“Almonds in lemonade?” His mind tried to figure out what that meant. “That’s cyanide,” he shouted out.
“Son of a bitch.” The entire kitchen had been filled with mostly prepared foods. “There was no guarantee that only the lemonade had been poisoned. Dump it all. I don’t want anyone to even sample it. The groceries from the store are still in my trunk. There’s a case of water bottles and Gatorade.”
“Okay, I’ll run and get it.”
“No. Send James. You watch that bitch out there. He’s used to wrangling heifers, but that’s one sick, twisted bitch out there.”
“Got it.”
As they tossed all the food on the counter in the garbage, Mike blurted out, “Where is the real Ms. Rhoades?”
“Good question. Let’s ask this bitch.”
Mike confronted the woman with his hands on the armrests of her chair as he glared in her face. “Where the fuck is the real Ms. Rhoades?”
“Trapped in Cummings’s apartment.” There had been no true fear in her eyes. She answered as if she couldn’t give two fucks about the woman.
“Why didn’t he just kill her too?” Bill questioned.
Mike stood up and crossed his arms and answered for her. “Because I bet he plans on selling her, doesn’t he?”
She shrugged off the question, remaining completely unaffected. “There’s a lot of money in sex trafficking.”
“Damn, see? I told you she was heartless. I wonder how many cases her husband has taken that involve that same issue.”
“How many did he sell?” Mike added.
“He’s not into that.” That was the first time she spoke with inflection. She either had to be naïve or willingly ignorant.
“Whatever lies you want to tell yourself.”
Sirens blared through the fast-approaching rain.
Bill’s phone rang and he put it on speaker. “What’s going on, Chris?”
“We’ve got almost all of them wrangled and in the barn, but we’re missing two.”
“Report back. Maybe someone will find them grazing somewhere in the morning.”
“It’s still early. Is there something wrong?”
“Yes.”
“We’re on our way.”
The police, fire, and ambulance arrived. “The body’s over here. This wench was his accomplice, and Grace needs to be seen,” Bill said, shaking the sheriff’s hand.
“I was almost to the hospital when I got the call. I spun around and flew here. Who did the honors?”
“That would be me. He had Johnathan Gibson held hostage with a gun to the baby. I took my opening.”
“And you are?” the sheriff asked Mike.
Bill stepped up and said, “This is the security guard Gage hired to protect Hope and Johnathan. The other one was sent to the hospital with them.”
“Yes, he was shot in the shoulder.”
Grace called out as the medic came to look at her. “I don’t need a doctor. I need to know how my son and daughter are doing.”
“We’ll get you to the hospital, Grace,” the sheriff exclaimed. He had known her for decades. Her love for her family was absolute.
“Mike, can you pack the baby a bag?” she asked him, putting on her shoes and grabbing her purse.
“Yes, ma’am.” He left the room and made quick work of getting the baby’s things together. After spending so much time with the little guy, he’d been well aware of all the things he needed and liked.
“Ma’am…Grace. We need you to ride in the ambulance. Don’t fight us on this. Your injury is worse than you believe it is.”
“Fine, but only Mike is allowed to take Johnny.”
“I’ll make sure to lock up after they leave,” Bill said.
“Oh, and the power company will be by sometime tonight to fix the downed pole,” the sheriff added.
“Where is it at?” James asked.
“About a mile off the beaten track. The storm didn’t take it out. Someone else did.”
“Hey, don’t forget that the real Ms. Rhoades is at Cummings’s apartment.”
“She is?”
“Yes. Okay. I’ll send a couple of officers over there to retrieve her.”
Ten minutes later, Mike carried the baby to the car, strapped him in the seat, and then drove off toward the hospital. The officers waited for the coroner to retrieve the body and to take Mrs. Sparks in custody. They put out a warrant for Dallas Sparks’s arrest and the questioning of Grieg and Moran, who had seemingly disappeared.
Chapter 11
An hour after the minor surgery to his leg, Gage was wheeled in to see Hope in the ICU. Tears fell from his face as he prayed that she’d survive. “Hope, you have to wake up for me. I can’t lose you.” He gripped her hand and squeezed it as he cried. Never in his life had he felt so helpless and lost. Without her, he didn’t know if he could go on.
“Gage. Gage.” Her voice was so weak it could barely be heard above the sound of the machines.
“Hope. You’re awake.” He reached down and buzzed the nurse.
“She’s awake.” His voice practically sang, catching the nurse off guard. Two nurses and the doctor on call came into the room and started looking her over.
“Hope, Mrs. Gibson, can you hear us?”
She nodded gently, her eyes drooping again. “Do you know where you are?” Again she nodded, but she didn’t say it.
“So far, she’s improving. We need to take this slowly. We’re going to let her rest for now. You need to do so as well, Mr. Gibson.”
“Not going to happen. I’m not leaving her.”
“We can put another bed in here if you’d like.”
“That’s fine.” He grabbed Hope’s hand again and she moaned his name.
“I’m here, baby. I’m not going anywhere.” The doctor and nurses watched in amazement because Hope had known his touch even in her unconsciousness.
