Chapter 3 #2
Owen remembered Mark. He was Callie’s age, and everyone knew he’d always had a thing for her. Cullen gave Owen a shrug as he glanced at Wyatt.
“Why put it on the news and then send us in?” Cullen asked.
Owen rubbed his chin as he spotted Natalie. “I’d have liked to look around the scene before the local authorities came in. And why send them in at all?”
“A formality,” Callie said.
Wyatt snorted loudly. “A government team isn’t brought in to clean things up unless they’re hiding something. Then they send in the locals?”
Cullen clenched his hands into fists.
Owen was ready and willing to go after the bastards for what they’d done. This was about a weapon that could affect the entire world, the murder of their family and a special ops team, as well as the apparent kidnapping of their father.
He felt Wyatt’s gold gaze on him. Wyatt gave him a single nod, an affirmation that his thoughts were the same. Owen turned to Cullen.
“Fuck yeah, I’m ready to go after these assholes,” Cullen stated.
Owen’s gaze slid to Callie. In the furor, no one bothered to notice how upset she was. Their father had taken Callie on as a workhand not just because she was good with cattle and horses, but because Orrin saw something in her no one else had.
The ranch and the Loughmans became family to her. Orrin became a father figure, steering her away from the life her family tried to push on her repeatedly. Callie was torn up by the team’s death and Orrin’s disappearance, but as was customary Callie, she kept it locked tightly away.
That was something she and Wyatt had in common. Not that he would point that out to either of them unless he wanted to be punched.
Callie raised a brow at his silent question. “As if you need to ask. I’ve been ready to go after Orrin. Why do you think Natalie is here?”
Owen’s gaze narrowed on Natalie. He still hadn’t figured out how she was a part of all this, and that unsettled him in ways he wasn’t yet ready to acknowledge. With the way Callie talked, however, she’d alluded to Natalie being involved.
That was about to change.
He then looked around at the buildings near the house. It appeared as though each of the barns was still being used for the animals. So where was the base?
“You said Dad used the ranch as his home base. Unless he’s taken over part of one of the barns, I’m not seeing it,” Owen said.
His head turned back to Natalie. Surely not. Surely his father wouldn’t have put it so close to the house. With all the acres of property available, why there?
Callie motioned for them to follow her. The direction took them right to Natalie and the horse barn. And his ire grew.
As if sensing his thoughts, Callie said, “Just so you know, Virgil and Charlotte knew about this. It was their idea for Orrin to use the ranch. He picked out a spot on the back five hundred, but Virgil urged him to use something closer.”
It didn’t surprise Owen at all that Virgil would want Orrin close. The brothers bickered often, but they would do anything for the other. They were as close as Owen and his brothers weren’t.
Owen felt the resentment rolling off Wyatt in waves. It was always the same whenever anything with Orrin was discussed. Owen kept pace with Callie until they reached the barn. Then he stopped next to Natalie as they moved inside. Only then did Callie shove aside a bale of hay and press a button.
Cullen jumped back as the ground emitted a small noise a second before a piece of earth slid back, revealing narrow, metal stairs.
Owen glanced at Natalie to see she wasn’t surprised by any of it.
He sighed and walked down the stairs after Natalie.
He hurried to the bottom, taking in all the computers and electronics as well as several rooms that branched off.
“This way,” Callie said as the latch slid closed above and she moved past the four of them.
Wyatt followed her around the line of computers, past a conference room with glass walls and a large black table with plenty of chairs around it, to what appeared to be a wall of metal.
She halted before a steel door and punched in a code. It unlocked with a click. Callie pushed it open and held out a hand for them to take a look.
Cullen let out a whistle. As soon as Owen walked inside and got a glimpse of all the rifles, handguns, grenades, bullets, and other various weapons, as well as night vision goggles and communication devices, he understood.
“Damn,” Cullen said with a smile. “A dream come true.”
Callie sidled past them to a small laptop in a back corner where Natalie waited. “Take whatever you think you’ll need. I need to the DOD know you’re going after Orrin.”
“No one said we’re going after him,” Wyatt declared in a voice devoid of any warmth.
“He’s your father,” Natalie said in dismay.
Wyatt shrugged. “He got two more family members killed. He should’ve learned the first time.”
Owen sidled between them and held Natalie’s gaze for a moment. Then he looked at Callie. “First, Wyatt is an idiot, and we are going after Dad. Second, don’t send anything. Whatever we do, we aren’t taking orders from the government about this.”
“That means we won’t get their help either,” Cullen pointed out.
Wyatt grunted behind them. “Perhaps that’s for the best. We shouldn’t trust anyone now.”
Owen swiveled his head to Wyatt. “Agreed.”
“Ditto,” Cullen said.
Wyatt coolly turned away and began gathering weapons.
Owen released a breath and found Natalie watching him. They had yet to have a conversation alone. He wasn’t sure what to say. Sorry wasn’t nearly enough.
“I think it’s time Natalie explained why she’s here,” Cullen said.