“Who’s the little girl?” I pointed to the child with the long, red ponytail and narrowed my eyes as she shifted on her feet. Her sneakers were untied, and she had an ugly red gash on her cheek. It looked like someone hadn’t done a very good job of keeping an eye on her either.
The deputy glanced over at the little girl and pushed up the front of his tan hat with the tip of his index finger. “She’s the older sister. She was the one who noticed the kid was gone early this morning. We’ve asked her a couple of times if she has any idea where he might have gone, but she isn’t saying anything. She’s scared.”
I narrowed my eyes at the boyfriend who was now yelling at the people coming through the scene about their incompetence. He kept saying if this had happened back home in Florida, the little boy would've been found already. His whole demeanor was off, and the little girl flinched every time his voice rose an octave.
Growling under my breath, I tugged on the black baseball hat with the Forest Ranger logo on the front and situated my ponytail through the back. Keeping my eyes on the girl, I moved away from the deputy and headed in her direction. I was a few feet away when the boyfriend was suddenly standing in front of me. I lifted my eyebrows when one of his fingers shot out and poked me in the center of my chest. I stopped moving and slowly sidestepped him, intent on getting to the little girl.
I stopped short when a hand wrapped around my upper arm and jerked me back a step. The idiot was bold, putting his hands on me in front of so many witnesses, most of whom had uniforms and badges in plain sight.
“What do you think you’re doing, lady? You can’t talk to her without permission.” The guy had small, beady eyes and a twitchy, aggressive demeanor. I disliked him on sight.
“I need her legal guardian's permission. Not yours.” I glanced at the now limp and hazy woman who was all but hanging in the arms of a female deputy. “Ma’am, do you mind if I talk to your daughter for a few minutes? You do want us to utilize every resource we have to locate your son, don’t you?”
Yes, the woman was distraught, and not altogether in control of her faculties, but all I needed was the slight dip of her chin in agreement before I blatantly stepped around the boyfriend and crouched down in front of the obviously terrified little girl. She was able to give me permission without a word by nodding quickly. The agreement would stand up in court if it came to that, and there was no way I was leaving this campsite without speaking to this child.
I tipped the brim of my hat back and gave her a grin. “Hi, sweetheart. You’ve got a nasty cut on your cheek. Did you let someone look at it?” The little girl shook her head violently and took a stumbling step away from me.
“You’re scaring her. Leave her alone.” The boyfriend barked the command from behind me, but we both ignored his bluster. “Diane, tell the cops to leave Emily alone. We can find Christian without them. He’s just screwing around. Stupid kids.”
Man, I couldn’t wait for Rodie to show up and rake this guy over the coals. Hopefully, he would find a reason to lock up the asshole overnight. His intentions were obviously not good, and he seemed indifferent to the care and well-being of the children.
I cocked my head at the little girl. She was staring intently at the logo on my hat. I pulled it off and handed it to her. “You can have it if you talk to me just a little bit and let me fix up your scrape for you.”
Tentatively, she reached out a hand and took the hat. She also reached for my hand when I stuck it out in her direction. “You don’t have to worry about getting in trouble if you talk to me. I promise no one will be mad at you, and no one will hurt you. All we want to do is get your brother back safe and sound. He called you Emily. That’s a very pretty name. My name is Ten.”
The little girl gasped, and her eyes opened wide. “Like the number?”
I smiled at her and rose to my feet. “Just like the number. How old are you?” My guess was not much older than her missing brother.
“I’m seven. I’m older than Christian, so it’s my job to watch him. Kenny said it’s all my fault he’s gone.” She sniffled as I led her to the back of one of the ambulances still parked onsite.
“Kenny is wrong. Sure, big sisters should keep an eye out on their little brothers, but it’s his job and your mom’s responsibility to keep you both safe. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
I hefted her up onto the ledge formed by the open doorway in the back of the big vehicle, and helped her situate the too-big hat on her head. She wiped dirty hands over her face and looked down at her feet. I used a finger under her chin to tilt her head back so I could look at her scratch. It was a superficial wound, but it’d been left untreated long enough it was starting to scab on the sides. “Did you get this running through the woods playing with your brother?”
She bit down on her lower lip and shook her head. “No.”
I lifted my eyebrows and moved to the side as a female paramedic popped up seemingly out of nowhere to fuss over the little girl.
“Do you want to tell me how you got hurt?” I saw her gaze dart over my shoulder to where her mother’s boyfriend was raising hell. Rodie had shown up sometime in the last ten minutes. His patience for the hostile man’s antics was even less than mine had been. All the yelling and blustering was going to come to a stop real quick if the big sheriff had anything to say. If there was anything bound to set Rodie off, it was someone questioning his ability to do his job. He took a lot of pride in being an elected official and the only man in charge of law and order for such a huge, untamed part of the state.
The little girl winced as the paramedic wiped something across her cut. She looked back down at her dirty shoes, and the too-big hat on her head slid so I couldn’t see her face.
