by James, Ranay
Treasure was not always currency. Her Great-Aunt Louise had said the same thing, she recalled, as she walked with him to the door.
With the exception of less than ten thousand dollars in money which was no longer legal tender, there was nothing much there she saw worth the loss of Kyle’s life.
Many might see it otherwise. However, those people’s opinions did not really matter in her life.
The bills of lading proved there still could be lots of buried treasure to be found out there from the folly of the Civil War. It did not say where exactly, but she could say emphatically it was not buried here on what was now Robert’s ranch.
The legend was dead.
So was Kyle and so was her dream of saving the ranch and in doing so saving her heritage. Memories of her life growing up here on the ranch were all that was left to her now.
She guessed it would not take long to pack that baggage.
There was one single piece of documentation that Mr. Lyles slipped to her as he whispered into her ear before leaving. “Regardless of how history painted Thaddeus, it was earned fair and square. Sometimes treasure is currency, Kate. Good luck.”
She unfolded the single page document, read it over, and decided it was information no one else ever needed to know. It did answer a lot of questions, but it was more trouble than it would be worth. The legend needed to die here and it needed to die today. She waived goodbye to her father’s friend knowing she would never see him again alive or dead.
Robert took interest as Kate used George’s fire starter from the fireplace, held the document up by one corner, and ignited it. Then he closely observed her face as she tossed that burning paper into the grate. She was unreadable and untouchable, Robert thought. She simply watched that paper burn to a black cinder just like the rest of the ranch.
Even after the flame went out and the paper curled to tiny, frail cinders, she could still see the writing in her mind. It was just another dream going up in smoke, and some secrets were best left alone. Just like ancient history, it needed to stay that way regardless of what it could possibly mean to her future.
Robert watched her walk out into the yard without so much as a glance in his direction. If he were of another disposition he might have taken her total disregard personally. However, he understood too well what she was feeling. The quest for treasure in her mind was finished. Now, he had a different quest, the quest to win her heart.
Chapter 53
Robert studied Kate, wondering what was going on in her mind. Standing there in the place she had spent the happiest years of her life, he watched as she looked around at the land where her forefathers had lived and died. She turned slowly, one single circle looking north, east, south, and then west back toward his house.
“Sell the Land. Keep the land. I don’t care, Robert. I’m done.” She never looked back at him or the ranch.
She truly was leaving it all behind and now she also had the means. Robert knew the insurance check had hit her bank account.
Hopping on the ATV she headed in a westerly direction back toward his house. He went back inside the bunkhouse to tie up the loose ends and ferret out any remaining details George may have held out on them. There could just as easily be more as not.
There was nothing else to tell.
George was just sorry he had not been forthcoming before Kyle’s death. After he died, it just did not seem to matter. With his promise to protect Kate and the bunkhouse surviving the fire, George figured he would die with the secret leaving it for some future generation to uncover.
Robert agreed George was now safe to return to his bunkhouse once the doctor released him. He would claim the treasure had been discovered getting the news media involved. He just needed to go back out and retrieve the cache Gage had buried, and it would not take long.
He shook his head at the way it was turning out.
They had been held at gunpoint for a treasure meaning nothing to either of them.
Funny, he thought, the things a man would be willing to kill to possess. Yet stranger still, he mused, were the things a man would be willing to die defending.
Family, honor, or love he could understand. This he could not. Maybe that was why he was not held within the shadow of a secret organization. If he needed to keep something buried and hidden, then it was unworthy of his family name.
Stepping back out into the barnyard, he figured he would give Kate some space knowing the request for him to sell the land must have come at a high cost to her emotionally. So he figured he would catch up with her later once she had a little time to come to terms.
Her share of the sale would make her a wealthy woman. It might be some consolation and maybe she would stay. He could hope.
Once he returned to the house, it was Chase who gave him the news.
She never made it.
Chapter 54
“What the hell do I pay you people for?” Robert was a raging bull as he paced his study lecturing the six highly trained security detail officers all standing at attention. They were all wishing the floor would open and swallow them whole. All freely admitted this tongue-lashing was more than just a little justified; they had been asleep at the wheel and the carnage was monumental.
“How could you have let her get out of your line of sight? You are not rookies and that was a sloppy, newbie mistake! Shall I break it down for you? You let the assignment out of the containment area. You failed to notify me immediately when you lost contact. You failed to protect the package and that package is my wife! You are professional men and women who are paid to be the best money can buy. Now, will someone please get me the damn security tapes? Everett?"
"Yes, sir?" The man stepped forward.
"Find out for me who was on the east/west pasture detail so I can fire his ass. Thompson, get me the sheriff. Where is that damn tape?” he yelled again just as Chase walked into the office extending the tapes. Robert immediately popped it into the unit behind his desk hitting the play button on the remote.
Fast-forwarding, he reached the night of the fire and slowed it down to get a better fix on the situation.
