Heart of the Family Page 11

  Hannah pointed toward one still in the bed of the pickup. “That’s why there are training wheels on that one. Before you know it, you’ll be riding everywhere.”

  The child stared at it, doubt in her eyes, a tiny frown on her face. “I guess.” She lowered her gaze to the ground at her feet.

  “I’ll work with you this afternoon since Dr. Jacob and I want to take all of you on a bike ride this Saturday. He said something about there being a small lake near here that we could go to and have a picnic. What do you think?”

  “Can I bring Abby?”

  Hannah knelt in front of Nancy. “A bike ride probably isn’t the best place for a puppy.”

  Jacob approached the little girl. “Here’s yours.” He set Nancy’s small bike with training wheels on it next to her.

  She put her thumb in her mouth and looked up shyly at him, mumbling, “Thanks.”

  Hannah settled her hand on the child’s shoulder. She saw the concern in Jacob’s expression and said, “I’m going to teach her how to ride over the next two days. She never has.”

  Before he could say anything, the children encircled Noah and him, vying for the men’s attention with their enthusiasm.

  “Andy’s always wanted a bike. He used to ride the boy’s in the apartment across the hall.” Lisa said, while watching her son, happiness plastering a smile on his face. “Who’s that with Dr. Hartman?”

  “Noah Maxwell. He owns the Pizzeria chain. In fact, I wanted to talk to you about applying for a job. Would you be interested in working at one of his restaurants? I could talk to him for you if you are.” Jacob had been right—again. She needed to see if Lisa wanted a job at the Pizzeria before approaching Noah.

  “At the halfway house they were going to help me look for something. ’Bout the only experience I have is at a food joint. One of the things I learnt at the rehab center was to ask for help when I need it. Thanks.”

  “Then I’ll talk to Noah.”

  Andy ran up to his mom. “Dr. Jacob said I could go on a bike ride with them on Saturday because my cast is coming off tomorrow.” After his announcement, he twirled around and raced back to the group.

  Lisa followed her son, plowing into the middle of the children all getting on their bikes.

  “Do you want to start your lesson now?” Hannah asked Nancy, who kept her gaze glued to the ground.

  She shook her head. “I don’t wanna go on a ride. Can I stay here?”

  “Why, honey?” Hannah lifted the child’s chin.

  Tears pooled in Nancy’s eyes, and several coursed down her cheeks. “I just don’t. I heard Mommy say bikes are dangerous.” The little girl pulled away and stepped back toward the porch. She plopped down on the top stair, sucking her thumb and hugging her blanket.

  “Nancy doesn’t want to ride?” Jacob stood right behind her.

  “No. She thinks they’re dangerous.” Hannah kept her voice low so no one else heard.

  “Having seen my share of bike accidents, I can’t totally disagree, but we’ve also gotten helmets for them.”

  “I’ll see if someone can watch her while we go with the other children. I don’t want to force Nancy. Hopefully she’ll see the others enjoying it and want to learn to ride.”

  Dressed in black slacks and a gray pullover sweater, Noah approached. “I think our gift is a big hit.”

  “Did you have any doubt?” Hannah scanned the smiling kids and wanted to bottle this moment.

  “No. But what are we going to do for Christmas? It will be hard to top this.”

  “You don’t have—”

  “This is the best way I can spend my money,” Noah interrupted Hannah. “These kids’ lives have been hard. Giving them some joy is priceless.”

  She realized Noah had as big a heart as Jacob. Too bad, according to Laura, he didn’t want to settle down and have his own family. “I do have a favor to ask.”

  “If it’s to go on the bike ride, I draw the line there.”

  “No. I’d like you to interview Andy’s mother for a job at your restaurant. She needs a job and the only experience she’s had is as a waitress.”

  When she started to say more, Noah held up his hand. “Done. I’ll talk to her.”

  Hannah was at a loss for words. Realizing Jacob’s misgivings about Andy’s mom wanting to change, she’d practiced her speech to convince Noah to give Lisa a chance.

