“Most of those women are spoken for. Or I assume they are. Why are they allowed to dance together like that?”
A deep chuckle rumbled from Richard’s chest as Ethan stepped up next to Kent and said, “Because we love the girls and like to see them have a good time. It’s our job to watch over them and keep them safe.”
Kent scoffed and said, “I hardly see where it’s worth the disturbance they could cause. Better to avoid trouble and not allow it to begin with.”
“Maybe so, Hargrove,” Adam said tersely. “But these women are worth it to us, including the woman we’ve listened to you condescend to all night. It’s obvious it’s not working out for you two tonight. What’s the problem?”
Hargrove sputtered for a few seconds, and Richard couldn’t believe the words that came out of his mouth next.
“I suppose some men like their women plus-sized, but I don’t and had no idea she was so grossly overweight.”
Richard glanced out on the dance floor to make sure Summer was nowhere within earshot. He couldn’t believe that was how Hargrove viewed Summer. She was stunning and curvy in all the right places and had been drawing admiring glances from men all over the club all night. She was vivacious, had a great sense of humor, and describing her as “grossly overweight” was grossly inaccurate.
“Hargrove, you must need glasses or something,” Adam said with a disbelieving shake of his head.
Ethan said, “Personally, I think you can’t handle a woman who has thoughts of her own and isn’t afraid to share them or debate them. You’re using her dress size as an excuse when the truth is she’s more woman than you can handle.”
Hargrove rolled his eyes but said no more. As the song ended the men went forward to claim the girls at the edge of the dance floor. When Hargrove didn’t make a move, Richard rose from his seat to escort Summer back to the table while Hargrove fiddled with his cell phone. When he returned with Summer, Hargrove was nowhere in sight.
“I wonder where Kent is,” Summer asked as Adam held her chair for her.
“Hargrove must’ve slipped out of the nightclub without saying good-bye. Maybe he’s in the men’s room.” Richard hoped he’d taken the cue and made his exit.
It didn’t sit well with Richard to stand by and watch a woman be mistreated. If Hargrove had not disappeared when he had, Richard was certain the men would have invited him to find a reason to.
A man approached Summer and asked her to dance. His attitude was polite, and she smiled at him and nodded. Maybe the evening wasn’t a total loss for her.
Richard kissed Maya as she rejoined them and took a little possessive pride when she happily allowed him to pull her into his lap to sit for a spell.
“Did you like my dance?”
Richard chuckled and pressed her against the tingling erection he’d been dealing with while watching her all evening.
“I didn’t get this talking to the guys.” He kissed her throat, and she chortled and wiggled against him.
* * * *
Frank Reeves watched from a darkened corner of the nightclub as Maya cavorted in her skimpy outfit with her redneck boyfriends. If Kendall Warner hadn’t shown up when he did, none of this stealth and sneaking around would have been necessary. His plan would have gone without a hitch without his interference.
It was obvious watching her that she was smitten with all three of the Warner men. That little kink of hers was disturbing to know about, and he was actually glad his plans to marry her had fallen through. He didn’t want her if she was willing to do the kinds of things a foursome did. Disgusting perverts.
His plan was actually simpler as it came together in his mind. Watch her, catch her when she was alone, extract the key by any means available, then hide her body well. The important thing was that he got his hands on the contents of the safe-deposit box. He cursed Morgan for making all this necessary by not storing the papers he needed in their safe at home. They would’ve been ridiculously easy to get at there. He doubted she even knew what was in it yet. If she knew, she wouldn’t be living in such close, cramped quarters with those three cowboys. She’d be living high on the hog, which was what he intended to do after he paid off his damned bill collectors.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sunday morning, Kendall answered his phone as he stepped from the barn out at the JWB Ranch. Morning chores were finished, thanks to Boone and Richard’s help, and he was ready to head back to the Divine Creek Ranch and pick up Maya for lunch.
“Kendall Warner.”
