Chapter 3
3
A few hours later, Landon was driving down the winding, tree-lined driveway that stretched through the sprawling Fugate Ranch. The land rolled out before him in waves of golden pastures and sturdy wooden fences, the scent of fresh hay and earth wafting through the open window. The main house loomed ahead, a stately yet rustic structure that spoke of both wealth and a deep connection to the land.
A ranch hand escorted him through a side door, leading him into a large, comfortable family room that appeared well-lived in. The scent of wood smoke lingered faintly, mixing with the aroma of leather. Photographs adorned the mantel above the stone fireplace—snapshots of holidays, milestones, and candid moments that spoke of love and togetherness. His eyes caught a familiar image of the twins, Tad and Penny, their youthful faces beaming with innocence.
The murmur of voices preceded the entrance of a man who exuded authority and approachability in equal measure. Barrel-chested, with steel-gray hair and piercing blue eyes, he walked with the confidence of someone who had spent a lifetime commanding respect without demanding it. His rolled-up sleeves revealed strong, weathered forearms, and his jeans, though worn, were spotless. This was Thurston Fugate, a man who worked alongside his ranch hands, never above them.
At his side was a woman who carried herself with quiet grace. Her blond hair, streaked with silver, was pulled into a no-fuss ponytail. She wasn’t attempting to cover the strands of gray that attractively streaked through the blond. She was in jeans, a long-sleeved blouse, and flat shoes. Bare makeup allowed her features to show the tension in her face. Despite this, she radiated a natural beauty, her features softened by the light filtering through the windows. Thurston’s hand rested gently on her back as they moved forward in a silent gesture of support.
Introductions were quick, the formalities dispensed with ease. “We don’t stand on ceremony here,” Thurston said with a small smile. “Call me Thurston, and this is Margaret.”
Landon nodded, his gaze steady. “Pleasure to meet you both. And Landon is also fine.”
Next came a man who strode into the room in a similar manner as the elder Fugate. He resembled his dad, but Stan had his mother’s blond hair. He also wore jeans paired with a navy polo with the Fugate Ranch logo over the left side of the chest. “Sorry to be late. I was just on the phone with Roy, our attorney. I wanted to make sure nothing could go wrong.”
After Stan and Landon shook hands, Thurston said, “We’ll wait just a few minutes before we begin. The social worker is on her way.”
Landon nodded and then turned back to the photographs. He felt a presence beside him, and he wasn’t surprised when Margaret Fugate said, “I know I’m biased, but my grandchildren are beautiful.”
“I’d have to agree, ma’am.” Tad was on the cusp of manhood, with blond hair and blue eyes. His sister’s hair was also blond but darker. He’d seen a photograph of Pamela, and while she was beautiful, he had no idea what she would have looked like at Penny’s age.
“They’re not only physically beautiful, Landon, but they have managed to come out of this mess of a divorce as well-adjusted and sweet kids. Their mother is a snake in the grass, but considering she’s had little to do with them since they were born, her influence has thankfully been limited.” She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t want them upset. I don’t want them afraid.”
He turned to face her fully. “Margaret, it’s my job to ensure their safe return. I’ll do everything possible to take care of them during the exchange.”
The tension in her face eased slightly. Reaching out, she placed her hand on his arm. “Thank you?—”
The housekeeper entered, keeping her voice low. “Ms. Lennox is here.”
All eyes turned as a woman stepped into the room. Dressed in khaki pants and a deep green blouse, she exuded quiet confidence. Her brown hair, streaked with hints of red and gold, was pulled back with a simple headband, the soft waves falling past her shoulders. He couldn’t help but stare. He had expected the social worker to be older, perhaps with seniority status, for the judge to have personally recommended her.
Ms. Lennox smiled as she moved first to Margaret, who had slid to her husband's side. The smile was professionally reserved, and Landon wondered if it was due to the situation. A flash of desire to see her smile brighten enough to reach her eyes filled him. He jerked slightly at the unbidden idea.
