Page 32 of Holden’s Resurrection

“No. It needs to be you.”

Arguing meant wasting time. Time that Faith didn’t have.

Jameson’s phone dinged again and his face went hard. “Chad’s on the move. McKenna’s still monitoring the cameras. Go. We gotta get into position.”

Holden jumped out of the truck and headed toward the sheriff. Jameson went the opposite direction.

“Holden Stanford,” Sheriff Knox greeted.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“We’ve been briefed,” she continued. “I’ve been told you have a permit to carry but I’m going to ask you to keep your weapon holstered and let me take the lead.”

Nothing about the rescue was going as he wanted. Keeping his weapon holstered meant he was vulnerable, Faith would be unprotected, and he’d have to trust someone he didn’t know. His mind rebelled at the thought, but he still found himself agreeing. He’d do anything that would get him in that hotel room and to Faith faster.

“Ma’am, I will keep my weapon holstered with the caveat that if I feel my life, your life, or Faith’s life is in danger, it comes out.”

“That’ll do,” she sighed. “I have more units on standby. As these things go, I felt a show of presence would endanger the child and other guests.”

“I understand. But you should know, Chad Bullock has left the room.”

The woman’s face went tight and she quickly called in the update to her deputies.

“Let’s head up.”

The walk into the hotel was silent and he was happy for the reprieve. Jameson was right, he needed to find it in himself to remain calm for Faith’s sake. She didn’t need to witness him going gonzo on Beatrice and Patricia. No, Faith needed him steady, in control. He needed to be her safe place until he could get her back to her mother.

The manager met the sheriff in the lobby. They exchanged a few hushed words while Holden scanned the area. No Chad. Where did that fucker go? Finally, the manager handed Sheriff Knox a keycard and the man went back behind the desk. Holden followed behind the sheriff and waited for the elevator. Once they were inside, Sheriff Knox quickly gave Holden a rundown.

“The rooms beside the Towlers have been vacated. Mr. Null called them and upgraded the guests to suites. The rooms across from them are vacant. That doesn’t mean this is a free-for-all, but the rooms are empty.”

Holden bit back his smartass retort, remembering his only objective was rescuing Faith.

“I’ll knock and you stand out of sight. If they don’t answer, the front desk will call and explain there’s a problem with their room and they need to be moved. I don’t want to enter blind. But I will if it comes to that.”

Again, the night was not going how Holden wanted. It would’ve been so much easier to just kick in the door, knock some heads—well, knock one head, zip tie two bitches up—and take Faith. But to end this once and for all, Charleigh needed the Towlers arrested.

“Understood,” Holden acknowledged.

“Mr. Stanford, I’ll get your daughter back.”

Every cell in Holden’s body froze. His daughter? What the hell had Jonny told the sheriff? Old wounds threatened to take him to a place he couldn’t go. If he needed to pretend to be Faith’s dad to get her safely home, he’d do it. The pain that the thought created was secondary to getting into that room.

The elevator door slid open and he shoved all hurt aside as he walked down the hall. Four doors down, Sheriff Knox cleared her features, everything about the woman softened. She no longer looked like the county sheriff but instead an average citizen, completely unassuming in her presentation. Even her clothes were average.

The sheriff knocked on the Towlers’ door. Anticipation thrummed through Holden as he waited for a response. So close. Faith was right there behind that door.

Almost there, Leigh-Leigh, he thought, praying there was some way for Charleigh to know her daughter would be coming home soon.

“Who is it?” Patty called through the door.

“Hi, my name is Janie, I’m in the room next to yours. I found this in front of your door.” The sheriff held up the keycard. “I think you must have dropped it.”

What felt like a lifetime later, the door slowly came open and Sheriff Knox moved quickly, shouldering her way in. Patty was face-first against the wall with both hands being cuffed behind her back when Holden rushed into the room. Beatrice was moving toward the bed where Faith was on her side, her eyes closed.

“Don’t think about it,” Holden growled and blocked Bea’s path. “Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”

“I have rights!” Bea screeched. “She can’t have her.”