Page 33 of Holden’s Resurrection

“Hands behind your back,” Holden repeated.

“I know who you are,” the old woman seethed. “You were with Paul. Did you let my son die so she could steal his money? I bet you didn’t even try to save him. It’s all your fault. All of this. I never understood why my son wanted that slut. But you had her and he never could think straight—” Beatrice didn’t finish spewing her venom; a deputy approached, cuffs out, ready to make an arrest. “I have rights,” she repeated.

“You do,” the deputy said. “The right to remain silent.”

“That woman—”

“You kidnapped a little girl after you knocked her mother unconscious, you crazy bitch,” Holden snarled. He stood away, allowing the deputy to deal with the woman, and knelt by the bed.

Holden brushed Faith’s golden brown hair off her face and gently felt for a pulse. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until he found a steady, strong heartbeat.

Thank God.

“Faith, honey, wake up.” Nothing. The little girl didn’t move. “Faith. Time to wake up, honey.”

“There’s an ambulance downstairs,” Sheriff Knox shared.

“I’m taking her down.”

Holden scooped the little girl off the bed as the sheriff protested, “Wait for the paramedics to come up.”

Not a fucking chance.

“Find out what they gave her.” With that, he carried Faith out of the room.

He glanced down at the girl’s precious face and his chest tightened. How could so much pain be caused by something so beautiful, so sweet, so innocent?

Christ. He had to stop thinking about the past. Faith was blameless, and if Holden was being honest, so was Charleigh. She hadn’t done anything wrong, it was all him. His actions had set the chain of events into motion.

Holden slowed his pace, adjusted Faith’s weight, and pulled his phone from his back pocket. Clumsily, he unlocked the screen and hit the green icon on the last incoming call.

“Holden,” Kennedy answered.

“Let me talk to Charleigh.”

“Did you get her?”

“Kennedy, babe, respect, but give the phone to Charleigh.”

A moment later, Charleigh’s breathy voice came over the line.

“I have her.”

“Thank God,” she wailed. “Is she hurt?”

Holden’s stomach roiled and for a second, he considered lying.

“I don’t think so. She doesn’t have any visible wounds, her heartbeat is strong, but, Leigh-Leigh, honey, they gave her something to make her sleep. I don’t know what that is yet. I’m taking her down to the ambulance now. But I wanted you to know I have her.”

“Don’t leave her, Holden. Please. Do not leave her side. If she—”

“Honey, I gotta hang up, the elevator’s here. I’ll call you as soon as I know something.”

“Please don’t leave her.”

“I promise you I won’t leave her side.”

“Thank you. Thank you so much for finding her.”