by Jenny Penn
“Well, this is not going to go well,” Sally muttered beside her as the men began piling out of the Hummer. The second utility vehicle that had followed them into town pulled alongside them, creating a completely sheltered space for the women to step out into. Not that Lindsay was allowed to get out of the vehicle until the guards had all gotten into position.
They formed a tense and unnerving human shield around Dona, Sally, and her. It had been an embarrassing enough in town but out here, in the middle of nowhere, it was just obnoxious. Lindsay would have spoken up if Jack hadn’t distracted her. He came running out crying as he streaked around the men to hone in on the one person that mattered to him. Instantly Lindsay lifted the cat up and cuddled him close, cooing and rubbing him as she bounced him gently like a baby.
“So that’s where the rat catcher ran off to.” Sally frowned and shook her head.
“He doesn’t catch rats no more, do you? Oh, no you don’t.” Lindsay rubbed her cheek against Jack’s soft head, so grateful that he was unhurt and a feeling a little guilty that she hadn’t worried over him sooner. Silently she promised to make it up the cat. “You’re going to have find yourself a new rat catcher, Sally. Jack’s retired.”
“Like you won’t fall in love with the next one,” Sally scoffed. “But here me now, I’m not cleaning any litter boxes. You want to make that thing a pet, you’re going to have to take care of it.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll let Jack out to use the bathroom,” Lindsay assured her as she continued to nuzzle the big, soft, purring feline. His coat felt so soft and ticklish against her skin but the smell…Lindsay lifted her head to glance down at the cat in shocked disgust. “Though I think I’m going to need to bathe him first.”
“He is kind of rank, dear,” Dona agreed, frowning as she gave Jack a critical eye. “And what is that on his fur. Dried blood?”
Lindsay turned the cat over in her arms and glared at the dark clumps of fur. It did look like blood but she couldn’t find any signs of an injury, not that Jack cooperated with her efforts. The cat squirmed, growing feisty in his demand to be released.
“What the hell is going on here?” That sharp bark had Lindsay jolting and dropping Jack as Cooper shoved his way past all wall of muscles that encircled the three women to glare down at them. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe.”
“According to you and Amos, nowhere is,” Lindsay retorted before Ethan, the head of her security detail, could start in with his own complaints. That man bitched more than Cooper.
“Some places are worse than other,” Cooper corrected. “But, of course, I forgot. You’re allergic to good sense.”
“Actually, son, this was my idea.” Dona smiled and patted him on the chest. “Now step aside. We’re on a mission.”
“Really? And what mission is that?” Cooper demanded to know. “To get my fiancée killed?”
“Don’t you take that tone with me, young man.” Dona puckered up, managing to look both regal and pissed.
“Hey, beautiful.” Nick stepped up to block Lindsay’s view of the argument budding between mother and son. Ignoring them completely, he wrapped an arm around Lindsay’s waist and pulled her into a quick hug. “Having a good time?”
Before she could answer, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips and turned his frown back on his mother. “Don’t be too hard on him, Mom. Cooper’s just worried Lindsay’s going to find out what he is up to.”
“Up to?” Lindsay repeated casting a quick look from one brother to the other.
“Thanks, Nick.”
“Anytime, boss man.”
“What exactly are you two doing here?” Lindsay demanded to know, not about to be distracted by their teasing. Her question had both brothers stilling as they exchanged a look. Nick broke into a grin that Lindsay trusted about as much as she did Cooper’s scowl.
“It’s no big deal,” he began, assuring Lindsay that it was, indeed, a big deal. “You’ve just been through a lot so I’ve…reached an agreement with the other ranchers.”
“You did?” Lindsay was not surprised and not particularly upset, though she kept that to herself. “Without even consulting me?”
“You’ve been through a lot,” Cooper repeated, his tone defensively sharpening. “I didn’t want to add to your burden.”
