Cowboy Brothers of Rainbow Canyon: A Western Contemporary Cowboy Romance

by K. C. Crowne

  “Shit.” The word came out in a hiss, as if he knew the stakes of what was happening. “Alright. It’s a cop –they’re not gonna start any trouble if we don’t start any trouble. Just sit there and let me do the talkin’, alright?”

  I seethed at his order, but Travis was right. The cop’s lights began flashing, the blare of the siren cutting through the night air. I had a bad, bad feeling about what was about to go down.

  Travis, calm as hell, pulled the truck over to the side of the road and came to a stop. The cop car pulled up behind us, with the lights continuing to flash, filling the truck cabin with reds and whites and blues. My stomach tightened into a knot.

  Through the dark of the night I could see the figure of the cop. Couldn’t see his face, but I recognized that build, that swagger. Officer Mayer.

  “Shit,” I murmured. “Travis, it’s that cop who’s been givin’ Adam shit.”

  “Just stay calm. As much as I hate to admit it, if we’re gonna get outta this, we have to do exactly what he says to the letter. Can’t get in trouble if we don’t do nothin’ to get in trouble.”

  I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be that simple.

  Officer Mayer was soon at the side of the truck wearing those damn sunglasses, a toothpick in his mouth as he leered at us. “License and registration, please,” he said in a deep, commanding voice.

  Travis nodded to me and I opened the glove compartment, getting out the documents as Travis reached for his wallet. He handed them to Officer Mayer, who didn’t look at them before tucking them into his back pocket.

  “You know why I pulled you over?” he asked.

  “Honestly, officer,” Travis said politely. “I don’t know why. As far as I could tell, I wasn’t breakin’ any laws.” I had to admire Travis’s restraint.

  Mayer said nothing. Instead, he took out his night stick and wandered behind the truck. I looked back and watched him raise the club over his head before bringing it down hard against the back of the truck. There was a thud and a crash.

  “What the hell!” Travis shouted, looking over his shoulder.

  Mayer returned, slipping his club back into his belt. “Broken taillight. Not a smart idea to be drivin’ around with one of those.”

  “What’re you doin’?” Travis asked, as surprised as he was pissed. “You just smashed up my fuckin’ truck!”

  Mayer grinned. “Not a smart idea to talk to an officer like that, either. In fact, some might consider that kind of language threatening. Assault, even.”

  “Assault?” Travis exclaimed. “Officer, I didn’t raise a single finger to you.”

  “But you took a tone with me. And that tone’s more than enough for me to feel mighty threatened.” He shook his head, an ugly smirk on his uglier face. “I can see where this is goin’. Hot head like you’s probably gonna start swinging before too long. Might as well take you in for assaulting an officer right now, save us all the trouble.”

  “That’s fuckin’ insane,” he replied, disbelief in his tone.

  “There’s that tone again. Get out of the car, kid – I’m takin’ you to the station.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, but I remembered Travis’ advice and didn’t speak. But I stared at the man with my mouth open in shock.

  “I’m not goin’ nowhere,” Travis said, shaking his head.

  “That so? Hate to get rough with you, young man. Don’t think that’d turn out too well for ya.”

  Travis was fuming. He knew he was in a hell of a spot, right in the middle of a total injustice. Mayer was the law, but he was breaking it at the same time.

  He turned to me. “You know how to drive a standard?”

  “Of course I do. Used to have one before it got wrecked, remember?”

  “Alright,” he said. “Here’s what we’re gonna do – I’m goin’ with this…officer” –it was obvious he wanted to use a different word— “down to the station. You take the truck and drive back to the ranch.”

  “No. I’ll follow you to the station, find out what the hell’s goin’ on.”

  “Skye, this ain’t the time for that,” he argued. “I need to make sure you’re safe, and the only way that’s gonna happen is if I know you’re at the ranch. Once you’re there, tell my family what’s goin’ on. You wanna help, do it with the rest of the Walkers, okay?”