  “I’ll give her a ride into town and talk to her tonight. Where’s she staying?”

  “She’s staying at a halfway shelter two blocks from your first restaurant.”

  “Fine. I know where that is.” There must have been something in her expression because he added, “I know she just completed a drug-rehab program. I’m aware of what goes on at the refuge even though I don’t get to spend as much time out here as Jacob.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate you giving her a chance.” When Noah joined a couple of the boys by his truck, she said to Jacob, “It’s a shame he isn’t interested in having a family. Like you, he’s good with the kids.”

  “You think I’m good with them?” A gleam glinted in his gaze.

  “We might not always see eye to eye on certain issues, but I can’t ignore the fact you have a way with the children. Are you interested in having a family?” The second she asked the question she wanted to retreat. Why in the world had she asked him that? As if she might be interested in him and the answer.

  “Yes. Paul was a great example of what a father can be.”

  “Then why don’t you have one?” The urge to slap her hand over her mouth swamped her. She was digging a deep hole with her inquisitiveness.

  He threw back his head and laughed. “I wish it were that simple. It takes two.”

  Heat flooded her cheeks. She started to mention he was thirty-five, but this time she managed to keep quiet. “Oh, look at Gabe ride.”

  On Saturday Hannah came to a stop near the small lake and hopped off her bicycle. Susie pulled up next to her while Jacob flanked her on the other side. “This is beautiful. We’ll have to come back in the spring when the trees are flowering. I see quite a few redbuds.”

  “That’s our state tree.” Susie put her kickstand down. “We’ve been studying Oklahoma history in school.”

  “I can see why it is. They’re everywhere.”

  “Can we walk along the shore? We won’t go too far.”

  “Make sure no one goes too close to the water.” Hannah took a swig from her water bottle.

  “She told me Thanksgiving that she wanted to be a doctor like me.” After removing his ball cap, Jacob wiped his hand across his forehead. “I’d forgotten how much work bicycling is, especially that last hill.”

  “I thought you went bike riding all the time.”

  “When I was a child, I used to. I…” A frown carved deep lines into his brow.

  “What?”

  “My grandma gave me a bike one Christmas. I loved that bike. I would go all over the place. If I was quick enough, it became my way of escaping my mother when she went into a rage.”

  “What happened to it?”

  “During one of my mother’s rages, she ran over it with her car. I tried to fix it, but the frame was bent too much for me to do anything. I cried when the garbage man took it away.” His gaze zeroed in on her. “That was the only time I cried. Not crying used to make my mom madder. She used to shout I didn’t have a heart.”

  Her stomach knotted as she listened to him talk about his mother so dispassionately as though she were a stranger. But she’d gotten to know him well enough to hear the underlying pain that his words didn’t reflect. “My mom and I had moved to a new town and I was desperate to impress the neighborhood kids.” Hannah sipped some more cool water. “I performed a few tricks with my bike. They were properly awed until the last one. I fell and broke my wrist. I never got back on it after that. I stopped riding for years until college when I took it up for exercise.”

  “How did we get on a subject like this?”

  “I
don’t know,” she said with a shaky laugh.

  “I know how.” He shifted toward her. “I find it easy to talk to you. I don’t tell others about my childhood. I prefer leaving that in my past.”

  His words made her feel special. Surprisingly she found it easy to talk to him, too. Less than two months ago she’d thought of him as her enemy. Now she considered him a friend—a very good friend.

  He inched closer, taking her hands in his. “I haven’t had much time in my life for dating. I made a promise years ago to become a doctor and that’s where all my energy has gone.”

  Children’s laughter drifted to her, reminding her they weren’t alone. She peered at the group near the lake. Terry was showing Gabe how to skip rocks. Susie was scolding the two youngest boys to stay away from the water.

  When she looked back at Jacob, the intensity in his gaze stole her breath. He bent toward her. Her heart fluttered in anticipation. He released her hands and cupped her face. He lowered his head until their mouths were inches apart. The scent of peppermint spiced the air.

