Song of the Meadowlark (Intertwined Book 1) by Sherri Wilson Johnson Page A

consciousness you'd be able to go home. He wanted to ask you a few questions and make sure you were not harmed in any way other than what’s obvious.”
    “Pearl, I think I’m fine other than these cuts and the concussion. I don’t—I didn’t get attacked like that.” Thank you, Lord, that he didn’t rape me! “I remember getting lost. And then I blew a tire. But then I don’t remember what happened. Wait! Someone crashed into my car!” She shook her head. “I don’t understand. If only I hadn’t decided to ride through those back roads, taking my time getting home, none of this would have happened. I didn’t have my phone with me, so after my car got hit, I had to walk to get help. Out of nowhere, someone came up behind me and knocked me over the head. The next thing I knew, I was in that disgusting place all tied up.”
    “You poor dear.” R.L. clasped her hand.
    “I struggled to get free. I cut my hands on a metal tool chest in there. Then I found the phone hidden in a cabinet. While on the phone with the operator, the truck came back. It was so loud, almost deafening. That’s when the operator told me to get out of there. I knocked open the window and ran for the woods.” Cora cried as she recounted her ordeal, shaking uncontrollably.
    “Honey, don’t think about it anymore. What’s important is that you’re safe now.”
    “I know. How did they know to call you?”
    “A nurse recognized you from Ms. Lottie’s, and they called her.”
    “Good evening, sir, ladies.”
    Everyone turned to see a mid-forties man in a dark suit standing in the opening of the curtains. His loosened tie languorously hung around his neck. R.L. stood. The man shook his hand.
    “How are you?” R.L. said.
    “Fine, just fine. I’m Detective Ikeson, Ms. Buchanan. How are you doing?”
    “I’m better, now that I’m safe.” Cora wiped tears from her eyes.
    “I came to let you know we have a lead on the person involved in your kidnapping.” He loosened his tie a little more.
    “You do? Is it anyone I know?” Cora started crying.
    “I don’t think so. There’s a gang of guys kidnapping and”—he met her eyes—“raping women as some kind of initiation. We’re pretty sure your incident had to do with them. Did you hear the reports on the news about the missing women?”
    “I did hear something the other day. Oh, my gosh!” Cora threw her hands up to cover her mouth. “Why would they have wanted me?”
    “Any number of reasons. Wrong place at the right time. Maybe you wandered into their territory. We’re investigating the cabin where we found you, searching for any DNA we can find. We have a good lead on the other missing women. We’ve turned it over to the FBI.”
    “Wow, I can’t believe it!”
    “You’re a lucky young woman. I have to get back to the office. Here’s my card. Please call if you have any questions.”
    When the detective walked out through the opening in the curtains, Cora let out a sigh. “I can’t believe this. I guess it was all worth it, though, if they have a lead on the criminals.”
    “You could have been killed. You’re so lucky you got away.” Pearl shuddered.
    “Luck had nothing to do with it. God was guiding me the whole time.”
    “Praise the Lord,” R.L. said.
    “I bet you all were panicking when I didn’t make it home for dinner.”
    “We were worried even before that. Cook got home hours before dinner and said you should have been home after your errands. We were about to send Rex out to look for you when the police called,” Pearl said.
    A nurse came to check on Cora, and then a doctor came in. The doctor reassured her she was okay to go home, but she needed to take it easy for several days. The bump on her head was bad, and the cuts on her wrists would take time to heal.
    Cora was thankful to be going back to the ranch. “What about my car? Did they find my purse? What about all my boxes from home?”
    “Don’t worry. They retrieved everything,” R.L.