Morgan's Hunter

by Cate Beauman

  “How are we going to do that and stay hidden?”

  “I’m not sure yet, but sitting here isn’t solving the problem.”

  He waited for Morgan to roll up her cushion. They put on their packs, walked away from the crowds, deeper into the trees beyond.

  A mile into the hike, they came upon a campground. Hunter spotted an older couple sitting outside their mid-sized RV, playing a round of cribbage. A cell phone lay next to the woman’s elbow on the card table.

  Hunter walked toward them. “Play along.”

  Morgan glanced at him. “What are you going to do?”

  “Get us that cell phone.”

  As they got closer to the older couple, Hunter picked up a dingy metal o-ring that had fallen from someone’s camping gear long ago. “Put this on your ring finger.”

  “Why?”

  “Just do it,” he said through his teeth while he smiled. They approached the elderly couple. Hunter watched for a reaction, wondering if the police had shown up with flyers warning guests about ‘the dangerous criminals’. When the couple only smiled, he began the show.

  He glanced at Morgan’s hand. She had put the dented metal on her finger, holding it in place by closing her fist. He slung his arm around her, bringing her toward him warmly. “Good afternoon, folks.”

  The couple set their cards down. “Good afternoon to you, young man,” the woman with the mop of madly curling gray hair said.

  “Beautiful day to be camping,” Hunter went on while he casually scanned their surroundings, looking at all of the other RVs parked close by.

  “Sure is.” The man with more wrinkles than hair and a hawk-like nose gave Morgan a friendly wink.

  Hunter nudged her slightly. Morgan cleared her throat, gave him her knock- ‘em-dead smile. The elderly gentleman sat up straighter.

  “We sure are sorry to bother you, but my fiancé and I—” Morgan’s eyes widened as she slid him a glance “—broke down about half a mile back.”

  “Oh, now that’s a shame. Is there anything we can do to help?”

  Hunter added more charm to his smile. “Actually, if I could use your cell phone to call my brother. I was so nervous trying to plan the perfect romantic getaway I forgot mine.” He shook his head. “I was a wreck the whole drive here, trying to think of just the right way to propose. And then, I worried myself sick—would she say yes? What would I do if she said no... Thank goodness she put me out of my misery and said yes.” He hugged Morgan tighter against him.

  The older woman’s eyes softened. “Now, Earl, isn’t that just the sweetest thing you ever heard?”

  “Sure is, Ida, sure is. Of course you can use our phone, son.”

  The woman’s gaze wandered to Morgan’s hand. “Can I see your ring, honey?”

  Morgan looked at Hunter again.

  “Go ahead, sweetie, show them your ring.” Hunter gave her a small shove forward.

  Morgan hesitated before she held out her hand. The woman’s eyes dimmed as she stared at the tarnished piece of metal.

  Hunter grinned. “Pretty awful, huh? I forgot the ring too. Can you believe it? I planned the trip to propose and I forgot the ring. I found that on the road near the campsite we stayed at. I hoped it would be good enough until we got home. It’s the feelings behind the symbol that count, right?” Hunter gave Morgan a quick, intimate kiss.

  The older woman smiled as her eyes misted. “That’s right, honey.” She directed her attention to Morgan. “I see you were smart enough to say yes even though you have a hunk of ugly metal around your finger.”

  Morgan smiled at Ida, looked at Hunter. “I sure was. It wouldn’t have mattered if he hadn’t had anything to give me. This made the moment all the more romantic.” She glanced down at the tarnished metal, then at Hunter again. “When you find someone amazing, you grab them up before they get away.” She kissed him warmly, and he felt a jolt that shook him to his core.

  Hunter grabbed her arm in reflex, dropped it. He stared into Morgan’s warm, smiling eyes as he remembered Jake saying the same thing moments before he married Sarah. “If you’re smart, when you find someone amazing you’ll grab her up before she gets away. That’s my advice to you, man.”

  Ida spoke again. “Aren’t you a smart little thing? He’s a handsome one, honey, good for you.” She winked.

  Morgan struggled with a smile for the older woman before she glanced back at Hunter. Questions replaced the warmth in her eyes.

