“Nope! I’m not Superman.”
Lynn lifted a pillow setting it behind his back. “I thought you might enjoy the breakfast more than a sandwich.”
“How’s Ryan?” he asked. “The woman?”
“Ryan’s on the mend. He won’t be up and around for a few more days. Nick has him getting up, but just to the bathroom and back.” She said. “Shay is quite remarkable.”
“Shay?”
“The woman! Shay. She’s lucky you found her.” Lynn sat down next to the bed, her fingers holding her side. The bruises on her face were already taking on a slight change in color.
“You?” he asked. “Is anyone taking care of you?”
She smiled. “Ben is doing the bloody laundry, and I do mean bloody. Nick won’t let me lift anything over a pound and Lily cooked your eggs so I’d watch for shells.”
Jack smiled. “You’re just like Mom.” He said.
“Did Shay tell you why she was running?” Lynn asked. She wrung her hands and Jack could see she wanted to talk about it.
“I’m assuming it had something to do with that fertilizer I planted out in the field.” He turned his attention to Lynn.
“The shift. She and her fiancée were forced off the highway by those men. Her fiancé died. That was a long time ago.”
“Where is this going Lynn?” Jack asked, sensing there was more to this story. He’d hear it one way or another.
“She was five weeks pregnant at the time. She’s been a prisoner for almost two years now along with other women.” She paused. “She had the baby?”
“Where’s the kid?
“Ringo took him. He thinks Jonah is his?” Lynn went on.
“Why didn’t she take the kid when she ran?” Jack was getting a frustrated, trying to piece together the puzzle.
“Ringo wasn’t there. He left his brother in charge. The one you killed. He and his men wanted something to hunt. It’s a game to them.”
Jack said nothing. There was something familiar about the name Ringo, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
“There are six other women being held. Three of them are under sixteen.”
“Six?”
“Six plus Jonah.” She repeated.
“Jonah?”
“Her son.” She said.
There was a long strand of silence before Jack spoke. “Does she know where the house is?”
“I didn’t ask. Nick said she’s been treated bad. Past and present. She has lacerations, bruises, and some broken fingers.” Lynn paused. “She’s going back for her son.”
Jack set his fork on his plate and stared at the fireplace. The warmth of the room engulfed him and still he felt a chill.
When Lynn stood, she took Jack’s plate. It was empty. She grinned.
“You better get some rest,” she said. “Oh, Lily wanted me to give you this. She came in a few hours ago, but you were still asleep.” Lynn handed him a paper.
He looked down at the drawing. Seven people holding hands and a big sun shining over their heads. The ranch house was there as well as the horses. Jack smiled. His sister knew him well. With a full stomach and thoughts playing in his head, he melted down into the pillows. He watched the glow of the fire until sleep took him one more time.
SEVENTEEN
Staring down into the fading darkness of morning Jack let the warmth of the room comfort his troubled thoughts. He was already formulating a plan to retrieve the others. With Ryan and Lynn down, he was going to need help. Nick and Ben were picking up the slack on the chores, but even they wouldn’t be able to keep up. Security on the ranch needed beefing up. To add to his list, it was the first day of December. Though the family had suffered an attack, holidays remained a constant on the calendar. Lynn would be expecting a Christmas tree.
By six, Jack was downstairs with Ryan who looked no worse for what he’d incurred. Wanting to tease him, Jack thought twice about it. It was a good to see him awake and talking and his eyes were already revealing a hint of mischief.
Nick stepped into the room smiling. “I swear your sister makes the best damn coffee.”
“No one will argue that.” Jack said. “So doc seems the youngest Colton is trying to get out of his chores.”
“Bring it on,” Ryan said, attempting to hide the pain from his face.
“You won’t be running any races kid,” Nick replied. “I put a lot of stitches in you, inside and out.”
“Chicks dig scars. Right?” he joked. “Get the super glue out. That’ll keep things together.”
“You are glued, but that doesn’t mean it won’t rip open. You were lucky! I swear you Colton’s have nine lives.” Nick looked at the two men and frowned. “What’s going on?”
