Calculated Revenge (18 page)

The man gave it to him. “Good luck.”

Pointing the beam down onto the steps, Noah tried the first one. It groaned but held, and he descended another and another. Laney followed so close behind him her warm breath feathered against his neck. He glanced over his shoulder at a third set of footfalls on the stairs. Burns himself, scowling as dark as the pit below them.

Noah proceeded and, a few steps later, reached a packed earth floor. He panned the flashlight around the area. Empty shelves lined the walls, some of them broken and tumbled into splintered junk, but others intact. Laney gasped and clutched his arm as he halted the light on an odd-shaped mound on the floor in the corner. Burns darted ahead of them, holding a forestalling palm in their direction. They crept forward anyway.

Noah stared down at the forlorn heap of bones and hair clothed in moldering jeans and what might once have been a red shirt.

“Gracie!”

Laney’s soft wail melted his heart.

“We found you. Oh, we found you at last.” The words tumbled from Laney’s lips. She should be sad, but a fierce joy
blazed through her blood. Then ice chilled her veins. “Briana!” She whirled, staring wildly around the room.

Noah’s arm came around her, clasping her tight, steadying her. The light streaming from his hand darted here, then there, then the far corner beyond the steps. There lay another mound, small and oddly shaped, like the one they’d just found. As one, they rushed forward. At the last second, Noah inserted himself in front of her and held her back.

“It’s Bree!” She swatted at him, but he caught her hand.

“Let me check her first.”

Chest heaving, throat nearly closed, she managed a nod. He turned and knelt beside the little girl in pink princess pajamas who lay motionless in a fetal position in the dirt. Briana’s thick brown hair spread in a cloud around her head. Her sweet profile, pale as glass, was angelically peaceful. In death or sleep? Laney held her breath as Noah leaned over her daughter and touched her throat under the jawbone where a pulse should be.

Had to be!

Then Noah looked at her, and his face burst into a brilliant grin. He scooped Briana up and thrust her into Laney’s reaching arms. “She’s okay!” His triumphant laugh filled the dark pit.

Laney cuddled the warm body of her slumbering daughter and laughed and cried as Noah’s arms came around them both, cradling Briana between them. Her daughter stirred, and Laney looked down to find the little eyelids fluttering.

“She’s waking up. Oh, thank You, Jesus!”

“Amen!” Noah bent and placed a kiss on Briana’s forehead.

The child’s eyes flipped open wide, but she didn’t focus on her mother. Instead, Briana’s groggy smile was aimed at Noah.

“I knew my daddy would find me.”

“S
top that fighting, boys!” Laney stepped between two fourth grade hooligans who had taken swings at each other on the playground. “It’s barely a week into the school year, and you’re not getting off to a wise start.”

They glared at each other, then scowled up at her.

“We’re headed straight for the principal’s office.” She wagged a finger at them, and their gazes dropped. “March!”

“Aw!” One of them protested, as she herded them toward the door.

Laney ushered them inside, up the hallway, and into the outer administration office.

Miss Aggie looked up from her work and sent the youngsters a strong stare. “You two again?” She looked at Laney. “I’ll get Mr. Ryder.”

The boys studied the toes of their sneakers.

A moment later, Noah strode out of his inner sanctum, stern gaze fixed on the pair of would-be Rocky Balboas. He crooked a finger in their direction, and they dragged their feet toward his office. The principal ushered them inside, then, hand on his doorknob, turned and winked at Laney.

She blew him a kiss, and a beam of sunlight from the window behind Miss Aggie’s desk sent sparks dancing from the
rock on her left ring finger—right next to the wedding band that had been a fixture for the past five weeks.

“I saw that.” Ellen Kline’s voice came from over by the teacher mailboxes.

Laney laughed and hooked arms with her friend. As they headed out the door, she waved at Miss Aggie. The woman’s understated smile radiated a blessing.

“You know what I think,” Ellen said as they proceeded up the hall. “Noah puts kids up to those antics so he can catch a glimpse of his new bride.”

“Oh, you!” Laney giggled, cheeks warming.

