"Why didn't you call or text me?"
"I tried, but the call went to voice mail, and you didn't answer my text."
"Christ. We must not have a signal down here."
"Can I help?" Josh asked. Standing nearby, he'd overheard the conversation. "I need to go up anyway. I promised Theresa I'd call her. She'll be anxious by now."
"You can't help, but you don't need to be down here. Get some air and call your girl, but don't chase anyone or take it into your head that you're an officer. You're not. Understood?"
"Not to worry. I'll be a model citizen."
"Wanda, as soon as you get up top take Dan and Mike over to that clearing. There's nowhere else he could put a truck and trailer and not be seen, but be careful."
"Yes, sir. Is there no other way in or out of here?"
"Not that I've found. Now get back up there and find that truck."
* * * * * * * * * *
A few seconds after throwing the stone, Theresa heard a faint noise, and though it could have been anything, she decided it was her stalker moving into the woods to find her. Pulse racing, she opened her bag and grabbed her phone. She was about to call Josh, but afraid her voice might carry through the quiet, she sent him an urgent text.
HELP. STOPPED BY POLICE TAPE ON ROAD. HIDING BEHIND LAND ROVER. DUKE IS AFTER ME. HURRY.
Waiting anxiously and trying not to panic, her heart sank when she received no reply. With trembling fingers she sent another text to Salvo and Heath.
HELP. I'M ON THE GRAVEL ROAD TO TAVERN. HIDING BEHIND LAND ROVER. DUKE AFTER ME. CAN'T RAISE JOSH. DON'T KNOW WHY. HURRY.
ON OUR WAY. CALLING POLICE.
Praying they'd arrive quickly, but not wanting to count on it, she stayed utterly still, trying to decide when she should risk climbing into the SUV. Continuously checking her watch, when three minutes passed she decided she'd waited long enough. Crawling on her hands and knees she reached the edge of the SUV, and taking a breath, she peeked around to look down the road.
"Hey, beautiful."
Duke's fingers were gripping her forearm and yanking her up before a thought could cross her mind, then spinning her around, he moved his hand across her mouth.
"You've been fun to hunt, sweetheart, but I've gotta feelin' you've called for the cavalry so we need to get the fuck outta here."
Don't panic.
Play along until an opportunity presents itself.
Anything can be a weapon.
When you fight, fight with everything in you.
Henry had taught her self-defense. Those were his edicts, and gathering her wits she realized Duke didn't have a weapon. She might be able to take him on.
"I'm gonna move my hand," he snarled, pressing his lips against her ear. "If you scream I'll fuckin' break your neck. Got it?"
As she nodded her head, she noted the position of his arm around her waist, and tried to feel where his legs were.
"We're gonna move around to the back, then I'm gonna tie you up real quick and gag you, but don't worry, we won't be goin' far."
To her great joy he began pulling her backwards. It was exactly what she needed him to do. She could use her favorite throw, but as she readied herself to kick out his legs, he unexpectedly jumped them out of the way.
"Ha. So someone's been teachin' you a few things. You think I was born yesterday? Stupid bitch. I've dealt with a lotta women just like you."
They were at the back of the Rover. She had to fight. It was now or never.
Then a miracle happened.
A blaring siren and honking horn blasted through the air.
For an instant his grip loosened.
Spinning around to face him, she grabbed both sides of his head, slammed her forehead against the bridge of his nose, thrust her knee into his groin, then shoving him on to the gravel, landed several hard kicks into his ribs with the silver-tipped toe of her boot.
* * * * * * * * * *
When Josh and Wanda entered the tiny cubicle, they found the paramedics had placed the victim on a stretcher and were lifting her out, but able to use her phone, Wanda placed a call to one of the young officers.
"Locate the vehicle, but only surveil until I can join you," she ordered. "If you must approach the suspect, use extreme caution. Presume armed and dangerous."
