by Elle James
“Tell me about it,” Molly said.
“How’s your mother?” Parker asked.
“They’re taking her back for x-rays, a CT scan and MRI. She woke briefly and asked where she was.” Molly shook her head, her fingers curling into Parker’s shirt. “She was more worried about being home for when Dad returns than finding out the extent of her own injuries.”
“What about you?” Parker tipped up her chin. “Did they check you over?”
She nodded. “I’m fine. A bruise across my chest where the seatbelt tightened and bump on the head, but no concussion. The airbag saved me. We should’ve fixed the side airbags sooner on that truck. The front airbags deployed and saved us from a lot more trauma. Mom’s injuries are from when the SUV T-boned us on the highway. Her side of the vehicle took the brunt of the impact. I suspect at the very least she has some broken ribs and who knows what else.” Molly wrapped her arms around Parker’s waist. She didn’t care if he was just being nice. She needed human contact. No. She needed contact with him. “I just want this all to end, and for Mom and Dad to come home healthy.”
“We all want that,” Parker said.
In the next thirty minutes, the waiting room filled with McKinnons.
Angus and his fiancée, Bree, arrived first.
“Duncan is staying at the house with Fiona and baby Caity,” Angus said. “Otherwise he’d be here.”
Molly gave her brother a weak smile. “I’m sure Mom would prefer they kept the baby at home.”
Colin and Emily burst through the door next, followed by Bastian and Jenna.
“How’s Mom?” Angus asked.
“We’re waiting to hear,” Parker said, his arm remaining around Molly’s waist.
Molly was pleased he hadn’t moved away. The closer he was, the better she felt. Especially after watching her life pass before her eyes as that SUV had pushed their truck off the road. She’d never felt so helpless.
“How are you, Molls?” Angus asked.
Molly leaned into Parker. “I’m fine. But I’ve had enough of this. We have to find Dad and put an end to this attack on our entire family.”
Angus’s lips thinned into a tight line. “We’re trying. Hank’s computer guy, Swede, is working night and day, trying to figure out the people behind the payment made to Otis Ferguson. Whoever paid him to torture Dad has got to be the one holding him hostage. From what Hank says, we’re close.”
Molly shook her head. “Not close enough. Who are we going to lose next? Mom? Me? Baby Caity?” She pointed to Angus. “You? I’m sick of this. If I have to search every square inch of the county myself, I’m going to find the son of a bitch and make him pay for all the heartache and pain he’s caused our family.”
Hank Patterson entered the waiting room with a broad-shouldered man with black hair and gray eyes. He stopped in front of Angus. “This is Brandon Rayne. He’ll stand guard over your mother while she’s in the hospital.”
Rayne held out his hand to the oldest brother. “Call me Boomer.” He shook Angus’s hand, and then Parker’s, Molly’s, Colin’s and Bastian’s. Finally, he looked around. “Have they assigned her a room, yet?”
Molly shook her head. “No. They took her to have x-rays, a CT scan and an MRI.”
“I’d like to be back there with her. Given the circumstances, I want her within my sight at all times.”
Angus walked Boomer to the reception desk. Moments later, Boomer was escorted past the restricted door, and Angus returned to the others. “They only allow one person at a time back there. The nurse said the doctor will be out shortly.”
“We’ve had some movement on the hacking into the corporation based out of Bozeman,” Hank announced. “The corporation is in name only. There’s no physical location or buildings associated with it, just a bank account. My computer guy, Swede, is tiptoeing through the bank’s databases, searching for the connections.”
“Is tiptoeing code for hacking?” Parker asked.
Hank held up his hands. “We’re doing what we can. Swede has some connections on the dark web also looking for the origin of the money. A bank account has to have an original source for any money transferred into it. Apparently, the money was bounced around to several foreign banks before it landed in the Caymans. One at a time, Swede is following the breadcrumbs. It just takes time.”
“We’re running out of time,” Molly said. “What else can we do? Turn the entire county upside down, search every home and building?”
