into the sleeve of his shirt.

      She claimed the love seat and held Ruby’s Pippi doll, gently running a finger over its long red braids. The yarn hair was coarse, not like Ruby’s soft red curls.

      Where was she right now? What was happening to her?

      “All right, Leah. Give me a blow-by-blow of the events leading up to Ruby’s abduction.”

      She took a deep breath. “The night before she disappeared I took Ruby to the park. They had a mini-fair with a merry-go-round and cotton candy and games.”

      “Did you notice anyone following or watching you and Ruby?”

      She bit down on her lip and struggled to think, but she’d been caught up in Ruby’s laughter and chatter, and hadn’t noticed anyone. “No, I…Maybe I should have but I didn’t see anything strange. There were a lot of families there—teenagers, kids laughing, running around, all excited.”

      “Did you lose sight of your sister at any time?”

      “No, I never left her side. We played some games and rode a few rides.” She paused. “I understand how important it is to watch children closely, and how quickly they can slip away.”

      He nodded. “Go on. What did you do then?”

      “Ruby wanted a corn dog and cotton candy, and then an ice cream sundae.” She remembered Ruby’s shriek of joy when Leah had finally given in and allowed her the sweets. “Normally I don’t let her have so much junk food, but it was our ‘Fun Friday,’ that’s what we call it, and I caved.” She shrugged helplessly,