“Yeah, what Annabelle said,” Bridget said, walking out of the room with Sarah in tow.
“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” Rachael grinned, as she too left the room.
“You just bring your brother home. I don’t care how you do it, or what it costs,” their mother said. When their father began to interject, their mother held up her tiny little finger. “Not a damn word, Mason Harold. That is my boy out there in trouble. I don’t care if you have to liquidate everything we own. I will have my boy home, safe. Now, make it happen.”
Mitchell, his brothers, and their father all watched as the women stormed off in a fit of rage. They didn’t blame them. They were upset about the situation, too. None of them expected Mason to call for help, but when one of the Armstrong brothers called in the cavalry, they all went running, regardless of how dangerous it could be. Mason was one of their own, and it was their job to make sure he got home. Their brother was counting on them. There was no room for error.
“What the hell do they think we can do about it? We don’t have the fucking Green Berets on speed dial,” Michael moaned.
“In my day, the Green Berets were elite. I remember when—” Mason Harold began before Henry interrupted him.
“Thanks for the trip to the dinosaur age, Pop, but why don’t you just reminisce quietly and to yourself?”
“Yeah, what Henry said,” Michael added, as their father shut his mouth and sat back, not saying another word.
“I need to make some phone calls and see what we’re up against,” Mitchell said, walking out of the room with his phone to his ear.
“Who would have thought the cute, little teacher could be a ball buster? Does Mason know about her temper?” Marcus asked, leaning back on the sofa.
“It’s always the quiet ones.” Matthew sighed, and then asked, “Just how in the hell do we find him? It’s not as if he gave us a location. For all we know, he’s in Siberia.”
“Well, if anyone can find him, it would be Mitch.” Mark grinned. “That nosey bastard can find fly shit in Antarctica.”
“What gets me is why the military won’t get them out. I mean, my son and his team have given over twenty years of their lives to protect this country, and now all of a sudden they are just going to forget about them. None of this makes sense,” their father stated.
“Exactly, why would the government do this?” Marcus asked.
* * * *
“Annabelle, would you like a cup of tea?” Mrs. Armstrong asked. Annabelle really liked the older Sarah Armstrong. She was sweet, gentle, and a lovely woman, but how did she tell Mason’s mom that a stiff shot of whiskey was what she really wanted? When she couldn’t find the strength to say the words, she nodded yes.
Sitting at the kitchen table, she watched as Mrs. Armstrong got to work filling the teapot with water and pulling mugs from the cupboard.
Well, at least she has something to do.
“I would like to help,” she muttered, mainly to herself, when Bridget sat down next to her and took her hand. The little comfort of a simple touch really didn’t help her nerves. She needed to know if Mason was all right. It was killing her just sitting around and doing nothing.
“Just breathe, Annabelle. The boys will find Mason and his team. I know it,” Bridget said.
“How do you know that?”
“Because my husband can do anything.” Bridget grinned a megawatt smile. “The man knows more people than God, and has on occasion been able to move mountains to get what he wants. Hell, he married me.”
“Bridget is right, Annabelle,” Rachael said. “After my first husband and children were killed in an automobile accident, I ran this ranch by myself. I was so lost within myself I never saw what was happening. That was when I met Michael. He never gave up, and when things started to get out of control, it was Mitchell who called his brothers. They saved my ranch, literally.”
“Before I married Mark,” Sarah started as she, too, sat down at the table, “I was engaged to another man, who was supposedly killed in action. After his death, I moved to Europe, and hid. Mark found me, and when my dead fiancé came back and tried to kill me, it was Mitchell and his brothers who saved the day.”
