Renewing Lost Love

by Karen Ward

  Pinky blushes again from head to toe and says, “Just doing my job ma’am.”

  All of a sudden Timmy runs out the front door of the house and throws himself into Samantha’s arms and screams, “Miss Sam, Miss Sam, you’re here! Mr. Pinky told me the police were going to save you from that mean man and they did!”

  Samantha encloses his little body in a warm hug and says, “Oh Timmy, I’m so glad to see you! My goodness, look how much you’ve grown! How do you like living on the ranch with Mr. Pinky?”

  Grinning from ear to ear Timmy says, “It’s the best. Mr. Pinky and Miss Jasmine are going to be great parents!”

  A look of disappointment crosses Samantha’s face but she says, “I’m so glad you like it here.” She hugs him tightly to her again.

  Scoot and Pinky both realize immediately that Sam is disappointed to learn about another woman in Pinky’s life. Pinky thinks it’s best that she find out now rather than later. He and Jasmine don’t need any more complications in their relationship.

  ******

  I am watching from inside the house as the scene unfolds in the circle drive. I see the pretty blonde woman throw herself into Pinky’s arms and kiss him so enthusiastically and I can’t help but feel jealous. Then I see Timmy throw himself into the same woman’s arms and the jealousy rages out of control for a few seconds. I brush a tear off my cheek and turn and walk up the stairs to my room where I let the tears fall.

  A short while later I feel the bed sag as Keith sits down beside me and says, “Jasmine, what’s wrong Sweetheart?”

  Sniffling I reply, “I’m sorry Keith. I know I shouldn’t be jealous of her, but I am. I can’t help it. I saw how she kissed you and Timmy loves her too.”

  “Oh Jasmine, you don’t need to be jealous of Sam. She has a little case of hero worship, that’s all. You are the woman I love. Haven’t I convinced you yet?” asks Pinky.

  Smiling at him through my tears, I answer, “Yes, I love you too.”

  Smiling, he brushes his lips against mine then he says, “That’s good to know. I was hoping I was going to have to try harder to convince you. Come on, wash your face and repair your makeup. It’s time for you to meet our new guest.”

  After washing my face and repairing my makeup, Pinky and I make our way downstairs where Sam is telling everyone about her ordeal. When Pinky introduces me to Sam as his fiancé, I try to be very gracious welcoming the young woman to the ranch. Samantha does a good job of hiding her disappointment but is somewhat subdued for the remainder of the evening.

  CHAPTER 14

  James Bixby rolls over in the bed and smiles. Yep, he’s almost ready to resume his mission again. It’s been six weeks since his first encounter with the mercenaries and he has several new scars to remind him of their expert abilities. It was sheer luck that he was found in the swamp by the old retired veterinarian that patched him up. He didn’t ask questions and Bixby hasn’t offered any information about how he was injured. He even dug that bullet out of his chest and never asked how it got there.

  He has to admit that he underestimated those mercenaries. He hasn’t quite figured out yet how they were able to sneak up on him the way they did. He usually has a sixth sense about things like that, but not this time. He was taken completely by surprise. He credits his latest escape to sheer luck and will power. At any rate he has been rethinking his plans and has decided he will need to take those guys out one at a time. They are all obviously very competent warriors. He’s just not sure how he’s going to get them alone. Keith Williams will probably be the easiest. He will do anything to protect Jasmine so all he has to do is get to her and Keith will follow. Time is on his side and he intends to take as much time as is necessary.

  ******

  Life on Rock Springs Ranch has settled into a regular routine. I now have a license to carry a concealed weapon and am very competent. I carry a semi-automatic in my purse everywhere I go.

  Samantha Wells has settled in nicely and is driving the members of the Drake Security team crazy hanging around in their office and asking all types of questions and offering her opinion in whatever discussion she witnesses. She is obviously very smart and most of the team takes her presence in stride but for some reason she and Stump have been at loggerheads since the day she arrived. They can’t be in the same room together for more than a few minutes without exchanging barbs.

  One afternoon Scoot walks in the office to hear yelling the minute he opens the door and he says, “Stump, Sam, enough! What is it with you two anyway?”

