Protecting Her Daughter

Aaron raised the gun.

Lance shifted. “Hey, when are we going to get something to eat? Sophia needs some food even if you’re not going to feed the rest of us.”

Jed stepped into view, the back of his head toward Aaron. He pointed to Zoe. “Go fix something.”

Zoe moved to stand when Aaron stepped up behind Jed and placed his gun against the man’s head. “Move and you die.” The man froze. “Put the weapon on the counter.” Jed did. With his free hand, Aaron took the gun and held it. He nodded to Zoe. “Cut Lance loose.”

She raced into the kitchen and came back with a knife. She cut the tape and Lance stood. Jed twitched like he wanted to try something. Aaron pressed the gun harder. “Don’t.” The man stilled.

“Hey, Jed, Pete? I got the part,” Cody called as the back door slammed behind him.

FOUR (#ulink_02f9ffc9-95a4-5102-96ab-f9f13da0e779)

Zoe froze, but didn’t have time to stand there for long. Jed started to call out, but Lance’s fist shot out and caught him in the jaw. Aaron brought the gun down on the back of his head for good measure and the man crumpled to the floor. Lance took the gun from Aaron. “Get them out of here. I’ll deal with Cody.”

But Cody appeared in the small hallway between the kitchen and the den before Lance could get there. Cody stood for a brief moment, his jaw swinging as he took in the scene, but Zoe didn’t stop in her rush to get Sophia out of the house. She reached the large bookcase next to the front door and pulled Sophia next to it praying it was out of the line of fire. She could feel her child’s body trembling, but she never made a sound.

“Hey!” She saw Cody’s hand lift, the gun aimed at Lance. Lance dropped and rolled in front of the counter and out of sight. Aaron fired his weapon and she saw Cody spin into the wall then hit the floor. Zoe moved away from the bookcase and toward the door, pulling Sophia with her. She looked back to see Cody roll and bring his weapon up again, firing even as Lance aimed at him and pulled the trigger. She dropped to the floor covering Sophia’s body with hers. The loud cracks made her ears ring.

“I’m going to kill you! All of you! I don’t care about the money anymore, you’re all dead!” Pete’s bellow came from the kitchen somewhere behind Cody. She heard the door slam once again. Lance leveled his weapon toward the kitchen and fired back. She wanted to get Sophia out, but was afraid to move. Afraid it would be the wrong direction and one of them would catch a bullet. She heard a curse and saw Jed move, shake his head then sit up.

Then Aaron was beside her grabbing Sophia from her and pushing her toward the door. “Go, go, go.”

Zoe, Aaron and Sophia raced through the front door. Aaron snagged Sophia’s heavy coat as he passed it. Bullets pelted the doorframe, and Sophia screamed. Zoe just followed expecting to feel the slam of a bullet at any moment. Lance was backing out behind them, firing back, keeping the three men at bay.

“Head for the trees!” Aaron urged her. “Don’t look back, just run. I’ve got Sophia.”

“Go!” Lance hollered as he whipped around and fired his gun once again. She heard a harsh scream from one of their pursuers but didn’t turn. Five more steps and they’d be in the shelter of the trees. The house had been built with a plan to utilize the wooded area for shade during the summer months. Even stripped of most of the leaves, the trees would offer them the most protection. The frigid wind made her flinch, but she couldn’t stop now.

Zoe raced into the thicket and turned to find Aaron carrying Sophia in his arms. Lance brought up the rear. He continued to look over his shoulder as they ran. “They’re still coming.”

“At least they’re not shooting,” she panted.

“I got one of them, I think. The one they called Jed. Just winged him, though.” Lance stayed close. “Keep going. We’re going to follow the tree line all the way around and head up to the store on the hill. Hopefully Michael is there and will have a phone we can use.”

“Won’t they think of that?” Zoe asked.

“Yeah,” Aaron grunted. “I basically told Pete about the place when I was trying to convince him to let my hands free. If we head up there, we’ll just put Michael in danger.”

Zoe kept casting glances at Sophia. “You okay honey?”

“Just scared,” came her small voice.

They kept moving in the direction of the store. “I don’t want to put Michael in danger,” Zoe said. A shot cracked a tree in front of her.

“Run,” Lance ordered.

“Run where?” Aaron grunted, but picked up the pace. “The caves.” He answered his own question.

“Yeah, good idea. The caves,” Lance said. “Go.”

Aaron didn’t hesitate, just made a forty-five degree turn and forged a trail for Zoe to follow. Lance brought up the rear. Aaron sloshed through a shallow creek, and Zoe followed, gasping when the cold water hit her legs, but she didn’t stop. She could get warm later. Prayers winged heavenward. Weakness wanted to invade her, and she stumbled. Aaron snagged her elbow with one hand even as he kept a grip on Sophia with his other.

Aaron passed the first cave they came to, skirted around brush and trees then simply disappeared. Zoe skidded to a stop. Lance passed her, grasped her hand and pulled her behind him. When he stopped, she found herself in a cave. And cold. So very cold. She couldn’t feel her feet anymore. Shivers racked her as Lance stayed at the entrance, his weapon ready. Aaron set Sophia on her feet then helped her into her coat. Sophia let him, but when he stepped back, she moved to Zoe and wrapped her arms around her waist. “I’m scared, Mom,” she whispered.

“I am, too, honey, but God’s taking care of us.”

Sophia looked back and forth between Lance and Aaron. “Yes, I think you’re right.”

“Now we just have to find a way to call for help,” Aaron muttered.

Sophia slipped a hand into the front pocket of her jeans and pulled out a cell phone. “Will this help?”

* * *

Aaron stepped up to them, took the phone from Sophia’s small hand and looked at the screen. It had about a half battery life, but only one bar. Once out of the cave, he knew there would be a better signal. “Where did you get this?” he whispered.

“That really mean man you called Pete left it on the end table after he tied up Deputy Lance,” she said, keeping her voice as low as his and pointing to Lance.

“So you snagged it, huh?”

“Yes.” She shrugged. “I was going to try and call 911, but I couldn’t do it without someone seeing me so I was just waiting until I could either do it myself or give one of you guys the phone. But that never happened so I just held on to it.”

Aaron blinked. “Nice job,” he whispered. “Are you sure you’re nine?”

“Pretty sure,” she whispered back and shot him a weak grin.

Zoe lifted a hand to push Sophia’s hair out of her eyes. He noticed the fine tremors racking her and figured she was just as cold as he was.

He punched in the number of the police department and held the phone to his ear on the off chance it would work. The call dropped. He looked at Zoe. “Need a signal.”

She nodded and shivered. “Try a text. Sometimes a text will go through when a call won’t.”

Aaron did. He shrugged. “It says it went, but I don’t know if it did or not. We need to make a call. Lance,” he whispered.

“Yeah?” Lance turned to face him.

Aaron slipped up beside him and handed him the phone. Lance’s eyes went wide. “Thank Sophia,” Aaron said.

Lance blinked then gave a tight smile. “Good going, kid.”

Sophia nodded. “You’re welcome.”

Lance went back to the entrance of the cave, and Sophia snuggled next to her mom. Zoe shuddered and pulled her closer. Zoe hadn’t had a coat on inside the house and she hadn’t had time to grab it before their dash for safety. Now she just had on a sweatshirt over a black turtleneck, and her jeans were soaked to the knees. Aaron shrugged out of his heavy down coat and draped it around her shoulders. She frowned at him. “Thanks, but don’t you need it?”

“I’m fine. I worked up a sweat running with Sophia in my arms.”

She hesitated then nodded. “If you’re sure, I’ll just use it to warm up a bit then give it back.”