by Kim Turner
Jenna pulled the damp towel from her hair, renewed after her shower. Now in Aaron’s bedroom on the ranch, she’d had a moment to think about what had happened, but Brianna could read her like a book.
“I’m fine, you know where I am if I am not with Aaron. Bri, it’s complicated but…you have to just act like nothing is going on and we can’t talk much for now.” She stopped, wondering how much was too much to tell her friend. “I can’t risk something happening to you too.”
“If this is him, Vince. Jen…you have to get Mason and yourself away from all of us, now,” Brianna whispered loudly. “Not for our safety but your own.”
“I know, but Aaron made me promise.” Jenna sat on Aaron’s bed, tossing the towel aside and glancing at Mason who slept nearby in the portable crib. “I can’t fight Vince alone and if I leave, then I will spend my life running. What kind of life is that for Mason? I am so tired of this whole thing, Bri, even you disrupted your own life to come out here and…it’s time to end it.” Brianna waited. “Jen, you have to call the police, the F.B.I or even the national guard for God’s sake.”
“You know I can’t and now the Police are all over the set. Tuck and Gabe know things about Vince even we didn’t. Mason and I are safe here for now, but if things get worse…” Jenna pulled her knees up wrapping Aaron’s robe tighter around her, inhaling the light scent of him.
Brianna’s whisper jumped an octave. “It has turned worse now.”
Jenna’s voice broke. “Aaron thinks with the explosives on the ramp and the police onto things, that Vince won’t be able to hide as well.”
“Jenna, I’m scared for you.” Panic laced her best friend’s voice.
“I know. Please Bri, I’ll be here and then I’ll be in touch.” Jenna tried to control her emotions and it was all she could do.
“You text me something each day several times. And how do we know for sure these phones are safe anyway.” Bri’s voice was tense with worry.
“Gabe and Tucker were special ops military for a while from what Aaron says. Tucker is a P.I. They know what they are doing.” Jenna wasn’t sure is she was trying to convince Bri or herself.
“This Tucker seems nice enough, but Gabe…” Brianna cleared her voice. “He is rather pushy and you know how I don’t care at all for that.”
“He’s a good guy, Bri. Just go with it, Okay. I’ll be in touch.” She hung up before giving Brianna a chance to say anything more. Pulling up the edge of the robe’s collar, she inhaled deeply and then looked down at the ring on her finger. She’d waited her whole life to find the fairy tale she had dreamt about. Now it was threatened to be ruined by the past that she now figured to haunt her forever. She traced her fingers on the robe, thinking of Aaron. She should have stayed with him, but Mason had been overjoyed at her being back at the ranch. She needed to call the hospital and dialed, now that he was asleep.
“Hi.” Gabe’s voice sounded tired and horse.
“How is he?” She waited.
“Finally talked him into the pain medicine earlier. He’s sleeping for now.”
“I’ll be back in the morning.” Jenna glanced at Mason who rolled over in the pack and play.
Gabe cleared his voice. “Let me ask you something?”
“All right.” She sat up in Aaron’s bed again, a bit unnerved as Gabe began speaking with a hint of caution.
“When’s the last contact you had with Hanson himself?”
Jenna’s heart drop as she remembered. “Not since the night he beat me. Nearly two years ago.”
“And you took the pay off and changed your name?” Gabe lifted his brows in challenge his tone very clear.
“While it is none of your business, the money was mine, inherited from my father about a year before we married. My fair share from the divorce if it comes down to it.” She stood, narrowing her gaze at this interrogation. “And I changed my name as I could no longer be that woman he beat near to death. I had to protect myself and my son, Gabe. But that’s not what this is about, is it?”
“I get your reasons, but…what do you think he is really after? The money, you or your son?” His voice softened, but his implications hit hard and an implosion of true fear rolled through her chest, taking her breath.
“Vince is here, isn’t he? Tell me the truth.” Fear rode through her so profound she gulped an empty breath in already knowing the answer to the question she’d asked.
