The Cowboy’s Targeted Bride

by Carla Cassidy

  “I’m so sorry, Jerod. I can’t imagine what happened. I brought over a breakfast casserole. Have you eaten anything?”

  He shook his head. “The last thing I feel like doing is eating.”

  “Let me warm this up and maybe you’ll change your mind. You need to eat to keep up your strength until Lily gets home.” She carried the dish into the kitchen, greeted Dillon and then set the oven to preheat.

  “Now, what can I do to help?” she asked as she turned back to face him and Dillon.

  “There’s nothing,” Jerod replied.

  “Why don’t you come and sit in the living room with me, Jerod,” she suggested.

  He could sit in the living room as well as he could sit in the kitchen, and so he followed Carol. She sat on the sofa, and he sank down in the chair. Exhaustion weighed heavy on his shoulders, but he couldn’t even think about sleeping without Lily in the bed next to him.

  “How’s Caleb doing?” she asked.

  “He’s worried, but thank goodness Henry is here to keep his mind off what’s going on.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help with him? Would you like for me to take him home with me?”

  Jerod frowned. “Not right now. I think he needs to be with me. I’d like to keep things as normal as possible.”

  Another knock sounded at the door. It was Krista. She carried in a dozen doughnuts, and her features held a worried concern. “Still nothing?” she asked Jerod.

  He shook his head as once again a wave of despair shot through him.

  She greeted Carol and then disappeared into the kitchen. She returned a moment later with a cup of coffee in her hand and a saucer holding two of the doughnuts. “Dillon told me you haven’t eaten this morning, and it’s already almost noon.” She set the coffee cup and saucer on the table next to Jerod. “At least eat these doughnuts and get a little sugar inside you.”

  “No, thanks,” Jerod replied. “I just don’t feel like eating anything.” Had Lily gotten something to eat? Had she been cold through the night? God, where was she? Why wasn’t she here with him?

  “You really need to put something in your stomach, Jerod. Lily wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t take care of you while she’s gone,” Krista said.

  “Speaking of food, I’m going to put that casserole into the oven.” Carol left the living room and went into the kitchen.

  “She always makes a casserole for every occasion,” Krista said when she was gone. “And just between the two of us, her casseroles are never that good. I figured doughnuts would be the perfect breakfast food for you to just grab and go.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate your thoughtfulness.” What he hoped was that she wasn’t going to sit and prattle. He definitely didn’t need that. Thankfully Krista got up and went into the kitchen with Carol.

  He wanted to keep his thoughts filled with all things Lily. He wanted to think about the sweet lilac scent of her, of the sparkle in her eyes whenever she wanted to share something with him. He wanted to wallow in her laughter and in the quiet conversations they shared in the evenings after Caleb was in bed. He wanted to wrap himself around her each night as they slept.

  He’d given Lily more of himself than he’d ever given to anyone. More importantly, he wasn’t finished giving pieces of himself to her...and he wanted all the pieces of herself she could give to him. He wanted to know her next thought and share her next burst of laughter. He wanted all her dreams so he could make them come true.

  A ruckus suddenly sounded from Caleb’s room. It was loud enough that Dillon met Jerod in the hallway and they both hurried down the hall to Caleb’s closed bedroom door.

  Jerod opened the door and immediately it was apparent the two boys were fighting...and it wasn’t a play fight. Henry’s nose was bloody, and he had a handful of Caleb’s hair and wouldn’t let go.

  “Take it back,” Caleb screamed.

  “I won’t... I won’t. It’s the truth,” Henry yelled back.

  “Hey, hey,” Jerod yelled as he grabbed Caleb and Dillon grabbed Henry and they separated the two. Carol and Krista stood at the threshold. “What’s going on here?” Jerod asked.

  “Henry is saying stupid stuff and I told him to take it back,” Caleb yelled as he glared at his friend.

  “I’m not taking it back. It’s the truth. I know it’s the truth because my mom told me and she would never lie to me,” Henry yelled back at Caleb. “And then he punched me in my nose.”

