by Ciana Stone
"Mrs. Brant!" Molly interrupted. "She told me that her daughter died. She's crazy about Kaylee."
"I'm on it," Charli said. "Stay on the line."
Wiley lay the phone on the floor. Elisi returned with bandages and took care of his hands. "Can I borrow your phone?" he asked Molly as Elisi attended to Molly's hands.
"On the kitchen table."
"Be right back."
He was gone only seconds and when he returned he was talking to his brother Linc on the speakerphone. "Stay on the line, Linc. As soon as Charli has a location, we'll leave."
"Can someone call Deac?" he asked.
"I will," Elisi volunteered and hurried from the room.
When she returned, Deacon was on the phone. Wiley quickly explained and lined Elisi's phone on the floor with the other two. Then he pulled Molly over to his side, wrapped his arm around her and lay his head back on the sofa.
Wiley didn't realize he'd fallen asleep until Charli's voice woke him. "Okay, I'm guessing you already have rounded up your own army. I can't officially condone anything you might be planning, but I can hold off typing up this report for an hour which I'd estimate gives you an hour and a quarter lead, so listen up."
She gave them the address of a farm purchased by Mr. Brant three years after his daughter died. His name had come up in several leads on dog fighting rings as well.
"Thanks, Charli. I owe you," Wiley said and ended that call as he spoke again. "Linc? Deac? You get that?"
"I'm leaving now. Mathias is with me." Deacon said.
"I have to come your way, so will swing by and get you," Linc said. "I've got what we need. Be there in less than five."
Wiley ended both calls and stood. Molly stuck the phones in the pocket of her shawl and stood as well.
"I'm going to bring our girl home, Molly."
She nodded. "I'm still scared. Scared he might--"
"No," Elisi argued. "He's scared of Ghost. It'll take a lot of drink for him to work up the courage to try again."
Wiley nodded. "Tell Kaylee we're coming for her."
"I will."
Wiley then turned to Molly. "Be strong for me, Foxy. I'll bring her home or die trying. You know that don't you?"
She nodded as the tears started to fall. "That's what scares me so. I'm so terrified of losing one of you."
"I need you to believe in me, Molly. In me."
Molly nodded again. "I do. I do."
Wiley took her in his arms, feeling her tremble. He meant what he said. The only way he'd fail to bring Kaylee home is to die trying.
"Linc's here," Elisi announced from the front door.
"I have to go." Wiley kissed Molly.
"Be careful. Please and bring her home safe. Both of you."
"I promise. Wait for me."
"Through all darkness. Until the light returns."
Wiley had never heard anyone say that, but he understood. She was trusting her child's life to him, depending on him bring that brilliant light back to her life."
He nodded. No matter the cost to himself, he had to save Kaylee.
Chapter Sixteen
"I am the storm"
"What's your plan?" Linc asked. Neither of them had spoken since Wiley climbed into the passenger seat of Linc's big SUV.
"Get Kaylee or go down trying."
"You're not going down. We'll get her. Tell me what you want."
"Just have my back. The bastard that took her is mine."
"I hear ya."
There was no more conversation. Wiley used the time to wipe himself free of emotion, of love and concern for Kaylee and of hate for her captor. When they arrived, he needed to be what he'd been called his entire military career. Ice. Cold, hard, unforgiving and lethal. That's the only way he'd accomplish his mission and fulfill his promise to Molly.
Linc checked his GPS. "This looks like the turnoff. What'cha think? Go in quiet on foot or let the bastard know we're here?"
"He's not expecting trouble so drive up."
"Your party, Boss." Linc made the turn and drove to the house where he stopped the SUV behind an older pickup.
"Barn to the left."
"Yep."
Linc's phone buzzed, and he lifted it to his ear. "Yeah? Copy that, bro." He put the phone down. "Deac's got us covered."
"He's not half as good as you with a sniper rifle."
"He's plenty good enough."
"Amen to that." Wiley opened the door and stepped out, with Linc five feet behind him. The sound of what seemed like a pack of dogs came from the barn. He'd almost reached the front porch of the house when the door opened, and a man stepped out. At his side was a dog. One whose head was lowered menacingly.
