by Rita Herron
A sob welled in her throat, and she slumped back down on the bed. Was this the room where they’d kept Sam?
She mentally searched for strength. If her little boy had held it together long enough for her to save him, she could do it long enough for Brett to find her.
The most important thing was that Sam was safe.
Safe with his father who probably hated her now for keeping his son from him all these years.
That didn’t matter either, not now. Sam was okay and if she died tonight, Brett would take care of Sam. He’d teach him how to play baseball and skip stones in the creek behind the ranch, and how to saddle a horse and trick ride.
Although one day he might teach him to ride a bull and she wasn’t so sure about that.
She would miss it all if she was dead, but Sam would be happy with his father. He would raise him to be an honorable, brave McCullen man.
She rolled to her side on the bed and looked across the room. A ratty stuffed animal lay on the floor, along with a piece of rope.
Sam had been here. He’d twisted the rope into the letter S. Her heart warmed as she remembered him pretending to rope cattle like the cowboys on TV.
Brett would teach him how to rope calves one day, too.
She wanted to be there for him and see all those things.
She blinked, and struggled to untie her hands, but the ropes cut into her wrists. Frustrated, she drew her knees up and tried to reach her ankles with her hands to untie her feet, but the knot was so tight, she couldn’t budge it.
Outside, footsteps pounded and voices echoed through the wall. She forced herself to be very still so she could hear, although it was difficult over the sound of her own roaring heart.
“You took the woman now? What the hell are you doing?”
Willow tensed. That was a woman’s voice. It sounded familiar, but it was too muffled for her to place.
“I thought she was lying about the money.”
“But what if she doesn’t know where it is?”
“That cowboy said he’ll pay us. It won’t be half a million, but it’ll be enough to get out of the country so we can lie low for a while.”
“All right. But give the man a deadline. The longer you wait, the more likely we are going to get caught.”
“Twenty-four hours. That’s the deadline. If he doesn’t produce the money by then, kill her.”
* * *
BRETT’S KNEES FELT like they were going to cave in.
“Brett, who shot you?” Maddox caught him just before he collapsed. “Mama Mary, Rose, hurry, I need help!”
Sam was still clinging to Brett, looking scared to death.
“It’s okay, son,” Brett murmured in a soothing voice as he lowered him to the floor. “I’ll be fine. Maddox is my brother.” He gestured toward the badge on Maddox’s shirt. “He’s a good guy, the sheriff. He’ll help us find your mommy and get rid of those bad men.”
Mama Mary and Rose rushed in, both startled by the blood on his shirt.
“Oh, my word!” Mama Mary cried. “What’s going on?”
“This is Willow’s son, Sam,” Brett said. And my son, too.
“Brett, this is Rose,” Maddox said.
Brett muttered that he was glad to meet her. “Take care of Sam, Mama Mary. Two men took Willow and I need Maddox’s help.”
Rose gasped. “They took Willow?”
“You know her?” Brett asked.
Rose nodded. “I sell her quilts at my antiques shop.”
Mama Mary dropped to her knees, her big bulk swaying as she rubbed Sam’s arms. “Come on, little one. I bet you’re hungry and tired aren’t you?”
Sam hung on to Brett’s leg. “I want my mommy,” Sam said in a haunted voice.
Tears glistened on Mama Mary’s eyelashes, but she didn’t hesitate to comfort Sam, just the way she’d comforted him when he was little and his mother died.
“I know you do, sugar,” Mama Mary said. “And don’t you worry. Mr. Brett and Mr. Maddox are the two finest men in Wyoming. They’ll have your mama back in no time.” She dried his eyes with her apron. “Now your mama would want you to eat.”
Sam leaned in to the big woman’s loving arms. “Come on, little one. Mama Mary will whip you up some mac and cheese. I bet you like mac and cheese, don’t you? It was Mr. Brett’s favorite when he was your age.”
Sam nodded against her, and Brett ruffled Sam’s hair. “It’s okay, bud. I’ll be right here. My brother’s going to patch me up.”
