by Val Welch
Carson shook his head as he closed the door. “That’s just sad.”
Shelby nodded and they continued their journey down the hallway to the next door. Shelby pushed it open and they walked into what was obviously a guest room. They crossed the room and checked the closet, which contained nothing more than a few cans of paint and rolls of wallpaper. They went back to the hallway and continued to the room Shelby knew to be Gabe’s bedroom.
Carson opened the door. They stepped into the room and were instantly assaulted by the almost overwhelming scent of roses. This time the bed was carefully made and strewn with rose petals, Shelby noted as she crossed the room.
There were several books on the nightstand, crime and western novels along with a crime scene forensic textbook. Shelby opened the nightstand drawer, found a paper bag from the local twenty-four-hour pharmacy and opened it. It contained an unopened box of condoms and a receipt. She glanced across the room where Carson was absorbed in some papers he’d found in the desk. She pulled the receipt out of the bag. Gabe had purchased the condoms at 12:42 a.m. the morning he’d been shot. Just hours after he’d begged her to meet him here the next day. She quickly stuffed the bag back into the drawer and joined Carson across the room. “What did you find?”
“He was giving money to both Joaquin and Anna.” He handed her a pile of cancelled checks. “What did you find in the nightstand?”
“Not much.”
Carson continued to flip through the cancelled checks and nonchalantly nodded toward a vase of roses on the dresser. “There’s a card there with your name on it.”
Shelby’s heart skipped a couple of beats as she looked at the vase. The card propped at its base was addressed to “My darling Shelby.”
She picked up the card with a shaking hand.
Carson watched her, still holding the pile of cancelled checks. “What does it say?”
She opened the envelope. Inside there was a simple white card which Gabe had handwritten a message on. “Are you sure you want to hear this?” she asked.
“Oh yeah. I’m going to fucking hear it,” he said tightly. “This whole room has been set up for a big seduction scene: flowers, candles and I’m sure there was something more than ‘Not much’ over there in the nightstand.”
Shelby swallowed hard. “It says, ‘Dearest Shelby, I spend all my waking moments dreaming of you in my arms, Gabe.’”
Carson dropped the checks, ran his hand through his hair and blinked hard a couple of times. She grabbed his arm. “Don’t jump to conclusions here. There’s nothing going on between Gabe and me.”
He grabbed her by the arms and held her tight. “What’s in the nightstand, Shelby?” he demanded, his eyes filling with tears.
She lowered her head. “An unopened box of condoms.”
He shoved her away from him and stood clenching his fists. “Were you planning on meeting him?”
She stepped back to him, wrapped her arms tightly around his unyielding body and buried her face in his chest. “No, baby, I wasn’t. At the party, when he was drunk … he asked me to meet him, but I told him no. Carson, I swear I wasn’t going to go. I love you, please believe me.”
“Why did you just lie to me about the condoms?”
“Because, I wanted to avoid this conversation and the hurt I’m seeing on your face. Carson, in my view, the condoms are nothing. He must have bought them after he left the party while he was still drunk. You saw him that night, he was out of control and I had nothing to do with it.”
Slowly she felt him begin to relax in her arms and she looked up at him. “Do you think I would have suggested coming here if I knew anything about all this?” she asked, waving her hand around the room.
He sighed. “I’m sorry. I know it’s not you. I’m just so damn jealous of him I can’t stand it.”
She reached up and kissed him softly on the lips. “You have nothing to be jealous of.”
He crushed her to him, his hand sliding into her hair, his tongue parting her lips and taking possession of her mouth.
She was surprised. This was not a usual Carson maneuver. She stretched up, cupped her hand around his neck and responded to his invitation as their mouths joined in a slow, deep, sex filled kiss.
They parted, their eyes remaining on each other as they quickly shed their clothes and moved wordlessly to the bed. Carson moved over her and smoothly slid into her. They slowly moved together. She loved the warm heat of him and the tight tension building inside her as his movements became more urgent, pushing her closer. And then she was there, filled with that lovely, delicious sensation of floating. Carson’s eyes held hers as he watched her climax and then quickly followed with his release. She held him to her, taking his full weight and lovingly stroking his face.