“Hey, Kendall. This is Ace Webster. Sorry it took me a few days to get back to you about this guy Reeves. We’ve been busy with this blog thing. I’ve got the information if you want to meet somewhere.”
“Great. I’m headed over to the Divine Creek Ranch with the guys in a few minutes. Want to meet at the foreman’s house?”
“Sure, I need to stop in to see Jack anyway. How long before you head home?”
“Give me thirty minutes.”
“Sounds good. See you then.”
* * * *
Maya was at her laptop updating her resume for Dr. Guthrie when someone knocked at the door. Rising from the dining room table, she frowned when she looked out the picture window and saw an unfamiliar truck parked out front.
She gazed through the peephole, but the person was wearing a cap and was currently looking away, and she couldn’t see his face.
It must be one of the ranch hands or one of the guys’ coworkers.
She unlocked the deadbolt and pulled open the door. She gasped when she realized who it was and tried to slam the door in his face.
“Frank! What are you doing here?”
Frank jammed the toe of his boot in the door before she could close it. She threw her weight against the door and looked around for a weapon. Frank was a big guy and had strength and weight on his side. Her cell phone sat on the table by the door, and she grabbed it and slipped it into her back pocket.
“I just want to talk to you, Maya. That’s all. I didn’t come out here to start any trouble.”
Liar! Trouble follows you!
Frank made no attempt to push the door inward. She glanced around the door edge and saw that he held his hands up in a nonthreatening gesture.
Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket.
“Maya, I just wanted to talk to you. I’m sorry I lost it with you last weekend. I didn’t come to make trouble.”
There was a grating edge to his voice that sent red flags flying in her mind. She’d known Frank long enough to recognize he was still angry. He wasn’t there to make peace.
She glanced at the message on her phone and said, “Frank, why are you trying to barge in if you don’t want to make trouble?” Her heart pounded as she waited for him to react.
Frank withdrew his boot, and the door slammed closed. She squinted at the message on her screen. It was from Grace.
“I’m standing in the barn watching your front porch. Who is that and do you need me to send help?”
Stalling Frank while she debated what to say and typed a reply, Maya said, “What do you have to say, Frank? Say it to me through the door.”
She didn’t want to upset Grace in her condition. “I’m OK. Name is Frank Reeves. Tell Kendall please.” She pressed send and slipped the phone back in her pocket.
“Maya. Can’t we talk face-to-face like two adults?” Frank’s tone was wheedling. He didn’t answer her question.
“Frank, I’m not opening this door until you tell me why you’re here.” She quietly slid the deadbolt home as he began talking, and she smiled as his ego served her purpose. No one could monologue like Frank, especially if he was talking about himself.
“I’m sorry about last Saturday. I saw those guys with you and I…”
“You just keep on talking, Frank,” Maya whispered as she thanked her lucky stars she had on her sneakers. To make sure he would think she was still there, she yelled, “I told you it wasn’t working out between us! Hey! How did you know
where I would be?”
“I got the address from one of your friends.”
None of her friends liked Frank, if they knew him. Realization hit her, and the fear and adrenaline dumping into her system felt like a cold chill. “You put GPS on my car, didn’t you? You tracked me here!”
Frank’s substantial body weight slammed against the door, and she knew she’d made a mistake. She should’ve eased him into a nice long speech about his love and devotion.
Oh Lord, please let Grace still be watching this! I should’ve said I needed help when I had the chance!
Frank growled threateningly through the door. “Let me the fuck in, you little bitch! I’m going to fix you just like I did Morgan. I plan to put a bullet between your eyes.” Fear gave her feet wings as she dashed through the house straight to the back door.
Where do I go? Oh, God. Did he just confess to killing Morgan? Don’t think! Just run!
