Once they walked their horses out of the woods, a large, flat pasture was spread out before them. “Okay, folks, if any of you wanted to run your horses, this is the place. It’s safe, there are no gopher holes or uneven areas, and I find the horses seem to want to stretch their legs here, too. These are not those tame horses you may have ridden before. These beauties have mustang blood in their veins.”
Immediately, some of the men gave their horses rein and took off across the field. He could hear them whooping it up as the horses thundered across the pasture. Most of the women were older in this group and were happy to walk along through the wildflowers, chatting happily with each other. They could be sitting on the porch and not know the difference. Jacob laughed to himself.
Michael came out of the woods then, walking along with the woman he had helped. They were chatting amiably as they rode over to join the other women. Michael quickly rode over to Jacob. “Let’s finish this and go see Carson.” They had to walk along behind the women’s group as they were in no hurry to return. Michael sighed. “I would like to give those horses an encouraging slap on the backside to get them going.” Jacob smiled but shook his head.
Once back at the stables, they helped each guest down from their horses. The guests walked back over to the ranch house for lunch, and Jacob and Michael led the horses back into the barn to remove the saddles, brush them down, and give them some water and grain. Once they finished, they both ran up the hill to Carson’s house.
Raelyn met them on the porch with two lemonades she had just made. “Have a seat here, and Carson will be out in a minute with a plan.”
They both sat on one of the bench swings and looked out through the trees.
Jacob couldn’t sit still. He paced back and forth along the porch.
Carson walked out onto the deck, and both he and Raelyn sat on the other bench swing. “Okay, I have contacted some people I know on the island, and they will meet Libby’s flight and take her to a house they know is safe.”
“How will she know if she can trust these people? She may not go with them.” Jacob leaned over to look at the map Carson had.
“They are going to give her a SAT phone, and we’ll explain everything to her.” Carson stood up. “I would like to leave the ranch work to you both while Raelyn and I go and settle this mess.”
Jacob stood up. “I want to go with you.”
“I know you do, but in this business, the fewer people we have to control, the better. Besides, I can’t leave the guests with Oscar again. I know I can trust you two to do a good job. The last time Oscar was here, he insulted half the guests and almost lost one in the lake.”
“We’re going to leave within the hour,” Raelyn said. “You two should stay up here at the house so you can be close to the SAT phone in case we need to talk with you. The SAT phone will ring at the stable, but you can’t dial out unless you are up at the house.”
“Okay, we’ll do a good job.” Michael stood as well.
“I know you will, Michael. Both you and Jacob are great, and the guests like you. Don’t worry; Libby will be safe now that our friends are meeting her flight. She couldn’t be in better hands.” Raelyn patted Michael’s back.
They both went back down the hill and over to the ranch house kitchen where they usually took their lunch.
Mary came back in the kitchen and sat down with them. “Okay, boys, so what’s going on? You look upset. Here, take a cookie.”
They both ate quickly and explained to Mary what had happened and the plans to rescue Libby, in between large mouthfuls of food. When finished, they walked back over for those ranch guests who now wanted to participate in the mustang race in the back pasture. Once they had the guests on their horses and were ready to head to the back, they turned to wave as Carson and Raelyn drove down the long driveway in their new truck.
Chapter 10
Libby sat back in the airplane seat and looked out the window to see the sunrise. She was nervous and knew that right about now Jacob would have received her note and that no one at the ranch would be happy with her decision to fly off to the Virgin Islands to save an old boyfriend. Well, he was an old fiancé, and that gave her decision a little more weight.
The truth was, after the plane took off, she began to worry about her decision. What did she think she was going to do? She could pay the hospital bill for sure, but who beat him up and would she be safe? She hoped to get in and get out as quick as possible to help Chad. It would be horrible for him to be stuck in a foreign land in a hospital with the police asking all kinds of questions in a language he didn’t understand. She needed to help him. She felt she owed him that much.
Libby leaned back and shut her eyes, hoping she could sleep during the flight. When she did, Jacob’s face filled her mind. She didn’t want to face that dilemma yet. She opened her eyes and looked out at the clouds which were bright pink and orange. It was such a beautiful sunrise on such a scary day. It gave her hope and reminded her that there was a God in heaven who could help. She tried shutting her eyes again, and there Jacob was, this time with Michael next to him.
She sighed. Both of them. She wanted her freedom, but she had to admit she couldn’t face a future without them. Being around Jacob now was a heart-beating experience. He was definitely hot, if she were to use her friend’s description of a really good-looking man. But more than that, she could feel his love for her. That was much more attractive than his looks.
He was staying distant after he declared his feelings for her and she put them aside. Did she want to go forward without him in her life? She could lose him forever. Her insistence to be independent was probably not the best idea. Jacob was nothing like Chad. He wouldn’t try to take over her life. If she refused to consider his love for her, some ranch guest would be more than happy to take him off her hands, she was sure. Or he could be snatched up by a town girl. These thoughts brought burning jealousy at the back of her neck. She decided to reconsider her options and have a talk with him once she got back, if she got back.