“A rescue plan.” Jack said.
“Are you sure about all this?” Nick asked.
“I want to hear her side of the story first.” Jack replied.
“Be gentle Jack.” Nick responded. “She’s pretty wounded inside and out.”
“If we go, I’ll have security for the ranch.” Jack said. He saw the look on Ryan’s face, but shrugged it off. Ryan wouldn’t be going on this mission.
“You can’t go.” Nick said.
“I know.” Ryan looked at his brother. Jack nodded. “Don’t even look at me like that. I don’t need you falling out on me.”
“Call in the boys.” Ryan said. “Be sure to take Blake. He’s a good kid.”
Jack nodded.
“Ben won’t like it,” Nick said.
“He never does.” Jack glanced over at his brother. “We’ve built a good team over the past couple of years, you and I.”
“Maybe you should run for mayor. That’d make pops happy.” Ryan grinned. “Hell, you’d have my vote.”
Nick chuckled. “It’d be one way to meet a woman.”
“Is Shay up?” Jack asked, changing the subject quick.
“She’s with Lynn and Lily. Ben is with them.” Nick replied.
Jack patted his brother on the chest softly. “Rest up. One day at a time, okay.”
When Jack stepped out the front door, the desert skies greeted him with lavenders and blues. The sun hadn’t crested over the horizon yet, but for now, the coming of dawn was frosty and cold. Silhouettes of deep canyons carved in sand and stone were but an outline in the predawn darkness.
The coolness caught his breath as he crossed through the double doors of the barn that led to the breezeway. Sam neighed, hanging his head out the stall door opening. Jack set his coffee next to Sam’s stall and rubbed the horse’s forehead.
“Thanks friend, for getting us back safe.” He rubbed behind the horse’s ears. Sam closed his eyes and stretched his neck out. An older tomcat jumped down at Jack’s feet interrupting Sam’s rub down. The horse reached down nudging the cat with his nose.
“You doing your job old fella?”
“Best mouse hunter on the ranch. I’ll be sorry when he passes.” The old man said from somewhere inside the barn. He heard several whispers and then a slight giggle. “He dropped a mouse at my door this morning. A gift. You want it?”
“Pops.” Jack called.
The sound of Lily’s voice touched his ears. She was holding tight to Ben from atop his shoulders. “Faster grandpa, faster”.
Ben grunted, setting the girl onto the ground. The gruffness in his face returned as he frowned at Jack. Jack lowered his head grinning. The old man could act. Lynn and Shay appeared from behind.
“Feedings done” Ben grumbled. “I think the women get it done better than you.”
“Thanks pop” Jack said. “I’m sure they do.”
“Papa, be nice.” Lynn said, taking the carton of eggs from Shay. “I’m going to get breakfast started.”
“I’ll help” Shay said.
“You stay.” Jack said.
Taking a deep breath, her shoulders rolled forward. He wasn’t good at being gentle and he sure as hell wasn’t good at being patient.
“It’s okay.” Lynn patted Shay on
the shoulder. “He doesn’t bite.”
“Okay Lily, let’s go help your mama with some breakfast.” Ben said scooping the little girl back onto his back.
“But I want to stay with Uncle Jack.” She squealed.
“I need some pancakes,” Ben said giving the girl a bucking movement. She bounced up and down, giggled, and held on. Lily’s laughter trailed them as they headed out the door toward the house.
It got uncomfortably quiet. Jack looked at Shay.
“Coffee?”
She nodded. She looked different this morning. Her untangled hair looked longer and darker. Her almond shaped eyes sparkled and the puffiness was diminishing. Her skin was an olive color and probably with the bruises gone, she’d be beautiful. He led her to the studio apartment.
Jack handed her a cup of coffee and they sat down across from one another and stared. He found it was easy to look at her.
“Lynn told you about my son?”
“Saving the world is on Lynn’s to do list.” He sipped his coffee.
“I have to get my son.”
