Wrangler's Rescue

by B. J Daniels

  Cyrus smiled at that. “Glad I could help since this place...” He turned to look out over the handful of cottages. “It was exactly what I needed.” He frowned then as he turned back to Hermon and lowered his voice. “You haven’t seen that man we talked about again?” A man with a badge had been looking for him. Not a local.

  Hermon shook his head. “Probably long gone.” The men shook hands and she and Cyrus climbed in the back of the taxi for the trip to the airport.

  AJ whispered to Cyrus as Hermon climbed behind the wheel, “There was some man you asked him about?”

  “Someone asking questions possibly about me.” She felt her eyes widen in alarm. “Don’t worry. We’re leaving. But he is probably the man who hired my attacker last night.”

  Still, that didn’t relieve her mind. “On someone else’s orders.”

  “Hermon said the man was an American with a badge.”

  “A cop? Or FBI or—”

  “Not someone with any authority or the local police would have been involved,” he quickly assured her.

  She sat back feeling sick to her stomach. “Wait, Flint told me that they have Juliette talking to a man on the ship on one of the surveillance videos. He’s an ex-cop from Arizona where one of Juliette’s husbands died and she’s being investigated for the man’s murder.”

  “Mystery solved,” Cyrus said.

  “He is probably the man who threw you off the ship that night,” she whispered back. It was all making sense. Except for why Cyrus would have married Juliette. “Why are you taking this so well?”

  “Because worrying won’t help,” Cyrus whispered. “I’m with you. Right now, that’s all I can ask for. So stop worrying.”

  It would have been easier to stop breathing. AJ tried to concentrate on the road ahead. She couldn’t wait to get off this island. The road up the mountain twisted and turned, the taxi bumping along as Hermon tried to avoid the deepest holes and not always missing.

  Cyrus reached over and took her hand, squeezing it as they took one turn on the edge of the mountain, the back wheel keeling over a little before Hermon got control again. She would have buckled her seat belt—if Hermon’s taxi had one. The old car was lucky to have seats.

  Cyrus gave her what he must have thought was a reassuring smile. She tried closing her eyes, willing the taxi to reach the airport, imagining herself sitting on the plane on the way to Miami. On the way home.

  She opened her eyes as they hit a huge pothole that jarred her teeth. Cyrus tightened his hold on her hand. They’d reached the main road. Not that it was paved but in a few places. The road rose and fell as it wound across the mountains toward the largest city on the island and the only airport.

  “Your family is going to be so glad to see you,” she said, squeezing Cyrus’s hand back. He nodded, his gaze straight ahead as if he was trying to see into the future.

  AJ tried not to think about Cyrus’s reaction to his family and them to him—once they realized he didn’t know any of them. She especially didn’t want to think about Juliette who was to blame for all of this, AJ was convinced. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder how the woman had fooled him into marrying her. It couldn’t have been love at first sight. It couldn’t have.

  She noticed that Cyrus wasn’t looking ahead as she’d thought. He was staring into the rearview mirror—and so was Hermon. Both of them looked concerned. Turning, she saw another vehicle taking the curves behind them at what seemed like a dangerous speed—as if the driver was trying to catch up to them.

  “Is there a problem?” she asked, glancing back again before turning her gaze on Hermon.

  The taxi driver shook his head. “No problem.” But he sped up, which didn’t relieve AJ’s tension in the least. On one side of the narrow road was a wall of dirt and thick vegetation that went up the mountain. On the other was a vertical drop down the mountainside at an alarming angle toward the sea. Hermon seemed to be fighting to keep the car on the road.

  “Who is that following us?” she asked, but the islander didn’t answer. He was busy trying to keep the car on the road. The rusted-out American car would have been in some wrecking yard in the States years ago. With every bump and turn she thought it might now fall apart.

  Cyrus put his arm around her and pulled her close. He looked as anxious as she felt. He’d told her that all he’d known when he’d come to in the water was that he was in danger. That feeling had never subsided and last night proved that he hadn’t been wrong. If, as she suspected, he’d been thrown off the ship, then he had good reason to feel he was in danger and still was. The ship had kept going along with whoever had tossed him into the sea in the middle of the night.

  But now somehow, someone else had apparently been sent to keep them from leaving the island alive.

  And they’d found her and Cyrus all because of geotagging that photo she’d taken of him. Now, someone else seemed determine that he would never leave this island. She knew who was behind it and swore that if she ever reached Montana, she would find Juliette and—

  The vehicle that had been chasing them caught up and bumped into the back of them, making the taxi wobble dangerously on the narrow road. She would have screamed but her heart was lodged in her throat. Cyrus pulled her closer as she looked back to see that the other vehicle was directly behind them riding their bumper.

  She shot a look at Hermon. Both of his hands gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles white, his eyes on the road ahead, his expression no longer on island time as he floored the old car.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  “HANG ON,” HERMON said as they took several curves on what felt like two wheels. As they came to what appeared to be a short straight stretch, the islander hit the brakes.

  AJ would have flown forward, either into the seat or over it headed for the windshield. But Cyrus had hold of her, his arm encircling her, his other arm wrapped about the seat to keep them both from taking flight.

