Treacherous Trails Page 16

  “He’s breathing,” Owen whispered.

  “I’ll stay with him. Go.”

  He crept into the kitchen where he found no signs of struggle. “Mama?” he called softly.

  “Back here,” came her strained voice. Relief and fear stampeded inside his gut as he sprinted down the hall to the master bedroom. He found his mother holding his rifle, cheeks tearstained, the back bedroom door open to the small outside porch, curtain billowing in.

  He ran to her and she gripped his hand, and he took the rifle from her shaking fingers.

  “I’m okay. Someone, a young man with dark hair...”

  “Tony,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “He took Betsy.” She gulped back a sob. “He came in and hauled her right out of the chair and tossed her over his shoulder. I got off one shot at his vehicle, but I was afraid I might hit her. What are we going to do?”

  He took her in his arms. “Did you call the police?”

  She nodded, sniffling against his chest. “Poor Betsy,” she cried. “Poor thing. If I’d just acted faster.”

  He did his best to comfort her, but his mind was on Keegan.

  “Mama, stay here, okay?”

  “Why?” she demanded, eyes narrow. “What is it?”

  He knew it would do no good to lie. “Keegan’s hurt.”

  She pulled out of his arms and ran to the kitchen as he hustled after her.

  Keegan was sitting up, groaning, with Ella’s hand on his arm. Owen let loose with a breath. “You okay, Keeg?”

  “No,” he said with venom. “Coward hit me from behind.”

  Ella turned a stricken look at him. “Tell me,” she breathed.

  How he desperately wished he did not have to say it but he could not lie to her. Not now, not ever. “Ella, Tony has Betsy.”

  She started to shake and he went to her while his mother knelt beside Keegan. He helped her into a chair where she sat shivering, lips moving, but no sound coming out. Grabbing a blanket, he draped it around her shoulders.

  He texted Jack, made sure the police were on their way, stayed close to Ella, and berated himself for not anticipating Tony’s brazen move. It must have been him following them to Dory’s place. He’d seen them leave with an envelope, maybe even listened in under the open trailer window and heard about Linda’s notes and the key. One phone call to Reed and they’d decided on a plan.

  Ella’s phone rang, but she did not seem to notice so he answered it.

  “If you tell the cops about what Linda gave you, Betsy dies.”

  TWENTY-THREE

  “Reed,” Owen said, fire erupting in his chest. “You tell your man Tony if Betsy so much as breaks a fingernail...”

  Ella was frantically gesturing, so he turned on the speakerphone. “I want my sister. Don’t hurt her. I’ll do anything.”

  “You’ll bring me Linda’s papers and you don’t make copies for the police. And the key. I want it all. I’ll call you soon and tell you when and where. I have people watching, so don’t think you can double-cross me. Do exactly what I say, or she dies, slowly and painfully.” His tone went soft and smooth. “You believe that I’ll do it, don’t you, Ella? Luke underestimated me and that was his last mistake.”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “I believe you. Don’t hurt her. Please.”

  “The cops will be at your house soon, I would imagine. They’ll go after Tony, but I have an alibi and they won’t be able to make a connection to me. If they get wind of this phone call or one look at that envelope, you know what will happen.”

  Owen felt as if he was going to crush the phone. “Reed, you’re going down.”

  “It’s so hard to be the hero when you don’t have a leg to stand on, isn’t it?” Laughing, Reed disconnected.

  Ella took the phone, staring as if it was a snake. “He’s going to kill her if I don’t do what he says.”

  “You can’t trust him, Ella. He’s just trying to scare you off. We have to tell the police.”

  She shook her head. “He means it.”

  “The police have the resources and manpower to handle this, Ella. We have to tell them.”

  “No,” she shouted so loudly that Keegan and Evie both stared at her. “I have to save my sister. I have to save her. You can’t tell the cops.” She stared wildly from Evie to Keegan to Owen. “Please.”

  “It’s not the right choice,” he said.

