Peril on the Ranch

by Lynette Eason

  She froze.

  So much for not adding back to her stress level. He explained what Ben had told him and that Creed was going back over every bit of the case against Baldwin.

  “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “If you need to go, you need to go.”

  He gave a short laugh. “I’m not going if you’re still in danger.”

  “I have very capable friends who happen to be in law enforcement. They’ll take care of me. If you’re leaving, you need to do so.”

  “But I—”

  “Stop it! Don’t delay it. You’ll just break my heart even more. So, after everyone is gone, say your goodbyes to the kids and...go. Please.” She turned on her heel and walked away. From behind, Mac saw her lift a hand and swipe it across her cheek.

  He’d made her cry. His own throat closed, but he did as she said. He made the rounds. Speaking to the kids and telling them how they were special and he was glad they were back.

  When he got to Katie, he almost couldn’t speak. The little girl had wormed her way into his heart and he could feel it splintering. “Hey, Katie-girl, I need to say goodbye.”

  She frowned. “Where ya going?”

  “I...just have to go away for a while. I have to go build a house.”

  “But...this is your home. Why you want to live somewhere else? How will I hug you if you go away?”

  Mac didn’t think he was going to be able to speak. This was what he’d been avoiding. Getting involved. Attaching his heart to others. Obviously, he’d failed. Miserably. Once he was gone, everything would be okay again.

  “I’ll take a hug now?”

  “Okay.” She held up her arms. Mac picked her up and buried his face in her sweet curls. Oh, this little girl. How had she managed to breach his defenses so easily? He didn’t know the story of how she’d come to be with Isabelle, but he sent up a silent prayer for her safety.

  Mac set her back on the ground. “You’re a great kid, Katie. You’re funny and smart and can be anything you want to be when you grow up. You remember that, okay?”

  “Okay, Mr. Mac. And you’re big as a mountain and you don’t hit little girls and you have a very nice smile. And I love you. You remember that, too, okay?”

  Mac was ready to lose it. He nodded, gave her one more hug and turned to find Isabelle watching them, tears shimmering in her eyes. He couldn’t do it.

  He walked over to her. “I’m not going.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “What?”

  “You’re emotional right now. You’ve come to care about these kids and the rest of us. Don’t make the decision to stay based on how you feel right now. Take some time. Figure out what it is that you really want. If you stay here, you won’t have the distance to do that. And I think you need to call your family.”

  He did, but that was beside the point. “I can’t leave with you still in possible danger.”

  “And if I wasn’t in danger?”

  He opened his mouth. Shut it. Isabelle nodded and squeezed his hand. “Exactly. Go. Figure out what you want.”

  He noticed she didn’t say that she’d be waiting if he decided to come back.

  Ben walked up to them, phone pressed to his ear. He held up a finger. “Well, looks like that’s that.”

  Isabelle raised a brow. “What’s what?”

  “That was Creed. He left a while ago when he got a call that Baldwin wanted to talk to him. When Creed got there, Baldwin confessed to everything. Said he didn’t want to go down for attempted murder, though. Said none of the incidents were supposed to kill anyone, just scare them. He said all of the incidents were just supposed to be distractions and he was hoping one would allow him to grab Lilly and run with her.”

  “But that doesn’t make any sense,” Isabelle said. “She wasn’t even with me at the café when the car came at Regina and me.”

  Ben shrugged. “I dunno. He just said he did it and he was signing a confession. Creed is still talking to him, but it looks like you’re safe and sound now.”

  “I see.” She looked at Mac. “I guess that means you can go with a clear conscience now.”

  “Isabelle—”

  But he was talking to her back. He dug a foot into the dirt, then kicked a rock. It bounced off his truck and he sighed.

  It really was time for him to go.

  EIGHTEEN

  Once again, Isabelle couldn’t sleep, so she paced. From the den to the kitchen, to the kids’ rooms...to Mac’s door. Knowing the space behind it was empty cramped her heart in a way that she hadn’t felt in a long time. It was a different kind of pain than the one she’d experienced when Josiah died, but it was still pain.

