in trouble, aren’t you.”
Her hands twisted together. “Yes.”
“A long time ago someone helped me so I could get away. Maybe if you told me what’s wrong, I could help you.”
Traci could feel the other woman’s sincerity. Chelsea would never know how much Traci wanted to trust her.
“T-there’s a man after me.”
“Your husband?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“Because no man can frighten a woman quite like an abusive lover or spouse. Is he dangerous?”
“Yes.”
“Is he in the house? Is that why you won’t go over there and don’t want me going over there, either?”
Traci struggled. If this woman turned out to be an enemy…
“It’s all right, Traci. Because I was so helpless when I was younger, I learned how to use a firearm in college. Since then I’ve worn a concealed weapon on the job and can defend myself if necessary.”
With a sob Traci muttered, “I wish I’d had one of those a long time ago. Where do you wear it?”
“On my thigh.” She pulled up her dress to reveal the feminine-looking holster strapped to her leg. “I go to the police firing range all the time to stay in practice,” she said before pulling the material down to her knees.
“I would never have guessed.”
“That’s the whole idea. Traci, does your husband blame you for letting Betsy fall down in the excavation? If that’s the case and he comes over here to harm you in any way, he’ll have to deal with me!” Chelsea vowed.
Traci believed her.
“He won’t be coming out of the house b-because I don’t live there.”
“What?” Chelsea sounded incredulous. “Then what are you doing out here on this deserted road?”
“I ran away from my husband ten days ago. Betsy and I have been hitchhiking ever since. I got dropped off here this morning. While I waited for another truck to give us a ride, it started to get overcast and cold. I put Betsy down just long enough to peek in the window of that house and see if there was someone who might give us something to eat. But the place was vacant. When I turned around, I—I couldn’t find my baby!”
Tears gushed from her puffy eyes, and she buried her face in her hands.
“I know he’s after us and won’t stop until he finds us. But I figure he’ll have a harder time if we get lost somewhere in Mexico.”
The shocking revelations left Chelsea gasping. “Where are you from?” She needed to know how big a headstart Traci had on this monster husband of hers. Anyone driven to these extremes had to be running from a living nightmare. Chelsea could relate. The desire to help this woman at any cost almost overwhelmed her.
“Bellevue, Washington.”
The poor thing had come such a long way alone. It was a miracle she and the baby had made it this far without something tragic happening to them before now.
“Does your husband have a car?”
“Yes.”
“What about a gun?”
“He has an arsenal of them, plus thousands of rounds of ammunition.”
The man sounded like a hunter, but he could also be one of those paranoiacs who believed doomsday was coming soon and had the right to be a one-man army for the final standoff.
“Didn’t you have a neighbor who could have helped you?”
She shook her head. “We live in a cabin in the woods outside the city. Nate doesn’t trust people.”
Chelsea didn’t need a picture to figure out Traci had gotten involved with an introverted survivalist. The dangerous kind who lived by one set of rules. His own.
“Listen to me, Traci.” She’d get the rest of the details later. “I have a plan to help you, but you have to trust me.”
The young mother stared at her for a long moment. “I’m going to have to, seeing as I’m trapped here until we get Betsy out.”
“I know exactly how you feel, but I swear I’ll be your friend if you’ll let me. You know that man who went for help?”
“No! Please don’t involve him. Please. He’ll turn me in or make me go back to Nate!”
“No, he won’t! He likes me and will do what I say.”
The irony of that statement would have made Chelsea laugh out loud if this weren’t a life-and-death situation. “We’re going to need his expertise, not only to rescue Betsy, but to hide you and keep you safe from your husband.”
Traci averted her eyes.
“You can trust him the same way you trust me. You have my word.”
“I’m afraid. How do I know he’ll listen to you?”
“I guess you don’t know—it’s a question of faith,” Chelsea asserted. “But I’d trust Max with my life.” It was only the truth, despite the problems between them. “He’s dealt with men like your husband before. He has resources and connections. Look—maybe your husband stopped learning to trust a long time ago, but I know you’re not like that. I know you’d do anything to help your baby. When Max gets back, do I have your permission to tell him the truth?”
She waited for the words to sink in, then murmured a sigh of relief when she felt Traci’s rigid body go limp. “I wish he didn’t have to know anything. I just want to die. If it weren’t for Betsy…”
“I know how you feel because I’ve been there, remember?”
Traci slowly nodded. “You promise he won’t turn me in to the authorities?”
“I can do better than that. I’ll make certain he keeps everyone away from you.” Please don’t let me down, Max.
The little girl began crying again, and the sound of her baby’s distress must have gotten to Traci. “All right,” she whispered.
WITH HOT COFFEE and sandwiches in hand, Max climbed out of the truck, which he’d parked in front of the excavation site.
The storm had passed. He was thankful for that blessing, at least. But with night fast approaching, darkness, not rain, would be their enemy. He’d been promised all the help possible, including an air-med helicopter when the moment came to transport the child to a hospital. Unfortunately, not enough time had passed for the police and paramedics to arrive yet.
As he drew closer to the women huddled beneath the tarp, he could hear singing. The words sounded foreign. So far he hadn’t heard any cries coming
