Peril on the Ranch

by Lynette Eason

  She prayed the darkness would work in her favor.

  More crunching sounded as his footsteps drew near. Footsteps was a generous term. She could hear the limp and wondered that he could even walk at all. It must have been a flesh wound. She probably should have aimed for his stomach, but she’d chosen the target she could most easily get to. It had done what she’d intended and allowed her the time to run.

  A flash of light caught her eye. Either he was using a flashlight or his phone to light his way. Desperate, she tried to think if she could have possibly left a trail.

  She stayed still, the blood and adrenaline rushing through her veins. She wanted to move. To run and keep going until she found safety, but she was afraid he’d shoot her in the back. And she knew full well that he was an excellent marksman.

  “Travis Lovett! We know you’re out there! It’s Creed, man. Turn yourself in and things will go better for you.”

  The footsteps stopped and Isabelle nearly went to her knees in relief. Creed had found her.

  “Isabelle!”

  And Mac. He’d come back.

  For some reason that didn’t surprise her. She knew that as soon as he’d heard she was missing, he would have been looking for her. Knew it like she knew her own name. As much as she wanted to rush from her hiding place, she continued to stay put, listening.

  “Travis, come on, man,” Creed called, “it’s over. We know you want Isabelle’s land and are trying to force her to sell it. We found the documents in the kitchen.”

  A whispered curse just a few feet to her right froze her. He was to her right. Did she dare move? Try to head for the tree line? No doubt he’d hear her, but with the wound in his leg, she was fairly confident she could outrun him.

  And as long as she stayed in the darker areas, she wouldn’t give him a target.

  “Isabelle? Can you answer me? Please?”

  The hitch in Mac’s voice nearly broke her heart. And made her decision. She darted out from behind the tree and raced in the direction of the voices, dodging limbs and leaves and trying not to trip on the underbrush. “Isabelle!” Travis’s outraged cry spurred her on.

  “Mac!”

  “Isabelle!” Mac’s joyous cry reached her.

  A hand in her hair yanked her to a painful stop. She stumbled, bounced off a tree and went to the ground with a thud. Desperation swamped her. She rolled in spite of the grip on her hair and came face-to-face with Travis.

  “Well,” he ground out, “I guess you get to live a little longer.”

  Meaning, he planned to use her as a hostage to get out of the situation.

  Not if she had anything to say about it.

  A light landed on them and she blinked at the sudden brightness. “Let her go, Travis,” Mac said, walking toward them with his weapon drawn and held on the man pinning her to the wooded floor.

  Travis kept his grip in her hair with one hand and the gun at her temple with the other. Isabelle panted, drawing in a lungful of air, her gaze finally locking on Mac’s.

  The full-blown fury in his gaze said neither he—nor she—was going down without a fight. He held up a hand. “Travis, please, it’s over. Let her go.”

  “Right. Like that’s happening. I’m getting out of here. As long as you back up and let me get to my truck, I’ll let her out a few miles from here. You know who I am now. I have no reason to kill her.”

  Except the tension running through him, the absolute rage that caused him to tremble, said he might just do it out of spite.

  Isabelle didn’t plan on finding out.

  “Go,” Travis said, pulling her to her feed and nudging her. “To the truck.”

  “We’ve already disabled your vehicle,” Creed said. “It won’t go anywhere.”

  “Then you’d better find me one that works. Because if I’m going down, she’s going with me. I’ll kill her right here while you watch. And I know you both well enough to know you don’t want that to happen.”

  Isabelle continued to keep her eyes on Mac’s. He lowered his gaze to the ground, then back up. To the ground, then back up.

  She dropped. Travis screamed.

  Gunfire exploded around her.

  Travis hit the ground beside her, clutching his shoulder. A wound in his thigh bled freely. He still clutched his weapon and she flung a hand out to knock it out of Travis’ reach.

  “Isabelle! Move!”

  Creed’s shout spurred her to roll closer to Travis and press her hands against the wound in his thigh as it looked to be the most serious. “Don’t kill him!”

  Travis wasn’t going to be hurting anyone at this point, anyway. He lay gasping, eyes wide with shock.

  Creed and Grant raced to the man while Mac hurried toward her. Sirens screamed in the distance and vaguely, she realized they must have had an ambulance on standby.

  “I’m sorry, Isabelle,” Travis whispered.

  “I am, too, Travis.”

  She stared, grief ripping through her at the betrayal of the friend she’d known and loved. So much to grieve. But sheer happiness erupted on the heels of the grief.

  She was alive. And Mac was here.

  When the paramedics dropped beside her, she moved back, hands held in front of her. Someone—Mac—poured water over them and she let him clean the blood from them. Then, strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her to her feet. She buried her face against Mac’s shoulder and let the tears flow.

  She wasn’t sure how long she stood there with him holding her, but she finally managed to get herself under control and looked up at him. “You came back,” she whispered. “I knew you would.”

  This time when he kissed her, there was no hesitation, no holding back. Isabelle once again lost track of time as she kissed him back, her heart overflowing with relief, gratitude and love. Yes, she loved him and knew that he loved her, too. She was confident that one day soon, he’d be ready to tell her exactly that. When he lifted his head, tears shimmered in his eyes. “I thought I’d lost you,” he croaked.