After making up her mind to talk with Jacob about a possible future together, she relaxed and finally fell asleep. The next thing she knew the loudspeaker on the plane jolted her awake. They were speaking in Spanish, but she assumed they were about to land, if her ear pressure was any indication.
The landing was smooth. As the cabin door was opened, humidity like she had never felt before encompassed the plane. She thought she knew what humidity was living in Texas, but this was something altogether different. She felt she couldn’t get a deep breath, there was so much water in the air, and the heat was stifling. The only thing comparable in her background was a sauna. How close were these islands to the equator anyway?
Libby gathered up her belongings and stood to wait in line to get off the plane. She hoped there would be someone who could speak English. How did she plan to find the hospital and a place to stay? She left so fast no thought was given to a hotel or transportation. This could end up very badly. She longed to have Jacob by her side to help. Again, what was I thinking?
She pulled her carry-on luggage behind her as she tried to read the signs overhead to find the exit from the terminal. A man came forward and took her bag, saying something in Spanish and smiling.
“Stop, that’s my bag.”
He started walking faster into a crowd of people heading down the terminal hallway. She ran forward and grabbed the man’s arm. He turned violently and pushed her to the wall, showing his knife under his jacket. Then he stepped forward, pushing his body against her, and reached down and took her purse as well with a hard smile and very bad breath.
“No, please, you can’t take that. I need it.” Libby felt like she might faint and looked up to see another man heading in her direction. Before she knew what was happening, the robber was pulled away and her suitcase was returned.
The man smiled. “Miss Perkins, I have a telephone call for you.” He handed her a SAT phone.
She took it gingerly and lifted it to
her ear. “Hello, this is Libby.”
“Libby, this is Carson. This man is a friend of mine, and he will take you to a house where you will be safe. Raelyn and I are on our way down to help you. Chad has gotten mixed up with some very dangerous people. I’ll be there shortly after you get settled in and explain everything.” He paused. “Jacob would like to say a word.”
“Libby, I am scared out of my wits. Why didn’t you ask for help?”
Libby burst out crying. “I’m sorry, Jacob, this was a stupid idea. I’m so relieved to have help.”
Carson’s voice came back on the phone. “We have to get on our second flight. Our plane will land in about an hour; we’re in the islands already. We’ll see you soon.”
The man took the phone back. “My name is Juan. Please follow me. Try to stay close and keep your purse on my side of your body. It’s a bit rough here tonight. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.” He reached down and took her suitcase.
Libby tried to keep up with him. Her legs felt weak. Her hand was shaking as she tried to push her hair back away from her face. She couldn’t help her lips from quivering. She wanted to sit down and cry, but this man was walking fast, and she didn’t want to let him get ahead of her after what happened. This was the first and only time anyone had ever accosted her. She didn’t like it one bit.
As they left the airport, a car drove up, and Juan opened the door for her to get into the back seat. He set the suitcase beside her and jumped into the front, and the driver took off quickly into the traffic. Libby was already sweating profusely, something that she hardly ever did. I should have packed more clothes. This climate is going to require a change of clothing every hour if I keep sweating like this.
They drove up into the hills. The views were beautiful with the ocean as a backdrop. The bay was full of beautiful white sailing vessels. The white sandstone homes they passed as they drove along the winding road into the hills were gorgeous. Libby sighed when finally they pulled into a driveway and stopped while a gate guard opened the gate for them.
Juan turned around to face her. “I have some errands to run. You will stay here until I get back with Carson and Raelyn. Everything is ready for you. Feel free to walk the grounds, but do not leave. You are not safe.”
“Okay, I won’t, but do you know how Chad Weymouth is? He was in the hospital.” Libby didn’t like feeling locked in. She imagined they would not let her leave if she wanted to.
“I don’t know the details, but believe me when I say we have people working on it.” He got out of the car and opened the door for her. A woman came out of the house and took her suitcase, motioning for her to follow. As she turned back, Juan drove back out the driveway. The house was simple, but the grounds were beautiful. Someone liked to garden.
Everything was lovely. As she looked toward the side, she could see a small pond with a fountain and benches around the perimeter of the patio. Farther on, there was a hammock tied between two palm trees. Now that looked inviting. Her heart was beating normally now, and the shaking had stopped. The first thing she wanted to do was shower.
The maid showed her to a room overlooking the garden with French doors to the outside. A bathroom off to the side had a Jacuzzi tub. She was grateful for the air conditioning. It was cool in her room. As she stepped into the bathroom, she could see bath oils and washes lined up on the window ledge. Lavender appealed to her for its calming properties. While the tub was filling, she checked out the rest of the room and unpacked some of her things. While her phone was charging, she enjoyed a good, relaxing soak in the tub. The stress of the last twelve hours seemed to gently leave her body with each sigh until she nodded off to sleep.
There was loud knocking on her door. Libby didn’t quite know where she was at first. “Just a minute, what is it? I’m in the tub.”
“Libby, this is Raelyn. We were worried when you didn’t answer the bedroom door. Go ahead and finish your bath. We’ll be waiting in the library.”