Wiping her hands on a dishtowel, Mrs. Armstrong leaned against the kitchen counter and sighed. “Annabelle, our family is unique. Yes, I am the mother to six wonderful boys, but what you don’t know about my boys is that, when the going gets rough, they get tough. Did you know that when Henry was born, all of my boys came home and fought over who was going to raise him? Though Michael won the draw and raised Henry, it was Mitchell and his brothers who hefted the financial burden to help Michael raise him. They never forgot about him. Even when Henry learned the truth about his parentage, my boys never left Henry’s side. Where once they were doting uncles, now Henry has six loving older brothers that will do anything to see to his happiness. So, don’t lose hope just yet, because if anyone can get Mason and his team home, it’s those boys in the living room.”
“Our men don’t know the meaning of defeat,” Rachael said.
“It’s not in their blood to give up,” Sarah added.
“Besides, if they do, they know they will have to deal with me,” Bridget quipped, and everyone laughed.
As the night wore on, Annabelle listened as Mitchell talked and planned. She understood what the women meant when they said that Mitchell took over. He controlled his brothers like a boardroom, and he the CEO. He even at one time threatened a hostile takeover. She knew that the Armstrong men were connected, but to the exact extent, she had no idea.
When it all became too much for her, she left the planning and strategy to the men and walked upstairs to check on her son. She felt so horrible for ignoring him all day and wanted to make sure he was faring well. Rachael told her that none of the children knew what was going on, but Annabelle knew her son did. He was too smart for his own good. So when she quietly walked into the room and saw him lying on the bed wide awake, she just smiled.
“Hey, buddy.”
“Hi.” He grinned back.
“How are you doing? Are you going to be all right sleeping here tonight?” she asked, pulling the sheet over him. He looked so small in the large bed, in his SpongeBob pajamas. No matter how old he got, he would always be her little boy, the best thing that ever happened in her life.
“I’m okay, Mom. I’ve slept here before,” he informed her plainly.
“Good. I’m sorry about the barbecue. I know you wanted to have fun today.”
“It’s all right. Mr. Armstrong said they would have a big one when Mason got home.”
“Which Mr. Armstrong said that?” she asked.
“The older one. He’s Mason’s dad.”
“Ah.” She smiled. “And you speak with Mr. Armstrong a lot?”
“Yeah, he’s nice and he doesn’t treat me like a kid.”
“But you are a kid, Andrew. You’re only ten years old.”
“That’s true. I have some growing up to do, but you know what Mr. Armstrong said? He said I am the only man at our house, which makes me the man of the family. I never thought of it like that. He said it was my job to look after you and protect you. He said if the women in the family aren’t happy, then nobody’s happy. Is that true, Mom?” Andrew asked.
“Well, I can honestly say that I am a very happy woman. I have you, and you are healthy and happy. You never cause trouble, and you always help me when I ask, so yes, I am happy.”
Sitting up on the bed, Andrew took her hand in his and asked, “Then why have you been crying?”
Annabelle sat there, holding her son’s hand, looking at his beautiful face, and didn’t know how to answer him. How could she tell her son that he was the most important person in her life and everything about him made her happy? Her heart swelled just thinking about him, but on the flip side, thinking about Mason broke her heart. Life was complicated, she knew that, but for a young, vibrant ten-year-old, everything looked black and white. There was good an
d bad, right and wrong, happiness and sadness. She loved her son and she loved Mason. The two loves were different. “I’ve been crying because I miss Mason,” she whispered.
“Do you cry when I go away? Like when I went camping?” her son asked.
Nodding, she grinned. “I always miss you when you’re away, but then you come home and I am happy again.”
“And since Mason is gone, you miss him?”
“Yes,” she admitted.
Her son got up on his knees and hugged her tightly. “Don’t worry, Mom. Mason will come home and make you happy again.”
Holding him tight against her chest, she felt a tear fall down her cheek. If it was only that simple, she wouldn’t worry so much, but Andrew didn’t know everything. Only she knew what the uncertainty of his return meant. Right now, the man she loved was fighting, lost in a country without any help. His own country had forgotten about him, leaving him helpless and alone. The dangers were extraordinary, and though she tried to keep up a brave front, she knew there was a small possibility that he was never coming home.
Kissing the top of her son’s head, she tucked him back into bed and quietly left the room.