“That takes time as well, and no one has that kind of manpower,” Angus sad. “You know the Crazy Mountains. They’re full of hiding places. Whoever has our father is likely moving him every day or so to keep anyone from finding him.”
“We can’t do this forever,” Molly said. “And Dad won’t survive much longer if they’re torturing him every day.”
Hank nodded. “True. We’re doing the best we can. I’ve assigned two of my guys to watch over your family at the ranch. They should be getting there, right about now. I called Duncan and let him know to expect Taz and Kujo. Kujo comes with a retired military war dog, Six. They’ll protect your family home. I’ll bring in two more to change shifts, as needed.”
“Thank you,” Angus said. “At this point, I’m not sure who they’ll target to get our father to talk. It could be any one of us.”
“I think it’s time we searched the hills again,” Colin said.
“Jenna and I have been researching the abandoned buildings and ghost towns left by miners. We’ve been in a number of derelict houses and mine offices.” Bastian shook his head. “Nothing, so far. We’re also looking for locations where that money could’ve been hidden. Find the money, and they’ll have no need to torture our father anymore.”
“Maybe we should be looking in active buildings, homes, offices. He has to be out there,” Molly said. “He’s probably right under our noses, and we just can’t see.”
“Are we doing this wrong?” Angus asked. “Should we make it more convenient for someone to abduct one of us? Instead of holing up and keeping our heads down, shouldn’t we be out and about, giving Dad’s captors a shot at us?”
“Are you kidding me?” Parker broke into the family discussion. “They almost got Molly. You want them to get your mother or sister?”
Angus shook his head. “No, of course not. But one of us, armed with a GPS tracking device, could lead the rest of us to where they’re keeping Dad. We can follow the tracker.”
“I don’t like it,” Molly said. “What if Dad really doesn’t know where that money is? What if they torture one of us to death, and Dad still can’t tell them? What does that buy us? One dead sibling, possibly a dead father and a grieving family.” She shook her head. “No.”
“So, we’re back to square one and relying on the computer genius to find that link that’ll lead us to who has our father.” Angus sighed. “It’s not enough.”
“I’m going back out in the hills,” Colin said. “Who’s with me?”
Bastian raised a hand. “As long as Hank’s Brotherhood Protectors are keeping things safe at the ranch house with our ladies, I’ll go with you.”
At that moment, the restricted door opened, and a man in a physician’s white coat came out. “McKinnon family?” he said, glancing around the waiting room.
All eight of them crowded around the doctor.
The man’s eyes got big, and he smiled. “We checked Mrs. McKinnon over and didn’t find anything major, besides a concussion and a broken rib. She’s bruised and will experience some pain, but there’s no reason we can’t release her in the morning, as long as she doesn’t show any signs of head trauma. Based on Miss McKinnon’s report of the accident, your mother is lucky to be alive and in as good of shape as she is. Any questions?”
“No, sir,” Angus said. “Thank you for taking good care of her.”
The doctor left and a nurse took his place.
“Mrs. McKinnon is moving to a room on the second floor. Her bodyguard will accompany her. On
ce she’s settled, she’ll be allowed visitors. That should be in about twenty minutes.” She gave them the room number and excused herself.
“I’m staying here tonight,” Molly declared.
“You don’t have to,” Angus said. “Boomer will make sure no one gets to her.”
“That’s not why I want to stay. She’s in a hospital. She might be scared after what happened. I know I’ve been scared since they made an attempt to take me yesterday. She needs one of us with her. And I think I’m the best candidate for the job.” She lifted her chin. “Besides, you all have your loved ones to take care of. I don’t.” Her gaze swept over Parker.
“Okay. But don’t go anywhere outside Mom’s room. Boomer can’t watch out for both of you, if you go galivanting all over the hospital,” Angus said.
“I’m staying, too,” Parker announced. “Boomer and I will make sure your mother and sister remain safe.”
