by Chloe Lang
“I’m simply asking about her safety, buddy. She’s okay, right? You didn’t see anyone around her place?”
“She’s fine, Austin.” Lance’s hard-nosed timbre spoke volumes. “We walked the perimeter of her house several times and saw nothing.”
“Good to know.” Austin stood by their booth. “I just got word the cartel killed a guy named Soliz. He’s one of their own. Apparently, they believe he stole the four hundred thousand dollars.”
Lance sighed. “You mean this might all be over? Danielle will be okay?”
“Maybe. Does Danielle know this Soliz character?”
Chuck didn’t like Austin’s tone. “Why would you think that?”
“She’s keeping secrets. I can tell. Though she didn’t say, it was clear to me she knew Soto when I told the sheriff about him.”
“She has nothing to do with this, Austin.” Chuck felt acid in the back of his throat. He knew Danielle’s truth and the horrible past she’d suffered at her stepfather’s hands. “Yes, she knows Soto, but she would never be involved in some kind of scheme with him. I am sure she has never met Soliz.”
Austin nodded. “I believe you. Hopefully, the cartel doesn’t think she was working with their man Soliz.”
Chuck jumped to his feet. “Fuck, we’ve got to go. Who the hell knows when they might try something?”
Lance stepped next to him. There was no other man Chuck would want by his side more than him. “We shouldn’t have left her in the first place.”
Austin moved beside them. “I understand how you feel. Our sheriff is the best. He won’t let anything happen to Danielle.”
“Just go. Both of you.” Carlotta’s gaze remained on Lance and Chuck. “I’m giving you da day off. Da diner vill be fine.”
“I’m going, too,” Austin said. “I need to talk to the sheriff about this.”
With his heart thudding in his chest, Chuck ran out the door with Lance and Austin.
He had to get to Danielle, had to make sure she was safe.
* * * *
“Pauline was from Wilde.” Danielle’s heartache for losing the woman still stung. “That’s why I came here.”
“How old was she when you ran away?”
“Seventy-seven.” She would’ve been eighty-seven if Miguel hadn’t killed her. “Does any of this help you?”
“The more information I get, the better. I’m sure I’ll find the murder in the database.” Sheriff Champion wrote the information on his notepad. “Do you know her birthday?”
“It was in June, but I don’t remember the date.”
“That’s helpful. It will narrow it down. How old was she when she left Wilde?”
“Sixteen, I believe. I wish I knew her maiden name, but she never told it to me.”
“This is more than I had.” The sheriff’s phone rang. “I’ll run this through the database and see what we find on Soto.” He picked up the receiver. “Sheriff Champion.”
Danielle saw his eyes narrow. He wrote something on his notepad and showed it to her.
There’s been a break-in at your house. Maude was shot. Assailant escaped.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
“Danielle is with me. We’re headed that way now.” He hung up the phone. “Danielle, do you have your cell?” he asked, standing.
She nodded.
“Call Lance and Chuck and have them meet us at your house.”
Before she even brought the phone out of her purse, Lance and Chuck rushed in, the two men she wanted with her more than anyone else, along with Austin Wilde.
Sheriff Champion came around his desk. “I guess you already heard.”
Lance nodded. “The cartel is sending a man to Danielle’s house.”
“Not sending. Sent.” The sheriff put his gun belt around his waist. “The thug has already been there and shot Maude Strong.”
Chuck pulled her in tight to him. “Let’s go.”
They rushed out the door.
Lance grabbed her hand. “You okay?”
“I’m fine, but I want to get to Maude as fast as I can.”
Chapter Ten
Danielle sat between Lance and Chuck in the back of the patrol car. Austin sat up front with the sheriff, who was driving.
The sheriff turned right onto her street. Her home was ten houses down and on the left.
Austin had told her and the sheriff about the death of Soliz, the man who likely had stolen the four hundred thousand dollars from the cartel.
