“Call 911!”Maggie sprinted forward, her arms thrust into the air as adrenaline coursed through her veins.
Suddenly up ahead, Walker ran toward her, his leash dragging behind him.
The dog barked as he raced toward her, his nose in the air.
She stopped and grabbed his leash.“Walker, where is Cindy?”
Walker let out a bark and tugged hard on the leash.
“Let him go.He’s trying to tell us where she is.”Mac insisted.
Maggie quickly bent down and unhooked the leash.Walker didn’t hesitate and raced down the road from where he’d come.
Mac and Maggie ran after Walker.Up ahead, Maggie recognized Tony’s truck.Her heart dropped.
“That’s Tony’s truck,” she said breathlessly.
Mac raced past Maggie and opened the truck door.The dome light revealed it was empty.
“Mac, look!Walker is running into the woods!”
Maggie pulled out her cell phone from her jeans pocket and hit the flashlight icon.She spotted Walker just before disappearing in the dense woods.
“Go back to the campsite and wait for the police.”Mac grabbed her arm.
Maggie shook her head.“No.I’m not leaving Cindy or Walker.Besides, I’m sure Joy has already called them.”
Mac didn’t waste time arguing with her and headed into the woods.Maggie followed.
With each hurried step, Walker’s bark grew louder.
What Maggie saw next horrified her.Walker had Tony backed up against the tree, barking at the evil man.Tony held Cindy against his chest like a shield, refusing to let her go.
“Tony, let my daughter go!”Mac demanded.
Tony’s eyes darted to the father, and he tightened his hold on Cindy’s neck.The girl’s eyes bulged and she went into a coughing fit.
“Don’t come any closer!”Tony reached behind his back and pulled out a knife from his waistband.He waved the weapon toward Mac.
Mac froze, his hard glare laser-focused on Tony.
“Get that stupid dog away from me.”He loosened his hold on Cindy.She wheezed as she gasped for air.
“What do you want, Tony?”Maggie asked, her words unsteady.
Tony narrowed his eyes on her and pointed the knife at her.“You.You tried to mess things up between me and Cindy.You took her away from me.”
Maggie lifted her chin.“You abandoned her on the side of the road.She made the decision to leave with me.”
Tony shook his head.“No, you brainwashed her into thinking I didn’t love her, that she didn’t need me.Cindy needs me.She belongs to me.”
Mac growled low and deep.“If you don’t let her go, I’m going to kill you.”
Tony snorted.“And you.Cindy knows you and Joy don’t love her.Parents should want their kids to be happy.But not you two.You wanted Cindy miserable where she couldn’t live her life with the one person that loves her.”
Maggie took a step forward.“Loves her?You tried to kidnap Cindy, and you are currently holding her hostage with a knife.”
Tony’s wild-eye stare landed on Walker.“Shut that damn dog up before I gut him.”
