CHAPTER 6
“Who?” Dev leaned over his brother and shook him, but Alex had passed out.
“Oh, Dev! Jamie and Laura—” Julia turned and ran from the room, rushing to the chamber she shared with Lauralee. She threw the partially-open door wide, and entered. The window was still open, allowing a stout, steady blast of wintry air to enter, causing the flames in the fireplace to bow and flicker. She slammed the sash shut, catching a glimpse of a quickly-doused lantern in the darkness beyond the far creekbank.
Lauralee was gone. Jamie…
She turned and started toward the door, but Dev caught her roughly, his hands at her shoulders. Julia gave a cry of dismay at her own thoughts. Then, “Jamie…” her voice sounded broken, but so was her heart.
“He’s gone,” Dev bit out. “I checked. Of course. Listen to me. Take care of Alex. I’m going after them. I’ll take a few of the men, but I’m leaving most of them here to protect the ranch. They know we’ll follow—and I believe that’s what they’re counting on. Lock the doors. I’ll send Pete in to stand guard over you and my brother.”
He spoke rapidly, looking intently into her eyes. She tried to listen, tried to let his words sink in and mean something. But she was numb. Lauralee was gone. Kidnapped! She’d sworn to Helena to keep her child safe, and now—Oh, dear God! She couldn’t let her thoughts run wild!
“Do you understand?” Dev’s words sank into her consciousness as his fingers bored into her shoulders. He was close to shouting. How long had she stood here? Time was slipping by! They were getting farther away—
“Yes! Oh, yes, Dev. Please, go. We’ll be fine. Let me fix the leftovers—you’ll need food—” She put her hands to her face as if to get a grip on her thoughts.
He shook his head. “No time for that. I have to saddle up and get on the trail.”
She nodded her understanding, and in the next moment, he leaned close and gave her a quick kiss.
“I’ll be back. And I’ll bring the children back in one piece. Just—see to my brother. And stay safe.”
• ♥ •
Damn their sorry hides. Dev let go a string of curses that were blown away in the night wind. At least, there was no more snow blowing with it, but even with the scudding clouds allowing only spotty moonlight, the tracks were difficult to follow.
But they couldn’t allow the kidnappers to get too far ahead. If that happened, they might never catch them.
Dev had brought only three men with him. They were all he could spare—but they were all he needed. With the recent attacks on the Flying C, he felt certain whoever had kidnapped Jamie and Lauralee had done so as a diversion, more than anything else. He had to hope murder wasn’t on their minds…or that they weren’t out there doing something to his cattle or land while he was chasing the men who’d stolen the children. They hadn’t even left a ransom note.
Thankfully, he’d had to go so quickly there’d been no time for discussion of the kidnapping with Julie. Pete was completely trustworthy. Dev had no qualms about leaving him in charge of Julie’s—and Alex’s—safety until he was able to get back.
“This way,” Tom Red Deer said, spotting the elusive tracks in the moonlight.
Dev’s mind was wandering. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs and rode close to Tom and Terry Liston, with Dell Tracy behind them.
It was slow going, but at least they were moving at a steady pace. The kidnappers had had no time to cover their tracks. They were in a hurry to get away with their precious treasure.
For the first time, Dev wondered how his brother had known they were in the house. Maybe he’d been in league with them…sent them some kind of a signal…
Or, maybe he had heard them and tried to investigate…
Alex had been bleeding again. The struggle, however it had happened, had re-opened the bullet wound at his shoulder. And it looked as though someone had hit him over the head again.
Julie would take good care of Alex. Of that, Dev was sure. And Pete would be handy to protect her from any other attacks on the ranch—or, from any problems his brother might try to cause.
• ♥ •
Julia wasn’t entirely sure why Pete insisted on staying so close to her while she cleaned Alex’s shoulder wound and re-bandaged it, but when Alex opened his eyes, she understood completely.
“You gonna…tie me up, ol’ man?” Alex hissed, his anger drowning out the pain in his voice.
Pete gave him a taciturn nod. “Don’t tempt me, boy. Got enough troubles without you turnin’ up here like a bad penny. An’ I damn sure better not find out you had anything to do with any of this.”
Alex gave him the semblance of a cocky grin through split lips where a fist had made good connection.
“Or what?”
“You’ll find out, ya little—”
“Kiss my—”
“Pete, would you please bring me some more water and clean rags?” Julia interjected. “And if there’s bandaging—”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll get it, ma’am. Ain’t gonna stop me from sayin’ just what I think.”
“Thank you,” Julia answered evenly.