“I’m Noel Lennox.” She shook hands with Thurston and Margaret, then moved to Stan. “You must be Tad and Penny’s father. It’s nice to meet you, but I’m sorry for the circumstances.”
After the Fugates welcomed her, she turned her gaze to Landon. She hesitated, her eyes widening slightly as though surprised. He liked that she was caught off guard and no longer reserved. He had no idea of her age, but upon closer observation, she was older than he’d initially thought if the little crinkles around her eyes were any indication.
As he walked straight to her and offered his hand, her cool professionalism slid back into place. The word brown for her eyes was too limiting. Like her hair, her eyes were multicolored… brown and hazel with gold flecks.
Blinking away the ridiculous musing, he managed to find his voice. “I’m Landon Sommers with Lighthouse Security Investigations.”
“Of course.” She nodded. “I was told that someone from a security company would be traveling with us. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Sommers.”
“Please, call me Landon.”
“And I’m Noel.” Her lips quirked upward ever so slightly. “My mother’s favorite holiday will explain my name.”
He inclined his head and then realized he was still holding her hand. He let it go just as Thurston said, “Let’s sit and get down to business. Stan wants to make sure you have all the information you need to deal with Pamela when you get down there.”
Thurston waited until his wife was seated on one of the sofas and Noel on the other before he took his place sitting next to Margaret. Stan perched on the end of the armchair, and Landon moved to sit beside Noel. Thurston then nodded toward Stan.
Stan leaned forward, the tension from his body palpable. “Pamela and I met at an event in Billings about fifteen years ago. She was beautiful, seemed sweet, and everything I thought I wanted in a girlfriend. She never asked how much the family was worth nor indicated she was a gold digger.”
Thurston huffed, but Margaret shushed him. “None of us thought that at the beginning.”
Stan sighed, then continued, “Looking back, I realize there were subtle signs, such as hinting for specific pieces of jewelry or gifts, especially when we had a disagreement. I hadn’t proposed, and to be perfectly honest, I wasn’t ready to be engaged. And then she became pregnant.”
“In case you’re wondering,” Thurston interrupted, “we told Stan that he needed to insist on a paternity test. My wife and I were unconvinced that her nature wasn’t mercenary by that time.”
“She agreed, and yes, I was the father,” Stan admitted. “I was thrilled with impending fatherhood. All Pamela seemed to care about was our wedding, marred by the prenup agreement we insisted on. She wanted to hold the fact that she was pregnant over my head to keep from signing. Our attorney explained that without it and no marriage, she would be entitled to child support but no alimony. She signed, but not without a lot of headaches on all our parts. She wanted to get married quickly after finding out she was having twins since her figure would change faster. She wanted big and lavish, and since her parents were deceased, we handled the costs. After the wedding, Pamela quickly became more frustrated when her body changed so much due to having twins. I assumed her maternal instinct would kick in when Tad and Penny were born, but it never did. She wanted to hire a nanny immediately.”
Margaret’s voice hardened with resolve. “There was no way I’d let a stranger raise my grandchildren. So we brought in someone we trusted, a woman we’d known for years. Plus, we were always around to help.”
Noel leaned forward, her expression thoughtful. “There wasn’t any mention of neglect or abuse in the documents. Did Pamela ever mistreat the children?”
Stan exhaled heavily, rubbing a hand over his face. “No, not in the traditional sense. Pamela wasn’t neglectful, exactly. She loved the kids... in her way. As they grew older, she enjoyed the social aspects of motherhood—taking Penny shopping and attending Tad’s soccer games. But it felt more about appearances than genuine support.”
Thurston’s face darkened, his voice a low growl. “She cared more about being seen than actually being there for them.”
Noel nodded, absorbing the weight of his words. “And the divorce? How did that impact Tad and Penny?”
