Page 56 of Rescuing Josiah
“They know about the trackers.”
“No, they know Teresa was rescued after they took her from her apartment,” Chelsea corrected. “They might suspect there was something with a tracker, that it’s how Teresa was found, but that’s it.”
Resting her cheek against his bicep, she nuzzled closer, trying to will some of her calm into Josiah. She doubted very much that he was this much of a worrier when he was still an active duty SEAL.
Didn't take a genius to figure out what was different this time around.
Her.
It was nice he cared so much, but she didn't want him twisting himself up in knots about everything that could possibly go wrong. For now, everything was going perfectly to plan, and that was something to be celebrated.
As she gazed out across the garden from the small, vine-covered pergola on a little hill, she saw something that had her straightening.
“Did you see that?” she asked, pointing to the moving figure she’d spotted moving faster than the others.
“See what?”
“In the maze. I saw something. A single something, not a couple. Smaller than the others.” While, of course, anyone could walk around out here on their own, and she was sure there were people who had come to the mansion for surgery without a loved one accompanying them, almost everyone they’d seen had been a pair.
“A kid?”
“Maybe,” Chelsea hedged. She was pretty sure it was a child, but the figure had moved quickly, then disappeared behind the tall hedges of the maze again. “Only one way to find out.”
With a curt nod, Josiah started walking, keeping his steps easy and measured even though she could sense the tension in him, the desire to go running after the figure she had seen. Together, they wandered their way back down the hill, past gorgeous displays of colorful flowers, as they headed for the maze.
Chelsea likewise wanted to go running off to check it out, but they couldn’t draw undue attention to themselves. They had no idea how many cameras were set up, but they were both confident that almost every move they made in any of the common areas, including the gardens, was monitored.
When they reached the maze, they were met with two possibilities.
Left or right.
“Let’s split up,” she suggested, already knowing Josiah would hate the idea.
“No.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. We have to. If the kid is in here, we need to find her. I swear I won't leave the maze. If I don’t find her, I’ll come back to the start and wait for you right here. Nothing is going to happen to me,” she added, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.
“You leave this maze without me and I’ll …” Josiah trailed off, but he didn't have to finish the sentence, the answer was written all over his face. He wouldn't just be angry with her, he’d be terrified. He was trying to fight his demons, and her betraying him like that would set him back, maybe even turn him off the whole idea.
“Promise.” It was an easy one to make because she loved this man with everything she had and would never intentionally do anything to cause him pain.
Grabbing her shoulders, he dragged her in for a hot, hard kiss that left her panting, then he stalked off to the right.
For a moment, Chelsea couldn’t move, all she could do was stand and watch Josiah disappear around the corner. Her fingers brushed across her lips, still tingling from the bruising kiss, and she silently begged the universe to throw all the help it could Josiah’s way.
Turning to the left, she started walking. The hedges were high, probably around eight feet tall, and neatly trimmed. It was peaceful in there, quiet, the rest of the world seemed to fade away as she ambled along. She could see why someone had designed the maze, it was so tranquil, it was like stepping into a different universe.
As she walked, Chelsea listened for signs that someone else was in there with her. She really wasn't afraid of anything bad happening to either her or Josiah, but she wanted to be careful because she knew it would be important to him.
The maze was more difficult than it had looked from up above it, but Chelsea had a good sense of direction, and she was sure she could find her way back with relative ease. Besides, she was there with a retired Navy SEAL. Josiah wouldn't have any trouble finding his way through the maze, out of the maze, and locating her if she got lost.
After about ten minutes, she spotted movement up ahead. A flash of white, gone almost before she’d seen it.
“Hello?” Chelsea called out, picking up her pace.
There was no answer, but as she took the next turn, she spotted the same flash of white. Breaking out into a jog, she turned another corner, and then another, and there she came face to face with a little girl of about six. The child had chestnut brown locks tied in two pigtails, vivid blue eyes, and a dimple in her left cheek. Exactly like Desiree Tilly’s daughter, Bridget.
“Oh, hi, honey,” she said, offering her most reassuring smile to the child who was looking at her shyly. While she liked kids, she hadn't spent a whole lot of time around them, so she wasn't quite sure what to do or say to put the little girl at ease. “I didn't realize anyone else was in the maze. I'm trying to beat my husband to the middle. Is this the right way?”
