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“I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this,” I said.
“I can do this. I promise.” Sammie sidled up next to me and slipped her hand into mine. “He’s hurt me over and over, and I’m still here.”
“And if it gets serious at all, we’ll storm the room,” Winthrop said. “Thad, I want you out in the van with me.”
“Will he be suspicious if Chloe isn’t here?” I asked. Why hadn’t I thought of that before?
“I’ll tell him she’s at the sitter’s because I’m about to leave for work,” Sammie said. “He won’t question it.”
How could she be so calm? I’d thought this was a grand idea the night before, but now in the light of day I was having major second thoughts.
Sammie wrapped her arms around my neck. “It’s going to be okay. Soon, this will be all over and we can start a new life. Together.”
I hugged her back, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair. “Please, be careful. I can’t lose you.”
“I don’t want to be lost.” She rose up onto her tiptoes to give me a kiss on the cheek. “This’ll be over soon. But if anything happens, please take care of Chloe.”
“That won’t be necessary, because you’re going to be around for a long time,” I said.
“I love you,” she whispered in my ear.
“I love you.” As happy as it made me to hear the words and to say them in return, I was scared out of my mind. We were putting the woman I loved in direct danger.
I gave her another quick kiss and then left her in the room, following Winthrop out to the van.
While we waited, I took a look around at the equipment. Multiple monitors displayed live feeds from the surveillance cameras. I could see Sammie from every angle, which made me feel slightly calmer. In addition, there were several laptops, recording devices, and communications gear all inside the van. These guys knew what they were doing, I reminded myself.
Sammie sat on the edge of the bed with her hands wrapped around her waist, probably feeling like a sitting duck.
“She looks so small,” I said under my breath.
“Yeah, but she’s brave and tough,” Winthrop said. “I’ve seen this kind of man too many times in my line of work. He means business. But I’m betting on your girl. In my experience, mothers protecting their cubs are the fiercest creatures of all.”
“The minute it gets dangerous, you guys will go in, right?” I asked, even thought he’d reassured me several times already.
“That’s right. Don’t worry, this isn’t my first rodeo. Around here, despite the size of our town, I’ve seen a lot. We’re going to nail this scumbag and get him thrown in jail where he belongs.”
Winthrop had positioned his deputies a few doors down from room 6. Dressed in plain clothes, they pretended to play checkers at one of the small metal tables and chairs located outside each room. In addition to the cameras in the room, the sheriff had placed a camera on the office and another in the parking lot.
Thirty minutes later, a black sedan appeared on the screen as it pulled up in front of the office. “That’s a rental car. It has to be him,” Winthrop said.
I didn’t bother to ask him how he knew the car was a rental. I didn’t think I could actually speak even if I wanted to.
“He’s alone,” Winthrop muttered under his breath. “That’s good.”
“He thinks he’s going to take her home with him,” I said.
“Yeah, well, he has another think coming,” Winthrop said.
John Underwood parked and got out of the car, standing for a moment. His gaze swept the length of the motel until he landed on number 6. Wearing jeans and a T-shirt over his thick, barrel-chested body, he looked as if he belonged in Bluefern. He wore his brown hair a little too long and shaggy. Steel-toed cowboy boots and aviator sunglasses added an aura of danger.
He lumbered to the door. It was hard to believe this man had ever won over a woman like Sammie. But narcissists were good liars. They knew initially how to get what they wanted. Mama had said my real father had been that way.
I held my breath as he pounded on the door. It opened seconds later, with Sammie standing in the doorframe. She did a great job acting surprised and even tried to slam the door in his face. He stepped toward her, forcing her back into the room. Then he followed her inside, slamming the door behind him.
Please, Jesus, stay by her side, I silently prayed.
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