Chapter Six
Hondo shook his head. “No son, Jonah always knew he had backup, I’m afraid. He knew that if they were taken, the Hounds would try to rescue them.”
“So they are coming here to take us hostage to try and get their cousin out of the Bratva’s hands?” Zed asked.
Walter scoffed. “Hell, don’t be so na?ve, brother. If they ever got their hands on any of us, they would never be able to turn us over to anyone in any deal they might try to make. We wouldn’t be alive to give back.”
Hondo nodded. “That makes me worried about Cat and Wren. Especially if a man like Ernesto Montoya is backing this fiasco. He’s out for blood for his brother’s and nephew’s deaths even though the girls had nothing to do with anything.
Their mother Isobel didn’t do what she was supposed to do in helping them to wipe out all of the Alvarez Cartel. ”
Walter sat back in his chair and stared at his father, “You know a lot about those cartels, Papa. So how did you come up with this theory?”
Hondo exhaled and explained this fact, “Son, when you’ve been around this kind long enough, you start thinking like them.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out how they think.
You just have to pay attention, and I always pay attention.
The Montoyas might not agree with my methods, because they think they are ahead in their thinking.
But like I said, if you pay attention you can reason out what they are doing.
” He shrugged. “Besides, I met Carlos Montoya when I was younger and he was a harsh man even then. He would want to crush anyone that he felt let his family down and Isobel certainly did that. Even if she is dead, he would want to get her family’s blood for revenge.
I would say that Wren and Cat have reason to worry.
And that is something I cannot allow to happen.
She may belong to Wanderer but she also belongs to us.
Ben would count on us to make sure she is safe.
He knew of the cartels himself and that is why he died through the black hearted Isobel as we now know. ”
Andriea walked in and she stopped to stare at her husband and their sons. Then she looked at the video monitor. “What is going on out there?” she asked softly.
Hondo looked at her and shook his head. “What do you mean?”
“There’s someone right there, standing under a tree.” She pointed at the screen.
Walter turned to look. Taking a deep breath, he stared at the screen. “I knew someone was out there. I knew it!” He rushed to his feet and said, “I’ll be back!” He ran down the hall and grabbed his coat then he disappeared out the door.
Hondo, Zed and Cameron all looked over at the monitor now. They saw trees and nothing else.
“Maybe we need to follow him,” Zed said. “This might be some not so friendlies.”
“Ya think?” Cameron scoffed. “Just cuz they are out there at 5 in the morning? Hiding?”
Ignoring his oldest son’s sarcasm, Hondo stared at them both and gave them a firm nod.
Zed and Cameron grabbed their rifles from the wall and headed out after their brother.
Hondo then again studied the screen and gazed up at his wife. “There’s no one there.”
She leaned in to stare at the scene that the camera caught. “I saw something, I know I did.”
Outside along the fence...
Rushing toward the treeline, Walter kept looking around. Halting in a skid along the ground, he gazed all around again and that was when he saw her. She was standing beside a tree in the back woods. But something about her didn’t look right. It was almost like she was standing too still.
He searched her stance and noticed her left arm was tucked into her jacket pocket, a jacket that was too light for the weather outside and beyond that she looked tired.
Spotting him, she tried to move but she stumbled and fell to the ground.
Rushing over, he climbed the fence and dropped down on the other side.
Man, he was going to have to somehow get her back over to the other side.
He then had to carry her over to the gate a half mile away.
He was winded when he finally came to the front of the Inn.
His brothers rushed over while carrying rifles. Zed went up the steps and opened the door for him.
Walter went through the lobby while carrying her in his arms. Then he made his way to the house part of the Inn.
Hondo growled when he spotted him and the bundle he carried. “Qué carajo, hijo?” What the hell, son?
Walter looked up at him. “By the time I reached her, she was down on the ground. I just brought her back.” He carried her into the living room and carefully laid her down on the sofa.
Andriea joined them with a bowl of warm water and a washcloth.
Hondo stared at her. “How did you know?”
“I saw him on the screen when he scooped her up.” Andriea sat down on the sofa and gently began washing her face.
Then she gasped as the water began uncovering bruises, some new, some days old and a few that were beginning to fade.
Sadness glimmered in her eyes as she glanced up at Hondo.
She shook her head but she didn’t say a word as she continued her ministrations.
When she finished, she dried the other woman’s skin carefully so as not to hurt her.
She took her time and softly dried her hands gently.
“Well, how is she?” Hondo asked.
Andriea looked up at him.
Before she could speak, Sergi came into the room. He stopped and stared at the woman lying on the sofa. “What is this? Who is she?”
Hondo turned to him and shook his head. “We don’t know yet. Walter found her outside and she had lost consciousness by the time he reached her.” He looked disgusted as he let out a breath and said, “She’s been beaten and left on her own. We’ve never seen her before.”
Sergi nodded then moved closer as he stared at her. “Does this seem almost too rehearsed to anyone but me?” he asked the room at large. “I mean we just realize there’s trouble coming and she shows up like this?”
Hondo turned his head to stare at him. “Senor, I’m not sure I like what you are suggesting.”
Sergi shrugged. “I’m not sure I do either but it might be possible.”
“Si it might be, that’s why I don’t care for the idea.” Hondo shook his head. “But if the Hounds are anything like the Grimms, then it might be possible.”
Walter looked down at the woman on the sofa and said, “Let’s just wait to condemn her, ok? Maybe we should find out who she is and why she was in the woods first.”
Everyone went quiet.
Andreia got up and took the bowl of water to the kitchen.
Walter went over and pulled a chair up to the couch. Sitting down, he simply stared at the young woman.
Zed and Cameron looked at each other and smirked.
Hondo caught the exchange and shook his head.
Now Andreia returned with a tray of coffee and tea cups. She quietly distributed the cups to the men.
The men all sat at the table over by the other sofa to have their coffee.
Walter passed on the coffee as he stayed right where he was.
The young woman on the sofa groaned and thrashed her head back and forth, then she whimpered and stopped. Raising her right hand as if she were trying to stop the top of her head from exploding, she let out another small groan.
Walter let out a hard breath and whispered, “Who did this to her?” He growled and clenched his fists.
Finally, her eyes slowly opened a slit.When she spotted Walter, her eyes opened wider and she gasped as she just stared at him. “Who are you and where am I?” she whispered.
Walter gazed into her amber eyes and he felt transfixed.
Most people had blue or brown eyes, maybe hazel but her eyes were amber colored and she was beautiful.
Bruises and all. Her face looked almost elfin, even covered in bruises he could see her sweetness.
He leaned forward and whispered, “My name is Walter Meran and you were in the woods behind our home. I’m glad to see you’re awake and all but you picked a rather dangerous time to come calling. ”
Now she looked panicked as her eyes widened and she tried to sit up. “I had to come and warn you. My brothers are right behind me. I had to come!”
“Your brothers?” Hondo asked as he came over to the sofa. “Who are your brothers?”
The woman closed her eyes and whispered, “Caleb and Jordan King. My name is Celina King. Our cousin Jonah disappeared last week and my brothers are coming here to find him. And if he’s dead, they are supposed to take revenge on the people that did it.”