27. Chapter 27
Chapter twenty-seven
Mitch sat watching the same house he’d been watching for the last two days. It had been three months since he’d left the FBI and joined Black Knight Security. After Isla left, he needed a change. Curt had offered him a place in his security firm and he had accepted the offer.
Life without Isla was unbearable. Mitch had hoped with the move to Virginia, things would get better.
But they hadn’t. If anything, it was worse.
There were too many good memories. Too many dreams and hopes that would never be fulfilled.
He needed to accept his new life and, unfortunately, Isla wasn’t in it.
Days like this, just sitting in the car all day long on a stakeout, were the worst. How he missed her.
He heard her voice and turned to find nothing.
He smelled her scent, but she wasn’t there.
Would it ever get better? His dreams were filled with her.
He’d wake up expecting her to be there at his side and that space was empty.
His heart was broken, and he doubted it would ever heal.
He had heard that the trial was over, and Marcus Hernandez had been found guilty.
He’d received four life sentences with no chance for parole.
The bastard should have fried. He was sure that the SOB was still ruling over his drug kingdom from his cell.
As long as he was still on this earth, Isla would have to fear for her life.
His hope was that Isla was safe and happy.
The US Marshals were the best at what they did.
He had to have faith in the system. The only way he could do this, live his life without her, was to know that she was safe.
His hope for her was that she would find love again and have the family he knew she had craved.
It couldn’t be with him, but if she could meet someone and have a good life with him, he’d be happy for her.
Mitch couldn’t even comprehend looking at anyone else romantically. He had found his love and he knew he would never find it again. It wouldn’t be fair to anyone to have to be second best. He had given Isla his heart and he didn’t want it back.
So, here he was, working for Curt. At times it was boring as hell, but other times it felt like he was a SEAL again. Just the previous week, they had flown into the jungle of South America and rescued the daughter of a billionaire.
The evil in this world never ceased to amaze him. With the devil at work, his job would never be done. He had no one to hold him back so he took on the toughest cases Curt had. There was no one waiting for him back home.
His cell rang. “Anything?” Curt asked.
“Not a thing,” Mitch said. “It’s been quiet all day. When’s my relief showing up?”
“He’ll be there in the hour. Can you stop by before you head home? I have a job I want to discuss with you.”
“Sure,” said Mitch. “Anything you can tell me about now?”
“I’d rather wait to talk to you in person,” Curt said. “I’d like you to lead the team on this one.”
“I’ll see you soon and there better be beer involved. These last two days have been boring as hell. If this guy doesn’t make a move soon, we’ll all go crazy.”
“So how about you and this client,” Curt prodded him. “She’s pretty, right? I saw her looking at you.”
Mitch shook his head. “Listen to you, giving me advice on my love life. When was the last time you went out on a date?”
Curt kept it up. “The guys and I have to drag you out to get a beer and when we do, you just sit and mope at the bar all night. I haven’t seen you look at a girl since you got back from my place, after your last case with the FBI.
Is there something you’re not telling me?
We’ve been friends since we were ten. You know you can tell me anything. ”
Mitch could feel the truth bubble up in his throat.
He wanted so badly to say it out loud. Max had never brought it up again after Isla was sent away.
Mitch just ached alone, licking his wounds like a shot wolf.
“Curt, if I tell you, I need you to keep it between us and never mention it again. Got it?”
“Got it.”
Mitch exhaled loudly. “I fell in love with our witness. I should have never gone there. But I couldn’t resist. They put her in the Witness Protection Program.
The guy she testified against wants her dead, and even now they’re probably looking for her, just for revenge alone.
She’s better off where she is. She can have a new life.
So I’m done looking for a girl. I’m happy just filling my days with the job. I don’t need anything else.”
“That’s not the way to live, flyboy,” said Curt. “Everyone needs someone. You need to keep looking—or what’s there to live for?”
“That’s just it,” said Mitch. “Without her, there’s nothing to live for. Don’t worry, I’m not going to off myself. I’m just tired. I love my job. If I can save some lives, it’s enough for me.”
If he kept saying it, maybe one day it would be true.
“I’ll have a cold one waiting,” said Curt.
Mitch drove back to the house the firm had rented.
Their temporary home base was a secure estate in the Hamptons.
Pretty darn swanky. It had two pools, one outdoor and one indoor.