Angus’s eyes narrowed. “As long as you’re sure. Bastian and Colin can take care of the animals.”
Parker nodded, his gaze on Molly. “We took care of them this morning. All you need to do is move the horses to their stalls. Their hay is already there.”
“Easy enough,” Bastian said. “I’d feel better with more people here.”
“If you need another guard on the door,” Hank said, “let me know.”
“We’ll manage tonight,” Parker said.
Molly’s heart warmed, and her fear dissipated, knowing that Parker would be with her at the hospital through the night.
They couldn’t take anything for granted. Not anymore. Every nurse who came through the door, every doctor, would have to provide credentials in order to gain access to Molly’s mother.
Molly would make certain no one got to her mother on her watch. And having Parker close was a bonus she wouldn’t turn down. Especially knowing how well he could kiss.
Chapter 6
All eight of the McKinnon group took the elevator up one floor and stopped at the nurses’ station.
Parker stood back as the McKinnon siblings asked about their mother.
“Only two can go to your mother’s room at a time,” the nurse said.
“Jenna and I will go first,” Bastian said. “Then Colin and Emily. That way we can get back to the ranch and take care of the animals for the evening.”
Bastian held Jenna’s hand as they walked down the hallway to his mother’s room.
“The rest of you can take a seat in the waiting room lounge around the corner,” the nurse said.
“Thank you,” Molly said.
As soon as he entered the lounge, Parker walked to the coffee pot in the corner and stared down into a carafe where the coffee had evaporated, leaving a dark ring around the bottom of the glass. He sighed.
“Need a cup of coffee?” Molly asked.
“Desperately,” he responded.
“We can go down to the cafeteria and get a fresh cup,” Molly suggested.
“Whatever you want to do,” he said. “I’m your shadow.”
“I need coffee.” She glanced around at her brothers, still in the lounge. “Anyone else need coffee?”
All three of her brothers nodded. Jenna, Bree and Emily shook their heads.
“I’ll get a bottle of water from the machine in the hallway,” Bree said.
“Same,” Jenna agreed.
“I think I saw apple juice. But, thanks, Molly,” Emily said.
“I’ll bring back what I can,” Molly said. “It’ll be black.”
“That’s the only kind of coffee, isn’t it?” Bastian said.
Molly nodded as they moved down the hallway.
“You like your coffee black?” Parker asked.
“My brothers taught me to drink coffee at a young age. Strong and black. No milk or sugar. When they told me it would put hair on my chest, I drank it anyway, wanting to be like my big brothers. Besides, they were always feeding me some bullshit, teasing me because I was younger than they were, gullible and always trying to please. I resented being a girl and the youngest of the clan. Until they all left for the military.”
Parker took her hand and closed his fingers around hers. “Is that when you came into your own?”
She nodded. “Pretty much. That’s when I realized my own value. There wasn’t anyone else to do the work they’d been doing. I had been doing it, too, right alongside them, but no one seemed to notice.”
“Especially your father?”
“Especially him,” she said, staring at the corridor in front of her. “For the longest, I resented being female and that my father would never look at me the same way he looked at his sons. I even thought about joining the military, just to be more like them. And I would have, but after they left, my father needed the help. He started relying on me to do the work, no matter how hard.”
“I’m glad you’re female,” Parker said. “You’re every bit as good a rancher as any of your brothers, if not better.”
“Better,” Molly said. “I’ve been at it longer than any of them.”
“What if they decide to leave the military and come back to the ranch?” Parker asked as the stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for the cafeteria floor.
Molly shrugged. “I’ve been doing this long enough I no longer feel the need to prove myself to anyone. I know what I’m capable of.” She smiled. “And I look forward to being an aunt to all the nieces and nephews they’ll bring to me.”
“What about you? Don’t you want children?”
Molly’s cheeks turned pink. “I haven’t really thought about having children.”
“Wouldn’t they keep you from being out on the range, mending fences, helping birth calves, hauling hay?” He’d seen how she did everything any ranch hand would do and more. “Would you give that up to have babies?”