She slipped quietly through the back door, closing it behind her as she heard the front door splinter the jamb and burst open. Since he didn’t know the layout of the house it would take him a few seconds to ascertain she was not hiding inside and to locate the back door. She leaped from the back porch. She could hear him slamming through the house like an angry bull. She reached the side gate and unlatched it, figuring the thick shrubs lining the backyard would provide the best cover. She couldn’t run to the barn because he’d catch her as she ran by the house, and he said he had a gun. She couldn’t chance it. She ran down the fence line, blessing Teresa for caring for the rose bushes, which were thick on the inside of the fence. He wouldn’t see her until she was already a distance from the house.
She could hear him still slamming around in the house and took a moment as she snuck down the fence line to check her phone.
“Dammit!” she whispered as she realized the text to Grace had failed. She’d never received the message. She retyped, “Frank Reeves. Has a gun. Running. Send help.”
Knowing she was running out of time, Maya hit the phone icon and pressed last number dialed. Richard’s number came up, and she pressed it.
“Please answer. Please answer. Please answer,” she panted as she began running away from the house, sprinting for the thick tree line in the distance.
Adrenaline dumped into her system, giving her greater speed as the back door of their house burst open. She glanced back and sent up a prayer of thanks she could not see the back of the house for all the shrubs. He couldn’t see her and would search for her in the yard first, at least until he found the gate.
She headed for the tree line, figuring the creek was the best option for hiding places.
Richard’s deep voice answered the call. “Hello, honey. We’re in the truck on our way home right now.”
“Richard! Oh, thank God! Richard, Frank Reeves is here and he has a gun! He said he would shoot me!”
“Did he hurt you?”
“He broke the front door! He’s chasing me!”
“Where are you, honey?”
“Headed for the creek!”
“Good. We’re almost home. What?” She heard muffled voices and then he spoke clearly again. “Grace is on the phone with Kendall. She’s called 911. Run to the creek, honey. Watch out for the—”
Maya felt a fiery pain shoot through her left arm and yelped.
“Maya! Maya! What happened? Maya!”
Hot liquid ran from her left upper arm, which tingled fiercely and suddenly felt powerless. She looked back, and her heart leaped into her throat as she saw Frank Reeves standing by the open gate, pointing his gun at her.
She knew Frank Reeves was proud of his marksman skills and his gun collection. She hadn’t heard a shot fired and knew if he had brought a gun with him during the day he would have brought a silencer so any shots fired would attract no notice.
“He’s shooting at me, Richard. He hit my arm.”
She ran as fast as she could, weaving as much as possible as he lifted the gun and took aim again.
“Run, Maya! Run! We’re almost there. Get to the creek. Run, honey!”
“I am. Richard, I love you. Tell Kendall and Boone I love them.”
The phone must have changed hands because she suddenly heard Boone’s voice. “Maya! Listen to me, okay, baby?”
“Yeah,” she panted and flinched when another bullet impacted the dirt right by her foot as she raced toward the slope that led to the creek.
“Where did he hit you?”
“My arm. It feels funny.”
“We’ll fix it. Just keep running. Stay ahead of him.”
“Okay.”
“Get across the creek as quickly as you can, and don’t get your phone wet.” A bullet zinged past her ear.
“Oh God! That was close!” She chanced a glance behind her. He was gaining on her.
Maya hit the slope, saw the barbed wire just in time, ass-planted it, and slithered under the barbed strands.
She could hear Frank’s heavy footfalls closing the distance. She prayed she’d reach the nearby tree line before he breached the slope. Putting the phone to her ear she sprinted as if ten thousand demons were on her tail.
“I’m under the fence. Almost there.”
“Good girl. Keep running, baby.”
She heard an ungraceful “Oof!” behind her and managed a happy grimace as Frank commenced to cursing. He’d hit the barbed-wire fence at full sprint. She heard the muffled report of the gun and yelped as pain bloomed in her left shoulder.
“I love you, Boone. I love you so much.”
“Don’t say good-bye to me, Maya. We’re gonna take care of that son of a bitch. We just got you. Don’t you dare tell me good-bye!”
