Chapter 28
Grace
Thankfully, after another nap, I was more rested, and I got ready for work without an issue. Avery wanted me to take another day, but I needed to get back to my routine. I couldn’t keep dwelling on my pregnancy and everything that was coming, or I was going to go crazy.
Thursdays got busy, and I was thankful for it as it kept Avery from asking too many questions while we were all running our feet off.
My phone buzzed in my pocket as I was serving a regular and finished the transaction before ducking to the side to check my phone.
Unknown Number
She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire.
Unknown Number
He will burn. Fire will cleanse him from this earth and you along with it.
My stomach squirmed with unease. My intuition screamed that this message was a threat and that something terrible was about to happen.
Chewing on my lower lip, I brought up my text thread with Kai. He hadn’t responded to my last text I’d sent at ten thirty, but he’d read it. That was very unlike Kai, and it was now well after eleven. He had to be done with his ranch tasks by now.
I messaged him, needing to hear from him to settle the unease churning in my stomach.
What did the message mean? Was Kai in danger? Was I?
Bouncing on the balls of my feet while my phone remained silent, anxiety gnawed in my gut.
I didn’t have time for this. As I called Kai, my heart rate sped up as the call went straight to voicemail.
I tried again and again, and nothing. He could be asleep, but he would have messaged me, and I couldn’t shake the sixth sense of something more foreboding.
Even through the raucous chatter and sounds of the bar, I heard the sirens as blue and red lights flickered over the ceiling as firetrucks sped by.
It couldn’t be a coincidence, could it?
After changing the tack, I tried messaging Maisie. No response.
I didn’t have any of the other guys’ numbers; I didn’t know what else to do as helplessness washed over me.
My phone buzzed from the same unknown number. This time there was a picture from the ranch’s social media page that featured Gramps, Ev and Kai in front of the main ranch house.
Unknown Number
For my anger blazes forth like fire and burns to the depths of the grave. It devours the earth and all its crops and ignites the foundations of the mountains.
Unknown Number
It will all burn because of YOU.
My hands were shaking, and Flora appeared at my side, her blonde curls framing her kind face.
“Grace, are you okay?” Her small hand covered my hands and phone, and had my gaze snapping to hers.
“What is this?” she asked as she took my phone and scrolled through the texts. “How long have you been getting these?” Her blue eyes filled with rage on my behalf. “Who’s threatening you?”
She was a little sprite of a thing, short and curvaceous, with delicate features and bright blue eyes; they almost appeared otherworldly.
Her confidence was something I envied, and her attitude was something I loved.
She’d burn the world down for those she loved, and in that moment, I was beyond thankful for her being my partner at the bar tonight.
“Go sit in the office for a moment and gather yourself. Does Avery know you’re being threatened?” Her voice was firm and brooked no argument.
“They’re not threats. They’re just scripture verses designed to scare me.” My voice wavered and sounded weak even to my own ears.
“These are totally threats, and you should tell Max all about them. We can do it together tomorrow.” She raised a delicate brow at me, which showed she meant business.
Kai and Kath had been the same. I knew these were threats disguised as scripture, but I didn’t want to think or dwell on what they meant.
But if I continued to do nothing, would someone get hurt?
Would Cain follow through on these threats, as I was sure it had to be Cain behind it? Who else could it be?
“Okay. I’ll call Max tomorrow.” I breathed out the breath caught in my lungs. “Isn’t your sister a firefighter? Do you know where she was called tonight?”
“She’s not on tonight, but she’s on standby for a fire behind one of the ranches in Riverrun. They’re worried it’ll start a wildfire, so everyone’s been put on alert.”
Fear gripped me. “Do you know which one?” I wheezed, breathing becoming more difficult as my mind ran away from me with all the worst-case scenarios.
“Sorry, she didn’t say.” She shrugged, watching me with worried eyes.
My phone buzzed in her hands, and I was quick to snatch it back and answer the call.
“Kai, are you okay?” I panted.
“Sorry, is this Mrs. Stone?” A rumbly voice I didn’t recognize asked.
“Who is this?” I asked, pulling the phone back to check the screen. The words Hospital and Health Sciences Center scrolled across the screen.
Why was the hospital calling me?
“Is Malachi okay?” I asked.
“Sorry, ma’am. We have a Malachi Stone here, but I’m calling about Cain Stone. Your husband. We have you listed as his next of kin. Is that not the case?” The voice turned apprehensive. “Hello? Are you there?”
