Her Mistletoe Protector by Laura Scott

Wednesday,” he said thoughtfully, going back through the timeline. It was Thursday and he found it hard to believe that only twenty-four hours had passed since he’d sat in Rachel’s office looking at the threatening notes she’d received. “That means he must have been planning this for a while.”
    “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Rachel said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I saw the guy who kidnapped Joey, remember? He was young, in his late twenties or early thirties. I can guarantee he wasn’t Karl Errol. Karl is a short, rather nerdy type of guy with glasses and a half-bald head, although I don’t think he’s hit the age of forty yet.”
    She was clearly exasperated with him, but he couldn’t just let this go “Rachel, it’s best if we keep all possibilities open, okay? Errol could have easily hired Morales to kidnap Joey.”
    “Believe what you want,” she said with a disgusted sigh. “I know that Karl isn’t capable of doing anything like this.”
    There was no point in continuing the argument, so he concentrated on backing out of the driveway and heading back toward the city. They still had a good hour and fifteen minutes before they were due at the bank.
    However, Rachel wouldn’t drop the subject, even though he hadn’t said a word. “Obviously you’ve forgotten how we were shot at outside Margie Caruso’s house, which implicates the Mafia, not one of my employees.”
    He hadn’t forgotten, but that incident had been more of a warning rather than an attempt to kill them. “Maybe we should head back over there, then?” he asked. “We have time.”
    “Great idea,” she agreed enthusiastically.
    He stifled a sigh and headed toward the freeway. They’d driven about twenty minutes when Rachel’s cell phone beeped. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel because so far the only person who’d texted Rachel since this nightmare began was the kidnapper.
    “He wants to know if I have the money yet,” Rachel said, glancing up nervously. “What should I tell him?”
    “Tell him that we’ll have the money by one o’clock this afternoon. That gives us a little bit of a buffer since we’re hoping to have this settled by noon.”
    “I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” she protested. “I don’t want to make him angry.”
    Nick understood her concern, but he wanted some time to react to the kidnapper’s exchange plan. Since Logan was out of the country, he’d had no choice but to call his friend and fellow cop, Jonah Stewart, for assistance. Jonah lived with his wife, Mallory, in Milwaukee, but once he’d heard the story, Jonah had readily agreed to drive up to Chicago. “If this guy understands anything about banks, he’ll understand the time frame is more than reasonable.”
    Rachel swallowed hard and sent the message explaining they’d have the money by one o’clock in the afternoon.
    There was a tense silence as she waited for the kidnapper’s response. When her phone beeped again, she picked it up with shaking fingers.
    “Well?” he asked. “What was his response?”
    Rachel lifted her tormented gaze to his, her lower lip quivering with fear. “He said to text him the minute we get the money and not a second later. He also said he’d hurt Joey and keep on hurting him for every minute we’re late.”

SEVEN
    R achel shivered, despite the bright sunlight streaming in through the windshield keeping the interior of the car toasty warm. She couldn’t bear the thought of the kidnapper hurting her son. She didn’t even want to think about what Joey may have already suffered.
    She forced her frozen fingers to text back. I promise I’ll call as soon as I have the cash. Please don’t harm my son.
    “Rachel, try not to panic. I’m sure he’s bluffing,” Nick murmured, reaching over to squeeze her hand.
    “I’m not willing to take that chance,” she snapped.
    Nick didn’t seem a bit fazed by her anger. “Remember, we’ve just purchased a