Hannah nodded, her expression solemn. “He and Kid are on their way back. He wants to get some supplies and regroup before he starts out again. I called the Sheriff. He’s on his way out.”
“He could have asked you to do that! Why didn’t I think of that? I could have stayed with them.” Alana looked Beast over, her inexperienced eyes unable to take in any information other than the horse looked sweaty. “How is Beast?”
“He’s okay, tired and little lame from running full out. A day’s rest and he’ll be fine.”
“I wonder if Charlie fell? And maybe walked off, got lost that way?” God, how could she be thinking an eight-year-old boy lost in the wilds of Montana was a good thing? In comparison to having him in Price Shepherd’s hands, maybe it was.
“Maybe. I can’t tell from Beast. His reins were loose but other than that, there’s nothing to show anything.” Talley took hold of the horse’s reins then and turned to Hannah. “I’m gonna take him in the stable and rub him down good. If I see anything I’ll let you know.”
She nodded and gestured to Alana. “Let’s go and grab a cup of coffee. I’ll have Taz refuel the ATV for you while we wait for Sam and Kid.”
Alana walked beside her, grateful the other woman didn’t suggest she garage the machine. If Sam was going back out to look for Charlie, she would be at his side.
She’d downed enough coffee to keep her alert for the next day by the time Sam and Kid strode in the main house. Their grim expressions told her more than she needed to hear but nothing she wanted to. “Well?”
“There’s some sign of a struggle,” Sam started and Alana figured she turned pale because he hustled to her side. “Nothing bad, just some broken branches, messed up dirt, that sort of thing.”
“You didn’t find any blood or anything?”
His hesitation spoke volumes but he didn’t try to fool her. “We found a note.”
Kid stepped forward and held out a cloth, folded into a square. When Alana reached to accept it, Sam halted them both. “Put it on the table, Kid. We don’t want to add any fingerprints to it before the Sheriff gets a chance to check it out.”
Alana stared at the rumpled piece of cloth, what looked like an old handkerchief or faded bandana, now flat on the table midst the coffee cups. She took an edge and gingerly folded it back, then another and another until she had the covering unfolded. A dusty piece of paper lay in the center of the cloth, blank. “How do I turn it over?”
“I’ve got something.” Hannah pulled open a drawer and returned with a pair of barbeque tongs which she handed to Alana. Alana used the tongs to pick up the note and turn it before she returned it to the table, now beside the cloth.
The words scrawled on the note stole her breath. She grasped the edge of the table, sinking into her chair.
You took my brother
Now I got your boy
Payback, Bitch
“Sam?” She stared at him through tears. “What do we do now?”
He knelt in front of her and took her chin in his hand. “We get him back, Lana. I promise.”
Chapter 9
Sam paced the distance between the work table and the door, glancing outside every time he passed the windowed opening. “We need to get going.”
Sheriff McCauley, who’d arrived minutes earlier, acknowledged his question with a nod. “And we will, soon enough. We need a little more information. Hannah?”
Hannah unfolded and started spreading a topical map over the worktable. Sam caught sight of the map and veered in that direction. “This the ranch?”
“The county. We figured we could use some clarification.” Taz said as he helped secure the map with salt and pepper shakers on corners, as well as a couple of empty coffee mugs. Alana sat at the table, her eyes moist, her jaw firm. Sam’s first instinct, honed by years of combat, should have been tactical but this time he wanted to sweep Alana up and comfort her. An urge that wouldn’t do anyone any good right now.
He stood beside the sheriff in front of the map, Taz, Cole, and Hannah ranging alongside. Hannah used a marker to label the ranch and its buildings. The topical map outlined roads and streams, as well as elevations and Taz, pointed to areas such as the ATV trail and shooting location. At one point, Sheriff McCauley glanced up and called Kid from his spot at a window to the table. “Where did you find Beast?”
After some questions, that location, as well as the campsite were marked and the group stood, eyeing the map again. “That narrows it down some,” Cole tilted his head to study the terrain.
