Home on the Ranch: Wyoming Sheriff

by Rebecca Winters

  “Sheriff—” Rick Green called to him. “You’ve got to see what we’ve found. My partner, Jose, is with me.”

  Holden feared that looking inside would give him nightmares, but he had to do a search to write up his report. The two doors at the back were opened to show a single bed, chains, duct tape, a camera and arm and leg restraints. Beyond the bed were boxes of food and bottles of water.

  He’d seen sights like this before, but knowing this was all meant for Jessica turned his blood cold. When he looked inside the glove compartment, he found a map of the Wind River Mountains. Seth had used a magic marker to highlight isolated areas where he’d planned to take her.

  It took an hour to log everything in while the forensics group took over. With this amount of evidence, Seth would be put away for life. But Holden still wasn’t through and left with Deputies Green and Romero to search Seth’s condo.

  He needed one more piece of evidence to link everything and found it when he discovered pictures of Jessica on the walls and bathroom mirror. Many of them had been taken when she was a teenager.

  With everything recorded and photographed, they drove back to headquarters. It was 6:50 p.m. when Holden checked in with Walt. “The arrest has been made and I’m leaving to take care of some personal business. Phone me if you need me. Otherwise I’ll be at the Lunt arraignment in the morning before coming in to the office.”

  Exhausted physically and emotionally, Holden drove home and took a long hot shower. But nothing could wash away the horror of what he’d seen. After shaving, he pulled on his black swimming trunks. Chase was waiting to play in the pool with him and Holden didn’t want to disappoint him.

  After dressing in jeans and a casual shirt, he left in his Subaru for the hotel. On the drive over, he phoned Jessica.

  “Holden—” She picked up after the first ring. “At last,” she said. “Are you all right?”

  Hearing her voice changed his whole mood. “It’s over. Seth is in jail at this very moment and awaiting arraignment with the judge in the morning.”

  “Oh, thank you. Thank you!” She broke down. He had to wait a moment until her sobs subsided. “Where are you? I have to see you.”

  She didn’t know the half of it. “I’m on my way to the hotel. Get your bathing suits on and I’ll meet you at the swimming pool.”

  “You don’t have to do that. Not after what you’ve been through. Have you even eaten?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Then I’ll have a meal brought out to the pool for you.”

  “You don’t need to bother.”

  “How can you say that after what you’ve done?”

  “There’s a lot I have to tell you, Jessica.”

  “After we go to my house and I put Chase to bed, I want to hear everything.” No, she didn’t. He would never tell her all of it. “My son is going to be overjoyed when I tell him you’re on your way. Right now he’s in the other room watching the Cartoon Network. He’s been driving us crazy waiting for you to call.”

  “I couldn’t come any sooner.”

  “I know that—believe me, I’m not complaining. The fact that you’re alive means my prayers have been answered. Holden? Are you really all right? Don’t pretend with me.”

  “I’ve never been better in my life. That psychopath will never hurt anyone again. You and Chase are safe. Don’t you know that’s the most important thing in the world to me? Nothing else matters.”

  “I feel the same way about you. I’ve been in agony.” Her voice throbbed. “How far away are you?”

  How he loved this woman! “I’m almost at the hotel.”

  “Then I’ll get off the phone this instant and order your dinner. See you in a few minutes. Please don’t get into an accident before you get here!”

  Holden laughed out loud. Just talking to her like this made those nightmare images disappear into the furthest recesses of his psyche.

  * * *

  Jessica got in the pool with Chase while they waited for him.

  “Holden!”

  Her son climbed out of the water and ran toward his hero as Holden walked out from the changing room.

  “Did you catch the bad guy?”

  “You bet I did.”

  “Hooray!”

  Her eyes feasted on the tall, gorgeous man clad in black trunks. He swept her son up in his arms.

  “I was afraid you couldn’t come.”

  “Hey—I told you I’d be over. Shall we jump in together, or shall I go in first and you jump to me?”

  “I’ll jump to you.”

  Holden put him down and jumped in. He came up right by Jessica. The way those silvery eyes looked at her, she couldn’t catch her breath.

  “You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for this,” Holden said.

  Before she could get out a single word, he turned to Chase standing on the edge of the pool. “Okay. It’s your turn. One, two, three!”

  Her normally timid son whom you couldn’t bribe to get on a horse, jumped in without hesitation. Holden brought him to the surface. “That was terrific.”

  Chase clung to his neck with a huge smile. “Did you see that, Nana?”

  “You were wonderful!” Jessica’s mother called out. She was sitting at one of the tables fully dressed.

  “Will you pull me around the pool? I’m going to take swimming lessons this summer.”

  “That’s a great idea. I took lessons at your age, too. Come on.” He took off with Chase who was having the time of his life. While they were circling the pool for the third time, a waiter brought Holden’s dinner out to the table.

  She reached for Chase. “Come on, honey. We’ll practice holding our breath while the sheriff eats.” She darted Holden a glance. “I ordered prime rib and all the trimmings for you.”

  “How lucky can a man get?” he murmured in his deep voice. It filled her with excitement as he heaved himself to the edge and got out. She was glad he could talk to her mother in private for a few minutes. Jessica would get him to herself later when they were alone.

