Protecting Her Daughter (Wrangler's Corner)

by Eason, Lynette

  Cody stomped back into the house, flakes of snow melting in his hair, blistering curses on his lips. “I gotta go into town and get a part. The truck won’t start.”

  “What? What happened?” Jed asked.

  “I don’t know. I think it’s a spark plug.”

  “Take mine.” Jed tossed Cody his keys. “Don’t be long.”

  “Guess I’ll be as long as it takes.”

  At Jed’s cold stare, Cody ducked his head. “But it won’t take long.” He trudged back out, and Aaron heard the vehicle start up and drive away.

  He turned his attention to the boss. “You mind if I check on the heifer out in the barn?”

  A heavy sigh slipped from the man. “You mind if I put a bullet through your head?”

  A whimper escaped Sophia, and Aaron’s fingers flexed into fists. He forced himself to relax. “Come on, man, it’s an animal.” He gestured to Zoe and Sophia and Lance. “As long as you have them, I’m not going to do anything stupid.”

  Jed studied him then nodded to Pete. “Fine. Go with him.”

  “What?”

  The two exchanged a silent look. “Go with him,” Jed repeated.

  Pete lifted a brow. “Right.” He shot Aaron a grim smile. “Let’s go.”

  Aaron figured that exchange between the partners was permission for Pete to kill him. His heart thudded a faster beat, and he sent up prayers for safety and wisdom. Truly all he’d wanted was to get in the barn and deliver the calf should the mama be ready. Now, it appeared he was going to have to fight for his life.

  Zoe didn’t miss the interaction between the three men. She jumped up. “I’ll go with you. You might need some help.” Then she stopped. She wasn’t leaving Sophia behind, though. “Sophia’s a great help in the barn, as well.”

  “This isn’t some country club vacation!” Pete yelled. “Sit down and shut up!”

  Zoe sat, and Sophia buried her face in her side with a low cry. Zoe pressed a hand against the little girl’s head, trying to offer comfort. “Shh…”

  “I’ll be fine,” Aaron said. “Just do what they say.”

  She bit her lip. “But—”

  “Don’t argue, Zoe,” Lance said. She frowned. Sophia pulled on her hand, so she snapped her lips shut.

  *

  Pete followed Aaron out the door and Zoe couldn’t help the prayers that slipped from her lips. She looked at Jed. “What do you want? Why are you doing this?” She glanced at his phone. “Who are you waiting for? Who’s supposed to call?”

  He waved the weapon at her. “You just need to be quiet. You’ve led us on a merry chase.”

  “Was it you who tried to kidnap Sophia from her school?” She regretted the question when his gaze slid from her to Sophia. He didn’t answer. “Why?”

  “Shut up!”

  Lance reached over with his hands taped together at the wrist, and clasped her fingers in a light squeeze. Zoe clamped her lips closed. Lance sat so quiet she’d almost forgotten about him. She shot him a frantic glance. Jed’s phone rang, and he stepped back still keeping an eye on them as he answered. As soon as he averted his gaze, she leaned toward Lance. “He’s going to kill Aaron,” she whispered. “We have to do something.”

  Sophia’s arms tightened around her at her words, but she couldn’t just sit there and let Aaron die.

  “Aaron has a plan,” Lance said. “I could see it in his eyes. Let’s let him play it out.”

  “What if it backfires? What if he needs help?”

  “I know Aaron, he’ll be all right.”

  Zoe saw the worry in his eyes and wondered if he really believed it or was just trying to ease her mind. She feared the latter. “But—”

  “Hey! Zip it!” Jed’s shout made her flinch, and she blinked back a surge of tears. Lance’s hand stayed clamped around hers and she sank back against the couch even as she looked for a way to secure a weapon—or something to release Lance’s hands with.

  *

  Aaron went straight to his truck and pulled his vet bag from the passenger seat. It was awkward with his hands taped, but he managed. Pete didn’t say anything, just watched him. Aaron ignored him and headed for the barn, his mind spinning. God, help me, please. Don’t let him kill me. Let me be ready to fight back when he strikes.

