“Something’s wrong,” he said. “I think Rose might be in trouble.”
“Oh, God—” Jeannette squeezed Zane’s hand. “What should we do?”
“I’m going to look for her car at The Tattered Saddle,” he said, standing.
Just then his cell phone vibrated and he grabbed it off his belt. Looking at the caller ID he said, “Rose.”
He hit the talk button, but before he could say anything, he heard her voice on the other end.
“Just let me go,” she said, fear lacing the words. “Please don’t hurt me.”
Fear flashed through him, but some part of him realized she wasn’t talking to him, that he should listen.
“Jasper, kidnapping me will just make things worse.” There was a pause and her breathing was rapid and harsh, as if she’d been running. There was true terror in her voice. “Why are you taking me out of town? Just let me go.” There was a voice in the background, then she said, “There’s nothing out here on Thunder Canyon Road. I know because this is where Austin brought me to get my Christmas tree.”
She was giving him a clue. Austin looked at the other couple and put his hand over the phone so he couldn’t be overheard. “Fowler’s got her. I know where they’re headed. Call the sheriff first and then her brother Jackson. The rest of her brothers, too.”
Austin asked Zane and Jeannette to pass on the information because he was going to get Rose. He could still hear her pleading as he ran out of the restaurant.
He had to help her. Failure wasn’t an option. Fate couldn’t be so cruel as to bring him the perfect woman only to take her from him forever.
Chapter Fourteen
Rose had never been so scared in her life.
She couldn’t believe what was happening. This man was clearly unhinged. When he first shoved her into the truck, she hadn’t tried to get away, too shocked by what was happening and petrified of getting shot. Then he started driving and jumping out of the passenger side door crossed her mind, but at this speed, hitting the road would cause serious damage, or death if she hit her head.
Then she’d felt the cell phone in her pocket.
Fowler was mumbling to himself and pointing the gun at her. There were no dashboard lights in the old truck, but she couldn’t very well pull the phone out and expect he’d let her dial 9-1-1. Picturing her phone’s keypad, she pushed the redial button, ringing the number of the last call she’d received.
Austin.
Not sure if road noise would camouflage the sound of dialing and someone on the other end answering, she started talking as loud and fast as she could. As terrified as she was, talking fast came surprisingly easy. She saw a road sign and mentioned this was where Austin brought her to get a Christmas tree. After that she kept up an endless stream of senseless chatter and peppered him with appeals to let her go.
“I can’t hear myself think,” Fowler said. “Just shut your mouth.”
“I can’t. I’m nervous. I can’t stop talking when I’m nervous. Just let me go. Stop the truck, I’ll get out and walk back to Thunder Canyon. You’ll have a really good head start. Really good because I don’t walk fast on these short little legs. And these heels? Forget about it. It will take me forever—”
“Shut the hell up.”
“I told you, I can’t. Why are you doing this?”
“Damn interferin’ outsiders,” he muttered. “Can’t leave nothin’ good alone. DJ’s Rib Shack is still in business. Shoulda gone down what with everything I did. And those pushy Traubs are pumping buckets of money into Grant Clifton’s hoity-toity resort.”
She was a Traub. And what about DJ’s? Was he behind all the recent funny business? “What is going on?”
“It’s damn frustratin’ is what it is. Couldn’t just leave well enough alone.”
“What do you have against all of us?” she asked.
“You don’t belong here. None of you. You’re not from Thunder Canyon, born and raised.”
“Neither are you. You said you drove across the country with a coffin in your truck.” If she got out of this alive, she was going to mention that little fact to the sheriff and suggest he check it out.
Fowler glanced at her and raised the gun just a fraction. “It’s different.”
“How?”
“Just is,” he snapped.
Way to go, Rose. Antagonize him. Surely that would help a situation that until now had gone so well.
“So you hate us because we brought economic growth to Thunder Canyon?”
“New isn’t always better. And this ain’t personal. It’s business. All about the money. You’re a Traub. You oughtta know that. Now shut the hell up. Why couldn’t you just keep your nose out of my business? Now you know too much. I have to think.”
Probably about how he was going to get rid of her. Permanently. Rose was getting desperate now. This lunatic wasn’t going to let her go and she couldn’t be sure that Austin got her call. She couldn’t just do nothing and let him hurt her.
She wanted Austin so much. She wanted a life with him. This was a really bad time to realize what a fool she’d been. The words Ben Walters had said kept echoing through her mind.
Foolishness is a waste of time, but you don’t know that until the one you were foolish over is gone too soon.
She could very well be that one and would never get the chance to tell Austin that he made her happy and nothing else mattered a tinker’s damn.
If Fowler stopped the truck, he’d have the gun and all his attention focused on her, making it all but impossible to make a run for it without taking a bullet in the back. Her only chance was to try something while he was driving, but he had that gun between her and the steering wheel. But as strategies went, grabbing the wheel was dangerous, too. The truck could go over the side of a cliff or just roll. There were no seat belts in this old thing.
