Gabriel (Guardian Defenders Book 1)

by Kris Michaels

  He handed her the paper and watched as she read the words. “Gabriel, there is more.”

  His eyes narrowed as he waited for her to continue.

  “I gave Anna money to help her leave. She was desperate and terrified that someone was going to find out.” She glanced at Deacon, who nodded in response to her silent question.

  “Find out what?” He almost yelled the question.

  Deacon put a hand on his shoulder. “Gabriel, Anna is pregnant with your child.”

  His eyes bounced from Deacon to Jackie.

  She nodded. “It's true.”

  His entire body trembled, reacting to Deacon's words and the thoughts racing through his mind. Anna was out there alone, afraid, and pregnant with his baby. He covered his face with his hands, and for the first time in his life, he cried in front of another. Tears ran down his cheeks unabated.

  “Do you know where she is?” he said when he could control himself.

  “No. I received a phone call from her when she found a place, but it was months ago. She said she was safe and that she would call me when the baby was born or if she needed anything.”

  “What number did she call you from?” The investigator in him leaped at the idea of a lead.

  “A payphone. But she mailed those envelopes to me to hold for you.”

  He sprang to his feet. “Tell me you saved the postmark.”

  Jackie squared her shoulders. “Gabriel, she ran because she had to protect her baby, your baby. That man had threatened her, and she knew he had the capability to carry out his threat.”

  Gabriel swept his hand through his hair in aggravation. “I understand. I'm not mad at her, but I have to find her and soon. If something happens to her...” He drove both hands through his hair as he paced. “Did you save the envelope those came in?” He pointed to the pictures.

  “I did.” She pointed to the bedside table and Deacon opened it.

  He squinted at the red stamp. “Belle Fourche, South Dakota.” He picked up the pictures and the handwritten note. “If you hear from her, tell her I'm home, and I'm looking for her. Let her know that Craig is dead. Please.”

  “We will. Have you talked to Nathan or her parents?”

  “No. I'll talk to Nathan next.” He stopped at the bedroom door. “Thank you. Thank you for being a good friend to her.” He tapped the door frame and walked out. He opened his cell phone and punched the number to his corporate office.

  “Guardian Security, Operator Two Seven Four.”

  “This is Alpha. Patch me through to Domestic Operations, immediately.” He was going to mobilize every last resource he had to find her, starting in South Dakota.

  Chapter 36

  Being pregnant wasn't the wonderfulness her friend Kay had experienced. No, for her, the entire journey had been difficult. Her morning sickness and continued nausea prevented much weight gain, but her determination to eat proper food made her nutrition exceptional, and the local OB/GYN had told her everything with the baby looked good even though she was underweight. When she seemed hesitant to pre-admit herself to the hospital in New Castle for her estimated delivery date, he recommended she use a midwife who worked in the rural area where she was living. Anna thanked him and exited the office. She had used a false name for the appointment and paid the receptionist in cash.

  She contacted the midwife, not sure how the process worked. The midwife, Auntie Lou, was adorable and very knowledgeable. She drove out to Anna’s little ranch house in a four-wheel drive pickup truck. The appointment was more to get to know Anna and to find her way to the ranch house.

  “You never can be too careful! Don’t want to get lost on the way here and let you deliver the baby by yourself.”

  She smiled at her, “I am a trauma nurse. I relocated out here to slow down and raise this one away from the insanity of the big cities.”

  Lou looked at her with new respect. “Well, then I know you won’t be calling me for Braxton Hicks contractions!” She gave her a number to call in case of an emergency and scheduled appointments that would be at Anna’s small ranch house.

  “That is exceptionally beautiful. Do you sell your work?” Lou commented on the leather saddle she’d been working on when Lou arrived.

  “No, I do this as, heck, I don't know… therapy.” She’d spent the two months since she had moved in doing elaborate tooling to a rough-out saddle she'd purchased in New Castle. “I enjoy watching the patterns grow and evolve.”