She frowned. “I don’t know. The question never came up. I’d have to think about it.”
“You like kids. I’ve seen you with Caity. She loves you.”
“And I adore her,” Molly said with a smile. “She’s amazing and learns so quickly. I can’t wait to teach her how to ride a horse.”
“Wouldn’t you like to teach your own little girl how to ride a horse?”
For a long moment, she didn’t answer, but her lips curved in a smile. “I guess.” She frowned and shot a glance toward Parker as he held her hand. “What about you? You have to be in your thirties, by now. Why aren’t you married with a couple of kids of your own?”
He shrugged. “Never seemed to be the right time or the right woman. On active duty, I was gone a lot to war zones. The girls I dated weren’t willing to wait around until I returned. Some didn’t like the idea of me going into harm’s way over and over. They all ended up settling for men with regular jobs, like package delivery men, accountants and bar owners. None of those guys deployed to the other side of the world or were shot at as often.
“I don’t know.” Molly chuckled. “Package delivery guys are attacked often by dogs and bar owners have their share of fights and shootings. I’m not sure about accountants. They might have their own clients who go nuts when they discover how much they owe in taxes.”
Parker smiled and shook his head. “You get the picture.”
“You’ve been out of the service for five years. Why haven’t you found someone to settle down with?”
“I was busy learning the job and taking care of a huge ranch with the help of the boss and his competent daughter.” He squeezed her hand, liking the way it felt in his. Hers wasn’t as soft as some of the women he’d dated. She had calluses from mucking stalls and a strong grip. He liked that she wasn’t weak and didn’t run screaming when confronted by a snake. And she wasn’t afraid to get dirt under her fingernails.
He liked Molly McKinnon. A lot. Maybe too much.
The elevator door opened, and they proceeded to the cafeteria where Molly found a tray and loaded it with cups of fresh coffee.
When they had all they needed, Parker paid for their
purchases and took the tray from Molly.
“Again, I can carry the tray.”
“Again, I know you’re fully capable of carrying an eighty-pound bale of hay. That’s not the point. The point is that my mama taught me to be a gentleman. Unless you’ve had a sex change, you’re still a female.” He leaned his head close to her ear and added, “And I, for one, am glad you are.”
Molly’s cheeks turned pink again.
He grinned, liking that he could make her blush so easily. She might want to be more like her brothers, but she was female through and through.
Back in the lounge, Parker laid the tray on a table and took a cup for himself. Molly claimed one, and then Angus and Colin took one each.
Bastian entered the room with Jenna and made a beeline to the last cup of coffee. “Thank God.”
“How was she?” Colin asked.
Bastian took a careful sip and answered, “Banged up, but alive and kicking.”
Colin laughed. “That’s Mom, all over. It takes a lot to bring her down.” He turned to Emily. “Ready?”
She capped her bottle of apple juice, slid it into her purse and nodded. “Ready.”
They left the lounge for their time with Mrs. McKinnon.
A man walked past the lounge, heading to the nurse’s station.
“Isn’t that Lewis Griffith?” Angus asked.
Molly nodded. “What’s he doing here?”
“Who is Lewis Griffith?” Parker asked.
“He and his wife own the Lucky Lady Lodge,” Molly said.
A moment later, Griffith entered the lounge. “Sorry. I didn’t see you when I passed by.” Lewis walked up to Angus first and held out his hand. “I was in Bozeman when I got word about Hannah’s accident. They wouldn’t tell me anything at the nurse’s station. Is she okay?”
Angus shook the man’s hand and nodded. “She’s going to be okay. Whoever did this to her won’t be when we get our hands on him.” Angus’s mouth firmed into a tight line.
“I’m sure. I hear someone came out of a side road and hit the truck?” Griffith shook his head. “Who would have done such a thing?”
Bastian snorted. “The same person who’s been terrorizing our family since my father disappeared.”