The school board had been relieved that their star principal decided to continue serving the district, rather than returning to his former career. But like Noah said, private investigator was no occupation for a family man. Approval of their marriage had been universal on their return to Cottonwood Grove in safety and triumph—except for a few jealous looks from several single women in the area. She sympathized with them. Noah was quite a catch, but he was all hers. Well, not quite.

She smiled as she returned to playground duty. She knew a little girl who couldn’t get enough of her new daddy. Laney could almost be jealous if she weren’t so deliriously happy.

Dear Reader,

I hope you had to hang on to your seat throughout the thrills and chills of mortal danger with Noah Ryder, Laney Thompson and little Briana.

I enjoyed setting the tale in localities of rural Minnesota. As a resident of such a rural area, I’m familiar with the idiosyncrasies of our unique subculture. The Pantry Café is a real institution in my hometown (yes, the pancakes are bigger than the plate), as are people like Mr. Bingham. And it is not uncommon to see empty vehicles left running in the grocery store parking lot in the dead of winter.

The subject of child abduction, or child abuse of any kind, is dear to my heart. I have a passion for teaching, training and protecting children, much like the main characters in the story. If you have an opportunity to support programs that protect children, as well as those that seek the lost, I urge you to do so. You can find more information at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (www.missingkids.com) or the National Child Safety Council (www.nationalchildsafetycouncil.org) and other fine child protection groups.

As always, Dear Reader, you are invited to visit me at www.jillelizabethnelson.com for ongoing book giveaways, updates, and excerpts of current and coming releases.

Abundant Blessings to you and yours,

Jill Elizabeth Nelson

1. Laney’s past comes back to haunt her in the form of her sister’s backpack. Have you ever had the unexpected appearance of a physical object or person carry you back to a significant moment in your past?
   
2. A past trauma spurred Noah to make a drastic career change. Name a pivotal moment in your own life and what changed.
   
3. Guilt haunts Laney and Noah. How are their reasons for feeling guilty similar? How are they different? Are their reasons valid?
   
4. What methods are Laney and Noah using to deal with their guilt? When you experience guilty feelings, how do you deal with them? Name healthy ways to deal with guilt—real or perceived.
   
5. Sometimes we encounter difficult people. At times, these are the very people we would expect to provide solutions rather than obstacles. Who is this person in Laney and Noah’s lives? If this has ever happened to you, how did you deal with the issue?
   
6. Briana’s innocent faith provides encouragement to the adults in her life. Can you name a time when a child provided the inspiration you needed to get through a problem?
   
7. Laney instinctively trusts Noah and is drawn to him romantically, even though Pierce seems a more sensible choice.
   Has your instinct ever argued with your intellect? Which voice did you listen to, and how did the situation turn out?
   
8. Noah is a strong, decisive man, but the death of his fiancée devastated him. When Laney’s situation arises, does he revert to self-sufficiency or acknowledge his insufficiency and call upon God? Are you a more self-reliant or God-reliant person?
   
9. The Thompson family had decided not to tell Briana about her murdered Aunt Grace until she was older. Have you ever faced a situation when you had to decide how much or what to tell a child about a difficult issue?
   
10. Laney’s parents keep a major secret from their daughter. If the secret had not connected to the threats on Laney and Briana, do you think such knowledge about a parent should be shared with the offspring? Why or why not?
    
11. Our sin can have far-reaching affects on others. Can you name a time when a wrong thing you did impacted someone innocent? Or a time when something someone else did negatively impacted your life? How can these issues be addressed?
    
12. Why did George and Adelle’s marriage fall apart and Roland and Loretta’s heal and grow stronger?
    
13. Bitterness twisted Adelle into a woman capable of doing anything to get revenge. Does retribution bring permanent satisfaction? When have you been tempted to “get
    back” at someone? Did you follow through? Why or why not, and what was the result of your choice?
    
14. In her anger, Laney could become another Adelle. What particular act saves her from going down that road?
    
15. Noah takes baby steps of faith throughout the story. What conscious decision about God does he make at the end? Does that decision make him better daddy and husband material?