Tracie Peterson by Hearts Calling Page B

didn’t belong when we were back home. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened if I’d just listened.”
    “Maybe,” Riley admitted. “Then again, maybe it would have happened back there. We can’t second-guess this situation. Either you trust God to keep her in His care or you don’t. Is God any less God just because things aren’t going your way?”
    “No, of course not,” Zandy conceded.
    “Good,” Riley answered with a smile. “Now, I’m going to carry you upstairs, and I want you to stay in bed for the rest of the day. If you don’t, I know ways of putting you to sleep and insuring the matter.”
    Zandy saw a bit of a twinkle in his eyes and couldn’t help but smile. “Very well, Mister Dawson. I shall be an obedient wife.”
    “That’ll be a first,” Riley said, lifting her in his arms.
    ❧
    Zandy was true to her word and waited out the day in bed. In the days that followed the note’s arrival, she even tried her best to leave the entire matter in Riley’s hands.
    Mostly she busied herself with Ruth and played with Molly and her brothers.
    Riley was grateful for the reprieve from Zandy’s usual desire to help. He wanted very much for her to remain calm and at peace, but he knew she was worried for her friend.
    Daily, he went to retrieve the mail, always looking for another letter from the kidnappers with further instructions. At one point, he was sitting and considering how he would approach the monetary demands when Burley entered and pulled up a chair.
    “Any word yet?” he asked his son-in-law.
    “No. I’m getting mighty tired waiting on it too.”
    “Kidnappers are queer creatures,” Burley said with a shrug. “Who can know their minds?”
    “I didn’t expect this, though.” Riley hadn’t intended to speak the words aloud.
    “Why not?” Burley questioned. “You were, after all, the one that believed so adamantly that she’d been taken. You were sure of it, in fact, even when it didn’t seem all that sensible to me.”
    Riley said nothing, hoping that Burley would drop the subject. He didn’t want to explain the first letter and cause Zandy’s father any undue worry. Still, there was the matter of the ransom note. Riley was completely baffled that a man who’d thought Zandy in trouble and wanted to help her out would turn kidnapper when he realized he’d taken the wrong woman. It just didn’t figure.
    “You’re keeping something to yourself, aren’t you?” Burley asked seriously. “I think if it involves any of us here, you’d best come clean and share it with me.”
    Riley ran a weary hand back through his dark hair. There really was no rea son that he shouldn’t tell Burley. The man had a right to protect his family.
    “A boy named Brian Masters brought me a letter the morning after Pamela’s disappearance. It explained why she’d been taken. That’s how I knew she hadn’t just wandered off or run away.”
    “Why didn’t you say so?” Burley questioned. His voice was edged with irritation. “Did you tell the sheriff?”
    Riley shook his head and reached into his desk. From the very back of the drawer, he pulled out the letter and handed it to Burley.
    Burley unfolded the note and quickly read the contents, then lifted his eyes to meet Riley’s. “He meant to take my Zandy?”
    “It would appear that way.”
    “But who would want to do that? I mean, most folks around here know how happy she is. This feller obviously thinks she’s being forced to stay with you.”
    “I’ve asked myself the same thing, Burley. Who in the world would believe her miserable? She fairly lights up the day with her smile, and the happiness she knows from anticipating this child is more than anyone could doubt. But, what really confuses me is why this same man would now hold Pamela hostage. Why not just return her and lay low for awhile? I mean, I realize he would be concerned, since he left the note for me, but he’d have little trouble bringing Pamela back, then