Christmas Ranch Rescue

by Lynette Eason

  “Then we need to see if we can beat him there.”

  SIXTEEN

  Becca raced with Nathan toward Jean’s barn. “We’ve got to warn her.” Fear for her friend had a tight grip on her heart, and she just couldn’t seem to go fast enough. “We have to get there.” She stumbled and only his lightning-fast action kept her from going down.

  He helped her get her balance. “Take it easy. Be careful.”

  “Right.”

  The field was rocky and uneven. It would be easy to fall. She slowed her pace even though her heart pounded in her ears and fear urged her on.

  They crossed the property and had just reached the edge of the Stafford’s barn when the sound of an engine caught her ears. Nathan pulled her to a stop. “Do you hear that?”

  “Yes. Look.” Zeb’s truck had just turned into the driveway. Jean opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. From her vantage point, Becca could see the front door, but unless Jean was looking for her, she probably wouldn’t notice her by the barn.

  “Stay back,” Nathan said. “Don’t let Zeb know we’re here.”

  “He’s going to hurt her.”

  “Not if he can help it. Can you slip into the barn and call for help while I watch him?”

  “I’ll try. Make sure he doesn’t hurt Jean, please.”

  “They’re just talking right now. I think if he can get what he needs without alerting her, he won’t do anything to hurt her. But if he knows we’re here...”

  “Right.”

  “Go. Hurry.”

  Becca slipped into the open door of the barn and went straight to the office. She’d been in the barn several times and was familiar with the layout.

  Only Jean had locked the office door. “Oh Jean, help me out here,” she whispered. “I know you have a key somewhere.”

  Becca ran her fingers along the trim above the door and breathed a sigh of relief when she knocked the small silver key from its hiding place.

  She heard a yell from outside the barn and froze for a second before adrenaline and fear shot her into action.

  With shaking hands, she grabbed the key from the dirt floor and opened the office door. Snagging the cordless phone from the base, she dialed 911. Only to hold it to her ear and realize she had no dial tone. What? Zeb hadn’t gotten here in time to cut the line, so...

  Becca stilled and closed her eyes, trying to think. Well, there was nothing else she could do except try to sneak into the house and use the phone in the kitchen.

  Footsteps fell outside the office and she froze for a split second.

  “I figured you’d head here first,” Zeb said from behind her.

  Becca spun to find Zeb holding a terrified Jean, his arm wrapped around the base of her throat, gun pressed to her temple. Nathan stood slightly in front of both of them, his jaw tight, nostrils flaring. He held his hands in a surrender position, and Becca knew it had to be because Zeb had threatened Jean. But why had Nathan revealed himself?

  Zeb motioned with his head and said to Nathan, “Get over there with her.”

  Nathan moved without protest to stand in front of Becca. While she appreciated his desire to protect her, there was still Jean. “Let her go, Zeb. She has a sick husband to take care of.”

  He shoved the woman away from him and she stumbled against Nathan. Nathan steadied her and stepped toward Zeb.

  “Anyone that comes out of this office gets a bullet.”

  Why not just shoot them now? she wondered.

  Because he might need a hostage if he didn’t find what he was looking for.

  Zeb shut the door.

  Nathan turned to her and Jean. “Are you two okay?”

  Jean nodded. “Scared to death, but not physically hurt.”

  “Same here,” Becca said. “How’s your head?”

  “Throbbing.”

  “I called the police,” Jean said. “I heard the gunshots and because of all the trouble over at your place, I figured you might need some help.”

  “Oh, bless you,” Becca said. “I couldn’t get a dial tone on your cordless.”

  Jean grimaced. “I disconnected the landline last month. We just didn’t use it that much and I decided to save money on it. Sorry about that.”

  “It’s okay. Are they sending someone?”

  “The dispatcher took the message, but I don’t know how serious she thought the situation was.”

  “Once Clay hears, he’ll take it seriously,” Becca said.

  “In the meantime, I’ve got to get out of here and stop Zeb,” Nathan murmured. He looked around. “No windows.” He tried the door and while it opened slightly, it refused to go any farther. “He’s got the door jammed.”

  Becca grabbed the shovel from the nail on the wall. “Can you use this?”

  “I can try.”

  Nathan slid the end into the small crack and used the handle as a lever. The door popped open.

  And a bullet pinged off the molding.

  * * *

  Nathan ducked and pulled back inside the small room. “Well, no one’s going out that way. The feed room is just diagonal to this one, so he can see the door while he works on the barrels.” He turned and ran his fingers along the wall. “This leads outside, doesn’t it? It’s the outside wall.”

  Jean nodded, her pale face stark against her black T-shirt. “And to think I chose this room because it didn’t have windows. I was afraid someone might want to break inside if they saw my desk and laptop.”

  “Is it okay if I try to kick a hole in the wall?” Nathan asked.

  “Please,” Jean said. “Anything to get out of this.”

  It was wood, but the question was, how heavy was it?

  Nathan leaned on the board. “Plywood,” he said. “Nailed between two-by-fours. I may not have to kick it, just push it hard enough to loosen it from the nails.”