A few minutes later, he lifted himself, kissed her softly on the lips and moved to lie beside her. “I just got you pregnant,” he whispered with a grin, putting his hand on her stomach.
She laughed and nuzzled his neck, loving the taste and scent of him. “Oh yeah? How do you know that?”
He cradled her head in his hand and brought her lips to within an inch of his. “I just do. Mark it on the calendar. My best swimmer just made it through and baby, you’re knocked up,” he said, grinning.
Ah God, she loved that grin. It made the whole world right for her. “I hope you did. We’re okay? Right?”
“Yes, I’m sorry I acted like a maniac. I don’t want you to think I don’t trust you, because I do. It just drives me crazy that he wants you so much. But, he can eat his fucking heart out, because I just got you pregnant on his bed,” he said, still grinning.
She laughed, climbed off the bed and picked up her clothes. “Come on, we better haul ass before my posse comes looking for me,” she said, going around the corner to the bathroom.
She left Carson standing in the middle of the room, pulling his clothes on. “We better put this room back into order before we leave,” he said.
“Just a minute and I’ll help,” she called from the bathroom. She washed her hands and looked around the beautifully remodeled bathroom. Gabe had obviously planned a very romantic bath for them. There were rose petals and candles scattered on the wide ledge surrounding the oversized tub.
She was trying to cope with the flood of emotions she’d been battered with during the last few minutes. She loved Carson and was heartbroken by the pain inflicted on him when he realized the seduction Gabe had planned was for her. She also knew he made love to her on Gabe’s bed in answer to some primal urge to lay claim to his territory. She squeezed her eyes closed, feeling guilty as she tried desperately to stop the surge of excitement she felt knowing that Gabe wanted her. She took a deep breath, picked up several of the rose petals and stuffed them into her pocket before joining Carson in the bedroom.
Twenty-Seven
Gabe knew he was in the hospital, though he was a little fuzzy about why. He was examining the sling on his arm when his mother walked into the room.
She dropped her handbag on a nearby chair and rushed to his bedside. “Gabriel, you are awake.”
“Hi, Mom, what happened?”
“You were shot yesterday morning as you walked into the police station.” She leaned over, pushed his hair back and kissed his forehead. “Thank God, it wasn’t too serious and you will make a full recovery.”
“Do they know who shot me?”
“Those horrible people have claimed responsibility. There was a death threat issued against you as well as Shelby.”
He sat up as the fuzziness evaporated and everything came rushing back to him. “Is Shelby all right? Where is she?”
“She is working. They have reinstated her and she is trying to find the person who did this to you.”
“Mom, listen carefully. We have to find her now. I have very important information that she needs to know.”
“Yes. I’ll call Doc and he can send her here,” she said, removing her cell phone from her handbag.
Gabe listened as she
spoke with Doc and prayed he wasn’t too late.
“Shelby and Carson left the house earlier and Doc can’t reach her on her cell phone,” she reported.
“Hand me my clothes. I’ve got to find Shelby.” He threw the blankets off and stood up. “And get the nurse in here to get this IV out.”
She stood in front of him, blocking his way. “No, Gabriel, you must not. There is much happening. You must stay here.” He paused next to the bed and looked down at her. “What are you talking about? What’s happening?”
She shook her head. “Many bad things. Joaquin is missing and we received a ransom demand. However, Shelby and Carson believe that it may be a trick by Anna, Troy and Joaquin to get the land money. There is a plan with the FBI to follow them.”
Gabe began to jab at the nurses call button. “Mom, hand me my clothes now before more people get hurt.”
A nurse ran into the room as Gabe pulled the IV out of his arm. “Chief Navarro, what are you doing?”
“Leaving,” he said, dragging on his slacks with Lydia’s help.
