Peace River (Rockland Ranch Series)

by Jaclyn Hawkes

  On the opening night of the rodeo, in spite of the risks, they went out to the arena early. Leaving their horses tied to the rail, they browsed through some of the booths and shops that had been set up. Isabel and Slade had their earpieces in and knew surveillance was up and running, so they listened to the bands, shopped and walked, holding hands and laughing with the others. They truly were glad to be part of it all. The only thing to mar her experience was the number of females who tried to gain Slade’s attention.

  The show started as only Las Vegas could do a rodeo, with lights and special effects and the Jumbotron lit up like the strip. The opening ceremonies with all the cowboys and cowgirls made her heart full.

  Even though they were in a less than ideal situation with the police and FBI present, it made for some excellent seats. She and the others had a bird’s eye view of all the action, especially the bucking chutes.

  Slade and Rossen roped well, and then Slade bulldogged in almost record time. The night was going smoothly and well, and even the fact that Slade rode a saddle bronc and a bull didn’t completely spoil the festive atmosphere for her. She found that night that if she got up and walked up the stairs and back and forth along the walkway behind the seats where she could watch and walk at the same time, she could make it through his bull ride relatively calmly, then go back to her seat and relax. The agents and men could watch her as she went, and knowing Slade wore a bullet-proof vest under his competition shirt helped.

  The ride back to the hotel with Sean, Treyne, and Dante was uneventful, but even knowing there were agents there beside them as they exited the truck in the crowded parking lot and headed for their rooms, there was a heightened sense of awareness. The entire town, it seemed, was full of rodeo fans, and they warily threaded their way through groups of belted and booted revelers in cowboy hats and Wrangler jeans. Pretty girls, often in not quite enough clothing, and an over abundance of alcoholic beverages, made the party atmosphere over the top. The idea of security in all of this was daunting.

  As they entered the lobby a cowgirl beside them bumped into Treyne, sloshing whatever was in her glass all over the front of his shirt. She laughed and leaned into him to apologize, giving him a close-up view of the ample cleavage hanging out of the top of her tight tank top, before moving on.

  He shook his head. “Good luck getting any sleep around here tonight.” He sounded a little disgusted with the whole lot of them as he attempted to wipe flat beer from his shirt.

  Their foray through the hotel wasn’t much better and Treyne was right, even locked securely in her suite they were well aware of the activity going on all around them.

  Rob, Ruger, andCooperhad gone with Slade, Rossen, and Sean to bed down their horses, and when they all came in an hour later the parties were still going wide open.

  The next afternoon Slade bought Isabel her first pair of cowboy boots. In all this time together she'd only used her riding boots, and his gift was the perfect souvenir of the greatest rodeo in the world. Thinking it would be much easier to hide her gun in the folds of the fabric, she also bought some western skirts to wear with her boots from the same little shop. She had kept the gun in her shoulder bag so far, but it would be far more convenient in a skirt pocket.

  They were just leaving with their purchases when she heard someone call her Carrie. Everyone around her tensed to attention, and when she turned to see who it was she rolled her eyes and sighed. Stupid Geoffrey approached, decked out literally from head to toe in the most outlandish cowboy outfit she could ever have imagined, wooly chaps included, topped off by a huge ten-gallon hat along the lines of Hoss from the old TV show, Bonanza. He was obviously not a dangerous criminal and she could almost feel the others relax. The innocent countenances of all the Rocklands was almost too much for Isabel and she was hard put to keep a straight face.

  Geoffrey came right up to her and when he attempted to hug her she pressed herself against Slade's side as Geoffrey said, “Oh, Carrie, I’m so glad I’ve found you! I’ve been searching for months. I’d almost come to believe you'd been kidnapped. I was devastated when I saw you at that little track clear out in Wyoming and then lost you again. That’s why I came here to see if I could find you because I knew you were with a cowboy there.”

  His mindless chatter came to an abrupt end when he saw the wide gold engagement ring on her finger. His face immediately fell, and his lip began to quiver as he blurted out, “You’re married?” His loud question and obvious emotion created an instant scene.