  “That was after you hit me in the stomach,” Caleb returned.

  “Both of you calm down,” Dillon said in his most authoritative voice.

  “Now, what did Henry say that got you so upset?” Jerod asked Caleb.

  “He told me that you weren’t going to be my stepdad anymore, that you were going to be his stepdad. He said that you’re going to marry Krista and live with them. I told him that was stupid and a big lie, that it wasn’t going to happen.”

  “But it’s not a lie. It’s what Mom told me last week. She said Mr. Jerod and her were going to get married and then I’d have a dad and we’d be a happy family.”

  Jerod turned to look at Krista, his heart suddenly hammering in his chest. “We were just talking... I was just telling Henry that you never knew what might happen in the future.” Krista smiled tentatively at him.

  “I can tell you for a fact that would never happen,” Jerod said flatly. He glanced at Dillon, who was staring at Krista with narrowed eyes.

  “Well, you don’t have to say it so firmly,” Krista replied with a small laugh. “I mean, anything is possible, and I’m not exactly undesirable.”

  “There’s no other way to put it. I would never, ever be interested in you, Krista. You just aren’t my type.”

  Krista’s nostrils thinned, as if Jerod’s words irritated her. “I’d be a better match for you than boring Lily ever was.”

  “Krista!” Carol looked at Krista in outrage.

  Jerod released his hold on Caleb and instead took a step toward Krista. “What did you do to her?” he asked softly. He clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides.

  Krista. Lily would have trusted her best friend. She would have gotten into Krista’s car without believing she was vulnerable to any harm. He knew now. He knew now in the depth of his very soul that Krista had done something to Lily.

  “My God, Krista...what have you done?” Carol asked, horror evident in her voice.

  “You were supposed to be mine,” Krista said to Jerod, her voice rising with what sounded like growing hysteria. “I’d already decided that I was going to marry you, that you belonged to me.”

  “I don’t belong to you. I would never belong to you,” Jerod replied, his anger barely controlled.

  “Why don’t you three go into the living room and I’ll stay here with the boys,” Carol suggested.

  Jerod was suddenly aware of Caleb’s stricken expression. God, he shouldn’t be hearing any of this. As they left the room, Dillon grabbed hold of Krista’s arm.

  “Now, where is Lily?” Dillon asked Krista once they were in the living room. “Krista, don’t play with me, just tell me the truth.”

  “The truth?” Krista laughed. “The truth is I deserve to have Jerod. Henry deserves to have him as a father.” She turned to look at Jerod. “Lily told me what a great man you are and how happy she was having you in her life. We need you way more than she does.”

  Jerod had never considered hurting a woman in his life, but he wanted to hurt Krista. Still, as he stared at her, he decided to try another avenue to get her to answer the questions he desperately needed answered.

  “Krista, I could never consider being with you unless Lily is found,” he said, carefully controlling his inner emotions.

  “She’s probably dead by now,” Krista replied. “I stabbed her a bunch of times.”

  Every muscle in Jerod’s body wea
kened, and he nearly fell to his knees as her words pierced through him with the sharpness of a dagger. He couldn’t speak...he felt as if he couldn’t breathe.

  “Where is she, Krista?” Dillon asked.

  Krista looked at Jerod once again. “Once you bury her, do you promise we can be together?”

  “I promise,” Jerod managed to choke out. It was the first time in his life he had made a promise that he definitely intended to break. “But right now we need to get to Lily and take care of her.” An urgency filled him. He needed to get to his wife.

  “She’s in an old shed about ten miles out of town. I’ll have to show you where it’s at.” Krista’s voice held no regret...no remorse whatsoever.

  “Then let’s go.” Dillon grabbed Krista by the arm.

  “I’ll follow in the truck,” Jerod said. There was no way in hell he wanted to sit in a vehicle with Krista. She didn’t seem to have any idea how much trouble she was in, but he hoped she spent the rest of her life in prison. If Henry hadn’t said anything about his mother’s plan for the future, they might have never known what happened to Lily.