  Once inside he went to Lily’s stall and saw the heifer pacing. The area had been extended so it was double the size of a normal stall. Lily lay down then got up. After repeating this for several minutes, she finally stayed down. She lowed, a painful groan that Aaron knew would grow in intensity in the next few minutes.

  Aaron looked at Pete. “I need my hands. She’s ready.”

  “Not a chance.”

  With his hands still taped in front of him, Aaron got the heater and turned it on. He placed it in the stall and watched the heifer get up then lie down again. This time she let out a loud bellow that shook the rafters of the barn.

  Pete watched him, his dark eyes hard. Cold. His right hand held his weapon in an easy grip. His finger played with the trigger.

  Aaron gave a shudder as fear swept through him. But he kept his cool. He had to. Zoe, Sophia and Lance were probably going to need him. The gun swung up. A Glock.

  All it would take to end his life was the twitch of the man’s finger. “If you kill me before she delivers, this cow is going to put up such a holler she’ll bring the neighbors down on you.” As if to confirm his words the heifer let out another moan. Louder this time than the last.

  Pete frowned then scoffed. “What neighbors?”

  “There’s the Garrett farm to the left and the Hunt farm to the right.” He lifted his chin to the north. “Up that way just behind the tree line, there’s a pretty big general store. The owner is there every day and he’ll hear the cow bawling if I don’t deliver this calf. The owner of the store is Michael Richardson and a good friend of the Updikes. He’ll be here within minutes to find out what’s going on. You want that?”

  Aaron’s words seemed to sink in. Pete cursed and spit on the ground, but at least he removed the gun from Aaron’s face. “I saw that store. Stopped to get gas there. Dude asked twenty questions and wouldn’t shut up about wondering who I was visiting and spending the holidays with.” He scowled.

  “Yep, that’s Michael.” He paused. “Or you can kill me, I guess, and deliver the calf yourself.” The heifer chose that moment to make her presence known with a screeching groan that morphed into a low grunt. Pete flinched, his eyes darting to the barn door as though he expected someone to start pounding on them at any second. “At least if I’m here if someone shows up,” Aaron said, “I’ll be able to reassure them that everything’s all right.” He met Pete’s gaze. “Trust me, I don’t want anyone hurt. If someone shows up, I’ll make sure they think everything is just fine.”

  The heifer bellowed again.

  “Or I could just shoot her.”

  Aaron winced. “Yeah, you could. And again, bring attention to the fact you’re here. True, this is the country and people carry guns. And use them. But we’re mostly civilized and neighbors around here still respond to gunshots.”

  “No one came when I shot at that pretty little lady in there.”

  “You’re fortunate. You want to push it?”

  Still glaring, Pete pulled a large knife from his front pocket and flipped it open. “Guess I could just use this then.”

  Aaron winced. “Yes, I supposed you could.” He sighed. “Come on, man, let me deliver the calf and be done with it.”

  Pete hesitated, and Aaron really didn’t like the look in the man’s eyes. The cow groaned, and Pete muttered a few choice words. He leaned toward Aaron, and Aaron braced himself, expecting to feel the knife sink into his flesh.

  One swipe was all it took to split the tape holding Aaron’s hands together. Aaron hissed as the blood rushed to his fingers and he flexed them even while his brain scrambled for an escape route. He needed to do something and fast before Cody came back—or Pete decided to throw caution to the wind
and exact his revenge.

  He looked at Lily. She hadn’t gotten up again so she was definitely ready. At least the barn was warm. The heater was a heavy-duty propane deal that put out enough warmth to keep the stall nice and toasty. A plan began to form even as he shrugged out of his coat. He maneuvered his way around to the heifer and rubbed her head to reassure her. She knew him and didn’t seem nervous around him. Aaron prayed for an easy birth. Her moaning and bellowing continued. He looked up to see Pete had moved closer, his hard eyes flat. Waiting. Every so often they would flick toward the door. Good. Aaron’s words had him thinking someone would show up.

  Aaron knew as soon as he delivered the calf he was dead. While he worked with the mama and baby, he thought, planned and prayed. He pulled the calving chains from the bag he’d dropped on the ground. Pete lifted the gun. “What are you doing?”

  “They’re to help pull the calf out if I need them. I might not, but I need to have them nearby.”

  Pete stayed silent, but watchful.