  As he started back in with almost wailing pointless chatter this time, Isabel stepped up to him and patted him on the back, not denying his assumption. “Don’t cry St . . . , Geoffrey.” She patted some more, looking around her until she caught Dante’s eye and mouthed “Help!” Turning back to Geoffrey, she said impatiently, “Geoffrey, stop fussing and let me introduce you to my new family.” He let out a huge sigh and his whining became louder than ever.

  Isabel patted and shushed and ‘There, there’d’ until finally, she said, “Oh, Geoffrey, for Pete’s sake! Stop this! You’re embarrassing us all! Here, stop sighing and wipe your eyes. For heaven’s sake, you’re an adult.” She started digging through her shoulder bag, but Slade beat her to the punch when he handed Geoffrey a handkerchief.

  Geoffrey took it and turned to say thank you until he realized it was Slade, who still held Isabel’s hand, offering it. Geoffrey glanced at their entwined fingers and went off into another sigh that ended in a wail that was all but theatric. At this point Dante stepped in. Putting his arm around Geoffrey’s shoulder, he steered him off in another direction.

  As they left the others could hear Dante trying to calm him saying, “C’mon, Geoffrey, ya’all need to buck up. I’m sorry, man. I’ve tried to tell you for years now that I didn’t think she was going to marry you. I’m sorry you had to find out this way.” The conversation faded with distance and all the Rocklands and Slade broke out in amused grins. Their mirth began to take on a life of its own and by the time they entered the arena, she had no doubt that Geoffrey would be mimicked around the Rockland dining table for years to come.

  As Slade hugged her tightly and left her at the top of the concourse to go get his horse he said, “I see what you meant about the stupid hat club.”

  The second night of the rodeo went off without a hitch as well with Slade and Rossen doing very well in all of their events. When the third and fourth evenings also came and went with good performances, but uninterrupted, Isabel began to wonder if somehow the authorities had been misinformed. In the evenings after the rodeo, Special Agent Gray touched base to see how they were doing and find out if they had seen anything of interest. Thankfully, the earpieces she and Slade wore had remained comfortingly silent.

  The fifth night Slade was thrown from his saddle bronc before the eight seconds and took a no score. So far in the standings they were in 3rd place in the team roping and until this bronc, Slade had been leading in the all-around. Isabel was enjoying the rodeo, but had to admit her heart had jumped right to her throat when Slade had come flying off, and that night they had the liniment out again. As she worked over his back in the sitting area of her suite, she thought back to those times when she'd first dealt with this whole bucking stock issue. It seemed like forever ago.

  They knew there were agents embedded around them, either in the crowd or in the arena staff. They had been trying for days to see if they could pick them out. Making a game of it helped to make the whole thing less menacing somehow.

  Special Agents Gray or Keary were in the command center van and she knew of two others who sat close by them, but who the others were was a guess. There were several people around them who could possibly seem out of place, but it was hard to tell. So far, there was only one out of place for sure. The bearded man with the tinted glasses several rows back had to be FBI. Every time they went up or down or even looked back he was watching. It should have been comforting to know she was that closely guarded, but it was actually disconcert
ing.

  As far as seeing Tony Delvechio or any of his people, she had seen virtually nothing to arouse her suspicions until the evening of the seventh round.

  Isabel was having a tough time figuring out how the rankings were tallied. Slade was competing in four different events. He was going up against seven other contenders for all-around cowboy, and they were all competing in at least two events. Even though there were only two other cowboys who were really in the running, she was too new at this and felt a little confused as she tried to figure out Slade’s standing.

  Rob was trying to help her sort it all out as their little cavalcade made its way down the steps to their seats just a few rows from the bottom. Her hand bumped someone else’s on the handrail, and as she looked up to apologize, she came face to face with evil. There was no other way to describe what she was seeing in the deep dark eyes before her. Instantly she knew this was one of the men after Judd.