Gabe didn’t hesitate. “He’s here.”
“I’m not sure he even knows about Mason, but he never wanted me, just the money he didn’t get to keep,” Jenna whispered, glancing at Mason. “But I’ve never touched any of it myself. I put it in various accounts to hide it after my name change. You’re thinking a pay off, well I would pay it all in full to keep Mason safe. And Aaron and Lily, your family.”
Gabe inhaled a deep breath and let it out. “No payoff’s gonna do much for this guy. He’s a bit psycho. Guys like that aren’t happy until they’ve won it all, no matter the price. Care to tell me different about him?”
She shook her head. “No, but I am concerned for you and Tucker just as much as Aaron and the children.”
“Tuck and I got this, but I need you following orders,” he warned
“Yes, but please call me if he wakes and wants to talk to me,” she said.
“Got it.” Gabe hung up.
Jenna lay down on the bed, pulling the covers over her, deciding to sleep in Aaron’s robe. She dimmed the lamp and pulled the blankets higher, the cold emptiness of being alone riding through her. It was clear that Gabe was covering all the bases and seemed to trust her little, but she couldn’t blame him. Tears rimmed her eyes and rolled down her cheeks as she forced her eyes closed, willing sleep.
Vince could only be back for the money, right? Two million dollars was a great deal of money, but it was rightfully hers, and besides that, his father was worth ten times more than that. She could only pray he knew nothing of Mason. And she did figure it best like Gabe, that she go nowhere alone, though filming had been halted for a few weeks due to the police investigations on the set, that Horace had been none too happy about.
Two weeks would hardly get Aaron back on the set but Gabe had said he and Jeremiah would handle the last few stunts for the few episodes left to film the first season. He’d also let her know that the networks had picked up The Bounty Hunter for a second season, but now she wasn’t certain if there would be a second season where she was concerned.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Aaron sat up in bed, adjusting his position as he growled out his curses. “I knew it. Son of a bitch!”
Gabe folded his arms and nodded. “He’s been here for a month. I tracked him on a flight through Chicago to Helena. Got a couple of names of men with him, three so far all arriving at different locations.”
“He had someone on the inside, FBI’s all over it that now, given the explosives. Gonna be hard to protect Jenna’s story much longer.” Tucker ran a hand through his light hair. “They’ll question you and Jenna next.”
“I figured as much.” Aaron shook his head. “What’s the footage show?”
Gabe nodded. “There were explosives in the joint on the high parts of the ramp, all of them out of sight, even checking as we did each day we would never have seen them.”
“We can cooperate with the FBI, but that may just complicate things further. Might be best if I get Sarah and the children out of here.” He’d been thinking the time for that would come, but he suspected Jenna would never be agreeable to letting Sarah disappear with the children.
“He’s onto all of us by now, might be a bit late for that.” Gabe shrugged, with an edge to his voice.
“I’ll get him tracked down, but you need to keep Jenna nailed to the ranch. She’s agreed but let a woman get antsy and she’ll bolt every time.” Tucker spouted the last few words in a hurry as his cell phone buzzed and he grabbed it trotting from the room.
“I’ll talk to her.” Aaron clutched his side at the
added effort and watched as Tuck waved in understanding and disappeared out the door.
Gabe shook his head. “You don’t date a single woman for years and then you pick one that nearly gets you killed.”
Aaron held his brother’s gaze.
“What do you really know about her, Aaron?” Gabe walked closer shoving his hands in his pockets.
“You know all I do. What?” He was damn tired of Gabe continued comments. He still hurt like hell, even though he no longer sported the chest tube and had little patience.
“She’s living under an alias, as you know and there’s probably more than that if I’m guessing right.” Gabe’s voice hit a higher octave.
“Cut the bullshit!” He snagged the envelope, glaring at his brother.
He opened it reading through the report, reading the names, Jenna Wilder and Jennifer Amiker. Her script had mentioned her pen name was Jenna Wilder, but he knew nothing of the other name. He hadn’t asked her about it even when she had confided the truth.
