If this situation hadn’t been so dire he might have laughed at her incredulous expression. Instead, he immediately switched his concentration to the computer that was tracking Samantha.
He didn’t know how she’d managed to keep the bug with her when she’d left her car but she obviously had. Smart move. Smart woman. He just hoped she hadn’t stumbled into a deadly trap.
There was a slight chance that Lindy Southerland was as big a criminal as Ben was. In that case, Sam might be in even more trouble than anyone thought.
The flashing red blip on the computer screen was bearing to the right. John calculated the approximate distance ahead and slowed so he wouldn’t accidentally drive into view. It was hard to convince himself to bide his time but he knew he must.
If whoever was with Samantha suspected she was being followed, it could cost her dearly.
He tried to swallow. His throat was so dry he coughed, instead. His fists clenched on the steering wheel, his foot wanting to override his sensibility and depress the gas pedal as far as it would go.
Instead, he cried out to God in a wordless prayer that came from the depths of his soul.
He set his jaw. Squinting into the dimness of the sunset-painted forest, he was able to make out few details. The wind was rising. A storm was brewing.
Only one other thing could have made things worse. Threat of a tornado.
* * *
Samantha clutched Lindy’s hands as they huddled together in the back of the nondescript sedan and tried to keep from being tossed around when it bounced over massive bumps or dropped into one of the many potholes dotting the dirt track.
The enclosed space reeked of stale cigarette smoke and rotten food. Judging by the fast-food wrappers littering the floorboards, this car served as someone’s home away from home—and he was a lousy housekeeper.
“Do you remember any of this terrain?” she asked Lindy in a whisper.
“I don’t know. I’m too scared.”
“It’s okay. They’ll find us. I know they will.”
The other woman sniffled and squeezed her eyes tightly closed. “I just want my baby back.”
The driver snorted derisively. “Your husband should have thought of his family before he double-crossed us.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know where Ben is or what he’s done. I just want to take Danny and go home.”
“Yeah, well, that ain’t gonna happen unless ol’ Ben gets his act together and brings us what we want.”
“How is he supposed to know what you want?” Samantha demanded. “Nobody has seen hide nor hair of him since he assaulted a police officer at the hospital and took off.”
“Well, you two ladies had better hope he got the word someway because if he doesn’t show up with the boss’s missing money and prove he’s still on our side, he’s gonna pay a real high price.”
Sam bit her lower lip while Lindy began to sob. There had to be something they could do to escape other than leap from the moving car. Even if they managed to land without injury there was still the problem of eluding an armed man. Plus, they were in the middle of a forest with no map and no idea in which direction safety lay. Fleeing blindly, they could just as easily end up running to trouble instead of away from it.
There was only one sensible course of action. Do nothing.
She laid a hand lightly on her purse and prayed that her phone and the tracking device were both working. If not, they were headed for oblivion.
Samantha did believe in God and in the wonders of heaven. She simply wasn’t eager to see either in person. Not just yet. Not until she had at least had one more chance to confront John Waltham.
She didn’t care how irate he was the next time she saw him as long as there was a next time. God willing, she was going to ask John if he still cared as deeply for her as she did for him, then stand back and see what happened.
Yes, it galled her to admit to those tender emotions. And yes, it would mean swallowing a boatload of pride to speak up. But she had to. She just had to.
Beyond that, she prayed that she’d have enough time left to do everything she’d planned before her captors lost patience and carried out their deadly threats.
A shudder zinged through her, head to toe, and her pulse raced, pounding in her temples until her head felt as if it was about to explode.
I’m not ready to give up, Lord, she prayed silently. And I’m not asking just for myself. Please protect Danny and Lindy.
A heartbeat later she added, And Ben. It’s not my place to judge, even if I don’t like the man—and I sure don’t. Forgive me for that and be with us all. Amen.