Chapter 28
Owen snuck them into the house and into the downstairs bathroom. They showered and dressed before anyone woke.
Entering the kitchen, Leslie went to work making breakfast. A few minutes later, JoJo and Rucker joined her.
“Can we help?” Rucker asked.
“If someone can start the coffee. We’ll need to put some in a carafe and make another pot,” she directed. “Then, someone can start the bacon.”
Gunny made his way down and started making biscuits.
Owen patted him on the shoulder. “If you keep making biscuits from scratch, I may have to steal you away from Rucker and Jake.”
“Pfft,” Gunny said, rolling out his dough. “They won’t even miss me. They can run the place with their eyes closed.”
“Never, Dad,” Rucker said, kissing his cheek. “You make the best steaks in town. Plus, I like it when you give Jake the stink eye. It keeps him in line.”
“I heard you,” Jake said, coming around the corner and kissing her.
Owen poured them coffee as Dillon and Elias entered. With the first stack of pancakes finished and the bacon ready, Leslie set it on the table.
Mason joined them a few minutes later with Nathan and Noah. Leslie set a pancake in front of Noah, cut it into pieces, and handed him a fork. The little boy ignored it while Mason added butter and syrup, making Leslie frown.
A few minutes later, Noah put his hand to his head and cried out.
“What’s the matter?” Leslie asked Mason.
“He gets headaches,” Mason admitted. “I have to pick up his meds in town.”
Something in his voice made Owen turn and glance at him as he made another pot of coffee.
Elias pulled out a map and spread it in front of him, showing Jake, Max, and Gunny.
“If we start here, we can get the cameras set up around the house. At least then Dillon and Cade won’t have to sit outside in the dark.” Both brothers glanced at each other and rolled their eyes.
“It’ll take some time, but we can add cameras along the mountain and the road leading up to the house,” Elias continued. “We can store the equipment in the cellar.”
“We can start after breakfast,” Jake offered. “Max and I’ll be ready in a jiffy.”
“I have a mind to check the cabins if you don’t mind. Jeremiah did a few things differently, and they might work back at our place. May I nose around?” Gunny asked.
“Be my guest,” Owen said. “We’ll let Cade sleep a bit longer since he took the night shift.”
“What about us?” Rucker asked. “We can help.”
“After all, I know as much about this mountain as you do,” Leslie argued.
Owen smiled. “I’ll take as many hands as we can get. Until we decide on what to do, I don’t want us burned out of our home.”
“Let me get the boys settled. They’ll be fine here if you’re outside. I can run Mason into town to pick up Noah’s medication and grab my work,” Leslie offered.
Owen kissed her on the forehead. “I prefer you stay here for now. Get the boys caught up. I’ll run Mason into town. I have a couple of errands to run.”
“Oh, all right,” she said, disappointed he didn’t ask her to accompany him.
Mason followed Owen out to his truck while the others sorted through the equipment. Leslie took the opportunity to teach Noah and Nathan how to use a fork with canned peaches.
“Good morning,” Tucker greeted her, rubbing his eyes.
“Good morning,” she replied. “I saved you some pancakes.”
“Conner will be here in a minute,” Tucker said, getting a plate and silverware. He watched his cousins as she showed them how to catch the fruit.
“Why don’t they know how to eat correctly?” Tucker asked.
“They’ll learn. You didn’t know how to use it until I taught you and Conner,” she reminded him.
Conner entered, walked up to Leslie, and hugged her.
“Did you sleep all right?” she asked, kissing his head.
“Ugh, huh,” he answered.
“Good. How about some pancakes?” she asked, smoothing his hair.
“Mom, did my brothers decide what to do about me?” he asked sadly.
Sighing, she put her arms around him and said, “You’re not going anywhere. You’ll stay with Tucker and me. Owen will be moving here to spend time with you and Tucker. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. You must’ve worried about it.”
His eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t want to move away. I love you like my real mom.”
“Oh, honey, I love you, too.”
“What will happen to my other brothers?” he asked.
“I don’t know yet,” she answered. “I’m sure they’ll come to visit if they decide not to stay. They live in different places, but we can visit them, too.”
“Yeah,” Tucker agreed. “Uncle Cade said he’ll take us to see the Grand Canyon.”
“All right,” Leslie changed the subject. “Uncle Dillon will do the chores today. After breakfast, I’ll expect you to get your assignments completed.”
“When will we have Dad’s funeral?” Conner asked her as he moved to fetch a plate and silverware.
“The doctors examined his body to determine how he died,” she explained. “When they finish, we’ll have a funeral.”
