Guarding His Secret Son, page 18
Liz tipped her head to the side, tucking a strand of her long dark hair behind her ear. “I’m listening.”
Flowery words weren’t his strong suit. He pulled the second desk chair over so he could sit close enough to take her hand. “We haven’t known each other long, and this may sound sudden, but I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Her eyes widened in surprise, but then a hint of wariness filled them. “Are you sure you’re not just saying that because you need a mother for Micah?”
“You have been like a mother to him, but that’s not what this is about.” He held her gaze, imploring her to believe him. “When those gunmen had us trapped in the SUV, I thought our time on this earth was over. My biggest regret was not telling you about my feelings. I can handle Micah on my own, but I can’t face a life without you, Liz. I know you live far away, and I’m willing to relocate.”
“Relocate?” She looked confused. “To where?”
“Anywhere that will hire me.” He bent to kiss her hand. “Please, Liz, give me a chance. I don’t want to lose you.”
“You would give up your career here to take a position closer to me?” She looked shocked.
“Yes. My life is more than my job. It’s about having a family.” He managed a crooked smile. “With you.”
She sat silent for a long moment. So long that he feared she was looking for a way to let him down gently. Then she said, “I’m glad to hear this because I love you, too, Garrett.”
A wave of relief washed over him. He stood and pulled her into his arms. “You’ve made me a happy man, Liz.”
She laughed softly, then lifted up on her tiptoes to kiss him.
When they both needed to breathe, he broke off the kiss but gazed down at her. “I’ll start applying for new jobs right away.”
“There’s no need for that, Garrett. I’ll see if I can shift my newer patients to another OB and finish up with those who are due in the next few months.”
He frowned. “I want you to be happy, Liz. I admire your dedication to serving the women on the reservation. I will be happy no matter where I end up.”
“Most of my patients come from outside the reservation—and don’t worry. We’ll find a way to make it work.”
“Yes, all that matters is that we love each other enough to make the effort.” He still planned to apply for other jobs, but since it may take time, they’d have to compromise a bit. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She kissed him again, but then Micah began to fuss. He picked up his son, then pulled Liz into a three-way embrace.
He was truly blessed by the family God had given to him. A blessing he would never take for granted.
EPILOGUE
One week later...
Liz only delivered one baby after she was able to return to her clinic, so she spent her time seeking midwife support in covering her clinic. One woman in particular had expressed keen interest in taking over.
It was a big relief. As much as she’d loved caring for these women, she wasn’t interested in staying out here alone any longer, though she had agreed to back up the new midwife as needed.
She and Garrett had taken Micah to a pediatrician, who pronounced him healthy and fit. She was glad the traumatic incident hadn’t seemed to impact him.
Garrett called when she’d crossed into Green Lake County. Her rental car offered the hands-free functionality, so she used it now. “Hey, where are you?”
“About five minutes out, why?” She imagined him holding his son.
“Robert Woodward wants to talk. I’m setting up a video chat with him, and I’d like you to be with me.”
Rebecca’s father was still alive? Edward Woodward was in custody, and Liam was working with the Chicago PD to arrange for transport back to Illinois, where the initial murder for hire interaction had taken place. Rebecca’s uncle had refused to talk, but the rest of the men in custody—including his son, Jeremy—were happy to place the blame squarely on Edward’s shoulders. “I’ll be there soon.”
“Sounds good. Love you.”
As always, his low, husky words made her smile. “Love you, too.”
Garrett had had professional cleaners scour his house from top to bottom and had insisted on paying for the same treatment to Abby and Wyatt’s house. Rebecca’s phone records had proven her intent to break things off with Joel Abernathy, which had sent him into desperation mode to get custody of Micah.
Since the day Edward’s arrest hit the news, everything had been quiet. No more strange gunmen had shown up in Green Lake or at her clinic. Obviously, anyone still lurking out there knew the likelihood of being paid the balance of their fee was zero to none. That, and they were likely hiding to avoid being prosecuted.
A fact that suited her just fine.
She pulled into Garrett’s driveway, then hurried inside. Holding Micah, he crossed over to greet her with a kiss. “We missed you,” he whispered.
“Same,” she agreed. “What time is the call?”
He led her to the kitchen table, where he had his computer set up. “Now. Take a seat beside me.”
She did as he asked, waiting as Garrett made the call. Less than a minute later, a pale, thin older man’s face filled the screen.
“Garrett Nichols?” the man asked in a weak voice.
“Yes, sir. And this is your grandson, Micah.” Garrett held the baby close to the screen.
Tears glittered in the sick man’s eyes. “He’s beautiful.”
“Yes, he is. And this is midwife Liz Templeton. She delivered Micah and tried to save Rebecca’s life.”
“Nice to meet you,” Robert said. “Thank you for being there for my daughter and for saving my grandson’s life.”
“You’re welcome. But it was Garrett who kept him safe from Edward’s gunmen,” she added bluntly.