When he said nothing more, Gabe continued. “I asked her point blank how long since she’d seen Hanson and if she had changed her name. She was truthful on both as I’m sure she knew Tucker dug that up on her.”
Aaron shook his head. “Jenna Wilder’s her pen name she’s been using since he beat her, but she made it legal and all.”
Gabe shrugged. “Looks like it.”
“She ran scared, obviously changed her name for protection,” he spat the words at his brother. At least with the chest tube gone he could deal with the pain, but he wasn’t dealing well with his brother’s accusations.
“So you’re playing with fire brother, and we might not know how damn hot things will get.” His brother narrowed his gaze and stepped closer “This guy Hanson is bad news—fraud, embezzlement, and a line of death along the way from what Tucker suspects. Seems Hanson’s father died recently and that’s about the time he showed up here. I’m saying you’d better make sure you know her and what she’s up to. If he’s come back after all this time, he wants something more than money and he obviously doesn’t care who gets in the way.”
Aaron said nothing more His brother was on a mission, and given his background in special ops, he was more than intense and most likely right.
“So he’s after the money, her son, or her. Why the ramp, what would be the point in me or Maxus for that matter?” Aaron tried to understand the connection.
Gabe shook his head, having no answers. “Maybe it isn’t about the money or her son, maybe it’s about who gets the girl.”
“He beat her and threw her away.” Aaron cussed under his breath. “The son of a bitch doesn’t want her.”
“Nope, but my guess is he don’t want you to have her either.” Gabe turned, stopping at the door, “Look, I’m happy for you, Aaron. Really, I am. But you gotta check things out, bro. I like her, a lot. But do you really know who she is?”
Aaron growled, pulling himself to the side of the bed as his brother left the room. Lifting his shirt, he struggled to get the cast on his left arm through the sleeve. He could dress and bathe for the most part, but that was more than fatiguing at best. How the hell was he to do anything to help Jenna at this point? He just had to hope she stayed put and would agree to send Sarah off with the children when and if the time came.
He stood up and wiggled his socked feet into his sneakers. He could see himself in the mirror at the sink across the room. He looked like hell and felt worse. His face still had bruising, and opening his shirt, even with the chest tube gone, his left side held deep purple bruises that would take weeks to heal.
“So you’re anxious to get home.” Jenna entered his room, pushing a wheelchair and wearing a smile.
He smiled. “As long as I am leaving with you.”
“Well, I happen to have your discharge paperwork and your prescriptions have been called in. I saw Gabe’s truck pulling out as I drove in and Tucker was with him, wasn’t he?” She pushed the wheelchair closer with a smile.
“Busted,” he answered and tried to explain, “Tucker’s checking on things at your apartment. Bodi’s good and Brianna’s fine as is Ms. Lucy. Gabe said he gave you a panic button.”
Jenna took a deep breath and shivered as she touched the dragonfly pin on her collar. “I suppose it’s necessary at this point.”
“I want you safe.” Aaron nodded to the wheelchair. “Can’t I walk?”
“House rules.” She raised an eyebrow and grabbed his bag, already packed on the foot of the bed.
She hugged him gently. “Everyone’s at the ranch, waiting for you.” She leaned up to kiss his cheek and ran a hand through his damp hair. “You already showered.”
“Yea, wasn’t easy, maybe next time you get to help me out.” He grinned, enjoying her slight blush. God she was beautiful but the edge of fear that lingered on her face crushed him, as usual.
“I miss you too, Aaron Decker, but I hardly think you’d enjoy it right now.” She moved the chair closer.
“We’ll give it a few days.” He nodded in agreement. “Are you all right?”
She shook her head. “It’s hard sitting and waiting. Aaron, I don’t care about the money but he won’t stop until…and now the FBI wants to talk to me and you.”
“Then we’ll talk to them. They already know about Vince, from what Gabe says and the whole scene has made the news, but Horace is sticking to filming as usual to finish the season.”
