Galen's Gemma - Dale Mayer Page 0,38
long as Zack was detached and calm about the whole thing, it did help to see this in a very different light. “So we’ve got a Lolita here, her little girl with uncertain paternity, and several men who we presume are thinking they could be the father. But what does it all mean?” Galen asked as he rubbed his face in frustration.
“Do you think that’s why the kidnappers want Becky?” Zack asked.
“I would hope so,” Galen said. “It would be damn sad if it were for another power play.”
“What kind of power play?” he asked.
“Well, if it’s James, and he thinks Becky is his own daughter, I would hope that he would want to protect her and not send her off into the sex trade or something. But, if he doesn’t think it’s his daughter, and he’s just looking to punish the mother, that brings up all kinds of horrible scenarios.”
There was a long moment before Zack spoke. “You really didn’t have to voice that, you know?”
“Actually, I did,” he said. “We can’t hide anymore from these elements,” he said. “The potential here is way too serious.”
“I get you,” he said, “but it sucks.”
“I’m just a few minutes away. Any update on what’s going on inside the cabin?”
“As far as I can see,” Zack said, “they’ve all gone to bed.”
“Well, here’s a question for you,” he asked. “Was everybody in a separate bed?”
“Last I saw them? Yes,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been some nighttime shuffling.”
“Given that she might need a way out of this, that would be one avenue to make it happen.”
“I think I’ll check the bedrooms,” he said.
“You do that. I should be around the house pretty quick.”
Galen hung up the phone, tossed it onto the seat beside him, and pulled into the same place he had parked last time. He shut off the engine and sat here, waiting. When he figured it was safe, he slipped out and slid through the trees, heading toward the cabin. His mind still tumbled with the possibilities of what was going on and could only hope that things came to a head pretty damn quick.
As he headed toward where Zack was last, Galen stopped and studied the cabin. He saw no signs of movement and no signs of any life on the inside. The only thing that bothered him was he also saw no signs of life on the outside either.
Where was Zack?
Chapter 13
How the heck was Gemma supposed to sleep with all this going on? She kept her eye on the laptop and one on the book in her hand, as she sat in front of the fire in the main room as the wee hours of the night passed by. She got up what seemed like every thirty minutes to check on Becky. Gemma wished that she could sit beside Becky or that the little girl could move out to the couch with her. The bedrooms in these small cabins were pretty much taken up by the bed in each. No room to even drag in a spare chair. Gemma could join Becky on the bed. She had contemplated doing that but didn’t want to wake her. At least one of them should get some sleep on this dark night.
When she heard a cracking sound outside, she immediately slipped over to the window. Just being where they were, it could have been wildlife. They were still inside the fence of the compound, but that wouldn’t stop a coyote. And, if it was a fox coming in after the hens, he would have come in from the far side. At least she thought so, but she wasn’t a fox, so who knew?
Another crackle came, and her breath caught in the back of her throat as she studied the darkness outside. She was tucked up against the curtain, so, if it was a two-legged predator, she had no way of staying hidden, except by staying out of the light of the fireplace from the inside and out of the moonlight from the outside.
When the sound faded away again, she relaxed. But, just as she settled on the couch again, she heard something on the other side of the cabin. Swearing softly, she got up and walked to the other window. The curtains were closed so she lifted a corner to peer outside and could see a man standing there, as he studied the space between the two cabins. She sucked in her breath, until she realized it