Countdown Read Free Page B

younger brothers had accused him of becoming a hermit, and his mother worried aloud he’d developed agoraphobia. Only his father seemed to understand. Or maybe he didn’t. James couldn’t tell because he hardly said a word.
    The manic chase to the subdivision exit marked the first time he’d driven aggressively since the accident. Thankfully, his neighbor didn’t seem to have such squeamishness. He would never forget the way she’d tried to block the van, and then, despite being hit, gone after them like a raging bull.
    What was the proper thank-you gift for such an act of selflessness? His throat swelled at the possibility of what could have happened had she not intervened. He gritted his teeth and forced the emotions to take a backseat.
    Rachel sat in the passenger seat in silence, her hands squeezed together. He’d insisted on giving her a ride home after her car was towed. It stood to reason she’d be distraught over her banged-up vehicle. Even so, she was uncharacteristically quiet and still. She hadn’t let a second go by with silence on all the other rides they’d shared to church and back.
    He forced a small smile. “Hey. Are you okay?”
    She blinked and jerked in her seat. Her wide eyes roved past James and the boys, as if she’d been awakened from a dream and surprised she wasn’t alone. “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I mean, I’m sure I will be.” Her voice took on a chipper tone. “I suppose it takes a while to process things when something like that happens.”
    The sudden positive take didn’t ring true. “If you hadn’t slowed them down...”
    She flashed him a dark look and darted a glance behind him. Ah, message received. She didn’t think he should discuss it any more in front of the boys.
    But James felt the need to talk about it. The squeal of her tires had made him look through the living room window to discover the boys had slipped outside without him. They had asked if they could ride their bikes outside, and he had said they could after his phone call. They were supposed to have waited. He never let them go outside alone.
    He shouldn’t care what Rachel thought of him, but still wanted to explain so she wouldn’t think he was an irresponsible dad.
    James groaned inwardly. Discussing their disobedience now would only make the boys think the kidnapping attempt was their fault. How would the experience affect them in the long run?
    His pulse ran hot and fast again. Relief turned to anger at the situation. He’d calmed down after the paramedics had checked the twins. His initial reactions began to seem like paranoia. Now he wasn’t sure. Could the kidnapping attempt be connected to the anomaly he’d discovered at work or the phone call he’d made two days ago?
    â€œWe’re going home, right?” Caleb asked.
    â€œYeah, buddy.” That was the third time in two minutes one of the boys had asked. They should’ve recognized their surroundings since they were gazing out the windows.
    â€œAnd the bad guys are in jail?”
    James’s throat tightened. They still hadn’t caught the escaped kidnapper, but the officers assured him they would. Patrol cars circled through the area, neighbors were on alert and the cop seemed positive the man wouldn’t be foolish enough to try to get at his kids again.
    Rachel twisted in her seat. The green tints in her blue eyes sparkled off the rays from the setting sun. Her grin held a hint of mischief. “Do you boys have a favorite food?”
    Ethan shouted pizza at the same time Caleb yelled ice cream. Rachel nodded. “Mine, too.” She stiffened and faced forward. “I’m not trying to imply we eat together. I just thought a treat might help them get their minds off things.”
    James shook his head. “I didn’t think of that.” But the image of her at his dinner table made his lips