The nurse raced from the room and returned with a doctor. He took one look at Gabe’s face and said, “Chief, at least let me stop the bleeding from the IV sight.” He managed to quickly get the gauze and tape into place just seconds before Gabe walked out of the room with his mother racing behind him.
“Call Doc on the phone again. I’ve got to talk to him,” Gabe said, walking into the elevator. He leaned against the railing trying to get his breath and steady his rubbery legs.
“Gabriel, you are very pale. Please, just go back to bed. Others can do this for you,” she begged, digging in her bag for her cell phone.
“No. It’s my fault; I should have stopped them earlier.”
“Who?” she asked.
“Joaquin and Troy, they want revenge for Anna’s cancer.”
“No, it’s not true. It can’t be Joaquin and Troy. Who told you this?” she asked as the elevator doors opened on the first floor.
Gabe shoved off from the wall and they walked through the doors. “Eden told me. When I went to Phoenix on Friday to tell her I was in love with Shelby and help her make plans to go back to the shelter in Tucson. She told me that Joaquin and Troy had recruited her family into the group.”
Lydia stopped in the middle of the lobby and whispered. “No, it cannot be. Joaquin and Troy would not shoot you.”
Gabe took her arm and propelled her across the room with him. “I don’t know who shot me, I never saw them. But I do know Joaquin and Troy are members of EFA.”
“Because that woman told you this? You must not believe her. She is a liar.”
Gabe scanned the parking lot, located his mother’s car and headed toward it. “Mom, listen. Joaquin confessed and agreed to turn himself in as soon as Rebeca has the baby.”
She was running to keep up with him. “My God. Rebeca had the baby yesterday right before you were shot.”
Gabe waited as she clicked the remote opener and they got into the car. “Damn. Obviously, he’s decided not to turn himself in. Who knows? He may be the one that shot me. Give me your cell phone and drive me to the station.”
She handed him the phone and backed out of the parking space as he began making phone calls.
Twenty-Eight
Shelby and Carson were leaving for the mobile command unit when Doc’s cell phone rang. Doc was still in the shower so Shelby picked the phone up from the kitchen counter and answered it. “Doc Ryan’s phone.”
“Shelby? Is that you?” Gabe asked.
Joy swept through her at the sound of his voice. He sounded good and surprisingly strong. “Yes, Gabe, it’s me. How are you?”
“Just listen,” he demanded. “Eden told me Friday that Joaquin and Troy recruited William into EFA to set up a meth distribution network. I confronted Joaquin late Friday night and he admitted that both he and Troy were members. Like a damn fool, I gave him until after Rebeca had the baby to turn himself in. But now, I think they tried to kill me instead and I’m worried you may be next. Are you at Doc’s? I’m heading over there right now.”
“Yes, I’m at Doc’s. You just confirmed what we already suspected. We also believe they’re trying to extort a million dollars from your mother. I’m calling Morgan and the FBI agent in charge. Meet us here at Doc’s.”
“I’ll be there in five minutes. Shelby, please be careful.”
“You too, see you soon.”
She ended the call and turned to Carson. “It is extortion. Gabe just confirmed that Eden told him Joaquin and Troy recruited William into EFA. Call Morgan. We have to regroup. We may be able to take them all down this morning using the ransom money.”
Carson called Morgan and relayed the information. “They’re on their way too,” he told her after ending the call and sitting down at the table across from her.
She frowned and checked her watch. “What are we missing here?”
Carson shook his head. “I think it all connects. What makes you think we’re missing something?”
“Just a nagging feeling that something is not right,” she said, standing as Lydia’s car pulled up in the driveway. “I’m going to get Doc out here. We’ll need him to hold Lydia together.”
“I’ll cover them and brief the deputies. Joaquin and Troy may be watching Gabe and try to finish what they started,” Carson said, drawing his weapon as he walked out the mudroom door.
Shelby walked down the hallway and knocked on Doc’s door. She could still hear the water running and realized that it had been running for far too long. She slowly pushed open the door and surveyed the room. What she saw made her knees weak. Doc was sprawled face down on the floor next to the bed.