"I don't know you." The man said. "What do you want?"
"My daughter."
The man lifted the shotgun he held. "You best get the hell off my property."
"Like I said, I've come for my daughter."
"Mister, if you don't want to start a storm that will rain down hell on you, you'll get off my fucking property. "
Wiley smiled. "Mister, I am the storm, and I'm taking my daughter home."
"The fuck you say." The man raised his weapon to shoot, but before he could pull the trigger, two shots rang out. The dog keeled over, dead before he hit the wood on the porch and the shotgun flew out of the man's hand as blood sprayed.
That gave Wiley all the time he needed. He was up the steps and on the porch with one hand gripping the man by the throat. Wiley slammed him against the wall. "Now, you're going to take me to my daughter."
"Fuck you. You'll never get to her. My dogs will eat you alive."
"Let's see about that."
Wiley had seen his share of battles and fights, but this one was different. He took no pleasure in causing harm, pain or death. Until now. The man wasn't experienced and stood no chance. All Wiley could think was that this piece of human shit had planned to kill Kaylee.
Wiley beat the man until he could no longer get up and then Wiley dragged him up just to beat him down again. "Enough." Linc grabbed him as Wiley reached for the man again. "Much more and you'll kill him."
Wiley shook him off, and suddenly Deacon was there, stepping between him and the man on the ground. "You made your point. Let's get your girl. The police will show up soon."
Wiley knew his brothers were right, but to his shame, he still wished more pain on the bastard who'd threatened Kaylee. "Fine. Get him up."
Linc and Deacon got the man up and pushed him ahead of them in the direction of the barn. The man opened the door, and Wiley held his breath at the stench that rushed out. The place was dim, with no light other than that coming in from the door.
There must have been a hundred dogs, and every one of them was growling, barking, snarling and tearing at the mesh of their cages, eager to escape.
All but four and those four stood ten feet inside the door, heads lowered, and lips pulled back in snarls that couldn't fail to intimidate. Their owner laughed through his split lips and missing teeth. "Get em boys," he mumbled.
The dogs charged, and Wiley shoved the man at them. As expected, the smell of blood was far more an enticement than three healthy men. The dogs took the man down, tearing at him as he screamed and thrashed.
"We got this," Deacon shouted.
Wiley hesitated long enough to look. Both of his brothers were armed. It didn't matter how wild, hungry or enraged the dogs were. They couldn't beat a bullet.
He took off into the barn, shouting to be heard over the frenzy of barking, howling dogs. "Kaylee! Kaylee, where are you?"
"I'm here. Daddy, I'm here!"
Wiley spotted her, in a cage along the back wall of the barn. "Hey there, sweet girl." He glanced at the padlock and then looked around. "I need to find something to break that lock." He spotted an ax leaning against the wall and hurried to fetch it.
"Okay, here we go." He said when he returned. One good whack and the lock broke. Wiley tossed the ax aside and knelt by the cage. The dog, a b
ig pale gray and white Husky mix who Kaylee called Ghost lowered her head and growled.
Kaylee petted her. "It's okay Ghost, that's my Daddy, and he's here to save us."
Ghost stopped growling but eyed Wiley warily as he opened the door of the cage. He lay his hand at the opening. "I won't hurt you, Ghost."
"It's okay, Ghost. I told you. He's my Dad."
Ghost sniffed Wiley's hand twice and then raised her head. He reached up and touched her and Kaylee rubbed her as well. "She's a really good, dog, isn't she?"
"She sure is. Come on, Kaylee, let's get out of here."
She climbed out of the cage and right into Wiley's arms. He stood and headed for the door, with Ghost walking along beside him. They had just reached the door when the first of the police cars rolled in. Charli Judd got out and walked over to where Deacon and Linc stood beside four dead dogs and one dead man.
"Who wants to tell me what happened?"
Wiley didn't want Kaylee to see what had happened. "Kaylee, honey, I want you to close your eyes until I say open them, okay?"
