She was more than grateful to Garrett McKinley for setting everything up, but it still seemed so surreal.
“Momma!” Her son and Carrick’s only heir who he hadn’t even known existed came running into the room. “My room is so big!” He giggled when Chloe knelt to tickle him.
“Are you happy here?”
“YES!” He grinned from ear to ear and continued running around the room.
All of the normal staff had left when Carrick began forcing himself on the maids and brutally beating the men. They had simply disappeared, herself included, and no one had known where they went. But once word got out that Carrick McLoughlin had been slain and she was running Castle McLoughlin, they came running back.
There had been feasts, and many of the women had come forth to embrace her, and let her know that they too had been victimized by the monstrous man.
Chloe watched her son running around the room. She’d be damned if her boy turned out to be anything like Carrick McLoughlin. Her son was going to be a kind and fair leader.
“Fergus, stop your running. You will trip and fall.”
“Yes, mother.” Her son stopped, his grin still splitting his face.
“Go on with you, I have things to tend to.” She laughed lightly as he sped from the room anxious to uncover whatever secrets their new home held, and as she watched him run she promised herself that he wouldn’t turn out to be anything like Carrick had been.
Chapter Two
Wade Cahill searched through the small rental house that Carissa Stephenson and her daughter Gabby had once inhabited. It had been empty for at least a month, he guessed. The lady who owned the place had let him in, even though he didn’t have jurisdiction here. She had informed him that she hadn’t seen or heard anything and that Carissa had paid the rent through the end of the year up front.
He had been working so hard to get her to turn in that bastard ex-boyfriend of hers. She had gotten the short end of the stick when she had reported it the first time, and the crooked detective who took her statement ended up telling the boyfriend about it rather than processing a report.
He shook his head as he looked around at the clean house. Not a single thing out of place and all of their clothes were still neatly folded into drawers. Whatever had caused them to disappear had been quick, and Carissa must not have seen it coming. Her best friend Ashleigh Hutchinson had been the one to make the call to him. Said that Carissa didn’t show up to their once a month playdate and that she had not missed one yet.
Carissa had looked so small when he had seen her last. Her blonde hair was pulled back tightly, and her green eyes were wide with fear. He could only imagine why she ran. He had tried to track down her ex, Parker, but he hadn’t been seen or heard from either.
Wade clenched his fists. If that asshole got ahold of them, he was going to put him away for good, that is if he made it to jail.
Wade pulled the door closed behind him and headed back to the landlord’s house.
“Hi, again Mrs. Kinley.” He offered with a smile. “Here’s my card, if you hear or see anything or if she shows back up will you call me?”
“Of course. I’m sure she’s alright detective, she’s a smart girl, and she loves that baby more than anything. She wouldn’t have let anything happen to Gabby or herself.” She said softly and patted his shoulder.
Wade just nodded and headed for his car. He needed a drink.
“Cahill,” Wade muttered into his phone as he looked at his alarm clock. Four am, this had better be good.
“They found a body.”
Wade's entire body went rigid, and the haze of sleep that had been hovering over him disappeared. “Who is it?” He asked saying a silent Prayer it wasn’t Carissa or Gabby.
“Looks to be that dude you’ve been looking for. Parker Dobbson.”
Thank you, God, Wade said silently. “Where?”
“In an abandoned house in Dallas.”
“Text me the address, I’m on my way.”
When Wade had first caught wind of what Parker Dobbson had put Carissa through, he had been more than angry. He had forced himself to stay away from the man because he was worried as to what he might do.
But it would have been nothing compared to what appeared to have happened to him. Parker Dobbson was barely recognizable through the bruising that covered his face. His eyes were both swollen and his nose no longer its normal straight shape. It now looked as if it had been folded in half. And that wasn’t even the worst part.
Dobbson’s body looked as if it had been put through a massive amount of pain. His clothes were shredded, and his body was covered in lacerations. Honestly, it looked as if the man had repeatedly been whipped. It made Wade sick. He never wished this kind of pain on anyone regardless of the type of person they were.
“What do you think happened here?” Jack Keesler, Wade’s partner, walked over and handed him a cup of coffee.
Wade gratefully drank and then shook his head. “I have no idea. The body was moved, he wasn’t killed here.” There was no blood splatter anywhere, and after looking at the body, Wade knew there would have been.
“I almost feel sorry for the bastard, almost,” Jack said cautiously, and Wade nodded in agreement.
“Unfortunately it’s our job to find the person who did this, and while I would love to shake their hand, they need to be put away.”
Jake patted Wade on the back. “Maybe we can give him one handshake. This bastard did terrorize his girlfriend and daughter for over a year.”
Wade knew that all too well. He had approached Carissa on a friendlier note at first, wanting to introduce himself and get to know her a little bit before offering to help with her boyfriend. She had been such a gentle person, her eyes soft and deep green. She had been frightened, and he had tried too hard to get her to let him help. She had been worried it wouldn’t stick and then Parker would find her and Gabby. He could have protected them, even if it meant letting them live with him so he could personally ensure their safety.