“But not enough,” Sam muttered. Kid, silent throughout other than to respond to questions, returned to the window and stared out, as if on lookout. He straightened and turned at the sound of a knock and Talley entered the room, carrying a plastic bag.
He handed the bag to McCauley and nodded to Sam. “I dug this out of Beast’s hoof. Thought it might be of use.”
The bag contained a few rocks, pock marked and rust colored. Sam glanced from the bag to the group gathered at the table, taking in the grim expressions. “What?”
Alana glanced up from the map, “Is it something we can use to find Charlie?”
Taz nodded, “I think so. Sheriff?”
McCauley laid the opened the bag and extracted one marble sized rock. He held it in his open palm and showed Alana. Sam leaned forward to study the pebble, trying to find something he could have missed. Nothing more than rusty looking rock.
“It’s copper, or at least mostly copper. A nugget from an old mine, most likely. And the area around here is riddled with them.”
Hannah took another marker, this one a different color, and with Cole, Talley and Taz’s help, marked several spots. “These are the old mines we’ve found on the ranch and surrounding areas. At least the ones that are recorded.”
“Why?” Cole asked, his gaze on the map.
“There’s always a chance a client may stumble into one on an outing, or a horse get loose and wander there. Old mines aren’t dangerous unless you decide to go exploring without preparation.” Taz replied, his tone even. Still, Sam got the message.
“So that’s where Price is. One of these mines.” Damn, there had to be half a dozen of the sites.
“Those are the ones we know about, Sidewinder. There could be sites that were never listed on a map,” Hannah’s voice held sympathy. Obviously, something Alana didn’t want to hear right now, as she stood from her chair and pointed to the one closest to the ranch. “I’ll take that one.”
“Whoa, Ms. Christian. Not so fast. If we go off halfcocked, we lose precious time and may not get anything accomplished.”
“So, figure it out. My son doesn’t have a lot of time left, if any.” Her voice cracked at the end of the sentence, but Sam noticed her mouth firming.
“Okay, let’s put this together. “Sam pointed out areas on the map as he continued. “We found the horse here, the campsite here and the closest mine sites are these three.” The sheriff nodded and made a circle around the area. He tapped the map with a marker then looked at Sam. “How many people you got to help out? I’ve got two deputies and they’re out looking for a hunter.”
Sam turned to Taz, “How many?”
Hannah spoke up. “We can pull about five of the clients, the same ones who’ve been helping with patrol. But I don’t want them in situations they might have to use weapons.”
“So, eyes only.” Damn. They needed more personnel. But it would have to do.
“I can go.” Kid had been on the periphery of the group, listening. He stood with his hands at his sides, his gaze intent on Sam.
“Sure, Kid. We’ll need more eyes on the terrain.” Sam dismissed him and continued to stare at the map.
“No. I’ll be a point man.” Kid’s quiet voice cut through the other’s quiet murmurs like a saber.
Sam started to shake his head and Kid continued. “Look, I know you think I’m not any good anymore after I got hit. And I might forget some things, but I don’t forget how to be a soldie
r. I won’t.”
Alana gripped Sam’s arm, “We need him.”
Sam met Kid’s gaze and realized, he’d been hurting the man even more by not letting him go. Not letting him be a man. “Okay. So, we’ve got one team leader.” He turned away from Kid and addressed the sheriff. “Teams?”
McCauley turned to Taz, “You take one team. Use the noncombat men to help with surveillance.” He turned to Cole, “You good to take a team?” At Cole’s nod, he continued, “Take Talley with you. He may have been out of the navy for a while but he knows his stuff.” The sheriff pointed the locations he wanted each team to cover. “And I’ll go to this one,” he pointed to the closest mine and looked at Kid. “You want to join me?” Kid nodded. The sheriff looked at Sam. “You too?”
Sam shook his head and pointed to the area around the campsite. “I want to check out this area. I have a feeling about it.”
Hannah frowned, “We didn’t have any records of mines in that area.”