  “Here’s the phone, young man. You call your brother.” Ida dropped the phone in Hunter’s hand. “Your fiancé and I are going to go in and have a nice glass of iced tea.”

  “Oh, I really shouldn’t. I don’t want to put you out.”

  “It’s no trouble, dear. You look like you could use something cool to drink, and we don’t get a lot of company around here.” Ida held out her gnarled, wrinkly hand and Morgan took it.

  While Ida and Morgan drank iced tea, Hunter continued the show for Earl. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”

  “Not a problem, son. Go ahead and call your brother. Get your beautiful bride-to-be out of here.”

  Hunter gave a nod, tried a smile as he walked away. Morgan’s words still buzzed through his mind. His jaw clenched and his stomach jittered as he thought of the deep, intimate look she’d given him. It was as if she’d actually meant what she said to Ida.

  And as quickly as he thought it, he dismissed the whole thing. He was being stupid. She’d gotten caught up in her role.

  But that didn’t make him feel any better. It only troubled him more that a large part of him agreed with everything she and Jake had said. Morgan was amazing and in a matter of days she would slip away.

  The cribbage board fell to the ground with a hard smack, jarring Hunter from his thoughts. He stepped forward as Earl bent slowly to pick it up. Hunter winced as every bone in the old man’s body popped and cracked with the effort.

  “I’ve got it, son. Don’t you worry. Go ahead and make your call.”

  “Only if you’re sure, Mr… I never caught your last name.”

  “Bester.” Earl grabbed hold of the board, stood as slowly as he’d bent forward. “Not quite as fast as I used to be.”

  “Looks like you’re doing fine to me.” Hunter put his nagging thoughts away. They were pointless, and he had a job to do.

  He punched in Ethan’s cell number, got him on the second ring. “Ethan, it’s Phillip.” He didn’t want to use his real name in front of Mr. Bester.

  “Hunter, where the hell are you? I’ve been going crazy trying to track you down.”

  The reception was shoddy at best. “Speak up. We have a bad connection. We had a little breakdown in Tower Junction, Wyoming.” Hunter casually walked farther away from Earl.

  “Obviously you can’t talk, so I will. You sure know how to get yourself into a hell of a mess, Phillips.”

  “Brother, you’re telling me.”

  “Stanley Taylor is at Reagan International right now. He’s due to take off in an hour. He’s going ape shit trying to find you and Morgan.”

  “Good. When is he supposed to arrive?”

  “I’m not sure of an exact time, but he’s landing in Bozeman later tonight.”

  Hunter walked toward the back wheel of the RV, lowered his voice. “Why the hell did he send Dean if he’s coming himself?”

  “Dean’s there? You saw him?”

  “Yes, at a crap motel here in Tower Junction. He was talking to some guy, left with him thirty minutes ago. Did he tell Stanley about the mine?”

  “What mine? What are you talking about?”

  “Son of a bitch. You don’t know?” Running his hand through his hair, Hunter blew out a long breath. “Morgan and I found an illegal mine in the northern part of the park, on the Slough River. Morgan’s team found it too. That’s why they’re dead.”

  “What?”

  “I did a little digging around at the station and happened upon one of the team member’s journals. The ra
nger, Robert, is dirty. I’m not sure about the kid, but I know Robert and those two bastard cops I took out killed Morgan’s team.”

  “Holy shit, man, this is insane. Stanley’s been having a hell of a time clearing your name. The boys in blue’ve been saying you went nuts and just started shooting. Somehow they’ve made you, Phillips. They know everything about you. They-they brought up your past, man, your issues after Jake—

  “Goddamnit.” The slow burn of rage started deep in his stomach. “That’s fucking bullshit.”

  “Of course it is.”

  The absolute and unquestionable faith he heard in Ethan’s voice was a balm over raw wounds. Hunter unclenched his fist, trying to concentrate on his job—getting him and Morgan the fuck out of Wyoming. “Are Morgan and I clear?”