Jumping seemed her only choice and she had no illusions about his intentions which meant she really had nothing to lose. She’d get ready. When he slowed a little going around a curve, she’d go for it. With her fingers on the passenger side door handle, Rose looked at Fowler, waiting to make her move.
“Son of a bitch,” the man snarled, just before stomping on the brake.
Suddenly thrown backward and off balance, Rose tried to brace herself. She looked through the front window and saw an old truck blocking the road. A familiar truck. It was Austin’s truck.
“Thank God,” she breathed and started to grab the door handle.
“Not so fast.” Fowler lifted the gun to stop her, then threw the truck in Reverse, hit the gas pedal and glanced over his shoulder. He braked again. “Damn it.”
Rose looked behind her and saw another vehicle blocking the road behind them. It looked like Jackson’s car and there were more behind it. Ethan. Corey. Dillon. Her brothers.
“You’re boxed in,” she said. “It’s over.”
“Not till I say so.” He leveled the gun at her and slid across the bench seat before gripping her upper arm. “Get out. I’ve got you. That’ll get me a pass outta here.”
She had no choice but to do what he said. When the truck door opened, she heard the sound of sirens in the distance. Help was on the way.
But Austin was here now. He’d made Jasper stop and was standing in the road. At least she got to see him but she pushed away the thought that it could be for the last time. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she was shaking all over. Fowler had a gun in her back and was gripping her arm so hard that it threatened to cut off blood flow to her fingers.
Austin’s angry expression was clearly visible in the glow of headlights. His hands were clenched into fists and there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. He looked like a man ready to spring into action, barely held in check. Holding on to his cool with both hands.
“Let her go, Fowler.” He took a step.
“Don’t come any closer,” the old man warned. “I’ve got nothing to lose and won’t hesitate to use this gun. Push me and I’ll shoot he
r.”
Rose’s legs were shaking and started to buckle. He yanked her up and she cried out.
Austin surged forward. “I’ll break you in half, you son of a bitch—”
Fowler pressed the gun muzzle to her neck. “Stop right there.”
“You’re not going anywhere. Give it up,” Austin ordered.
“I’ve got the gun. I’m calling the shots. Get it?” The old man laughed at his pun. “You all just let me go on my way. Get the hell out and I won’t hurt the girl.”
“You know we can’t do that.” A muscle jerked in Austin’s jaw. “Let her go and you won’t get hurt.”
“Like I’d fall for that. Without her I’ve got no leverage at all—” He gestured with the gun, pulling it away from her.
Rose heard rock crunching beside her just before a body came hurtling out of the dark. As Fowler was tackled to the ground, she was knocked loose and stumbled forward. And then Austin was there, catching her. He pulled her against him. Strong, safe arms held her close. She never wanted to leave those strong, safe arms ever again.
“Oh, Austin—” She wasn’t all alone in this anymore. She didn’t need to hold herself together. For some reason she started trembling even more. “I was so scared.”
“I know, baby. I’m here.” He held her at arm’s length, checking her over. “Did he hurt you? Are you okay?”
“I will be. Now that you’re here.” She threw herself against him as several law enforcement cruisers came to a screeching halt around them.
Rose, from the safe haven of Austin’s arms, watched two sheriff deputies pull her brother Jackson off Fowler and ease her other brothers back.
“I think the sheriff just kept the Texas Traubs from doing frontier justice to Jasper Fowler,” Rose said shakily.
“They’re not the only ones who want a piece of him.” There was a dark, menacing look in Austin’s eyes and his tone was low, threatening.
Before tonight, Rose might have been frightened by it, but not now. This was a man you could count on. He would be there to protect the ones he cared about and keep them safe. She loved that about him.
The cops had Fowler’s hands cuffed behind his back. Apparently he was nervous now because he was suddenly talking up a storm, most of it not making much sense.
“This isn’t my fault,” he finally said.
Before he could go any further with that thought, one of the deputies informed him of his right to remain silent. If he gave up that right, anything he said could and would be used against him in a court of law.
“It’s not my fault,” he repeated.
Jackson moved beside him, breathing hard from the struggle. “You held my sister against her will. That’s definitely on you, Fowler.”
“I’m not going down for this alone.” The old man stood there between two burly deputies, his shoulders slumped, his expression defiant. “It’s all Arthur Swinton. He’s the brains behind everything.”
“That would explain the bank drafts we found,” Rose said.
“But there’s a whole lot more it doesn’t explain.” Austin stared at the cuffed man. “Like the fact that Arthur Swinton is dead.”
“Austin’s right,” Jackson said. “He died of a heart attack in jail.”
“Maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t.” The old man smiled a crazy, mysterious smile. “You’ll never find him, or the money he stole.”
“Get him out of here. We’ll interrogate him down at the station.” The deputy in charge of the crime scene looked to his partner who nodded.
Fowler was immediately hustled into the back of a cruiser and driven away. The red-and-blue strobe lights on the two remaining cars cut through the dark, cold night.
Jackson leaned over and hugged her. “You okay, Rosie? I nearly had a heart attack when I heard what happened.”
