Her Mistletoe Protector by Laura Scott

one. “Thanks for helping us.”
    “I don’t mind at all. We’re going to get your son back, Ms. Simon,” Jonah said reassuringly.
    “Please, call me Rachel.”
    Nick listened to their brief conversation as he drove, pushing the speed limit as much as he dared while following the directions leading them to the designated meeting spot. The GPS took them directly out of town, into farm country. As the traffic thinned, he pushed his speed even further, wanting to make good time.
    The kidnapper hadn’t chosen the location or the tight timeline by accident. Clearly the guy didn’t want to give them too much time to prepare. And Nick absolutely didn’t want to get there after the kidnappers were already there. He was hoping that the perpetrators might have to pick up Joey first, before meeting them, which would give them the time they needed.
    A half hour would be nice, but he’d take less time if he had to. They would need every second to get the lay of the land. And to get Jonah hidden someplace nearby where no one would see him.
    “Dear Lord, please keep my son safe in Your care,” Rachel whispered.
    Her quiet prayer caught him off guard, but he quickly joined in. “And, Lord, please guide us and give us strength as we fight to get Joey back safe and sound.”
    “Amen,” Jonah said from the backseat. Rachel glanced over her shoulder at Jonah in surprise.
    Nick reached over and squeezed her hand. “Jonah is a believer, too.”
    “Good to know,” she said in a soft voice. “I feel like I need all the help we can get.” There was a slight pause before she asked, “Does praying always make you feel calmer?”
    “Absolutely,” he agreed. “Sharing my burdens with God always helps me feel better.”
    “I wish I knew more about God and faith and prayer,” Rachel said. “I feel like I’m not worthy of His help.”
    “You are worthy, Rachel, and so is Joey. But if you’d really like to learn more, I’d be honored to teach you.” He didn’t want to push her too hard, but he was thrilled that she had opened her heart and her soul to God and faith. “Once we have Joey back, I’ll be happy to study the Bible with you.”
    “After we have Joey back,” Rachel repeated. “I’m going to hold you to that, Nick.” She was twisting her hands together in the way he knew meant she was worrying again.
    “We’re going to be okay, Rachel,” Jonah chimed in from the backseat. “God will guide us through this. We’ve been in other tight spots before, right, Nick?”
    “Right,” Nick agreed drily.
    There was so much more he wanted to say, but off in the distance he caught sight of an abandoned barn at the end of what looked to be a hard-packed dirt road. That must be the meeting place. His heart sank as he realized it was out in the middle of a wide-open space, where it would be difficult to hide any backup.
    “Take a look, Jonah,” he said, gesturing toward the barn. “They sure didn’t leave us many options.”
    “We’ll find something,” Jonah replied with confidence. “I doubt they’re going to take the time to search the entire barn. I suspect they’ll make this a quick exchange and get out of Dodge.”
    “I hope you’re right,” Nick muttered, pushing down harder on the accelerator. He couldn’t help constantly looking at the clock on Jonah’s dashboard. It seemed that time was slipping away from them.
    The kidnappers would be there in forty-two minutes. Unless, of course, they decided to show up early. In that case, there was no way to judge how much time they had to prepare.
    * * *
    Rachel’s stomach hurt so badly she feared she might be sick. She took several deep breaths and wrapped her arms tightly across her middle. She could do this.
    She had to do this.
    The big dilapidated barn loomed ominously as they approached. This was it. The moment she’d been waiting for and dreading at the same time. In less than forty minutes the kidnappers would drive up with her son, demanding money in