  The instant Hermon hit his brakes, he cranked the wheel hard to the right. With only steep rising mountainside on their right, the taxi’s right front fender crashed into dirt and rocks and vegetation, all of it flying up over the hood.

  At almost the same exact moment, the vehicle that had been following them, struck the corner of the taxi. AJ heard the sound of glass breaking and metal screeching. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other vehicle seem to ping off the taxi and disappear over the edge of the other side of the road and down the mountainside.

  In the silence that followed, Hermon opened his door and stepped out. Cyrus tried to get out as well, but his door was jammed.

  A few moments later, Hermon climbed behind the wheel, glanced back at them as if to see if they were all right, and then, the engine still running, he reversed.

  There was a loud scraping sound as the smashed front right bumper rubbed against the tire. He backed into the road, stopped, jumped out and pulled the rusted bumper away from the tire, before hopping behind the wheel.

  As he went forward, the noise wasn’t quite as loud and after a few minutes on the road again, part of the bumper fell off, cartwheeling down the road behind them. The noise, AJ noted, stopped altogether, making Hermon smile broadly at them in the rearview mirror.

  “Shouldn’t be any more trouble on the way to the airport,” the islander said and began to hum.

  AJ looked back. There was no sign of the vehicle that had been chasing them or the man who’d been driving it.

  She looked at Cyrus. His face was grim but determined. He held her tightly. She laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She just wanted off this island. Once they were home...

  As if she thought for a minute that Cyrus would be safe once in Montana. Juliette would be there waiting. But it was Cyrus’s reaction to Juliette that had her worried.

  * * *

  AJ DIDN’T GET a chance to check her phone until they lande
d in Miami. They had twenty minutes before their next flight. They’d cut it close. They hurried to their plane and once aboard seated in first class, she called Flint back.

  “Cyrus and I are on the plane.”

  “You’re headed home?” He sounded overjoyed.

  “We had no choice.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I can’t get into it. We’re about to take off.”

  “When do you get here?”

  “It won’t be until tonight. I can’t really talk now.”

  “Then just listen as long as you can. We now know of two men Juliette spoke to on the ship. One is Otis Claremont, a former Arizona cop who quit after one of her husbands died. Arizona is one of the places investigating the man’s death. The other man she spoke to on the ship was Arthur Davis, her first husband. He and Cyrus are the only ones to have lived through a marriage with Juliette.”

  “Let me guess, Arthur didn’t have money.”

  Flint chuckled. “I’m putting a BOLO out on both men to find out where they are. Obviously, I have some questions for them.”

  “We’re about to take off,” she told the sheriff.

  “How is Cyrus?”

  “As well as can be expected under the circumstances. I’ll tell you everything when we see you. Have to go.” She put her phone on airplane mode as the flight attendant headed in her direction. Once they were in the air and leveled off, she told Cyrus what his brother had found out.

  * * *

  FLINT DISCONNECTED AND felt a rush of excitement. Cyrus was coming home. He knew he would never believe his brother was really alive until he saw him. Until he put his arms around him. AJ had said they would be home by tonight.

  He’d come out to the ranch for lunch when Maggie had called to say that the family was gathered again going through the ship surveillance videos.

  “I brought them all lunch,” Maggie said. “I thought you might want some. I’m keeping the family hydrated and fed. Your daughter is napping, but you’ll still get to see her.”

  Flint hadn’t been there but a few minutes when he’d gotten the call from AJ. Now he turned to his family and told them the good news.

  “We should throw him a party!” Lillie said, and then sobered. “Or not.”

  “We will when he’s back to his old self,” Flint said. “The good news is that he’s alive and coming home!” They all hugged, tears in their eyes. He’d worried that this day might never come. Even with updates from AJ, he’d worried that the brother they’d known was gone. He still worried about that but kept his fears to himself. Once home, Cyrus could get the medical attention he might need.

  For a moment he’d forgotten about Juliette. He pulled out his phone and called her. Her phone went straight to voice mail. He left her the message, wishing that he could see her face when she got it. “Cyrus is headed home. Just thought you’d like to know.” Was he hoping that she would leave town? Disappear? She’d lost. But after he’d done it, he started second-guessing himself. The last thing he wanted to do was put his brother in more danger.

  He returned to his computer and the surveillance videos, more determined than ever to protect his brother from Juliette by exposing her and seeing that she spent a very long time behind bars.

  “Got something,” Darby said a half hour later.

  “Not another man,” Hawk said with a groan.

  “Nope. It’s with the two men we already saw her with.”

  Flint rushed to his brother’s computer. There was no doubt about it. Juliette was having a heated discussion with the two men. She kept looking over her shoulder as if afraid Cyrus might be onto them.

  “Let’s make a copy. I’ve marked the spots on the videos,” the sheriff said. “I’ll be sending them to the police who are investigating Juliette. Maybe they will help.”

  “Maybe Cyrus will remember who threw him overboard,” Lillie said. “And the videos will connect Juliette with the two men, proving they were up to something on the ship.”