After watching the scene before them the hospital staff decided to give them some privacy. “We’ll back in a little while.”
As he watched her, thoughts of getting even with everyone who hurt her ran through his head.
“Gage…what happened?” Hope looked up at him through blurry eyes. He had a large white bandage on his forehead.
“We were forced off the road. They’re working on finding those who did it.”
“The baby?” She clutched at her stomach.
“Relax, my love. He’s okay.” Hope closed her eyes and smiled gently. “Oh my goodness. What about Johnny? They could be going to the house.”
A knock at the door surprised them, and Dax came into the room. “I’m glad to see you both awake. I would have been in here sooner, but they wanted you to rest.” Dax felt a sense of guilt as he looked at his broken friends. He had taken their case seriously, but it didn’t matter because his hands had been tied. At least now everyone would be working double time on this.
“Thanks. Any news for us? Please tell us our baby boy is safe.” Even as Gage asked the question, he feared the answer.
“A lot.” He grabbed a chair and sat on the opposite side of Hope and then began. “First, Johnathan is safe.”
“That’s good, but I feel there’s a major but coming.” Hope squeezed Gage’s hand, attempting to calm him down.
“There is. Cummings is dead.” Hope released a sigh of relief.
“How? When?”
“Cummings got into your home. He attacked and there was a standoff between him and Mike.”
“What about my mother?”
“She’s on her way here. She was roughed up, but they claim she’s refusing treatment.”
“Sounds just like her.”
Dax went over everything he’d learned before he came to see them. Extra guards were outside their room with photos of the three missing actors: Sparks, Grieg, and Moran.
Another knock on the door brought Mike and Johnny. “I thought you two would want to see him.”
“Ma…ma…ma.” Gage took his boy and held him close
before bringing him to Hope for a kiss. He didn’t let her take the baby because he was too heavy for her right now and she was barely conscious.
“Thank you, Mike. We truly can’t thank you enough for protecting our family.”
“Just doing my job.” A subtle blush filled his cheeks.
“How’s Denver?” Dax asked.
“They’re going to release him in about twenty minutes. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and he’s refusing to stay in bed.”
“It seems none of you can behave,” the nurse remarked, coming into the room. “Ooh, who is this little cutie?”
“I’m Mike,” he teased.
“I was talking about the baby.”
“He’s our son, Johnathan.”
“So adorable. I’m sorry to break up the party, but my patients need their rest.”
“I’ll take care of the baby.” Gage and Hope gave Johnathan another kiss before Mike took the baby and said goodnight. He was taking Denver too and they were going back to the ranch. While they were at the hospital, the rain had stopped and the power line had been fixed. All of the security systems were up and running.
* * *
“What are you two idiots doing here?” Judge Rivera roared as Grieg and Moran entered his garage where the judge had been working on his classic 1962 Corvette.
“Sorry, we’re in trouble and you haven’t contacted us. We need money. They didn’t die and that bitch Sparks tricked on us. They are ready to kill on sight at this point.”
“Well, who the fuck told you to run in the first place?”
“You’re not the one who got shot. You got to sit there and act like you’re all fucking high and mighty. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll make a call and tell them that you paid to have Gage Gibson killed and even had the evidence for Cummings destroyed.”
“Are you blackmailing me again? That’s how we got here the first time.”
“Well, that’s because you’re into underage girls. If only your wife knew…”
“I’ll kill you.” Rivera pulled out a gun and so did Grieg and Moran.
“Try it, you old bastard. I’ll take you out before you can take your next breath,” Moran said, having been an expert shooter in the US Army.
Without them realizing it, Mrs. Rivera had called the cops. She had heard her husband’s voicemail message from Grieg and knew he’d betrayed her in the foulest way. This morning she had set up recording devices throughout his favorite spaces, including the garage and his office. She listened in as they talked about the girls and she could barely stomach it. Grabbing one of Oscar’s guns, she moved to the garage, ready to put a bullet in each one of them, but as she reached the door she heard the Austin SWAT team shouting. Bullets flew, and she took cover in the house far from the garage.
Within a minute, the confrontation was over and Grieg, Moran, and Judge Rivera had been killed. The officers searched the house to find a tearful Mrs. Rivera with a gun in her hand.
“Put it down. We’re not here to hurt you.” She did so without an issue. They took her to the hospital for shock.
Over the next twenty-four hours, the story evolved and exploded. Everyone learned of the judge’s corruption, which made national news. Austin and the state of Texas had a lot of damage control to deal with, and that included trying to get Gage and Hope to play ball.
Epilogue
“Happy birthday to you!” They finished the song for little Johnny’s first birthday.
“Ah,” Hope groaned out, her face scrunched and her hand on her belly.
“Hope!” Gage was at her side. It was time for the baby, and from the sudden pool of water on their dining room floor, everyone else knew it as well.
“Go. Get her to the hospital. We’ll watch Johnny,” Grace said.
