The Billionaire Rescue

by Jenna Brandt

  “I’m still not used to the weather patterns here,” Adam said with a shrug, pulling Valor, his German shepherd, to his side and giving the dog his chew toy to make sure he stayed out of trouble. “I don’t know how you Texans can tell when the season is supposed to be done.”

  “What can I say, it’s in our blood. We can smell a tornado a hundred miles away,” Derik teased with a mischievous grin.

  “Even if it’s a hundred miles away, it’s still too close,” Ted said with a shiver, prompting Titan, his German shepherd, to rub against his leg to comfort him. “I hate the things. No one told me how many there would be when I moved here. I just can’t get used to something that has no rhyme or reason; a dozen houses in a row destroyed, and one get skipped right over, and then it takes the next three. How do you make sense of something like that?”

  “You’ll learn to live with it eventually,” Derik said, trying to encourage his friend. “Besides, that’s what basements and storm shelters are for. With tornadoes, you can ride it out in a well-built underground space, but with earthquakes, like you get on the West Coast, there isn’t anything you can do but duck and cover. I’d take a tornado over an earthquake any day.”

  The men reached the front desk and explained they were there for the wedding. The clerk welcomed them to the resort, described the accommodations, then handed them their keys to their rooms so they could get ready for the first part of the weekend.

  “How does it feel to be back in your old stomping grounds, Derik?” Ted asked, gesturing outside to the city. “You’re from Dallas, right?”

  Derik nodded. “Born and raised. My family had a ranch just outside the city, but my family sent me to a private school in Dallas.”

  He wasn’t sure why he added the last part. Maybe it was being back in his hometown, but suddenly memories came flooding back from his previous life there. It was at that very school that he first met the love of his life. They dated through high school and while Derik went through the Dallas fire academy. He thought he was going to marry her. When he got offered a training spot at DCSRA and a position on the staff immediately after, however, the combination of their youth and the long-distance relationship proved too much for them to withstand. They broke up, causing Derik to focus on his job and avoid Dallas because of it.

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  Sneak Peek of Lawfully Heroic

  Adam Reynolds ran his hand through his brown hair with frustration. He wasn’t sure how many more days he could take of his monotonous routine. He loved working with his K9 partner, Valor, but hated the endless row of cars they inspected daily at the Clear Mountain Army base.

  “What’s wrong? Are you dreaming of searching terrorists’ strongholds for bombs again? You know you have to do years—not months—of posts like this before you ever get to do that,” said Greg Walters, the other soldier assigned to the gate. “You should get used to this.”

  Adam knew Greg was right, but it didn’t make him feel any better about the situation. The whole reason he renewed his contract was so that he could cross-train into a position as a K9 handler and go back overseas to detect IEDs. He wanted to stop the type of improvised bombs that killed his squad when he was stationed in Afghanistan. Working at the gate, he felt like he was spinning his wheels as much as the cars that continued to pass by.

  A blue Honda Civic pulled up to the gate, and Greg checked the ID of the driver and passengers. Adam moved forward with Valor beside him, leading the German shepherd around the exterior of the car. He let his partner sniff every spot the expertly trained K9 deemed important. Once Valor came back to Adam’s side signaling there was nothing to worry about, Adam waved the car through so it could enter the base. Same thing every time. Though he was glad there were no bombs coming onto the base, he wished he could be working an active hot zone.

  “Want to go out with us after our shift?” Greg inquired while they waited for the next car to arrive. “We’re heading over to The Lucky Penny to grab a couple of beers.”

  Adam averted his hazel eyes, knowing the other soldier wasn’t going to like his answer. “Sorry, I can’t; I have plans tonight.”

  “Let me guess, you have some sort of boring church thing again,” Greg said with a roll of his eyes. “You seem to be going to those all the time.”