"Okay." She did as he'd asked, and he carried her to Linc's SUV. When he opened the back door, Ghost jumped in.
"Can Ghost come home with us?"
Wiley looked at the dog. How could he refuse to give refuge to a creature who'd protected Kaylee? "Sure, she can. Now you stay right here while I go talk to Mrs. Charli and get Uncle Linc."
"Okay."
He returned to where Charli stood with his brothers. "Now that we're all here," Charli said. "What happened?"
"You didn’t tell her?" Wiley asked Deacon.
"She said to wait for you."
Wiley nodded his head in gratitude to Charli. He understood what she was doing for them. Linc was the first one to speak. "Wiley and I arrived two-and-a-half minutes ahead of Deacon. We approached the house, and the owner walked out and told us to get off his property. He was armed with a shotgun and had a dog with him.
"Wiley said we were here for Kaylee and the man said to leave, or he'd rain down hell on us. Wiley disagreed, and the man tried to shoot Wiley, at the same time the dog attacked. Deacon took out the dog from a distance with a rifle and shot the man in the hand which made him release the gun.
"He still wasn't willing to cooperate and picked a fight with Wiley. Wiley won, and then we walked the man to the barn. When we opened the door, we saw all the cages and four dogs that were loose. They attacked their owner. We shot them, and Wiley went in after Kaylee.
"Unfortunately, the dogs did too much damage too fast, and the man died. There was nothing we could do."
Charli nodded and looked at Deacon. "You have anything to add?"
"No, ma'am. It was like Linc said."
"And you?" She looked at Wiley.
"No, ma'am. Well yes. It didn't have to go down the way it did. All he had to do was let us have Kaylee. That's all we wanted. And what he wanted was her death. She said he wanted her to go to heaven and had it not been for the dog, he might have killed her."
Charli nodded. "I don't think I have any more questions, but I'll need you all to come to the station and make a statement for the record. Tomorrow will be fine."
"Yes, ma'am." All three answered in unison, and she smiled.
"I do love military manners. And I'm glad Kaylee is safe. Now, get her home to her mama. Molly is probably half crazy by now."
"Thank you," Wiley said and offered his hand. "I'm in your debt."
"Be what that little girl needs and we're even."
"Yes, ma'am." Wiley grinned and looked at his brothers. "Ready to ride?"
"You know it." Linc agreed.
"I'm headed home," Deacon said. "Mica will be fit to be tied, waiting to hear."
"Thank you," Wiley said and offered his hand.
Deacon ignored the hand and gave Wiley a hug. "All for one, little brother."
"And one for all," Wiley answered. "Still, thanks."
"See you soon." Deacon replied. "Linc? Same goes for you."
"You got it." Linc agreed and then clapped Wiley on the shoulder. "Okay, let's get you and Kaylee home to Molly."
They got into Linc's SUV, and Linc looked over his shoulder. "Hey squirt, that's some dog, you have there. What's his name."
"Ghost is a she and Daddy said you're Uncle Linc. What does that mean?"
"It means that since he's your dad and I'm his brother, I'm now your Uncle."
She frowned for a moment then brightened. "So that means we're family, right?"
"Indeed, it does."
"Does that mean Mr. Deacon is my Uncle, too?"
"It does," Wiley answered as Linc started the vehicle.
"So, Trina and Mica and Mathias and Brody are my family, too?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Boy, I'm going to have to do more chores to buy all those Christmas presents."
Wiley and Linc both laughed, then Wiley asked. "So, time for a serious question. How are you? I know that was a frightening experience, and it's okay if you're upset or—"
"It wasn't scary. Well, the dogs were – the ones that man was so mean to. But I wasn’t scared. I was mad. He stopped at the fence and said the Ice Cream Lady was sick and couldn't get better without my help.
"And you know my Mama, and my Elisi say you always have to help people who need help, so I went with him. But he lied. And that's bad. Real bad. He took me in that barn and said he was gonna let them dogs eat me because Ice Cream Lady couldn't get better until I was in heaven with my dead dad.
"But Ghost started snapping at him, and I ran, and I got in that cage cuz I thought he couldn't get in there and get me, but Ghost ran in there too, and he locked us up.
