I wished—desperately—that Cady were here in my place. I had enough trouble dealing with my own emotions. Dealing with a child’s felt like juggling glass. “Guess what?” I said, hoping that I hadn’t spooked her past the point of reply.

After a long moment, Bella whispered, “What?”

I let out a breath. “Mommy and Daddy are back now,” I said softly. “They’re waiting for you, and, Bella?” My voice caught in my throat. “They’re going to be so happy to see you.”

Bella had a family. She had people who loved her. She had something to go home to. Concentrating on that—and ignoring the lump in my throat—I took my cell phone out of my pack. No service. I hadn’t really expected that there would be. I went for the radio next and dialed it in to the station the rangers used.

“Can anyone hear me?” I put the words out into the ether but got nothing but static in response. “Come in.” I heard the faintest hint of something on the other end of the line. “Come in. This is Kira Bennett. I found Bella. I repeat, I found Bella. Our coordinates are…” As I gave them our coordinates, I stood, appraising our surroundings, all too aware of the fact that Bella’s kidnapper could—and probably would—return.

“Did you get those coordinates?” I waited for a response and got none. “Do you read me? Come in.” I repeated myself several times, then took my fingers off the call button but didn’t stop speaking. “Please…” I found myself saying, “Cady…come in.”

Find me. Bring me home.

I ground my teeth together and swallowed. I hadn’t cried when I’d buried Silver. I couldn’t afford to lose it now. If I couldn’t be certain that help was coming, I’d have to break protocol and bring Bella in myself. I was fairly certain that she wasn’t injured—at least not the type of injury that would prevent me from moving her—and the longer we stayed here, the greater the chances that Bella’s angel would be back.

“Is Cady coming?”

I looked down to see Bella at my side, Saskia standing guard between us.

Smiling, Bella reached a hand out to mine. I took it, marveling at the change in her demeanor.

“The angel said that Cady saves people,” Bella whispered. “And the angel doesn’t lie.”

Chapter 48

The trip back was slower with a child in tow, but Bella didn’t show any signs of hunger or dehydration—or fear. If anything, from the moment she’d heard me say Cady’s name, she’d been ready and willing to follow wherever Saskia and I led.