Stan’s shoulders sagged slightly, the weight of past decisions pressing down on him. “By the time they were nine, the kids had already turned to my mom for the nurturing they craved. They knew Pamela wasn’t that kind of mother. Around that time, I found out she was having an affair—not her first. I confronted her, and when it was clear she wasn’t going to change, I filed for divorce. Despite the custody arrangement, I had enough evidence to ensure physical custody of the kids.”
Landon, who had been silently observing, raised an eyebrow. “And the prenup?”
Stan’s lips thinned into a grim line. “Because of her infidelity, her alimony was minimal. In court, I laid everything bare. Even with joint custody, I got physical custody. She sees them every other weekend and during specific holidays and summer weeks. But every visit comes with her asking for more money. She claims she spends it on the kids—restaurants, shopping—but the kids tell me otherwise. I’ve stopped giving her anything extra.”
Margaret’s voice cracked, raw emotion bleeding through her composed exterior. “Her financial lifeline is drying up, and now she’s stooped to holding her own children hostage. I knew she was greedy, but this... this is beyond anything I could have imagined.”
Thurston pulled her into a comforting embrace, his strength steadying her trembling form. Landon watched the scene unfold. He had seen humanity at its worst, witnessed the depths people could sink to. A mother using her children as pawns wasn’t the most heinous act he’d encountered, but for the Fugates, it was a personal hell.
“When did you realize the kids were missing?” Noel asked.
Landon turned his attention to the soft-spoken social worker. He appreciated how Noel gently shifted the Fugates' focus from their emotional to practical needs.
“They were spending the weekend with her, but she had come by to ask me to let them skip a week of school, and she’d take them to the Caribbean… all on my dime, of course. I said hell no! The kids have scheduled holidays, and they need to be in school. As you can imagine, she was pissed.”
“So they went to her place after school on Friday?” Noel prodded, and Landon wondered how much she knew ahead of this meeting.
“She called late last night to tell me they were in Jamaica, and she was keeping the kids unless I agreed to up the alimony.”
Thurston’s jaw clenched, his fists tightening on the arms of his chair. “We won’t bog you down with all the back-and-forth—threats, pleas, lawyers getting involved. She thought she was untouchable down there, but she started negotiating once she realized we had the means to have her arrested and extradited. She handed us a list of demands. When we talked with Tad and Penny, they let it slip that a young man accompanied them to the Caribbean. Penny said it was her boyfriend, but Tad thought she was dating an older man. Anyway, just letting you know there is someone else down there with them who is probably hoping to cash in on her gains.”
Landon nodded, absorbing the information. “I’ve reviewed her demands. You’ve come to an agreement?”
Stan’s mouth twisted in disgust. “Yes. She’s agreed to sign away her parental visitations.” He paused, rubbing his temples. “Christ... who the hell does that?”
A heavy silence filled the room, the weight of Stan’s words pressing down on everyone. Noel’s gaze met his, a silent understanding passing between them. Her lips tightened, but she offered a small, encouraging smile before turning back to the Fugates.
Landon took a breath, knowing they needed to move forward. “Is she expecting us?”
Stan nodded, leaning forward. “Yes. She knows you’ll arrive with the new alimony agreements and money. The kids are supposed to be ready to leave with you.”
“We want this handled quietly,” Thurston added, his eyes sharp. “No press. It would only make things worse for everyone, especially Tad and Penny. They know their mom took them on an unsanctioned trip, but when they come home tomorrow, we’ll manage the story. They don’t need to know the full extent of their mom’s betrayal.”
Noel nodded in agreement. “That’s the right approach. Keeping their well-being at the forefront is crucial.”
Thurston leaned forward. “My longtime friend, Judge Samuel Waterford, recommended you both. He said Lighthouse Security would be a good choice to protect my grandchildren and that a social worker would ensure their mental and emotional well-being during this time.”
Noel glanced at Landon again, a small smile playing on her lips, a mix of reassurance and camaraderie. “We’ll do everything we can.”
Landon’s eyes lingered on her for a moment before he turned back to the Fugates. “Absolutely,” he said firmly. “We’ll bring them home safely.”