Jake (Men of Clifton Montana Book 1)

by Susan Fisher-Davis

  After returning home, Becca entered the house, amazed at the quiet. She wondered if Olivia and Emma had gone back to sleep.

  “Hello? Emma? Liv?” She walked toward the living room.

  “If I have to be up, so do you,” she called out as she entered the living room.

  Becca froze when she saw them both sitting in the window seat huddled together. Emma had a look of fear on her face. Olivia just looked pissed. Becca’s gaze swung around the room, and she gasped when her eyes landed on the man standing across from her friends, with a gun pointed straight at them. Becca’s heart fell and she almost lost her ability to speak.

  “Steve, what are you doing here?” She started into the room but stopped when he pointed the gun toward her. Becca raised her hands and started backing up.

  “Oh, no, my beautiful Becky…come on in and join us,” Steve Harris said with a big smile.

  With her hand on the doorjamb, Becca was ready to flee but when she glanced at Emma and Olivia, she saw Olivia barely shake her head as if to tell Becca to go along with whatever he said. Becca gave a slight nod and moved slowly into the room. She took a seat in the recliner across from him, swallowing the lump in her throat before speaking.

  “Why are you here, Steve?”

  “I came for you.” He laughed, and the sound sent a shiver along the back of her neck. “Why else would I be here? I did everything I could to make you leave here and come back to me, but you didn’t take the hint.” He shrugged. “So…I came for you.”

  “For me? What do you mean?”

  Steve stood up and strolled toward her. “You’re coming with me, Becky…”

  “You are such a fucking idiot, Steve. You don’t even know she hates being called Becky,” Olivia yelled at him.

  Steve’s face turned bright red. He turned away from Becca and strode over to Olivia, where he hit her with the butt of the gun.

  “Steve! Stop it,” Becca screamed at him. “I’ll go with you. Just leave them alone.”

  Steve stood over Olivia, laughing at the blood streaming from her temple where he’d struck her. Then the laughter died and a serious expression crossed his face. “Open your mouth again, Olivia and I’ll close it permanently.” Becca saw him look at Emma. “I don’t know who blondie here is, but I have no problem taking her out either.”

  Becca blinked back tears as she watched the fear grow in Emma’s eyes and the rebellion in Olivia’s. “No. Steve, please. I’ll go wherever you want but just leave them alone.”

  Becca could see the anger emanating from his body. He took a few deep breaths then turned to look at her. He smiled and a shocking realization ran through her. Steve was crazy. She shuddered. His grin broadened as he walked toward her and put his hand out. She hesitated but when she saw he’d narrowed his eyes at her, Becca placed her hand in his.

  “Don’t even think of calling the police or I’ll kill her,” he told Olivia and Emma, tightening his grip on Becca’s hand.

  “I thought you loved her?” Olivia asked him in a mocking tone.

  “I do love her. That’s why if the police come after us, I will take her down with me,” he said pulling Becca behind him. He led her through the kitchen and out through the mudroom.

  Becca gasped. “So this is how you’ve been going out. How have you been getting in?’

  He chuckled. “The same way, Becky dear, I do know how to pick a lock.”

  “But…but the chain was on the door.”

  He stopped and gazed at her as if she were an impatient child.

  “Becky, do you seriously think that little chain holds people out? There’s a little trick with wire I used to unlock it.” He laughed again. His laugh was truly beginning to irritate her. She wanted to kick him in his family jewels. “You make a loop with a piece of wire, wrap it around the chain, then run the other end of the wire to the top of the door, and pull it. The chain slips right out. Simple.”

  Becca clenched her jaw so hard that she was surprised her teeth didn’t crack. How was she going to get away from him? She hoped Olivia was all right, and that they would call the police. No matter what this psycho told them.

  Becca allowed Steve to pull her through the woods beside the house, and then to a truck. He shoved her into the passenger seat from the driver’s side before climbing in behind her. With the gun aimed at her, he started up the truck, and then drove her away from everyone she loved, including Jake.