“Well, that was awfully thoughtful,” Lindsay shot back. “So what kind of agreement did you reach? And how badly am I getting screwed?”
“You’re not getting screw—”
Cooper cut himself awful with a glance toward his mother as she pointedly cleared her throat and took position beside Lindsay, clearly siding with her. Dona crossed her arms under her breasts and stood watching her son with a less than pleased expression. When he spoke again his tone had forcibly softened, causing a muscle in his cheek to twitch from the effort.
“The deal is very equitable,” he assured her in a calm, patient tone. “I’m going to pay you to lease the land. I will assume all responsibility and liability. Then they will pay me.”
“Uh-huh.” Lindsay studied him for a moment before guessing at what had him so anxious. “And have they paid you yet?”
The bright red blush that seared across Cooper’s cheeks gave away the answer and he didn’t even try to lie his way out of the situation. Instead he ignored it. “What were you doing here again?”
“Wasting time while lingering out here in the open,” Ethan answered for her, drawing everybody’s attention to the twitchy men still surrounding them. “If you ladies wouldn’t mind finishing this conversation in a more secure place…”
“There’s no need to have this conversation here at all.” With his typical arrogance, Cooper began to order Lindsay’s guards around. “So why don’t you guys take these ladies home and we’ll follow—”
“Where are your guards?” Lindsay cut him off as it dawned on her every man present was assigned to her security detail.
“We’ll talk about that later,” Cooper dismissed her concern without a second’s hesitation. “Right now we need to get you—”
“Was I not specific enough when I explained that I wanted these men guarded at all times?” Lindsay directed that question at Ethan, who had no choice but to answer her.
“We don’t really have the manpower.”
“That’s the lamest excuse I ever heard, especially when there are six of you standing right here.”
“And they’re all needed to protect you, especially if you’re going to be running all over town,” Ethan shot back.
“If you agree to go home now, I’ll agree not to threaten the next jackass that gets assigned to shadow me,” Cooper offered, giving away what had happened to the first one.
“We’re not leaving until we’ve accomplished what we came for,” Dona informed her son before issuing her own orders. “And you are going to let these nice men do their job and keep you safe because I am not burying any of my children. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, ma’am.” It was amazing to watch Cooper fold under his mother’s hard stare. He didn’t cave completely, though. “But I still think it would be best if you returned home now.”
“And we will, honey, right after we check something out. Now if you’ll step aside, we’ll take the search into the barn and hopefully give these men a break.” Dona patted Ethan’s arm before nodding to the large structure casting a far shadow across the yard. “Let’s get moving.”
“The barn?” Nick cocked an eye at Lindsay as he started to escort her off toward the rotted, old building. “What you planning to find in there?”
“Candy says that there is an old bootleg shelter dug into the floor. She seems to think we might find some kind of keepsake left there.”
“Candy? As Candy Anne?” Nick grunted, ducking along with everybody else as they all wiggled past the police tape warning them to stay out. “I didn’t think she liked you.”
“She’s willing to give me a chance,” Lindsay retorted dryly, somewhat amused by her own words. It real
ly wasn’t up to Candy to get over it in her mind. It was up to Lindsay, because at the end of the day she hadn’t done anything wrong. It wasn’t worth the argument, though.
“Are you sure this thing isn’t going to collapse on top of us?” Sally eyed the rotted beams overhead with a healthy dose of trepidation but Dona just waved her concern away.
“It didn’t come down in the fire. I don’t see why it would come down now.” She glanced around, squinting into the darkness as she took off toward the right. “God but does it smells worse in here than Lindsay’s cat does.”
It smelled like death, rotten and foul. It was worse than it had ever been, making Lindsay eye the shadows and wonder if something hadn’t crawled into the barn and died. Maybe Jack had taken down something larger than a rat, or perhaps it had been a very large rat. Either way, Lindsay was all in agreement with Sally when roused them to get moving.
