Lone Rider

by B. J Daniels

  “Because of you?”

  “He never told you what happened that night?” Emily looked as if she might cry. “Oh, Bo, I’m so sorry. Jace was so excited about his date. He got a second job after school so he could rent a tuxedo.”

  “He did?” Even when they’d gotten back together before, they had agreed not to discuss prom night. All Jace had told her was that something important had come up. More important than her, Bo had thought.

  “He was so handsome in his tux.” Now Emily did cry. “It was all my fault. I did something really stupid. I snuck out and was hitchhiking into town when this older man stopped for me. He gave me some beer and...”

  “Oh, Emily, you were only, what? Twelve?”

  She looked ashamed. “I was so stupid, so sure I could handle myself, so sick of Jace telling me what to do. He was just trying to keep the ranch after our parents died. I was such a brat.”

  Bo stepped to her to give her a hug. “You were just a kid.”

  She nodded, tears in her eyes. “When the man tried something, I jumped out of the car and ran. I called Jace from a pay phone, but the man came back... Oh, Bo, I’m so sorry. But if he hadn’t shown up when he did... We had to go to the sheriff’s department after that. I ruined his date like I ruined a lot of other nights for him. I don’t know why he’s put up with me.”

  Bo shook her head. “He loves you. He’s your brother. Now you have your own little girl to raise.”

  “She’ll probably pay me back for how terrible I was, huh.” She wiped at her eyes. “I can’t believe Jace didn’t tell you what happened.”

  “He tried,” Bo said with a sigh, remembering how awful she was to him. “But, Emily, that was years ago. In the grand scheme of things...your brother just saved my life.”

  “I know, but if he’d made it for his date with you to the prom... Don’t you ever wonder if you two might have stayed together? You could be married by now with a couple of kids.”

  Bo laughed and shook her head. “I certainly wasn’t ready for that. Things happen in their own time. Surely you have realized that.”

  “I’m starting to,” Emily said as she turned at the sound of a tap on the front window. Alex Ross passed and waved.

  “Alex Ross is the perfect example of why we have to keep the foundation going,” Bo said. “You probably don’t know this because you’re involved only in the media part of the foundation, but Alex applied for one of the first small business loans I approved. He started with one coffee shop and now has six across the state. He is still one of my favorite success stories. She noticed that Emily had gone pale. “Is something wrong?”

  The younger woman shook her head. “I thought he worked part-time at this one. I’m so embarrassed.”

  Bo was studying her. “Alex? You and Alex?” She laughed. “Is it...serious?”

  Emily shrugged. “I think it could be.”

  “Good for you. I hope it works out. I like Alex a lot.”

  “Alex makes Mommy smile,” Jodie said, joining them.

  * * *

  IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON before the sheriff returned to his office. Bo Hamilton was safe, and Jace Calder’s leg would heal. The helicopter pilot and crew member had managed to get out of the chopper before it exploded, and were both expected to pull through. The Spencers’ bodies had been brought down out of the mountains. Frank suspected one of their rifles was the murder weapon used on John Cole, and ballistics would prove it. He had statements from both Bo and Jace. His work was done for the moment.

  Relieved everything had turned out so well, he sat down at his desk and picked up the reading materials Russell Murdock had left behind.

  Brain wiping. He’d never heard of such a thing—let alone a Dr. Ralph Venable.

  He didn’t know what to make of this information. At first it had sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie, but the more he looked at the articles, the more he understood why Russell believed it.

  If possible, it could certainly explain Sarah’s missing twenty-two years—if she had crossed paths with this Dr. Venable.

  Undersheriff Dillon Lawson stuck his head in the door. “You were looking for me?”

  Frank motioned for him to come in and close the door. “Russell Murdock brought me an interesting theory about Sarah Hamilton’s missing years. Take a look at this and tell me what you think,” he said, gathering up the papers and handing them over. “Then see what we can find out about this Dr. Venable. I’m curious where he was doing his research back then.”

  Dillon glanced down at the papers in his hand and then up at Frank. “Brain wiping?”

  “I know it sounds crazy, but I think Russell might have stumbled onto something. We know that after Lester Halverson pulled Sarah from the river, she made a call and someone picked her up. She wasn’t seen again until a few months ago. Russell believes it was Buckmaster who picked her up that night and whisked her away to some mad scientist’s clinic.”

  His undersheriff frowned. “Why would he do that?”

  “Russell’s theory is that something happened between Sarah and her husband that would make her leave six children, including her recently born twins, and drive into the Yellowstone River in the middle of winter.”

  “That has definitely been bothering both of us, as well. But we also know that suicide victims don’t always have a clear reason for what they do.”

  Frank nodded. “The press has been blaming postpartum depression and has written her off as a bad mother and possible lunatic. Six kids that close together... But it still doesn’t answer the question of who picked her up and why she disappeared. Or why she came back now.”

  Dillon looked down at the papers again. “If this was possible twenty-two years ago... I’ll see what I can find.”

  Frank nodded, glad Dillon was taking it seriously. “All this time, I’ve been worried about the senator,” he said. “Maybe I should be more worried about Sarah’s safety.”