“Christian and I were bored. Mommy promised we could go fishing and swimming. Kenny didn’t want to, though. He wanted to stay by the tent and smoke his funny cigarettes.” The paramedic straightened and gave me a look. I inclined my head in Rodie’s direction, indicating she should go tell him about the ‘funny cigarettes.’ If nothing else, if he had weed on him, it would give Rodie a reason to throw the loudmouth in the slammer for possession. People tended to forget marijuana was still illegal once they crossed the border between Colorado and Wyoming.
“So, you wanted to go have fun, and Kenny didn’t let you?” The bigger story was starting to make more sense to me. The little boy hadn’t run off for no reason, and the adults hadn’t called it in because they had something to hide.
“Yeah. He yelled and told us to be quiet. Christian got upset and started crying. One of the other dads at the campsite next to ours came over to see if everything was all right. Kenny got really mad about it. After the guy left, he knocked Christian down, and he smacked me across the face.”
Of course he fucking did. “Where was your mom, sweetheart?”
If the woman put that loser ahead of her own kids, I was going to make it my mission in life to ruin her.
“Mommy wasn’t there. She went to the store. Kenny is nice when she’s around. Not so nice when she isn’t. Christian got really upset and ran off. I tried to go after him because it’s my job to watch him, but Kenny caught me. I wasn’t fast enough.” I heard her sniff again. “Kenny told Mommy that Christian was playing a game. At first, she thought he was just hiding and being a brat. She didn’t get nervous until later.”
I nodded and reached out to squeeze the little girl's shoulder. “Where do you think your brother went? Is there a reason you didn’t you tell the nice deputies what happened when they showed up?”
She finally looked up at me with watery eyes. “Kenny told me not to say anything. He told me he would punish me if I said he was the reason Christian ran off.” She shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know where he went, but I don’t think he’d go hide in the woods. He’s scared of bears.”
I gave her a reassuring grin. “That’s good to know. What about down by the river? You said he wanted to go fishing.”
She shook her head again. “No.
He can’t swim, and he’s kinda afraid of water.”
Running her story back through my head, I pinpointed an obvious answer as to where the little boy may have gone. “What about the other dad who stopped by to check on you guys? Maybe he tried to go get help after Kenny hit you? I think that sounds like something a good brother might do.”
Emily tilted her head to the side, and I reached out to catch my hat before it fell off her head. She blinked up at me and slowly gave a small nod. “Maybe. He didn’t want the dad to leave. He wanted to tell him how mean Kenny was to both of us.”
I let out a slow breath. “Can you tell me where the dad is in the campsite? Do you remember what he looked like, what his family looked like?”
Emily let her eyes dart around the busy campsite, her teeth working her bottom lip so hard I was worried she was going to make herself bleed. Finally, her small shoulders fell, and her entire body seemed to wilt in defeat.
“I don’t see them anywhere. Maybe they left.” She fell quiet again, so I reached out and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
“I’m going to talk to your mom, Emily. I’m going to make sure she knows that Kenny isn’t so nice to you and Christian when she’s not around. Thank you for talking to me, for trusting me.” The little girl moved to hand me the hat back, but I told her to keep it.
I left Emily with the paramedic to do a more thorough exam. I made my way over to where Rodie now had the boyfriend cuffed and sitting in the back of his rugged blazer. Normal patrol cars didn’t cut it in this kind of terrain.
“I need you to track down the family who was renting the campsite next to theirs. I think they might have a stowaway onboard and not realize it. The sister says the little boy wouldn’t run to the woods or the water because he’s scared of both. But a concerned citizen interfered earlier when he heard this dirtbag getting rough with the kids when the mom stepped away. The little boy might have been looking for another adult to intervene; both the kids are terrified of him,” I pointed at the boyfriend with a sneer. “Christian may have hidden away thinking he could get help and not get hurt if he had distance between him and this bully.”
The man opened his mouth to say something, but twin looks of disgust from Rodie and me made him snap his mouth shut before he uttered a sound.
“How’d you get the girl to talk?” Rodie asked the question and issued orders to get the name of the family and to put out a BOLO alert on the car once they had a make and model.
“I bribed her with my hat and promised her this guy wouldn’t ever be able to hurt her again. Once the mom gets her act together, you need to evaluate her response to hearing her boyfriend has been abusing her kids right under her nose. If she doesn’t take the threat seriously, I want CPS involved.” I wasn’t going to let the little girl down. And I wasn’t going to stand around waiting to hear if someone found the car or not. I needed to pick my way through the woods on the off chance I hadn’t guessed little Christian’s motives right. After securing a promise from Rodie that he would vet the mother thoroughly, I asked where they needed boots on the ground for the grid search.
Many cold and dark hours later, the radio attached to my hip crackled to life. I was tired, frustrated, and worried I’d gotten everything wrong. Rodie’s deep voice was full of relief and rough praise when he let everyone know the boy was found hiding in the fifth-wheel the other family was towing behind their truck. They’d been stopped at the New Mexico border. The boy was hungry and exhausted, and terrified, but otherwise unharmed. A collective cheer went up from the search party, and I felt like I was going to collapse with relief.
