Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
H e’d been chasing Manning for three frustrating days. A biting rain slashed down, competing with the blustering wind. About an hour outside of Fargo, North Dakota, Colton sat in his rented Jeep, gazing at the quiet fleabag motel. Room 117 to be exact.
His contacts at the security firm he often used had confirmed Mark had used a credit card to rent the room. Whoever the firm used as a contact had some serious info, which is why he never balked at their fees.
Colton rubbed his scratchy chin.
A pudgy man following two scantily clad women in high heels had entered a room at the farthest end of the motel, but other than that, there hadn’t been any life. If Mark lingered in the room, he remained quiet.
Enough was enough.
Stepping out of the Jeep, Colt’s boots splashed in a mud puddle. Striding the distance to the door, he calculated the best approach.
Planting his boot near the knob, he kicked in the flimsy door. The cheap metal swung open, banging off the side wall.
Mark turned from sitting on the bed—and reached for something in his bag.
Colton was on him that fast, hands fisted in Mark’s shirt. “What’s in the bag?”
Mark swallowed, his glasses askew on his face. “Nothing.”
“Right.” Colton tossed the asshole across the room with minimum effort and reached for the barely visible silver gun.
Mark smashed into the dresser and dropped to the floor.
Colton frowned, twisting the gun in the meager light. “This is a Lady Smith & Wesson.” He frowned at Mark. “You bought a girl’s gun?”
Mark shoved himself up from the grimy carpet and straightened his glasses. He wore a faded T-shirt and dress pants. “You just committed a battery.”
Colton grinned and moved to shut and lock the door. Well, shut the door. The lock no longer worked. “You committed theft, fraud, and the worse crime of pissing me off.” Turning, he leaned back against the damaged door. “Why are you in North Dakota?”
Mark’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “I have an investor here and am trying to get all of your money back.” He eyed the window and seemed to listen for help.
There was no assistance coming to this dive. Colt clicked his tongue and stepped forward to grab Mark by the neck. “Try again.”
Mark’s skinny arms moved up to block, and Colton swatted them away. The guy wasn’t even worth it. “I thought we were friends,” he said quietly.
Mark sniffed. “We are friends.”
“Think so?” Colton threw him into one of two mangy chairs by a Plexi board table. Then he drew Mark’s laptop from the gun bag and placed the computer before his former friend. “Where’s the money?”
Mark shook his head. “The money is gone.”
Colton pushed the laptop into place. “Where is my money?”
Mark wiped his snotty nose on his sleeve. “Gone.”
Colton shrugged out of his coat. “I know you, you little prick. You have an overseas account set up, and now you’re going to transfer every cent from that account to this one.” He drew a piece of paper covered with a series of numbers from his front pants pocket.
“I can’t.” Mark sighed, his hands trembling on the table. “You’ll never kill anybody over money. Other reasons maybe, but not money.”
“You’re right.” Colton shoved a rough hand through his hair. “I won’t kill you.”
Mark’s shoulders relaxed.
“I will break every single bone in your body, one by one.” Colton kept his gaze steady. “You think you know me? Keep in mind not only have you stolen from me, you’ve stolen from my family. That’s a hard line you’ve crossed.”
Mark paled. “I’m sorry, but I needed the money. I made some bad bets, and I’m being chased.”
“I don’t care.” Colton leaned down, holding Mark’s gaze. “Your problems are yours. Now transfer the money.”
“I can’t,” Mark whispered, his gaze dropping to the silent laptop.
Colton shoved up the sleeves of his T-shirt and sat down at the computer. He hadn’t hacked an account since his early teens, but some gifts just stayed with a guy. Even so, the night stretched ahead, long and unforgiving.
Darkness without stars surrounded Colton as he jogged down the airplane’s steps in Maverick and tossed his duffel bag in his truck. Rain smashed down, just as cold as the drizzle in North Dakota.
It had taken several hours for Colton to hack into the accounts, another hour to realize that the actual money was gone, and then two hours to transfer the patents to his family’s corporation. The cash had disappeared, but the patents would eventually pay off. Eventually. For now, he had bad news for his family.
Very bad news.
Exhaustion had Colton rubbing an eye. Threatening people didn’t sit well with him, and he hadn’t slept in nights. The idea of slipping into a warm bed with an even warmer Melanie propelled his foot down on the accelerator.