  She sucked in her breath, and the skin on the back of her neck tingled as the piece in her ear broke its silence for the first time. “You’re all right, Isabel.” It was Special Agent Gray’s calm voice. “We see him. Act natural and continue on to your seat. There are four agents all around you. They have your back. You’re okay. Go sit down.”

  Her heart was beating almost out of her chest, and she couldn’t help but search the arena floor for Slade’s dark head as she continued on down the stairs. Slade had been warming up his bulldogging horse, and she knew he must have heard the agent’s comments too because he stopped at the rail in front of them to find her. His green eyes met her blue ones and she could feel his silent question across the space. With all the self-control she possessed she gave him a reassuring smile and continued to her seat as he went back to loping slow circles. That evening when he made it back to the hotel his hug was long and tight.

  Over the next two days she and Slade saw four more men they felt must be involved with organized crime. It wasn’t just that they looked completely out of place in their obviously new cowboy garb. There was something about them, some unexplainable impression of menace that made her skin crawl and her heart rate jump in fear when she saw them. They had seats all around them and, in fact, one of them was actually sitting within ten seats of the bearded agent.

  It was incredibly frightening. The rodeo that had been an adventure had now become an arena of fear. Even those few moments of Slade’s bull rides were nothing in comparison to this. Only when she was actually in her seat in the arena or securely locked into her hotel room with Special Agent Keary was she finally unafraid.

  The evening of the ninth round she was too nervous to even leave her seat during Slade’s bull ride but decided that was a mistake. She only compounded fear with fear. By the time she locked the deadbolt and safety latch on her room that night, her nerves were completely frayed. Never had she felt anxious like this. Even those last couple of days before leaving California didn’t come close. She prayed several times, knowing even as she did that she wasn’t focusing but she couldn’t help it.

  In talking to Special Agent Gray that night, she asked if they'd noticed the man seated near the bearded agent. He assured her everything was under control and that she was handling things better than they'd expected, then rather abruptly ended the call.

  She lay awake for what felt like hours before finally resorting to calling Slade to talk. Feeling guilty for disturbing him on the night before one of the biggest days of his life, she called his phone. She didn’t even have to explain what was going on and knew from his voice that he hadn’t been sleeping either. Two minutes later when he knocked on her door, with Rossen and Sean in tow, just his presence calmed her somewhat. Keeping their voices low, they talked to her for a few minutes and finally Slade asked her if she'd like a priesthood blessing.

  He added, “I’ve been in the same boat all evening and they gave me one. I can’t even put into words how much it's helped.” Slade’s quiet sincerity strengthened her spirit every time. It always had.

  Thrilled at the idea of some relief from the tension, she said, “I didn’t know you could give blessings to people who weren’t sick.” A blessing hadn’t even occurred to her. It should have.

  Slade squeezed her hand as he sat beside her. “The priesthood’s power can help in all kinds of situations. Think of the variety of situations that Christ himself dealt with. As far as being sick, I think that’s just what I’ve been, sick at heart.”

  She turned to Rossen and Sean. “Would you mind?”

  Dependable as always Rossen answered, “We’d be honored.”

  With Sean’s help, Rossen blessed her that she would be strong enough to do all she needed to do, to not hesitate to follow the promptings she felt, and to remember she could trust in God. The last thing he said was almost uncanny, “Our Heavenly Father is over all. He's aware of you and your needs and He'll send his peace like a river.” The peace that crept into her heart was nothing short of miraculous. Tears welled in her eyes as the feelings of anxiety and doubt fled to be replaced with a warm, sweet calm that flowed like a current into her heart and mind. With such peace she was finally able to get a good night’s rest.

  Chapter 14

  The evening of the last round as Isabel came out of her hotel room in her western skirt and boots, Slade spun his finger to indicate he wanted her to twirl for him. She felt like a princess under his appreciative gaze as he said, “You're the prettiest cowgirl I’ve ever seen.” He kissed her softly and held her in a long hug that she didn’t want to end.