Conner slid into his seat, and Tucker passed him a piece of bacon. Leslie attempted to get the boys to try their forks to no avail.
In the afternoon, she put Mason’s sons down for a nap and checked on Conner and Tucker, who played a card game at the kitchen table. The sound of vehicles pulling into the driveway caught her attention.
Walking onto the porch, she watched as Mason got out of Owen’s truck with the prescription bag. Owen climbed out of a pretty blue SUV. Upon seeing her, he walked around the car and took the steps two at a time.
“Did you get a new vehicle?” she asked.
“No. I got you a new vehicle. Mason and I checked on your truck. Someone messed with the spark plugs. In general, it’s in bad shape.” He dangled the keys out in front her stunned face.
“You…bought me an SUV?” she asked, ensuring she heard him correctly.
“You need something reliable and with more safety features,” he said, pressing the key into her hand.
“You didn’t have to buy me a car,” she exclaimed.
“Consider it a bit of back child support. You and the boys need something safer. If you don’t like it, we can trade it for something else.”
Besides Jeremiah, no one did anything nice for her. The stigma of getting jilted followed her everywhere in the small town. This grand gesture will certainly get tongues wagging.
“It’s too expensive,” she protested.
“You’re priceless,” he murmured. “Let me give this to you. I want you safe.”
Leslie glanced at the vehicle and back at him before grinning. “Can we take it for a ride?”
Owen chuckled. “Sure.”
Turning, she called to Conner and Tucker. “I’m going for a quick drive. Uncle Mason’s back to watch the boys.”
She ran toward the vehicle and slid into the buttery soft leather seat. The navigation screen showed a ton of buttons, and she bounced in excitement as she ran her hand along the console.
“Oh, Owen. It’s beautiful. You even remembered my favorite color,” she gushed.
“Do you want to take it for a spin or sit in the driveway?” he teased.
Leaning over, she kissed him before starting the vehicle. Turning on the engine, she marveled at the quiet sound as she put it in drive.
Feeling giddy, she made her way down the mountain and into town. She saw people turning curious glances at her as she drove by with Owen beside her. She didn’t care. Leslie wanted to enjoy the moment.
She turned back onto the road to the mountain when a black vehicle came from behind, slamming into the rear of her car and jolting them forward.
“He hit me,” she exclaimed as the truck rammed into her again.
“Gas it,” Owen ordered as he took out his phone and called Cade.
Leslie put her foot to the floor as the truck sped up and hit the corner edge, making her struggle for control.
“Hang on, Leslie,” Owen commanded. “When I tell you, I want you to gas it again.” A second later, he said, “Do it.” The truck missed them, and she turned the wheel sharply around the curve.
“Good, girl,” he said. “Do it again.”
Leslie gunned it while she feared for their lives.
The truck struck again, only this time it didn’t jolt her forward as much.
When she rounded the next bend, she saw Cade, Dillon, Jake, and Max blocking the road, leaving a path for her to drive through.
She pressed her foot down as the bullets pelted her new car.
She screamed as they whizzed past the blockade and Owen yelled, “Stop the car.”
Slamming on the brake, she stopped and put the SUV into park. Her chest rose rapidly as she tried catching her breath. Owen pulled her head down to the seat. Opening the door, he stopped long enough to tell her, “Stay put until I come for you.”
She lay on the seat, listening to the exchange of gunfire. When everything went quiet, she waited for Owen. He opened the driver’s door, making her panic. Seeing his face, she wrapped her arms around him as she let out the fear and anxiety.
“It’s all right,” he soothed as he stroked her hair.
He pulled her out of the SUV and closed the door. Her mouth hung open as she saw her beautiful gift destroyed.
“It’s insured and can be replaced. You can’t,” he assured her before turning to his brothers. “Did anyone see the driver or the license plate?”
“I have the plate numbers,” Gunny called. “I’ll give them to Elias when we get back to the house.”
“I called the police as soon as I hung up speaking with you. They’ll be here shortly.” Leslie heard the sirens coming up the mountain. The men stowed their guns and waited for the police.
The same officer who showed up during her burglary attempt got out of his car.
“What can we do for you?” the officer asked.
“Someone tried running us off the road and shot at us,” he said, pointing to the new SUV.
The officer took out his notepad. “May I see your driver’s licenses?”
Owen dug into his wallet, pulled out the card, and handed it to them.
The other police officer collected the others. When he stopped in front of Leslie, he waited for her to hand hers over.
“I’m sorry. I got excited about my new vehicle and didn’t grab my purse. It’s at the top of the mountain and can get it,” she explained.