"He'll be gone," Josh remarked as she ended the call. "If he was in that clearing, he would have taken off the minute he saw the police cars."
"Not necessarily. He doesn't know we have a tracker on his truck. He might be waiting for us to leave. Wow, that went quickly," she remarked as the stretcher disappeared through the opening. "Looks like the coast is clear. Let's get out of this awful place. It's like a tomb in here."
"I need some fresh air, that's for sure," Josh replied, but as he followed her to the ladder his phone beeped, then beeped a second time, signaling an urgent text.
Wanda was about to start the climb when she felt his hand on her shoulder, and turning around, she saw fear in his eyes.
"What?"
"Let me out! Quick. I need to get out."
Jumping back, she watched him scramble up the ladder, then followed as quickly as she could, but reaching the top, he'd already rushed out the door. Hurrying after him, she saw him sprinting away from the tavern.
"Josh, wait," she yelled. "What's going on?"
"Sarge, we just got a call," the young officer exclaimed, unexpectedly appearing at her side. "Duke Palmer's here and he's got a woman named Theresa Cavalleri pinned down at her car on the gravel road."
"Holy crap. Follow me," she said urgently, breaking into a run, "and call for Mike and Dan."
But she knew there was no way she'd catch him. All she could do was pray he wasn't sprinting into danger.
Josh had always been a gifted athlete and a fierce competitor, but he'd never felt his lungs burn through his chest. His feet barely touched the ground as he ran, and as he rounded the bend and saw the Land Rover his legs carried him even faster. Wanting to kill Duke Palmer with his bare hands, he approached the SUV ready to rip him apart, but he suddenly caught sight of a man on the ground, doubled over in pain. Slowing to a stop, sure his lungs were about to explode, he dropped his hands to his knees and tried to breathe.
"Josh!"
To his great relief and Joy, Theresa was running out of the trees towards him. Straightening up and opening his arms, she fell against him.
"Thank God you're here," she panted. "I was so scared something had happened to you."
With the heat in his throat matching the heat in his chest, he closed his eyes and held her as if it was their last moment on Earth.
* * * * * * * * * *
An hour later they were back at Dream Horse Ranch telling their stories, but when Theresa complained of a headache, Josh insisted they return to the cabin. As she collapsed on the bed, he stretched out next to her, kissed her softly, then propped himself up on an elbow.
"I still don't know why you were in the forest when I arrived at the Land Rover."
"You don't? Didn't I tell you?"
"You said you were scared something had happened to me, but I don't know why."
"You didn't answer my text and I hadn't heard from you. I thought maybe Duke had a machine gun and sprayed the place with bullets."
"A machine gun?"
"I had no idea what had happened, I just knew I couldn't reach you, so I decided to creep back through the woods and approach the tavern without being seen. Then I saw you running down the road."
"Why did you go to the tavern in the first place?"
"I couldn't help myself. I had to know what was going on."
"Theresa Cavalleri, you are a very bad girl."
"But I caught the bad guy," she said with a grin, "and I don't really have a headache. I just wanted to be alone with you."
"You're changin' the subject."
"Isn't it strange how Queenie knows when we're in trouble? Heath said she was really upset."
"Theresa!"
"Okay, I admit, it probably wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done."
"Listen up. You will never knowingly walk into a situation like that again, and you will never, ever scare me like that again. And don't even think about coming back at me with any sass. Are we clear?"
"Yes, sir, but, uh, Josh, I need to ask you something. What you said when you left here this morning. Did you mean it?"
"Yes, Princess, I meant it. I meant it very much."
"Will you say it again?"
"I love you, I love everything about you, even when you pull a crazy stunt like you did today."
"Josh, I'm so happy. I love you too, so much."
"I'm still gonna tan your tail later today," he purred as he pulled her into his arms. "Hard. Real hard."
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
As the drama had played out at the Horseshoe Tavern, Detectives Steve Yates and Jack Collins had been eating donuts and drinking coffee in their car outside Josh's house.
