Page 56 of In Pursuit of the Truth

She nodded against his chest. “I hear you.”

“That means we need to be strong for them. We need clear heads so we can react quickly when news comes in or the situation shifts.” He waited for her to raise her chin and look at him.

The remnants of tears were still there, but her jaw was set, and determination flashed in her eyes. Nate’s respect for her soared.

He prayed aloud, asking God for wisdom and strength and for protection for the boys. “You might think waiting here is a waste of time because you want to go search for them. If they’re out there on their own, this is where they’ll come back to. They need you here when they do.”

She nodded and took a step back as she used a sleeve to wipe away the tears. “I keep trying to figure out why she would’ve taken them. It makes no sense. If she was trying to make a fast getaway, they would only slow her down. There has to be a reason we don’t know about yet.”

The radio clipped to Nate’s belt crackled. “It’s Jenny. You guys there?”

“We’re here.”

“Logan ran phone records for both Rachel and Jeremy. They talk daily, sometimes several times a day. Officers arrived at Rachel’s house. She isn’t there, but they’re going to stick around in case she comes back. Logan tried to ping her phone, but she must have powered it down. The same goes for Jeremy’s.”

“Have the police gone by Jeremy’s house yet?”

The radio crackled again. “Yes, they just arrived on the scene. Jeremy isn’t at home, but they are speaking to his wife. She had no idea that he’d gone by a different name before she met him. I get the impression there’s a lot about him that she doesn’t know.”

Nate was beginning to believe Jeremy might have been responsible for Sophia’s disappearance, but they still needed facts just like they needed to know why he was so intent on scaring Bailey into selling her place. He felt bad for Jeremy’s wife and kids.

As though Bailey read his mind, she shook her head sadly. “I can’t imagine being married to someone for years only to discover they weren’t who you thought they were.”

“Me, either. Even if Jeremy had nothing to do with Sophia’s disappearance, there are obviously a lot of secrets that he’s been keeping.” He took her hand and pressed a kiss to the back. “I’d rather be told the truth, even if it’s painful.”

“Me, too.”

Jenny’s voice came over the radio. “Jeremy’s car was seen parked on the shoulder of a country road that borders your land, Bailey. The car was empty. There’s a good chance he’s somewhere on your property or that he was meeting with Rachel. Stay alert.”

Bailey walked over to a window and stared outside. Nate could barely make out some whispered words as she prayed, her hands braced against the doorframe.

Nate sent out his own silent plea.

“Nate!” Bailey’s surprised cry had him crossing the room to her location. “It’s Jordan!”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Bailey had been staring out the window and praying over her boys as well as the officers who were out there trying to find them. It seemed like forever ago that they, along with Nate, had hiked the little path that led away from her yard and into the trees behind it. She pictured her boys running beside each other, excited to see the barn, and fought against another round of tears that threatened to fall at any minute.

That’s when she saw movement at the tree line. A moment later, Jordan’s form ran into view as he raced down the path toward the house as fast as he could.

“Nate! It’s Jordan!”

She immediately ran for the back door and flung it open, aware of Nate’s footsteps right behind hers. When she reached Jordan, she went to her knees and gathered him close. She took in everything about him, from the smell of his hair to the way his little arms wrapped around her neck.

“Are you okay?” She shifted him away from her just enough to be able to look him over. She ran her hands down his arms. “Are you hurt?”

Nate placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder and looked in the direction he’d come from. “Jordan, where’s Seth?”

The poor boy’s face was beet red as he sucked in air to catch his breath. Dirt mixed with tears had created muddy tracks down his cheeks. He pointed to the trees. “He told me to run.”

Bailey’s stomach clenched. “Who? Did Seth tell you to run?”

Jordan nodded. “Seth kicked the bad guy.” He coughed and took in another breath. “Then told me to run home.” His wide eyes filled with tears that shattered Bailey’s heart.

Nate crouched down in front of him. “Was Miss Rachel the bad guy?”

With a shake of his head, Jordan pointed toward the trees again. “He got mad and tried to get Seth.”

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