Jack guessed she’d do it. She’d go back and fight to retrieve her son. She’d die trying.
“Jonah is all I have left.”
Jack didn’t say anything.
“If I hadn’t run, they would’ve killed me.” She explained. “He won’t hurt Jonah. He thinks Jonah’s his, but he isn’t.”
“I believe you?”
She lowered her eyes. “You killed Ringo’s brother. Grant, the big man. Ringo will come after you now. He’ll come after his property and for revenge.”
“You’re someone’s property?”
“No, but I have to get Jonah.”
“Who’s Ringo?” Jack asked.
“He’s dark. Darkness follows him.” She wrapped her hands around her cup. “Something’s not right about him.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” Jack took a deep breath. He’d already put his family and the ranch at risk by getting involved. He was beginning to wish they’d never crossed paths, but he wasn’t one to leave behind someone in trouble. “Some helpful information, please.” Jack said, feeling a wave of anger beginning to rise. “My family means more to me than anything. If I’m involved in a fight that’s coming this way, I need to know everything in order to stop it. Are we clear?”
She looked at Jack, her eyes filling with tears. It set him back a few beats.
“I didn’t ask you to kill Grant. Hell, I didn’t even ask you to bring me here. However, you did. I can’t do anything about that.” She paused.
“You’re right.” He said. “Now, how far did you run? On foot?”
“Until I reached that dirty little town. One of their trucks was parked there with the keys in the ignition. I drove it until it ran out of gas. I thought I lost them.”
“Highway?”
“I was on Route 66 and then 89.”
“Town?” Jack asked. He felt his anger subside. She needed him, but now he needed her to protect his own family as well.
“I think it was Seligman.”
“What did it look like?”
“Log home. No one around for miles” She whispered.
He kept his eyes on her, reading her, watching for inconsistencies in her story, but all he saw was fear.
“This Ringo, he’s in charge?” Jack asked.
“Yes.” Her voice lifted with agitation. “Grant looks….looked a lot like him. Ringo’s three times more dangerous. I’ve seen what he can do.” She leaned forward. “For some reason he took a liking to me.”
Jack watched her, cursing her vulnerability because it made him want to help her even more. He shoved his thoughts to the back of his mind annoyed at the distraction.
“It was Ringo’s boys who rammed our SUV a few days after the shift occurred. I was twelve weeks pregnant with Jonah. My fiancé didn’t know about the baby yet. Those men left my fiancée to die. They took me to Ringo. The other women were for his men and he has a lot of them.”
“How many?”
“15-20 maybe. They come for the girls.” She said.
“I need to know what I’m up against.”
Her lips relaxed and a sort of sophistication shone through. He couldn’t help, but gaze at her. He felt a slight wash of warmth, but fought it off.
“I’m sorry I involved you.” She said. “I want to go.”
“No,” Jack said. He turned away from her. “You’re more valuable to me here.”
“I’m going with you,” she said again, but this time with more volume. “I’ve heard the way he talks. He doesn’t just want to enslave women.”
“What does he want then?”
She hesitated and then she said, “He wants everything he can’t have.”
“What about your son?”
She said nothing.
“They killed one of the girls.” She went quiet again. “They enjoyed it. She was only 19.”
He didn’t like what he was hearing. He’d turn the tables and hunt the hunters. After all, he was good at finding people and solving problems especially psychotic ones.
“Describe the house.”
“Three levels, log home. No neighbors. Timber.” She rubbed her good hand on her leg. “We were literally out in the middle of nowhere.”
Jack stood up. “You need to write down everything you can remember down on paper.”
“Paper.” She repeated. “Okay.”
“We’ll talk again later. Breakfast is probably ready and you need to eat.” He said.
“I’m not very hungry.” She stood up edging in closer to him.
He saw old scars on her face. The light of morning showered through the window to reveal the secrets she couldn’t hide. A slight smell of lavender touched his nose and he was compelled to reach out and move the strand of hair that’d fallen across her cheek. He didn’t move. She was too young and vulnerable.
