“Yes. We used to own three before Dad lost his job and we had to move.”
“So then you know how this works. We need to get you up on her.” Hank removed two blankets from the saddlebag, hanging one over the rump of the horse and the other over Kenzie’s shoulders. He grabbed a bottle of water, uncapped it and told her, “Drink this.” She sucked it down without taking a breath. “The sooner we get off the mountain the sooner we can get you home.”
Hank had taken the ride slow and steady and he could feel Kenzie’s arms relax some around his waist. “You doing okay, Kenzie?”
“Yes.”
“How old are you?”
“Sixteen.”
Hank couldn’t even imagine the fear she and her parents had felt when Yost took her with him. “Are you still in school?”
“I’m a sophomore in high school.”
“You said you recently moved?” He wanted to keep her talking and relaxed.
“A few months ago. Dad worked at a factory in Ohio, but he lost his job and then Mom got a job as a teacher at an elementary school. We moved in with my grandma.”
“You don’t sound like you’re happy with the move,” he said.
“I miss my friends. I don’t fit in at my new school.”
“I have a feeling that’s about to change.”
“Why?” He felt her shift slightly.
“Because you’re going to have a heroic story to share with everyone. You were kidnapped and survived. You know how brave that makes you?”
“Really?” Her voice had lost some of the strain.
“Yes. When we get off this mountain there are going to be some people waiting on you so they can check you over and want to ask you some questions. I know you’re tired and just want to go home, but it’s important to answer as best as you can. We want to catch Yost.”
“I-I didn’t know,” she muttered.
“You didn’t know what?”
“I didn’t know Ricky was like this,” she said softly.
“You knew him before?” Hank asked.
After a long hesitation she finally answered. “I met him a few weeks ago and he seemed pretty cool. He was the only friend I had, really, but he lied to me. I didn’t know he was messed up in drugs.”
“Is that how he knew that your family was supposed to be leaving for vacation?”
“Yes. Will I be in trouble? I didn’t know he would do something like this. I swear I didn’t.”
Hanks scrubbed his whiskered jaw. It made sense now why Yost took Kenzie with him, and why he didn’t hurt her. “You won’t be in trouble, but it’s important to tell Sheriff Conley everything.”
“I will,” she said softly.
“Did he hurt you? What are the bruises from on your face?”
She hesitated. “No, he didn’t hurt me. I fell many times. I didn’t think I’d live.”
Once they finally reached the mouth of the mountain, Hank helped Kenzie down from the horse and she was whisked away. Hank took care of the horse.
He’d just placed Callie into the trailer when Sheriff Conley approached. “Great job, Hank.”
“Thanks. Now let’s hope Yost will be found. Do you have your deputies out searching for him?”
“They’re out, but it’s like finding a needle in a haystack. We’ll talk to the girl and hopefully get some information. Maybe he said something about his plans. We’re just giving her some time with her folks before we drill her. Did she say anything?”
Hank glanced to Kenzie who was still wrapped in her parents’ arms. “Not a lot, except that she knew Yost prior to the incident.” He turned his attention back to the Sheriff. “Yost won’t last long out there. You know that. I don’t think he’s a skilled hiker and he doesn’t have the proper equipment. Eventually he’ll come down.”
“Which means he could show up in some town, maybe even Cooper’s Hawk.”
“Exactly. He could be holed up anywhere already.”
“I better get to asking her questions.” Conley restituted his hat. “Thanks again, buddy.
“I’ll be at Pelican if you need me.”
*****
Helena had just delivered a takeout order when the front door swung open. Hank strolled in, looking tired and lost in his thoughts.
“Hank?”
“Hi.”
“Coffee?” she asked.
“I could use a cup or two…or three. And a long hot shower and a shave.” He jetted a glance at the clock on the wall. “Is George here?”
“He’s in the kitchen.”
“Can you manage the place a little longer so I can scrub the night off?” His expression told her he’d had a rough night.
“Of course.” She offered him a smile. He looked like he could use a hug but with customers sitting at a few of the tables she thought it best to refrain from her impulse.
“I have a buddy, Joe, coming in to help until Jazz can make it back. He called a bit ago and said he’s on his way.” His words were barely out before he disappeared through the kitchen door.
A few minutes later when a man walked in who was the size of a mountain and glanced around as if looking for something or someone, she guessed he was ‘Joe’. He looked like one of her father’s security which startled her. He had a bald head, earrings in each ear and a tattoo trailed down the left side of his neck and disappeared inside the collar of the black T-shirt that stretched across his massive chest. When he saw her his thick brows snapped together. She half expected him to growl, but surprisingly a smile burst over his face which took down the level of intimidation a notch. “Hi there. You must be Helena.”
“Are you Joe?”
“So Hawke told you I was on my way?”
“Yes. He’s upstairs in the apartment and will be down shortly.”
“Good thing I know my way around a bar.” He stepped behind the counter. “So, you started recently, huh?”
What all had Hank told Joe about her?
“Almost three weeks.”
“I smell coffee.” He rubbed his hands together. “Hawke has the best damn coffee around.”
