He held her tight. He’d never have enough of holding her in hisarms. “I ran into Father Donahue. He’s asking the Red Cross.” He hurried her back to Beth. “Is she okay?”
Claire nodded. “The doctor said Beth’s fine, and so is the baby.”
That was a relief, but he had to tell them the bad news. He lowered his voice. “Pete Henshaw is here.”
Beth started with alarm.
“He can’t do anything here,” Red said. “You’re safe.” He hoped it was the truth. Pete Henshaw could bluster all he liked, but he couldn’t take Beth against her will with so many people around.
“Red.” Father Donahue veered through the cots with a frazzled-looking nurse in his wake. His brows were pulled down in a way Red didn’t like. “Nurse Westly says she took in a baby early this morning, a little girl.”
Red turned to the woman, his hope soaring.
“Where is she?” Claire rushed forward. “How was she—was she alright?”
“A Forest Service ranger brought her in this morning,” the nurse answered quickly. “He said he’d been at Rock Creek and walked out over the slide during the night.”
It had to be Jenny. There couldn’t have been more than one baby brought out of the campground alone. Relief coursed through him and he took Claire’s hand in his.Thank you, Lord.
The nurse looked uncertainly from Red to Claire. “She was in good health...”
Red’s brows came down. He didn’t like the way the nurse saidwas. From the look on Claire’s face, she didn’t like it either. “Where is she now?” he demanded.
The nurse swallowed and took a step back. “Like I told Father...” She stuttered a little. “I-I sent her home with her grandmother.”
“With who?” Claire’s voice rose and her grip on Red’s hand tightened.
“Her grandmother,” the nurse said again. “Just a few minutes ago.”
“What did she look like?” Red ground out, his heart trying to hammer its way out of his chest.
“She was frail-looking, a streak of gray in her hair. She seemed perfectly harmless.” She looked from Red to Claire, her face pale. “It wasn’t more than five minutes ago.”
Claire met his gaze and he could see the same emotions he was feeling flash across her face—disbelief, confusion... and fear.
The Henshaws had taken their little girl.
chapter 63:CLAIRE
Claire ran behind Red, veering through the makeshift hospital and into the crowded school hallway. Fear for Jenny pumped through her weak limbs. Red bulldozed through the crowd, and they burst through the front doors of the high school... just as the Henshaws’ red truck roared out of the parking lot.
She stared at it, weakness flowing through her. The Henshaws were taking Jenny.
But no. There was Pete Henshaw staggering out the door behind them, his eyes on the truck. “Iris!” He pushed past Red, stumbling into the parking lot as the truck careened onto the highway.
Claire struggled to stay upright, emotion swamping her. If Pete didn’t have Jenny... Claire had a flash of memory. Iris clutching Jenny close, her vacant expression.Dell is such a good baby.
Iris had her little girl.
Red grabbed Pete by the front of his shirt. “Where is she going?” he demanded.
What would Iris do with Jenny? Run away with her to Wyoming, like she’d wanted to do with Beth and her baby? Claire couldn’t letthat happen. She’d lost Jenny once. She wouldn’t lose her again. A West Yellowstone police cruiser idled in front of the school doors. Claire was in the driver’s seat before she knew what she was doing. Red was rounding the front of the car and pulling open the passenger door.
Claire put the car in drive, then stomped on the brake.
“What are you doing?” Red said.
“Get in,” Claire yelled to Pete out the open window. Pete Henshaw was just as desperate to stop Iris as she and Red. They might need his help. Claire swung the wheel in the direction she’d seen Iris go—south, back toward the slide. She pushed her foot down on the accelerator and the police car bounced over the curb and onto the highway.
