“Keep your eyes down,” Jacob reminded me after we’d landed, as he opened the door and lowered the steps.
With my hand in his, we took the steps down. A light breeze blew, sending strands of blonde fluttering about my face as my long skirt billowed. As I inhaled the familiar scent of Michigan summer, humidity and heat filled my lungs. Even in the still of the morning, the promise of the sun’s rays taunted, creating an ache that I could satisfy only by raising my chin and exposing my cheeks to the radiating light. It’d been too long since I’d truly felt the sun’s warmth. As I fought the building desire and maintained Jacob’s demanded pose, my heartbeat echoed in my ears.
Keeping my eyes veiled, I took in the open area of the landing strip, seeing only the edge of the surrounding trees. This was the wooded area where Dina Rosemont’s witness had said her children saw the abduction. It was where they’d seen Mindy carried to a plane . . . a plane possibly piloted by the man beside me—my husband. I couldn’t think about that, not when I needed to trust him.
Placing his hand on the small of my back, Jacob directed me to turn. Lifting only my eyes, I saw that beyond the outbuildings, upon a hill, was the mansion. I sucked in my breath as Jacob frantically whispered, “Eyes down! Don’t look up there.”
It was too late. I couldn’t unsee.
I reached for Jacob’s arm, my knees no longer able to support me. “How? Why?”
“Sara, not now.” His words were harsh, coming from between clenched teeth.
From the distance the man on the balcony couldn’t hear us or maybe even recognize me, but I knew. I knew in the depth of my heart that the man standing and watching the plane land and the passengers disembark was the man I’d imagined while I was without sight. Perhaps if I hadn’t known every inch of him intimately, I wouldn’t have been able to identify him from so far away, but I did.
By the time Jacob got me into the first building, my cheeks were covered with tears, and words were difficult to form. It was all right. From Jacob’s expression I could tell he didn’t want me to speak. Instead he casually walked the perimeter of the room before disappearing behind a door and, moments later, returning. Taking my hand, he silently led me to another bathroom.
Closing the door, he grabbed a towel and rolled it before placing it near the bottom of the door. Then, once again speaking in a whisper, he said, “I saw two cameras out there. There’s nothing visual or audible in here.”
I nodded, hearing but not comprehending. My mind swirled with too many thoughts and memories.
Uncharacteristically, Jacob violently seized my shoulders. Instead of his normal calm, anger exuded from his touch. Through clenched jaws, he said, “Hold it together. Don’t you see? That’s it. That’s the fucking test. You had to know, in your heart. Think about it. How did Brother Uriel know you were at that festival?”
My head moved from side to side.
No. There is some mistake. I didn’t. I never even suspected the blue-eyed man I’d trusted.
“I don’t know what Father Gabriel knows,” Jacob said, “or why he’d even suspect that you remembered your past, but what bigger test could he present than to make you face Dylan Richards?”
CHAPTER 18
Jacob
“Maybe not. Maybe he’s been kidnapped too?” Sara questioned, her blue eyes begging me to make this right, but I couldn’t.
I should’ve told her about Dylan Richards when we were at the motel; however, at the time, I was afraid she wouldn’t believe me. There was too much she was trying to comprehend. It wasn’t that she wasn’t intelligent enough to do it. It was me. I’d seen the distrust in her eyes at the marshals’ station. I was afraid that if I told her about Richards, she’d think I was lying, and I’d promised no more lies.
Taking a deep breath, I loosened my grip on her shoulders. “Sara.” My tone was low and hushed. “I need you to trust me. Look at me. Do you trust me?”
Her dampened cheeks, combined with the pain in her expression, made me hate that bastard more than I already did.
“Do you?” I asked again.
Her shoulders drooped. “I told you I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
“Then believe me, Richards knew your fate. I remember being shocked when Brother Uriel took me to Dearborn, and while we were watching the two of you, Brother Uriel let it slip that Richards was a cop. I didn’t know then what his connection was with The Light. Now, I’ve come to the possible conclusion that as a cop, he helps with acquiring women. I don’t know, but Sara, not only did he know your fate, he delivered you on a platter.”
“Why?” she cried more than spoke, as her chin fell to her chest.