“But you mentioned the mines that are recorded. Isn’t there a chance there’s a mine that isn’t on the map?”
“There’s always that chance,” Hannah started and Sam cut her off. “Then I want to check that out. There has to be a reason for that campsite. It’s not in a place we frequented or that Price could use to spy on the ranch. It doesn’t make sense otherwise.”
The sheriff stared at Sam then nodded. “Okay. Check it out but don’t take too much time. If you don’t find anything in a couple hours, come back and check in. Hannah, you and Ms. Christian will keep track of everyone. Use the radios.” He gestured to the radios Hannah had retrieved earlier and each man gathered one and checked it before hooking it to his belt. As they prepared, Sam noticed Alana striding to the door. “Lana?”
“I’m getting my pistol and my jacket.”
He joined her at the door and kept stride with her. “The Sheriff--”
“Isn’t me. I’m going. I can go with you or I can go by myself. Kid might take me.” She didn’t look at him as she opened the cabin door and went to her bedroom. He watched as she pulled a small nine-millimeter pistol from the top shelf of her closet. She turned and caught his surprise. “I didn’t want to let Charlie know I had it. I know how to use it, I took lessons a couple years ago and go to a firing range several times a year to keep up with it.”
“You never took it out.”
“I hate the idea of using it, Sam.” Her expression showed her conflict. “I hate guns but when I took the job here I realized I might have to resort to this one day and prepared. If Price is going to try to hurt Charlie, I need to do this.”
She tucked the gun in her jacket pocket and shrugged it on then looked up at Sam, who’d come to stand in front of her. He cupped her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “We’ll find him, Lana. Safe and sound.”
They returned to the main house to find Kid on the porch, his jacket zipped against the cool evening air and his jaw set. Sam glanced around. “The others gone already?”
Kid nodded and stepped down the single step to join them. “I told the Sheriff I’d be with you.” At Sam’s look he grinned slightly, “I’m your point man, remember?”
Sam quirked a grin of his own and nodded. “Let’s do this.” He looked for an ATV but saw only a larger four by four. The utility vehicle resembled a small jeep with seating for four. He walked around it, checking its specs before joining Alana and Kid.
They kept chatter to a minimum while they drove, Kid using a topical map to direct them. Alana, seated in the rear, leaned between the men, her gaze intent on the terrain in front of them. When they found the old campsite, they stopped and unloaded the vehicle. Sam shouldered a rifle and his pistol with Kid doing the same. Alana shot him a surprised look. He held up the gun, “It’s an old habit.” While this gun was a single shot rifle, the weight nowhere near as heavy as his military gear, the presence felt familiar. He also pulled forth some night vision binoculars and held a pair to Kid, “Got these from Taz. He has an arsenal in his house.”
“Old habits?” Kid said as he stowed the binoculars.
“Old habits,” Sam concurred and turned to Alana. “You stick close to me.”
At her nod he and Kid took a couple seconds to decide on a direction and headed out, Kid in front a few meters ahead. Sam’s old training kicked in and his senses opened up. Dusk fell as they walked over scrub and loose dirt. Every now and then Kid gave a signal to slow them before continuing on. After several minutes, he held his hand up in a fist and Sam halted Lana, insuring she stayed behind him. He pulled his binoculars out and after making sure the area was clear, quietly joined Kid, all the while aware of Lana at his back.
The opening to the mine consisted of a small hole, not much bigger than a manhole cover. Timber supports on either side of the crevice and an overturned wheelbarrow, rusted and pitted with holes gave away the mine’s purpose. Sam scanned the area around it, looking for anything foreign to the setting but found no visible wires or bundles. He pointed to a small scrub behind them and they retreated to the cover. “It’s small. We’ll have to be careful not to make any noise.”
Kid eyed Sam with a mocking grin. “If we greased you down and dislocated your shoulders, maybe. But, man you ain’t gonna fit without that.” His accent, always a bit southern, had taken on a drawl Sam hadn’t heard since Kid’s arrival on his team. He huffed an exasperated sigh. The man was right. “So--”
“I’ll do it.” Kid insisted. Sam’s gut clenched but he knew, other than waiting for someone else to come, there was no way to check out the place.