He was sure the client was being charged a good amount for their services.
Curt met him at the door with beer in hand as promised.
“Let’s sit by the pool while I tell you about our next case,” said Curt. “Have you ever wanted to go to Montana?”
Mitch shrugged. “Any place is as good as the next.”
“Good,” said Curt. “Because I’m sending Nick, Jax, and you on this case.”
“What do we have?” Mitch asked, cracking his beer open.
“A rancher, out near Yellowstone. Someone’s been rustling their cattle.
They’ve lost several hundred head already.
One of the cowboys working the range was killed.
He must have come upon the criminals while he was rounding up strays.
They’ve been hit three times already. The owner figures they’ve lost tens of thousands of dollars. ”
“What’s the time frame here?” Mitch asked.
“Four weeks,” said Curt. “The place is massive. It takes three hours to get from one end to the other. Usually they travel by helicopter, but they have satellite stations throughout the place. The sooner we get out there, the better. I’m working on the tech stuff now.
If we spread out, each one of us at a satellite station, we might just catch these guys in the act.
I’ve got drones being programmed right now.
That’s probably the only way we’re going to be able to catch them. We’ve got too much ground to cover.”
Mitch watched as Curt got all excited about the drones.
He was a tech nerd at heart. “I figure maybe we could set up a trap for them. If they take the bait, we might just get lucky. Could be an inside job. We won’t know until we get there.
It’s been awfully convenient that they know when and where the cattle are being rounded up to move. Doesn’t seem right…”
“You’re coming?” Mitch said, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah, I figured we could take the chopper. That’ll give us two birds in the air. The client’s giving us his pilot to use as we see fit.”
“Is he capable?” Mitch asked. “Things could get dicey.”
“He’s a retired Air Force pilot with combat experience. I think we’re good.”
“When do we leave?
“The day after next. We could be out there for a while. Anything you need to do before you leave?”
“Nope, I’m ready whenever you need me,” Mitch said.
Three days later, they were landing on Hidden Haven Ranch. It was huge. Finding the rustlers was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Jax and Nick met them when they landed. Naturally, they had arrived early.
Flying a helicopter across country took a while.
It wasn’t as cozy as the private jet, but Mitch had enjoyed it just the same.
They headed toward the house, a massive log home bigger than the one in Virginia.
If you could call a log home a mansion, this was it.
The barns alone were something to see. Cattle and horses had dotted the countryside as they had flown over.
The mountains in the distance were magnificent.
Mitch was in awe of the beauty around him. But he wasn’t fooled by it. This was a rugged place with criminals hiding out and ready to kill. Isolation and the elements were the least of their worries. The closest neighbors were miles away. They would be pretty much on their own.
The owner, Cal Keffler, and his ranch manager, Brice Wiseman, met them at the log home.
Introductions were made and they were off to discuss what had been happening since they had last talked.
As of yesterday, another hundred cattle had been rustled and were gone in the wind.
This had to be a big operation. For someone to steal that much livestock, they had to have someplace big enough to put them.
Brands had to be changed and paperwork forged.
Not to mention the number of trucks it took to transport them.
Hidden Haven Ranch bordered other ranches to the south, north, and east. It bordered the Crow Indian Reservation to the west, nearly 2,308 million acres with a population of almost 8,000 residents.
Cal had already spoken to the chairman, Rod Blackhawk, who they would meet soon.
With the reservation and the neighboring ranches, Curt’s team had miles of open land to scour.
They flew the chopper to Chairman Blackhawk’s impressive office. The revenue from the casinos was obvious, though many people on the reservation lived under the poverty level.
Rod Blackhawk welcomed them warmly. He and Cal seemed to be on good terms. “Cal, you have my permission to search the reservation. Whatever we can do to help, we will. I can’t offer up my officers. We’re short-staffed as it is.”
“I figured that, Rod,” said Cal. “That’s why I hired these guys. They’ve got the technology to end this nightmare. I’ve already lost one ranch hand because of these guys. He was a family man, left two kids and a young wife. I really appreciate whatever you can do.”
“I’ll meet with my police chief this morning and fill him in,” said Rod. “I’ll have him contact you if they come across anything suspicious.”
Mitch went through the motions, interviewing the heads of the surrounding ranches. But as he looked around at the wide-open blue sky, his heart knew something big was going to happen soon.