  As much as I wanted to argue, Travis had a good point. And I knew I’d feel better if I had the entire Walker clan at my back. I nodded my head and said, “Okay, I’ll do it. But call me when you’re there so I know you’re okay too.”

  “I promise.” He leaned over and placed a kiss on my cheek. Despite everything, it felt so good, so right.

  Travis climbed out, and as soon as he did, Officer Mayer put his hands behind his back and slapped cuffs onto him. With one more look in my direction, Travis was forced into the back of the squad car. I watched as they drove away, the lights fading into the distance.

  Then I was alone. I hated it. I’d never been afraid to be independent, to be on my own, but at that moment I was keenly aware that I was pregnant and by myself. I wanted nothing more than to get back to the ranch and tell the Walkers what had happened.

  I slid over into the driver’s seat and turned the engine over. The truck was a beast – much larger than my truck, but I was able to wrangle it once I scooted the seat up enough to reach the clutch more comfortably. The headlights cut through the black of the night as I drove up the winding road that led to Rainbow Canyons. Fear ran through me like hot steel pooling in my gut. Shit was getting out of control, and I didn’t know what might happen.

  It occurred to me to call the Walkers. I took out my phone and pulled up the main number for the ranch and prepared to hit the “send” button. I didn’t get the chance. After a loud crash which jolted me, the truck lurched forward, yanking me toward the windshield. Pain ran through my body at the pull of the seatbelt.

  Someone had hit the truck.

  With frantic eyes I glanced at the rearview mirror, spotting the headlights of a truck that was somehow even bigger than Travis’s. My heart pounded. However scared I was before, now I was over the limit.

  The truck slammed into mine again, causing me to jerk the wheel to get myself right. Then with a roar of the engine, the truck pulled up to my side. It was too dark to see inside, but it looked to be two men. Then the truck yanked hard to the right, grinding into the side of mine.

  It was more than I could handle. The force of the impact caused me to overcorrect, pulling the wheel to the left hard enough to swerve the truck, cutting forward behind the other and slamming into a tree on the side of the road. A booming crash sounded out as the truck came to an abrupt stop.

  I sucked in breath after breath, trying to focus. A quick look over my body revealed no injuries. But that didn’t mean I was safe. I glanced around and spotted the truck, which came to a stop nearby. The doors opened and two looming figures stepped out.

  It dawned on me what Travis had said – it wasn’t only my safety at stake, but that of my baby. I was scared out of my mind. My phone had fallen out of my hand onto the floor where I couldn’t reach it. After undoing my seatbelt, I made a mad dash for the phone, ready to call 911. But it was too late – the men were at the sides of the truck.

  “Hey there, Ms. Philips,” said the one on the passenger’s side. “Nice night for a drive, huh?”

  I said nothing, frozen in place.

  “Get out of the damn car – you’re comin’ with us.”

  Travis

  I was fucking furious. Really, that didn’t even begin to come close to covering how I felt as I was led into the station. Mayer was at my side, his hand on my wrist as he walked me inside, as if I were some kind of flight risk.

  “Got a guy who thinks it’s a good idea to assault an officer,” he announced as we reached the front desk. “Not the smartest tool in the drawer, if you ask me.”

  “I didn’t do anything of the damn sort!” I said, raising my voice and catc
hing the attention of the other officers in the area. “This man’s lyin’ through his teeth!”

  Mayer jerked my wrist hard, and I flinched. “Now, young man, it ain’t exactly a crime to call an officer a liar. But let me tell you, your night in booking’s gonna get a hell of a lot harder if you keep up with that bullshit.”

  I bit my tongue, holding back some more choice words I wanted to throw in his direction.

  “We need to book this guy,” Mayer told the desk sergeant. “Let him cool his heels in a cell until he learns how to show a little respect.”

  The woman at the front desk nodded before setting to work typing. I stood in front of the desk, fuming. And I wasn’t just worried about myself –more than my own skin, I had Skye to be concerned with. I hated the idea of leaving her on her own, even if she was only a little way away from the safety of Rainbow Canyons. If she could get to my family, that’d be no small worry off my mind. But with her out of sight, I was stressed as all hell. I felt helpless. Stewing in a holding cell was the last thing I wanted.