  “How about I go out with you guys next time?” Adam suggested, purposely avoiding talking about the activity the other soldier suspected. He didn’t like the fact Greg made him feel bad about his plans. He also didn’t want to get into a debate, or be forced to defend his choice to attend a men’s hang-out started by some guys from Clear Mountain Assembly. It wasn’t as stuffy as the other man made it sound. Sometimes they watched sporting events, other times they played cards, but mostly, it was just nice to have some friends that viewed life the same way he did. In the military, he never had that. All the guys ever wanted to do was chase girls and party at bars, neither of which really appealed to Adam.

  “Sure, whatever, Adam, I’m not going to hold my breath. You always say you’ll go out with us next time, but you never do.”

  The rest of the afternoon ambled by with more cars passing by without anything out of the ordinary. By the end, Adam was glad to be done with work and ready to have some fun with his friends.

  Adam arrived at the rambling farmhouse on the outskirts of town. He parked his truck, got Valor out of the passenger seat, and made his way up the steps. He knocked on the door, and a few minutes later, it swung open to reveal Officer Aiden O’Connell on the other side, one of the best K9 handlers he’d ever met. “Good to see you, Adam. Come on in. Everyone’s waiting in the living room.”

  Adam made his way inside. The usual guys were there, including several of the Clear Mountain Police Search and Rescue team. Valor waited for Adam to give him the cue it was okay to take off and join Cooper and Harley, Aiden and Zach Turner’s K9 partners. Once Adam released him from his leash, he took off running to the edge of the kitchen. He immediately started playing with one of the extra chew toys.

  “Come take a seat. The game’s about to start,” Zach said, gesturing to a seat on the couch. “The pizza should be here in a few minutes.”

  Adam took the offered spot next to Liam Davis, a local business owner who ran a sleigh-ride company at Clear Mountain Resort. He was engaged to a Clear Mountain Police Detective and set to marry her in a few months.

  “How was your day? As eventful as these two who ended up using their K9 partners to track down a missing kid?” Liam asked with curiosity.

  Adam shook his head. “No, just the same old, same old, for me. Valor and I spent our time checking out cars before they passed through the base gate.”

  “Hey, don’t knock it. I would give anything to do what all of you do. I keep waiting for the Captain to add a third K9 position to the department, but he hasn’t done it,” said Ted Hendricks, another Clear Mountain Search and Rescue officer.

  “Ted, your job is just as important as ours,” Aiden corrected. “We’re a team; don’t ever forget that.”

  “I know that. I’ve just always wanted to be a K9 handler. Sometimes I think about applying to other departments, but now that I’m in a committed relationship with Deanna, I don’t think I could leave her like that.”

  “Please don’t,” Zach jokingly begged with a wink. “We don’t want our head dispatcher to end up mad because of it. She’d take it out on all of us.”

  “Okay everyone, the game’s about to start,” Connor Bishop, the head of the Clear Mountain SWAT team, said as he waved at all of them to be quiet. “I want to see the Broncos sweep the division.”

  The men settled in around the flat screen TV just as the kickoff took place. Adam enjoyed the rest of the evening with his friends, rooting for their native team and eating lots of junk food. He headed home knowing he was ready to fall fast asleep when his head hit the pillow. What he didn’t expect was to find an invitation in his mailbox. It was offering Adam and Valor a chance to join the batch of n
ew recruits for the training program at the elite Disaster City Search and Rescue Academy in Texas.

  He’d sent in the application on a whim, never thinking that they would actually want him, let alone that his commanding officer would approve it. Despite the unlikelihood of it actually happening, he held it in his hands. It was physical proof that dreams really could come true. He knew he could finish this training at the top of his class. When he did just that, the Army would have to grant him a post of his choosing. This was the ticket he needed to get back overseas where he belonged.

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  Sneak Peek of Lawfully Adored

  Police officer Aiden O’Connell looked out over the mountain peak at the setting sun and knew only a small window of time remained to find the missing hiker.

  Aiden bent down next to his German Shepherd partner, Cooper, allowing him to inspect an area below a cluster of towering pine trees between a set of giant boulders. True to his training, Cooper barked and urged Aiden to follow him up an overgrown hiking trail.