  And she couldn’t get away from it.

  The way she’d walked away from Mac earlier gnawed at her. That had been wrong. She’d let her hurt overtake her and she’d reacted. With a sigh, she sent him a text.

  I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let you leave without saying goodbye. Know that I’m praying you’re able to work things out to your satisfaction. You’re a wonderful man, Mac, and I’m grateful for everything you did while you were here.

  She waited to see if he’d respond. When, in the next few minutes, she didn’t get the three little dots, she set the phone aside and pinched the bridge of her nose. She had to do something. Pacing and thinking were just making her bonkers. She turned and walked into the den to pick up the toys still scattered on the floor. She picked up one of Katie’s pretend cupcakes and smiled at the memory of her bringing the one to Mac and him stuffing it in his mouth.

  Tears rose once more.

  Lord, You know best. I truly believe that. Just help me understand how having Mac leave is the best thing for anyone. Because right now, I don’t see it.

  A noise outside the French doors lifted her head and she stiffened. Cody Ray had left shortly after they’d finished cleaning up, to spend the night with his brother’s family before heading to the beach for a few days of well-deserved rest.

  Ms. Sybil had opted to go along, after Isabelle’s urging.

  Drew Baldwin had confessed to everything. She was fine. The kids were safe. She continued her cleaning and had started toward her bedroom when another noise near the kitchen window had her pulse pounding faster and her palms sweating. “It’s nothing,” she whispered. “It’s just—”

  In the kitchen, the sound of glass breaking pulled a gasp from her. Not again. And she’d left her cell phone on the counter. Had Drew somehow managed to get out of custody? Surely someone would have called. And she hadn’t bothered to set the alarm because she was still up and everyone was supposed to be safe.

  Isabelle raced to the boys’ room and shook Danny’s shoulder. He groaned and opened his eyes. “Get up, Danny,” she whispered. “Someone’s trying to get in and I left my cell phone in the kitchen. Do you have yours?”

  “Yes.” Sleep fled from his eyes.

  “Good. Good. Can you give it to me?”

  He snatched it off the end table and handed it to her. She punched in 911. It rang. “Get Zeb and go out the window,” she told the boy. “Don’t worry about the screen, just push it out. Break it if you have to. You understand?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He rolled out of bed to pull on his slippers.

  “Hurry, Danny, I’m going to get Katie and pass her out to you and Zeb,” Isabelle whispered. Dispatch picked it up.

  She left him waking Zeb and hurried to peer around the doorjamb while the woman on the other end of the line asked what her emergency was. But Isabelle didn’t dare speak. She just prayed the woman could track the call.

  Isabelle turned the volume of the phone down low. She couldn’t take a chance her voice could be heard by whoever was in her house. The hallway was empty. She darted into Katie’s room and hurried to the child’s side. She touched her shoulder. “Katie, wake up, baby. I need you to go with Z
eb and Danny.”

  “Ma’am?” the dispatcher’s voice reached her. “Can you talk to me?”

  “Someone’s breaking into my house.” Isabelle rattled off her address. “I’m getting the children out. Track my location if you can.”

  “How many children?”

  “Four. Katie? Come on, honey, wake up.”

  “What’s wrong, Izzy-belle?” The little girl yawned, then frowned. “I don’t want to get up yet.”

  Before Isabelle could answer, she heard more noises from the kitchen. Her heart pounded in her throat. “I’m going to put you out your window. Danny and Zeb are waiting for you.”

  “But—”

  “Shh.” Isabelle covered the child’s mouth with a finger. “Act like you’re playing hide-and-seek, okay? Only you and the boys and Lilly are all going to hide together and be as quiet as you can be.”

  Some of Isabelle’s desperation and fear must have reached the child’s subconscious, because her eyes widened and she nodded. “Okay. I’m good at hiding when the bad man’s around.”

