The Christmas Bell Tolls Read Free Page A

bakers, and many others. Savannah was picking out flowers with one of
the local florists in the kitchen area where the flower samples were being
kept.”
    It was supposed to
be a fun time for Savannah. Enjoying the Baxter family
prenuptial party. Girl time.
    “A person or
persons entered the kitchen from the back door and knocked out the florist.
Minutes later, at least that’s what we assume at this point, someone found the
florist unconscious on the floor.”
    Darren tried to
process what Nick said, but he could only visualize his daughter’s tear-streaked
face. How scared and horrified she had to be. Did it trigger an asthma attack?
Did she have her inhaler? Dear God, please—keep her safe. Protect her. Oh,
sweet Jesus Christ, please protect my baby!
     “The police
were called while everyone searched for Savannah. Some thought she might be
hiding, scared, but after turning the community center upside down, they
couldn’t find a trace of her.”
    Gone.
    No , he
couldn’t accept that. Wouldn’t. Not Savannah.
    She was all he had
left.
    Nick continued
with the details he knew. “Maddie went outside and searched the parking lot.
She found Savannah’s bow on the ground, far away from where she’d parked when
they’d arrived.”
    Definitely
taken. Someone took his daughter. Darren couldn’t think.
    “The police are on
the scene. Maddie called her forensics team. I’m about to head that way myself.
I’ll oversee the investigation unless otherwise directed by the Executive
Assistant Director.”
    “Why wouldn’t you
oversee the case?” Darren’s mind wasn’t wrapping around the facts properly.
    “Because
the victim is the child of a senior agent in my unit.”
    He hadn’t
considered that. Then again, he really couldn’t consider anything.
    “If you’re ready,
let’s go.”
    Darren jumped to
his feet and followed as Nick led the way out of the office and down the hall.
    Images swarmed
Darren’s mind, clenching his jaw as he strode behind his boss. Savannah smiling as a newborn. After her
first heart surgery. As she slept. Crawling. Her first steps. So proud of
herself for saying dada . Her first day of
preschool.
    “We’re going to
find her,” Nick said as he slid in behind the steering wheel.
    Darren didn’t
trust himself to speak. He clicked his seatbelt automatically. He couldn’t hold
a coherent thought in his mind. Savannah was gone. Lord, please…help her.
Help me. He didn’t even know what to pray.
    The siren
screeched as Nick peeled out of the parking lot. Loose gravel skidded across
the asphalt.
    “I’ve put a call
in to the state office and requested they send in a couple of outside agents to
assist.”
    “I don’t
understand. How was she taken?” Darren’s mind finally opened to allow more into
his brain than just that Savannah was gone. “Someone came in and knocked out
the florist and took Savannah? So she was definitely a target?”
    Nick nodded as the
cruiser sped toward the community center. “That’s the premise we’re working off
of at the moment. No one else was bothered and preliminary report is nothing
was disturbed.”
    Waves of nausea
rocked Darren’s tightened stomach. His daughter had been kidnapped. The
enormity stole his breath.
    “Darren, you know
we’re going to have to ask. Go ahead and start building a list of any enemies
you might have. I’ve already requested an update on any of the recently
released from prison cases you’ve worked on. Can you think of anyone else?”
    His mind went
blank. All he could think about was his daughter was gone. Like Georgia.
    No! Not like
Georgia. Missing, not dead. Please, God, let her be
okay.
    “Timmons?”
    Darren shook his
head. “Not that I can think of right now, sir.” As an FBI agent, sure, he made
enemies, but none stood out to him at the moment. The only thing he could think
of right now was his daughter had been taken. “Sir, what’s the timeline?” Time
was of the essence. The first minutes after a