To Claim Her Read Free Page A

anything I can get you before lights out.”
    And it was.  Her eyes were heavy within minutes, and the last thing she saw before sleep overtook her was Mark leaning against the wall, watching over her.

Chapter Two
     
    Gretchen dropped the curtain back into place.  The patrol car sat on the street outside her quiet house.  She turned for the bed, creeping back under the covers, and relaxed with a sigh.  Settling noises had kept her awake all night.  It was completely unlike her to be the damsel in distress.  Instead, she was the caretaker, first for her sister when their mother died leaving them alone.  She swore then, as a freshman in high school, that she would strong.  Watching her needy mom for too many years convinced her never to fall into that trap.  Later, she had become the caretaker for Eddie.  She had never regretted a moment of that role.
    She was usually snarky and tough, taking crap from no one, except possibly her sweet younger sister.  Tonight, though, the events of the last few days caught up to her.  The house had gone from old and charming to something out of a midnight movie.  Dark shadows seemed to dominate every room.  The sounds that were once comforting were eerie reminders that someone had snatched her from the middle of her day and planned to bury her alive.  Unbelievable. 
    The doctor hadn’t found any signs of rape.   Thank goodness at least that hadn’t occurred in the forgotten hours of her captivity.  She’d been bruised up, probably from being hoisted through the woods and fighting for freedom against the restraints.  Otherwise, though, nothing but a few stinging, seeping cuts on her back and arms, likely from the rough tree bark. 
    She moved to the bedroom beside hers and snapped on the bear lamp.  Eddie’s room.  She sat on his twin bed and looked around at the toys stacked neatly on the shelves.  Military organization from the time he could manage it.  Just like his father.  Gretchen sighed and rubbed her temple.   The headache from the date rape drug they found in her system was finally letting up.  Physically, she was fine.  But emotionally, she was a wreck. 
    She had made tough choices years before when faced with an unexpected pregnancy.  Of course she had tried to tell Mark but when he had told her he was leaving, the news seemed to take on the air of burden rather than joy.  She didn’t want to share it with someone who would see it as a miracle. 
    So she’d let him go, off to prove something to himself and his military retired father.  Now, though, faced with telling him the truth about their four year old, she doubted her decision.  Eddie was a happy child, surrounded by a loving mother, aunt, and friends, but that might not be good enough.
    She smoothed her hand over his soft forest creature bed spread.  He was spending a few days with her dear friend from high school who had a son the same age.  Whether she was safe or not, at least he was.  
    She returned to her bed for a while longer.
    A car engine from outside drew her attention.  Just a passing motorist.  The police car still sat right outside.   She blew out a breath and considered checking the locks once more.  No.  No way.  She’d already made rounds twice since coming upstairs.  She’d even turned on the flood lights in the backyard to check out the nearby tree line earlier.
    She rolled her eyes at herself.  She wasn’t needy.  She was tough.  It was time to remember that.  She pulled the baseball bat from the corner of the room onto the bed with her and settled in again to try and get some rest.
    After a handful of hours of sleep, Gretchen dragged herself down the hall for a quick bath.  A hot shower pounding her skin would do wonders to relieve her tension, but the bandages on her back needed to stay in place until she got to work this afternoon.
    The phone rang in the bedroom as she lifted herself from the water.  She ran, dripping, to the nightstand and