“Why would they send someone to my house, then?” Danielle’s heart was thudding hard in her chest. She prayed Maude was okay. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
“That’s the question I want answered,” Austin said. “They may believe you were in on it.”
The sheriff parked the car in front. She saw Alex’s vehicle and Justin’s truck. Maude’s car was in the driveway.
They all ran to the front door, which was ajar.
Inside her house was Maude, who was sitting in a chair in her kitchen. Alex was dressing her right arm. Justin, wearing gloves, was checking out the back door.
She rushed to Maude’s side. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Danielle. You should see the other guy, though. He fired first. Knocked me to the ground, but I got off a shot before he ran away. Hit him in the shoulder.”
“Is she really okay, Alex?”
“She is. Maude is tough as nails. This is only a flesh wound.”
“Dad, looks like the guy picked the lock,” Justin said.
“Dust it for prints, son. I need to get a statement from you, Maude. You up to it?”
“Wayne, you heard the doc. I’m tough. I want to get this guy as much as anyone. I came over to fix Danielle’s leaky faucet. When I parked my car and saw a motorcycle on the side of the house, I knew something was not right. I wrote down the plate’s number. It’s in my purse. I also pulled out my gun.”
“Mom, are you okay?” Seth Strong ran in with Charly and Heath.
“I’m fine, son. Just giving my statement to the sheriff. Hold on and let me finish.”
Charly knelt in front of Maude and grabbed her hand. “Oh my God. What happened to your arm?”
“I was shot, but this old broad is still hunky-dory. Don’t worry. Doc will fix me up good as new. Let me finish with my story, okay.” Maude turned back to the sheriff. “Like I was saying. I saw the motorcycle and knew something was up. So, I pulled out my—”
“Where’s my wife?” Greg Strong ran in with Grant, Maude’s other husband, behind him.
“I’m right here.”
The two men rushed to her side.
Grant touched her cheek. “Baby, we just heard.”
“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Greg placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Yes, honey. I’m perfectly fine. The guy only grazed me.”
“Thank God.” Grant kissed her.
Both Maude’s husbands were tough as nails, but Danielle could tell they were shaken by what had happened to their wife.
Greg stroked her hair. “This was too close, sweetheart. Did you wait for the sheriff? No, of course you didn’t. No more taking chances like this one. Understand?”
She winked. “Okay, honey. Let me finish giving the sheriff my statement, please.”
“Go ahead,” Greg said.
“Where was I? I pulled out my gun and walked to the door.”
“I knew it,” Greg stated, kissing her cheek. “I’m not letting you out of my sight anymore.”
Maude shook her head. “Who is going to run the ranch if you are with me at the hotel?”
“Grant and I can take turns. One of us needs to keep an eye on you, it seems.”
Danielle loved seeing how caring Maude’s men were with her. Before Maude could continue with her story, in ran the rest of the Strong family, her other sons and Charly’s other husbands—Tobias, Nate, Dax, and Drake.
Maude’s entire family was by her side, surrounding her with love and concern.
“You won’t be staying here tonight,” Lance said. “It’s not safe.”
“We’re taking you to Michael’s place. Gather up what you want and we’ll get you settled in.”
She’d been on her own for so long, her whole life…until they walked into the diner the other day. Ever since, she felt like someone gave a damn about her, someone cared for her. Lance and Chuck were taking hold of her heart.
“Okay, let me finish.” Maude was clearly determined to get her story out. “Please. Danielle’s safety depends on me telling the sheriff everything.”
It wasn’t just Lance and Chuck who cared for her. It was Maude. The sheriff. Carlotta. I must call her as soon as possible. The whole town. No wonder Pauline had loved Wilde so much. It was the greatest place in the world. It was home to Danielle now.