When he left the room, Julia turned back to face Alex, who nodded at her.
“Thanks for gettin’ him off my back.”
“Don’t thank me yet, Mr. Campbell. Why does he believe you might be involved in the kidnapping?”
The half-smile faded from Alex’s face as he looked up into the furious glare she gave him. “I-I’m not sure. I wasn’t, though. I would never kidnap a child. And I’d certainly not hurt my brother—especially after all he’s been through.”
“If I find out you had a hand in this—this sordidness—your brother will be the very least of your worries, Mr. Campbell.” She leaned closer. “Do we understand one another? Oh, please, do say yes. I don’t want to have to go into detail.”
Alex nodded. “I didn’t. And you’re not very convincing, ma’am. No offense. But you’re way too pretty and too kind to do me harm.”
Julia jumped up from where her chair had been pulled near his bedside, appalled at the tears that hovered suddenly. I will not cry in front of him!
“You just see how ‘kind’ I am if you’ve hurt my niece or little Jamie!”
He shook his head slowly. “I promise.” His dark eyes closed slowly. “I wouldn’t. Tried…tried to stop them.”
Julia had to be alone. Right now, she didn’t know what to believe. She started from the room, almost colliding with Pete as he carried in the water and supplies. With a hurried apology, she scooted past him and fled down the hallway. She was tired—so tired. But sleep would never come until the children and Dev were back safe.
Where was she escaping to? Not to the sanctuary of her bedroom—it would be a reminder that her niece was gone. She started down the stairs. The Great Room. The fire was still built up. She should make more coffee. Anything to keep busy.
Somehow, she made her way to the Great Room and stood before the blazing fire, trying to chase the chill away that she feared would never leave her. Pete must’ve put on another log before he came upstairs. She’d sent him for more supplies, then fled from the room. Shaking her head, she sighed heavily.
“Ma’am?” Julia turned at the sound of the old cowboy’s voice. The look he gave her said he knew it had all been a fool’s errand to avoid more confrontation.
“You oughtta get some shut-eye. Just wanted to ease your mind, too, about somethin’. You know, Dev told me if somethin’ was to happen to him out there, this ranch will be yours. Told me so I could tell the judge and make it legal, ’cause he didn’t have time to write up no papers. He don’t want you to be worryin’ ’bout how you’re gonna get by. He don’t come home, the Flyin’ C is yours, lock, stock, and barrel.”
Julia mumbled a low acknowledgement as Pete turned to leave. The Flying C would mean nothing—nothing—if Dev and the children never came home.
• ♥ •
From somewhere in the darkness ahead, a child’s shout came to the four trackers. The wind had faded to a stiff breeze from the gale it had been, but Dev hadn’t noticed—not until Lauralee’s cry for help sounded.
He urged his mount forward quickly, but Tom put a staying hand on his arm as he rode close.
“Easy, Dev. They’ll be worried we heard that, too. Could change everything as far as them pushing on—or making a stand and waiting for us.”
Dev nodded, reluctantly. Tom was right. They could be riding into an ambush.
“Maybe we oughtta separate—” Terry began, Dell nodding his agreement.
“What do you think, Tom?” Though Dev was a good tracker, as were Terry and Dell, Tom was the undisputed leader of this rescue. The tracks had petered out just before Lauralee’s shout had sounded.
Tom gave a quick shake of his head. “No. We can’t take ’em if we do find ’em. One or two of us against probably four—according to the tracks. We might have a better chance all together.”
“They can’t be that far ahead,” Dev said impatiently.
Tom cocked his head and held up a hand. They all fell silent as he listened. Suddenly sure of the noise he’d heard, he pointed straight toward the path they’d been following when the tracks had vanished.
“They’re in a hurry. They’ll take the easiest trail to follow.”
He led the way, deliberately putting himself in front of Dev to keep him from throwing caution to the wind.
Though Dev understood what his friend was doing, he chafed at the slow pace Tom set for safety’s sake.
They’d ridden a mile that seemed like five when Terry said softly, “I smell sulfur…matches—”
“Thought I did, too,” Dell agreed.
“They need lanterns.” Dev muttered. “That means they’re not afraid of using light. Maybe they don’t think we’re here.”
“Could be they believe they left Alex in no shape to talk,” Tom said.
“With the way he hit the floor, I can’t imagine they’d think no one would investigate,” Dev said. Once more, he tamped down the thought of the children. Jamie’s joyful smile at day’s end when Dev came through the door…Lauralee’s winsome little-girl ways he remembered from his first great loss…Heather…
He was not going to lose Jamie or Lauralee.
