The Unclaimed Mail Order Bride [Brides for the Garrison Brothers 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)

by Paige Cameron

  “Why are you frowning? Heath asked.

  “I must have drifted to sleep. I dreamed someone was chasing me.” Fletch kept his eye on Savannah when he spoke.

  “How awful. I hate nightmares.”

  “Do you have them often?” Heath asked.

  She sighed. “More than normal, lately.”

  Heath hugged her. “Maybe you’ll sleep better in the country.”

  “Maybe, but I doubt it.” Fletch saw worry in her eyes. Heath glanced his way but said nothing.

  * * * *

  Abby glanced at the clock. The last few days had seemed endless. She hadn’t heard from Fletcher. When she called the house to casually talk to Mom Garrison, she had mentioned Fletcher had flown to New York to visit his brother Heath. Abby remembered Heath was the one who his mother had said would be one of the last to marry.

  If Fletch visited him to ask advice regarding me, then Fletcher will probably break off whatever relationship we have. It’s all my fault. I love him, and I wasn’t brave enough to say so without adding all my personal garbage at the end. If Fletcher doesn’t want to see me anymore it’s my own fault. As Jack said, I’m grown up and I need to look at myself and how I act, and not just Fletcher.

  * * * *

  Devin waited for them in the luggage area. “Welcome home, and I see we have a guest.” He smiled at Savannah.

  “You all sure grow big men in Wyoming,” Savannah said after Heath had introduced her.

  “A Southern girl.” Devin grinned. “I haven’t heard that accent in a while.”

  “I really don’t think I have much of an accent, but most people say I do.”

  Devin and Fletcher carried the cases to the truck. Heath and Savannah followed behind. At the truck Devin opened the back door for Heath and Savannah to get in. “Fletcher can ride with me in the front.”

  “We’ll go to the homestead first, and you can meet my mom and dad. Mom will suggest you stay with them. It’s probably best to go along with her, at least, at first,” Heath said, as he helped her climb in the large truck and then settled beside her.

  “No problem. I wish my mother had worried more about my brother’s and my behavior.”

  “You mentioned him before. What happened between you two?”

  “He’s not around much.”

  “It’s strange you never mentioned any family before my brother arrived.”

  Savannah raised her head and looked him in the eye. “I hate them.”

  Heath’s head fell backward. “Wow, those are strong words.”

  Tears came into her eyes, and Heath pulled her close against his body. Frowning, he looked over her head at Devin’s eyes in the truck’s mirror. Fletch had turned to look at the two in the back seat.

  When Fletch started to say something, Heath nodded his head, no. They rode the rest of the way in silence. Savannah had straightened and stared out of the side window. The truck turned right off the main road and after several turns stopped in front of the main homestead.

  “This is Mom and Dad’s place. She’ll have some good cooking waiting for us,” Heath said.

  “I’m not hungry. Can I go to my room?”

  Fletch spoke up. “If you do, Mom will think you’re sick and smother you with concern and several concoctions that don’t taste good, but promise to make you better.”

  Devin laughed as he got out of the truck. “We got better to save ourselves from having to take any more of her medicine.”

  Savannah looked puzzled as she dried her eyes. “I guess I can eat a little bit.”

  “Good girl,” Devin patted her back. “Save yourself.”

  All three brothers were laughing as they guided Savannah in the door. After introductions, Mom led them to the table in the kitchen.

  “I know you must all be hungry. I have some tidbits for you to munch on. The rest will arrive for dinner in about an hour or so.” She hugged Heath again. “It’s so good to see you. You stayed gone too long this time.” She frowned at him. “Your house will fall down if you don’t come home and take care of it.”

  “Like my brothers don’t keep it up all the time.”

  “They have other responsibilities you don’t have, so they shouldn’t have to keep up your house.”

  “You’re right, Mom.”

  She looked stunned, and the others laughed. Heath turned to Savannah. “I seldom readily agree with Mom. But I love her.” He picked her up and swung her around.