  As Dillon pulled out of the driveway, Jerod followed close behind in Lily’s truck. His was still parked at the Watering Hole. Lily... Lily... His heart cried her name.

  He was in love with his wife. The realization fluttered in his chest. He hadn’t expected it, he hadn’t been looking for it, but somehow Lily had worked her way deep into his heart.

  Now he was rushing to her, praying that somehow she had survived whatever Krista had done to her, praying that he would get the opportunity to tell her that he was in love with her.

  Dillon drove fast, breaking all the speed limits, and Jerod stayed right behind him. His heart beat so frantically he thought it might explode in his chest. The minutes seemed to tick by in agonizing slowness despite the speed of their vehicles. If only Henry had said something last night. So much time had already gone by. Too much time...no, he couldn’t think that way.

  They turned off on a narrow two-lane road and traveled on it for a couple of miles and then made another turn onto what was nothing more than a dirt path. They drove through some trees and then he saw it.

  The abandoned shed looked like dozens of others in the area. There was no way they would have found it without Krista. He pulled to a halt and was out of the truck door before Dillon parked his car.

  The padlock on the shed door kept him from getting inside, but he banged on the wood. “Lily... Lily,” he yelled and then waited to listen.

  Nothing.

  There was no sound from inside the shed. His heart crashed. Were they too late? He turned to Krista, who had just gotten out of the patrol car. “Unlock the door, Krista. For God’s sake, hurry up.”

  “I’m coming... I’m coming,” she replied.

  When the door opened, what was he going to find? His heart beat so fast he felt nauseous. A combination of fear and dread battled in the pit of his stomach.

  Krista unlocked the door. Jerod pushed her aside and instantly saw his wife. She was on a twin bed, surrounded by blood and pale as a ghost. She looked...she looked dead.

  Chapter 12

  Tears blurred Jerod’s eyes as he rushed to her side. “Lily... Lily,” he cried.

  Her eyelids fluttered and then opened. “Jerod,” she murmured.

  “Dillon, she’s alive,” Jerod said with a frantic sob.

  “I’ll call for an ambulance,” Dillon replied.

  Jerod looked back at Lily. Her eyes were once again closed. “There’s no time for an ambulance. I don’t think she can wait,” Jerod replied urgently. “She needs to get to the hospital as soon as possible. I’ll take her.”

  Even though he knew it was a risk to move her, he believed it was a much bigger risk to wait for an ambulance to arrive. “Lily, I don’t know if you can hear me or not, but I’m going to pick you up. If I hurt you, then I’m so sorry.”

  Gingerly he slid his hands under her body and picked her up. Dried blood along with fresh covered her back. She felt cool and clammy to the touch. She was also limp and unresponsive. He turned to leave the shed and was pleased that at some point Dillon had put Krista in handcuffs.

  “I’ll lead you to the hospital,” Dillon said. He grabbed Krista and headed for his car while Jerod carried Lily to the truck. “And I’ll call ahead to let them know you’re coming.”

  Jerod placed her in the passenger seat and reclined it as far as possible. He fastened the seat belt around her and then hurried around to the driver side.

  Dillon roared ahead, his sirens blaring and his lights flashing. Jerod’s attention was divided between the road and his passenger. “Lily, don’t you die on me. I’m in love with you and I need you in my life. Caleb needs you. Do you hear me, Lily? I’m in love with you and we need you.”

  Her eyelids fluttered and she opened them once again. “I’m so confused. Is this a dream? I’m in love with you, too, Jerod, but am I dead?”

  “This isn’t a dream, honey, and you aren’t dead.”

  She smiled. “That’s good.” Her eyes drifted closed again and remained that way for the duration of the ride. Jerod continued to talk to her. He was terrified that she would die before he could get her help.

