Silent Night by Colleen Coble Page B

remembered the day they’d found Davy, missing for a year after Bree’s first husband’s plane went down in the North Woods. “How’s Frannie doing? Do we know what happened?”
    “She found out Garrick was helping others poach wolves. He had found a pack. She freaked out and was going to turn him in. He panicked, I think, and threw her in the basement.”
    Poor girl. Kade shuddered at all she’d gone through. “So why lock her in that basement?”
    Lauri straightened. “I think he didn’t know what to do with her. Frannie said he locked her up and told her he had to think about what to do next.”
    His baby sister had actually grown up. Kade wanted to hug her. “So where did you fit into this? I still can’t believe you figured all this out on your own, Lauri.”
    She smiled and glanced at Bree. “I had a good teacher.” Her expression turned solemn. “I thought he’d killed Frannie. I made friends with him and tried to figure out what he’d done with her. I think somehow he figured out I was on to him and planned to throw me in the cellar with her.” She shuddered.
    “And then what?” Kade asked. “He kept her there for two weeks!”
    “I think he was in over his head and was getting ready to flee the country for Canada. He kept taking boxes into his house.”
    “He would have left you both trapped there?” Kade curled his hands into fists.
    Lauri sobered. “I think so, Kade. He hadn’t been back to see her in a week. She was out of food and water when we got there. No one would have been the wiser.”
    Kade’s eyes burned, and he gulped back the lump in his throat. “I couldn’t bear to lose you, Lauri.” He jumped up and paced the waiting room, ignoring the surprised expressions of a family huddled in another corner. “I thought you were safe.”
    Lauri put her coffee on the table next to her and got up from her chair. She touched Kade’s arm. “I’m beginning to realize that safety is an illusion. One thing I’ve learned from you and Bree is that every day is a gift. What we do with it is our choice. For too many years I’ve been throwing my days away on frivolous things, things I thought would make me happy. But they didn’t. Finding Frannie— that made me more than happy. Satisfied, content, joyous. I had a purpose.”
    Her blue eyes were calm and at peace. Had he ever seen her so contented? If so, it was a long time ago, well before their parents died. Drawing her into his arms, he rested his chin on her head. Lauri wasn’t a little girl anymore. She was growing into a strong woman.
    “I love you, little sis,” he whispered into her hair.
    She let her cheek rest on his chest. “Love you too, big brother.” After a moment, she pulled away. “And Frannie made me realize I was wrong about Zoe. I was thinking about myself and not her. I’m going to let Hilary and Mason tell her the truth.”
    “I’m glad,” he whispered.
    A couple burst through the hospital doors. The pale woman was blond and appeared to barely be holding it together. She wore designer jeans and supple leather boots. The man, tall with salt-and-pepper hair, supported her as they rushed down the hall toward the waiting room.
    The woman’s eyes widened when she saw Bree with Samson by her feet. “Are you Bree Matthews?”
    Bree rose and nodded. “Your daughter is going to be fine. The doctor was just out here. They’ll let you see her shortly. She’s just suffering from exposure and dehydration. They’re giving her fluids.”
    Mrs. Hastings sagged and Bree caught her. “Thank God, thank God,” the woman gasped. Tears pooled in her eyes. “I can’t believe she’s alive. Alive! I can’t begin to thank you.”
    Bree reached over and grabbed Lauri’s arm. “This is who found your daughter, Mrs. Hastings. She worked tirelessly to find out what had happened.”
    The woman grabbed Lauri and hugged her tightly. “Thank you.” Her voice was a choked whisper. “You brought my little girl home.”
    Over