  Chapter Eleven

  “What the hell just happened?” Jake growled as reached to retrieve his hat from the dirt after staring for far too long after Becca’s SUV disappeared from sight. “I told her I was interested in her, not the ranch and she tells me we’re through.”

  Jake shook his head and he turned back toward the barn. Damn it! He knew damn well she wouldn’t like hearing he hadn’t wanted her here in the beginning, but now she didn’t believe anything he had to say. He halted in midstride. “What the hell did I say that pissed her off?” He glanced back to where her car had disappeared in a cloud of dust. He had to wonder if she’d heard a single word he’d said. Maybe he’d used the wrong words. He was in love with her, after all. His breath hissed out. Hell, would she even believe that now?

  “Damn, maybe you should’ve just told her you loved her, you damn fool,” Jake chastised himself under his breath. Reaching for his leather gloves, he was about to put them on when his cell rang.

  “Jake Stone,” he answered and then listened as a hysterical Emma told him what happened. His blood ran cold. “Call Sam now! Right now, Emma. I’m on my way.”

  He was shaking. Some mad man had Becca. “Dear God, please don’t let anything happen to her.” Jake openly prayed as he ran for his truck.

  As he pushed his truck to close the space between his place and Becca’s, he called Gabe and Wyatt. He gave them the short version of what he knew and asked them to meet him at her ranch. Jake drove like a lunatic. Sam’s police SUV was already there when Jake pulled in. As he reached the front door, Wyatt and Gabe pulled up. They followed him into the house.

  Emma and Olivia sat in the window seat together. Olivia was holding a cloth to her temple. Jake strode over to her and lifted her hand off her temple. He winced when he saw the large purple bruise and lump forming. He turned to find Wyatt standing nearby.

  “What happened?” Wyatt asked her.

  “I got a little mouthy and he hit me,” Olivia admitted with a grimace.

  Wyatt scoffed. “Why am I not surprised?” His words didn’t match the look of concern in his eyes.

  “Look, cowboy, there’s no need to get sarcastic.” Olivia glared at him, and Jake had to resist smiling when his brother turned with a huff and took a seat.

  Jake moved closer to Sam. “Who’s this man that took Becca?”

  Sam looked him in straight in the eye. “Apparently he’s a man Becca was dating in Maryland. Olivia said she heard him telling Becca how he was getting in, picking the lock, and using a wire on the chain.”

  Jake noticed Gabe sitting with Emma in the window seat.

  “Is she all right?” he asked his brother.

  Gabe shook his head. “She’s pretty shook up.”

  Jake nodded and looked in Olivia’s direction. The bruise beside her right eye was getting worse. “Wyatt, you mind getting Olivia some aspirin?”

  He watched Wyatt stand and glance at Olivia, who was making a point not to look at him, before heading for the kitchen. When he returned, he handed Olivia a glass of water and some aspirin. She looked surprised at the gesture but took them.

  Jake gazed out the front window and watched a sheriff department cruiser pull up. A deputy stepped out and headed toward the front door. Sam went to meet with him and when they returned to the living room, he had the deputy take pictures of Olivia’s injuries. When he was done, the deputy proceeded to take fingerprints even though they were all aware of who’d taken Becca.

  Sam was all business as he asked Olivia and Emma questions and Jake had a newfound respect for the man
and his job. He couldn’t imagine having to deal with victims. These were his friends and he wanted to punch a hole through the wall. Emma didn’t say much, she was still in shock from having a gun pointed at her. However, Olivia was more than willing to tell what she knew about Steve Harris.

  “Do you know if he’s related to Charles Harris?” Sam asked Olivia.

  She shook her head. “I never spent much time talking to the prick. I never liked him,” she told Sam and everyone else in earshot.

  “Charles Harris? Isn’t that the name of one of the men arrested for stealing our horses?” At Sam’s nod, Jake swore. “Shouldn’t we be looking for Becca?”

  “We?” Sam shook his head. “You’re not going out there, Jake.”

  “The hell I’m not,” Jake growled. Gabe and Wyatt came to stand behind him. He was always grateful knowing his brothers had his back. “You can’t stop me, Sam. I’m going,” Jake argued when Sam started to interrupt.