Rodie asked me to switch the radio over to a private channel. There he told me the mother was horrified when he told her the reason her son had taken off was because of the abuse at her boyfriend’s hands. According to Rodie, she was snowed by the guy. A classic case of him being too good to be true. She demanded charges be pressed against him for injuring her daughter, and the woman was visibly relieved when she was told her son was none the worse for wear. He also complimented me on my uncanny ability to always see between the lines everyone else missed.
I was so happy the kid was going home and the mother was going to do right by her children. It brought to mind how crappy Webb’s upbringing had been, and how none of the adults in his life were there to do right by him when he was little. And, for the first time in forever, instead of wanting another case to distract me, or another circumstance to get lost in so I didn’t have to focus on my failures and faults, I was ready to go home.
Not back to my family’s ranch. Not even to Sheridan, even though that’s where I’d always considered home. Nope, I was ready to get back to the man who’d both tied me down and set me free at the same time. I had somewhere I wanted to be, someone I wanted to be with, and there was no arguing against the warmth sizzling under my skin when I realized Webb would actually be there waiting for me.
I might not have fallen in love with Webb Bryant hard and fast. But I was pretty sure I was drifting my way there, nice and slow. When I reached the final destination, I wouldn’t be beat up and bruised from a crash landing. I’d still be in one piece, which meant there would be so much more of myself for the man who was starting to mean everything to me.
Webb
Ten was filthy and obviously dead on her feet when she finally found her way back to the hotel room in the early hours of the morning. I’d been restless and worried, trapped in the room, unable to do anything but wait for her return. I was determined to keep my promise and stay put so she didn’t have more to worry about when she was out on the job. Finding the little boy needed to be her priority, and I understood that without her having to say a word. She had a calling, one I was insanely impressed by. There wasn’t a single scenario in which I could imagine standing in her way while she did what she had to do. I always wanted to be someone in her life who helped her, not hindered her.
I took one look at her and practically carried her to the bathroom. It wasn’t as swanky or atmospheric as the one in New Orleans, but there was plenty of hot water and enough room for me to wrap my arms around her and hold her up as she practically collapsed from exhaustion. I quickly washed her long hair, picking bits and pieces of bark and pine needles out of the pale strands. She had a scratch on the side of her neck I made sure to clean, and rubbed the rest of her down with efficient movements so I could get her from shower to bed in the shortest time possible.
She tried to ask about the visit from Cy and Rodie. Apparently, the sheriff mentioned he’d already spoken to me, and Ten wanted to know if the other protective men in her life had tried to warn me away. Not wanting to get her worked up when what she needed was rest, I distracted her with a kiss and wandering hands. She went pliant under the gentle stroke of my hands and let me maneuver her to the bed. She returned the kiss automatically, but I could tell it was taking the last of her reserves to respond. I appreciated the effort but was determined to take care of her the way I’d been trying to from the get-go. It was the first time I’d ever actively put someone's needs in front of my own, and I was surprised how good it made me feel. She gave a soft sigh of contentment as soon as her head hit the pillow and her eyes immediately slid shut. Her naked body disappeared under the white sheets, and her breathing went deep and even in about a second.
I sat on the edge of the bed, and watched her long enough that it passed being romantic and probably bordered on the edge of creepy. I couldn’t look away from her. I still had trouble believing she was here. I was in disbelief she came back to me when she made it a point to remind everyone on a regular basis she was fine on her own and didn’t need help. The fact she relied on me and trusted me to hold her up when she was ready to fall meant everything. I was finally starting to see the man my brother tried to convince me I’d grown into.
It took effort to pull myself away from her side, and from the daydream I was weaving where things would always be this way between us. I knew she wasn’t always going to be soft, and I k
new I wasn’t always going to be settled. I usually left before I found myself having to compromise, so sticking things out for the long haul meant learning how to give as well as take really damn fast. It was a good thing I was a quick study.
I ditched the towel I’d wrapped around my waist after our shower and climbed into bed on the opposite side of Ten. The sun was going to be up soon, but I could feel sleep tugging at me in all directions. As soon as I was stretched out, one arm bent over my head, Ten rolled and slotted herself against my side like she’d been filling the empty space there for years rather than a few intense days. I let my arm fall around her shoulders and pulled her closer. Her skin was still slightly damp from the shower, and I loved the way it felt so smooth and soft against mine. She was such an intriguing mix of contradictions. Her demeanor was as hard and cold as stone, but when she let you close enough to touch, she was all velvet and silk. Her mind was razor sharp, but her heart was so tender and unprotected. She acted as if she’d lived a thousand lives and was carrying the weight of too much experience on her shoulders, but there was an innocence and wonder in her eyes, which still made her seem slightly naïve as to how bad the things humans were capable of could be. She might not admit it, but Tennyson McKenna wanted to believe the best in people, even when she’d been let down time and time again. I was determined to finally be the one who rewarded her unwavering faith.
She threw an arm over my waist and hitched her knee up so it was resting on my thighs. Since we were both naked, and having her in my arms felt better than anything ever had, sleep took a little longer to find me than I thought it would. I concentrated really hard on anything but the woman curled up beside me until I finally floated away with the lull of slumber.
Runaround Page 17