  “Oh sure, you betcha. Well, you realize you can make money doing what you enjoy, yah know? I've seen saddles not even half that detailed going for close to seven hundred dollars over at New Castle. I know the owner of the feed store. I'm sure he'd be happy to put it up on consignment. It's pretty obvious you won't be riding for a while, and if that is for you, you could make another one while you’re waiting to give birth. But, while I'm here, let's take a look at how things are progressing, shall we?”

  She led Lou to her small bedroom. “I doubt I'll sell it.”

  “Shame. But keep it in mind.”

  Brandi was a constant visitor. Without fail, she drove out once a week, bringing small gifts with each visit. A bib for the baby or a jar of preserves for Anna. They fell back into a friendship that had never really ended. It was as if it was just placed on pause.

  “Anna, this is beautiful! You could sell it. You could make a lot of money.”

  “I did not make it to make money. I just enjoy the process.”

  “Are you going to keep it?”

  “I don't know what I'm going to do with it. For now, it stays right there because it is too heavy to move. According to Lou, I'm banned from toting it back and forth.”

  “Wow, no kidding. Don't do anything stupid, okay? I mean, if you need help with anything, I'll heft and tote for you.”

  “I'm almost done with it. I may ask you to buy another rough-out for me and bring it out. I'll be bored to tears if I don't have something to mess with.”

  “Well, okay then, I can do that. But two in here will be kinda crowded. How about you let me sell it for you? I'll be in Casper later this week, and I can check to see what the saddle shop over there is selling saddles like this for. Oh! I bet I could get more commissions for you. This saddle is absolutely fantastic. Could you make matching bridles?”

  She thought about it for a couple minutes. “Yes, and I could personalize the work with names or initials, too.”

  Brandi clapped her hands. “Anna, this is so exciting. You’re going to be famous!”

  The panic Anna felt was immediate and hit her like a wall. “Brandi, nobody can know I'm doing this. Just tell them a friend in Colorado makes them. I'll take orders from you, nobody else, and I won't take a check or credit card. Cash only. If you can’t promise me that, I can’t do this.”

  Brandi eyed her thoughtfully. “I haven't pushed you, but you being this careful... Is the daddy that much of a jerk?”

  Anna’s blush turned her entire face red. “He doesn’t know.”

  “And you are hiding from him? Why? Will he hurt you?”

  “No, he'd never hurt me. I love him, but there is another person who would hurt the baby or me. He's evil, and I can't risk him finding us. I can't risk going to Gabriel. It would put him and us in too much danger. I have to be careful. No one can know anything about me.”

  “Gabriel, that's the dad's name?”

  She nodded and rubbed her belly. God, she missed him so much. She drew a sharp breath and blinked back tears.

  “All right, Anna, I'll keep your secret. I'll never associate your name with this work. I know there will be a huge demand for saddles and bridles. Can you do belts and hat bands too?”

  “If it is leather, I can punch a design on it.” She laughed as Brandi rubbed her hands together.

  “Oh girl, I see good fortune in your future.”

  The orders Brandi took for her work were small to start. Now at almost eight months pregnant, she had commissions for saddles and matching bridles. Her wor
k was a huge success with barrel racers and rodeo queens on the circuit, and the demand for her designs was high. She refused to take any advance on the work. If the person couldn't pay cash, Brandi would accept payment, cash the check and bring Anna the cash. She forced her friend to take a small percentage for the work she did selling the items. Anna saw no one other than Lou and Brandi except for her monthly trip to Rapid City for supplies.

  Gabriel tracked the letter to the post office in Belle Fourche. He showed her picture to the two clerks who worked there. Neither recalled seeing her.

  “She in trouble?”

  “Yes, ma'am.” He flipped his credentials open. “There was someone threatening her, but we've eliminated that threat. I'm here to find her and tell her it's safe to come home.” He pulled out a business card and scrawled his cell phone number on the back. “If either of you sees her again, would you please call me immediately?”