  After playing with Chase for a while longer, they got out and she put on her beach robe. “We’re going up to the room to change our clothes.”

  Holden had been watching her. It seemed like every time she felt his eyes on her, her legs started to tremble. “Meet me in the foyer in fifteen minutes and I’ll drive you all home.”

  “Yay!” Chase ran ahead of her and beat her to the room. There was no more police presence. Nothing could have made her happier.

  Jessica showered and washed her hair fast. The smell of chlorine bothered her too much not to be fresh. When they dressed and met Holden and her mother at the entrance, Jessica’s hair was still damp with no style whatsoever, but she didn’t care.

  Holden led them out to his car and drove them to the back entrance of the salon. Jessica noticed her car was gone.

  “Some of the deputies returned your car to your house.”

  Amazing. Holden thought of everything.

  She walked her mother inside and up the stairs to make certain everything was all right.

  “Holden told me what went on, honey. He’s an incredible man.”

  “Oh, Mom, words can’t describe what I’m feeling right now.”

  “I know. I can see how you feel. Tonight you can go home and put your worries behind you.”

  She nodded. “See you in the morning.”

  Jessica hurried back to the car where her son and Holden were deep in conversation about a new Aquaman movie that was coming out soon. “They say his skin is so thick he can handle the pressures in the deepest depths of the ocean.”

  “Can he talk to fish?”

  “I don’t think so. But I read that he feels the tides of the ocean like fish and sometimes swims with them.”

  “Will you take me to see it when i
t comes, Holden?”

  He flicked Jessica a warm side-glance. “That’s up to your mother.”

  “She’ll probably say it’s too scary.”

  “I probably will,” Jessica said, “but we’ll see.”

  Holden chuckled.

  “Could we go for a hike this weekend?”

  “Maybe. I have a lot of work and will have to see.”

  A sigh escaped her son. “I wish you didn’t have to work.” Out of the mouths of babes. That was exactly how she felt.

  “Guess what?”

  “What?”

  “How would you and your mom like to drive to Cody with me and Blackie pretty soon?”

  “You’re taking your horse?”

  “Yes. He needs a vacation, too. Think how bored he gets just going out to the pasture every day by himself. I bet Bucky gets bored. He could come with us, and maybe even Sparky.”

  “Mom? Could we? Please...”

  “I’m ready for a vacation. I think it sounds terrific.”

  “Then it’s settled,” Holden said. “I want to visit my family. We’ll stay at my parents’ ranch house, and my niece and nephew will come over to play. You’ll like Chrissy. I’ve told you about her. You’ll like Rob, too. He’s eight years old. She loves superhero movies and got a superhero costume for her birthday she wears a lot.”

  “Did she get to watch that movie?”

  “I don’t know. It’s an old one. I’ll have to ask my sister when we get there.”

  “Nana gave me a superhero wolf costume for Halloween.”

  “Lucky you. Why don’t you bring it with you if you come to Cody?”

  “I can’t wait!”

  They’d just pulled in the driveway. Chase got out first and carried his things to the front door. Jessica followed with her overnight bag and let them in the house.

  “It’s getting late, Chase. Since you’ve been swimming, we’ll skip your bath and get you in your pajamas.”

  “I wish I didn’t have to go to bed yet.”

  “I know.”

  “Good night, Holden.”

  “It is now.” Holden gave him a hug. “Get a good sleep, Chase, and I’ll see you sometime this coming weekend.”

  Jessica turned to him. “Please make yourself comfortable. You’re welcome to fix coffee. I’ll be back soon.”

  “Take your time. I have some phone calls to make.”

  Jessica went to Chase’s bedroom with him. Once he’d said his prayers and climbed under the covers, he looked up at Jessica. “I’m so glad he caught that bad guy.”

  “So am I.”

  “I love him, Mom,” he said in a thoughtful voice.

  She knew her son loved them both. “I love you, too.”

  When she returned to the living room ten minutes later, Holden was no longer on the phone. She sank down on the end of the couch opposite the chair where he was sitting.

  “Tell me everything that happened,” she urged him.

  “Ten deputies were involved, covering all the places Seth might go. This morning I followed him from his work to his condo. Then he went to your house before going to the salon.”

  Her eyes closed tightly. “He came to my house today?”

  “Around two. He cased your home outside to make sure you weren’t avoiding him. If you’d been there, it was possible he might have forced you into his van. He was carrying a gun and knife when I arrested him.”

  She put a hand to her mouth in horror.

  “I went to your mother’s shop where the female deputies were stationed. Seth showed up there around three and said he wanted to talk to you. They told him you were in the back room where I was hiding. He came looking for you. I tripped him and he fell. That gave me the chance to cuff him. It was all over just that fast.”

  A groan came out of her. “I’m sure there was a lot more to it than that.”

  “Not really,” he lied. She didn’t need to know the rest. “We can thank Providence he had no idea what was waiting for him. I read him his rights and the deputies took him to jail where he was booked. Tomorrow morning he’ll be arraigned before the judge who’s been helping me with the warrants.”