  “Put me down this minute.” She tried to look mad, but they all saw through her.

  * * * *

  Savannah watched their faces. They were a close-knit family. If something happened to one of them, it would be devastating to the rest. Could she continue being part of her mother and brother’s plan? But what about her son? She’d had to leave him with them, and she feared her mother might use him for retribution if she didn’t follow their plans.

  “You’re deep in thought,” Heath said. “You’ve hardly eaten anything, and these stuffed olives and cheese crackers are very good. Eat something.”

  She smiled and forced a few bites down before Mrs. Garrison insisted she go to her room and rest before the whole family arrived. “We’re a lot for someone who isn’t tired. You’ll do better after a nap. Heath, carry her suitcase to your old room.”

  Heath followed them and started to take the suitcase inside. His mother took it, thanked him, and told him to leave. Then she urged Savannah to go inside. Savannah had to smile when she’d seen Heath’s expression at being summarily dismissed.

  “I’ll hang your clothes in the closet while you undress. You’ll feel better resting in your underwear.”

  “Thanks, but I can do that later.”

  “No problem. You didn’t bring much.”

  “Heath indicated he was coming for a few days. I didn’t think I’d need more.”

  Mrs. Garrison turned to face her. “You aren’t into fancy clothes and make-up.”

  “Am I supposed to be?”

  “Heath’s girlfriends are usually tall and skinny like models.”

  “I’m sorry I don’t fit the mold. I tend to get a bit pudgy if I’m not careful. To be honest, I didn’t think he’d call after our first date. We’d been fixed up on a blind date by a mutual friend.”

  “Good, a better way to meet is through mutual acquaintances. But, you have a sad look about you. Do you want to talk?”

  “No, I’m fine, really.”

  “Then sleep, it will be good for you.”

  If only I could sleep. How long has it been since I’ve slept well, weeks? How can I get out of this? It’s like a nightmare.

  * * * *

  Fletcher paced the kitchen while Heath followed his mother down the hall.

  “What’s wrong,” Fletcher. “Is it more than you told Dad?”

  “I’m worried about Abby. She should be safe at work. But I’d feel better if she were with me.”

  “There isn’t any way they can know about her,” Devin said. “Unless you’ve mentioned her name in front of Savannah and she ends up being involved.”

  “I’ve been careful and so has Heath about mentioning any specific names until we got here.”

  “I mean, if you want to call, do. But she’s most likely much safer at work. Wait and call from your house this evening,” Devin said. Heath joined them and heard the last of the conversation. Their father left the table and moved closer.

  “I agree,” Heath said. “The fewer involved before we learn more, the better.

  Fletch frowned. “Is that what you’d do if I was in your place? Would you keep Savannah out of it?”

  “Yes, I would.”

  Fletch saw his mother coming down the hall and motioned for them all to stop talking.

  “All right, I know something is up. I saw you were whispering as I came down the hall.” She looked at her husband. “And you know what it is because you nodded your head. You’d better tell me the secret. It must be bad if you agreed to try and hide it from me. That littl
e girl in there is scared and unhappy. Whatever is happening, she’s involved.”

  * * * *

  “Mom, I’d prefer we tell you later. You’ll just worry about us, and there is no reason,” Heath said in a soothing tone.

  Mrs. Garrison put her hands on her hips. “I’d worry anyway. Now, start talking.” She noticed her husband came and stood beside her and put his arm around her waist. “That bad, huh?”

  Heath motioned for his mother to sit. She did with her husband at her side. When Heath knelt in front of her and took hold of her hands, she squeezed them. “You are really frightening me.”

  “Mom, just before Fletcher arrived in New York, someone tried to poison me.”

  At first, she just stared at him. “You mean they tried to kill you?” Her voice rose up to a high pitch.

  Fletcher sank down by Heath. “We will find out who it is, but I thought the person would be easier to catch if we came home. They’d be a stranger in town.”