  “Yes. Hank was going to finish this room and put insulation in but hasn’t felt up to doing it yet.”

  “Okay, stand back.” Nathan pressed both palms against the plywood and gave it a hard push. It shivered but didn’t release. He leaned harder and felt the nails start to give. With steady pressure, he continued to separate the plywood from the two-by-fours. Slowly, inch by squeaky inch, the board gave way. Nathan finally gave it one last shove and the piece fell to the ground. “Run up to the house and call Clay, Becca. Be quiet and quick. I’m going to keep an eye on Zeb and see what’s what.”

  Nathan didn’t wait for her agreement or argument, he simply slipped out of the hole in the wall, staying close to the building. He figured Zeb was in the stall where the feed barrels were, gathering his stash. For a moment, Nathan took inventory of his wounds and decided he could take the man down in spite of the headache still pounding at the back of his skull.

  He edged around the side of the barn and trotted up to the open door. How he wished he had his weapon. Moving quickly, but silently, he stepped inside the barn and grabbed a feed bucket from the wall. Not the best weapon, but it would have to do. All of Jean’s tools, rakes, shovels and other barn equipment were locked up.

  Nathan stood and listened. Every few seconds, he’d hear a quiet thump. Zeb making sure he got every last bag. Nathan started to enter the room when another voice brought him up short. “I can’t believe you were so stupid. You got it all?”

  “It’s not my fault,” Zeb protested. “I didn’t give the barrels away.”

  “Whatever. Let’s get this stuff and get out of here.”

  “What about the three locked in the office?”

  “Shoot them or burn the place down, Just get rid of them.”

  Nathan pulled back. There was no way he could take on two men. Not in his weakened condition.

  A sound behind him jerked his attention a
round. Clay stepped inside, his finger lifted to his lips. Nathan had never been so glad to see someone in his life. He nodded and moved back.

  “Got it,” the other man said. “Let’s get out of here. You got a lighter?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Take care of it and meet me in the truck.”

  The man with the voice Nathan didn’t recognize stepped out of the feed area. When he saw them, he pulled up short and raised his weapon.

  Clay’s gun cracked and the man fell.

  Zeb bolted from the room and took off for the back door of the barn. Nathan went after him, dove and clipped him around the knees. They both went down.

  Zeb rolled and came up swinging.

  Nathan ducked and threw a punch that held every ounce of anger and pain that boiled inside of him.

  Satisfaction swept over him when Zeb’s eyes rolled back in his head and the man went limp.

  * * *

  Becca lowered the pitchfork and leaned against the wall. She and Jean had crawled through the hole in the wall after Nathan. Jean had headed for the house and the phone, but there was no way Becca was going to let him face Zeb on his own.

  And when Zeb had burst from the feed room and headed her way, she’d been determined to stop him no matter what it took. Fortunately, Nathan had managed to tackle him. And knock him out.

  “That was quite a punch,” she said.

  Nathan shook out his fist and winced. “I think I might have cracked a knuckle or two.” He glanced at the unconscious man. “But it was worth it. Are you two okay?”

  “We’re fine.”

  It hit her.

  It was over.

  Her breath whooshed out of her lungs and her knees went weak. Nathan hurried over and caught her before she hit the ground. “Sit.”

  “Yes, I think that might be a good idea.”

  He lowered her to the floor while Clay pulled a zip tie around Zeb’s wrists. The other man lay moaning behind him, but he had cuffs on so Becca wasn’t worried about him doing any more damage. “Who is he?” Clay asked. “I don’t recognize him.”

  “I do,” Becca said. “His name is Ray Foster. He recently started boarding his horse with me. Although, I’m sure that was just a way to gain easy access to my property.”

  “Yeah.” Clay had called for backup. Lance and Parker Little arrived within seconds of each other. Zeb was starting to stir. “I look forward to getting a search warrant for this guy’s place and seeing what turns up.”

  “I’m ready for him to be off my property,” Jean said.

  Clay nodded to Lance to grab under one arm while he got the other. Together they hefted him out to the cruiser and Parker helped Foster to his feet. He led the grumbling man out. “I’m going to need statements from you three.”

  “We’ll come down tomorrow and do it,” Nathan said.

  Jean raked a hand through her hair and blinked as though coming out of a daze.

  Becca pulled herself together enough to walk over and hug her friend. “I’m so sorry about all this.”

  “Oh, honey, it’s not your fault. I’m just glad it all ended well with no one seriously hurt.”

  “Yes, me, too.”

  “I’m going to check on Hank.” Jean gave her one last squeeze then headed for her house. Her husband was coming down the steps, dressed in pajamas and holding a rifle. “Everything all right out here? I heard a gunshot.” He frowned at the sight before him. “What’s going on?”

  “Just a little bit of craziness, but everything’s fine now,” she said, steering him back inside. “Come on and I’ll fill you in.”

  Nathan slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. “I’m sorry for everything.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like coming here under false pretenses. Sort of. I really did want to help you.”

  “Clay asked you to investigate me, didn’t he?”

  “Yeah.”

  She sighed. “That’s what you were doing in my office, too, huh?”

