Page 107 of Glimmer in the Darkness

“You really think I’d have left Hallie to him? I’d have just saved myself?”

“You could’ve told someone where they were.”

“I didn’t know where he was taking us. I didn’t know where I was. I didn’t know how to get back down. There was no way I could possibly have directed anybody to him. Even if I’d found my way out, who knew what he’d have done to Hallie by the time someone found them. How could I take that chance?”

“You’d have been safe, though.”

She scooted back and folded her leg between them.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

“I imagined myself at your door, imagined seeing your parents, telling them what happened to their daughter.” She closed her eyes as the old images surfaced, all she’d feared at that time. “I could see the horror on their faces. I couldn’t do it.” She opened her eyes again. “Your parents trusted me to protect her. That’s what I tried to do. I failed”—her voice cracked—“but I tried. I did everything I could.”

“I know.” He wrapped his arm around her and cuddled her close. They were silent a few moments. Then he said, “Anything else?”

“I think that’s enough for tonight.”

“Anytime you want to talk about it, I’ll be here to listen. You and I have a lot of catching up to do.”

“But I have to go—”

“We’ll figure it out,” he said. “But not tonight. Tonight, let’s just relax. Let’s trust God with tomorrow.”

Trust God with tomorrow. She could do that. They could do that together.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Ella was afraid to open her eyes, afraid it was all a dream.

She slid her hand across soft sheets. Her fingers curled around a fuzzy thing that felt a lot like her favorite stuffed unicorn.

Please, God. Please let it be real.

She peeked one eye open and saw her own pale green walls, the white bookshelf with all her favorite books, the toy box filled with dolls and dress-up clothes.

It was true. She really was home.

Ella sat up. Even though it was morning, the sun shining outside, the birds singing, her daddy was fast asleep on the floor by her bed, curled up under a tiny blanket, his long legs sticking out.

Her eyes got all full of tears seeing him there, even though she was so, so happy to be home.

She climbed out of bed, yanked her comforter behind her, and laid it over him. Then, she crawled underneath and tucked herself right up next to him.

His strong arm came over her and pulled her close. He kissed the top of her head, and she smiled and closed her eyes. Thank You, thank You, thank You, God, for bringing me home.

Chapter Forty

James still had trouble wrapping his mind around the idea that his friend had kidnapped three little girls, kidnapped his own sister. The more information he got, the more surreal it felt.

Though Vince didn’t repeat his confession when he was questioned by the police, Cassidy’s and James’s statements, combined with Ella’s accounts of what happened, were enough to have him arrested and held under guard at the hospital in Manchester.

A judge denied bail Monday morning. Later that day, when Vince was recovered enough to be released from the hospital, he was taken straight to the county jail to await trial.

A search warrant of Vince’s property uncovered damning evidence.

The backpacks James and Cassidy had left at the bottom of the cliff were discovered in his garage.

In the center console of Vince’s SUV, authorities found a spent bullet, which they speculated he’d dug from the stone behind Cassidy after he tried to kill her. The bullet’s caliber matched Vince’s rifle. In time, authorities believed the blood on the bullet would be matched to Cassidy’s.