  “Like Heath’s girlfriend? I’d bet she’s involved, but she doesn’t want to be. What can they have on her to make her help?” His mother frowned.

  “I don’t know, but I plan to find out.”

  “Go easy on her. Whoever wants you dead is holding something over her that must be very valuable.”

  “Like lots of money.” Devin sneered.

  “No, and we won’t guess. We’ll leave it to Heath to get the answers from her.”

  “I’ll tell you,” Savannah spoke from the doorway. “It’s killing me to keep the secret. I can’t do it any longer.” She fell on her knees and rocked back and forth.

  Heath picked her up in his arms and sat in the rocker. “Take your time.”

  She looked into his eyes and smiled weakly. “I never was your type. You need a strong woman who’d never let you down.”

  “We’ll all go into the dining room and let you two be private.” His mom shooed the others out.

  “Mom, I want you all to stay.”

  “All right.” She sat down, and his dad stood behind her chair.

  “Now, tell us who and why someone is trying to kill Heath.”

  She took a deep breath, and then Savannah spoke. She trembled, and Heath held her tight. “It started when you won the last contract to sell your cows to the highest bidder. Do you remember the name of the company who came in second?” she asked Heath.

  “No, my assistant handled most of that particular contract. I was home here and briefly spoke to him during that time.”

  “The company’s name is Dorjan. My younger brother, Catus, needed to be successful so my older brother would give him more responsibility. When he didn’t, my brother told him to get you out of the way. He said you were winning too many contracts for cattle and lumber.”

  “So, it’s your family who wants to kill me, and you’ve been helping.”

  Heath frowned at her, and she jumped off his lap. “I guess you’ll call the police now.”

  “You bet. We’ll get your whole family in jail, including you.” Heath shook his head. “I’d never have believed you were involved. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  * * * *

  Abby was drawing up a design for a short fancy dress and glanced up when the store’s doorbell rang. Mary, her boss, walked briskly to her side.

  “I heard a rumor that Fletcher and his brother are back and brought a lady guest. My bet she’s one of Heath’s girlfriends, but he seldom brings one home with him. I thought you might like to go out to the ranch and see Fletcher. We aren’t busy now.”

  Abby blushed. “He and I aren’t a pair. I’m sure he’s fine.”

  “You’d never make a good liar. Why not admit you love the guy? Do as I said and check on him.”

  She didn’t have to be told twice. Abby grabbed her purse and ran out to Fletch’s truck.

  Her hands shook. She’d missed him so much. She waited a moment to get control of herself before starting the engine. The drive out to Fletcher’s parents’ homestead seemed longer than usual. She spotted Fletcher’s other truck and parked beside it.

  * * * *

  As Abby rushed to the front door a dark-red-headed man came from the side and grabbed her. He placed a gun at her head and threw the door open pushing her inside. “Yes, why didn’t you tell him, little sister?” The gun man stood in the doorway holding Abby against his body. He held the gun against her temple. “She just drove up in time to join all the fun.” Catus laughed. “It’s always helpful to have a hostage.”

  “Catus, go away. You can’t kill these people. They’re good. Heath didn’t trick you out of the sale.”

  “You’re too much in love with him to see what he is and what he’s done to us.”

  “All’s fair in business,” Heath said. “I didn’t cheat.”

  Catus waved the gun near Abby’s face. “Of course you did. No one wins three years in a row.”

  “You do if you work hard and do what you promised.” Heath’s dad spoke and stepped in front of his wife. “What’s this world coming too when gangsters come to the countryside after a good man.”

  Catus studied them. “Well now”—he looked across at Heath—“if you want to marry my sister and split the profits 75-25 with you taking twenty-five percent, we’ll all be friends.”

  “I’d never marry your sister. She’s been a traitor to me and tried to kill me.”

  “No, Heath. I was told they were only going to scare you.”

  “Give me a break. How can I believe you now?”