But there inlaid the problem he supposed. He had developed feelings for her, become too emotionally involved and when he had finally gotten the nerve to tell her that he cared for her, and to beg for her to come with him, she had already been gone.
Wade watched as the coroner bagged up the body and had it loaded into his van. Now that they had found Parker, Wade was beginning to lose hope that they would ever find Carissa and Gabby.
“I want to broadcast this everywhere.” He told his Captain later that afternoon.
“Why?” He asked, half listening.
“If there’s even a chance that Carissa is alive and not mixed up in whatever Dobbson was doing, the fact that he is dead might draw her back.”
“We cannot let the information out until we’ve found whomever did this. We don’t want to spook anyone.”
“We don’t have to put any other information out other than the fact that his body was found. How would that compromise anything?” Wade was beginning to get angry. This was a chance to find her, and his Captain was sitting on it.
“You are too emotionally involved with this. Once we have more information, we will put it out there, but not until we have all the facts. Dobbson’s next of kin has been notified, and that’s all we can do at the moment.”
“This is bullshit,” Wade growled and stood abruptly. “We could draw Carissa back here, what if she has information for us?”
“What if she is being held captive by whoever killed Dobbson? What if they see his face plastered all over the news and decide to kill her knowing that we are going to be looking for her next? Is that a chance you are willing to take?” His Captain stood with him and narrowed his eyes. “I have worn this badge longer than you have been alive. You would do well to remember that.” His expression softened, and he sat back down. “I understand you developed feelings for Carissa, Wade. We are on the same side, and I want to find her just as much as you do. It pains me to think about what she and her daughter might be go
ing through right now. But we have to go about this the right way.”
Wade nodded. He knew his Captain was right and knew that he couldn’t risk Carissa and Gabby’s life on the off chance she might return once she knew Parker was dead.
“Thanks, Cap.” He said tightly.
“Your welcome.”
Wade turned and left the office. He was going to find her, he had to know where she was.
It was dark when Wade pulled into Carissa’s tiny rental house. He took a deep breath and stepped out of his car, the note in his hand. He had been careful picking what he was going to write and would make sure it would be somewhere she would find it.
He caught movement out of the corner of his eye, and he spun, drawing his weapon.
“Come out.”
Mrs. Kinley appeared from the corner, her hands in the air.
“I’m sorry.” He lowered his weapon but kept it at the ready.
“It’s okay, I understand you are upset.”
“What do you mean?”
“You want to find Carissa.”
“Yes. It’s my job.”
“But it's more than that.”
Wade nodded.
“Are you an only child?” She asked him.
“Yes.”
“But you weren’t always.”
“I don’t understand-” He started and she put her hand up gently.
“I do my research, Detective Cahill. You don’t have to share anything with me, I know you are a good man. I know where Carissa and Gabby are.”
“Where?” He took a step toward her, and she put her hand up again.
“They are safe and happy. Carissa is married now, happily.”
“Where is she? Why did you not tell me before? Withholding information is the same as interfering in an investigation.”
“I wasn’t sure I could trust you.”
“Where is she, Mrs. Kinley?”
“I will send you to her, but I need you to trust me in return.”
“Okay.” He said cautiously.
“You have to leave your firearm here. You can hide it anywhere you like in the house, and I don’t need to know its location, but you cannot take it with you.”
“With all due respect-”
“This is non-negotiable. If you want to see her with your own eyes, to know that she is okay, then you must follow my instructions exactly. Leave the gun.”
Why was he following her instructions? He wondered as he left the room to hide his weapon. He needed to know where Carissa was, even if that meant doing things off of the book. He knew he could handle himself physically if he were assaulted, not that he believed the woman would have attacked him. But if this were a trap, he could figure out his next step as soon as he saw Carissa and Gabby.
Wade hid his weapon in the very top of the linen closet down the hall. “What else?” He asked when he returned. He prayed again that he wasn’t making a huge mistake in trusting her.
“You must help someone for me when you get there, a woman.”
“Help her with what?”
“She is in danger, but she doesn’t know it yet. I need you to keep her safe. Her name is Chloe.”
“I will do what I can, help her get in contact with local police.”
“Tis not that easy, I’m afraid.”
“What does that mean?”
Mrs. Kinley took a step toward him. “What you are about to experience may be hard to believe at first.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You are going to Ireland. When you arrive, the year will be 1216.”
Wade never got the chance to tell her he thought she was insane. Before he could open his mouth to speak, she pushed him, and he started falling. Much further than he should have since he had well surpassed the floor.
When he opened his eyes, he was staring at the greenest trees he had ever seen.
“What the hell?” He muttered softly. He turned around in a circle and gaped at his surroundings. He closed his eyes and opened them again, expecting to be back in the house and still nothing had changed. He pinched his arm and was surprised when it stung.