  * * *

  ANGELINA HAD BEEN expecting the call.

  “Time to pay up,” journalist Chuck Barrow said with obvious impatience. “You’ve put me off long enough. Unless you want me to air—”

  “I told you, I don’t know where Sarah is. Russell Murdock is hiding her.”

  “Right. But your husband knows where she is.”

  She gritted her teeth, hating the reminder that her husband had been meeting Sarah, often behind her back.

  “Check out his navigation system in his car. It will show the past few places he’s gone.”

  She hadn’t thought of that. “He goes for his daily horseback ride soon. I’ll do what I can while he’s gone.” She disconnected and went to the window to look out at the mountains. It was always something, she thought. At least Bo was back. So far it appeared that she’d had nothing to do with the missing money at the foundation, since she hadn’t been arrested yet.

  All was peaceful on the Hamilton Ranch front for the moment. Soon she and Buckmaster would be back in Washington or on the campaign trail. She loved every minute of campaigning. All the different cities, all the people who came to see him, Angelina right at his side. The loving sane wife. She’d bought a whole new wardrobe befitting a first lady. It would be so nice to leave the ranch, the children and Sarah in the dust. To have all the attention on Buckmaster and herself for a change. She couldn’t wait.

  If the journalist was right, Buckmaster knew where his former wife was staying. It would be in his navigation system. That alone sent her blood to the boiling point. Why couldn’t he just let Sarah go? For such an intelligent man, he could be so stupid.

  She smothered her aggravation and thought instead about what would happen if she turned the information over to Chuck. He would go to wherever Russell Murdock had hidden the woman. Then what? Would Sarah panic and run far away? Angelina let out a bitter laugh at t
he thought. Not likely.

  Would she talk to the journalist? Also not likely. She would slam the door in the man’s face, call Russell and he would again hide her away so that not even Buckmaster could find her. Wouldn’t they both assume that Buckmaster was to blame for her being found?

  Angelina smiled at the thought. Maybe this would work in her favor. Whatever it took, she had to get Sarah out of their lives.

  From the window, she watched her husband gallop off across the pasture. He would be gone for a couple of hours. Ideally it wouldn’t take her that long. She pulled out her phone and called up a video online that told her how to access information on her husband’s navigation system in his SUV.

  He’d left the vehicle parked in the garage. All the better. She didn’t want one of his daughters stopping by and catching her. They didn’t come and go as often now with the press camped out by the gate, so in a way that was a blessing. Try living with six young girls who couldn’t stand the sight of you.

  She told herself that those days were behind her. Buckmaster’s daughters were finally old enough that none of them would be moving in with them at the White House. An occasional visit for a few sentimental photos of the happy, well-adjusted family would be perfect. Maybe the girls could stay out of trouble and keep the focus on their father, she thought as she went down to the garage.

  Once behind the wheel, she turned on the navigation system. It didn’t take long to find what she was looking for. She took out her cell phone. “All right, I’m in his vehicle,” she said when Chuck answered.

  “See if you recognize the last place he went.”

  “The last place he went was to see her.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “Give me the information.”

  “Not until I know that you’ll continue to portray Sarah Hamilton as the lunatic she is,” she said.

  “After I get an exclusive with Sarah, everyone will get on board with whatever I write. It will go viral. No one is going to start printing that she is mother of the year, trust me.”

  “Whenever a man says ‘trust me,’ I break out in hives.”

  “You want this woman out of your life? Well, I’m the man to do it. Give me the information. I’ll take care of Sarah Hamilton.”

  Angelina sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “If you betray me—”

  He chuckled. “Would I betray the soon-to-be first lady? I’m no fool.”

  She’d warned Buckmaster about never making bargains with the kind of people who would one day call in an IOU that he couldn’t afford to pay.

  But she would give anything to be rid of Sarah. Even by making a deal with Chuck Barrow, a journalist who would sell his own mother for a story.

  She read off the information from the navigation system.

  The tap on the side window made her jump.

  “Is anything wrong?” Kat Hamilton mouthed.

  Angelina ended her call, removed Buckmaster’s key from the ignition, and shoved open the SUV door, forcing her stepdaughter back. She’d seen Kat’s expression. The most suspicious of Buckmaster’s six daughters, Kat was the one she often found watching her. It was no secret Kat didn’t like or trust her.

  “I thought I’d left my scarf in your father’s car,” she said, trying hard not to be flustered. Kat would have seen the navigation system on since it was the only light within the SUV when she’d walked up. She would tell her father, but he wasn’t suspicious by nature like his daughter, so he would believe anything Angelina told him.

  “Did you find it?” Kat inquired, her tone calling Angelina a liar as if she’d said the actual words.

  “No, I must have left it elsewhere.”

  “Apparently.” One look into Kat’s gray eyes, eyes so intent like her father’s, and Angelina knew that the young woman couldn’t wait to tell.

  “If you’re looking for your father—”

  “No,” she said. “He just left on his daily ride, didn’t he?”