Walking down the stairs, she saw all the brothers hurriedly grabbing bags.
Something was up.
Every nerve in her body went on high alert. “What’s going on?”
Rachael walked over to her and whispered, “Mitchell has a friend who works in D.C. and has the information they need, but he can’t talk about it over the phone. So, the boys are going to meet him.”
“They’re going to Washington D.C.?”
“No, the guy is in Atlanta,” Rachael corrected.
“Oh,” Annabelle whispered. “Is it safe?”
“With our guys, who knows? Nevertheless, they have a lead, and they are going to check it out. They will call when they have news,” Rachael quickly said before she turned to hug her husband.
From the last step of the stairs, Annabelle watched as brothers hugged their mother, wives hugged their husbands, and a father shook his sons’ hands. They were dropping everything to help someone they all cared deeply about. They were a family, and family stuck together no matter what. She had never had that. From the very beginning, it was just her and her mother. Oh, she had an uncle, but never the support of a family like this. The Armstrong family was as unique as they were determined. She had learned a lot about the men that made up this family in the short time she had been staying at the R & R Ranch. Oh, they bickered and fought like cats and dogs, but they were loyal and honest. These men, getting ready to leave their whole worlds behind to save another, were true heroes.
They were her heroes.
* * * *
The rain was pelting his back as Mitchell stood under the umbrella on the tarmac. He was cold, tired, and getting pissed off.
He hated waiting.
Instead of being with his wife and family, he was freezing. All he wanted was the information, not the run around, and that was exactly what he was getting. “Are you fucking kidding me, Jack? Why? Why would they do that? This is bullshit. I should sue them, and with my lawyers, I’d win, too. They can’t just fucking leave them there and forget about them. That’s unheard of!”
“Not really, Mitch. The federal government has been doing it for hundreds of years. You do know what MIA and POW mean, right? From the very first rebellion, governments all around the world have had to deal with these individuals. In most cases, these soldiers are forgotten about, and in time, the world forgets.”
Mitchell didn’t want to think of his brother as a prisoner of war, or worse, missing in action. Those phrases were not part of his vocabulary. Words like rescue, retribution, and satisfaction were the words he could get behind. “Well, I can’t forget. I won’t forget. He’s my brother, Jack. I need to find him. I need you to help me find him. I can’t go back and tell my mother that I did nothing. Tell me what you need, and I’ll get it for you. I’ll pay any price.”
His friend was agitated with the situation, and Mitchell didn’t give a shit. He’d known Jack Reynolds since college. Even after Mitchell dropped out in his sophomore year, he stayed in contact with Jack. Over the years, they’d get together, go off on some adventure, and see how much trouble they could get into. However, over the last few years, their worlds interfered and it was about the company and not the fun. When Jack sighed, Mitchell knew he wasn’t going to like what his friend had to say.
“There’s really nothing I can do. I’ve given you all the information I can. Look, I understand that you’re upset.”
“Upset? No, Jack, upset is a child who doesn’t get the Christmas present he wanted. I am fucking pissed off, and trust me when I say, you really don’t want to see what I can do when I get really pissed. I am almost there. You work at the fucking Pentagon, for Christ’s sake. Don’t tell me you can’t get me more information.”
“Mitchell, I got you what I could. I don’t have a high enough clearance to get you any more. Hell, I’m probably going to be fired for getting you what I could. Those who know about it aren’t talking. It’s like they are trying to forget about it.”
“Fuck them,” Mitchell replied angrily. “It’s because of those bastards my brother is in this mess. Besides, I’ve already told you a million times, you could always work for me. You know damn well I pay better anyway.”
“Yeah, but you’re a mean bastard that tends to throw things when you get angry. I’ll take my chances where I’m at.” His friend sighed and looked around him, into the dark, dreary night. “I’ll see what else I can dig up. Until then, at least you have a destination. I wish I could have narrowed your search radius better, but it’s a start. Keep your cell open. I’ll call when I have more news.”