“But even the FBI can’t find him.” Her words were almost a whisper.
“Nope, but his career is trashed now regardless.” He touched her cheek and sat in the chair with a groan.
“Lily can hardly wait to see you.” Jenna continued pushing him down the long hallway.
“I’ve missed the munchkin. Mason too.” His chest had nearly crushed in with the pain of it.
“Here we go.” Jenna rolled him into the hallway and onto the elevator. In no time she’d gotten him gingerly into the front seat of her SUV and was headed back toward Sun River.
Riding wasn’t as easy as he thought it might have been and each bump in the road jarred him until he sat forward holding the dash.
“Aaron?” Jenna slowed the truck.
“I’m good, it’s easier like this.” He held onto the dash and his side, easing back into the seat.
“I’ll slow down.” She glanced in the rearview mirror. “I know you’ll be glad to be home.”
He nodded, watching her as she drove toward the ranch. “Yep, but listen, I need you to stay put on the ranch unless you are out with me or one of the boys.”
“I’ve listened to Gabe, haven’t been far at all. I did go by the apartment to check on Bodi, but Tucker was right there to meet me,” she explained.
He shook his head. “Tuck seems to think he’ll slip up somewhere. Might even be the Feds will get lucky before we do. I just want you to trust we’ll put a stop to this.”
She nodded, but she glanced back to the mirror. When she said nothing, he wondered if she believed him or if she were contemplating further escape. There was nothing he could say to calm her fears or even his own for that matter. Hell, he could hardly do anything in the shape he was in. It would be weeks before he was fully healed, but as they approached the ranch it was Maxus who crossed his mind. Gabe and Jeremiah had the horse stalled in the barn and he was healing but the veterinarian said the horse’s eyes were too damaged and that is was very unlikely anything could be done.
“Do you want me to stop?” Jenna slowed the SUV at the barn.
He shook his head. It was too raw now for that. “Keep going. I’ll go out once I see the children.”
He’d visit the horse when he was alone and when he could promise the animal he’d see Vince Hanson placed in the hard ground where he belonged.
****
Aaron glanced down and adjusted his position as best her could, Lily lying asleep in the recliner beside him. He’d missed her so much; he’d had Jeremiah sit her in the recliner with him, making her understan
d she had to sit still. They had watched a cartoon ballerina movie with Jenna. She was upstairs now, rocking Mason to sleep.
He touched Lily’s hair and put his hand on the tiny one that rested across his thigh. He couldn’t figure it, but she seemed to have grown a few inches in the short time they were apart. He’d also walked to the barn alone and spent an hour brushing Maxus and talking to the animal who shuffled a bit inside the stall at any touch. He’d never be able to jump the animal again, but there was hope he could still ride the horse from time to time. The animal’s broken spirit mimicked his own for the time being, but they would both recover eventually.
Jenna came from the kitchen with two cups of fresh brew. Drawing him from his saddened mood over the horse. “I thought you might be asleep by now.”
Aaron nodded. He hadn’t had much appetite but coffee sounded good.
“She’s out like a light,” Jenna whispered with a glance at Lily.
Aaron looked down at Lily’s quiet face once more. “I probably need to get you guys to put her to bed.”
“Could I?” Jenna continued to whisper and set the coffee cups on the end table beside him.
He nodded and watched as she carefully pulled Lily up to her and laid his daughters head on her shoulder, turning to head to the stairs. She looked so natural, the picture of all he’d ever wanted for himself and Lily.
Moments later she returned and sat, handing him his cup of coffee.
“She went right down.”
“All the excitement of me getting back home.” He shook his head. “Thought I’d be moving better by now.”
She sat on the couch next to the recliner, sipping her coffee.
He hated to break the conversation away from where they were. “How’re you feeling after the chat with the Feds?”
She set her cup of coffee aside, her hands trembling visibly. “They were already after him for murder, Aaron. I never knew he’d…killed someone. How didn’t I know something like that?”