  “Yep.”

  “I should be mad at you.”

  “Furious, really.”

  She gave a half laugh, half sob. “But I think I’m just going to be grateful to be alive and be done with it.”

  “I’m totally on board with that plan.”

  Becca leaned into him and kissed him. “I think I’m falling in love with you, Nathan Williams.”

  His eyes went wide, and he blinked a few times before his lips split in a wide grin. “Really?”

  “Yes, really.”

  “If my head didn’t hurt so bad, I’d grab you up and spin you in a circle.”

  “And if my back didn’t hurt so bad, I’d let you.”

  He laughed. “We’re a pair, aren’t we?”

  She sobered. “We could be.”

  This time he kissed her soundly. A long, tender kiss that spoke of deep feelings on both sides. Neither wanted it to end, but he finally lifted his head and sighed. “I’m glad you think you’re falling in love with me, Becca. Because I think the feeling is mutual.”

  “You think?”

  He smiled. “I loved you in high school with a teenage boy crush. What I feel for you now is similar, but different. Much stronger and longer lasting. But could we go out on a few dates and get to know each other more without having to worry about someone shooting at us?”

  Another laugh escaped her. “I’m okay with doing that.”

  “You want to go see Brody Mac and make sure he’s okay?”

  “Absolutely.”

  * * *

  Nathan didn’t particularly care for hospitals, and this one housed a man who’d hurt Becca deeply. After they’d been able to leave the scene of Jean’s barn, he’d taken Becca home to wash her face and clean up a little. She’d also cleaned his head wound and given him three stitches. “Do you always have medical supplies lying around?”

  She’d laughed. “Always. Occupational hazard.”

  While she’d gotten ready to go see Brody Mac, Nathan had the wild idea that he could do one more good deed for the day. He hoped his last-minute phone call would bear fruit, but there was no way to know for sure. All he could do was wait and see. They walked through the entrance and got Brody Mac’s room number.

  Together they rode the elevator and stepped off on the fourth floor. “This way,” Nathan said, taking her hand.

  He liked that holding hands with her was as natural as breathing.

  It didn’t take long to find Brody Mac’s room.

  Becca pulled up short when she saw Mr. MacDougal standing outside. He looked at her and scowled, but stepped aside. “He’s been asking for you.”

  Nathan placed a hand at the small of her back and they took that as permission to enter. They slipped around the still-frowning man and into the room.

  Mrs. MacDougal sat at her son’s side, holding his hand. When Brody Mac saw them, his eyes lit up in spite of his pale face that said he wasn’t feeling well at all. “Becca, you came to see me.”

  Becca crossed the room and took his other hand. “Of course I did. I couldn’t let my best worker be in the hospital without a visit, now could I?”

  “No, you really couldn’t.”

  Becca grinned and looked at Mrs. MacDougal. “Hi.”

  The woman offered a wan smile. “Hi.”

  She was younger than Nathan expected. Maybe early forties.

  “How’re you doing, Brody Mac?” she asked.

  “My head hurts, but they have medicine to make it feel better. It hurts like yours, Becca. You know, the hurt that makes you want to puke?”

  She squeezed his hand. “I know it well. You have my sympathies and prayers, then.”

  “Thanks, I need them.”

  “He
was unconscious when they brought him,” Mrs. MacDougal said, “but he woke up fairly quickly and that pleased the doctors.”

  Brody Mac frowned. “I went looking for you, Becca, but Dr. Zeb was in the barn doing something in the feed room. I asked him what he was doing and he yelled at me.” His lower lip trembled. “He acted like my daddy and it scared me so I ran.”

  “I’m sorry, Brody Mac. I’m sure that was super scary.”

  “But the other man told me to come back.”

  He had to be referring to Ray Foster.

  “Did you go back?”

  “No way. I was getting out of there. I got the moped and zoomed off, but one of them started chasing me on Pete! And then I heard a loud pop and my head exploded.” He touched it and grimaced. “Well, not really, but it sure felt like it.”

  Nathan curled his fingers into a fist and wished he could smash Zeb’s face one more time.

  “It’s okay now,” Becca told him. “You’re safe and are going to heal right up. Soon you’ll be back with the horses.”

  “Are they okay?”

  “They’re just fine and waiting for you to get back to them.”

  He smiled, not his usual buoyant grin, but he would have to heal some before that returned.

  His mother turned the television to a sitcom and handed Brody the remote. To Nathan and Becca, she said, “Can we talk over there in the corner?”

  “Of course.”

  Nathan met Becca’s gaze and she shrugged. They moved into the short hallway that led to the door. Mrs. MacDougal spoke low. “Did they catch who did this?”

  “Yes, ma’am. They did.”

  “So it was the vet? Zeb?”

  “Yes,” Becca said. “I’m so sorry I didn’t try to keep Brody Mac away from the ranch. I knew it could be dangerous, but I was afraid if I told him to stay away, he’d sneak back on anyway.”

  “He would have,” the woman said. “This isn’t your fault. I’m just grateful he’s okay and the man who did it was caught.”

  Becca hugged her. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

  “I will. Thank you for everything.”