“What the hell?” He repeated again and took a step towards the dirt road in front of him.
He knelt next to a fresh pile of horse manure. Where in the hell was he?
Chapter Three
Chloe stared out at the sea as the waves crashed into the cliff. The ocean had always calmed her. Even after McLoughlin had gotten his hands on her, she had found solace in the sea. Had considered jumping into it to obtain some form of oblivion.
Just as she had been about to take the leap, a woman cloaked in black had come to her and told her that her future was a bright one if she could only stick around long enough to see it through.
When the woman had told her of the babe that would grow in her stomach, she had known she had to survive no matter the cost to her own mind. Her baby didn’t deserve to die because she had become another of McLoughlin’s victims.
She had known his reputation for women, had known that he was a monster and still she didn’t hide when he was near. She had too much pride for that. When Eleanora had died during childbirth, she had divulged the information about McLoughlin’s plan to Garrett, hoping that he would be able to stop the man. It was then that Carrick McLoughlin had come to her and insisted she be punished.
Chloe closed her eyes on tears she refused to allow to fall. She was not a victim anymore. He was dead, and she was now the Lady of Castle McLoughlin. She was powerful even without that title and would never be a victim again.
She patted her horse gently on the neck and then turned him back toward the tree line. “Let’s go home.”
They walked through the trees at a steady pace. She still had some time before dark, and the quiet had surrounded her like a comforting blanket. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the nature that surrounded her.
“Excuse me?”
Chloe’s eyes snapped open at the sound of the strange man’s voice. She found herself staring at the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was tall and the strange tunic he wore stretched over a tightly muscled chest. His hair was a sandy color and looked as though he had just rolled out of bed, it warmed her, and it shouldn’t have.
“Are you lost?” She asked him. He wore strange pants and his accent reminded her of Carissa’s.
“I think so.” She watched as he ran his hand through his messy hair. “Where am I?”
“McLoughlin land.”
“In America?”
She shook her head unsure of what he was talking about.
“Ireland.”
Chloe dismounted when she saw all color drain from the man’s face. She felt the weight of her dagger on her hip and knew she could draw it quickly if she needed to, although something was telling her she was in no danger.
“Are you alright?” She asked him, and his bright blue eyes looked into her own green.
“I’m not sure, to be quite honest with you.” The color began coming back into his cheeks slowly as he took a deep breath. “What year is it?”
“1216.” She said slowly as she watched his expression closely.
“She was telling me the truth.” He laughed unbelievably, and Chloe took a step back. “I’m sorry it’s just, Mrs. Kinley told me she was sending me here, to find my friend and I thought she was crazy. Although, I suppose she might still be, and now so am I.”
Was he dreaming? His mind told him he had to be, but the rest of him wasn’t convinced. The woman standing before him looked and sounded as real as anyone he had ever come across. Her seafoam colored eyes were the most beautiful he had ever laid eyes on, and something about her dark hair had his mouth watering.
The gown she wore was a soft blue, and the top hugged firm breasts and a trim waist before spilling down into a long skirt. She was stunning.
“Who is your friend?” She asked him.
“What?”
“You said that woman, Mrs. Kinley was
sending you here to find your friend. Who is it you’re looking for?”
“Her name is Carissa Stephenson. She has a daughter-”
“Gabby.”
“How did you know?”
“I know Carissa well, I healed her when she took a blade meant for Garrett, her now husband.”
“She is hurt?” Panic fluttered through his chest.
“She is fine now, she and Garrett live about a day’s ride from here.”
Wade took a deep breath. Well, at least he now knew why he hadn’t been able to find her.
“I’m Wade Cahill.” He held his hand out, and she reluctantly took it.
“Chloe O’Brian. Lady of Castle McLoughlin.”
“Chloe.” He said softly. “It’s you.”
She pulled her hand back.
“I do not understand, have we met before?” Surely she would have remembered him.
“No, you see Mrs. Kinley, the woman who sent me here, said you were in danger. That you didn’t know it yet, but I was supposed to protect you. I’m a detective.”
Anger flushed her marble-like complexion. “I am in no danger.”
“Mrs. Kinley,” damn why did he not remember her first name? “told me that you didn’t know you were in danger,” he repeated. “Why would she think that?”
Chloe’s mind thought about her current situation. Surely there were those who meant her harm now, who wished to take over McLoughlin land, who would kill her son if they thought they could gain it from his death. With him being so young, and she a woman, other laird’s did not think much of them.
“Have you been attacked?” He asked her and took a step toward her.
“No.” Not in the last four years anyway, she said to herself. “My son recently inherited McLoughlin land, tis possible someone looks to take it from him.”
“How old is your son?” He asked, trying to not pay any attention to the letdown he felt at the thought of her being married.
“Four.”
“That’s young to inherit land. What about your husband?”
“I am not married. The land belonged to my son’s sire, we were not together.”
Their Own Time: A Trio of Time Travel Romance Novelette's Page 8