There was the shadow and raccoon Kate had spoken of on the phone before the fire. Then he saw her exit the house crossing the front lawn. He and Chase exchanged a knowing look. Both realized none of the security measures had been tripped, and the only explanation was someone who knew the override codes had been there that night. Making matters worse, she had brazenly lied to him about leaving the house. He watched her go into the barn and come back out in a hurry.
“There!” Chase pointed to the monitor.
Exiting the side barn door was a tall, thick man whom they both recognized.
“Son-of-a-bitch,” Chase cursed under his breath. “We had a snake in the wood pile all this time.”
“I thought you said you cleared everyone on the detail that installed the security system,” Robert’s accusatory tone was unmistakable.
“I did, Robert. This guy is a licensed electrician, and the company he works for came highly recommended. I checked it out myself. He has done several major jobs with them for high level security buildings without so much as a single hitch,” Chase defended his stance.
“Get me an address of the company,” Robert demanded.
“Already done.” Chase handed him an address written on the form all persons doing business with McKinnon-Bride had to fill out. “It’s a legitimate business.”
He personally dropped off the check for the rushed installation. The woman at the front desk said she had been there for several years. Perhaps she might be of use.
Robert’s mind was reeling. “Okay, so we need personnel records. Go turn on that charm of yours and see if you can get a lead on where this guy lives.”
“Robert, look.”
Chase drew his attention back to the tape.
Amazingly enough he got decent feed from the one camera still in existence after the fire. The position from the bunkhouse was perfect. Off in the distanc
e he saw the most precious thing he possessed taken right from under his nose. Kate had gone less than a hundred yards from the house after he had returned to go inside. His heart raced watching in dread as she was struck from behind, dragged off the ATV, and unceremoniously tossed into a waiting truck, a dually very much like his own. As they zoomed in as much as the grainy tape would allow it reveled Texas plates.
“Robert, the sheriff is here.” Bill Fleming risked poking his head into the office at great peril to his person. He was the one who had been on the east/west detail. However, Candice had distracted him and he had dropped the ball.
“Show him in,” Robert answered preoccupied by the feed he kept rewinding hoping to see something else he might have missed.
Sheriff Maxwell walked into Robert’s office.
“Thank you for coming so quickly, Maxi. I really need your help this time. Kate has been kidnapped.”
“Robert, I’m not here to help. I did not even know there was a problem with Katherine.”
Maxi’s comment concerned Robert. However, he had other things to deal with and asking for the help, he now was surprised to see Sheriff Maxwell shaking his head.
“I need your help,” Robert repeated.
Maxi understood Robert was beside himself with worry seeing the lines of agony etched on his face. “Sorry, Robert. I’m here to arrest you for the murder of Brice Langston.”
“You’re here to do what!” Chase recovered first. “Robert has no reason to kill Brice, Maxi.”
Robert finally was back on steady footing. “Brice was a jackass for sure, but the last time I checked being an asshole was not a capital offense, Max.”
“You have motive, Robert,” Maxi countered.
“No, I don’t. I have the girl and I have the land, so I have no motive or opportunity. I’ve been out on the ranch for the last six days. Kate will back me up just as soon as we get her back.” Robert had to think positively. Losing her was not an option.
“A witness saw your truck leaving the scene,” Maxi offered wishing to believe in Robert’s innocence.
“You mean a truck like this?” Robert countered, never taking his eyes off the sheriff as he played back the tape.
“Yeah, a truck just like that,” Maxi sighed heavily completely relieved, seeing the glimmer of hope of Robert’s innocence. He really did like the young man and deep down he had serious doubts Robert was capable of cold-blooded murder for the sake of jealousy or rivalry. He felt sure Robert could and probably had killed under professional conditions. That was different.
“Sheriff, please. Give me twenty-four hours and I swear I’ll turn myself in, but you have got to help me here.”
“That truck is just a little too coincidental. All right, but we need to get the judge to approve this first.”
“Fine, whatever, but we need to move. I do not have to tell you the first twenty-four hours are the most critical.”
Robert waited as Maxi made some calls.
Officially, he and the judge agreed Robert needed to be booked, but would allow him twenty-four hours to get his affairs in order. He had the means to flee yet neither the judge or Sheriff Maxwell felt he was a flight risk given the fact there were mitigating circumstances. He had the truck on tape. That being the case they were allowing Robert his freedom. Maxi ran the tags on the truck verifying the name and address of the driver. Lawrence K. Rosario was clean possessing no civilian criminal record.
However, zooming in, Maxi saw the Marine emblem on the back glass of the truck. On a hunch calling in a few cards, he had Rosario’s military records pulled. Those records showed he had done time in Leavenworth for assault and battery with a four-year sentence turning into six for fighting on the inside.
“Robert, you’re too close to this one. Let someone else do this.” Sheriff Maxwell tried to plead to Robert's logical mind.
Robert understood his request and knew he was too emotionally attached, but he had to find her.