Maude continued giving her statement. “Average height. I’d guess him to be five-ten or eleven. Lean build. Tattoos on his arms and neck. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Mexican. Late forties. He wore jeans and a blue T-shirt with a Harley-Davidson logo. Leather boots. I heard him drive off on the motorcycle. I saw it when I came up to the house. So as I told you before, I knew something was up, so I wrote down the plate’s number. The bike was painted with flames.” Maude pointed to her gun on the table. “Be sure to add that he was hit in the shoulder. The left side.”
“No one gives that good of a description, much less after being shot.” The sheriff smiled. “Maude, you are amazing.”
“Yes, she is.” After hearing Maude’s description of her attacker, an image of Miguel Soto floated in Danielle’s mind. “That sounds a lot like my stepfather, Sheriff.”
“I’ve only seen his arrest record photo, but yes, it does.” Sheriff Champion got out his phone. “I’ll call the state authorities with this description. Justin, you call around to the surrounding clinics and hospitals and see if the guy has showed up at their facilities.”
“The cartel has their own doctors on their payroll.” Austin, a man who was normally hard to read, was obviously frustrated. “I doubt we’ll find him at some public place.”
“That’s if he can make it to them.” Sheriff Champion sounded determined to keep her and the rest of the citizens of the county safe. “Maude is an excellent shot. I doubt the bastard will get far. Austin, talk to your contacts. We need a name. I want to get this guy before he slips back into the cartel’s hole. Danielle, is anything missing? The place looks undisturbed. I think Maude must’ve arrived right after the man broke in.”
“Nothing looks out of place here. Let me check the living room.” She walked over to the coffee table and picked up the book Pauline gave her. “Same here. Maude saved the day.” She walked back into the kitchen and stood in front of the fearless woman. “Thank you. I am so glad you are okay.”
“I am, young lady, but I still need to fix your faucet.”
She laughed. “It can wait.”
* * * *
Miguel’s shoulder burned like lava. The bullet that bitch had fired at him had gone clean through. The female doctor had cleaned up his wound. After she’d left his room, he’d slipped out before anyone saw him.
That fucking bitch back in Wilde kept me from getting my book, but it’s mine. I won’t stop until it’s back in my hands, even if I have to kill a dozen people.
Miguel hadn’t had a chance to check out Danielle’s house for the treasure, only having made it into the kitchen. He had no clue who the woman was. She definitely wasn’t Danielle. But he’d fired a shot into her. He hoped it hurt like hell.
Miguel jumped on his motorcycle. He’d stashed his ace-in-the-hole that Soliz had brought him in an abandoned cabin a few miles from town. Poor Soliz. The guy was dead now.
Miguel would bring Merle back to Danielle’s place. That way, his fucking stepdaughter would be forced to give him the book. Even though those two hadn’t seen each other in years, like before, with them, blood was always thicker than water.
Merle was a weak slut and Danielle was a stupid cunt. He’d been able to control them back then, and he would again one last time. Then he would put the two worthless bitches out of their misery for good.
He smiled and headed down the highway, his plan swirling in his head.
* * * *
Lance walked around the outside of Michael’s house, checking every bush, every tree, every dark spot.
Every protective fiber in his body had remained tight and on alert since leaving Danielle’s house.
Maude had been shot.
That could’ve been Danielle if she hadn’t been at the sheriff’s office.
Danielle was inside Michael’s place with Chuck.
Sheriff Champion, Justin, and Austin were headed to Elko. They’d gotten word from Dr. Tara Vines that a man with a gunshot wound had been treated there a little while ago.
Lance held a flashlight in one hand and his gun in the other. The shooting was the second time that someone had tried to hurt Danielle. The image of the car careening toward her played over and over in his mind.
His gut tightened.
I won’t let her out of my sight again. Am I falling in love with her?
He bent down, shining a light at one of the many rosebushes.
Danielle was everything to him. He hadn’t cared for anyone like he cared for her. No woman had ever moved him like Danielle. She was so brave and kind. Funny and sexy as hell.