Shaking his hand, Mitchell nodded. “Thanks again, Jack. I mean it. This means a lot, and the job offer still stands. Blue Jackets Industries could use a man like you.”
“You can’t afford me,” his friend shouted as he walked away, disappearing into the darkness. Mitchell turned and ran for his plane. It was parked with the engines still running, waiting. He had told his brothers to stay put while he met with Jack. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to introduce his friend. It was just that he didn’t want his brothers to know which pot he had his hand in. In his business, Mitchell dealt with some cutthroat individuals. Not all of them were reputable, but whatever got the job done, he did it. He made millions with his technology, and everyone wanted a piece of him. Well, he had helped many governments with his technology. Now it was time for those governments to return the favor.
Boarding his plane, he handed his umbrella and jacket to the flight attendant. Carrying the file with him, he sat down and started going over the information quickly. His brothers never said a word as he quickly scanned every sheet of paper, and when he was done, Mitchell shouted to his pilot, “Change of plans, Brian. We’re heading to Colombia.”
Chapter Thirteen
It had been two weeks since the Armstrong brothers had left Texas in search of their brother, and though they checked in regularly, there was still no word as to the whereabouts of Mason and his team. Annabelle had tried to stay at the R & R Ranch, but she couldn’t take it anymore. After three days, she had decided it was time to go home. Though his family was optimistic for Mason’s return, Annabelle had a son and a job that needed her undivided attention. She still called Rachael every day for news, but she couldn’t devote all of her time to worrying anymore.
Life moved on, and so did hers.
Her days were filled with catering to her son, school physicals, and administrative work that all needed to be done before school started. Today, she had a meeting with the judge of Cedar creek and the school principal. From what she knew, it was just going to be a standard meet and greet, and of course lots of paperwork. So, after dropping her son off with Sarah, she headed into town.
She was glad for the distraction, because school was one thing she knew couldn’t be taken away from her. When she ha
d taken the job, she had made sure there was job security. So regardless, for the next six years, she had something to look forward to. She managed fine during the day. Andrew definitely kept her busy, yet when the house got quiet and the sun faded, she thought of him. Most nights were calm as she dreamt of the time they had together, but lately, her dreams had turned to nightmares, horrible nightmares where she would find herself waking, drenched in sweat. Trying not to think about anything, she parked her truck in front of the old courthouse and headed inside. She thought it was funny that the head of the school board was also the town judge, but since there were less than five hundred people in Cedar Creek, she figured not many people would want the job, considering the majority were ranchers or farmers.
“I’m Annabelle Marcus, the new school teacher. I have an appointment with the judge.”
An older woman with soft, graying blonde hair smiled up at her. “I’m Catherine Clark. It’s nice to finally meet you. The judge is almost done with morning traffic court. If you’ll have a seat, he shouldn’t be much longer.”
“Thank you,” Annabelle replied as she sat in one of the wooden chairs lining the wall.
She was waiting once again. Waiting was the hardest, she’d come to realize. It wasn’t that she knew nothing would happen, because something always did. It was the limbo, the time wasted watching clocks, sitting in hard wooden chairs, begging for the phone to ring, anything that would make her world start spinning on its axis once again. She felt as if she was wading through quicksand. The more she fought her way out of it, the more it pulled her down. She needed a rescue, a lifeline of some sort. Right now, she would take anything to help.
“The judge is ready, Ms. Marcus,” the receptionist said softly.
Gathering her bags, Annabelle headed to see the man who had given her the job in the first place and of course to thank him, profusely.
Judge Anderson Clark was a bear of a man. His dark auburn hair was graying at the temples, and there were obvious signs of age on his handsome face, but his eyes told another story. One look in his determined caramel eyes, and Annabelle knew the man had many, many more years to go. Standing at roughly six foot two, he was a robust man, full of vigor and strength, and when he ordered her to sit, she immediately did so.
A Soldier's Promise [The Armstrong Brothers of Cedar Creek 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) Page 18