  Sam sighed with an underlying groan. “I’ll have to deputize you then. Let’s just hope Harris stays in my county.”

  “You’d better do all three of us then, Sam. If Jake goes, we’re going with him,” Gabe added.

  Sam swore, but didn’t argue with them. Sam Garrett had known the Stone brothers his whole life but Jake knew even Sam couldn’t talk them out of something once they had their minds made up.

  “Damn it to hell, Stones,” Sam growled. “All right, but you do what I tell you. Deputy Stark will stay here with Emma and Olivia. I don’t want them alone in case Harris decides to circle back,” Sam told them in a commanding voice.

  “I suggest we should use the horses to search,” Gabe suggested.

  Jake nodded. “That’s a good idea. Wyatt’s a hell of a tracker and according to Olivia, they went through the woods.”

  Sam agreed. After swearing them in, he narrowed his eyes. “I’d like to take him alive but do what you have to. I don’t want Becca hurt either.”

  Jake wasn’t about to argue with that order. He started toward the door but stopped when Olivia spoke his name. He glanced back at her. When he saw the tears in her eyes, he went to her and put his arms around her. “I’ll find her, Liv. I won’t let him hurt her.”

  “I love her, Jake and if that jackass hurts her, I will kill him,” Olivia said against his shirt.

  “I love her too,” he whispered against her hair.

  Olivia glanced up at him and nodded. “I know you do.” She tried to smile. “Please bring her home.”

  “I promise.” Jake kissed her forehead, and turned to follow Sam out the door with Gabe and Wyatt close on his heels.

  They decided to use Becca’s horses. They knew they couldn’t waste the time getting their own. Once saddled, Wyatt checked the area and decided on the direction to take. Jake and his brothers rode down through the woods while Sam headed out toward the road in his SUV with the lights flashing.

  * * * *

  “Where are you taking me, Steve?” Becca asked while doing her best to not sound as scared as she felt. She glanced over at him as he steered the truck down a dirt road.

  “You’ll find out when we get there.”

  “Is Charles Harris your brother?”

  She saw his hands tighten on the steering wheel and a muscle twitch in his jaw.

  “He’s a damn idiot, is what he is. He was only supposed to take your horses but the jackass got greedy and took your cowboy’s too.” He swore again. “One of the men with him got the idea of selling the horses to get some money so they could go up to Canada. They were too stupid to know you have to show ownership.” His knuckles were turning white.

  “Idiots!” Steve slammed the steering wheel with the palm of his hand.

  Becca shivered, trying her best to remain calm. She was terrified he’d hurt her. “They were arrested, you know.”

  He squinted over at her and smiled. “Yeah, Charles called me for bail,” he said with a laugh. “I told him I would so he wouldn’t tell the sheriff I was behind it. I told him it would take me a while to get the money. Ha, by the time Charles realizes I’m not getting him out, we’ll be long gone.”

  “To where?”

  Steve hit his fist against the steering wheel. “It doesn’t matter, Becca. You will not leave me again.”

  Becca sat against the door and stared out the window. Steve was crazy, and she knew she had to get away from him. Dear God, please let Jake come after me. She mentally shook her head. Why should he? After the way she left him? After telling him they were through, he’d probably say good riddance.

  Becca knew Olivia would call Sam no matter what Steve had told her. Sam would look for her. She hoped. She felt a tear roll down her cheek and quickly wiped it away. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Steve sneer at her.

  “Missing your cowboy, Becky?” He snickered. “I hope the son of a bitch does come after you. I’ll take great delight in killing him.” He bared his teeth. “You were all over him, I saw you. All I ever got from you were chaste pecks,” he growled between a tight-lipped smirk glancing over at her again. “I didn’t know you were such a slut, Becky.”

  Becca gasped. “I am not a slut!”

  “Shut up.” He reached over, grabbed a handful of her hair, and pulled her close to him. “I saw you with him. The night you fell and he carried you back into his house. I was watching. You make me sick.” Steve hissed in anger as he shoved her away.