"He has to come back at some point," Jack muttered. "I mean, how long do you stay at a girl's house after you wake up in the morning."
"Jack, I'm married, remember?"
"Yeah, well, that's your problem. Fuck this shit," he declared, opening the door. "I'm going to have a nose around."
"Jack! Godammit!" Steve shouted, and placing his coffee mug in the cup holder he was about to go after him, then changed his mind. "If you want to be a moron, go ahead," he muttered under his breath. "This is such a waste of time. Brady had nothing to do with any of this shit."
Picking up his half-eaten donut, he noticed a police cruiser turning the corner at the end of the block. Glancing across to Josh's house, he spied Jack peering into the side windows. He gave a quick beep on the horn to warn his partner, but Jack misinterpreted the message. Instead of ducking out of sight, Jack turned, waved, and hurried into the front yard.
"You idiot," Steve grunted under his breath, trying to signal with his hand that Jack needed to move.
But Steve's efforts were in vain. Completely oblivious, Jack walked through the gate on to the sidewalk. To make matters worse, when he spotted the approaching police car he began shifting from foot to foot, darting his eyes up and down the street as though waiting for someone. Steve cringed as he watched, and when the cruiser stopped next to his car with its window down, he lowered his and feigned a relaxed demeanor. He had a legitimate reason for being there, and he'd think of something to explain Jack's odd behavior.
"Are you Detective Yates or Detective Collins?" the officer asked.
"Detective Yates."
"Is that your partner, Detective Collins?"
"Uh-huh."
"Captain Lewis wants you both at the station right away. There's been an arrest in the Lost Time abduction case."
"Lost Time?"
"That's what the Captain has labeled it. Anyway, he's waiting for you."
"We'll be right there. Thanks."
"What's up?" Jack asked, trotting up to Steve as the cruiser rolled away.
"Captain Lewis wants us. He's made an arrest."
"No wonder the asshole never came home. He's in fucking jail. I told you it was him. I knew it."
"The investigation has a name now," Steve said as Jack climbed in. "The Lost Time Abduction Case."
"I like it. I wish I'd thought of it. Right. Let's go pick up that cowboy and take him back to Marionville."
* * * * * * * * * *
On the drive back to the station, Tom had instructed Wanda to track down the location of the two detectives and send a car to deliver the news, and ask them to come to his office.
"Why don't you just call them?"
"I prefer to have a squad car give them a personal invitation."
"Don't you mean a summons?"
"No comment. Just make sure the cop behind the wheel doesn't tell them who we have in custody."
Now at his desk, with Wanda sitting in the chair by the window with her pad and pen in hand, he suppressed a grin as the door opened and the detectives walked in.
"So, great news," Jack declared as he sauntered across the room to shake Tom's hand. "Tell me the details. Where did you find the scumbag?"
"Congratulations," Steven said solemnly. "I wish I'd nailed him, but the important thing is, he's off the streets."
"That's the name of the game," Tom replied, gesturing for them to sit down. "Get the bad guys off the streets. I understand you've been staking out Josh Brady's house."
"You bet," Jack exclaimed. "I couldn't wait to get my hands on that asshole, but I guess you beat us to it."
"Take a look at this," Tom continued, tossing an evidence bag across the desk. "That was in his house."
Picking up the plastic bag, Jack studied what appeared to be a torn blouse.
"No shit. Is this from one of the victims?"
"Clothing, that's what the abductor enjoyed keeping. Like the scarf found in Josh Brady's trailer."
"Yeah, makes sense," Jack said knowingly. "I bet Brady uses them to—"
"Brady? Brady doesn't have anything to do with the abductions! Someone broke into his house last night and planted that in one of his dresser drawers."
"Huh? But that's impossible. We were outside his house."
"I know. He snuck right past you."
"But, uh, how do you know that?"
"I knew the perp would pull a stunt like that, so with Brady's permission I had someone inside his house."
"What?"