  “You solved this case so fast. How am I ever going to repay you?” Tears trickled down her cheeks. “I know I keep saying it, but it’s true. What if you hadn’t moved here from Cody? Trent’s crime would never have been uncovered. You’re so amazing...no one else can hold a candle to you.”

  Holden scoffed. “That’s nice to hear, but don’t forget I had motivation. That crime was committed while I was the police chief. It meant I had unfinished business to take care.”

  “I’ve been so blessed. Do you think it would be possible to talk to the officer who investigated Trent’s crash? He was the one who discovered the loose ball joint and sent it in for evidence. Without it, you wouldn’t have found Seth’s thumbprint.”

  “That’s true.”

  “I want to thank him personally.”

  “Because he followed protocol, it made it possible for me to conduct my investigation. I’ve wanted to talk to him myself. We can do it together. When I get back to the office I’ll look in the files for his number and—”

  Suddenly Holden’s phone rang, interrupting him. His work was never done. After this arrest she could only imagine how many loose ends he needed to tie up. While he finished talking, she went out to the kitchen.

  But before she could start making the coffee, he came in with a sober look on his face. “I have to go out on an emergency, but I’ll call you in the morning after the arraignment. We still have so much to talk about.”

  She nodded and followed him to the front door. He raced out to his car. But when she got in bed, something was haunting her. Holden held her heart, but she had no right to it. No right to impossible dreams of being his wife, even if he had feelings for her. What on earth was she thinking? She knew how much he loved children and she couldn’t have another baby—let alone Holden’s.

  “All rise. The Sublette County District Court of Wyoming is now in session. The Honorable Judge Harold Garson is presiding.”

  Where in the hell was Judge Jenkins?

  Holden stood at the back of the courtroom, not liking this at all. He’d arrived at the courthouse early to give his report with all the evidence to Russ Doyle, the prosecuting attorney. Why had this happened?

  He ground his teeth as eight handcuffed prisoners were brought in from the jail dressed in the same blue jumpsuits, no matter the degree of their crimes. It had been a busy twenty-four hours for the officers since they’d brought in this many prisoners at once.

  His gaze focused on Seth, who shot him a malevolent glance as he was brought in. Holden could feel his hatred from across the room. After Seth’s ten-year plan that had already included murder, Holden had been the one to thwart Seth at the very moment he was about to kidnap Jessica.

  Two men looking like well-dressed Wall Street attorneys followed Seth. The shorter one shared a certain resemblance in body shape and height to Seth. That must be Seth’s father. But Seth reminded Holden of an unkempt miscreant. His father nudged his son, who finally shuffled the rest of the way in and was told to sit down. Then the two men took seats behind him.

  There could be no greater satisfaction for Holden than to see Seth answer to his crimes before the judge and be incarcerated.

  The arraignment got underway. Holden sat there, waiting anxiously with the other officers for this to be over. It was almost one o’clock before Seth’s name was called last. The judge called on him to stand and acknowledge his identity.

  “Seth Morten Lunt.”

  “The court understands the defendant has availed himself of private counsel.”

  “Yes, your Honor. I’m William Margets, criminal attorney from the law firm of Margets and Thiesen in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I’ll be
representing him.”

  Holden grimaced. Seth’s dad had called in a big gun.

  “Has the defense attorney read the police report and complaint to the defendant?”

  “Yes, your Honor.”

  “The defendant has been arrested for first-degree murder. How does the defendant plea?”

  “Not guilty.”

  That was no surprise to Holden. Not guilty was the usual answer.

  “So entered. The defendant will be remanded to the custody of his parents tomorrow morning, and will remain under house arrest with an ankle monitor until his trial scheduled for July 7. Bail is set at $1,000,000.”

  “It has been paid, your Honor.”

  What?

  Holden felt as if a shell had exploded in his gut. Had Judge Jenkins been bought? Seth was a cold-blooded killer. This was a mistake with horrendous consequences if he escaped.

  The judge pounded the gavel again. “Court is adjourned.”

  Seth got up from the chair and sent Holden a mocking smile before being taken back to his cell.

  Holden shot out of the courtroom and rushed back to his office. “Walt? I’ve got to leave for a few hours. Will you cover for me?”

  “Sure,” the other man said without asking any questions.

  “Thanks.”

  With the judge’s pronouncement, another nightmare was starting and Jessica needed to be warned ASAP!

  Chapter 10

  Jessica hadn’t slept all night. She had hoped Holden would have called her by now. It was a miracle she was still standing at one in the afternoon, finishing a client’s haircut. Millie was the only one in the shop with her because her mother had gone to the dentist and it was Dottie’s day off.

  After the client paid her at the front counter and they were alone, Millie walked over to Jessica. “Are you expecting the sheriff?”

  Jessica, who’d just started sweeping the hair off the floor, reeled in place. “What are you talking about?”

  “I saw his truck pull into a parking space out front.”

  Her heart leaped to her throat. Holden? What was he doing here while she was working? He’d been to the arraignment earlier today, and she’d supposed he was still at headquarters. She heard the little bell that sounded when someone entered the shop.