  “I know. I thought that this was it and I prayed. I prayed for you to find me, but if it wasn’t to be, then I prayed for you to find peace. And healing.”

  He hugged her, squeezing the breath from her. She relished the feeling. When he released her, he stepped back. “I’m an idiot, Isabelle. I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to live in a big old house by myself on a ranch where there’s no you or Katie or the others. I want to come back.”

  “Then come back. We’ll even throw a party to celebrate your return.”

  He swallowed hard. “Just like that?”

  “Just like that.”

  He hugged her once more. “I love you, Isabelle.”

  Tenderness filled her. “I know, Mac.”

  “Okay, then,” he said, clasping her hand and tucking her under his arm. “Let’s go home.”

  TWENTY-TWO

  Three months later

  Isabelle stood on the front porch and watched the children playing with the soccer ball in the clearing near the barn. The older boys tapped it back and forth between them, keeping it from Katie and from Lilly, who’d just figured out how to walk last week.

  Katie let out a squeal and darted for the ball. She snagged it and ran toward the goal.

  “Hey, squirt,” Danny called, “that’s cheating!”

  Katie stood in the middle of the goal and jumped up and down. “I win! I win!” She threw the ball in the air and Milo, the Lab, went after it. He nosed it away from Katie and rolled it toward the barn. Sugar wasn’t too far behind him.

  The kids squealed, and Cody Ray, who stood at the door, shook his head, disappeared for a moment, then came back with another ball. He tossed it to Zeb, who used his head to pass it to Danny.

  All the while she kept her eyes on the kids, she watched the drive. Mac had left over two hours ago to make
a run into town and when she’d asked him where he was going, he’d given her a secretive smile and said, “I ordered something and just got a text that it was in. I’ll be back soon.”

  She’d handed him a basket of Ms. Sybil’s rolls. “Well, take these to Valerie, then, will you?”

  “Of course.”

  Valerie had been cleared of any wrongdoing and was now working to recover from the consequences of her husband’s actions. But she had a support system and she’d be all right in time.

  Creed had asked Mac to join the force as one of the deputies and he’d agreed. He wore the Timber Creek Sheriff’s Department uniform well and she could tell he was content with the decision. Frankly, so was she.

  Finally, she spotted his truck and her heart thudded a faster rhythm like it always did when he was around. The last three months had been nothing short of amazing compared to the first couple of weeks she’d known Mac, and they’d spent many hours getting to know each other on an even deeper level. It was exhilarating to watch him come to life now that he’d decided to live.

  He smiled more and took great joy in the kids. He also seemed to relish the fact that he could kiss her on a regular basis. Isabelle had to admit that was one of her favorite things, as well.

  Along with the fact that one month, three weeks, four days ago, Cheryl had told her that Katie’s mother had signed away her rights. The sassy little girl was up for adoption and Isabelle had immediately filled out the paperwork. She hadn’t breathed a word of it to anyone except to Mac, and they prayed together every morning that God would see fit to allow Isabelle to adopt her.

  Mac pulled to a stop and Isabelle frowned when she realized he wasn’t alone. When the passenger door opened and a young woman stepped out, Isabelle sucked in a breath and ran to grab Lilly into her arms. She spun and hurried back to the driveway and, clutching the baby in one arm, threw the other around the girl. “Zoe!”

  Zoe wrapped her arms around them both and squeezed. Lilly protested with a squeal and Zoe stepped back, a beautiful grin on her face. “Hey, Isabelle. I hope the surprise is okay. Mac said it would be.”

  “It’s a wonderful surprise! I’m so glad to see you.”

  “I’m just here for a short visit, but I wanted you to see that I was clean now.”

  “I tried to come see you while you were in rehab.”

  “I know,” Zoe said. She smiled. “They told me. That was one of the things that gave me the strength to keep fighting to beat the addiction.”

  Isabelle’s throat clogged, but she managed a nod.

  “Anyway,” Zoe said, “My Aunt Fran in Texas wants me to come live with her while I finish school.”

  “I see.”

  Zoe’s eyes went to the baby in Isabelle’s arms. “She looks wonderful. Healthy and happy.”

  With grief and happiness mixing together, Isabelle passed the baby to her mother, praying Lilly wouldn’t cry. After all, she didn’t know her mother anymore. Isabelle cleared her throat. She’d known this day would come eventually, and now braced herself to say her goodbyes to the baby. “She’s a joy. I’m going to miss her terribly.” Lilly wrinkled her face and looked back at Isabelle, but she didn’t cry.

  Zoe pressed a kiss to the baby’s forehead and handed her back to Isabelle. “I signed the papers today, giving you full custody.” She pulled papers from her bag and handed them to Isabelle. “I also got Drew to give up his rights so you could keep Lilly and raise her as your own.”

  Isabelle’s breath caught and a wave of dizziness hit her. “What?”

  Zoe nodded. “I can’t raise her—or love her—like you can. I decided the most loving thing I can do for her is to give her to you.”

