Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Dana Mentink (novels to improve english txt) 📗

past lurked in the background. Different than Gabe’s, but there were times he had wished to be somewhere other than with his mother. Had she ever loved him? She couldn’t have, with all the lies she told.

“That can’t be true, Gabe,” Hannah said. “I also lived at a group home when I was younger. One day you will be adopted like me.”

The boy’s eyes brightened. “You were? Did your new family love you?”

Hannah stared at the floor.

She was stalling. Why?

She looked up and cupped Gabe’s chin with her hand. “After we got used to living together, they did. Your new family will love you very much.”

His lip quivered.

“I promise.” She rubbed his cheek. “Tell us about the other boys.”

Smart girl. Divert his attention to something else.

“They’re my best buds in the whole wide world. We do everything together. Fish, skip rocks, build forts.”

Finally, children who weren’t glued to their computers. He respected kids who played outside and used their imaginations.

Layke swallowed the thickening in his throat. Gabe’s story had affected him more than he’d realized. “How many were at the campout?”

“All my buds, plus other boys.”

“From the group home?” Hannah asked.

“No. I didn’t know them.”

Layke wrote a note. “Tell us what happened.”

“We were singing songs in front of the fire, making s’mores. Then three men circled us. They pointed guns at the leaders from our home and told them not to move or they’d shoot.” He stopped.

Layke squeezed his shoulder. “It’s okay. They can’t get you here. What did they do?”

Gabe bit into another Twizzler before continuing. “They grabbed some of us and said we were coming with them. Our leader jumped up to stop them, and one man hit him in the head with his gun.” Big tears spilled down his cheeks and he sniffed.

Hannah gasped and pulled the boy into her arms. “That must have been scary for you to see. I’m so sorry.” She turned to Layke. “We need to give him a break.”

He bit the inside of his cheek. Her mothering slowed them down. He needed answers. A thought crossed his mind and he jumped up. “I have to make a call. Let’s take five minutes.”

Layke stepped into the hall and punched a number into his cell phone.

“Hi, Layke. Do you have news?” His half brother’s weakened voice revealed his worry.

“I might have a lead, and need to ask you a question, Murray.”

“Shoot.”

“When you said Noel was kidnapped from a winter retreat, was it only for boys?”

“Yes, boys from our church.”

Same MO as Gabe. Boys taken from a winter camping trip. They targeted them when they were away from their homes. Why? Easy access? Same gang? “Do you know how many were taken?”

“Four.”

“Can you text me the parents’ names and numbers?”

“Will do. Layke, find my boy.”

“I will. I promise.” How could he say that? He’d just broken a rule he always held. Never promise anything to a victim’s family.

“Layke, Noel is autistic and doesn’t do well when he’s out of his comfort zone.”

Wait—what? He slumped against the wall. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“I thought I had.”

“No. Don’t autistic children have challenges with social interaction? Why did you send him on a retreat?”

A sigh sounded on the other end of the call. “I wanted to try and help him make friends. Natalie didn’t want to send him, but I insisted.” His voice quivered. “It’s all my fault.”

Layke clamped his eyes shut as he pictured Murray’s pain. He had to help his half brother. He opened his eyes and straightened his posture. “I will do everything in my power to find him fast.”

Another promise.

Stop breaking your rules, Layke.

He said his goodbyes and told Murray he’d keep him up to speed. As much as he could, of course. He walked back into the lunchroom and stopped short.

Hannah rocked Gabe as she sang to him. A red curl escaped from her ponytail and bounced forward. Her love of children was evident.

He cleared his throat and stepped forward. “We need to continue.”

She stopped singing and narrowed her eyes.

Obviously he had irritated her, but he pushed it from his mind. “Sorry. We need to find out more answers.”

She pursed her lips yet nodded.

Layke’s cell phone dinged, announcing a text. Murray had sent him a list of names and phone numbers. Good. He’d contact them later. He shoved his phone in his pocket and sat. “Sport, can you tell me what happened next?”

“The bad men made us get in their vans.”

“Can you tell me where they took you?”

Gabe shook his head. “They covered our eyes.”

Of course. They wouldn’t want the boys knowing their secret location. “How long of a drive was it?”

He shrugged.

Layke was afraid of that. Gabe was too young to remember details. “Can you tell us anything about the drive there?”

His eyes lit up. “Yes! It was bumpy. You know, like this.” He bounced and rocked in his seat.

Yukon probably had many side roads. Not helpful. “What did you see after you got there?”

“A cave.”

Now they were getting somewhere, but why would they take them there? Layke scratched his head. “Can you describe it?”

“We had to duck to get inside and the bad men couldn’t come in without crawling.”

“Could they stand once they were in the cave?”

“No. They’re too tall.”

Layke eyed Hannah. Her expression twisted.

Could that be why they had chosen children to do the work?

“What did you do inside?” Hannah asked.

“They wanted us to dig.”

Hannah flexed her hands and curled her lips.

Her body language revealed clearly the anger churning inside.

Layke suppressed the urge to throw something and turned back to the boy. “Dig what?”

Gabe bit his lip and looked away. “I don’t know.”

He’s hiding something but what? “You can tell us, Gabe.”

“I told you. I don’t know.” His voice quivered.

Interesting. He’d try a different tactic. “Can you tell us what the men look like?”

“They had dark masks on.”

“They never took them off?”

Gabe leaned forward. “I remember. One did when he took a drink.”

Layke stood and circled the small lunchroom. “Can you describe him?”

The boy scrunched his face.

Hannah smiled.