  Flint smiled at his sister. “That is exactly what I’m hoping.” And praying.

  * * *

  “GOING SOMEWHERE?”

  Juliette looked up in surprise. She’d been packing her rental car. After she’d gotten Flint’s message she’d known she had to move fast. “Good afternoon, Deputy.” She’d seen this one around. He wasn’t bad looking. A little pudgy for her taste, but every time she’d seen him around town, he’d definitely shown an interest in her.

  “Leaving, are you?” he asked, seeming amused.

  She stepped closer to read his badge. “Deputy Cole.” She stopped within inches of him, knowing instinctively that it would make him nervous. It did. “Were the suitcases the dead giveaway?” She ran a finger down his smooth cheek. “Have you been watching me?”

  His Adam’s apple bobbed and he took a step back. “The sheriff asked me to keep an eye out and let him know if you decided to skip town.”

  “Is that what you think I’m doing?” She laughed, shaking her head. “What does the H stand for?”

  “Huh?”

  “The H in Deputy H. Cole. What does it stand for?”

  “Harper.”

  “Harper?”

  “But everyone calls me Harp.”

  Definitely nervous. She had that effect on men.

  “I would think you might want to see your husband. He should be here soon.”

  “Why would I? He’s the one who hasn’t called me or even let me know where he is. According to his girlfriend, he has no desire to talk to me, let alone see me.”

  “On the contrary, I know for a fact that he’s looking forward to seeing you.”

  She shook her head. “Really?” She saw him reach for his cell phone. No doubt to call the sheriff. “Well, I’m not leaving town.” Deputy Harp Cole eyed her suitcases. “So you can call your boss and tell him that my offer to have my marriage annulled still stands. Maybe AJ would like to chip in for the cost since she apparently is quite close to my husband.”

  “The way I hear it, you won’t be needing much money in prison. I’m sure Cyrus won’t have any trouble getting your so-called marriage annulled once you’re indicted for murder and attempted murder.”

  She cocked her head at him, seeing that she was no longer intimidating him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Anyway, like I said, I’m not leaving town. I’m only moving to other accommodations. It’s too noisy in the hotel.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “Now, if you will excuse me,” she said.

  As she started to load the suitcases into the car, the deputy said, “Let me help you with those.”

  “You are such a gentleman.” He blushed. “Maybe you’d like to come into the hotel bar and have a drink with me.”

  “I’m a married man,” he said as if shocked that she would ask. “Also I’m on duty.”

  “I see. Well, I can save you from having to watch me. I’m moving to those cabins at the edge of town.”

  “The Happy Holiday Cabins and Kitchenettes?” he asked in surprise.

  “Delightful name, wouldn’t you say? Yes. So you can tell your boss for me.” She winked at him and turned back into the hotel. She needed a drink before she could face the Happy Holiday.

  * * *

  AFTER A LONG day of flying across the country and then driving two hours, AJ announced that they were almost to Gilt Edge. Cyrus saw that it was nearly dark. The sky to the west burned a bright orange, highlighting the mountains around the small western town as she drove into the outskirts.

  Escaping the Caribbean and the island, Cyrus thought he would feel less anxious. But he was going home to Montana to a family he didn’t know. Worse, to a wife that he couldn’t remember marrying—and suspected she’d tried to kill him not once but three times.

  “It’s going to be all right
,” AJ said, letting go of the wheel to reach over and squeeze his hand.

  He smiled at her. What would he have done without her? He couldn’t have stayed on the island but he also couldn’t have left without identification.

  Thanks to her, he knew his name. But he still didn’t know who he was and feared he might never know. That dark hole in his memory had teased him when it came to AJ. But other than her, he’d felt nothing when he had looked at the photos of his family. Now he was about to meet them in the flesh. They would be expecting him to know them.

  He’d hoped his memory would come back in a brilliant flash, filling in all the blanks, the moment he reached Montana or saw Gilt Edge. But as he looked around, he felt no recognition at all. The frustration made him angry and gave him a headache.

  “Don’t push it,” AJ said. “Pretend this is the first time you’ve ever been here.”

  His laugh held no humor. “As far as my memory is concerned, it is. I hate the thought of disappointing my family.”

  “They understand the situation. They’ll give you time and if you never remember, you’ll get to know them fresh. They love you and you’ll love them. I’ve certainly fallen for them.”

  “And for me?”

  She smiled over at him. “What do you think?”

  He smiled, feeling a little better. At least he wasn’t facing this alone. He wasn’t sure he could do that. He felt like a newborn, completely lost in a world that had been going on without him.

  Stretching his legs, he realized that his body ached from sitting this long in planes and an automobile. The hard physical work he’d done on the island had helped him recuperate and get stronger. This day had been hard. They’d landed in Miami and quickly gotten on a commercial flight to Minneapolis, where they’d boarded yet another plane to Billings where AJ had a rental car waiting.

  From there it had been another two-hour drive to Gilt Edge. AJ hadn’t been kidding about how hard it was to get to his home. Apparently the town was in the middle of the state, and only accessible by two-lane roads from what he could see.