  “Sure. Have you talked to the sheriff or the state troopers? They work together with the other agencies. We're rural up here. If she's around, networking with them would help.” The older of the two clerks spoke for the first time.

  “That's my next stop. Thank you.” He walked out and glanced up and down the small main street. There were a number of Mom & Pop businesses along the brick facades that stretched from the middle school along the Belle Fourche River to the intersection with the highway that ran through town. He'd seen the sheriff’s substation just on the other side of the tracks. He walked past a small electronics shop and stopped when he saw his image show up on a television in the window. He reversed course and opened the door.

  “Hey, can I help you?” A ruddy-faced, red-headed man looked up from the counter where he was reading the paper.

  “Yes. The camera system you have at the front window, does it record?”

  “You bet.” The man jumped up from his wooden stool and rubbed his hands together. “It has a continuous loop recording and activation system. The best there is right now. I have ranchers who are using it to monitor their barns and close in pastures during calving season. Saves them unnecessary trips.”

  “How long have you had that particular model on display?” Gabriel's eyes traveled from the length of coaxial attached to the back of the camera to the VHS machine near the cash register.

  “Almost a year.”

  “And you save the recordings to VHS?” He pointed to the machine behind the man.

  “Yep.”

  “Do you record over the tapes?”

  “Well, yes and no. I have a box of old VHS tapes that someone was throwing away. All manner of cartoons and such on them. So I record over them.” The man opened the cabinet under the VHS. Gabriel glanced at the labels. Sequential since January.

  “You interested in buying a system?” The man glanced at him. “I'll make you a deal.”

  “How about I make you a deal. How many of these do you have in inventory?”

  “Five.” The man shifted on his feet. “But two are being held for the Hollister Ranch over on the Wyoming border.”

  “You do a lot of business with people in Wyoming?” Gabriel pulled out his wallet.

  “Yeah, it's kinda rural around here, so people know where to go for what they want. If someone wants to stock up on general supplies, they go to Rapid City, but there's no electronics store like mine there. I cater to my ranchers.”

  “How much for the three remaining systems, plus the one in the window and all of those VHS tapes.”

  “The tapes, hell man, you can have the tapes. Ain't nothing on them but television shows and people walking past the store. But for four systems, it will cost you twelve hundred dollars.”

  He opened his wallet and counted out twelve, one-hundred-dollar bills. “I'll send a man around for the systems. I'll take the tapes now.”

  “Just like that?” The man stared at the cash lined out in front of him.

  “Unless there is some reason you can't make the sale?” He refused to glance at the tapes again. If there was a ghost of a chance that Anna had walked by this shop on her way to the post office, he was going to personally review every fucking second of every tape.

  “No, no reason at all. Let me get you a receipt. Um, before I do that, my policy is all sales are final unless there is a manufacturer’s defect. I'll help you work with the company, but I don't take back opened equipment.”

  “Not a problem.” Gabriel glanced at a box near the rear door. “I'll take the tapes in that box, too, if you don't mind.”

  “Not at all. Give me a minute, and I'll get them all loaded up for you.”

  Gabriel sipped his fifth or sixth cup of coffee and stared at the television screen. He'd found her. Almost three months ago, she had walked into the post office after getting out of a black, four-wheel drive pickup. The truck had Wyoming plates. Unfortunately, only the first number of the plate was legible at this angle. He rewound the video again and played it from the moment the truck parked in front of the store. He watched her climb down from the tall truck and shut the door. She pulled her cap down low over her face, but he knew that profile. It was Anna. She wore a man's flannel shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. The long tail hit her almost at the knees. He froze the video and stared at the pronounced bump captured when the wind gusted and pushed the shirt against her body. His child. She was carrying his child. He'd talked to doctors, and he could narrow down when she’d gotten pregnant. He knew when she was due, and it was soon. The photo of her from three months ago drove home the reality of her condition. Understanding the concept he had a child was one thing, seeing her growing large with their baby was quite another. He was closing in and the urgency he felt to find her multiplied wildly.

