Free Finding Amy by Carol Braswell

had always been the wild one. Trouble followed her where ever she went, and she had counted on Amy for help. But on graduation night when Jamie had told her she and Martin were eloping, Amy had done everything she could to talk her out of it.
    “He’s twenty years older than you. You’re only eighteen and haven’t experienced life yet, Jamie. Why don’t you wait? If it’s true love, it will still be there in five years.”
    But Jamie wouldn’t wait. She had left after the graduation ceremony leaving Amy to break the news to their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Summers hadn’t taken it well.
    “Call the police, D ave. Have her picked up.” Dorothy Summers had ordered her husband.
    Mr. Summers had shaken his head. “She’s eighteen and considered an adult, Momma. We don’t have any say in what she does.”
    Within six months, Jamie had contacted Amy, crying uncontrollable about how unhappy she was. Jamie told her Martin had changed from the man she had fallen in love with.
    “He’s doing something illegal, I just know it.” Jamie had cried to her twin.
    The call came during Amy’s shift at the hospital. She had eased into an empty room and shut the door. “What do you mean, ‘illegal’, Jamie? Like, gambling, threatening people, what?”
    Jamie sighed and lowered her voice. “No, something a lot worse. I don’t want to talk about it over the phone.”
    “ Why don’t you leave? You can stay with me until you decide what you want to do.”
    Jamie sobbed harder. “I can’t, Amy. I’m pregnant.”
    Amy learned later that Jamie had lost that baby and things seemed to get better with Martin, so Jamie stayed. Trisha Lynn came along a year later. Jamie had confided to Amy that she knew too much about Martin’s business to leave him.
    Now they were in deeper than Amy would have let them get, had she known the extent of the problem. If Jamie had been honest with her, Amy would have done things differently and they wouldn’t be in this much danger.
    That brought to mind the man Martin had sent to find and eliminate her and Jamie. Where would that leave Trish? The only place she could be; with her father. They had to get away before anything horrible happened. What if Carson hadn’t fooled the gunman? What if he had already found Jamie and Trish?
    Amy threw the blanket off and sat straight up in her seat. “What if he still follows us? What if he’s already found Jamie? I need to call her.” Amy grappled for her purse on the floor to retrieve her cell phone.

Chapter 8
    “Amy, calm down.” Carson slowed the truck. He didn’t want to stop but he would if he thought it necessary. “You’re getting upset over things you don’t even know for sure. I agree you should call her and make sure she is alright. But I don’t think you should tell her anything until we get there.”
    Amy held her phone and prepared to dial, when his last statement dawned on her. “Why?”
    Carson pulled the truck over to the side of the road and stopped. “If she gets spooked she may run and that can be detrimental to her and the child. She needs to hear it from us face to face. There are some things you don’t know and I believe you need to hear them from her. We have to get to her first.” Amy didn’t say anything. “Amy, are you okay?” Carson asked.
    “No. But I’m in no position to do anything about it. Don’t worry. I won’t say anything except that I’m coming.”
    Carson accelerated back onto the road. “Amy, I have been a Texas Ranger for several years now. Before that I worked for the Texas Department of Public Safety. I know my job and I know criminals. I am here to protect all of you and get you back to Texas safe and sound. You have to trust me.”
    Amy nodded and called her twin. Carson had no choice but to listen to her side of the conversation. As he suggested, she didn’t mention anything to cause Jamie to get suspicious. Hanging up, she curled up against the door but sat back up pulling her seatbelt taunt.