“Billy, get in here! And has anyone seen Candice? She is not safe either. Billy?” Robert repeated looking for his employee.
“Her car is gone and so is she,” Billy cringed almost fearful Robert might just bring back the tradition of killing the messenger. This was twice in one day he had screwed the pooch: first with his employer’s wife and now his unborn kid.
Robert took a single deep, calming breath.
“Okay. We are going to assume she left of her own free will as no one saw anything out of the ordinary. She chose to leave the secured area, so she is on her own and probably safe. They were never after Candice and now they have who they were after. They were gunning for Kate all this time and now they have her. And Bill,” Robert paused.
“Yes, sir?” Billy snapped to attention.
“Pack your shit and get the hell out of my sight.”
It was more professionalism than he deserved.
Chapter 55
Candice pulled her rental into the parking lot of the local supermarket and parked her car in amongst the rest of the shoppers. Her instructions were clear. She was to hide in plain sight.
She waited impatiently as the pickup with a loud dual exhaust pulled up alongside and waited for her to get into the passenger’s side.
“Very subtle, you imbecile,” she snapped as she got into the cab and Razor pulled away. “How much more obvious can you get than this loud, hulking machine?”
“This is Texas, you stupid bitch, not L.A. Trucks are as common as twenty dollar hookers,” Razor snapped back really wishing Tony had not gotten this high maintenance piece of work involved. She had been nothing but trouble since she hit Texas soil.
“I’d watch my mouth if I were you. Remember, I’m funding this little project of yours.”
Robert sighed peering through the binoculars. Watching out the window of the nondescript van, his gut twisted as Candi appeared to freely get into the truck, somehow involved in this plot to kidnap Kate. That much becoming painfully obvious and he was kicking himself for not catching on sooner. He should have been suspect the moment she arrived. It was just too convenient, and the timing just a bit too coincidental. What he did not know was how deeply her entrenchment went and if she were a willing participant. Somehow he felt she was very willing. It would explain her ‘invitation’ to his house. The fact she had distracted Billy at just the precise moment Kate was taken from her ATV was also a piece falling into place. Also, the fact she was not fighting tooth and nail to get out of that truck only clinched his suspicions.
“Did you get the photos?” Robert asked never taking his eyes off the truck.
“Yes,” the sheriff’s deputy answered from the back seat of a silver van with extra dark tinted windows.
“Good. I’m sure we will need them as evidence against her and whoever she is working with on this.”
To the untrained ear Robert’s comments were totally detached. Chase knew better. Robert cared for Candice on some level, and Chase wondered if he would now let whatever it was between them go. Somehow he felt certain Kate was the victor and would be regardless of this new development with Candi.
“You know she is going to cry hysterically and say she was forced, right?” Chase chimed in knowing his brother’s weakness for the blonde heiress.
“And I would have believed her, too, had I not seen it with my own eyes. This makes me doubt a great many things.”
“About damn time,” Chase said dryly from the driver’s seat as he pulled out of the parking lot merging into traffic. “I just hope Kate can see her way clear on this, Robert.”
“Just drive and don’t let them get out of range. You let me worry about Katherine.” Robert flipped open the laptop and began to follow the tracking device in Candi’s handbag. He had placed it inside the lining to help him should someone try to kidnap her. Little did he know when he planted it he would be using it to track her to lead him to Kate. He tagged the wrong woman, but would use it to his fullest advantage.
They were losing daylight now at an al
arming rate, and darkness would soon be their companion. The longer Kate was missing, the less likely they would have a happy ending.
“Keep close,” Robert commanded for the second time in as many minutes.
“Where are those two going?” Robert wondered out loud.
“The old fertilizer plant, maybe?” Chase ventured.
The further they drove out of town the more Robert agreed that the condemned plant would make a perfect hideout. Years ago in the early seventies an explosion rocked it to its foundation. There were a few buildings still standing outside the blast area. Most, however, were flattened in the explosion that was heard for miles around. He thought it might have happened in 1971, but couldn't remember the exact year.
“Drop back a little,” he commanded.
The traffic was thinning and he did not want to be spotted. As long as they were within two miles of Candi's purse, the tracking devise would work.
He felt his gut twist as they allowed the truck to out pace them. Red taillights disappearing from sight, he forced himself to now focus on the little green dot flashing on the screen. He needed a cool head to keep the fear and dread at bay. Kate’s life depended on it. Slowing his breathing, he focused on remaining calm.
Just as he and Chase suspected, the truck pulled off the main highway and headed down a gravel road rutted from years of neglect. Turning off their headlights, they slowly rolled to a stop a quarter of a mile from the old plant's main gate. Pulling out night vision binoculars, Robert watched as the burly man got out of the truck. Unlocking the new master lock holding the new chain on the old rusty gate, he swung the gate wide. Robert watched as Razor jumped back in his truck and pulled through.
Luck was with them. Razor did not bother to lock the gate back behind him pulling right on through and past the main entrance, around a corner, and out of sight.