The cartel issue would be resolved, even if he had to blow away every last one of the drug dealers himself. He and Chuck had the funds to make sure that happened. They could hire the best mercenaries money could buy if need be.
He’d never wanted to go to war with drug dealers, but for Danielle, he would spend every dime he had and fight the devil himself to make sure she was safe.
Hell, I must be in love with her. In his heart, he knew he was.
* * * *
Chuck checked the locks on the windows of Michael’s house one more time. The only thing he wanted was to keep Danielle safe.
She was in the bath that he’d drawn for her.
Lance was at the back door, which was made of glass. Not very secure, but he would make sure to keep an eye on it while they were here. He opened the door.
“Everything looks fine outside.”
She was safe for now. “All the windows and doors are secure. Danielle is taking a bath.”
“Good. That gives you and I a chance to talk.”
“About her, right?” He knew his friend was thinking the same thing he was. She could have been killed that afternoon.
“Damn right about her,” Lance said. “We can’t let anything happen to her, Chuck. She means too much to me.”
“To me, too,” he confessed. “She’s changed me, Lance. I can’t imagine a life without her in it. I love her.”
“I love her, too.”
He sat down at the table. “How can we protect her, Lance?”
“At first light, we take her to the jet. Let’s head to somewhere the cartel can’t reach.”
“Great idea, buddy.” He nodded. “Austin said this Rio Grande group runs in the Southwest. I think we should take Danielle to Paris.”
“Absolutely. It will be hard to get her to leave Wilde. I can tell she loves it here.”
“Hell, I love it here, too. This place gets under your skin fast. No wonder Michael decided to stay.”
“Once the dust settles and this cartel issue is finished, we bring her back.”
* * * *
Miguel looked at the bitch who had betrayed him. “How fast did it take you to spread your legs for my cousin?”
Before Merle could answer, he hit her in the face and her eyes began to swell.
“That’s for the years you fucked the bastard while I was in prison.” He hit her again. “You were just as guilty as me.”
Merle had refused to testify on his b
ehalf at his murder trial, which enraged him. So fucking weak and worthless.
“Our little girl has a nice home here, doesn’t she?” He glanced around the kitchen. “We did a great job raising her, didn’t we?”
He slapped Merle across the face again, enjoying the look of panic in her eyes.
Blood colored her lips. “Miguel, do what you want to me, but please, don’t hurt Danielle.”
Kidnapping her had been easy with Soliz’s help. After she’d learned that Danielle was still alive, Merle had crept out of Ricardo’s bed and house. Soliz had found her trying to start one of the cartel’s cars. His old friend had promised to help her but instead had brought her straight to Miguel. Besides handing over the bitch, Soliz also had given him Danielle’s address in Wilde, Nevada.
But now Soliz was dead. The four hundred thousand was back in Ricardo’s chickenshit hands. Miguel’s chance of overthrowing his cousin seemed distant. He needed money. Now.
“Where the fuck did your daughter put my book?” he screamed at his ex-wife.
The whore sat in the kitchen chair he’d tied her to. “I don’t know, Miguel. I swear. I haven’t seen her since she ran away. You know that.”
He’d emptied every drawer, looked in every closet, turned over every inch of Danielle’s house. Nothing.
He looked at Danielle’s waitress uniform. The name embroidered on the top was where he needed to go.
Someone at Norma’s Diner had to know where the little bitch had slunk off to hide. All he had to do was find out who and follow them to his stepdaughter.
Chapter Eleven
Danielle walked into Michael and Harry’s living room. The warm bath Chuck had put her in had helped ease some of the tension in her shoulders, but not all of it. How could water wash away all that had happened?
She found Lance and Chuck sitting with Carlotta.
Her boss wore her white turban. “My dear, come sit vith us.”
She moved to the sofa and sat between Lance and Chuck. “I’m sorry about my shift, Carlotta. I hope I didn’t leave you in a mess.”