His phone buzzed, and he frowned. Who would be calling in the middle of the night? A quick glance revealed his brother’s face on the screen, so he answered. “Quinn? What’s up?”
“Hey. Where are you?” Quinn asked.
“Heading into Mineral Lake,” Colton said.
“Good. I’m glad you’re home,” his brother said.
Colton stilled. “What’s up?”
“It’s Hawk. His helicopter went down two days ago downrange of Afghanistan.” A slight tremor vibrated in Quinn’s voice.
All thought, all emotion, screeched to a halt inside Colton. The anger over the money, the indecision with Melanie, even his fatigue flew away. “Is he?—”
“No. I don’t have details, and Jake is on the phone with his military contacts, but we know Hawk is alive and survived the crash to be brought home. We just don’t know where he is right now,” Quinn said.
“I’ll be right over.” Colton pressed harder on the gas pedal.
“Actually, we’re meeting at Mom and Dad’s in an hour to figure things out. Meet there.” Quinn clicked off.
Colton swallowed. Where was Hawk? Why had life gone to shit? Colton had a plan, and he’d been a cocky bastard, now hadn’t he? How could he fix everything?
There was only one place to go now.
After being awakened by the doorbell, Melanie opened her front door to find a disheveled Colton standing in the rain. Hollows accentuated his high cheekbones, and fatigue darkened his eyes. Along with pain. “What?” she whispered.
“Hawk’s helicopter went down,” Colt said.
Melanie blinked and half shook her head. Panic burst through her, heating her lungs. “No?—”
“He lived through the crash and was transported to the States.” Colton stepped forward and enveloped her in a hug. “We’re trying to find out which hospital he may be in right now.”
Relief weakened her knees, and she drew in a deep breath of male. “He didn’t die?”
“No, the doctors found him healthy enough to bring home for medical treatment, apparently.” Colt stepped back. “We’re meeting at the main ranch in an hour to figure things out. Get dressed, and I’ll drive.”
Melanie scrambled upstairs to throw on clothes. If Hawk was okay, where in the world could he be? He had to be okay. Too much was changing—way too fast. They couldn’t lose Hawk. She finished dressing and ran downstairs to find Colton on the phone.
He clicked off.
She held her breath until he’d turned around.
“Hawk was transported back to the States and checked himself out of the veterans’ hospital in Helena. He should be heading home,” Colt said.
Melanie frowned even as the world finally settled. “Why didn’t he call?”
“That’s exactly what we’ll ask him when he gets to Mineral Lake,” Colton said, grim lines cutting grooves into the side of his generous mouth. “I just left him a message to meet at Mom and Dad’s. Let’s get there before he does.”
Melanie yanked on a coat before following Colton into the storm and his vehicle. She settled against the leather in his truck, turning on the seat warmer. Best invention ever. “How was your trip?” she asked as he started the truck and drove into the blowing wind.
“I got the patents, but we’re broke until they pay off.” His lip twisted.
She clicked her seat belt into place. “Your family will understand.”
“I don’t know why they would. I was reckless and stupid.” He shook his head as wind hissed against the windows, and marble-sized hail pounded the truck. “My plan didn’t exactly fall into position.”
Melanie studied his hard profile. Why did his plan always have to be perfect? Everyone made mistakes. “They’ll support you.”
“They shouldn’t.”
She didn’t have any other words to offer. So, turning to watch the wild storm, she slid her hand under his as it rested on the console between them. He tangled his fingers through hers with a tight grip.
Yeah, it felt right.
Ten minutes later, they’d ensconced themselves at the Freeze main ranch house, and Melanie headed to help Loni in the kitchen. Per orders, Mel sliced potatoes in Loni’s gourmet kitchen and jerked when thunder yelled outside. The hail turned to a freezing rain.
Now she sliced while Loni finished stirring her famous breakfast casserole in a Crock-Pot. Tom Freeze stood next to his wife and kept getting his big hand slapped as he tried to steal a taste of the fragrant concoction. Colton stormed into the kitchen, Quinn on his heels. “He should be here by now,” Colt said.
Quinn snagged an apple slice from a platter off to the side. “There was a holdup when he checked himself out of the veterans’ hospital outside of Helena. Apparently he did so against doctor’s orders.”
Now that sounded like Hawk. Melanie slid the potatoes onto a plate. “How badly injured is he?”