“Boone, he said he killed Morgan. He said he’ll kill me, too.”
“No he won’t. I’ll kill him before I allow that to happen.”
Somehow she managed a smile at his authoritarian tone. Her eyes were grateful as she left the brightly lit slope behind and entered the heavily shaded area over the creek. In another few seconds he wouldn’t be able to see her at least until he freed himself from the fence and got over it, which was not going to be easy for a big guy like him.
She was thankful to whoever had built the fence taller than normal on this side of the creek. She heard another faint pop, and white-hot pain bloomed in her right side, causing her to gasp harshly.
“Baby? Baby, are you still there?” Boone’s voice was tinged with desperation. She was barely able to hold the phone to her ear.
“My side, under my ribs. He shot me again.”
“Get across the creek, baby. Do it, just get across it.”
She gasped as she plunged into the cold water. Her legs felt like they were lead weights, but at least the water only came to her waist at the deepest point along this part of the creek. It was much deeper and harder to cross farther down where they played.
“Good girl. I hear you in the water. Get across for me.” Boone was panting, and she hoped he was getting close. “Once you’re on the other side, run outside the tree line and keep going as long as you can. If you keep going you’ll eventually hit Rockin’ C property. Kendall called Chance and Clayton, and they’re coming along your side of the creek on horseback. They were already in the area working.”
She pulled herself from the water and gasped when a bullet lodged in the wet clay by her head.
“He’s shooting at me again.”
“Dammit! Get up that creek bank and outside the tree line, baby! Keep going!”
His steely-voiced orders energized her, and she leaped to her feet and scrambled through the tree line and out of sight. She crouched and ran as best as she could. Her legs were feeling a little rubbery, and she knew blood loss and shock might be catching up to her.
She needed to find a hiding place because she wasn’t sure she could make it very far on the bank. She heard a splash in the water and a curse. Peeking through the thick brush she was relieved to see Frank had run down the creek bank, hoping to cut her off before
plunging in. All he’d succeeded in doing was entering the creek at a much deeper place than she had. He floundered around, and she hoped like hell his gun got wet. That miscalculation on his part might buy her some extra time.
A rabbit darted out in front of her as she crawled along, giving her an idea. Gauging how far down the creek she was, she peeked through the brush again. Frank was still floundering around and not watching for her. He might have been an excellent marksman, but he couldn’t swim for shit.
Noting the terrain of the bank on her side, she went down another hundred feet or so and then, despite her deathly fear of moving closer to him, she carefully slithered through a space between two tightly spaced oak saplings and rolled into their trysting spot as quietly as she could. Leaves crunched and crackled under her, and she prayed he didn’t hear the noise they made as he continued splashing.
Knowing she couldn’t stay exposed, even though he wouldn’t be able to see her unless he was standing on the upper edge of the hollow, there was only one place to seek shelter. Noise from her phone drew her attention. She put it to her ear as she crawled toward the hollow tree. The splashing noise Frank made sounded no closer, so she whispered, “Shh, Boone. He’ll hear me.”
“Baby, be careful. Where are you?” Boone’s strong voice reassured her as though he was there holding her hand.
“Our spot down the creek. I’m going to crawl into the tree.”
“Please, please be careful.”
They had not explored the tree more thoroughly the last time they’d come to the creek, and now was no time to regret that fact.
The ancient oak was large in circumference. Maya cocked an ear to locate Frank and scampered into the tree as quickly and quietly as she could when she realized she no longer heard him in the water. She carefully backed from the large opening at the base of the tree until her back was against the other side of the hollowed area.
She pulled her feet as close to her as she could and was satisfied no sunlight shone on any part of her. The wounds in her arm, shoulder, and side set up a painful throb as she tried to calm and quiet her breathing. She listened hard but couldn’t hear well over the pounding rush of blood in her ears.
The Divine Creek Ranch Collection Volume 3 Page 29