“The carafe is full. I don’t make it as good as he does, but it’s hot and caffeinated.”
He went straight for the mugs, grabbed one from the stack and poured himself a cup full. “How about you let me buy you one too?”
Considering the place was currently slow, she decided to take him up on the offer. “Sounds like a good idea.” She slid up on a stool and he placed a steaming cup in front of her. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.” His face softened some. With his cup cradled in one large hand, he took a step back and leaned his broad back against the edge of the sink. “You’re not from around these parts, are you?”
“That obvious?” Taking a sip of the rich brew, she couldn’t handle it black. Reaching for the cream and sugar she poured a good amount of each in and stirred with a swizzle stick.
“Hawke told me, but I would have guessed. Has anyone ever told you you’re headed for diabetes?”
“I like a little coffee with my add ins.” She smiled and took a sip. “Delicious.”
“To each his own.” He winked.
“So what did Hank tell you about me?” She was overflowing with curiosity.
“The basics. I’ve helped out a few times at Pelican and he just wanted to fill me in on the help.” He set his cup aside and grabbed a handful of pretzels.
Hank strolled in, smiling ear to ear upon seeing his buddy. “Long time no see, my friend.” They greeted each other with a handshake and a bump of chests.
Helena took the opportunity to swipe her gaze over Hank. His hair was damp, his face cleanly shaven, and he’d changed into a long-sleeve red plaid button down that fit snuggly to his biceps and shoulders. A few inches of his smooth chest was exposed. The silver buckle glistened at his waist. She caught a whiff of Irish Spring soap as he moved. Remembering the kiss they’d shared made her lips tingle.
“Tell me about it. That rig has kep
t me busy.”
“Glad you could come for a visit.” Hank poured himself a cup of coffee.
“Hell, you know how much I enjoy this town. And, well, I need something to keep me busy these days.”
“So you really quit, huh?”
“Yeah. Best decision I could make at the time.”
Realizing that the two men might want to catch up, Helena slipped off the stool. “I should go grab some wood before it gets busy again.”
“Wait up. I’ll help.” Hank caught up to her and held open the back door for her.
“I thought you might want to visit with your friend,” she said.
“We’ll have time for that.”
The sun was bright as they piled wood into a basket from the stack lining the back of the building.
“I noticed that Freya isn’t here.” Hank swiped his hands together.
“She’s with Mindy and Livvy. They offered to keep her while I worked.”
He seemed a bit taken back by that revelation. “You can trust Mindy and my niece. They’re good people.”
“I believe you. It’s just that…”
He picked up a pair of leather gloves off a tree stump. “Trust is hard for you. I get it.”
“Mindy said you and the team were out all night on a search and rescue mission. You’re back so I’m guessing you found the person you were looking for?” She admired his willingness to help others.
“We found the girl but not the guy.” He pulled on the gloves, placed a thick piece of wood on the stump and used an axe to split it.
“So there were two?” She took a seat on a nearby log and watched him work. He made splitting wood seem easy.
“A man broke into a house and took a girl hostage. Thankfully, she was found alive. The nights can get damn cold up in the mountains and we were lucky we had a warm night, otherwise things could have been worse.”
She saw the tightening of his jaw a second before he dropped the axe and bent to retrieve the pieces he’d cut. “She must have been terrified. And they have no idea where he is?”
“No idea. He could hide for days, even months, up on TripEase. Yet, in his case, he’ll come out soon enough,” he said with a shrug.
“Why? If he’s committed a crime wouldn’t he want to get as far away as possible, or at least stay hidden?” She kicked the toe of her boot through the sawdust at her feet making the shape of a circle.
“Not when you have an addiction. He won’t find what he needs on the mountain.” He stacked the last of the wood and removed his gloves, tossing them onto the stump. His hair had dried and the strands of silver glistened in the thick mass.
“Is he dangerous?”
“Depends on where his head is.” He came over to sit with her.
“Joe seems nice.”
“The best.” He relaxed his elbows on his bent knees. “We served in Afghanistan together. He got back home and found out that his wife had left him for another man. He’s a mean-looking son-of-a-gun but he’s got the biggest heart of anyone I know.”
“You are kind too, Hank. I think it’s commendable that you help others. People like you. Respect you. That says a lot about your character. You’ve been through a lot. I wonder how you do it sometimes.” She looked up at the sky as plump clouds moved in offering shade.
“I place one foot on the floor, and then repeat.” He smiled.
“You know what I mean.” She lifted her chin to meet his gaze, feeling warmth spread into her limbs. Her nipples pebbled in excitement.
His gaze moved to into the distance at the thicket of pines and brown undergrowth that led to the public walkway where people jogged. “Hell, I wish I could say it’s been easy, but life moves on whether we’re ready or not. The world just continued to turn and I either caught my footing or continue being slammed into one hurdle and the next. I had to adapt.”
She rubbed her palms down her denim clad thighs. “I’ve been thinking.”
“What about?” He kicked his boot through the sawdust.
“Freya will be ready to start kindergarten in August. I need to make some decisions. Maybe fate brought us here because this is where we belong.”