  With his cheek against her hair he said, “This is almost over, honey. I truly believe it is. One way or another we're going to be able to put this Judd mess to rest. We’ll be able to go home and move on with our lives.” He kissed her again tenderly. “Then can we finally get married?” His eyes had never been so green.

  She pulled his head back down. At length she answered, “I can’t wait.”

  As he turned to go start getting his horse, she caught his arm. Looking into his eyes again she said, “Slade, I need you to not think about Judd right now, or even about me. I need you to focus on this rodeo. Focus and enjoy this evening. You’re going to become the World Champion All-Around Cowboy in a few hours. Please don’t let these other things interfere with that. You love to rodeo. Love it more than ever tonight.” She kissed him once more and then almost against his mouth, she said, “I’m going to.”

  And she did love the rodeo that night. The peace of the night before was still in her heart, and she was able to relax and enjoy the evening, though she was more attentive to everything around her than ever before.

  Slade bulldogged in his second fastest time ever. Then he and Rossen roped their steer in 4.1 seconds, their own personal record and fast enough to put them over the top into first place and make Rossen the new World Champion Team Roper.

  Slade missed spurring his saddle bronc out, which didn’t matter because two seconds later he was thrown and received a no score.

  Isabel wasn’t sure what the all-around standings were exactly, but she realized with that no score, if Slade was to become the next World Champion All-Around Cowboy, it was now dependent upon how he did on his bull.

  Tension began to mount and in spite of her prayers and the blessing of the night before, her stomach tied itself in knots. She fidgeted all the way through the tie down roping and the barrels seemed interminable. Finally, the bull riding started. The other cowboy who was Slade’s only real competition for all-around made a decent ride and Isabel knew that if Slade no-scored or got a low score, he’d place second. She wasn’t even aware she was chewing her fingernails until Treyne leaned over and gently pulled her hand from her mouth and said, “You’re gonna draw blood.” He smiled at her and she put her hands back into her lap. Of course Slade’s ride would be the last bull of the night.

  She could see him below her, putting his bull rope on a huge brindle bull. Rossen was there beside him, helping him, and taping his hand and wrist. She tried not to think about it, bu
t she kept remembering that bull ride in Salt Lake City that had ended with him nearly being killed.

  Finally, completely at a loose end, she couldn’t stand it any longer. As he climbed onto the chute to stand over the bull, she stood up to walk up the stairs to pace. Stepping over Treyne and Ruger, who stood to let her pass without taking their eyes off of Slade, she made it to the stairs and had climbed several steps when suddenly the piece in her ear crackled to life.

  Special Agent Gray‘s mild voice instructed, “Isabel, I need you to turn around and calmly walk back down the stairs to the hidden gate. Let yourself through, and go down to the room and lock the door. Do it now. There will be agents right behind you. Go now.”

  Strangely, she was more nervous about the bull ride than about this latest development. She hoped Gray had had the presence of mind to turn off Slade’s earpiece. As she turned to go down the stairs, she noticed the bearded agent coming down the stairs right behind her and was relieved to see that Slade was indeed oblivious and focused on the bull beneath him.

  She made it to the hidden gate at the bottom of the stairs and pushed back the yellow drape to reveal the latch. Opening the gate, she went down a short flight of stairs to the arena floor level and glanced back at Slade. Their eyes met for a split second that lasted an eternity, then suddenly her world turned upside down.

  Just as she made her way into the tunnel she was hit violently from behind and knocked to the ground. Stunned, she turned, pushing her hair out of her face, trying to figure out what was going on. The bearded agent had slammed into her. As he put his head up, without the tinted glasses, she was horrified to realize it was no agent, it was Denzel Judd! Now that they weren't hidden by the glasses she would know those mean eyes anywhere.

  He had dyed his hair and grown it out, and grown the beard and she hadn't even had an inkling. The last months had aged him years. He looked awful. He was snarling at her as he hauled her up to begin dragging her brutally down the dirt alleyway that led to the bowels of the building and the pens that held the rodeo stock.