Somehow she pulled herself together and ran across the room to his side. His hands were bound behind his back and there was blood running down the side of his face. She carefully rolled him over onto his side, noting the duct tape covering his mouth as she grabbed a wad of sheet from the bed to staunch the flow of blood from the gaping wound on his head. “Dad. Wake up. Please wake up,” she said, holding the sheet in place while checking for a pulse.
His eyes fluttered open and he began rapidly blinking.
“Thank God,” she said reaching to remove the tape covering his mouth. She sensed rather than saw the movement behind her. Doc’s eyes went wide and he emitted a muffled scream. Too late, she realized what she’d done. Then there was just the pain coursing through her body and the darkness surrounding her.
Twenty-Nine
After escorting Lydia and Gabe safely into the kitchen, Carson went down the hall to check on Doc and Shelby. When he felt the icy air coming from the partially open bedroom door, he pulled his weapon, and slowly pushed the door open.
Doc was lying on his back, pushing himself across the room toward the door. Carson slipped into the room, weapon drawn. Only after clearing the room did he approach Doc. By then Gabe and the two surveillance deputies were at the bedroom door. Carson knelt at Doc’s side and removed the duct tape from over his mouth.
“Troy and Joaquin just took Shelby out the French doors,” Doc coughed out. “Hurry, I heard a vehicle out back in the forest.”
A wave of pure adrenaline hit Carson. He jumped up and ran out the French doors. He was dimly aware of Gabe and one of the deputies behind him.
They crossed the lawn and crashed through the underbrush behind the house. Gabe lagged behind while Carson and the deputy followed the forest trail for a couple hundred yards until it ended at a four-wheel-drive trail.
Gabe caught up with them and they spread out, each intently searching the area for footprints.
“Over here,” Gabe called, squatting down at the edge of the road. “They got into a 4x4 right here.” He pointed to several footprints stopping at a set of heavy knobby tire tracks.
Gabe stood and gestured down the road. “This is an old logging road. It runs through the forest for a few miles and comes out up on the Rim Road.”
He turned toward the deputy.
“Brent, call the sheriff’s posse and get their four-wheel-drive units on both ends of this road. Maybe we can still cut them off before they hit the highway.”
Carson called Morgan on his cell. “Spring the roadblocks now. Shelby was just kidnapped.”
“Carson, hold on,” Morgan said. Carson heard him repeat the request to SAC Reynolds before coming back to Carson. “Okay, she’s on it. Where are you now?”
“I’m on an old logging road in the forest behind Doc Ryan’s house. Gabe’s getting the sheriff’s posse’s four-wheel-drive units mobilized. We think they’re headed toward highway seventy-three. Hopefully we can stop them before they hit the highway.”
“All right. SAC Reynolds will get the chopper in the air. Do we know who took her?”
Carson glared at Gabe. “Yeah, Doc said it was Troy Abbott and Joaquin Navarro.”
“All right, we’ll have the surveillance units pick up the rest of the family now.”
A tan jeep rounded a curve at the end of the logging trail and sped toward them. “Okay, I see a sheriff’s jeep coming now. We’re going to follow the tire tracks. I’ll be in touch,” Carson said.
Gabe looked at Carson. “Doc said it was Joaquin?”
Carson knew it wasn’t technically Gabe’s fault. But, one look at his damaged shoulder and Carson was reminded how deadly these people could be. And now, they had Shelby. He glared at Gabe, barely managing to contain his anger. “Yeah, it was your fucking cousins Joaquin and Troy.”
Gabe hung his head briefly and then stepped into the middle of the road and flagged down the sheriff’s jeep. Carson climbed in the back. Gabe paused at the open door and turned to the deputy still standing next to the roadway. “Preserve the area and get the county crime scene guys out here now.” He climbed into the jeep and looked at the driver. “Frank, it’s the knobby tracks.”
He then turned to Carson and said, “Call Morgan back and tell him to look for a dark green jeep with oversized tires.”