  Mayer led me further into the station until we reached booking. He chuckled. “They’ll take good care of you from here on out,” he smirked. “And think about what I said about showing a little respect. It’ll keep you healthy, if you get what I’m sayin’.”

  He smirked again before letting go of my wrist and leaving the room. Down the hall was a long series off cells, chatter from the other prisoners filling the air.

  A thought occurred to me. “Wait a minute, what about bail?”

  The officer at the desk glanced up at me. “Bail?”

  “You know, the thing I pay to get out of here.”

  Another officer spoke up. “You’re in for assaulting an officer. Not the kind of thing you can just slap bail down for.”

  “Yeah,” said the officer at the desk. “You’re likely gonna be in here until you can see a judge.”

  “Fuckin’ hell,” I said. “Don’t got time to wait for that.”

  “Maybe you shoulda thought about that before assaulting an officer,” said the standing man.

  “I didn’t assault no damn officer!” My words didn’t do any good. “What about a lawyer? I got a right to speak to mine, don’t I?”

  The two officers regarded one another before turning their attention back to me. “Yeah, fine, fine,” said the one at the desk. “Get his sorry ass his phone call.”

  The officer led me over to a bank of phones – the old-fashioned pay kind with the cords. I fished a little money out of my pocket after the officer took off my cuffs and dialed Dave Pritchard, our family’s lawyer. I told him my situation, and he let me know he’d be down to the station as soon as he could.

  “There,” said the officer at the desk. “You happy now?”

  “Not even close.”

  After I was booked, one of the officers led me down the hall. As he did, another officer opened one of the iron doors, entered, and came out with a familiar face at his side. Adam.

  “Travis!” he said. “What the hell happened?”

  “Probably the same shit that happened to you,” I grouched. “What’s goin’ on?” The officer at my side jerked my wrist, signaling that I didn’t have much time to talk.

  “I got brought in for assaulting an officer.”

  “Fuck, same here.”

  “But I guess he didn’t have a case, because I only got booked for disorderly conduct. Paid my bail and I’m outta here.”

  “Come on!” said the officer at my side.

  “I called my lawyer,” I told him as the officer pushed me. “But if you’re gettin’ out of here you need to get to the ranch – that’s where I told Skye to go.”

  “I gotta go to impound and pick up my truck,” he grumbled. “No idea how long that’ll take. I’ll let you know what I know when I know it.”

  The officer pushed again, signaling the conversation was over. Adam nodded to me and turned to go. The officer pushed me through the door that had been open for Adam and shut it behind me. No one was in the cell, which was fine by me. Last thing I was in the mood for was conversation. I spent the next hour stewing, pacing back and forth as I waited for Dave to show up and give me some good news.

  All I could think about was Skye and making sure she was safe. If Dave couldn’t get me out, at least Adam could keep me posted on what was going on with her. After about an hour, Dave showed up. He was tall and lean, with greying hair around the temples and a face that always reminded me of an owl.

  “Dave!” I said, rushing to the bars and grabbing them. “What’s the word?”

  “Got some good news for you,” he said. “I spoke with the officers and asked for proof that you’d assaulted an officer.”

  “And?”

  “Turns out someone tampered with the dashcam in the car. It’s not enough proof to totally get you off the hook, but it does weaken their case enough that I was able to talk them into setting you a bail.”

  “Fuck!” The word came out on a wave of total relief. “Thank you so much.”

  “Don’t mention it. And I took the liberty of posting it for you. Should be outta here in a half-hour or so.”

  It was about the best damn news I could imagine. The idea of spending the night in that cell, totally helpless while I waited for news about Skye was the worst thing I could imagine.

  Dave let me know he’d be on the case, getting to the bottom of what had happened. And then he was gone. I had no doubt he’d be able to handle it, but at that moment all I cared about was leaving that damn police station and finding Skye.

