Every time he almost stumbled over the words, the love he saw in Flora’s eyes kept him going. Even through her fear, she was guiding him on, reassuring him that she knew he was talking to her. Only her.
“Then, you came into my life, and everything changed. I’m not going to pretend it was easy. I was scared, afraid to let go of the control I had over my feelings. I was in a safe zone, and I told myself I didn’t want to step out of it.”
Both women were gazing at him, and he wondered how much he was fooling Daisy. Could she be so deluded as to seriously think he was pouring his heart out to her? Leon didn’t care. He had finally found the courage to speak.
More importantly, he could see what Daisy couldn’t. He could see the figures closing in on her from behind.
“It was when I thought I’d lost you that I knew how wrong I’d been. If you love someone else as much as I love you, you have to start caring for yourself as well. That meant I had to forgive myself. Every moment I spent dreading that the past would repeat itself became a waste of our future.” Tears were streaming down Flora’s face as she listened to him. “I didn’t believe I was worthy of a second chance at love, but now I know everyone deserves to be happy. If you’ll take my hand now, I swear to you I’ll never let it go again.”
His final sentence was more than a declaration. It was also a signal to action. As he finished speaking, Flora held out her hand. Leon grabbed it and pulled her toward him at the same time that Glen and Joe seized Daisy from behind. Wailing with fury, Daisy tried to swipe with the knife, but Glen already had her wrist in a firm grip. She screamed in his face as he calmly removed her weapon. Seconds later, Glen had her hands cuffed behind her back as he informed her of her rights.
Flora was trembling all over as Leon held her tight against him. “Let me take a look at your neck.”
She shook her head. “Not now. The twins...”
As Flora raced toward Daisy’s car, Laurie stepped in front of her, blocking her path. “I’m sorry. My officers need to check the vehicle over before you approach it.”
“My boys are in there—” Flora made a movement to push past her, but Leon caught hold of her wrist.
“Laurie’s right. Daisy could have done anything to that car.” She strained against him for a moment before collapsing into his arms with a little sob. “It won’t take long.” He stared at Laurie over Flora’s head. “Will it?”
The police chief returned his gaze, her face solemn. “I hope not.”
Two cops wearing protective clothing commenced a detailed search of the area around the SUV, checking the grass before moving on to the car itself. One of them lay on his back and used a flashlight and mirror to examine the underside of the vehicle. His colleague checked the exhaust, fenders, tires, and wheel arches.
“If the boys are looking out of the window, and they can see me, they won’t understand why I’m not going to them,” Flora said. There was no noise coming from the vehicle, and that troubled her. She’d have expected the boys to be crying or shouting for her. The silence was a worrying sign.
What have you done to them, Daisy? Her nerves ratcheted up another level, alarm screaming through her bloodstream.
While the two officers continued checking the vehicle for hidden traps, the others were following orders from Laurie and Glen. The two patrol cars that had been blocking the highway moved, re-opening the road to traffic. One of the sheriff’s deputies pulled his vehicle up close to the scene, and Glen escorted Daisy toward it.
The cop slid out from under the SUV. “Getting ready to open it up.”
“No sign of any booby traps on the passenger side.” His colleague slowly opened the door, and Flora held her breath.
“The vehicle is empty, Chief Delaney.”
Flora’s world swam out of focus. As she sank to her knees, Glenn and Daisy drew level with her.
“Where are my boys?” She would plead with a cold-blooded killer if she had to.
Daisy turned her head, looking up toward the distant sound of roaring water. “Eternal Springs.”
A soft smile touched her lips, and Flora realized with horror that she was enjoying this final moment of triumph.
Leon squatted on the grass beside her as Flora covered her face with her hands. She was only dimly aware of the sheriff calling one of his deputies over. “Get the prisoner into the vehicle and take her to the cells. I need to stay here and liaise with Chief Delaney on the search for the missing kids.”
“Search?” Flora turned to look at Leon. “Daisy said...”
“She said Eternal Springs. That could mean anything. It doesn’t have to mean they went into the waterfall. It could be that she left them close by. Or she could be lying.” He took her hands and pulled her to her feet. “The police will use the helicopter, dogs, get local trackers involved, anything it takes.”
“Why don’t they make her tell them what she did?” Flora asked.
She looked across to where one of the deputies was holding Daisy’s arm as he guided her to his patrol car and put her in the back seat. As she watched, Daisy swung her legs around. With incredible strength and agility, she kicked the deputy in the chest with both feet. He fell back, hitting the ground. As he did, Daisy sprang from the vehicle at a run.
Both Laurie and Glen drew their weapons, but neither of them got a chance to fire, or even issue a warning. With a burst of speed, Daisy ran onto the highway. Right into the path of an auto-transport carrier.
Leon wrapped his arms around Flora,