A pained expression crossed his features. “Yes, I know. I’m horrified about what transpired. But at least the Woodward fortune has an heir in Micah.”
“No, sir, I don’t want it.” It was Garrett’s turn to be blunt. “I’m sorry, but I respectfully ask that you change your will so that Micah is no longer a target.”
A spark of anger flashed in Robert’s eyes, but then he looked weary. “I understand your concern. It’s not as if he can spend the money now, anyway. But Micah is a Woodward and deserves his inheritance.”
“Please don’t do this,” she begged. “We barely escaped with our lives. If you truly love your grandson, you’ll do as Garrett requested. Change your will to leave Micah out of it.”
The older man was silent for a long moment. Then he said, “I do love my grandson. And I regret that I’ll never get the chance to watch him grow up. Can I at least provide a college fund for him?”
When Garrett glanced at her, she gave a slight nod. “Yes, that would be nice,” he said. “But set it up so that it covers other expenses, in case he decides not to attend a four-year university. I want Micah to do whatever he wants, even if that’s a trade like being a plumber or an electrician.” He smiled. “Even a cop.”
Robert sighed. “I can do that. This puts me in a tough situation, though. The only people I can trust to take over the company is my sister, Connie, and her daughter, Anita.”
Better them than Micah. But Liz held her tongue.
“There’s one more thing,” Garrett said. “Liz runs a clinic for low-income mothers. I would humbly request you provide a donation so that other pregnant women have the ability to get the care they need, just like Rebecca did.”
“Done.” Now there was a gleam in the older man’s eyes. “I like that idea. I’ll set aside ten million to start. I know that is what Rebecca would have wanted.”
Ten million? She worked hard not to show the shock on her face. “Thank you, sir. That’s very generous.”
“I want to see my grandson in person,” Robert said wistfully. “I’ll get my lawyer here to change the will, but I would also like to send a private jet out to pick you up. I...don’t know how much time I have left. I grow more and more weak each day.”
“Of course,” Garrett readily agreed. “But we can drive. No need for a private plane.”
“I insist,” Robert said. “Please? I want to hold him in my arms before I take my last breath.”
Garrett glanced at her again, and she shrugged. Who was she to deny the wishes of a dying man?
“Okay,” Garrett conceded. “That will be fine. Thank you, again.”
“See you soon.” Robert’s voice trailed off and he looked away, his eyes drifting closed as if the brief interaction had sapped his strength.
When Garrett disconnected from the call, she asked, “Why didn’t you warn me about the donation?”
He smiled. “I wanted to surprise you. I had a feeling he’d go along with the plan.”
She leaned forward and kissed him. “You’re a sneaky one. And I have news, too. I found another midwife to take over my clinic. With the additional funds from Robert’s donation, I think I can get another midwife or two on staff, too. They can expand the clinic, maybe even relocate it so that they can provide care to a broader base of patients.” She searched his gaze, then added, “I want to live here in Green Lake with you, Garrett.”
“Are you asking me to marry you?” he teased.
“No!” Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. “I just realized I don’t want to stay in the clinic anymore. It was exactly what I needed after losing Willow, but now?” She shook her head helplessly. “I loved meeting Wyatt, Abby and Liam. You have a wonderful community here. And I’d like to be a part of it.”
“I’m thrilled to hear that.” He smiled and pulled a ring box from his pocket. “I planned to wait for us to have a romantic dinner before asking you this, but this seems to be the perfect moment. Lizbeth, will you please marry me?”
She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close. “Yes, Garrett. I’d be honored to be your wife.”
“I love you.” He kissed her, and she clung to him for a moment before breaking off to kiss Micah.
“I love both the men in my life.” She rested a hand on Micah’s back. She couldn’t have loved the baby any more than if she’d given birth to him herself. She would always have a small hole in her heart for Willow, but now she couldn’t wait to find out what God had in store for her, Garrett and Micah.
Her family.
* * *
If you enjoyed this book, don’t miss these other stories from Laura Scott:
Soldier’s Christmas Secrets
Guarded by the Soldier
Wyoming Mountain Escape
Hiding His Holiday Witness
Rocky Mountain Standoff
Fugitive Hunt
Hiding in Plain Sight
Amish Holiday Vendetta
Deadly Amish Abduction
Tracked Through the Woods
Kidnapping Cold Case
Available now from Love Inspired Suspense!
Find more great reads at www.LoveInspired.com.
Keep reading for an excerpt from Ambush in the Mountains by Mary Alford.
Dear Reader,
I hope you’ve enjoyed the final book set in beautiful Green Lake, Wisconsin. I really enjoyed writing Garrett and Liz’s story, and I will miss the characters who have made their homes in this wonderful town.
I am currently plotting my next book but no spoilers here. You’ll just have to be patient to hear what’s coming next.
I adore hearing from my readers! I can be found through my website at https://www.laurascottbooks.com, via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LauraScottBooks, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laurascottbooks/, and Twitter https://twitter.com/laurascottbooks. Also, take a moment to sign up for my monthly newsletter to learn about my new book releases. (I promise I’ll keep you informed about my next project!) All subscribers receive a free novella not available for purchase on any platform.