  Isabelle passed Lilly to Mac this time, then wrapped the young girl in a hug. “I don’t know what to say,” Isabelle whispered.

  “Say you’ll love her and never let her forget that I love her, too.”

  “I promise.” Isabelle hesitated. “Zoe, you’re getting your life together. I can tell.”

  “I’m trying.”

  “I know you love Lilly. Why don’t we do this. I’ll keep her while you finish school. But know that you have a home here. A place to come back to. And a daughter to get to know.”

  Zoe cried on Isabelle’s shoulder. Sobbed. Started to pull herself together then started all over again. She finally nodded. “I’d love that.”

  “Then that’s the plan.”

  Zoe wiped her eyes and smiled. “Now I’m going to take a tour of the place and wrap myself in a few memories, then Cody Ray said he’d take me to the airport.”

  When she was out of earshot, Isabelle turned to Mac and threw herself into the arm that wasn’t holding Lilly. “Did that just happen?”

  “Yep.” He sounded almost as stunned as she felt.

  “I get to keep her, Mac.” She looked up and kissed him. When he let her go, she caught her breath, then looked him in the eye. “We get to keep her. And Katie, too.”

  Mac nodded. “Hey, Zeb! Come here a sec, will you?”

  The boy jogged over and took Lilly from Mac, then darted back to the other kids.

  “Mac? What are you doing?”

  He dropped to one knee. “I don’t want to wait any longer.” He dug into his front pocket while Isabelle tried to breathe.

  “Mac?”

  “I know when I arrived, I had some major baggage, but you were right when you said being here was healing for me. While I’d come a long way in the healing process before I met you, it was being here with you and the kids and the others that completed it. When I thought I’d lost you that day to Travis Lovett, I nearly came unglued. The truth is, I knew that day I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, living here, raising kids—ours and those who are in the system—for as long as we have them.” He pulled his hand out of his pocket and a sparkling diamond rested in his palm. “It’s small, but it was bought with all my love. I love you, Isabelle. Will you marry me?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, Mac, I’ll marry you.”

  “She said yes!”

  His shout carried across to the kids playing. They stopped and whooped and ran to embrace her and Mac just as another car pulled into the drive.

  Cheryl got out and had a big smile on her face. “You got the boys, too!”

  Her announcement set off more shouting and hollers and tears and hugs. “Hey,” Zeb said, “this calls for a celebration. I think we need s’mores on the new firepit.”

  Finally, after everyone calmed down and had their fill of s’mores, Cody Ray packed Zoe into his truck and they headed to the airport. Cheryl waved her goodbyes while munching on a s’more.

  Isabelle stood on the porch waving back, her heart so full she wasn’t sure it wouldn’t rupture. Thank you, God, for...everything.

  Mac stepped up beside her and pulled her to him one more time. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

  “And thank you for applying to be my handyman.”

  He grinned, then sobered. “The future is going to have ups and downs, but as long as we’re side by side, we’ll come through it better people. I truly believe the best is yet to come, Isabelle.”

  “And we’ll jump into it with both feet. Together.”

  “Together.”

  With that, he took her hand and they walked to the firepit to spoil their dinner with s’mores and their children with love.

  * * *

  If you enjoyed this story, look for these other Love Inspired Suspense books by Lynette Eason:

  Holiday Homecoming Secrets

  Holiday Amnesia

  Vanished in the Night

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Amish Country Threats by Dana R. Lynn.

  Dear Reader,

  I hope the end of this story finds you smiling. I wrote this story in the middle of the 2020 pandemic, and I’ll admit, I needed to
write something that made me smile. While I fell in love with my characters Mac and Isabelle, I have to say that every time little Katie stepped onto the page, she made me grin. And that was a good thing. I’m blessed to have a Katie in my life. Her name is Shelby and she’s my six-year-old niece. I hope during these unusual times you have a Katie in your life. Not necessarily a five-year-old, but someone who’s there to make you smile or chuckle at least once or twice a day. If you don’t, then know I’m praying God sends you someone. In the meantime, I’m so honored that you picked up this book and I pray that it blessed you in some way. If you’d like to stay in touch, my website is www.lynetteeason.com and you can find me on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/lynette.eason. I’m on Twitter, @lynetteeason, and Instagram, @lynetteeason. Happy reading to all!

  Much love,

  Lynette

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  Amish Country Threats

  by Dana R. Lynn

  ONE

  “Lilah!” Lilah Schwartz jerked awake at her brother Jacob’s hoarse bellow. She tumbled from her bed and coughed as heavy, acrid smoke filled the air and coated her throat and nostrils.

  Keep close to the floor. Crawling to the door, she ignored the splinter embedding itself in her palm. She struggled to breathe in as little as possible. Her bedroom was on the second floor. Even on her hands and knees, the air was thick with black smoke. Her eyes watered, stinging. Her airways shrank so small it felt like she was trying to breathe through a straw.

  She reached the stairs and spun so she could crawl backward down the stairs. Lilah descended as quickly as she could without falling. Her limbs trembled, making movement awkward. Her lungs burned. She opened her mouth wide, gasping for air, but there was only smoke.