  Her words broke Isabelle’s heart as she helped the little girl out of her window. Zeb knelt and Katie climbed on his back.

  “I’m going to get Lilly,” Isabelle whispered. “Go to her window.”

  Isabelle checked the hallway once again just in time to see a figure enter her bedroom. Oh, God, please keep us safe.

  It wouldn’t take him long to realize she wasn’t in there. She bolted for Lilly. She took precious moments to carefully lift the sleeping baby, praying she wouldn’t cry out. Lilly stirred, but simply buried her face in Isabelle’s shoulder with a soft sigh.

  A thump and a curse came from her room. She moved quickly, her mind racing, trying desperately to figure out who could be there. She went to the window, unlocked it and shoved the screen to the ground. She passed Lilly to Danny and he tucked the baby under his chin. “What are we doing?” he asked.

  “Run to Poppa’s house. Take the short cut through the trees. No matter what happens or what you hear, you don’t stop. If we can get there, we can get help. Okay?” She handed him the phone. “Go, now. I’m coming.”

  The kids took off toward the woods and Isabelle swung a leg over the windowsill.

  Something hard pressed into the back of her head and she froze. “You’re not going anywhere except with me.”

  * * *

  Mac drove with one hand on the wheel. He was an idiot. If they gave out awards for biggest idiot of the year—no, the century—he’d win first place. Hands down, no doubt about it. Actually, he was worse than an idiot. He was a coward.

  He shouldn’t have left. They might be safe—and he was very glad of it—but the realization that it was hurting him far more to leave behind the people he’d come to love in such a short time than it would if he’d just stayed put, left him reeling.

  How?

  Again, the mental picture of his house on the hill came to mind. And with it, the emptiness. Empty table, empty rooms, empty life—empty heart.

  Will you take me fishing?

  How can I hug you if you’re not here?

  I’m glad you came to the ranch, Mr. Mac. Ms. Isabelle smiles more. And that’s saying a lot cuz she smiles all the time.

  He slammed on brakes and pulled to the shoulder of the road and dialed his sister’s number. When he got her voice mail, he said, “I’m sorry, Nancy. I’m an idiot. I know that’s not news, but at least you know that I’m willing to acknowledge it. I want to see you. I want to meet my niece. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to come to my senses. I hope you can forgive me. If I don’t answer when you call me back, I’m not ignoring you. I just have something that I have to take care of and it may take a while. But I love you and I’ll see you soon.” He hung up, his heart beating fast, but a joy in knowing he was doing the right thing flowing through him.

  The right thing with his family, anyway, but what about Isabelle?

  Why was he leaving when everything in him wanted to stay?

  The absurdity of it had him spinning the wheel into a U-turn. He wasn’t leaving. He was going back to beg Isabelle’s—and the children’s—forgiveness and ask for his job back. Then he planned to ask Isabelle out on a date. Assuming she was good with the first part of the plan.

  Please let her be good with the first part of the plan.

  His phone rang and he didn’t recognize the number. He activated his Bluetooth. “Hello?”

  “Isabelle’s in trouble, Mr. Mac. A man broke into the house and took her.”

  Danny’s frantic words sent his heart racing. “Where are you? The other kids?”

  “At her parents’ house. I called 911 and they’re looking for her, but I think he’s going to hurt her.”

  “Who was it? Who took her?”

  “I don’t know.” Danny paused. “He sounded kind of familiar, but I don’t know who he reminded me of.”

  “Think hard, Danny. I’m on my way.”

  “I have to go now.” The boy’s voice lowered. “Bye.” The call disconnected and Mac pressed the gas while prayers left his lips one after the other.

  He voice-dialed Creed’s number and the man answered with a gruff, “What?”

  “Did Baldwin escape your custody?”

  “No. But I just listened to the 911 call and am on the way to Isabelle’s parents’ place. About a minute away. How’d you know she was in trouble?”