  Clear Mountain, Colorado was a popular destination for tourists. The craggy rock formations overlooking the quaint town were a constant attraction for outdoor enthusiasts. Unfortunately, inexperienced hikers would often underestimate the dangers of the area, causing themselves to get hurt or lost.

  Aiden and Cooper were one of the only two K-9 search and rescue teams for the entire area. The Clear Mountain Search and Rescue unit was comprised of only three other officers and a sergeant. The constant call-outs to the surrounding mountain areas kept the team busy.

  This evening, a call from Boulder came in from a distraught wife. She reported her husband had not returned from his weekend hiking trip. Her concern resulted in deployment of the rescue team.

  “K-9 2, this is K-9 1, we aren’t having any luck over on this side. What’s your status?” a deep male voice echoed out over the radio.

  Aiden pulled the receiver for his radio free from his dark blue uniform and pushed the button on the side to talk back. “K-9 1, we might have gotten a possible beat over here.” Pulling a map out of his back pocket, Aiden glanced down to confirm his location. He was still getting used to the area after transferring from Boulder County Police a year prior. “We’re two clicks from Meadow Ridge near the cluster of pines by the twin boulders.”

  “Copy that, K-9 2, we’re headed over your way.”

  Like a well-oiled machine, Cooper and Aiden continued to move up the trail with Cooper stopping every few hundred yards to inspect a new area. The west side of the mountain sheared off, leaving only forest on the east side.

  Several minutes later, a second German Shepherd came charging in from the right side of Aiden and Cooper. The smaller dog joined Cooper and playfully nipped at him while the same male voice from earlier said, “I think Harley is jealous of Cooper for picking up the scent on this one.”

  Aiden turned his head to the right, recognizing fellow officer, Zach Turner. “Eh, it’s only because Cooper has a couple of years on Harley. Brad did a great job of training her.” Aiden noticed that Zach stiffened at the mention of his former partner, so Aiden quickly added, “Harley will catch up soon enough, especially with you handling her, Zach.”

  “Yeah, but I was hoping to find this hiker on my own, so I could finally secure a date with that female reporter from the Clear Mountain Gazette who keeps following you around.”

  Aiden shrugged. “You and me both. It would be great if you could get her off my back.”

  “Man, what is it with you? Have you seen her? She’s hot; a solid nine. What? Are you holding out for a ten?”

  “No, she just seems more attracted to the badge than to me and you know I’m not into that,” Aiden explained.

  “I’ve never known you to be attracted to anyone since you’ve been here. When are you going to get over Veronica dumping you?”

  Why did Zach have to bring up Veronica? Aiden was regretting his decision in telling his friend about his ex-fiancée. It was a sore subject since she had broken off their engagement for a police captain back in Boulder necessitating his need to transfer to the Clear Mountain police substation.

  “Why are you doing this, Veronica?”

  “You know why, Aiden,” she had said as she packed up the last of the items she kept at his place. “You’re gone all the time because of your K-9 position. I’m lonely and want to be with someone who’s home every night.”

  “Give me a couple of years and I will be,” he pleaded.

  Shaking her brown locks, she stated, “You won’t ever leave that job. You love it too much and we both know it.”

  Aiden crossed his arms, knowing there was more to the story than she was admitting. “And the prestige and money has nothing to do with it?”

  Her eyes narrowed into slits as she spat out, “What do you mean by that?”

  “I know you dated several patrol officers before one turned into a relationship. Then you met me, and you left Morrison because I made more as a K-9 officer, plus I was in the news occasionally. You were working your way up the ranks and now you’ve landed yourself a captain.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” The moment she bit her bottom lip, he knew she was lying. It was her tell.

  “Keep telling yourself that Veronica, but I know the truth.”

  Aiden had tried to make it work in Boulder but the constant questions about what happened and the reminder when he saw her new boyfriend made it impossible for him to stay. As soon as a K-9 spot was posted elsewhere, he put in for a transfer.