  “But it’s my choice, Owen.” Her eyes burned. “It’s my sister whose life is on the line and I have to give her the best chance to survive.” She got up and pressed her forehead against his chest. He closed his eyes, the sensation almost overwhelming his senses.

  “Please,” she whispered.

  You can’t negotiate with terrorists, he wanted to tell her. Reed has no reason to keep your sister alive after he gets what he wants. She could already be dead for all they knew. But the soft touch, the pleading in her tone, and his heart was doing flip-flops.

  He wrenched his gaze from her to his mother and brother.

  Slowly Evie nodded. “We will abide by her decision.”

  Keegan sighed. “I don’t trust the cops to dispense the proper punishment anyway. We’ll figure out where Reed has Betsy.”

  Owen turned back to Ella. “Once we go down this path, there’s no turning back. Are you sure, Ella Jo? Very sure?”

  “No,” she said, tears rolling down her face. “I’m not sure of anything, but I have to do what he says.” She swallowed convulsively. “Betsy must be terrified. I can’t stand it.”

  He took her in his arms and held her tight until her tears soaked the front of his T-shirt and her sobs echoed in his ears.

  * * *

  Mr. Thorn and Jack returned from their errand to town, beating the cops by only a few minutes. Evie was tending to Keegan, who held an ice pack to his head. Ella’s lungs would not cooperate, and she was sure Larraby would know she was hiding something. It was painful to know that Evie and Keegan were withholding evidence to keep Betsy alive, but not as excruciating as the knowledge that her darling sister, Betsy, was out there somewhere, scared, bewildered, in the hands of a killer.

  Keegan was explaining to the police how the abduction had taken place. “I saw an SUV parked near the paddock,” Keegan said. “Didn’t look familiar so I came in from the stables to check and someone bashed me over the head.”

  Evie handed him a fresh ice pack since he had vociferously refused a trip to the emergency room. “Not your fault. I was on my way down the hall with a blanket for Betsy when this Tony knocked me down and barreled into the bedroom. He locked the door. I ran to get the key and call the police. By the time I got the door open, he had her over his shoulder and carried her out the door.”

  Larraby and his team took prints and photographs. “We’ll get this information out as quickly as possible.” His expression was soft, almost sympathetic. “I know you’re worried, but we’ll do everything we can to get her back, okay?”

  Ella could only nod.

  “Call me if you think of anything else.”

  Anything else? Like a madman has my sister? She was surprised he could not hear the frantic pounding of her pulse, or see the fingernails dug into the skin of her palms.

  Larraby finally left. Evie and Tom sat down to puzzle over Linda’s letter and the decision was made to use their small machine to make copies in spite of Reed’s ultimatum. Backup insurance, Ella thought with a pang of terror, in case he got what he wanted and didn’t return her sister.

  Ella did not know what to do after that, but Owen and Jack each began making calls after a quick discussion.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Just checking to see if anyone caught sight of Tony’s vehicle leaving our property. Ken Arroyo might have gotten a look, or maybe Oscar.” Both men had properties that backed the ranch. He caressed her
shoulders. “Don’t worry. We’re not giving out any particulars and both of them can be trusted. If Tony didn’t take the main highway, then the backroads would lead him either up into the mountains or north to Misery Flats.”

  Her stomach squeezed into a tight ball. Misery Flats was a former boomtown, abandoned after the gold went dry. Now it was acres of sun-baked ruins, a sprawl of danger and decay. She gritted her teeth and waited, each second passing in slow motion.

  “I’ve flown over it many times. Only one main road in and out. Good hiding place,” Jack said.

  After a series of phone calls, the men had nothing to report. With the rain and ranch chores to be tended, no one had seen Tony’s vehicle.

  She checked her cell phone every few seconds to see if Reed had called but the screen remained empty. How long would he wait, letting her writhe in worry about her sister?

  The evil gleam on his face when he’d nearly strangled her resurfaced.

  She dies slowly and painfully. He would not have the slightest qualm about killing Betsy.

