Page 120 of Gifts

“Someone took her,” he croaks, his voice gruff and weak.

“Is he conscious?” the operator asks.

“It’s okay,” I say to Tom, my eyes watering, but I try to swallow it back. “They’re sending help. Talk to me until they get here.”

“Maggie,” he wheezes and his bloodshot eyes strain as they sear into mine. He’s pale and his breaths are coming labored and shallow. He tries to give my hand a squeeze, but it’s weak. “He took her. Thought it was a drug deal. Tried to stop it, but he shot me and took her.”

“Oh shit,” I say and continue talking into the phone. “He said one of our students has been taken. Her name is Maggie Stockton.”

“Keelie?” I hear my name yelled from behind me. When I look, Brett White is jogging across the parking lot.

Oh, thank God.

When he approaches, his eyes are on Tom, shocked at the sight in front of him. “What happened?”

I bring my attention back to Tom and drop my phone when I feel his pulse weakening, but he’s still looking at me. “He said Maggie Stockton was taken by someone. When he tried to stop it, he was shot.” I glance to Brett, who’s standing over us stock-still, and exclaim, “We have to do something!”

I feel Tom’s hand move in mine and look back to him. His eyes become heavy and I demand, “Stay awake, Tom. Talk to me.”

His eyes widen a bit and it looks like he’s coming to, but he’s not focused on me. He’s staring over my shoulder and gives my hand a weak tug. When I move to see what he’s looking at—a crushing weight hits the side of my head.

The last thing I remember is seeing Brett White’s arm come around with a gun in his hand before I hit the pavement.

Chapter 30

Behind It All

Asa

“When’s mommy going to be home? I’m hungry?”

I glance at the clock and wonder the same thing. Even if she was working late, she should’ve been home more than thirty minutes ago. I’ve texted her and she didn’t answer. Normally I wouldn’t think a thing of it, but for some reason this feels different.

I head for the pantry. “I’ll get you a snack. What do you want, sweetheart?”

“Pizza!” Saylor calls from behind me.

Levi comes in the garage door from practice at the same moment. “Hey, Dad.” He grins down at Saylor who attacks him. “Heya, squirt.”

“I’m not a squirt. You’re a squirt!” she giggles.

“How was practice?” I ask as I check my phone one more time, just to make sure I haven’t missed anything.

Levi picks Saylor up and swings her upside-down holding her by her ankle, making her squeal. “Good. I’m starving. What’s for dinner?”

Knox comes in the back door at the same time Emma walks into the kitchen from doing homework upstairs.

“I’m hungry,” Knox complains as he dribbles his basketball in the kitchen.

“So am I,” Emma agrees. “Do you know what Keelie was going to make? I can help her get it started.”

“Pizza!” Saylor screams as Levi tickles her. Between Saylor cackling, Levi chanting pizza to egg her on, Knox dribbling, and Emma banging around in the refrigerator—I barely hear Keelie’s home phone ring. I almost let it go to voicemail because the only ones who call her on that line are her mom and Lillian Rose. But I’m antsy enough that I grab it when the caller ID shows Unknown.

“Hello?” I have to cover my other ear so I can hear.

“Is this the residence of Keelie Lockhart?”

I’d know that crackling in the background anywhere. I was a cop for years and know the sound of a dispatch radio. Turning for the back door where surely the animals will make less racket than the kids, I slam it behind me. “Yes, it is. Who’s this?”

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