  “I’m over badge bunnies; they’re always looking to land a better cop. I’m tired of dating the same type of women who are only interested in the uniform.”

  “Sure, it’s just the uniform. It has nothing to do with your model good looks and list of newsworthy awards,” Zach stated with sarcasm and a hint of jealousy. “Man, what I wouldn’t give to have your problems. I have to work twice as hard for half as much attention.”

  Women regularly told Aiden he was attractive, citing his smoldering brown eyes as his best asset. For work, he kept his brown hair trimmed short and his body in good shape.

  Aiden looked over at his friend and partner. Zach’s rejections didn’t stem from a lack of good looks—he was decent looking with black hair and blue eyes—or charm, as he could be charismatic. His problem was that he “worked” too hard, causing most women to shy away. On more than one occasion—to no avail—Aiden had tried to explain to Zach that most women didn’t like the hard sell but much preferred a softer approach; not that Aiden cared to make any approach after Veronica burned him.

  “You think we’re gonna find this guy before we have to turn back?”

  “Not sure. Depends how foolish he was,” Aiden stated.

  “Well, at least this guy told his wife which trail he planned to follow.”

  “Let’s just hope he stuck fairly close to it, but if he had simply stopped by the ranger station, he would have been informed that this trail had been closed to the public.”

  Several mudslides had washed out sections of the trail, making certain spots impassible. With the closure, the trail wasn’t being maintained by the forest rangers. Not only was it unsafe; it was covered with brush and plants, making it difficult to navigate for anyone unfamiliar with the terrain.

  About two miles further up the trail, Cooper and Harley started barking frantically as they stood close to the edge of the trail where it dropped off.

  Aiden glanced over at Zach who nodded in return, and both men began running as Zach announced over the radio, “Dispatch this is K-9 1, we’ve got a possible location for the missing hiker.”

  A female voice belonging to Deanna Harper, the Clear Mountain police dispatcher replied, “Copy that, K-9 1, what’s your location? What’s the status of the hiker?”

  Both men reached the side of the trail where the pair of dogs were barking, intent on something below them, drawing both officers’ gaze below.

  On a s
mall jetty of the cliff—halfway down the ravine—Aiden could make out a form crumpled against the edge of the mountain.

  “Dispatch, we have a confirmed sighting of the hiker,” Zach stated over the radio. “Be advised, hiker is located halfway down Whisper Ravine. We’re going to need the air unit’s assistance at our position, three clicks north of Meadow Ridge. I’m lighting up a flare now for location identification.”

  “What’s the status of the hiker, K-9 1?”

  “Dispatch, the status is unknown at this time,” Zach said cautiously.

  “Mr. Williams, can you hear me?” Aiden shouted down. “I’m Officer O’Connell with Clear Mountain Search and Rescue.”

  A few seconds later, a male voice filled with a mixture of fear and relief, shouted back up, “Yes, I can hear you. Please, can you get me out of here?”

  “How are you doing, Mr. Williams?” Aiden inquired.

  “Not good, I cut my leg when I fell down the ravine. I’ve managed to keep the bleeding under control, but when I heard the barking, I jerked against the cliff, causing the wound to re-open. It’s bleeding heavily now.”

  “How are you feeling?” Aiden asked, trying to assess the hiker’s condition.

  “I’m feeling woozy, like I might pass out at any moment.”

  Aiden knew what that meant; the hiker only had a few minutes before he would lose consciousness from blood loss and then succumb to the injury. Aiden wasn’t going to let that happen.

  Shrugging his pack off his back, Aiden placed it down on the ground, then opened it up and reached inside to pull out a rope.

  “What are you doing?” Zach asked Aiden with suspicion. “You know protocol. We’re supposed to wait until the air unit arrives to assist us.”

  Aiden shook his head and said in a lowered tone, “This guy can’t wait that long. I need to get down to him now.”

  Handing Zach the rope, he ordered, “Tie off the end and help guide me down.” Aiden secured the rope around his waist and then placed his pack back on.