  “Danny called me just before I called you. I’m on my way to the ranch.”

  “There’s no one there. Isabelle’s father already went over and called me.”

  Mac’s heart nosedived. “Who took her, Creed?”

  “I have no idea.”

  * * *

  Isabelle still didn’t know who her abductor was as he kept his voice in a low whisper, a quiet hiss that sent shivers up her spine and dread into her heart. When he’d placed the gun against her head, she’d frozen for a split second, then quickly obeyed him and stepped back into the room.

  Desperate to buy time for the kids to get away, she’d held her hands up and faced him, praying he wouldn’t shoot her and then go after the children. “What do you want?” She kept her voice low, hoping that by staying calm, she could gain an upper hand somehow.

  “Your cooperation. As long as I have that, I won’t have to hurt the kids.”

  “Who are you?”

  “Walk out the front door and keep going,” he’d said. “To the tree line and down the path.”

  Isabelle had thought that maybe it was better she didn’t know who he was. As long as he was wearing a mask and she didn’t know him, maybe he’d let her go. But what did he want?

  She’d followed his instructions and walked out the door. He’d prodded her with the weapon at her back to the tree line. Now, with the house behind her and the wooded area in front of her, she shivered in the night air and wished she’d grabbed a coat. “Where are we going?”

  “My truck.”

  Isabelle walked the path that had been made before she’d taken over the property. It struck her that her captor knew about it. He’d guided her to it with no hesitation. How? From watching her? Or because he knew her and her property?

  Again, his voice sounded familiar, but he’d kept it so low and raspy she couldn’t put her finger on it. Praying the children had made it safely to her parents, she pushed on.

  “Here,” he said. “Through those limbs where I hid the truck.”

  She froze. That voice she knew. She whirled. “Travis?”

  He muttered a curse and ripped the mask from his face. Isabelle stared, her heart thudding in her throat. She didn’t know whether to be even more afraid or relieved. Surely Travis, whatever he was doing, wouldn’t hurt her? “What’s going on?”

  “Because it’s time to end this once and for all.”

  “End what? And please, pu
t the gun down. You don’t need it.”

  He lifted it slightly so that it pointed at her head instead of her heart. His eyes glittered in the half-moon light. Cold. Empty. Desperate. Determined.

  The fear returned tenfold. “What are you doing?” she whispered.

  “Let’s not drag this out,” he said. “I need your land and you’re going to sell it to me. Tonight.”

  “But...what? Why?”

  “Because if you don’t, I’m going to wind up bankrupt and I can’t let that happen. I already have a buyer for this place.”

  “You already have—” Isabelle snapped her lips shut. Get it together, Isabelle. “What? But you just bought Valerie a new car.”

  “With the earnest money the buyer sent for this land. I know she was thinking about leaving me and I can’t let her do that. I can afford a divorce even less than I can afford my family.”

  Leaving him? “Valerie never said a word about leaving you, Travis. She was only supportive. And earnest money? It’s not your land to sell!”

  “It will be. Now move. Into the truck.”

  She pushed the shock away and focused on what she had to do to survive. “Travis. I don’t think you’ve thought this through. If I disappear, and you show up with the deed to the land, don’t you think that’s going to look a little suspicious?”

  “I’ve already worked it out. No need to worry yourself about that.” He jabbed her with the gun. “In the truck.”

  Did she have a choice? If she took off running, would he really shoot her? When still she hesitated, he sighed. “Isabelle, I’m tired. Tired of waiting for you to come to your senses and take me up on my very generous offer, tired of Valerie harping about money, tired of my brats always needing something. I’m tired of working all the time to finally have a little money in the bank and then having to spend it on a home repair, a doctor bill, or whatever.” He clenched his teeth and she thought he might pull the trigger right there, but he drew in a breath. “I don’t want to involve those foster kids of yours, but if you don’t cooperate, they’ll suffer. I know you sent them running and I know they probably went straight to your parents’ place. So I know where to find them. And you parents.”