Soul of the Dragon (38 page)

“He was probably scared when you shrieked,” Sam said to Ellie, who’d started to cry. Her gaze jerked around to the stands, the stairs, under the seats. “He’s a little guy. He could be hiding right under our noses.”
 

“Zack!” Jason yelled. Panic made his voice shake. “Come on, son. We’re not mad at you.”
 

“Look, there’s a security officer.” Samantha pointed and nudged Ellie’s shoulder. “Go get him to help us look. I’ll check—”
 

She stopped, arrested by the realization that the guy she’d noticed earlier was gone. The tingles of premonition swept over her, certainty that the worst had happened making her stomach clutch and her throat tighten.
 

“Shit, no.” She grabbed her binoculars and trained them on the lower stairs, the concourse, then each gate. “Come on, where are you?” She should have listened to her instincts. Should have paid more attention. She
knew
there was something wrong with the way that guy had looked at Zack.
 

There
. She focused the glasses on a figure on the far side of the field, near the main gate. A guy in a white t-shirt, carrying a child with a red hat. She had no doubt it was Zack.
 

“Ellie, get security. Hurry.” She was vaguely aware of her friend scrambling down the stairs. Jason stood behind her, gripping her shoulder and saying, “What? What?” over and over again. Sam struggled to keep the binoculars trained on the kidnapper. He glanced over his shoulder and she caught her breath. She knew him. Knew who he was, anyway. She
had
seen him on TV. He was wanted in three states for child pornography and sexual abuse.
 

“Where is security?” she demanded.
 

“They’re trying to come up the stairs against traffic,” Jason explained. “Do you see him?”
 

“Yeah.” Too near the gate. And there was no security staff near him, so even if she could get the guy to radio his colleagues, they’d be too late.
 

No. I can’t let him take Zack
.
 

She didn’t think about the potential consequences of her next action. She couldn’t. The consequences of
in
action were too real.
 

She handed the binoculars to Jason. “Down there, by the gate. Send security to that spot.
I’ll meet them there.”
 

Shock exploded in Jason’s eyes. “No, Sam, don’t! Security can—”
 

She ignored him. No time to argue. She stepped up on her seat to avoid kicking the nice napkin people in front of her, took a deep breath—
please, let me still be able to do it
—and jumped.
 

 

Natalie J. Damschroder grew up in Massachusetts, and loves the New England Patriots more than anything. (Except her family. And writing and reading. And popcorn.) When she's not writing romantic adventure for Carina Press and paranormal romance for Entangled Publishing, she does freelance editing and works part time as a chiropractic assistant. She and her husband have two daughters they've dubbed "the anti-teenagers," one of whom is also a novelist. (The other one prefers math. Smart kid. Practical.) You can learn more about her and her books at www.nataliedamschroder.com.
 

Other Books by Natalie J. Damschroder
 

The Book Hollow Trilogy:
 

Kira's Best Friend
 

Sophie's Playboy
 

Brianna's Navy SEAL
 

Cat's Claw
 

Fight or Flight
 

Behind the Scenes
 

Acceptable Risks
 

Goddesses Rising:
 

Under the Moon
 

Heavy Metal
 

Sunroper
 

(Out of Print)
 

Hunter's Song
 

Against the Rules
 

Second Chance at Forever