  “Let me shoot him, Sis. We’ll kill them all and get away.”

  Abby’s heart jumped a beat. She couldn’t stand by and let this wonderful family be shot. Scared, but determined to take a chance while his sister had the gunman’s attention, Abby threw herself to the side. It caught Catus by surprise. He almost fell.

  A shot rang out, and everyone ducked. Fletcher and Devin stood with guns in their hands. Fletcher had shot Catus’s hand holding the gun. Catus screamed and fell down.

  Fletcher ran toward him and kicked the gun away to the corner of the room, and then he pulled Abby into his arms. He held her tight as he said, “We’ve called the Sheriff. I hear his siren in the distance. He was close by. It’s all over. We told him what we overheard, and he’ll be calling the authorities in New York to pick up your family. We’d gone to the barn, and when we walked back, we heard it all.”

  “My son!” Savannah tried to pull away from Heath.

  “What son? Is this another scam?” Heath asked and held tight to her arm.

  “I knew there was a reason Savannah was involved. They were keeping you from your son.” Heath’s mom blurted out.

  “We wouldn’t have hurt him,” Catus said. “She knew that.”

  “But our mother has no such qualms. She said she’d send him overseas, and I’d never see him again,” Savannah spoke up. “And she would. He’s only three, and she may have already sent him to someone.”

  Savannah sank to the floor sobbing. Mrs. Garrison knelt by her side. “I knew it had to be something or someone for you to have agreed to help. I’d have done the same to save my boys. Any mother would.”

  “When I realized they had tried to kill you, Heath and I had no way to stop them, I agreed to come with you to try and keep you safe.” Savannah looked up at Heath. “I didn’t know what to do, but I would never be a part of killing anyone. Not even with the chance that I’d lose my son. I hoped I’d be able to save you both.”

  Sheriff Dixon came bursting into the room with his gun raised. He saw the other guns and asked, “What the hell is going on in here?”

  “You got here a little late, Taylor. We heard the conversation inside and had to rescue everyone,” Fletcher explained.

  “I guess the gun on the floor is his.” Taylor Dixon nodded to where the gun lay near Catus.

  “Yes.”

  Taylor put his gun in his holster and cuffed the man on the floor. “You all can’t keep taking the law into your own hands, although I understand about having to
keep your family safe,” the Sheriff said. “Still, you robbed me of all the fun of being the hero.” He grinned at Fletcher and Heath, who he’d grown up with, and they’d gone to school together. “You keep bringing trouble from the city, Heath. Stay home.” He glanced at the woman sitting at Heath’s feet. “Who’s she?”

  Heath’s mom stepped up. “She’s Savannah, the sister of the man over there. She came here to warn us, and just then he rushed into the room.”

  “Mom.” Heath frowned at her.

  “I know she let you think she was your girlfriend, so you’d bring her on this trip. She hoped to let us know without getting herself killed.” All three of her sons frowned at her.

  “Something isn’t right here. Are you trying to protect Savannah because she’s a woman?” Taylor asked. “I know you have a soft heart, Mrs. Garrison.”

  “She wanted to save us, and it cost her her family.”

  Savannah cried harder when Mrs. Garrison mentioned family.

  Sheriff Taylor Dixon rubbed his head. “I know something isn’t right, but I guess I’ll just take him into custody for now and leave her alone.”

  “Smart lad,” Mrs. Garrison said, as Taylor pulled Savannah’s brother up from the floor to take him out to his patrol car.

  “It’s getting more exciting every year. You all keep bringing those East Coast folks around, and I’ll keep busy.” He marched Catus out and they saw him put Catus in the back seat and lock it. Then Taylor waved and drove off.

  “Mom, you lied,” Heath said.

  “I did it for a good cause. Now you take Savannah back to New York and find her boy for her. After that, come on home and stay.”

  “I will. I’ve had my fill of the big city. I had told Fletcher before we got here that I wanted to settle down in my home.”