Until next time,
Laura Scott
Courage. Danger. Faith.
Find strength and determination in stories of faith and love in the face of danger.
Six new books available every month!
Ambush in the Mountains
by Mary Alford
Chapter One
Something soft and wet touched her face. It was so cold. Snow. Happy memories made her smile. Just for a second, she was back on the farm with her mamm and daed. Younger bruders, Peter and Eli. Winters were always such fun in her Amish community. After chores were finished, she’d take Peter and Eli to go ice skating on the pond near their farm. Mamm would make them hot chocolate.
But this wasn’t Ohio, and those memories weren’t real any longer. At times Summer wondered if they’d ever been. Maybe her brain had created happy memories in order to deal with the nightmare.
This was real. He was real. His angry face replaced the sweetness in her mind. With a gasp, Summer’s eyes flew open. Darkness surrounded her. Waking so quickly left her disoriented. Her breath fogged the air in front of her. So cold. It had been snowing for a while—the white flakes covered her clothes and hair.
She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. Just rest her aching body for a little while. The hours of tramping through the woods, stumbling and sometimes falling, had taken their toll. She’d only wanted to take a break for a second and had ended up wasting valuable time.
“No, no, no.” Summer struggled to a sitting position, difficult with the added weight of the baby. Being eight months pregnant made it difficult to do most things.
How much time had passed? Please let it be only a few minutes. The sky above revealed nothing but pretty white flakes, yet her sweatshirt was covered in snow.
Summer shivered from the cold and listened over the panic beat of her heart. Were those voices or the noises of the woods?
It had barely been daylight when she’d slipped out of the house while Ray and the others slept. Many hours had past, and a storm had moved.
I’ll find you and when I do, I’ll kill you.
He’d warned what he’d do to her if she escaped. Ray had bragged about the ones who tried. He’d told her he’d buried them where no one would ever find them.
She had to go. Had to keep moving. With the help of the tree she’d rested beneath, Summer slowly rose, her swollen feet shooting pins and needles up her legs. The mere effort of standing exhausted her. How could she possibly go any farther?
The temptation to give up and accept her fate was great. After all, she deserved it.
“No!” She wouldn’t feel sorry for herself. She’d escaped. Summer touched her burgeoning midsection. She’d saved her baby’s life by running. Now was not the time to give up, because it wasn’t just her—she had to think about the baby.
According to Ray, Summer had aged out long ago and was all used up. She wasn’t the type of girl his clients would request anymore. They only wanted young women between the ages of thirteen and twenty. Instead of letting her go like he promised, he’d forced her to “handle the other girls’ needs” as he’d put it. That meant keeping them calm and cooperating. Ray believed that if the other girls saw her still working for him at twenty-six, they’d think the same was possible for them eventually.
But that wasn’t the case at all. Summer wasn’t working for Ray because she had any other choice. It was out of sheer survival.
She’d memorized as many of the girls’ names and faces as possible to help find them in the future. Ray had gotten so used to having her around that he’d become careless with keeping his secrets. She knew things and she’d managed to download a lot of Ray’s files onto a thumb drive, including one folder labeled simply “Barn,” which she hadn’t been able to open.
She’d promised herself that when the opportunity came, she’d escape and tell the police everything. But that was before Ray told her he had cops on his payroll. Her world had collapsed that day. There was no one to turn to for help except herself.
When Ray found out he was going to be a father, he wanted to get rid of the baby...until he’d figured out he could get money for the child.
There was no way she’d let Ray sell her baby.
He’d thought he broke her will to escape long ago, but he had no idea what she’d do to save her baby.
Drawing in a handful of breaths, Summer started walking again as fast as the exhaustion in her limbs would allow. By now, he would know she’d run. He’d send men to look for her because he couldn’t afford to let her live. She’d been part of their operation for a long time. She knew things. Terrible things.
Summer. The name he’d given her didn’t fit, but she’d been Summer for so long she barely remembered the woman she was before. Elizabeth Wyse was an innocent eighteen-year-old Amish girl who met up with the wrong person while on rumspringa, and her life had changed forever. She’d lost her family and everything she held precious, and had been plunged into a seedy world of human trafficking for more than eight years.
Tears she hadn’t allowed herself to release for so long scalded her cheeks, and she swiped them away with an angry hand.
Before escaping, Summer had hidden the thumb drive in one of the walls of the living room. It was at the house where Ray and the other members of the ring stayed along with the girls. It would be bad for her if Ray found out she’d copied his files.
More noises behind her confirmed that what she’d heard earlier wasn’t simply sounds of the woods. She jerked in that direction. Someone was coming. She’d wasted too much time resting and now they were close. There was no time for self-pity. She imagined Ray’s angry face and it spurred her on. If he caught her, he’d hurt her badly.