“I’m finished. I’ll dress and be right out. Thank you so much for coming.” Libby climbed out of the deep tub, dried herself off, and put on some jeans and a light shirt. She quickly brushed her hair up into a ponytail and hurried to the library. The library was one solid wall of bookshelves. If she were here for a vacation, browsing those shelves would have been a pleasure.
“Hello, I’m happy to see you here safe and sound. Why don’t you tell us what happened from the beginning?” Carson leaned back onto the sofa, relaxed, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. It calmed Libby.
Libby told him about the phone call from the hospital describing Chad’s condition and demands for payment of his bill. Carson nodded.
“Well, my friends here have checked the hospital, and no one with Chad’s description has been admitted in the last two days, which is something I suspected.” Carson then explained the gambling and trouble Chad had been in and the type of people that were after him. They had done some checking, and Chad was in debt to these people for over five hundred thousand dollars. “That is a lot of gambling debt. Unfortunately, he must have borrowed from these people, and they want their money back.”
“This must be why Chad wanted to set up a cash account with my financial advisor for four million. You don’t suppose he owes that much to someone else?” Libby stood up and paced back and forth.
“I’ve checked everything I could find about his activities, and I don’t think there’s anyone else.”
“Well, what if I just pay it? Will they then let him go and not hurt him?” Libby sat back down.
“It’s not that easy. These people start charging late fees, enormous late fees. He could owe them much more than that by now. I have a friend in contact with them, and I’ll float that idea out there. But if they think you’re here with a lot more money, they are going to try to blackmail you into giving them a significant portion of it to save his life. I think they’re holding him for ransom.”
“Oh no, this is horrible.” Libby stood up and started pacing again. She stopped at the piano and took a chocolate from the candy dish. “These are good.” She took several more and then sat down, eating them one after the other. She knew she was stressed and that eating this chocolate, which was divine, was a symptom of her stress, but she couldn’t help it.
“We can’t let them get away with this,” Raelyn said. “Carson and I have some ideas, which I think will work. We are going to go out now and will be back in an hour.” Raelyn opened her purse and was moving things around. “Listen, I’ll leave my SAT phone here with you so you can call Jacob and Michael, I’m sure they are pacing right now like you are.” She handed Libby the phone. “We have them on speed dial, just push three.”
“Oh, thank you. I’ll call now.”
Carson and Raelyn left, and the maid brought a tray with crackers and cheese and some fruits. Carbonated fruit juice was on the tray as well; she drank that down.
Libby walked out to the hammock and sat down as she dialed the men.
Jacob answered, “Is she okay?”
“Jacob, this is Libby.” She felt so sorry for the trouble she was causing everyone.
“Oh, Libby, thank heavens. I think you’ll be fine now with Carson there. He seems to have a plan.” Libby had to smile. She could see Jacob’s face in her mind’s eye as he spoke: solid, loving Jacob. Her heart ached with love for him. How could she possibly think she could do anything without him in her life?
“I’m anxious to get back, Jacob. I want to talk about us.” Libby started to cry.
“Libby, don’t worry, everything is going to be fine with us. Michael wants to say something.”
Libby blew her nose. “Hey, Michael, how’s it going?” She couldn’t help smiling.
“I was wondering if Chad looks worse than when I had a few swings at him.” He started laughing.
“Michael, seriously, he’s in real danger here. And we can never tell him you were the one who beat him up.”
“No, but I’ll always know. It warms
my heart every time I think about it.”
What was it about men and fighting?
Jacob got back on the phone. “Listen, we have to take some guests on a trail ride. I’ll call when we get back. I’m looking forward to talking about our future as well. Stay put, and you’ll be safe. That’s the most important thing now.”
Libby hung up the phone. She sighed in relief. For the first time in a long time, she felt peace. The confidence Carson and Raelyn showed talking about Chad’s situation relieved her worry about him. He got himself into this mess. It wasn’t her responsibility to fix it. Thank heavens she didn’t marry him. This could be much worse.
Libby spent the day reading and pacing in the back garden. They had a pet parrot that was free to fly wherever he wanted, but as she watched it, the parrot always came back to this garden and his perch. She was lying in the hammock reading and watching the parrot out of the corner of her eye. He seemed very interested in her and kept jumping along the ground by the pond, getting closer and closer. She had looked over previously, and he flew to the tree, but then when she ignored him, he flew down to the ground and took tentative steps closer to her. Libby was in awe of how colorful and beautiful he was.
Quietly, Libby started to sing “Que Sera, Sera,” a song her mother used to sing to her when she had a bath. At first, the parrot stopped, cocking his head sideways, and to her utter amazement and joy, she heard the parrot sing the song back to her. “Oh, you are such a brilliant, darling bird!”
He flew to the tree just above her and sang out his new song again. Libby sighed, thinking of the animals in her life and how much joy they brought to her. Whatever she did going forward, it would involve animals, lots of animals. She missed her horse, Ranger. On an impulse, she picked up the SAT phone and dialed her homestead on the Mississippi River. “Hello, Martha, can you get Skip for me? I’d like to see how Ranger is doing.”
Lost Billionaire Heir: Billionaire Cowboy Sweet Romance (Texas Ranch Romance Book 8) Page 10