Authors: Paige Cameron
The brown sedan’s brakes squealed as the car slowed and went to the left, skidding across the ground toward Drake and Brent.
“Damn,” Drake said as the car brushed against the right side of Brent and Drake’s vehicle with a loud bang.
In spite of being shaken, Brent and Drake jumped out of their car from the driver’s side, guns drawn.
“Get out with your hands up,” Brent yelled. Stunned, the two men in front opened the doors and staggered out. The third man in the back had pulled his gun out. Brent saw the man was armed.
“Drop it. You might shoot me, but then my brother would kill you.”
The man hesitated. He glared at Brent, holding the gun pointed at his heart.
“Don’t be stupid,” one of his partners said. “They don’t have nothing on us.”
Brent drew a breath of relief when the man handed him his gun.
Drake got on his phone, contacting the Sheriff. “We’ll tie them and transport them to town,” Drake told Sheriff Grady.
“My deputy and I will drive out in your direction. Then you won’t have to come all the way in.”
“See you soon.” Drake ended the call and kept his gun on the subdued men while Brent finished tying them up.
Brent shoved each man into the backseat and fastened seat belts around them. “With their hands tied behind them and the seat belts on they’ll have much more difficulty trying anything,” Brent said. He checked the side of their vehicle. “Looks like it will drive all right. Not too much damage.” He glanced at Drake. “You feel all right to drive?”
“Sure. You took the brunt of the crash. How about you?”
“Head’s a little dizzy, but I’ll be fine. Let’s get these guys back and find out where they left Lily.” He put his head inside the back door and faced the men. “I don’t suppose either one of you wants to tell me where we can find Lily Yannell?” The silent, stone-faced men stared back at him. “No, I didn’t think it would be that easy. Let’s go, Drake.”
Drake waited for Brent to climb in on the driver’s side, and then he got in. “We’re on our way. But get on the phone and call Dr. Neels to come and check your hard head.”
“I’ll be fine. What, are you turning into an old maid worrying about me?”
“No.” Drake threw him a glance. “I’m just scared of Mom and Angie if I let anything happen to you.”
* * * *
Lily saw the snowflakes and knew outside of a miracle she’d be spending the night where she was, but at least it would keep the other man from getting here. She kept working on her ropes. One piece was getting loose. So far the heat still warmed the house. Still, at any moment that could change.
Her fingers were clumsy and cold. She wouldn’t stop trying. She’d had one miracle when the man hadn’t shot her. Her hope and determination kept her going.
She jumped and blinked her eyes. Faint light shone inside the cabin from the window. She must have dozed after she finally managed to get her hands free and the rest of her ties off of her. In the front bedroom, she’d found two blankets. Although dirty, and no telling what else might be on them, she’d wrapped herself up and sat in the chair. Without a jacket, the heat had not been enough to keep some of the cold out. The blankets warmed her chilled body.
Getting up, she walked to the window. Thankfully, it had been a light snowfall and had stopped early in the evening. She was certain there were people looking for her, but the cabin was in the middle of an isolated area. How could she make the place more visible?
Though faded, the pink and blue blankets on the white snow might catch their eye. If they didn’t she’d probably freeze to death tonight. There couldn’t be much gas left in the generator, and her only covering would be wet. She’d wait and listen. If she heard a plane, she’d run outside with the blankets in her arms. Spread one and stand on it.
A more drastic plan would be to try and burn the old cabin down. Searching the kitchen, she found an old matchbox in the back of one drawer. To start the fire she’d have to use the only material she had, the blankets. No, then she’d have nothing left if they missed her. Her best shot was her second idea.
She moved her chair close to the window and waited. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, and her muscles ached. She’d drunk water out of the faucet, but hadn’t had food since her kidnapping. Her knees were weak, but she was determined.
Believe. Ty will rescue me.
* * * *
Sheriff Grady and his pilot landed at the ranch at first light. Ty ran to the helicopter and got in.
“Did you get any information out of those three last night?” Ty asked as he put his headset on.
“No. They’re a stubborn bunch, but my deputy is going to work on them today. At least until the FBI gets here. I understand Brent’s FBI friend is coming.”
“Yes. Brent called him last night, after he got checked by the doctor.” Ty smiled. “What a big fuss he made about getting looked over. We had to threaten to call Angie and Mom before he shut up.”
Sheriff Grady laughed. “I’d like to have seen that. Is he all right?”
“Slight concussion. I guess his hard head hit the side window. He has a headache. We won’t let him go with Drake today. It’s killing him.” Ty looked out the window as they flew away from the ranch.
“We’ll find her today, Ty,” Sheriff Grady said.
“I know.” He took a deep breath. “I’m counting on it.”
He spread out the map they’d marked yesterday. “Let’s take up where we left off. And go back to the last circle we made only go a little more to the left. I swear I saw a dot of something in the distance.”
“Sure,” their pilot said. “No problem.” He swung the bird toward the southwest.