  Sam throws a look of hatred at Stump and says, “He’s is the rudest, most obstinate man I have ever met!”

  Stump looks back at her with just as much hatred and says, “Me? You are the one always sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong and you think you know everything about everything.” He walks out of the office and slams the door as he leaves.

  Sam walks out behind him and stomps back across the yard to the main house. Bear has been quietly sitting in the corner of the office observing the two of them and when they leave he chuckles out loud.

  Scoot looks over at him in exasperation and asks, “Just what is so funny? I regret the day I suggested the FBI bring Sam here until after the trial. I will be happy when this whole thing is over!”

  Bear says, “Haven’t you figured out what’s going on yet? They’re both fighting their attraction for each other. Mark my words, someday, those two will be married.”

  Scoot looks skeptically at Bear and says, “I don’t think I’ll believe it even when I see it. They’ll kill each other first.”

  ******

  Jasmine travels into Cody twice a week for her appointments with the psychiatrist at the hospital. Late one afternoon after one of her appointments she is driving back to the ranch when she notices she is being followed by an old rusty red pickup. She has seen the truck before around town but has never had a reason to think it would cause her danger. Today, it is speeding and advancing right up behind her and then backs off falling a good distance behind. It is making her very nervous.

  She pulls her cell phone out of her purse and lays it on the seat next to her. Then she takes her semi-automatic and lays it in her lap. Picking up her cell phone she calls Pinky.

  He answers, “Pinky.”

  “Hey Keith, I think I have trouble. An old red pickup is tailing me. He is acting like he is going to ram into me from behind and then he backs off. It looks like just one man. What should I do?”

  Pinky’s heart is pounding in fear. Damn! He knew he shouldn’t let Jasmine go into town by herself. He asks, “Where are you Jasmine?”

  “I just turned off on the two lane road to the ranch. He is still behind me. Oh, Keith, I’m so scared.” Jasmine’s heart is pounding with fear.

  “I’m on my way, Babe hang on,” pleads Pinky.

  Pinky runs to the helicopter followed closely by Stump. Firing up the engine they fly toward where Jasmine said she was driving. Scoot and Goose load up in the SUV and start out on the road headed toward the same destination.

  Bob Kenner and Jacob Murray from the Rocking J Ranch happen to be headed toward town and notice the red pickup acting strangely. They had just seen Jasmine headed back to the ranch and have a bad feeling so they turn around and follow the red pickup.

  Jasmine is watching the red pickup as it advances again toward her car. She tightens her grip on the steering wheel and increases her speed. This time it slams into the back of her car causing her to swerve and turn sideways in the road. She struggles to maintain control and just as she gets the car straightened on the road the truck hits her again. This time, it is too much and she slides into the ditch. She tries to back out but the tires spin and spin. She grabs the gun and makes sure it is cocked and ready, her heart slamming against the walls of her chest. Watching in her side view mirror she sees James Bixby open the door of the red pickup grinning his smirky grin and start toward the car.

  She tells herself, all right Jasmine, you can do this. It is wh
at you have been training for. She takes a deep calming breath as he approaches. At the same moment he walks up even with the car, she hears the helicopter advancing from the direction of the ranch. Bixby looks up and sees the helicopter headed toward them. Cursing, he stops, looks, then turns and runs back to the truck. He makes a tight u-turn speeding back toward Cody nearly colliding head on with a black extended cab pickup truck.

  Jacob Murray and Bob Kenner slide to a stop behind Jasmine’s car and run to assist her. Jasmine is sitting in the driver’s seat shaking, still holding the gun tightly against her chest, with tears sliding down her cheeks.

  Jacob says, “Jasmine, are you all right?”

  She nods her head, glances at Jacob and says, “Please, Jacob, take me home.”

  Jacob helps her out of the car and into the pickup. He calls Scoot to let him know he and Bob have Jasmine and are driving her to the ranch.

  *****

  Pinky’s heart is slamming against the wall of his chest. He sees Jasmine’s car, nose in the ditch on the side of the road with the red pickup parked behind. He sees a man walking toward the car. He pushes the helicopter as fast as it will go toward them and he sees the man turn and run back toward the truck, climb in, u-turn and speed away. His heart is pounding. Please God, let her be all right!