  “You have been since yesterday. Stanley pulled several strings at the Washington level to get the APB called off the two of you. You aren’t going to like it, but he threw your military career, not to mention your gold star, in the faces of the local boys around—”

  “How the hell does he know about that?” Hunter closed his eyes on a long breath. He’d been awarded medals and commendations—a slew of them—but as far as he was concerned he hadn’t earned a damn one of them. Half of his group had gone home in caskets because of the decisions he’d made. He could hardly take credit for valor, and he sure as hell wasn’t anyone’s hero. His so-called triumphs were a slap in the face to six families that went through each day without their loved one. His ‘box of achievements’ lay buried at the bottom of his closet.

  “His mother was a senator for fifteen years, and he’s an incredibly wealthy and powerful man in his own right. I imagine he can find out whatever the hell he wants. Anyway, back to what I was saying. I think the cops’ stories weren’t quite ringing true to at least someone in the department, especially since Robert went missing shortly after he was checked over for injuries.”

  “Bastard.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, you broke two of his ribs.”

  “Well, I guess that’s something.”

  “They haven’t been able to track him down. Watch your back.”

  “Noted. I’m going to try to get Morgan and me into the crap motel I saw Dean parked in front of for the night. I think it’s our safest option at this point. It’ll be easier to keep her safe in four walls versus the great outdoors.” Hunter glanced over his shoulder, making certain no one was listening. Mr. Bester sat in his lawn chair, pinching deadheads from pansies in a small flowerpot.

  “If Robert’s roaming free, he’s close by. I’m sure he’s figured out I have the journal by now. He’ll want it back. When the dominoes start to fall, that’s what’s going to put him away for killing Morgan’s team.” As he spoke, he scanned the surrounding trees.

  “You’re going to want to get a hold of Stanley, fill him in on all of this. Have him call the state boys here in Wyoming and Montana. Have him tell more than one big guy. It’s hard to say who’s on the up and up right about now.”

  “I was planning on taking care of that after we finish.”

  “He’ll want to be careful when he gets here. These assholes aren’t fucking around. He’ll be in as much danger as Morgan and I are once he breaks this open. You might want to suggest security. He should have someone put on Ilene too.”

  “I’ll call in a favor and get a team in place within the hour.”

  “Good. I want Stanley to stay in Bozeman tonight; he’ll be more easily protected there. He won’t be in until late, and I want to do this in daylight. I know he wants to see Morgan, but I don’t want him coming to our motel tonight. If anyone knocks on our door in the next twenty-four hours, I’ll be shooting first and asking questions later.” His hand instinctively went to his weapon under his shirt, before he dropped it to his side.

  Mr. Bester stood, glancing his way. Hunter knew he had to hurry. His conversation with Ethan was taking longer than a call home for help should. He smiled, rolled his eyes, pointed at the phone as if Ethan kept him. Hunter held up his finger, signaling for one more minute and spoke, giving Ethan the code that he wasn’t able to speak freely. “The reception’s no good.”

  “Well, make it good, Phillips. I have to catch Stanley before he leaves.”

  Ida stood behind the screen door, asked Earl to join her and their lovely guest for a plate of cookies. Once the door closed, Hunter continued.

  “The reception just cleared. I want Stanley to meet us tomorrow at one thirty, right here at the motel. I want a four-car detail—make them SUVs. Stanley is to be placed in the second vehicle, where Morgan and I will meet him. I don’t want him getting out. We’ll exit the park west from Tower Junction and go north, which will take us directly to Bozeman.”

  Ethan tapped at his computer in the background. “I pulled up the map. Looks like you’ll be leaving on Grand Loop Road until you hit 89. I’ll have the team come in from the northeast so they don’t have to turn around. It’ll be a direct exit. I’ll scan the maps for vulnerable areas tonight and be sure the team you’ll be working with is aware of them just in case I can’t talk to you again until all of this is over.”

  “Fine, sounds good. Once we get to Bozeman, we’ll board the Taylors’ plane. I’ll stay with Stanley and Morgan in D.C. until we know Robert and Dean are picked up. They have the most to lose right now. I think the threat to the Taylor family will cease when they’re taken care of.” Hunter peeked into the RV, frowned. Morgan sat at the miniature table, sipping tea with her hosts. Her hair was damp and she’d changed her clothes.

