by Jill Sanders
“Who then?” Trey asked as he tried to steady his heart rate. It wouldn’t do him any good to freak out, so he tried to take a few deep breaths, even knowing they may be his last.
“The McGowans with their stupid family rules. Who the hell makes it so that the youngest son gets all the rewards?”
“I don’t understand.” Trey settled on his butt, so now he was sitting facing the man. “Maybe you can enlighten me.”
“Three sons. For three generations there’s been three sons,” Dennis spat at him.
“My brothers…” He wasn’t making any sense, and Trey was having a hard time trying to stall him further.
“No!” he shouted, interrupting him as he pointed the gun directly between Trey’s eyes. Trey heard several cries from behind him. “I’m not talking about you three brats. I’m talking about me.”
“You?” Trey took a breath.
“I’m the third.” The man laughed. “Which means, I should have gotten the name, the inheritance. I should be in control of everything.”
Everything was silent for a moment. Dennis’s last words hung in the air.
“You… you’re a McGowan?”
“Finally! It’s funny, you and your stupid brothers were too dumb to see it. But not your old man, no, my dearly departed brother caught on early on. It’s the eyes.” Dennis sneered, the gun wavering between Trey’s chest and his head.
Trey looked beyond the barrel pointed at him to Dennis’s eyes. Sure enough, for the first time in his life, he saw the resemblance between Dennis, Carl, and his father.
“You’re the youngest?” Trey asked.
“Your grandfather, Thurston the first, fell in love with my mother, Norine. He was in the process of leaving his wife, June, when he died in that crash. He never got to acknowledge my birth, but someone did.” Dennis smiled. “Someone did.”
“Denny.” A new voice broke in.
Trey glanced over as Uncle Carl stepped forward. Seeing the two men standing side by side, Trey wondered how no one in town or in his family had ever suspected it before.
“Denny, this isn’t the way. The kid can’t give you what you want.” Carl McGowan looked so frail, Trey wondered how the man was standing up. His hands were out as he continued to walk towards them.
“Of course, he can. Rice filed the new will. When he’s gone, we finally have a chance again.”
“Not like this, we never planned this,” Carl said.
“Maybe you didn’t.” Dennis chuckled. “Of course, you were all gung-ho when it’s blowing up an empty trailer or skinning a few animals, but I knew you’d never get your hands dirty. I’m the one that had to stop the deal between McGowan and JB Holding. I’m the one who had to snatch and feed that bitch in the cave.” Dennis was screaming at this point. Trey heard a few gasps behind him, but his eyes didn’t move from the gun pointing at him. “I’m the one who had to break in and try to delete those emails that Rice sent, but the new bitch secretary had changed Rea’s passwords. I’m the one who had the balls to try it. I’ve always been prepared to go the distance. I’m the one who’s suffered the most. I lost everything.”
“Denny, it can’t end like this. I never meant any harm to the boys.” Carl was almost standing between them when Dennis shouted.
“Stop making excuses!” The gun moved for a moment to Carl. “You can’t fix this like you’ve been doing all these years. I can’t keep hiding who I am. I’m a McGowan!”
It happened so quickly, yet the next few seconds seemed to stretch on forever.
Dennis’s arm turned, the gun sliding between Carl and Trey. Trey’s eyes focused on the barrel as it pointed directly at his chest. Dennis’ fingers twitched, and he saw a slight puff of air burst as the bullet flew out of the muzzle.
He’d been so focused on the gun that he hadn’t seen the old man throw his body in front of his to shield him. Carl landed on top of him, knocking him back to the asphalt as he flew back and caught the man. Trey instantly recognized the warmth from Carl’s blood flowing from the hole in his chest as it washed over him. All sound had ceased to exist until after he had caught his breath.
“Carl?” He held the man close to him. It was too late. The man stared back at him with empty eyes that eerily matched his own, his father’s, and those of his other uncle, Dennis.