  Pinky circles back around looking for a place to land when Stump says, “He didn’t get her. She’s still in the car. Look, that’s Jacob’s truck. He and Bob Kenner are with her.”

  Pinky breathes a sigh of relief. Dear God, thank you.

  Scoot radios up to the helicopter to tell Pinky that Jacob has Jasmine and is taking her back to the ranch. She is unhurt.

  Pinky turns the helicopter back toward the ranch, tears of relief sliding down his cheeks. He and Stump are walking up to the house just about the same time Jacob’s truck pulls into the drive.

  He approaches the passenger side of Jacob’s truck, opens the door, and pulls Jasmine into his arms holding her close to his body, tears sliding down his cheeks. He looks at Jacob and Bob and says, “I can never thank you enough.”

  Jacob smiles, “We’re glad we could return the favor. Let us know if you need anything.”

  Pinky takes Jasmine by the hand and leads her into the house and up to their room. Jacob looks at Stump and asks, “Bixby?”

  Stump says, “It looks that way. That was a close one. Thank you for helping.”

  ******

  James Bixby is cursing a blue streak. What is it with these damn mercenaries? Do they have ESP or something? What’s he going to have to do to succeed? He thought he had everything planned out perfectly. He has been watching Jasmine come and go at the hospital twice a week for a couple of weeks now. He even followed her home on two different occasions. The element of surprise was completely in his favor. What did he do wrong? Well, no way will she be alone again. He’s going to have to find another way. But now he has lost the element of surprise. He’s going to have to back off and wait a while to get it back.

  ******

  When Pinky and Jasmine enter their bedroom and close the door, he pulls her into his arms and takes her lips with his in a desperate kiss, plunging his tongue past her lips, devouring the moist warmth of her mouth. Jasmine is just as desperate. She immediately begins unbuttoning his shirt, then his pants. They can’t undress fast enough. Finally they fall on the bed and he plunges his swollen shaft into her warmth, pumping in and out in desperation. Jasmine welcomes his invasion with open arms, just as desperate as he is for the revivification of their love. When they crash over into oblivion he smothers their shouts of ecstasy with a deep kiss.

  Slowly floating back to earth he pulls her close to his side and says, “Oh God, Jasmine, I was so scared. Thank God you’re safe.”

  Tears of relief sliding down her cheeks and pooling on his chest, she says, “ It was him, Keith. He’s back.”

  “I know. It’s going to be all right. We’ll get him. I promise,” replies Keith.

  ******

  Timmy Thompson’s adoption by Keith Williams is scheduled to be finalized in a few weeks and he is very excited. He loves living on the ranch and loves going to school with Damian and Eric. Because of the uncertainty about whether or not others are trying to get to Timmy, Pinky or one of the other members of the Drake Security team escorts all of the school age children at the ranch to school each day and picks them up each afternoon.

  One day just after lunch, Scoot’s cell phone rings, “Scoot.”

  “Scoot, Jacob Murray. Dani just called me from school. She said she saw Timmy being taken from school by a man in a dark blue SUV. They grabbed him from the playground during lunch recess. Dani just happened to be between classes and heard his screams. She said they left in a hurry spinning their wheels in the gravel.”

  “Damn! Thanks for calling Jacob.”

  After disconnecting he yells at all of the other guys and then Goose, Scoot, Pinky, Barry, and Stump all head to the helicopter with their weapons. Bear is on the phone with the FBI giving them the details of the abduction. Jasmine is pacing back and forth in the great room. Samantha is fuming, stomping around the room, because the guys wouldn’t let her go with them. Melanie and Sherrie are sitting on the sofa watching the scene before them.

  Pinky’s heart is pounding as they board the helicopter, dear Lord please protect Timmy. Please let them find him quickly. As they near Cody they check the roads out of town but don’t see any sign of a dark blue SUV. Dread begins to settle in Pinky’s gut.