  When he reached the hospital, he pulled up in front of the emergency room, where Dr. Clayton Rivers and two nurses waited with a gurney. They immediately got Lily out of the truck and onto the stretcher, and then they all disappeared into the building in an area where Jerod couldn’t follow.

  He moved his truck to a regular parking space and cut the engine. He took off his seat belt but didn’t get out of the vehicle. Instead a wealth of emotion buried him, and he leaned his forehead onto the steering wheel and began to weep.

  Deep sobs racked his entire body. He cried with the relief of finding her and the despair of realizing even though he had gotten her here, she still might not make it.

  He cried because she had brought more to his life than he’d ever expected...than he’d ever dreamed possible on the night he’d come to her with his idea of a marriage, and now he was frightened that all of it was going to be stolen away from him.

  He finally sat up, scrubbed at his eyes and then left the truck to head to the waiting room. There was nobody else in the room that was lined with plastic chairs and had a vending machine in one corner.

  Jerod eased down in one of the chairs, knowing he was probably going to have a long wait. Immediately in alarm he thought of Caleb. Who was taking care of him?

  Thank God Lily had texted him the phone numbers of all the women she was going out with the day before. He now checked the text and found Carol’s phone number.

  He punched it in, and she answered on the first ring. “Jerod, thank God. Please tell me you found Lily and she’s okay.”

  Jerod told her everything and that he was now at the hospital awaiting word on her condition. “Krista’s sister came by and picked up Henry, and the last thing I want is for you to worry about Caleb,” she told him. “I’ll go ahead and take him home with me. I can keep him as long as you need me to. Just promise you’ll call me with an update on Lily.”

  “I promise, and thanks for seeing to Caleb.”

  “No problem, I’m praying for her, Jerod.”

  “That makes two of us,” he replied fervently.

  The two hung up, and Jerod leaned back and prayed that Lily was going to pull through. She had looked so horribly weak, and the idea of the pain she had to have suffered from all the knife wounds nearly broke him.

  Minutes ticked by in agonizing slowness. The longer he waited, the more desperate he felt. He had to assume that Krista had been behind everything...the bride doll, the boxers and the attack at the school.

  He couldn’t understand this kind of madness, although it reminded him of Adam. Adam Benson had been one of the original lost boys who had wound up at the ranc
h. He’d been one of Jerod’s brothers. He’d been smart and funny and had become the ranch foreman. He’d also been a serial killer.

  It was only when he’d tried to kill Cassie that Dillon had caught him and Adam’s crimes had been exposed. Nobody had seen the madness inside him. It had been a complete shock when it all had been revealed. Just like Krista. It was frightening to realize the evil some people possessed and hid from others so well.

  Jerod had no idea how long he’d been sitting when Dillon came through the door.

  He sank down next to Jerod. “Any word yet?”

  “Nothing,” Jerod replied hollowly.

  “Krista is now booked into the jail on kidnapping and attempted murder. We’ll probably add more charges as the investigation continues. I have a team of men processing the shed as we speak.”

  “Thanks, Dillon.”

  “Don’t thank me for doing my job. I just can’t believe Krista was behind everything and none of us saw anything the least bit suspicious with her.”

  “She was the very last person I would have had on a suspect list,” Jerod replied. He released a deep sigh. “I still can’t believe this happened.”

  For the next two hours, Jerod waited to hear about Lily. Dillon sat with him for about an hour and then left to continue his investigation. Finally Dr. Rivers came out to speak with him.

  Jerod jumped out of his chair, his heart beating furiously. “How is she?”

  “She required a transfusion due to her blood loss, but thankfully no organs were damaged. We’ve cleaned and stitched her up, and right now she’s resting comfortably. Thankfully the pregnancy wasn’t affected.”

  The pregnancy wasn’t affected? The words thundered in his head.

  Lily was pregnant?

  * * *

  Lily opened her eyes and looked around her in confusion. The last thing she remembered was being in the shed and knowing she was going to die. Now she was in a hospital bed with the morning sun just coming up and shining through the window.