“That’s a fact, so why don’t we just find this cellar and get out of here.” Pulling a handkerchief out of her purse she pressed it to her nose as she nodded toward a far corner. “I think it was back that way.”
“It’s over here.” Cooper moved off toward where a stack of rusted farm equipment lay piled on the floor. “Underneath all this crap.”
“That stuff looks heavy,” Sally commented, drawing a snort from Nick.
“That’s probably because it is. Are you sure this is important?” He cast a hopeful look down at Lindsay, betraying his lack of enthusiasm for what would have to come next.
“I really am kind of curious to see if there is anything down there.” After everything she’d lost, it’d be nice to have some kind of token that reminded her that she actually was a Howell.
“Fine.” Nick sighed. “Then stand back and let the men handle the hard work.”
Lindsay allowed him that bit of chauvinism, mostly because he was right. She didn’t know if she could move the heavy-looking pieces of machinery and didn’t want to try. Instead Dona, Sally, and she stood around kibitzing near the entrance to the barn where the air was fresher while the men grunted, groaned, and complained over their task. There were enough of them that thankfully it didn’t take long.
Then they were pulling an old chain out of the dust and using it to slide a whole section of the dirt floor out of the way. The wooden slats that made up the trap door were disguised well by age and filth, and the hole they covered was cut straight into the earth. Lindsay moved forward to eye the gaping, black entrance with more than a little unease. The smell coming out of it assured her that they’d found the dead thing’s liar.
“Does anybody have a light?”
Dona hadn’t even finished that question when almost every single one of Amos’s men clicked on the flashlights they all apparently carried. The sudden wash of light didn’t help unease growing in her stomach. All it did was tighten it into a thick knot at the sight more dark stains.
“Is that blood?”
“Stay back.” Ethan warded Lindsay off with a hand that she would have ignored if Cooper hadn’t grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away from the opening.
Lindsay guessed it was also “men’s work” to figure out the answer to that question as they all closed ranks, forcing Dona, Sally, and her far enough behind broad shoulders and tall backs that they couldn’t see anything. Not that either of the other two women appeared curious. Lindsay, on the other hand, tried to peek through the gaps and catch some of the action but all she saw were glimpses of Ethan and Nick kneeling down and peering into the hole.
They must have caught a glimpse of something bad because a second later the guards were rushing Dona, Sally, and her out the door and back into the Hummer. They didn’t heed Lindsay’s complaints or give in to her demands for an explanation. All she had to go on was the last thing she overheard Nick muttering to Cooper. They’d found the missing deputies.
* * * *
Cooper followed Ethan into his study. His patience was worn thin, his temper ready to ignite. That’s what talking to the authorities did to his mood. Not six hours ago he’d been happily planning out the fence he was going to build to secure Lindsay’s lands. Now he needed a drink and wanted an explanation.
There was an irony in that desire given that’s just what all those cops had turned to him for—an explanation. He didn’t have any. Neither did he have any hope Ethan would have some. That didn’t stop him from nagging the guard.
“Okay, you want to tell me what’s going on here, Ethan? Because I’m paying you to know things that we don’t. So give me something.”
“Actually, Lindsay is paying up,” Ethan corrected, eyeing the whiskey bottle Cooper reached for.
“Hey, Cooper, can I have a word with you?” Nick called out from the study’s door, stepping aside to let the rest of Amos’s crew amble in.
They’d all been interrogated and harassed along with Cooper and Nick. While Amos’s men looked as tired as Cooper felt, Nick appeared as alert and chipper as ever. He waved Cooper over to his side. Plunking down the whiskey bottle with an agitated motion, Cooper nodded toward Evan, giving the man permission to help himself to the liquor while Cooper ambled over toward Nick. “What?”
“Don’t you think we ought to call Lindsay in on this meeting?” Nick suggested with a pointed tone that only irritated Cooper all the more.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because she’s at the center of all of this,” Nick shot back obnoxiously. “You can’t cut her out of this, Cooper.”