Sam seemed to accept what he’d said, and Mama Mary carted him to the kitchen where Brett knew he was in good hands.
Maddox helped him into the den and onto the couch. “Rose, get some towels so we can stop this bleeding. Then call Dr. Cumberland. We have to remove this bullet.”
“There’s no time,” Brett argued.
“Listen to me, Brett,” Maddox said in a deep voice. “You won’t be any good if you die on me.”
Rose dashed from the room, and Maddox poured two whiskeys. He returned and handed Brett a glass, then took a swig of his own, his eyes dark with rage and worry.
“Now, what the hell is going on?”
Brett rubbed his hand over his eyes, then swallowed his drink. “You aren’t going to like it.”
“I know that.” Maddox walked over and sat down beside him. “But I’m your brother, man. And if you need my help, I’m here. But I need to know everything.”
Brett nearly choked on his emotions. He’d just found out he had a son. And now his brother was ready to help him.
Of course Maddox didn’t know what all he’d done.
But it was time for him to come clean. He’d take whatever punishment came his way. As long as Maddox helped him save Willow.
“The night of the funeral,” he began, “Willow called me, hysterical.”
Maddox leaned his elbows on his knees. “This has to do with her husband, Leo, doesn’t it? Did she know he was a crook?”
Brett shook his head, a bead of perspiration trickling down his brow. “They were separated, but he was supposed to come by her house and drop off divorce papers. On the way he picked up Sam. When Willow arrived home, she found Leo dead. And the men who’d killed him had abducted Sam.”
Maddox muttered a curse, and let a heartbeat of silence pass. “Go on.”
“They told Willow that if she called the law, they’d kill Sam.”
“That’s the reason you were snooping around on my computer?”
“Yes. The kidnappers said that Leo had a half million dollars. They wanted the money in exchange for her son.” His son.
“What’s the connection with the prisoner?”
“I think the kidnappers worked with Leo, they were his partners and he betrayed them so they killed him.”
“His partners? You’re talking about the cattle-rustling ring?”
“Yeah. When the police became suspicious about it, the leaders threatened Garcia’s family, so he took the fall for all the charges.”
Rose ran in with some towels, and Maddox cut Brett’s shirt off to examine the wound. They pressed towels to the bloody area, then applied pressure.
“So where’s Leo’s body?” Maddox asked.
Brett gritted his teeth at the pain. “I buried him, Maddox. Just until we could find Sam.”
Maddox exploded and stormed across the room. Rose offered Brett a sympathetic look, folded another towel and pressed it to his bloody shoulder.
Brett cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, Maddox, but I didn’t know what else to do. I did try to preserve evidence.”
“How could you preserve evidence when you buried him?” Maddox crossed his arms as he stopped pacing. “Brett, do you realize what kind of position you’ve put me in?”
Brett let the silence fall. He could never live up to Maddox.
“Yes, and I’m sorry,” he said honestly. “But Willow was terrified, afraid they’d kill Sam because we think he witnessed Leo’s murder.”
Maddox pinched the bridge of his nose.
Brett’s lungs squeezed for air. “There’s something else.”
Maddox shoved his hands through his hair. “What?”
Brett swallowed hard. He couldn’t believe it himself. But it was true. “Sam is my son.”
* * *
WILLOW CLENCHED THE PIECE of rope that she’d found on the floor in her hand as if that piece of cord tied her to Sam.
She picked up the stuffed animal and pressed it to her nose. Sam’s sweet little-boy smell permeated the toy just as his infectious laugh and insatiable curiosity filled her with love.
Footsteps echoed outside, then the door squeaked open. Remembering they’d set a deadline before they killed her, she barely suppressed tears.
They had removed their bandannas this time, revealing harsh faces, rough with beard stubble and scars. Faces that were now imprinted in her brain.
Which meant they were definitely going to kill her.
The bigger man with beefy hands strode over to her with a gun in his hand. The taller one stepped into the room with his phone.
The bigger guy grabbed her by her hair and jammed the weapon to her head. Willow cried out at the force, but froze when she felt the cold barrel at her temple.