  Aaron worked with the heifer, soothing her and rubbing her belly, feeling the baby move. Thankfully, it wasn’t breech any longer. It had turned the right way and from here on out, the heifer would do most of the work. Aaron would assist while he went through the plan over and over in his head.

  Finally, after a number of hard contractions and bellows from the soon-to-be mama, he saw the calf’s legs poking out and slipped on a clean pair of gloves to help the baby out into the world. “Hand me those chains, would you?”

  “I’m not here to help.”

  That’s what he figured the man would say. Aaron gritted his teeth and left the chains on the bag. He didn’t really need them anyway. He wrapped his hands around the baby’s legs and heard the heifer give another moan, waited on the next contraction, then pulled. While the mother let out one last bellowing yell, the calf slipped onto the fresh hay and Aaron worked to clear its nose. He then teased a nostril with a piece of straw to make it sneeze. It obliged and Aaron went to work on the afterbirth. Once he had everything finished, he rolled his head and glanced at his captor from the corner of his eye.

  Pete had moved closer, the gun now trained on Aaron. Aaron casually pulled the gloves from his hands and dumped them in the trash bag he’d brought out.

  He stood as though to stretch, but instead, in one smooth move, spun, grabbed the heater and swung it around into Pete’s head. The man didn’t even cry out. He simply slumped to the ground, the weapon landing with a thump on the hay. Aaron grabbed the calving chains and tied the man up. Heart pounding, adrenaline surging, he stood back and looked at his handiwork. A long gash in the man’s head bled freely, but Aaron didn’t think he’d done too much damage. And Pete might manage to get out of the chains eventually, but it would take him a bit of time. Hopefully, he and the others would be long gone by then and law enforcement would have things under control.

  Breathing heavily, Aaron pulled Pete from the stall then went back and grabbed his coat. He shoved his hands into the sleeves, grabbed Pete’s gun, then slipped back out of the stall shutting the mama and baby in behind him. He stuck Pete’s gun in his shoulder holster.

  A phone, he needed a phone.

  He patted the man down, searched his pockets and came up empty. Great. There was a phone in the office.

  He raced to it and twisted the knob. Locked. And he didn’t have his keys. Aaron stepped back, lifted a foot and kicked. The door shook, but held. Three more kicks and it swung open. He grabbed the handset from the base and turned it on. Listened.

  To nothing.

  He groaned. They’d cut the landline.

  He stopped and pressed a hand against his forehead. Think, think. Consider your options.

  And came up with one.

  Overpower Jed, get the others out before Cody came back. Or Pete woke up. It wasn’t a great plan—or even a plan at all—it was just what he knew he had to do.

  Aaron slipped out of the barn and up to the house. He figured boss man would be in the den or at least near it to keep an eye on Lance, Zoe and Sophia. He’d go in the front door as he figured it was probably still unlocked. His rushing adrenaline made him shaky and clumsy. He took a deep breath. He wasn’t a cop, this wasn’t his deal. He was perfectly happy to leave catching the bad guys and rescuing people to Clay and the deputies, but today it fell to him.

  He wanted to hurry, but had to be careful. If he got caught this time, there wouldn’t be a third chance for escape. They didn’t need him as Pete had just proven while in the barn. He and Lance were collateral damage. He couldn’t believe Pete had bought his story about neighbors coming to check on the cow. Most likely, they’d have heard her and figured she was giving birth and Aaron was there to help. Birth was a noisy affair, and the neighbors knew that. Aaron’s hunch that Pete wouldn’t know that had paid off.

  At the front door, he paused, placed a hand on the knob and twisted slowly. Nothing happened, so he cracked it enough to see inside. The foyer, the living area to the left, dining to the right. The den was straight ahead. He slipped inside and shut the door behind him.

  He listened, ear tuned to the slightest sound, muscles bunched and ready to act. Sounded like Jed was on the phone. He glanced out the window and thought he saw a vehicle down the drive. Cody coming back?

  Heart racing, he moved until he could see Lance still on the couch with Zoe. Sophia sat between them. He caught Lance’s eye. Lance blinked but made no other indication that he’d seen Aaron.

  “Fine. I’ll take care of it. I’ll deliver them both tonight. And you’d better have the rest of my money.”