A buzzing filled my ears as his words registered.
Malachi and Cain were in the hospital.
Next of kin.
How did they link me to Cain and my new number? Cain had my new number all this time. How? What was going on? My vision swam at the edges as my knees buckled.
“Grace!” Flora shrieked as numbness threatened to take me under. She took the phone from my hand and spoke to the person on the other end for a moment before turning back to me. “Grace, look at me, breathe, everything’s okay.” She squatted down to look me in the eye.
Avery appeared at my side, resting a comforting hand on my shoulder.
She was the only person here who knew my situation.
She and Flora chatted back and forth, but I couldn’t make out their words as my mind raced with all the possibilities.
How was Cain here? What happened between Kai and Cain?
How were they together? Why was the hospital calling me?
“Come on, Grace, come with me,” Avery said as she and Flora helped me to my feet and guided me into Avery’s office and onto the couch. “Small sips,” she insisted as she passed me a bottle of water. I did as instructed, my movements robotic and stiff.
Avery came to sit beside me on the couch, placing her arm over my shoulders, grounding me.
“We need to call the hospital back and find out what’s going on. Do you think you can do that?” Her dark gaze gauged my reactions closely. “Or we could have Max intervene, but you’d have to tell him everything. What do you want to do?”
“I can’t face him. But Malachi’s there, too.
Something must have happened. Or do you think it could be a trick?
But they wouldn’t be together, there’s no way.
” I wouldn’t put it past Cain to trick people into doing his bidding.
He was devious and charismatically persuasive normally, so playing the hospital would not be beyond his capability.
But I was sure the person said they had a Malachi Stone there. I needed to know what was going on.
“It sounded like a genuine emergency, but there’s no way to know for sure without more information.” Avery shrugged, leaving the decision solely to me.
“Can we call them back and can you put it on speaker? I can’t do this alone.” I clutched her hand in mine as she nodded and called the number back.
“Dr. Farbor speaking,” the serious voice answered.
“Hi, this is Grace S-Stone. You called me.” I stuttered over my words, hating my married name more than ever these days.
“Yes, I’m sorry to inform you that your husband has been admitted to the hospital.
He’s in a serious, yet stable condition.
He had pulmonary barotrauma, which was fixed on site, and a concussion.
We won’t know the full extent of his injuries until he wakes up.
He’s still unconscious. They took him for a CT. We will know more in a few hours.”
His words rang out in the silence.
Hospital. Concussion. Unconscious.
He was unconscious. At least for now, I was safe.
“Did you say there was a Malachi Stone as well?” I asked, my voice hoarse as I struggled to swallow and moisten my throat.
“Yes. What’s your relation to him?”
“He’s my brother-in-law. Is he okay? Were they brought in together?” My voice took on a frantic note as all the worst-case scenarios flitted through my mind. If Cain was unconscious, what had happened to Kai?
“They did arrive from the same scene. As Cain is unfit to respond, I can tell you Malachi has a mild concussion but should be able to see his brother soon.” The doctor had no idea the can of worms about to explode in his ward.
“I’m on my way. Do you know if anyone else was injured in the same incident?” I wanted to know what I was walking into. It was unlikely Cain was alone, but how had he been so injured and Kai only slightly? Did Kai know Cain was even there? What did they do to each other?
“I’m afraid I can’t release any further information at this time unless you’re family.” His voice was stern yet apologetic.
“I understand. I’ll be there in an hour. Is there anything I need to know for when I arrive?”
He rattled off the information I needed, and we hung up.
Turning to Avery, I squeezed her hand. “Thank you for helping me with that.”
“Any time, honey. You know that. Are you sure you’re okay to drive? Is there anyone else I can call for you? You shouldn’t face this alone.” Her kind eyes shone with so much care that I couldn’t help but hug her.
“I’ll be okay. Do you have Everett’s number by chance?” I asked. If Kai was hurt, he’d have known about it and might be able to tell me more.
“Yeah, I do. It’s on Maisie’s paperwork. Give me a sec.” She hustled over to the filing cabinet and found the number.
Quickly typing it in, I pressed call and waited.
“Hello?” Ev’s gruff and tired voice answered.
“Hi Ev, it’s Grace. Is Kai okay?” I asked, the frantic edge back in my voice at the thought of Kai being in hospital.