His gaze met hers. “You’re doing a good job here. Whatever sort of fate it was sure was a stroke of luck for me. This is a place where people want to raise their children.”
“It certainly is far away from California.”
“You drove all this way in that junker?”
She laughed. “Yes. I realize how lucky we were to make it this far.” “People can hide here in this town.”
“Hank—”
“I’m not fishing. By the way, do you like to fish?”
“Honestly, I haven’t held a rod since I was six or seven.”
He whistled through his teeth. “Just as I thought. You’re a city girl, but even city folk can appreciate the amazing countryside. Fishing and hunting are big around here.”
“I didn’t know that with all the game on your walls.” She laughed. “Did you kill them?”
“No. Hunting’s not my thing. They were here from the previous owner. I couldn’t see taking them down after they’d been there for years.” He squinted and reached out, lifting a strand of her hair. “You have a leaf in your hair.”
“Are you sure it’s not bird poo? I ventured off the porch this morning and the next thing I knew a bird decided to initiate me into the country.”
She could see that he was biting back laughter. “That’s supposed to bring good luck.”
“A bird relieving itself on a person’s head is good luck? It sure didn’t feel like anything but disgusting. I did take a shower and scrubbed my hair, but the water grew cold after three minutes.”
“Yikes. I guess a new water heater is needed. I’ve only stayed at the cabin a few nights, so I had no clue.”
“You don’t have a problem if I paint the walls there do you?”
He lifted a brow. “You mean you don’t like the dreary gray?”
“If I was a vampire, but I’m not.”
“Sure. Grab some paint at the hardware store and put it on my tab. You can go this afternoon if you’d like.”
“I can’t leave you and Joe managing the bar alone. The rush will be rolling in soon. In fact, I better get back inside.” She stood and subconsciously tugged the hem of her blouse down. She wasn’t used to wearing her shirts tied at the waist and showing a sliver of skin, although she knew that was the style.
He stood too and their gazes locked. “Helena, I feel like we were getting pretty close last night. I have no clue where this’ll lead but I’m here.”
Her chest tightened. “Thank you. I swore I wouldn’t get too close to anyone, but there’s something in the air here that makes this—whatever it is—feel like it’s right.”
Thirteen
“So you own the car shop here in town?”
The slender man with thick-lensed glasses and a smear of grease across his cheek gave her a semi-smile from across the bar. “I only work there. I’m Wilkins. I work for Harvey.”
“I’m Helena. I think you towed my car that was abandoned about five miles outside of town.”
“Yeah, I helped.” He scratched his temple.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He touched the rim of his cap that read ‘Mountaineers do it against the rock wall.’ “Sorry we couldn’t make a deal on the metal or parts. It wasn’t worth the effort to scrap.”
His words paused her. “You didn’t buy it for parts?”
“Oh, I thought Hank told you. He decided to have the car towed out to the farm. Not sure what he’ll do with it, but he and his brothers are pretty handy when it comes to cars.”
“Order’s up,” George said.
Helena grabbed the white take out bag and handed it to the man who thanked her and left.
So Hank gave me the money?
Helena went in search of him, finding him in the kitchen just sitting down to eat. When she sat down on the stool next to hi
m, he paused his fork mid-air and smiled at her.
“Can I make you something, Helena?” George asked.
“I’ll have what he’s having.” The omelet looked delicious.
“Coming right up.” While George busied himself making her food, she focused on Hank who had dug into his omelet.
“Why do I get the feeling you have something you’d like to say to me,” he said.
“Just wondering how the interview went with the young man.” She’d slowly eased into the question she really wanted to ask.
“The kid’s great. He’s local and saving up money for college. I think he’d be a good fit here.”
It only took a few minutes before George brought her steaming plate and set it before her. Inhaling the savory aroma, her stomach growled. She couldn’t wait to dig in. With one bite of the fluffy, cheesy egg loaded with red and green peppers, mushrooms and bacon she felt rejuvenated. “This is amazing, George.”
He beamed. “I think I’ll take my break now.”
When she and Hank were alone, she told him, “I can’t believe that a restaurant owner hasn’t stolen that man right out from underneath you.” She waved her fork in the air.
“Yeah, I guess I am. Not too many people would want to be stuck here in the middle of nowhere.”
His laughter told her he was teasing but she felt bad. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m only pushing home the fact that he’s a gem.” She dipped back into her food.
“He’s talented but some like small town living. What we lack in gourmet shops and night life we make up for in friendly folks, peace and amazing scenery.”
“I have a bone to pick with you.” She pulled off a corner of her wheat toast off.
“Ah I had a feeling you hadn’t cleared the air.” He’d finished his plate, so he pushed it away and braced his arms on the edge of the table.
“The car shop didn’t buy my car for spare parts.” She popped the bread into her mouth and chewed.
“Damn. You know all my secrets, don’t you?” One thick brow popped up.
“I do think if I were nosier, I’d know more, but I have a feeling there’s a lot left to find out. But on this little detail, why did you give me money and say that it was for the car?” She swallowed a mouth full of water.
Cowboy Hank (Cooper's Hawke Landing Book 3) Page 12