  Jasmine has had enough. She stops her pacing, grabs Samantha by the shoulders, then shakes her violently and says, “For God sake Samantha, shut up! You are not helping! You are the only person that has ever been around any of these people. Think, did you overhear anything?”

  Sam is shocked at the vehemence in Jasmine’s voice. She stops cursing, looks at Jasmine with a confused look on her face, then says, “Yes, yes I do! I remember, they were taking me to a ranch outside of Sheridan, Wyoming. It was going to be their command post for trying to get to Timmy! And ... and ... during one of his cell phone calls I heard him call a name ... it was ... damn ... Randall!”

  Bear gets on the phone with the FBI and relays the information to them and then radios the guys in the helicopter. They turn toward Sheridan but don’t see anything of a blue SUV. Leaf is on the computer in Barry’s office researching ranches owned by anyone named Randall in Wyoming.

  Cursing Pinky says, “Damn! What do we do now?”

  Goose says, “Let’s make some passes around the area. Sam said they were taking her to a ranch near here. Maybe we will see the SUV at one of the houses.”

  So, Scoot begins making wide sweeps of the area moving further and further away from the center of Sheridan, Wyoming. It’s not too long till they spot a blue SUV parked in front of an old ranch house that looks like it had been abandoned. They can tell from the air the roof is badly in need of repair. The barn is falling in on itself and most of the corrals and other normal ranch buildings appear to be completely missing.

  Scoot radios the FBI. “We have spotted a blue SUV at what appears to be an abandoned ranch. We are ten miles east of Sheridan. The nearest cross road is highway 183.”

  The FBI agent says, “That sounds like the old Wilson place. Let me run it through the database.”

  About the same time Bear radios the team that Leaf had found information on the internet that someone named Joshua Randall purchased a ranch near Sheridan six months ago. Joshua Randall is the former CFO of Westbrook Oil Company in Texas.

  After a few long minutes the agent says, “I’m showing that the Wilson place sold six months ago to someone named Joshua Randall. That’s it! I’ll send a team out to that location. It will probably take about an hour to get everybody on site.”

  Scoot says, “It’s going to be dark by then. We’ll make our way to the area surrounding the house and wait for you to arrive.”

  Pinky’s heart is pounding as he’s listening to the FBI agent. After Scoot di
sconnects with them Pinky says, “I have to say that after the way the Bureau has been messing up with the Bixby case, I am very nervous about waiting for them to save Timmy.”

  Barry says, “I completely understand. The day those guys took Eric I wasn’t about to wait for someone to come from town to the ranch to try to save him. Can’t we do something Scoot?”

  Scoot thinks for a minute then he says, “Pinky, if you’ll take over the controls, Goose and I will do some reconnaissance. We aren’t going to be able to get too close with the bird because of the noise, so drop us down the road a ways, then find somewhere further out to sit her down. That will give us a little time to get the lay of the land before you guys get back. Agreed?”

  Pinky is disappointed that he isn’t getting to go down with Goose but he is thankful someone is going to do something so he says, “Agreed. Just take care of my boy.”

  Pinky drops Scoot and Goose about a mile away from the ranch and then flies another two miles away and lands the helicopter. His heart is pounding with fear and he prays that Scoot and Goose are able to get to Timmy without putting him in any danger. He has to admit that Scoot made the right decision in leaving him behind on the initial reconnaissance. He is just too emotionally involved in this operation. Pinky, Barry, and Stump hurry toward the ranch.

  Scoot and Goose quietly make their way to the house. It is almost completely dark now and they see what looks like a kerosene lamp burning in the front room. They move to a window looking into the room and see four men sitting around on the floor drinking beer. They don’t see Timmy anywhere.

  They check other windows peering inside using their night vision goggles and finally spot Timmy, lying on the floor in one of the back rooms in the dark. He is crying and appears to have his hands and feet tied. Scoot climbs inside and makes his way over to Timmy. He says, “Timmy, it’s Uncle Scoot, be very quiet, all right?”

  Timmy nods his head vigorously. Scoot picks him up and carries him to the open window and hands him through to Goose. He then quietly climbs back out and they slink off into the darkening night.