  Aaron raised the gun.

  Lance shifted. “Hey, when are we going to get something to eat? Sophia needs some food even if you’re not going to feed the rest of us.”

  Jed stepped into view, the back of his head toward Aaron. He pointed to Zoe. “Go fix something.”

  Zoe moved to stand when Aaron stepped up behind Jed and placed his gun against the man’s head. “Move and you die.” The man froze. “Put the weapon on the counter.” Jed did. With his free hand, Aaron took the gun and held it. He nodded to Zoe. “Cut Lance loose.”

  She raced into the kitchen and came back with a knife. She cut the tape and Lance stood. Jed twitched like he wanted to try something. Aaron pressed the gun harder. “Don’t.” The man stilled.

  “Hey, Jed, Pete? I got the part,” Cody called as the back door slammed behind him.

  FOUR

  Zoe froze, but didn’t have time to stand there for long. Jed started to call out, but Lance’s fist shot out and caught him in the jaw. Aaron brought the gun down on the back of his head for good measure and the man crumpled to the floor. Lance took the gun from Aaron. “Get them out of here. I’ll deal with Cody.”

  But Cody appeared in the small hallway between the kitchen and the den before Lance could get there. Cody stood for a brief moment, his jaw swinging as he took in the scene, but Zoe didn’t stop in her rush to get Sophia out of the house. She reached the large bookcase next to the front door and pulled Sophia next to it praying it was out of the line of fire. She could feel her child’s body trembling, but she never made a sound.

  “Hey!” She saw Cody’s hand lift, the gun aimed at Lance. Lance dropped and rolled in front of the counter and out of sight. Aaron fired his weapon and she saw Cody spin into the wall then hit the floor. Zoe moved away from the bookcase and toward the door, pulling Sophia with her. She looked back to see Cody roll and bring his weapon up again, firing even as Lance aimed at him and pulled the trigger. She dropped to the floor covering Sophia’s body with hers. The loud cracks made her ears ring.

  “I’m going to kill you! All of you! I don’t care about the money anymore, you’re all dead!” Pete’s bellow came from the kitchen somewhere behind Cody. She heard the door slam once again. Lance leveled his weapon toward the kitchen and fired back. She wanted to get Sophia out, but was afraid to move. Afraid it would be the wrong direction and one of them would catch a bullet.
She heard a curse and saw Jed move, shake his head then sit up.

  Then Aaron was beside her grabbing Sophia from her and pushing her toward the door. “Go, go, go.”

  Zoe, Aaron and Sophia raced through the front door. Aaron snagged Sophia’s heavy coat as he passed it. Bullets pelted the doorframe, and Sophia screamed. Zoe just followed expecting to feel the slam of a bullet at any moment. Lance was backing out behind them, firing back, keeping the three men at bay.

  “Head for the trees!” Aaron urged her. “Don’t look back, just run. I’ve got Sophia.”

  “Go!” Lance hollered as he whipped around and fired his gun once again. She heard a harsh scream from one of their pursuers but didn’t turn. Five more steps and they’d be in the shelter of the trees. The house had been built with a plan to utilize the wooded area for shade during the summer months. Even stripped of most of the leaves, the trees would offer them the most protection. The frigid wind made her flinch, but she couldn’t stop now.

  Zoe raced into the thicket and turned to find Aaron carrying Sophia in his arms. Lance brought up the rear. He continued to look over his shoulder as they ran. “They’re still coming.”

  “At least they’re not shooting,” she panted.

  “I got one of them, I think. The one they called Jed. Just winged him, though.” Lance stayed close. “Keep going. We’re going to follow the tree line all the way around and head up to the store on the hill. Hopefully Michael is there and will have a phone we can use.”

  “Won’t they think of that?” Zoe asked.

  “Yeah,” Aaron grunted. “I basically told Pete about the place when I was trying to convince him to let my hands free. If we head up there, we’ll just put Michael in danger.”

  Zoe kept casting glances at Sophia. “You okay honey?”

  “Just scared,” came her small voice.

  They kept moving in the direction of the store. “I don’t want to put Michael in danger,” Zoe said. A shot cracked a tree in front of her.