The best thing he could do now was to keep a clear head. Just put a lid on the thoughts. Keep calm. Get Jamie and Lauralee back, and then—end the threat once and for all.
In the next instant, Dev had to smile as Lauralee’s voice came once more, distant, but clear.
“Debbil! Come get me an’ Jamie!”
She was fine, and just as feisty as ever, he thought. And they were getting closer. Her words were perfectly understandable, now. Tom began to push slightly harder.
Dev’s heart leapt at the sight of a lantern up ahead, the light moving in and out of the trees. Had anyone else seen it? Or was it the product of his desperate imagination?
Jamie’s fretful wail carried back to him, and he had to hold himself in check to keep from rushing forward, past Tom, to murder these thieving bastards.
“Debbil! Come get me an’—” Lauralee’s words were cut off as a hand was clamped over her mouth, but in short order, a man’s startled, injured yelp sounded.
“Dammit! She bit me! Little brat! I oughtta slap you sideways!”
Barely aware of Tom’s curse, Dev pushed past him and rode fast and close to the kidnapper as he caught up, throwing all caution to the wind. The man had Lauralee in the saddle with him, rubbing his palm.
With gun drawn, Dev cocked it—a sound that reverberated in the sudden stillness of the night. “You lay a hand on that girl, and I’ll blow your head off, you sorry son of a bitch.”
Tom surged ahead, gun drawn, and stopped the next rider, who held little Jamie in a makeshift blanket sling. Two other men in the lead put the spurs to their mounts and rode as quickly as they could through the dark forest, followed by Dell and Terry. With the close proximity of the trees and the blackness of night, there was no way they could elude the Flying C men for long.
At the deadly tone of Dev’s voice, Lauralee’s captor hesitated, and Dev suspected he was thinking of making a break for it, too.
“Don’t do it. I’ve never back-shot anyone before, but there’s a first time for everything. Now, you climb down off that horse, slow and easy.”
The man eased himself down from the saddle.
“Toss your gun. And remember, I have your head in my sights.”
The man slowly reached for his gun, but at the last second, he turned, dropped to the ground, and fired.
Dev pulled his own trigger, wounding the outlaw who’d taken one of his children.
Tom had ordered Jamie’s captor off of his horse, as well. As the outlaw moved to comply, the two shots rang out and the horses shied. Distracted, Tom leaned forward to steady Lauralee’s mount, and the man saw his chance to turn his weapon on Dev.
But before he could pull the trigger, Tom had unsheathed his rifle and brought the stock of his Winchester down on the kidnapper’s head. He fell to the ground, nearly landing atop little Jamie. With a growled curse, Tom jumped from the saddle, kicking the felled kidnapper’s gun away from his hand. Then, he bent and scooped up Jamie.
“C’mere, young’un,” he muttered, wrapping the blanket tighter around the crying toddler in the cold night air.
“I knew you’d come! I knew it!” Lauralee crowed as Dev pulled her into his arms. She shivered in the wintry wind, drawing close to his warmth. He shrugged out of his coat and wrapped her in it, but she held on to his neck, her eyes shining in the moonlight.
He smiled back, relieved it had all turned out well, as Dell and Terry rode back into the small clearing with the other two men at the ends of their guns.
“How did you know, Miss Lauralee?” Dev asked her, pulling his coat around her.
She shook her head and hugged him, laying her head on his shoulder as he stood and picked her up. “I just did.”
Tom gave him a wink. “We best get on back home, Debbil,” he said. “Got two tired young’uns need their beds, and these varmints that need bringin’ to justice.”
Dev nodded, turning a hard stare on the two men Dell and Terry had brought in. “First…there are some things I want to know.”
“Like what?” the stockier of the captives asked in a surly tone. Dev could see he was used to being the boss of the group.
“Like who you’re working for. And why?”
The leader gave a sarcastic chuckle. “We ain’t talkin’.”
“Oh, yes. You’ll talk,” Tom assured him quietly.
“We don’t have to say nothin’,” the younger one blustered as he tried to show his boss he supported him. “Not one blessed thing.”
Tom stood looking up at him, steadily. The young man swallowed hard. “Well, we don’t.”
Again, silence fell, and after a moment, Tom said, “You will, though. You will.”
The man shuddered under Tom’s dark, promising look.
Lauralee shivered in Dev’s arms, but when he glanced down at her, he saw she’d fallen asleep. “Let’s get on home,” he said. The word sounded unfamiliar on his tongue. How long had it been since he’d thought of the Flying C as ‘home’? A very, very long time.