“Some internal bleeding, a broken arm, a head injury, and a generally pissed-off attitude,” Jake said, loping into the kitchen. “Apparently Hawk refused medical help until they transferred him to Montana, and the second he got there, he discharged himself. I finally got ahold of my buddy in Helena, and he gave me the information.”
Melanie sighed, her mind whirling. “Can Hawk do that without getting in trouble with the military?”
“Yep.” Jake snaked raw potato. “The Navy honorably discharged Hawk three months ago.”
“What?” Colt’s head jerked up.
Jake nodded. “He went back as an independent contractor to assist his old unit with something. None of my contacts know what, but well…”
Melanie swallowed. “So he didn’t tell us the truth.”
Colton shoved a rough hand through his hair. “I’ll kick his ass. After he’s healthy.”
“That seems fair,” Quinn mused.
“Where is he?” Colton growled, punching in numbers on his cell phone again. “He’s not picking up.”
Quinn rubbed a hand over his eyes. “If I knew what he was driving, or who was driving him, I’d put out a BOLO. But right now, I have no clue.”
Juliet wandered into the kitchen, carrying a covered dish. “Sophie is resting in the guest room, and I almost had to tie her down to get her to stay there.” Amusement lifted the redhead’s lips. “She says she’s feeling better.”
Melanie’s cell phone rang, and she glanced at the screen before excusing herself to the other room. “Hello, Mr. Carmichael,” she answered. The elderly man owned the ranch to her east and had been one of her grandfather’s best friends.
“Hi, Mel.” He coughed for a moment. “I thought I should tell you that several of your Black Angus are wandering around the side of Shilly’s Mountain.”
Dread slammed through her. “Are you sure?”
“Yep. Used my new binoculars to make out the brand. It’s yours.” Carmichael coughed again. “Darn allergies, and spring isn’t even here yet. So be careful when you head out to fetch the cattle. That mountain ain’t safe for them with the coyotes, wolves, and bears.”
“True. Thanks, Mr. Carmichael.” She ended the call, her mind spinning. At least five fences had to go down in order for those cows to end up in danger. The spring storms had it out for her.
Colton poked his head out of the kitchen. “What’s up?”
She turned. “My western pasture has all downed fences. The Black Angus I had settled there are roaming Shilly’s Mountain.”
Colton lifted his chin and stepped into the room. “There are at least four fences between the pasture and the mountain.”
“Five,” she said.
“How many head?” he asked.
“About fifty from that pasture.” She took a deep breath. “I have to go.”
Colt leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “What’s your plan?”
“I’m contracting with Hawk’s crew, so I’ll give them a call,” she said. Even though he’d been out of town, Hawk’s crew remained at work.
Colton’s eyes darkened. “I assumed you’d call in a crew. What I’m asking is what you’re planning on doing.”
She frowned. “They’re my cattle. I’m heading out to round them up.”
“All by yourself?” His voice dropped to a softness that would provide warning to anybody with a brain.
She sighed. “You’re miffed I didn’t ask you to help?”
“Miffed?” Fire lanced through his eyes, highlighting all the different hues of blue.
She bit back a laugh. “I’ve asked you for help plenty of times, but I figured you’d be busy finding Hawk, and I didn’t want to pull you away from searching. We need to find him and make sure he’s okay.”
Colton nodded. “I understand. How about you stay here and help find Hawk, and I’ll head out and gather your cattle? The storm has messed with visibility big-time.”
She gaped. “Listen, Colt?—”
He held up a hand. “A big storm is about to settle over Shilly’s Mountain, and I’d rather you stay safe here. There’s a chance you’re now pregnant with my child, and that’s how it’s going to be.”
Holy crap. Amusement bubbled up so quickly she snorted. “ That’s how it’s going to be .” Turning on her heel, she chuckled as she headed toward the front door. As much as a jackass as he was being, it shouldn’t have surprised her when he grabbed her arm. “Let go of me, or prepare to be a eunuch,” she said quietly.
He turned her around, conflicting emotions chasing across his hard face. “What if I asked nicely?”
What if she kicked him squarely in the balls? Man, this new status with Colton, whatever it was, took work. “There’s less than a five percent chance I’m pregnant. Even if I were pregnant, I can work my ranch for several months until I’d need to slow down. Considering we just had sex three nights ago, I think I’m safe riding a horse.” She yanked her arm free.
His stubborn jaw set. “Fine.” Turning slightly, he raised his voice. “Anybody want to go on a cattle hunt?”