  He narrowed his search parameters and examined a detailed map of Wyoming. She was close enough to come to Belle Fourche. He looked at the time stamp on the VHS. Nine thirty in the morning. Factoring in drive time and the time he knew Anna woke every morning, she could be up to three hours away.

  He punched in Harvey's number on his cell and waited for his man to answer.

  “For fuck's sake, don't you sleep?”

  He glanced at the clock. Three-thirty in the morning. “Sorry. When you wake up, I need the speed limits on all roads leading to Belle Fourche, South Dakota.”

  “What the fuck for?” Harvey yawned hard as he asked the question.

  “I found her. I have her on camera. She has a Wyoming plate, and she was in Belle Fourche at nine-thirty in the morning. Get me the speed limits, and I can determine where to focus our search.”

  There was a brief silence. “Damn, that's fucking brilliant. You and Olsen with your math. I'll have it to you in an hour. I need a cup of coffee and a shower so I don't fuck it up.”

  “Thanks.”

  “For you, anything. We'll find her, boss.”

  “God, I hope so.” Gabriel ordered assets to the South Dakota and Wyoming border. He was going to find her and bring her and their child home.

  Chapter 37

  Lou pulled up as Anna was finishing a bridle for a combination order. She was due any day, and Lou now stopped by every afternoon. “Hey, Sweetie! How are you feeling today?”

  “Like I have been riding a picket fence. My back hurts in a way that is new and really uncomfortable.” She laughed and rubbed her lower back.

  “I can see the baby has dropped. That little one should be here any day now. Let’s do a quick exam and see how things are going.”

  Lou draped a towel over Anna’s knees as she performed the now routine pelvic exam. “Well, Anna, how about that. We're having a baby today.”

  Anna frowned. “Excuse me? I haven't had any contractions.” She ached, God, how she ached, but that was just from leaning over the leather bridle and having her baby-bowling ball tummy pull her off-center.

  “Well if you haven’t you soon will. You are dilated to a five. This baby is coming, and I think it'll be sooner than later. I’m gonna ask you, because I always ask, do you want me to call the daddy?”r />
  “No, Lou. There is no one to call. It’s just him and me.”

  “Him? You know something I don’t?”

  “Well, no, but I have always thought of the baby as him.”

  “What are you going to name him?”

  “David Gabriel”

  “And if you have a girl?”

  Anna blew out a breath of air and chuckled, “Gabrielle Jacqueline.”

  “Is that a family name?”

  “Yes, Gabriel is his daddy’s name.”

  The first labor pains were more of an inconvenience than the pain Anna thought she would have. Anna and Lou visited, and she walked, or rather, paced. It was too cold to think about going outside.

  Lou stayed close by but didn't hover, for which she was extremely grateful. At four in the morning, the labor pains hit with a vengeance. Her labor lasted twelve hours, and the baby arrived at four in the afternoon. She cried, exhausted and elated, when Lou handed her Gabrielle Jacqueline Xavier, her beautiful baby girl. Wisps of dark black hair framed a beautiful face that looked like her daddy. Lou stayed with her for two days to make sure there weren't any complications and to let Anna rest after labor. As she was packing up to leave, she brought in a form for Anna to fill out. It was Gabrielle’s birth certificate.

  “Okay, Sweetie, we need the full name of this beautiful little princess.”

  “Gabrielle Jacqueline”

  “Last name?”

  “Does this form get put into a computer database or reported to anyone other than this county?”

  “Nah, not that I know of. We midwives just file the paper certificate at the courthouse.”

  “Her last name is Xavier.”

  “Dad's first name is Gabriel?”

  Anna stared down at her baby. “That's right.” She'd never be able to tell her daughter the truth about her daddy, but she'd have his last name, even if she'd never know his first.

  Gabriel sat down at the desk of his rented a house in New Castle, Wyoming. He ran his businesses from the large house while he waited for any information about Anna. The blizzard that covered the state was massive, and the resulting power and phone outages gave him time to think. He thought about her all day every day. The storm raged outside as his mind raged inside.