“Or I could,” Lana said and Sam shot her a disbelieving glance.
“Right, and give Price both of you? No way in hell.”
She bit her lip then nodded. She knew he was right. He returned his gaze to Kid who was already relieving himself of his jacket. “You know what to do?”
Kid gave a single head bob then replied, “Find him or evidence of him, check to see if Charlie is there and okay, back out for report. Got it.”
Sam and Lana followed Kid’s progress as he crouched and made his way to the mine opening, signaling clear at the entrance. The young man’s back disappeared into the cave and Sam reminded himself of the Ranger training and that the army drilled into every man and woman who joined. Even after separating from the forces, soldiers remained trained, incorporating habits learned in the military into daily life. He’d experienced it, had seen it in Kid’s actions. He just hoped whatever deficit still remained of Kid’s injuries didn’t hinder him and put him in danger now.
Minutes passed, maybe even seconds, but they seemed to crawl. Sam heard Lana shifting slightly to relieve stiff joints as they remained under scrub’s meager cover. A slight sound, a rattle of stone falling came to Sam and he trained his binoculars on the opening again. A shoe appeared in the hole, followed by a jean’s covered leg and the bent figure of a man, whiskered and disheveled. He thrust the binoculars back at Lana, “This Price?” he whispered.
A second later she hissed an affirmative, her gaze still on Price. Sam pulled Kid’s binoculars out and wished he had goggles instead. He waited for another person to emerge from the mine but no one came. He turned to Lana. “Stay here. Cover me.” He added as an afterthought to give her something to do.
Alana held the gun in one hand, the binoculars in another as she watched Sam make his way to the mine opening. Price stood stretching for a moment then bent to retrieve something from a backpack he’d pulled with him from the cave. She focused on the man’s actions, zooming in as much as she could. He removed something from the pack, a square object and what looked like coiled wire. As she watched in increasing horror, he started poking the wire into the small square. Good God, he was putting together a bomb!
She scrambled, trying to keep quiet yet catch up with Sam, who’d left his night vision binoculars lying on the ground. If Price completed the bomb, he could blow up the mine with Kid and she assumed Charlie inside, as well as Sam. And she couldn’t let that happen.
She stopped a couple feet away from Sam and reconsidered. Maybe she could give him some time. She hissed at him and he turned to her, his expression a mixture of anger and worry. She handed him the binoculars and whispered, “Looks like a bomb.”
Sam accepted the glasses and whipped around to see for himself. Alana didn’t give herself a chance to second guess but scrambled to the right several yards before tucking her pistol into the back of her pants and standing. “Where is my son, Price?”
Chapter 10
Price whirled from his position bent over the bomb material and stared at Alana. A small penlight held in his mouth outlined the ground in front of her and she hoped it didn’t screw up Sam’s night vision.
“Where’d you come from?” He asked, casting his eyes around the area.
“I saw where you’d camped out. I figured you’d stay close by, so I came out looking for Charlie. Is he here? Is he okay?” The anxiety she’d kept tamped down for her son threatened to overwhelm her and she squelched it, reminded herself she needed to be focused.
“He’s cozy in there,” Price pointed. “There’s another fella in there too. A moron.” He laughed in his condescending way she’d heard when he took the stand in court.
“Don’t hurt them, Price. Kid has been injured, he’s harmless.” She hoped Kid had been using that as a ploy. Moron he wasn’t but if Price thought that, maybe he underestimated the young man.
“He must have got hit over the head a few dozen times. Stuttered, couldn’t put two words together. Hell, Charlie’s taking care of him.”
Oh, God. Maybe Kid had a reaction to the violent situation. Her hopes sank as she eyed the explosive in Price’s hands. “Let me have my son, Price. If you give my son, I’ll get Hanson out of jail, I promise.”
Saving Sidewinder: Brotherhood Protectors World Page 9