Several people tackled Dennis. His brothers held the man down, and the gun was kicked away. They waited for the other police to arrive.
“Trey!” Dylan broke free from someone’s hold and rushed over to him. She knelt beside him, tears rolling down her face.
“He…saved me.” He looked over at her, understanding finally catching him.
“Trey,” Dylan cried again, her hands running over his body, mixing in Carl’s blood. “Are you hurt?”
“No,” he answered without really knowing if it was the truth. “He jumped in front of me and saved me.” Trey looked down at the old man who he and his brothers had spent so many years fearing and hating. “Why?” he asked. “Why?” He shook his head.
“Hey.”
Trey looked over as his brother’s face came into view. Tyler gently moved Carl’s body from covering Trey.
“Why?” he asked again, this time pointing the question to his brother.
“I don’t know, but we need to check you out.” Tyler’s hands ran over him. Trey hissed when they found a tender spot in his side.
“Yeah, thought so. You may be fire, explosive, and freezer proof, but you’re not bulletproof.” Tyler turned and waved at someone. “Over here, he’s been shot.”
“No, I haven’t.” He frowned down at his blood-soaked shirt. “Well, look at that.” He chuckled, then met Dylan’s eyes. “I’ve been shot.” Then everything went dark.
Chapter 23
Dylan was once again sitting in the clinic watching Trey sleep. This time, the room was quiet and dark. He’d spent two hours in surgery to dig out the bullet that had passed through his uncle and embedded into one of his ribs, shattering the bone.
She sat in the dark room listening to Trey’s labored breathing mixed with the machine sounds. His family had been by her side every moment of the way. When the doctors had described what was in store for him, she had held strong and listened to every detail, every instruction and concern.
Now, almost eight hours later, things were looking up, but she wondered why Trey still hadn’t opened his eyes. His family had left a few hours ago to go shower and change. She hadn’t moved from her spot and still wore the jeans and hiking boots from before. They were still covered in his dried blood, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t leaving his side until his eyes opened.
Tyler had taken Dopey home with him and was taking care of the dog until she could go home.
She’d been surprised by a phone call from her brother. He wanted to leave North Dakota and come back to be with her, but she told him that there wasn’t anything he could do and to plan a visit for later when he had built up some more paid leave.
She must have fallen asleep for a while. She woke to voices in the hallway and, after checking on Trey, stepped outside.
Tyler, Trent, and Gail stood in the hallway, talking quietly with Mike.
“What’s up?” she asked, tucking the flannel jacket around her.
“Sorry, sweetie, we didn’t mean to wake you.” Gail walked over and gave her a hug.
“What’s going on?” She looked at Mike.
“I needed to ask you about an email you forwarded to Tyler.”
“I forward a lot of emails to Tyler, anything I can’t deal with myself,” she answered.
“I had her start that practice shortly after she came on,” Tyler jumped in.
“These were from Steven Rice.”
She thought about it. “Sure, there were several. Why?”
“Did you read any of these?” Mike held up a stack of papers.
“No, why?”
“Dylan, there is a copy of Dad’s new will in these. Rice had changed his will. In the email,
he said he was forced into it by Dennis. That Dennis was the one pulling his strings. Rice confessed to having an affair with someone in town.” Tyler glanced over at Mike. “For her privacy, we shall keep her name out of this.” He turned back to her. “Dennis blackmailed him, told him that once he had his hands on McGowan Enterprises that he would throw away the proof he had of their relationship.”
“So, it was Dennis, not Carl?” she asked.
“It appears so. When Carl found out about the new will, he hired Don Hathaway to contest it.”
“Hathaway came in after hearing about Carl’s death and clued us in that Carl never thought that everything should go just to Trey. He’d known about Dennis since long before you three were born. He’d been hiding his father’s secret since he was in high school.” Mike leaned against the doorway. “We were able to piece most of it together. Carl didn’t lose most of his money to drinking. He’d started R&R Enterprises with Dennis. All of the money from his portion of McGowan Enterprises went into starting that business.”