“I’ll drive,” Denver said, taking the prepared bag that had been in the front closet. They knew it had to be a matter of time. Her due date passed a week ago. She felt the pains start two hours ago, but she refused to not have a party for Johnny. Gage called Dr. Hart to meet them at the hospital.
Forty-two minutes later, they were in labor and delivery holding their little guy.
* * *
“Sparks, how did you get in here?” Hope cried out, clutching her brand-new bundle in her arms. It had only been a day since she’d given birth to their second son and she was going to be discharged that afternoon.
“It’s the only way I could get to you,” he snarled at Hope. “I want my life back and since you don’t know how to die, I’ve been on the run for too long. Not anymore.”
“There were guards outside my door.”
“People aren’t as observant as they believe. I got in here pretty easily. Your husband fell for the issue on the ranch and left you all alone. God, I’m going to enjoy his pain when he realizes he couldn’t protect you.” He laughed and pointed a .22 semi-auto with a makeshift suppressor at Hope.
“I’ll scream, and they’ll come for you,” she challenged.
“I don’t care about me. I want Gibson to suffer.”
“Why? What did he do to you?” she asked. She wondered if he lost a case against Gage or maybe more than one.
“His father killed my mother. He raped and killed her. I’ve worked my entire life to get revenge on the bastard and yet he continued to go unscathed.”
She remained composed, trying to talk him down. “So this is what it’s all about? Do you have kids?”
“Yes. One, but he lives with my mistress.”
“So one day you want my son to go after him? You’re no better than Gage’s father, the man Gage hated more than anyone else until my father.”
“Don’t try to make me feel guilty. He deserves this and so do you.” He sneered at her. Rage built inside him as he thought about how happy Gage was with Hope. The bastard didn’t deserve it.
“Why?”
He loaded the chamber and with a finality in his voice, he answered, “Fraternizing with the enemy.”
Gage hadn’t made it to the parking lot when he realized that this was all just a setup. He called in a favor and planned the whole takedown of Sparks, but this time he wanted it well recorded. The gun had been given to Sparks by a detective posing as a gang member. It had blanks and had been rigged to misfire into the shooter’s hand.
Gage wasn’t a fool. He’d hired Sean’s security firm to do an investigation on Sparks. The news came this morning that his father’s ghost was still trying to ruin his life. When he learned the connection, Gage knew it wouldn’t be over until Sparks had gotten the revenge he sought.
The second Sparks entered the building, he had been tracked on the hospital cameras. He dodged several guards, who were intentionally letting him slip by. At one point the smirk on Sparks’s face actually made Gage crack up. He thought he was getting the best of the security, but he had been the one fooled.
Listening in, Gage and the team of officers waited for their moment to jump in. They wanted her to keep him talking and he did just that.
They all heard the metal click. “Fraternizing with the enemy.”
Gage rushed out of the closet, coming up behind Sparks with his gun pressed to the back of Sparks’s head. “You’re an idiot. The piece of shit that was my father was also yours. He didn’t rape her, they were lovers. We could have gotten to know each other as family, but I guess you inherited too much from the old bastard.” He slammed Sparks’s body over the foot of the bed, sending the prop gun flying.
“Hope, love. Did you get all of that?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Great work, you two.”
“This time, make sure the tapes don’t disappear. In fact, we’ll be needing a copy.”
The cop came up to handle the cuffing when Sparks wrapped one of the cords from Hope’s machines around his neck.
“Let him go, Sparks.”
“No way.”
Gage had had enough. He pulled out his gun and shot Sparks in the arm.
“God, thank you,” the officer gasp
ed.
“You can’t underestimate the crazy.” Just as he said that, Sparks tried to come at them and another officer shot him on the spot, sending Sparks’s lifeless body crumbling to the ground.
“You could say that again. Let’s get this mess cleaned up,” Dax ordered.
Hope unwrapped the recording device and took off the protective vest they put on her before Sparks showed up and then the nurse walked in, pushing a wheelchair with their new baby strapped into his car seat. “I’m ready to go home.”
“Come on, Mrs. Gibson.” Gage kissed her lips and then helped her into the chair.
Three hours later, Gage, Hope, Johnny, and the baby rested in their own bed at home. “It’s all over,” he whispered, laying Johnny on his chest. He leaned down and kissed Hope’s temple as she cradled their new addition to the family, Dax Gibson.
About the Author
Amazon bestselling author, C.M. Steele lives inside her imagination and invites readers to join her. Although she does have to step out into reality and take care of her three children and her husband every day in the suburbs of Chicago. Her beautiful children and loving husband fill her day with joy and moments of frustrations, providing material for her to use in her stories.
C.M. has over a hundred novellas since beginning her indie journey in 2014 and will continue to press on as long as she has readers that enjoy her work.
You can follow her at www.cmsteele.com
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Also by C.M. Steele
Police and Fire: Operation Alpha
Guarding Hope
Guarding Forever
The Lamian Wars
Bound
Reveal
Release
Steele Riders MC
Boomer
Guarding Forever (Police and Fire Operation Alpha) Page 7