The land below them was covered in white snow, and the air was crisp and clear. Bright sunlight sparkled across the vast land. Ty had on his sunglasses to break the glare. He took the binoculars and searched for the spot where he thought he’d seen something last evening.
Again it was when they turned to go back at a slightly different angle that he caught a glimpse of a dark speck in the whiteness. “Turn right,” he shouted.
Their pilot angled the copter in that direction. “I see it, too. That little speck, and it looks like a snow-covered small cabin behind it.”
Ty’s heart pounded.
It has to be her.
A hollow ache filled his abdomen.
She has to be all right.
As they flew closer, Ty saw a small figure standing on something pink. Arms waving frantically, the figure jumped up and down.
“That’s her,” Sheriff Grady said.
Ty leaned against the window, staring hard. Lily became clearer as they got close. Her golden hair glistened in the sunlight. A small, dilapidated cabin sat behind her.
When the helicopter landed, Ty was the first one out. He ran through the snow and grabbed her tight. Her soft body wrapped around his.
“I knew you’d come. I kept telling myself you’d rescue me,” she whispered in his ear.
Sheriff Grady ran by with gun drawn to check the cabin.
Lily yelled to him, “No one’s in there. They all left late yesterday.”
“Drake and Brent caught three men at dusk. They denied knowing anything, but we didn’t believe them. There wasn’t any other reason for them to be in this isolated area,” Ty said. “Can you identify the men who held you?”
“No. That’s the only reason they didn’t shoot me. They wore masks the whole time. But I think I’d know their voices, at least the leader’s.”
“We’re going to take you home and get you warm.” Ty picked her up and put her in the helicopter. As soon as they were airborne, he contacted the others. “We have her safe. See you at the ranch,” he told Drake, and then Mick. He snapped his phone shut and held Lily tight. His chin touched the top of her silky hair. She cuddled into him, her breath a whisper against his throat.
How could he consider marriage? He’d live in constant fear of her being hurt or worse. And yet the idea of letting her go and never holding her again, never seeing her smile or smelling her womanly scent, was just as difficult to comprehend.
Fear and the need to make Lily his own warred inside his mind. He didn’t have to decide today, thank goodness. Just now all he had to do was hold her sweet body glued to his.
Lily raised her head as they were landing. “It’s so good to be back at the ranch. I’m starved and a want a hot bath, not necessarily in that order.” She smiled at Ty.
“While you soak in a hot tub, I’ll fix you breakfast.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
“We’re all sure glad to have you home safe and sound, little lady,” Sheriff Grady said.
“Thank you so much, and you, too,” she said and looked from Sheriff Grady toward the pilot. “I know you all took a risk with your own safety to come after me in this weather.”
“We’ve done it before. At least this time we have a happy ending,” Sheriff Grady said.
The Sheriff got out first. Then he helped Ty and Lily out. They leaned low and ran toward the house.
“Won’t you and the pilot come in for coffee and breakfast?” Ty asked.
“We’ll head back to town. I still have to transfer those three to the Feds. And my wife will be looking for me home for lunch. See you all soon.” Sheriff Grady tipped his hat and ran back to the copter.
Ty carried Lily inside and upstairs to her room. “Undress. I’ll start the water running and then go cook your food.”
“I can hardly wait. They didn’t give me anything to eat, but I want to feel clean, too.” She rose onto her tiptoes and brushed her lips across his mouth. “Thank you again.”
“You can thank me later, when you’re stronger.” He winked at her as he left the room. Taking the steps two at a time, he went downstairs and into the kitchen. He’d cook a big meal for everyone.
Brent, who must have seen them go upstairs, joined him. “She’s not injured?”
“No, she’s cold and hungry, but otherwise she’d doing well.”
“It’s a miracle they didn’t kill her.”
“I know.” Ty looked across at his brother. “I think it’s because she couldn’t identify them. They wore masks.” He walked across the room and had refilled the coffee pot with water, when the front door opened and Drake hollered hello.
“She’s all right?” Drake asked as he stomped into the kitchen and looked around.
“Fine, but hungry and wanted a bath. She’ll be down in a few minutes.”
“Where’d you find her?” Brent asked.
“The same area where I thought I’d seen something late yesterday. If we’d had a few more minutes of light and the front hadn’t been closing in on us, we’d have had her home last night.” He turned to Drake. “As I was just telling Brent, they wore masks. She didn’t see their faces.”
“That may make it difficult to get them convicted,” Drake said.
“The Feds will check the cabin. Hopefully they left some fingerprints, and they’re bound to have a record and maybe other charges against them,” Brent said.
“She thinks she’ll recognize their voices,” Ty added. “But what we need most is to find out is who wanted her and why?”
“Maybe one of them will give up that information for a lesser sentence.” Brent went to the coffee pot and poured coffee for the three of them. He took a sip. “I needed this.”
“I do, too. Pour me a cup, please.” Lily stood in the doorway.
All three men turned in her direction. Ty wanted to go pick her up and hold her tight again. He barely restrained himself. Her long hair hung down around her shoulders. She’d put on jeans and a gold-and-brown colored shirt. The sun coming in the windows made her glow.