  Softly he brushed his lips across hers. “I think we should go out on an official date.”

  “You do?” she squeaked out, her pulse racing through her body.

  “Don’t you think we’ve skirted around this long enough?”

  “What’s this?”

  His mouth grazed hers again. “This attraction between us.”

  She wanted his kiss. His eyes enticed her to forget who he was, to forget the past and grab hold of the future.

  A drumroll blared. Hannah gasped and shot back.

  Jacob’s eyes widened. He stared at her pocket as another drumroll sounded, loud and demanding.

  She dug into her jeans. “That’s my cell.”

  “A drumroll? What kind of ring is that?”

  She pulled the phone out. “One I know is mine.” She flipped it open. “Hannah here.”

  “I’m so sorry to bother you.”

  The alarm in Meg’s voice alerted Hannah something was wrong.

  “Nancy’s missing. I’ve looked everywhere and I can’t find her.”

  Chapter Nine

  Heart pounding, Hannah raced up the steps and into the cottage with Jacob and the children not far behind her. Meg stood in the living room with Peter, Laura, Roman and a police officer. The older woman reeled around when Hannah came in. The anxious look on Meg’s face tightened a band about Hannah’s chest. She gulped in deep breaths, but she couldn’t seem to fill her lungs. Bending over, hands on knees, she inhaled over and over. She’d never ridden so fast before.

  Meg touched Hannah’s shoulder. “She’s been gone for at least an hour. We’ve looked all over the farm, especially the barn.”

  “You didn’t find her in the pen with the puppies? She’s taken a liking to one of them.”

  Peter moved forward. “No, but now that I think about it, I didn’t see all the puppies. At the time I thought one was behind its mama in the back.”

  “Is anything missing from her room?” Jacob strode in with the children.

  Meg shook her head. “I don’t think so, but I’m not that familiar with what she has.” She snapped her fingers. “Except I know her blanket is gone. She had it with her while she was watching TV in here.”

  “I’ll check her room. I know what she has.” Hannah headed down the hallway, her hands shaking so badly she had to clasp them together.

  She opened every drawer and the closet, then inspected under the bed and in Nancy’s little toy chest. She finished her survey when Jacob appeared in the doorway.

  “Anything?”

  “Her doll she’d brought with her when she came to the cottage. I don’t think she’s been kidnapped. I think she’s run away.”

  “Why? Where would she go?”

  Her heartbeat pulsated against her eardrums. The constriction about her chest squeezed even tighter. “I don’t know and tonight they are predicting it will drop below freezing with rain or snow.”

  “Let’s hope they’re wrong.”

  “Or we find her before then.” Hannah welcomed Jacob’s calming presence. She saw apprehension in his expression, but above everything his strength prevailed. He was a man used to emergencies and knew how to handle them.

  Back in the living room the police officer tucked his notepad into his front pocket then peered at Hannah. “Anything else missing?”

  “Her doll.”

  “I’ll call this in and get things moving. Where’s your phone?”

  Meg pointed toward the kitchen. “I’ll show you.”

  “We need to search the farm again.” Jacob placed his arm about Hannah’s shoulder. “Anywhere she really liked?”

  “The barn.”

  “Well, let’s start there and fan out.”

  “How about us?” Susie came forward with the other children, unusually quiet, standing behind her.

  “We’ll get Cathy and Roman to organize the children and search both cottages, the unfinished one and the surrounding area. Susie, you can help Cathy with the kids in our house.” Seeing terror on a couple of their faces, Hannah added, “Nancy will be found. She’ll be all right.”

  “Let’s go next door where Cathy and the others are waiting.” Roman led the way with the children following.

  “I’ll have Alexa and Sean meet us at the barn. They can help us search that area.” Laura left with Peter.

  Hannah started forward. Jacob’s hand on her shoulder stopped her. She glanced back at him, such kindness in his eyes that tears welled up in hers. He drew her to him.

  “We will find her and she will be all right.”