  “If Robert and Dean are caught before our scheduled departure tomorrow, I still want the detail to pick us up. We’ll proceed exactly the same way, but I’ll leave for L.A. after I put Morgan and Stanley on their plane.”

  The rapid tap of fingers against keys echoed in his ear again. He knew Ethan was as itchy to end the conversation as he was.

  “Okay, Phillips, I’ll get everything taken care of on this end. Stanley will meet you and Morgan at one thirty with a four-car detail, two guards per vehicle, entering from the northwest. You’ll exit the park via the north entrance and head to Bozeman from there.”

  “Sounds about right to me. I have to go.”

  “Then go.”

  CHAPTER 28

  HUNTER AND MORGAN WALKED AWAY—SMILING and waving—while the Besters did the same from the door of their RV.

  “Thank you again, Mr. and Mrs. Bester. We appreciate everything,” Morgan said.

  “Not a problem, dear, not a problem. You enjoy that food now, before it gets cold.” Ida gestured to the Tupperware dish full to the brim with chicken and dumplings hanging from Morgan’s arm in a plastic Wal-Mart bag. “You just send the bowl back to the address I gave you. Maybe you can send me a picture from your wedding too.”

  “Oh yes, absolutely. We can do that.”

  With a last wave, Morgan turned away and her smile disappeared. She’d hated lying to Ida and Earl. The deception had been all the more upsetting because she wanted it to be the truth.

  The act was supposed to have ended after Hunter’s phone call, but when he knocked on the screen door, attempting to hand Earl a twenty for the trouble, Mrs. Bester scolded him for ‘such nonsense’ and insisted he come in for a glass of iced tea and cookies.

  With little choice, he had joined Morgan around the tiny table, taking her hand. He’d run his thumb over her knuckles, bumping the ugly piece of metal on her finger from time to time while Mr. and Mrs. Bester made conversation. Morgan had let herself pretend, just for a minute, that it could be real.

  The charade ended when they stepped from the RV. Now she felt depressed, empty. She better get used to it. Everything would be over soon. They would go their separate ways.

  “You take care of that fiancé of yours, Phillip,” Mrs. Bester yelled out.

  Hunter put his arm around her again, turned, grinned, giving Mrs. Bester a thumbs-up.

  Mrs. Bester’s tinkle of laughter followed them into
the trees. Hunter’s smile vanished, his eyes hardening, as he scanned the path they walked. It was only a matter of time before Robert made his move.

  Tall pines scattered the forest, allowing large patches of deep blue sky through its skimpy canopy. The lack of cover finally worked to their advantage—Robert wouldn’t be able to surprise them now. Satisfied they were safe for the moment, Hunter relaxed fractionally, glanced at Morgan. She looked miserable.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She stared down at the path. “Nothing.”

  Bullshit. But he kept his thoughts to himself, knowing she would spill it sooner or later.

  She blew out a breath. “I didn’t like lying to the Besters. They were so kind to us. They gave us a meal and drinks, let us borrow their phone, and we lied to them.”

  “We needed that phone, and I couldn’t be sure they would let us use it. I went with sappy love crap to be on the safe side. No one can resist a love story.”

  “We could’ve just asked.”

  “Yeah, we could have, but they might’ve said no. If two hikers came up to you out of the blue and said ‘hey, can we use your phone’ would you let them?”

  “It would depend on the circumstances.”

  “Exactly.” He gave her a gentle bump to the side with his elbow. “I just upped our odds of getting the right answer.”

  “I guess, but I still didn’t like it.” Her eyes stayed on the path in front of them.

  “It was that or steal, and I didn’t want to do that. They’re old and traveling. It all worked out in the end, right? I spoke to Ethan, and the Besters still have their phone.”

  She made a sound of agreement in her throat.

  He hated seeing her so unhappy. “I have a surprise for you.”

  Morgan glanced up. “Oh yeah?” Intrigue sharpened her eyes, replacing the sadness as he hoped.

  “We’re going to see if we can get a room in that little hole-in-the-wall motel.”

  She beamed, green eyes brightening. “Really?”

  He couldn’t help but grin back. “Really.”