  Kat had always been the problem child. “I’ve been so busy packing for our trip that I hadn’t noticed,” Angelina said.

  Later, when it came out that Sarah had been found hiding out in a cabin in the mountains, would Kat put it together?

  Angelina told herself she would cross that minefield when she had to. Ideally, Buckmaster would be too busy campaigning to give credence to Kat’s accusations.

  * * *

  BRODY MCTAVISH STUCK his head through the hospital room doorway. “I heard you were causing trouble and they wanted to kick you out.”

  Jace smiled at his friend. “I can’t get into too much trouble,” he said, pointing at the cast. “I’ll be on crutches for weeks.”

  “Well, don’t worry about your animals. I’ll see to them until you’re on your feet again.” Brody turned serious as he approached the bed. “I’m just glad you’re alive. I tried to join the search, but they turned us back. Half the county was ready to come look for you. But I knew if anyone could save the fair damsel and get both of you out of those mountains, it was you.”

  “I have to admit I had my doubts a few times before we got out of there. I suppose you heard about the Spencers.”

  Brody nodded. “How’s Bo?”

  “I don’t think it’s really hit her yet. A violent criminal had her for days up there. When I found her—” he shook his head “—she was tied to a tree. She was in rough shape.”

  “I heard the bastard’s dead?”

  Jace nodded. “Bo was amazing. Where she found the strength to do what she did at the end...”

  Brody was grinning at him. “So the two of you made up. About time.”

  “It’s not that simple. Thinking you’re going to die in that kind of situation...you say and do things.”

  “Did you say or do anything you didn’t mean?” his friend asked.

  “No, but Bo—”

  “You still don’t trust her?” Brody asked with a curse. “What is it going to take?”

  Jace shook his head. “Time.”

  “Well, you’re going to have that, laid up the way you’re going to be.”

  * * *

  “AREN’T YOU CURIOUS why she went to jail?” his cousin asked when Alex stopped by Big Timber Java before his date later that evening.

  “Her boyfriend set her up. That’s why he’s in prison and she only got a little jail time. How do I look?”

  Jeff considered him for a moment before he laughed. “Geeky. Don’t you own a pair of jeans?”

  He’d taken great pains to look his best. “Of course I do, but it’s a date.”

  His cousin shrugged. “You look like you always do.”

  “And that’s bad?”

  Jeff laughed again. “Hey, she agreed to go out with you, didn’t she? Go with that. Maybe she likes uptight guys.”

  When he showed up at Emily’s front door, he’d been nervous. Maybe he should have played down the date and worn jeans, but with a nice shirt. Her house was cute, brightly painted and sitting among some tall pines.

  He took a mint from his pocket and quickly popped it into his mouth as he waited, then knocked again. His palms were sweating. He’d never been like this before a first date.

  It was Jodie who opened the door. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” She had her mother’s big blue eyes. Hard to say if she had her mother’s hair since Jodie’s was blond, and clearly Emily had dyed whatever her original hair color had been a raven’s-wing black.

  “Mommy bought a dress, but now she isn’t sure she likes it,” the child said.

  “Jodie.” Emily’s voice from back in the house had a nervous plea to it that made him relax a little.

  He laughed. “I’m sure she looks beautiful in whatever she wears,” he told the precocious t
hree-year-old.

  “Invite him in,” Emily called. She appeared a few moments later wearing a green paisley print dress and heels. The dress fit her perfectly, accentuating curves he’d never seen on her before. “Is it too much?”

  He shook his head. “You look...beautiful.” She’d replaced the row of earrings she usually wore in each ear with only one set of silver hoops. A single silver chain necklace gleamed at her throat. He could see that she felt uncomfortable in clothing she normally didn’t wear. She’d dressed as she’d thought he would want her to dress.

  “I think you’re beautiful no matter what you’re wearing, though,” he added. “You didn’t have to change your usual style for me.”

  She smiled. “The truth? I feel like I sold out.”

  “Then change, please. I don’t want to change anything about you. If you feel uncomfortable in the dress—”

  “No,” she said, running both palms down her hips. “I feel...almost ladylike. It’s okay once in a while,” she added with a laugh.

  He truly did love that laugh. The babysitter, Emily’s landlady, Ruby, arrived, and they left. The ice broken, they talked about growing up in Montana and people’s misconceptions about the state, about their favorite movies, about what food they would pick if they got only one choice while stranded on a desert island.

  They had fun, something Alex hadn’t done in a long time. Eventually he’d have to ask her about the man he’d seen in the car. But he didn’t want to spoil this evening.

  * * *

  WHEN BO CALLED the hospital, she learned that Jace had been released. His friend Brody had given him a ride home. She’d hoped he would have called her.

  Up on the mountain, she’d thought that they’d been given another chance. She loved Jace. He was a good man. But she could understand why he wouldn’t trust her love. She’d hurt him too badly five years ago.

  When she’d visited him in his hospital room, Jace had been distant.

  “You need time to heal,” he’d said. “I know you’re strong and that you think the ordeal you’ve been through is over. But give it some time.”

  “Don’t you mean, give us some time?” she’d asked.