"Excuse me," Steven said. "Why didn't you make the arrest then?"
"My men followed him to see where he'd take us, but when they nabbed him, he turned out to be a local junkie thinking he'd make a quick hundred bucks. He's in lock up."
"So, Captain," Steve said, leaning forward and lowering his voice. "Who is the Lost Time abductor?"
"Abductors. Plural. Duke Palmer, the owner of The Horseshoe Tavern, and Sam Tyson, the barn manager at Tall Tree Farms. We're still tracking Tyson down, but he won't get far."
"Then I guess we'll take Palmer off your hands," Jack said with an edge to his voice. "Just tell us where to fill out the—"
"Detective Collins, this is now an ongoing statewide investigation which I have been asked to lead. I've already found two other properties in two different counties owned by his corporation and they're both undergoing extensive renovations. I suspect he had finished his hunting in this area and was about to move on. As far as charging him for suspected crimes in Marionville, you'll have to take your place in line. Thank you for your time. Someone from my station will be in touch."
"Hey!" Jack exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "Wait a second—"
"Jack, leave it," Steve said brusquely, getting to his feet and cutting him off. "Be grateful this monster has been caught."
Quickly turning and mumbling under his breath, Jack strode angrily from the room.
"Detective Yates," Tom said, before Steve could speak, "find yourself a new partner. You're a decent detective. You don't need to be saddled with him. He's in the wrong job. He should be a bouncer at a strip club. Why the look, detective?"
"That's what he did years ago before he joined the force."
"He should have stuck with it. He'd be managing the joint by now."
"Honestly, captain, I feel bad for the guy, but you're right. I'll put in for a new partner when I get back."
"Feel free to stay in touch."
"I appreciate it," Steve said gratefully, understanding Tom had just paid him a sincere compliment. "That means a lot."
Tom shook his hand, and as Steve left and closed the door behind him, Tom swiveled his chair around to face Wanda.
"Your dad will be real proud of your work on this case."
"Thank you, sir. I do have one question. How was Palmer able to fell those trees and make that clearing? That would have been a huge amount of work and it seems no-one around here knows anything about it."
"I was curious about that too. That's why I asked for the title report. The area was the original site for the ta
vern. Apparently the builder changed his mind. I'll bet when Duke viewed the property and discovered that hidden spot he knew right away it would be ideal for his purposes. But Wanda, this case is just beginning. He had accomplices and they need to be found. This will require a great deal of cooperation and organization. I'd like you to be the official liaison officer. Are you interested?"
"Me?"
"You've earned it."
"Oh, my gosh. Thank you, captain. Can I, uh…?"
"Hug me? Sure."
* * * * * * * * * *
Back at Dream Horse Ranch, Carly, Heath and Andy had been discussing the arrival of a new horse. The gelding would be there on a two week trial, but with Carly in no condition to ride, Andy assumed the onus would fall on him. Heath could see Andy's concern. Being the barn's manager Andy had limited time.
"You don't have to worry," Heath declared. "I've spoken with Josh and he's agreed to give us several hours a week until Carly's back to work."
"Now that's a relief," Andy said gratefully. "Spreadin' myself that thin would've been a problem. Great news, Heath. I'll be sure and spend an hour with him and show him how things work around here. He'll be a great fit. I feel bad I didn't give him the benefit of the doubt. I won't make that mistake about someone again."
"Duke did a good job of sowin' the seeds, that's for sure."
"I'd better get back. Salvo's just cleaned out the shavin's shed and we've got a load comin' in. I need to be there to check the paperwork."
"Okay, Andy. I'll see you at dinner."
"You bet. I love Theresa's cookin'. I was thinkin' of havin' Maureen come over tomorrow night."
"Good idea. We can officially thank Josh for all he's done."
"Sounds good. I'll see you two later."
"Bye, Andy," Carly said from her spot on the couch.
To Catch A Cowboy (Hunks and Horses Book 2) Page 19