“So, it wasn’t Steven Rice who was the other R in R&R Enterprises,” Trent said.
“Royce and Rodgers,” Tyler broke in and glanced around. “Carl Royce McGowan,” Tyler said softly. He turned the emails around to show the full name of the business. “They spent the last few years buying up sinking businesses. Looks like it cost them dearly.” His eyebrows drew up. “They’re broke.”
“Dennis pulled out what little money they had left in the business to pay for his legal fees,” Mike told them. “Apparently Kristen’s kidnapping and Dennis’s embezzling from NewField was the cause of a major dispute between the two of them. It could be the reason your uncle tried his last-ditch effort to get his hands on McGowan Enterprises.”
“What else do you expect from a drunk and a psycho?” Trent said, earning him a scolding look from Gail. “Sorry.”
“No,” Tyler added. “He’s right. The duo was doomed to fail.”
Tyler started reading the email out loud.
McGowan boys,
I find myself in a deep hole that I dug long before any of you were born. For years I have been forced to cover up the lies and deception of a man I at one point looked up to. Now, however, I can no longer go along with his malicious intents.
Dennis Rodgers has crossed a line, and I can no longer keep his secret.
Dennis hired me when I was fresh out of law school and long before I knew better than to be picky about who I took on as a client.
Carl had sold his shares of McGowan Enterprises and, with that money, I helped them start a business, R&R Enterprises.
At the beginning, the business seemed legit. They bought up small businesses that were going under. After your father’s death, things changed. They had me draw up an offer for McGowan Enterprises, and when you turned it down, strange things started happening around town. When I confronted the pair, they quickly denied any wrongdoing. I could see the strain between the pair and on several occasions, they fought in my presence.
It wasn’t until after Kristen Howell’s kidnapping that I realized who was behind it all. Once again, I confronted Dennis and was threatened to remain silent or they would release several secrets about me that would ruin someone else’s life.
I’m sorry I didn’t come out sooner with this information. I’m heading over to meet with Dennis now. I’m going to dissolve our professional relationship. I can no longer represent R&R Enterprises, or your uncles, Carl and Dennis Rodgers.
-My best,
Steven
“Why did Dennis come after Trey then?” Dylan asked.
Everyone turned to her. “Rice had filed the new will in a last-ditch effort, and Dennis hoped the new will would stick. When Trey died uncontested, they could fight in court for their share of the business. After all, they were both McGowan,” Mike added. “He even outlined his plans to Rice.” He waved another page of emails.
“Who killed Rice?” Tyler asked.
“We’re waiting for forensics to come back on the gun Dennis used to shoot Carl and Trey with, but my guess is they’ll be a match with the bullet we found in Rice.”
“Dennis?” Gail shook her head. “I never knew or suspected. We’ve known him all our lives.”
“Dad never talked about his father leaving his wife before his death?” Tyler asked.
“I mean, sure, there were rumors about an affair. But the woman left town shortly after your grandfather passed. We were only kids, in grade school I think.” She frowned trying to remember. “I had already fallen in love with your father by then.” She smiled at her two sons.
“Mushy.” Trent chuckled, and Gail playfully slapped at him.
Just then, a nurse entered Trey’s room. Everyone followed her into the room.
Dylan was surprised to see Trey’s eyes wide open.
“I thought I heard gossip,” he said as they walked in.
“You’re awake.” Dylan rushed to his side.
“How could I sleep with all that racket outside,” he joked, then he winced and held his side. “Okay, who’s going to tell me what the hell happened?”
* * *
Trey stood on his land, looking out at the stream as the summer wind blew softly through the trees. The sound of the water trickling by and the leaves blowing caused his entire body to relax.
“Happy?” Dylan walked over to his side and wrapped her arms around him.