“Your son is counting on you.” At the mention of her son, a spark ignited in her eyes. “If you’re going with me, you’ll eat.”
“Breakfast sounds good then.” She stepped in closer to him. “I never thanked you for saving my life.”
“My pleasure,” Jack said.
“Do you believe in miracles?” She asked not letting her eyes fall from his gaze.
Jack almost reached out and she waited. “I suppose so.”
“We’re going to need one.” She whispered still waiting.
“You don’t owe me.”
“Maybe I like you, Jack Colton.” She said and then she turned away from him and disappeared through the door.
Jack didn’t trust anyone other than his family. He juggled the complexity of Shay’s involvement in the rescue. She knew the hostages. She’d be an asset to them. He thought about the boy for a moment. For all he knew, he could already be dead.
They gathered near the oversized fireplace warding off the cold from the morning temperatures. To Jack, Shay and Lynn appeared rested. Wounds were healing and life on the ranch was returning to somewhat normal if ever the word would exist again. Jack watched Lynn and Lily and then looked to Ryan who also looked a little better. Then he focused his attention on Shay. These were his wounded soldiers and he felt fully responsible for each one of them.
“What’s the plan Jack?” Nick broke the silence.
“Shay filled you guys in?” Jack asked.
“I did.” Lynn stepped in next to Nick who slid his arm over her shoulder.
“You’re going after them.” Ben stepped in from the hallway. His white hair seemed whiter.
“We don’t have a choice pops.” Jack lowered his voice.
“I’m going with him.” Shay said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Nick stepped in closer.
“Ringo expects me to go back for Jonah.” Shay said.
“He’ll be looking for her.” Jack said pointing to Shay. “She’ll already be there.”
“He’s right,” Shay’s eyes sparkled. “He’ll be coming for me and loo
king for Jack. If we’re gone, you’re safe.”
“John and Jeremy will be here to help.” Jack said. “We leave tomorrow.”
“Do you even know where to start?” Lynn asked.
“I’ll recognize it when I see it.” Shay moved to where Jack was spreading out a map.
“Here’s Vegas. You left from Prescott right?” Jack drew a large circle in the vicinity where Shay had said she and her fiancée had been heading.
Shay nodded. “We spent the day hiking and then camped overnight.” She pointing. “Somewhere in here. It was called the ghost stretch.”
“Coconino National Forest?” Ryan leaned over them.
“I’m almost sure it was Seligman.” She said.
“Lots of old signs and mannequins?” Ryan asked.
“Yes.” Shay said.
“Take the Hummer,” Lynn replied. “It’s a good ride on and off road.”
“I like to ride Baily,” Lily said. She’d been quiet brushing her dolls hair through the entire conversation. “Mama says she’s as smooth as Bailys and cream.” Lily struggled as the brush tangled in her doll’s hair. She sighed frustrated and handed it to Lynn for fixing.
Jack turned to Nick. “You’re in charge.”
“Thanks.” Nick said dryly.
“We leave early.” Jack folded up the map. “You better get ready for six more guests.”
EIGHTEEN
The girls were sleeping but Riley was admiring the elegantly crafted bathroom. The glass-framed shower doors etched in a beautiful etching of standing elk and timber background. Black and grey marbled stone lined the floor and walls. Two oversized showerheads hung from the sides with a third wide mouthed waterfall-producing faucet in the center. Wanting nothing, more than to stand beneath a warm shower, wash, and then wash some more, she could only dream. Riley could almost feel the water. She eyed the expensive bottles of shampoo and conditioner while twisting her long braid between her fingers.
It’d been over two years since she felt running water. She found it hard to stand there and not long for it. She’d adjusted to the no utilities type of life and never complained. She opened the glass door and stood under the showerheads staring at the handles. Had this been hers, she would’ve never taken it for granted. She closed her eyes imagining the smell of the steam and soap. She lifted her face to where the water would fall, letting the memory of warmth remind her. “What if?”
Not Alone: The Beginning (The Fighter Series Book 1) Page 8