"That made me mad. It smelled bad in there, and I needed to pee, and all those dogs barked and barked."
"And you weren't scared?" Linc asked.
"No. I heard Daddy. He was mad, and I mean really mad, and I knew he was going to find me because he's a hero. Mama and Elisi both say so and they don't lie to me, and heroes protect the people they love, and Daddy loves me, so I didn't have to be scared."
She paused and petted Ghost then spoke up again, this time in a tart little tone. "But you sure coulda come sooner Daddy, cuz I don't like having to pee in my pants and have to smell all that dog poo."
Wiley and Linc looked at one another and grinned. "She's her mama's daughter," Linc said. "You got one helluva family, bro."
"Don’t I?" Wiley asked and grinned. "Kaylee, you want to call your Mama?"
"Yes, please."
He dialed the number and handed her the phone. "Hey Mama, it's me, Kaylee. I'm riding in Uncle Linc's car with him and Daddy, and we're coming home and Mama, guess what? Daddy let me have a dog. Ghost. I'll tell you all about her when we get home. Don't be mad at Daddy. I know you said I'm not ready for a dog, but Ghost is special, and Daddy said it was okay. Okay, Mama. I love you."
She handed the phone back to Wiley. "She said to be careful but hurry."
When they pulled into the driveway, Molly was standing in the front yard, waiting. She was trying to open the door before Linc could put the vehicle in park. He unlocked it, and she yanked the door open.
Wiley smiled at the sight. There was Ghost. Up close and personal, face to face. Molly looked at the dog for a long moment then smiled and put her hands on either side of the animal's face. "You have my eternal thanks, Ghost. Welcome to the family."
Ghost licked her across the face and moved aside for Kaylee. "You mean it, Mama? Ghost is our family?"
"You bet. Now come here and let me hug you, Squirrely Jo."
Kaylee dove into Molly's arms and Wiley felt choked with emotion, watching them. The love between them was a tangible thing, a caress of sensation on the skin, a whisper too soft to understand that rose on the wind, a feeling that permeated the air around them and made everything glow.
Molly's gaze connected with his and he saw love glowing in her eyes. "Come on, let's take Ghost in to meet Elisi. She can't wait to see you."
"Gh
ost can come inside?"
"Why sure she can." Molly set her down and watched the dog leap from the SUV and follow Kaylee as she danced toward the door, yelling for Elisi.
"Will you stay?" Molly asked Linc.
"I don't want to intrude."
"How could you ever intrude, silly man? You're family. Now get out and come in."
"Yes ma'am," he said and then looked at Wiley. "I seem to be saying that a lot today."
Wiley smiled and then turned to offer his hand to Molly. She literally flung herself at him, wrapping both arms around his neck. "You brought my baby home."
"I said I would."
"How can I ever thank you?"
"I can think of a couple of ways."
A smile slowly rose on her face. "Whatever you want."
"Oh yeah? I want a lot."
"And you'll get it. Later. But for now, family time." She took his hand and started for the house
"You don't want to know what happened?"
"Charli told me." Linc fell into step with them.
"Did she now?"
"She did."
"And?"
"And you saved Kaylee. You and Linc and Deacon and I think I may have to have t-shirts made."
"Can mine say I'm the Good-Looking one?" Linc asked.
Molly laughed. "It can say whatever you want." She looked at Wiley. "What about you? What should yours say?"
"Happiest Man Ever."
"Oh Wiley, you're gonna make me cry."
"What's new?" Linc asked and joined Wiley in a laugh. After a moment she did as well, and Wiley found himself realizing that no matter what he'd had to pay to get here, he'd finally found that place he wanted to call home.
Chapter Seventeen
"All you need is love"
" You did what?" Molly whirled around to look at Wiley.
"I bought it. It's your wedding present."
"This whole thing?" She spread her arms out wide. They stood at the edge of a vast section of land that was located behind her house. The street she and Netta lived on, along with a lot of other people, backed up to the undeveloped land, providing privacy and quiet. "You bought all this?"