“More than I ever thought possible.” He pulled her close. His rib was still tender, but he’d gained most of his strength back. Turning slightly, he looked over to where the cabin was taking shape. “It’ll be ready to move in soon.”
Dylan nodded. “Of course, you know what that means.”
“What?” He turned his attention back to her.
“Furniture shopping.” She smiled as he groaned.
“I’d rather be shot again,” he said, making her smile.
“Don’t worry, Addy and I are going to take care of most of it.”
“Good.” He leaned down and kissed her just as a truck pulled up. “That’s my brothers.”
“Go, enjoy your first day back working on the place.” She dropped her arms.
“It’s going to feel good actually working instead of just supervising my brothers.”
Dylan followed him up to where the house stood. Over the past month, while he’d watched, his brothers had pretty much built the entire place. They had just installed all the windows and doors last week before he’d finally gotten the sign-off from his doctor to start doing some heavy lifting again.
The plan was to install the kitchen cabinets so that the marble countertops could be installed by Monday. They hoped to also get most of the hardwood floor installed. The electrician and plumber were already working inside with the estimate that they’d be finished by midweek.
“Have you thought about my question?” He turned and stopped her from walking into the building.
Her dark eyebrows rose up slightly. “Which question is that?” she asked, a small smile on her lips.
“Two or three?” He pulled her close, his brothers making kissing noises from across the parking area. He threw a glare in their direction and they stopped. “So?” he asked.
Dylan chuckled. “What if I say four?”
His smile grew. “Then I’d say we have a deal.” He leaned in to place a kiss on her lips.
“Damn it, Trey, that damn pig is out again,” Tyler yelled at him.
“Hold that thought.” He dropped his arms and took off as Dylan laughed. The three brothers chased Porky around the yard. The little potbelly pig was faster than any other animal he’d ever owned.
It took over an hour for him and his brothers to corner the beast against the shed that was the makeshift barn at the moment. When Trey jumped on the beast, he was sure the pig’s squeals could be heard clear to his mother’s place.
“Damn it, we lost an entire hour on that pig,” Tyler complained, but the smile on his face told everyone he hadn’t minded. “Kris
ten’s going to be here with lunch soon.”
“Then let’s get some work done.” Trey slapped his brother on his shoulder. Dylan watched the three men walk towards her, then held up her hands.
“The three of you are dreaming if you think I’m going to let you step one foot in my house like that.” She pointed to their muddy jeans and shirts.
“You’ll have to head on down to the stream and jump in and wash off first.” She motioned to the brook.
“Yes, ma’am,” Tyler and Trent said at the same time and moved to do just that.
Trey walked over to Dylan, a frown on his lips.
“Go.” She nudged him softly. “You’ve got this.” He took a deep breath. “Only if you come with.” He wrapped his arms around her and muddied up her T-shirt and jeans as she laughed. Then he hoisted her up in his arms and walked down to the water. He walked right into it up to his waist with her still in his arms, laughing.
When he dunked them under the water, her lips found his and he knew that he could conquer anything with her by his side, or even better, with her in his arms.
Epilogue
As the fall leaves fell around the seated crowd, the warm autumn heat was soothed away by the crisp breeze that floated over the dancing brook only feet away.
The wood archway was decorated with white flowers that matched the bouquet in the arms of the bridesmaids that walked down the cut grass towards the group of men standing at the front of the altar.
When the music changed, guests stood and turned towards the bride.
Dylan’s hair had grown past her shoulders. Her short spiky bangs still accented her beautiful brown eyes. Her dress was lace, showing off most of the tattoos on her arms and back. The front was low cut, and her hair fell over her shoulders in perfect curls. The veil covered her smiling face as she walked towards her handsome groom.
His classic black tux was accented with a bright blue cummerbund and bowtie that matched the bridesmaid’s dresses.
Brent walked her down the aisle. When they stopped next to Trey, her brother leaned over and whispered.