  Evie tried to get everyone to sit and eat from a plate of sandwiches, but no one, not even Keegan, took her up on the offer. Ella tried desperately to keep her mind from running into terrified splinters, but she could not focus on anything except the phone in her hand, the precious envelope she refused to put down and the key she’d hung around her neck. Reed had to call.

  Owen touched the top of her head and bent to whisper in her ear. “It’s gonna be okay.”

  The floodgates opened and tears coursed down her face. She stood and he embraced her, smoothing her hair, talking softly to her.

  A blast of cold air circled the room as someone opened the front door, but she almost didn’t have the energy to care to look to see who it was until a familiar voice boomed through the kitchen.

  “What, you all are sitting down to dinner and you didn’t invite me?”

  After a moment of utter shock, she ran to Ray and threw her arms around him.

  * * *

  When Ray finally disentangled himself from his sister, he accepted handshakes and hugs from the group. Owen clasped him in a fierce embrace.

  “Did I interrupt something between you and my sister?” Ray said, stepping back.

  He didn’t miss the implication. “It’s not like that.”

  “Looked a lot like that,” he said, eyes narrowed.

  “We had a situation.”

  Ray looked around at the family, confusion on his wide face. “Why does it seem like you all are gathering for a funeral around here?” His eyes narrowed. “Where’s Betsy? I brought her a puzzle all the way from Iraq.”

  Ella swallowed and tried to force the words out. Ray watched for a moment until he grew impatient and looked to Owen. “Where is she?”

  He knew Ray would not want any sugarcoating. “She was kidnapped about two hours ago.”

  Outwardly he did not react, but Owen knew his best friend enough to detect the impact of the statement had punctured him to the core. He reacted as Owen figured he would.

  “What happened?” he demanded of Owen. “You were supposed to be taking care of her.”

  “I didn’t see it coming,” Owen said.

  “It was your duty to see it coming,” he snapped.

  “I don’t think you could have done better.”

  Ray’s nostrils flared. “Oh, I think you’re wrong about that. It was on your watch.”

  “No,” Ella said. “It was on my watch.”

  He and Ray stared at her.

  “If you’d both get off your manly high horses and listen for a minute. Betsy is my responsibility and we are not some mission for you show-offs to argue over. Bruce Reed had his guy, Tony, abduct Betsy. We have to save her, that is, if you’re both done pointing fingers at each other.”

  Ray finally nodded. “My rifle’s at the house. I’ll get her back. Where’s he got her?”

  “We don’t know yet,” Owen said.

  “Cops?”

  Owen explained Ella’s decision not to involve them.

  “Reed lives with Candy Silverton?” Ray headed for the door.

  “You can’t go over there,” Ella said. “If you do, we’ll never get Betsy back.”

  “Oh, I’m going to get her back, Ells.” Ray’s face was dark with rage.

  “Listen to me,” Ella pleaded to Ray’s departing back.

  Owen started after him.

  “Nah, you stay here.” Ray tossed over his shoulder. “I will take care of this myself.”

  Owen gripped his biceps. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t know the players. You’re gonna make things worse.”

  Fury darkened Ray’s face. “Worse than having my sister kidnapped and Ella’s life in danger? I trusted you were handling things. If I hadn’t gotten leave, who knows what might have happened.”

  Owen clamped his jaws together. There was no defense. He had not kept the two women safe.

  Ray’s skin was tanned from the desert sun where he’d been sweating and risking his life daily. Owen should have been there too, his gut told him. He’d been no help to his unit, no help to Ella and Betsy. What should he say to that?

  The silence stretched between them until Ray huffed out a breath. “I shouldn’t be shooting my mouth off. Just venting frustration. Sorry, man. I know it’s not your job to watch over my sisters 24/7.”

  Owen didn’t answer. Not his job, but he still felt lower than he ever had.

  “Got your message that you’re re-upping,” Ray said. His eyes swiveled to Ella. “Is that still the plan or have your priorities changed?”