“Watch me.” Cooper didn’t want her anywhere near dead deputies and the trouble that they caused.
After Nick and Ethan realized all the missing deputies had been killed and stuffed into the root cellar, they’d all agreed that there would be no point to telling the authorities that Dona, Sally, or Lindsay had been present when they’d opened the trap door. They hadn’t even told the women about what they’d found until after they’d gotten safely tucked back at home. The ladies didn’t need to be bothered with those kinds of problems.
“Didn’t you learn anything from that look she gave you this afternoon?” Nick caught Cooper’s arm, holding him still when he would have turned back into the room. “Lindsay’s spent her whole life being controlled by her stepfather. Do you really think she’s looking for somebody to take his place?”
Cooper’s fingers flexed into fists as the urge to hit his brother nearly overwhelmed him. Nick had always been such a pain in the ass but that didn’t make him wrong. He had a sick feeling that this was one of the times that his brother might be right.
“You know you’re like a marriage counselor that gets paid in pussy.” With that parting shot, Cooper shoved past him and headed for the kitchen, where they’d left their illustrious fiancée.
She was sitting on an island stool, sharing a bowl of chips with his aunt and mom while his father hovered over a pie cooling on a rack. All conversation came to a stop as four sets of curious eyes turned on him. Cooper had the distinct feeling he’d been the subject under discussion, and not in a good way.
“So, lil’ bit?” Instead of asking Lindsay to join them, Cooper decided to play up the moment with false indignation. “You going to join us or you waiting on an invitation?”
That had both his aunt and his mom scowling while his dad shot him a thumbs-up from behind the women. Lindsay, on the other hand, offered him a smile and a response flippant enough to assure Cooper he wasn’t completely off the hook.
“I’m allowed?” Lindsay arched a brow as she slid off her seat. “And here I thought you boys had posted a ‘no girls’ sign outside your little club house.”
“Just come on,” Cooper demanded, too tired to think of a witty rejoinder. “And bring the chips. It might be a long meeting.”
Lindsay hesitated, not obeying that last command until Sally pushed the bowl in her direction. “Go on and take them. Let the men get fat.”
“I don’t think that’s a physical possibility.” Cooper had certainly never worried about it given how
hard he worked. His mother, however, disagreed.
“Just you wait, boy. One day you’ll have a gut and no ass. It happens to all the men in the family.”
“But you should still have your hair,” Sally tried to assure him. “At least, most of it.”
“Thanks.” Cooper pinned Lindsay with a hard look as she giggled over Sally and his mom’s teasing. “If you would hurry it up, lil’ bit, we might actually be able to start this meeting sometime tonight.”
With that, he turned and ambled back off to the study and the whiskey waiting for him there, confident that Lindsay would follow. She did.
Just as his entrance into the kitchen had sent a ripple of silence through the room, so did Lindsay’s as she sashayed right into the center of the room and dropped the bowl of chips in the middle of Cooper’s desk. For a long second, Amos’s men stared at her, clearly waiting for Lindsay to retreat. When she didn’t, when instead she settled down next to Nick on the couch, Cooper could feel all eyes turning to him. He only had one thing to say to them.
“Okay, so somebody start explaining just what in the world is going on around here.” Pouring himself a healthy shot of whiskey, he turned and offered up that suggestion to the room at large as he crossed over to settle down on Lindsay’s other side. “After all, she is paying you for the answers.”
Chapter 36
Lindsay was thrilled to be included in on the men’s strategy meeting for about the first half hour. Then things started sinking in and she started to get scared. Carl was still missing, which could only mean one thing—he’d done something very, very bad. Amos’s men seemed to think they knew what.
“From what we can tell several of the real estate investment firms that your trust owns that are heavily invested in vacation condos throughout the world. While on the books it looks like you’re making money hand over fist in rental income, you don’t actually have any renters. It’s all a laundering operation.”