He could keep her bound and gagged for a day or two, though. Although he couldn’t imagine that would be good for a woman in her condition, either, he didn’t have a lot of other options.

Quit dwelling on the negative. That never helped. He needed to remain optimistic. To march boldly forward. This was his chance to start over and, for the first time in his life, he was going to have a companion who was worthy of him.

He twisted around to look in the back of the van. It had been a long time since he’d been with a woman. He’d always had such a strong libido, missed sex more than anything else since the hemorrhage, so he’d spent a great deal of time thinking about it, wanting it, craving it. And Evelyn was still unconscious, completely incapacitated. If he acted now, he wouldn’t have to worry about overcoming any kind of resistance. He’d also get to experience Evelyn as a whole person, see the intelligence in her eyes as she looked up at him—an opportunity he wouldn’t have for long.

He checked his mirrors. No one else was on the road. There wasn’t anything or anyone waiting for him in Fairbanks. And if she woke up? He had the gun. He could simply put the muzzle to her head and demand she lie still.

With all of that in his favor, why not pull over and consummate his relationship with the mother of the child he would soon make his own?

Anchorage, AK—Thursday, 1:40 a.m. AKDT

Makita kept rubbing up against Amarok’s leg to show his excitement at their reunion. Amarok was equally relieved. He wasn’t accustomed to being without his dog. But he was too focused on saving Evelyn to give Makita any real attention. Before the paramedics had arrived, Edna had roused enough to tell him—in a hoarse and broken whisper—that Bishop had probably taken Evelyn to Fairbanks. Apparently, she’d heard him say he was trying to rent a house there or something.

It was difficult to understand her, and she was too injured to provide any other information. He didn’t know if Evelyn had also been hurt or if she still had the baby—only that she was alive.

Amarok wished he could’ve gotten a few more details, like how long ago Bishop had left with Evelyn or anything about the house he was renting. Any detail could help narrow his search. At this point, he couldn’t even rule out a condominium, a duplex or a ranch house on a lot of land.

Fairbanks was 350 miles away. And it wasn’t nearly as small as Hilltop. Bishop could easily blend in there, making it difficult for Amarok to ever find him, especially if he wasn’t using his real name, which he would never be stupid enough to do.

“Mom, please relax,” he heard Ada say as he, Makita and Phil passed the paramedics, who were loading her mother into the ambulance. They’d pulled into the driveway after using a pair of bolt cutters to get onto the property, and Edna had roused again now that they were transporting her, kept mumbling incoherently and crying. “Don’t try to talk anymore. Everything’s going to be okay,” Ada added.