Were they going to kill her now?
* * *
BRETT GRITTED HIS TEETH as the doctor removed the bullet, then cleaned the wound and stitched his shoulder.
“I didn’t know doctors made house calls anymore.” Although he knew this man had taken care of his father and had been friends with Joe McCullen.
Dr. Cumberland chuckled, but his eyes looked serious beneath his square glasses. “I usually don’t, but this is a small town, and your brother is the sheriff.”
“Yeah.”
“He’s a good man,” the doctor said. “He takes care of this town and the people in it.”
Guilt nagged at Brett. Unfortunately, Brett had put him in a terrible position.
From the doorway he heard Maddox discussing the situation with Rose. “I know he had reason,” Maddox said, “but this is a mess. I have to retrieve Howard’s body and have the crime scene processed.”
“What about Willow?”
Maddox made a low sound in his throat. “We’ll figure out a way to find her.”
Dr. Cumberland handed Brett two prescription bottles. “Take these for pain when you need them. The other is an antibiotic to prevent infection.”
Brett waved Maddox over. “I’ve already called my business manager. He should have a hundred thousand ready for me by morning.”
Maddox scowled down at him where he lay on the couch. “Okay, but even if you give them the money, they may still kill Willow.”
Brett clenched the pill bottles in one hand. “I won’t let that happen.”
Maddox studied him for a long moment while Rose watched, her expression concerned. “I want these guys,” Maddox said. “Leo Howard was a crook. He was the leader of a cattle-rustling operation across the state. Our town isn’t the first one he hit.”
“Willow didn’t know anything about it,” Brett said earnestly.
“I don’t doubt that. But he even stole from Horseshoe Creek, Brett. So this is personal.”
More personal to Brett because the man had threatened Willow and Sam.
“Do you know who Leo was working with?” Maddox asked.
Brett thought hard. “There was a man named Wally Norman who was questioned about the cattle rustling.”
Maddox nodded. “Yeah. Norman went to prison later on other charges. I think his partner was a man named Jasper Day. Day disappeared after Norman was locked up. I suspect he was lying low until the heat died down and he could get his hands on his share.”
“I think Boyle Gates might have been involved, too,” Brett said. “Willow and I talked to him, but he threw us out.”
“Gates?” Maddox pulled his hand down his chin. “I wondered how that SOB grew his spread so quickly. Probably filled it with stolen cattle.”
“He’s smart, though,” Brett said. “If he’s involved, he helped set Gus Garcia up to take the fall.” He tried to sit up, but he swayed slightly. Maddox steadied him, and Brett set the pills on the table. He didn’t intend to take anything to impair his judgment. He needed a clear head to save Willow.
“I’ll send a team to process Willow’s house,” Maddox said. “If we can match prints to whoever was there, maybe we can use it to track down the men who have Willow. Knowing their identities may lead us to a location where they’re holding her.”
Maddox reached for his phone. “I’ll also get my deputy looking into Day’s and Norman’s whereabouts.”
Brett started to thank Maddox, but his phone buzzed. His shoulder throbbed as he shifted and dug it from his jacket pocket. A text.
Fear ripped through him at the sight of the photo of Willow with the gun to her temple. Below the picture, the kidnapper had typed a message.
Twenty-four hours or she’s dead.
Chapter Eighteen
Brett wanted to punch something. If those jerks hurt Willow, he’d kill them.
Maddox yanked on his jacket. “I’m meeting my head CSI guy, Hoberman, at Willow’s. If the kidnappers left prints, we’ll find them and get an ID.”
Brett gripped the edge of the sofa to stand. “I’ll go with you.”
Maddox laid a hand on Brett’s shoulder. “No, Brett. Let me do my job. You aren’t going to be any good to anyone, if you don’t get some rest.”
Maddox leaned over and planted a kiss on Rose’s lips. “I’ll be back later.”
“Be careful,” Rose said softly.
Maddox’s eyes darkened as he kissed her again, and Brett looked away.
He’d always seen his brother as the strong one, the one who didn’t need anyone, but watching him with Rose gave him a glimpse of another side.