  Around a half-hour later, a pair of cops arrived and opened the door. “Travis Walker?” one of them asked.

  “That’s me.”

  “Come on. Bail’s been posted – you’re free to go.”

  I stomped past them, furious that it had taken as long as it had. After a little more paperwork, they returned my things and escorted me outside of the station.

  The air was mild and cool, and as soon as the cops were gone, I took out my phone and called Adam.

  “Yo,” he said. “Where are you?”

  “I’m out. Got my lawyer to post bail.”

  “Thank God. Last thing we need is you stuck in jail.”

  I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no cops were around. Couldn’t trust any of those pricks. “He said someone tampered with the dash cam footage when Mayer arrested me.”

  “No shit?”

  “No shit. Thinkin’ there’s some kinda fuckin’ conspiracy goin’ on here.”

  “I don’t doubt that for a second. Bryce could have half the cops in the station on his payroll.”

  More shit to worry about later. “What about Skye? You heard from her?”

  “Not a word, but I’ve been at impound for the last two hours,” he grumbled. “She didn’t try to contact you?”

  “Nope, nothin’.”

  “I don’t like this, Travis. Where was the last place you saw her?”

  “She was in my truck when I got arrested. I told her to go to Rainbow Canyons and wait for me or you.”

  “But she would’ve texted you or left you a voicemail, right?”

  “Or you.” I was getting worried. “Alright. Come pick me up and we’ll go to Rainbow Canyons and figure out what the hell’s goin’ on.”

  “Will do. See you in a bit.”

  I glanced back at the police station before starting off toward the main road. As I walked, I pulled up Skye’s number and gave her a ring. No answer. I didn’t like it one iota.

  I fired off a quick text. “Message me back when you get this – want to make sure you’re OK.”

  No response. Tension tightened in my gut with each minute that passed without a response. After fifteen minutes or so, Adam pulled up in his truck and I hurried inside.

  “Fucking hell,” he said as we drove off. “Can you believe that shit?”

  “Total insanity,” I agreed. “Never thought I’d have to deal with crooked cops in my lifetime. Head to the ranch.�
� Adam nodded. “Any word from Skye?”

  “Nope. You?”

  “Nope. And I don’t like it at all. Makin’ me nervous as hell.”

  We drove in silence, Adam driving under the speed limit to not attract attention from the cops, who no doubt still had an eye on us.

  “Holy shit.” About halfway to the ranch, less than half a mile from where the cops had pulled me over, I spotted my truck on the side of the road.

  “That your ride?” Adam asked, confused as he slowed down.

  “That’s my ride. Pull over.”

  Adam pulled up behind the truck and we both got out. I hurried over to the truck and looked inside. Nothing.

  “Look at these tire tracks,” Adam pointed out. “They’re carved into the dirt, goin’ at hard angles.”

  “You think she was run off the road?”

  “Looks that way to me.”

  I was pissed, angrier than I’d been in a long, long while. It began to dawn on me that Skye had likely been taken, kidnapped.

  “The cops,” Adam guessed. “Or someone else workin’ for Bryce. They got Skye.”

  I didn’t want to believe it, but it was the only explanation that made sense. Where else would she be? Luckily, the keys were still in the ignition.

  “I’ll take the truck back,” I said. “Meet me at my cabin.”

  “Got it.”

  A short drive later, one that I spent fuming, we were at the ranch. Adam and I came to a stop in front of my cabin and headed inside.

  “What’s the plan?” Adam asked.

  “Far as I can tell, the cops were in on it. And all the bullshit about the arrest was to get Skye alone. Bet they took her as soon as I was gone.”

  “And where do you think she might be?”

  “Not sure, but Bryce’s place is my best guess.”

  “Fuck,” Adam swore, taking off his hat and running his hand through his hair. “Then what the hell are we gonna do? Can’t exactly call the cops and expect them to be on our side.”

  “Nah. I got a better idea.”

  I went over to one of my bookshelves, bracing my back against the side and pushing it out of the way. Behind it was a steel-door safe, one I opened with a few turns of the dial.