  His whispered words, raw with suppressed emotions, fueled her tears. Forcing them down, she backed away from the comfort of his arms. “I don’t have time to cry. We only have a few hours before it gets dark.”

  Two hours later Hannah paused near the creek that ran through the farm. Thankfully it wasn’t deep, the bottom easily seen. She peered at Jacob downstream from her. Fifteen minutes ago he found Nancy’s doll by a bush where it appeared the little girl had sat. With that they were now concentrating on this area. Nancy had to be near. Nightfall would be in another hour.

  “Nancy,” Hannah shouted for the hundredth time, her voice raw. She heard the child’s name from the others intermittently.

  Hannah forged forward into the thicker underbrush, so glad it was too cold for snakes. But there were other animals that could do harm to a small child. Thinking about that possibility, she again yelled the girl’s name and heard the frantic ring in her voice.

  Only silence greeted her.

  Her shoulders sagged as the minutes ticked away. She pushed farther into the wooded area, sending up another prayer for Nancy’s safe return.

  In the distance she saw a glimpse of pink. Hannah squinted and picked up her pace, although it was slower than usual because of the dense foliage.

  “Nancy.”

  A sound caused her to stop and listen.

  The breeze whistled through the forest. Disappointment cloaked her. Just the wind.

  She continued toward the pink. The little girl’s blanket was that color. “Nancy.”

  Another noise froze Hannah.

  A whimper?

  “Nancy, honey, where are you?”

  Hannah kept moving forward, straining to hear anything unusual, trying to be as quiet as she could so she could listen.

  “Hannah,” a faint voice, full of tears, floated to her. From the direction of the pink.

  “I’m coming.”

  Hannah tore through the brush, bare limbs clawing her. A branch scratched across her cheek. She fumbled for her cell in her pocket to alert the others she’d found Nancy. She hoped.

  “Nancy, say something.”

  “I’m hurt.”

  The nearer she got to the pink the stronger the voice. She reached the blanket, but Nancy was nowhere to be seen.

  “Honey, where are you? I don’t see you.”

  “I’m down here.”

&nb
sp; Hannah stepped to the side several yards from the discarded blanket and looked down an incline. At the bottom lay Nancy with the puppy cuddled next to her, a ball of white fur.

  “I see you. I’ll be right there.” Hannah flipped open her phone and punched in Jacob’s number.

  After giving him directions to where she thought she was, she started down the hill, half sliding as it got steeper toward the bottom. With a tearstained face, Nancy struggled to sit up and watched Hannah’s descent. Abby began to yelp and prance around in circles.

  When she reached the child, Nancy threw herself into Hannah’s arms, sobbing. “You’re okay now, honey.”

  She stroked the child’s back, whispering she was safe over and over until Nancy finally calmed down and leaned back.

  “Abby ran away from me. I went after her and fell down here. My ankle hurts bad.” Tears shone in the child’s eyes. “I tried to climb up the hill. I couldn’t.”

  Hannah heard her name being called. “Jacob, we’re down here. Nancy’s hurt.”

  “I’m coming. I see her blanket.”

  The most wonderful thing Hannah saw was Jacob’s face peering over the top of the steep incline. “She fell. I think she did something to her ankle.”

  Jacob descended as gracefully as she did, speed more important than caution. “I called the others. They’re coming.” He knelt next to them, his gaze tracking down the child’s length. “Which ankle hurts?”

  Nancy pointed to her left one.

  Jacob tenderly took her leg into his hands and probed the area. “I don’t think it’s broken. Probably a sprain. We’ll have to get an X-ray to be sure.”

  “I don’t want a shot. I don’t want a shot!” Nancy’s voice rose to a hysterical level.

  Hannah hugged her to her chest. “Honey, don’t worry about that. You need to calm down so we can get you back to the cottage.”

  Nancy straightened, wiping her eyes. “Where’s Abby?” She scanned the surrounding terrain. “She’s gone again!”

  Jacob reached behind him and picked up the puppy. “She’s right here, investigating a twig.”