Maddox was just as vulnerable as he and Ray had been. Only Maddox had been the oldest, and his father had relied on him to be strong for his little brothers.
No wonder Maddox had resented the two of them when they let him down.
Mama Mary appeared at the door with Sam by her side. The gleam in the older woman’s eyes told Brett all he needed to know. She’d fallen in love with the little boy at first sight.
Mama Mary was fierce and loving, had steered him back on track a few times when he’d strayed, but she always did it with a loving hand.
His heart twisted as his gaze rested on his son. His chin, those eyes, the dimple, even that cowlick reminded him of himself. And Sam looked just as lost as he had when his mother died.
But he was not going to let Sam lose Willow. Not as long as he had a breath in his body.
“Mr. Brett, he wolfed down that mac and cheese, but I believe this boy needs some sleep. I’m gonna take him upstairs. Which room do you want him in?”
Brett smiled at Mama Mary and pushed himself to stand. “My room. I’ll take him.”
Mama Mary’s eyes twinkled with understanding. “There’s a box of some of your old clothes in the storage room. I bet I could find some pajamas in there that would fit Sam.”
“That would be great.” Brett’s shoulder throbbed as he made his way over to Sam, but he ignored the pain. “Come on, buddy. I’ll show you my room.”
Sam gave Brett a brave nod and slipped his small hand into Brett’s.
Emotions flooded Brett.
A pity that now he’d come home, Brett’s father was gone. And that Sam would never know his grandfather.
Sam tightened his fingers inside Brett’s palm, and he squeezed his son’s hand, amazed at the protective instincts that surged to life.
He would not let his kid down.
Together they climbed the steps, Brett walking slower to accommodate Sam’s shorter stride. When they reached the landing, he took Sam to the last room on the right, his old bedroom.
Sam’s eyes widened when he entered. Brett felt a sense of pride at the fact that his father had left all his rodeo posters on the walls. Men who’d been heroe
s to Brett and inspired his drive to join the circuit.
“Did you go to all those rodeos?” Sam asked.
Brett grinned. “Every last one. My daddy took me when I was little. And I’ll take you.”
Sam looked up at him in awe. “I wanna go, but Mommy always said no.”
Brett stooped down to Sam’s eye level and rubbed his arm. “Well, maybe together we can change her mind.” Although hurt and anger with Willow gnawed at him—she’d deprived him of the first four years of Sam’s life.
He pushed aside his own feelings, though. Sam would have to come first.
“You really think she’ll let me come to one of your rodeos?”
To one of his? “I promise we’ll work something out. Maybe I can teach you some tricks one day. Would you like that?”
Sam bobbed his head up and down, fighting a yawn.
Mama Mary appeared with a pair of flannel pajamas with superheroes on them. “I think these will fit.”
Brett took them from her and thanked her. “Will these do, little man?”
Sam nodded and began to peel off his jeans. Brett squatted down to help him change, worried as he looked for bruises on the boy. “Sam, I know you were scared of those bad men. Did they hurt you?”
Sam pulled on the pajamas. “They locked me in that dark room and wouldn’t let me out.”
The quiver in his voice tore at Brett. He helped Sam slide on the pajama shirt, then folded down the quilt, and Sam crawled into bed. Then he sat down beside him and tucked the covers up over Sam.
“Do you know where you were? Was it a house or a barn? Was it in town or on a farm somewhere?”
Sam sniffed. “It was a house, but the windows was nailed shut.”
Anger made Brett clench his jaw. “When you looked out the window, what did you see? Another building? Cows or horses?”
Sam twisted the sheet with his fingers. “Woods. There was trees and trees everywhere.”
Brett sighed. “How about noises? Did you hear anything nearby? Maybe a train or cars? Or a creek?”
Sam scrunched his nose in thought. “I can’t remember. I just heard that big man’s mean voice. He tolded me to eat this gross sandwich, but I didn’t want it, I wanted Mommy. And he got mad...”
Sam’s voice broke and tears filled his eyes.