  Becca slapped his hand. “Good, then let me go,” she screamed at him.

  He snorted a sinister laugh.

  “Oh no, my Becky, you are going to be mine.” He slammed on the brakes, pulled her by her hair again putting his face close to hers. “I’m going to fuck you over and over again, then kill you. It’s what a whore like you deserves.” He spat the words into her face and she wondered how she could’ve ever thought this man was nice.

  Becca screamed and tried punching him. She heard him grunt a few times when she landed a hit, but she wasn’t expecting him to strike back. When his fist hit her, she fell against the door. Her vision blurred but she refused to lose consciousness.

  “God damn it, bitch, don’t make me do that again,” Steve hollered at her as if it was her fault he hit her.

  Becca felt the vehicle lurch forward as she slumped against the door.

  “You’re not making sense, Steve. First you tell me you won’t let me leave you again, and then you talk about killing me,” Becca said with a sniffle blinking back tears, hoping he’d think they were for him.

  Steve ran his hand through his hair.

  “You’re confusing me,” he muttered under his breath. “I want you to go with me but you slept with that…cowboy.” The word was a hiss on his tongue.

  Becca reached over and touched his arm. “He didn’t mean anything to me. I was weak. I missed you so much.” Lord, she thought she was going to puke, but she had to convince him it was the truth so she could get away. She sat up when she saw a small cabin in a clearing ahead.

  “How did you find this?”

  “I looked up your property on the Internet and this cabin sits on the edge of it,” he told her laughing. She hated that laugh. “It’s on your property and you didn’t even know about it. We’re staying here for the night.” He looked at her and grinned. She shivered.

  He laughed and then glared at her. “Get out. Don’t even think about running because I will shoot you.”

  Becca nodded, stepped down from the truck, and followed him inside.

  The cabin was sparsely furnished. A worn sofa sat facing a large stone fireplace. There was a small kitchenette at the back of the room. She noticed two doors opposite of each other. Becca hoped both were bedrooms.

  She eyed Steve. He was leaning back against the door staring at her. Biting her lip, she turned from him. Earlier she’d wanted out of the truck, now she’d give anything to be back in it. She cleared her throat. “Are there two bedrooms?” Her voice rasped like sandpaper against her throat.

  Steve grinned and pushed himse
lf away from the door. “Afraid not, Becky, one is a bathroom.”

  * * * *

  “Should we split up?” Jake asked his brothers.

  Gabe shook his head. “I think we should stay together. He can’t take on all three of us.”

  Wyatt agreed and dismounted. Jake and Gabe pulled their horses to a halt.

  “What is it, Wyatt?” Jake asked anxious for something, anything.

  “Tire tracks. Someone had a vehicle parked here, waiting.” Wyatt got back on his horse. “It should be easy to follow.”

  “Do you have your rifle, Wyatt?” Jake asked.

  “Yes, and I won’t hesitate to take him out,” Wyatt said with a confident grin nodding toward his Winchester 30-30.

  Jake felt better knowing his brother was ready. Wyatt had been a sniper in the Marine Corps. He’d been the best in his unit. Rumor had it that he could shoot a hair off a frog at two thousand yards. Jake didn’t care about any damn frog. Jake wanted Wyatt to hit Steve Harris if he needed to. They were each armed with walkie-talkies so when his beeped, Jake answered it. “Go ahead, Sam.”

  “Have you seen anything?”

  “We’re following some tire tracks. Could be from one of Stan’s men but we’re going to check it out nonetheless.” Jake hoped they were on the right track.

  “Okay. Let me know if you find anything,” Sam answered. “It’ll be dark soon. Did you guys happen to bring sleeping bags?”

  “Yeah, Stan fixed us up. We’ll go as long as we can,” Jake told him. “I’m not stopping until I have to.”

  * * * *

  The thought of the sun setting on the horizon had Becca’s nerves on edge. She had to get away from Steve but she had no idea how. He sat at the small kitchen table playing solitaire, not paying any attention to her. She glanced at the door, trying to decide if she could make a run for it.

  “Don’t even think about it,” he said, smiling.