  His friend’s innuendo ignited a hot flush that crept up Owen’s neck. Their kiss in the hospital tickled his senses again and though he wouldn’t admit it, he craved more of them.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mother start to say something, but Jack’s touch on her shoulder stopped her. Bad enough to be embarrassed by your best friend. Far worse to have your mother step in and try to smooth things over for you.

  “Ray, nothing has changed. I’m glad you can admit that this isn’t Owen’s fault,” Ella said.

  “It shouldn’t have been on him.” Ray turned towards his sister. “I wasn’t here when you needed me, but I’m here now, and I’m gonna make this Reed guy tell me where my sister is.”

  Ella clutched at his arm. “Ray, you can’t sweep into town and take charge of everything.”

  “Oh, that’s exactly what I’m gonna do.” Ray headed for the door.

  Owen knew there would be no stopping Ray short of physically taking him down. If that’s what he needed to do to keep his friend from signing Betsy’s death warrant, he’d do it.

  “No,” Owen said, beating him to the front door, “you’re not.”

  Ray sized him up. “So that’s the way it’s gonna be? You’re gonna take me on rather than face Reed? I never figured you for a coward, Owen. What changed?”

  “I got smarter. Learned something about self-control.”

  “You learned how to give up.”

  “This isn’t Afghanistan and you can’t solve this problem with a half-baked rescue mission.”

  “Yeah? Well, you sure haven’t solved anything with all this amazing self-control, have you? Ella’s still going to endure a trial for murder and Betsy’s gone.”

  “We have intel now from one of the women Reed destroyed, at least enough to make him desperate. He’ll do anything to get his hands on it, and that gives us a bargaining chip.”

  “I’ll take a fist over a chip any day.” He stepped back and raised his arms in a fighting stance. “Let’s get this done, Owen, so I can take care of business.”

  Ella cried out. “No, this is crazy. Stop it, both of you.”

  The shine of approaching headlights brought the conversation to a dead stop.

>   Owen shaded his eyes from the glare. What now? he thought. What else could possibly happen? He prayed the new arrival would bring some good news. He didn’t see how it could possibly get any worse.

  TWENTY-FOUR

  Ella was dumbfounded to see Candy Silverton climb out of her car, pulling a hood over her head as she ran for the porch.

  She looked up at Ella’s brother. “Is that you, Ray?” Candy squinted at him. “I didn’t know you were back in the States.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said. “I’m on leave for a couple of weeks.”

  Owen ushered her in. “We’ve, uh, had some trouble.”

  “I know. I listen to the police scanner.” She looked at Ella who expected to see rage or maybe even celebration in her eyes. Instead she saw an emotion she could not identify.

  “Who abducted Betsy?” Candy said.

  “Tony,” Ella said, her tone as strong as she could make it. “But he acted on orders from Reed.”

  There was no denial or excuses from Candy Silverton this time, and Ella wondered what had changed.

  Candy’s eyes shifted in thought as Evie gestured her into a chair and poured her a cup of hot coffee.

  Candy accepted the coffee with a weary smile. “Why? Why would he take Betsy?”

  Owen looked at Ella. She had a split second to decide whether or not to trust Candy. Something in her manner made Ella think the alliances had shifted and Candy might possibly have had a change of heart about her beau. Owen’s tiny nod confirmed her impression.

  Ella sucked in a deep breath. It occurred to her that if Reed really did have people watching the house, he would know that Candy was talking to them, but there was nothing she could do about that. “I have a written statement that implicates Reed in insurance fraud, specifically the killing of horses for profit.” She hesitated for one more moment. “And we also know that your nephew Luke visited Linda Ferron before her death, fruitlessly looking for information about Reed.”

  Candy clasped the mug tightly. “I came to tell you that I found some of Luke’s papers, scraps really. He was a messy fellow.” A sad smile curved her lips. “I learned he had contacted a private eye. Maybe he decided on that after he got nowhere with Linda. I phoned the detective. Luke paid him a deposit but never contacted him again.” Her mouth twisted. “Because he’d already been murdered, by Tony or...” She closed her eyes. “I’m beginning to think perhaps by Bruce himself.”