“I’m fine. Thanks to you and Austin.” She looked at her other three brothers and smiled, too choked up to say more.
Jackson held out his hand to the man who had his arms around her. “Thanks, Austin. I owe you.”
“No, you don’t. I’d never let anything happen to her.”
“She’s pretty shaken up.” Jackson studied his sister. “You can come home with me. Laila and I will take care of you. Or Ethan—”
Rose shook her head. “I’m not leaving Austin.”
She looked up and he nodded, then sent her brother a look. A current of understanding passed between all the men.
Jackson finally nodded approval. “Keep her safe.”
“Count on it,” Austin said.
She rested her cheek against his chest and savored the sound of his strong heartbeat. “In that case, would you take me home? I just want to go home. With you. Please.”
“I would do anything for you.”
Austin had never been so scared in his life.
It was quiet in the truck as he drove to Rose’s apartment. The “what ifs” were torturing him. He could have lost Rose tonight and life without her was no life at all. If he hadn’t been able to keep Fowler talking while Jackson moved into position to jump the guy, things could have turned out differently in a lot of ways. All of them bad.
He kept looking over at her in the passenger seat and hated how terrified she still looked, how white her face was.
“Are you doing okay?” he asked.
“As well as can be expected after surviving a kidnapping by a crazy old man who put a gun to my head.” Her voice trembled, but the attempt at spunk reassured him.
He reached over and squeezed her hand, resting on the seat between them. “We’re almost home.”
Thirty seconds later he pulled into the lot and parked near the stairway to her second-floor apartment. Before he could get out of the truck, Rose gripped his hand. Parking lot lights showed the pleading in her eyes as well as the lingering fear and emotional bruising.
“Austin?”
“What?” he asked.
“Please come in with me.”
“Just try and get rid of me.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“No need. I’m doing it for me. Letting you out of my sight would just about kill me.”
He went to her side of the truck and helped her out, then put his arm around her, holding her close against him. He needed to feel that she was there, reassure himself this was real because the other part of this night felt like a really bad dream.
After letting them into her place, Rose locked the deadbolt. As if she’d just let her guard down, she started to shake all over again.
Austin took her hand and led her into the bedroom, realizing it was the first time he’d seen it. He’d made love to Rose in front of the fire and it had been the best night of his life. Until it turned into the worst. Even that paled compared to almost losing her earlier.
He flipped the wall switch and the matching bedside lamps came on. The bases were delicate cream-colored ceramic with three-dimensional white roses. The shades were scalloped at the bottom. A floral comforter in shades of pink, purple and green covered the bed.
Still holding her hand, he could feel her trembling—part reaction, part cold. “You’re freezing.”
She nodded. “And I feel dirty. That store—Jasper’s place—was all dusty and cluttered. Dark and awful. And he had his hands on me—”
“Don’t think about it.” Still keeping her fingers in his, Austin took her into the connecting bathroom and filled the tub with hot water. “This will warm you up.”
“Please don’t leave me,” she said when he started to walk out of the room.
He cupped her cheek in his palm and gently touched his lips to hers. “I’ll be right outside. I’m going to get you a towel, some tea and a nightgown—”
Her mouth curved up a little in the ghost of a smile. “What makes you think I don’t wear pajamas?”
“Because I can’t picture a girly girl like you in anything else. Am I wrong?”
“No.”
Austin made sure she had everything she needed, then l
eft her to make some tea in her kitchen. He wished there was brandy, but had to make do. It took him about five minutes to find what he needed and get the hot drink ready. He was about to check on her when she appeared barefoot in the kitchen. Her white satin nightgown with pink roses on the bodice was both innocent and erotic. The look made him want her and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he always would. But right now taking care of her was priority.
“You had orders to soak and relax in the tub.”
“I didn’t want to be alone. It all kept replaying in my head. The gun. That mad, glittering, evil look in his eyes—” The words stopped when her teeth started chattering.
“That does it.” He was beside her in a heartbeat and scooped her into his arms, carrying her into the bedroom. He’d already turned down the bed and set her on the sheets before pulling the comforter over her. After propping pillows behind her back, he said, “Stay put. I’m just going to get your tea. I’ll be back before you miss me.”
“Not possible. I’ll miss you the second you’re gone.”
The words and serious expression on her pale face gave him hope that he hadn’t allowed himself before. As promised, he was back in seconds and handed her the steaming mug, handle first. She slid over, making room for him on the bed and he slipped off his shoes before joining her.
She leaned her head on his shoulder and dragged in a shuddering breath. “Oh, what a night…”
“There’s an understatement.” He laughed. “I’ve aged ten years. So that makes me older than you.”
“Oh, Austin…” Her words caught and tears filled her eyes.
“What is it, Red?”
“I’ve been so stupid about this age difference thing. The foolish ideas that were stuck in my head seem so trivial compared to—everything. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He rested his cheek on her hair.
“I can’t help it.” She brushed a tear from her cheek. “When I left work, I was so excited about having dinner with you. I just had to do that one errand. Then it all got crazy and Jasper kidnapped me—”
“Don’t think about it, sweetheart.”
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