Chapter 7
7
K ade stood guard outside Bree’s door, arms folded across his chest. No one was getting in or out without going through him.
He fished his phone from his pocket. His first call was going to his sister. Chloe answered on the first ring.
“Sorry, I know I’ve been gone longer than I expected—”
“Are you okay?” The concern in her voice gutted him.
“It’s Bree. I found her and not in good shape. I’m at the hospital.”
An audible gasp came across the line. “What about the baby?”
“Seems okay so far,” he said.
“What happened?” Chloe asked.
“She was unconscious in an old barn not far from the Hollow. I stopped by the old spot to say my goodbyes when I heard a scream.” He kept the rest of the details to himself, but the desperate sound Bree had made would haunt him for a long time to come.
“Oh, God. That’s awful. Is she…? Will she…? Have you spoken to a doctor?” Chloe was trying to process. This kind of thing never happened in a bedroom community like Saddle Junction.
“I’m sticking around until I find out. Doubt I’ll be back tonight.”
“Of course. I’ll get Annmarie to watch Grayson and meet you—”
“There’s no reason for both of us to be here all night, and Grayson needs you. I’ll text you with updates.” Chloe was grown, but that wouldn’t keep Kade from trying to shield her from being exposed to the pure evil that was possible in the world. The pure evil that had somehow made its way to Saddle Junction. Thinking about what had to have happened to Bree for her to end up in that barn in that condition caused him to white-knuckle his phone out of lack of a better outlet for his anger.
Chloe issued a long pause before a slow sigh. “This is awful. Bree doesn’t deserve this. She’s already been through so much.”
And most of it had been his fault. More of that guilt slammed into him.
“Promise you’ll keep me posted?” Chloe finally asked after a few moments of silence.
“On the hour. Scout’s honor.”
“Thank you.”
“Chloe. Lock the doors tonight.”
She seemed to catch the undercurrent of what he was saying. “I’ll do it right now.”
“Good,” he said, waiting to hear the telltale snick of a lock.
“Done,” she said.
“Get some sleep. I have things covered here,” Kade said.
“I’ll be waiting for an update. I doubt I’ll be able to sleep. It can’t hurt to close my eyes and try.” Chloe paused. “Did you see Conrad and Beau huddled up in the hall today? I meant to mention it earlier but got distracted with everything going on.”
“No.” He’d missed it. His world had been shattered by the news that he was going to be a father. His thoughts had been too focused on Bree, and before that, the contents of the will. “What were they saying?”
“I couldn’t hear,” she admitted. “They caught me off guard, though.”
“Do you think they knew each other before today?” Kade asked.
“I doubt it,” she said. “Conrad seemed genuinely shocked when Beau strolled into the room.”
“I can think of a reason Beau would make nice with Conrad,” Kade said. Was the dude making the rounds to get a pulse on who might side with him on keeping the ranch versus selling?
“Fishing for allies,” she said.
“My thoughts exactly.”
“Like I said before, I honestly don’t know how Conrad feels about Beaumont or the ranch,” she said.
“I’m certain he supports selling.”
“Are you sure about that?” she asked.
“I was until you started questioning me about his intentions,” he admitted. Those seeds of doubt were taking root.
“It’s just that he’s so quiet. You know? I can’t tell if he agrees or simply isn’t speaking up.”
Kade did know when he really thought about it. It was easy to forget because Conrad was quiet. “I’ll give him a call and see if I can get a read on where he stands.”
“Try not to be so… you. ”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kade asked.
Chloe hesitated like she was searching for the right words. Then she said, “You have strong opinions that sometimes come across as non-negotiable statements.”
“Goodnight, Chloe.”
She exhaled a slow breath. “It’s bad, isn’t it? What happened to Bree…?” she asked so quietly he almost didn’t hear it.
“It’s better now. She’s safe and recovering.” He had no idea about the baby and surprised himself with a deep sense of loss if anything had happened to the little nugget.
“I’ll watch for your texts. Otherwise, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Kade.”
Or sooner if there was any news, but he didn’t want to say those words out loud. Instead, he ended the call after saying goodbye. His second call was to his new boss, Brendan Sudaki. Kade explained that getting on a plane anytime in the near future would be impossible due to circumstances outside his control. Sudaki had said he understood, but Kade was smart enough to realize this wasn’t the best way to start a new job.
Working on a rig was a tough gig to get, and he needed this career to pan out because there was no Plan B. This was it. Work the rig for three years, save every dime he didn’t absolutely need to live on, and then buy a cabin on a lake, along with a bait and tackle shop. An annoying voice told him nothing could stop those relentless nightmares that woke him in the middle of the night, his lungs clawing for air, his forehead soaked as he watched while his best friend was filled with bullet holes.
The door opened behind him, and the doctor emerged, breaking into his heavy thoughts.
“I’m Dr. Miller.” The doctor shook Kade’s outstretched hand. The man was a solid six-foot-two-inches and youngish, in his late thirties if Kade had to guess. He had sandy-blond hair and blue eyes. No band on his wedding finger.
“Kade Sturgess. How is she?” His first concern was for Bree. The image of her lying helpless in his truck a little while ago assaulted him. The face— her face —that had the ability to light up the day with a smile had been so lifeless.
“We won’t have labs back for another hour or two. We’ll know more then. Are you her next of kin?”
Kade positioned his feet in an athletic stance and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Close enough.”
“Deputy Barrett said the two of you were connected. I wasn’t sure how. She’s lucky you found her when you did.” Dr. Miller shook his head. “She has contusions. There’s edema to her—”
“Plain English, please.”
“There’s head trauma. We won’t know how severe it is until she regains consciousness. A nurse will come by in a few minutes to take her for an MRI, but I’ll caution you not to expect too much this early.” Dr. Miller spoke with his fingers steepled and his shoulders strong. “I think there’s every reason to remain hopeful. A patch of her skin has been cut on her right shoulder.” His left eye twitched. The man had probably seen a lot in his medical career. He had the stance and bearing of an ex-military man, which caused Kade to wonder if Miller had gone into the service for his medical training. “The area is red and irritated, but we should have caught it early enough with antibiotics to keep infection at bay. That’s it for major concerns. She’s dehydrated and needs nourishment. The IV is replacing fluids.”
The question that had been bottled in his throat broke free. “And the baby?”
“There’s no immediate signs of distress,” Dr. Miller said. It seemed to dawn on him that he was most likely speaking to the father. “We’ll keep a close eye on both mother and child.”
It was too soon for relief.
“Is the head trauma the reason she’s unconscious?” he asked, still very much concerned about Bree’s condition.
“I suspect the labs will give us some indication as to whether or not she’s been given something to make her more compliant.” An apology was written all over Dr. Miller’s features as he spoke but a stiff, almost detached expression quickly covered. Kade knew a thing or two about creating emotional distance. Hell, he’d become one of the best.
“I’m guessing any drugs in her system would affect the baby,” Kade reasoned.
“From what I’ve been told, you found her within hours of the abduction,” Dr. Miller said. “Because of that, we have every reason to hope for a good outcome.”
Not exactly reassuring, but Dr. Miller came off as a straight shooter. Normally, Kade found a kinship with those who’d served, but Miller didn’t give off those vibes. Medical personnel were a different breed. He chalked it up to those who’d seen action versus those who’d patched folks like Kade up. “Thank you for the update, sir.”
“You can go in to see her now. Deputy Barrett is already waiting inside the room. He said you’d most likely spend the night. It might be a long one in an uncomfortable chair. I’ll make sure you’re kept abreast of any developments,” Dr. Miller said.
“I appreciate it, sir.” Kade almost saluted. He noted scars on Miller’s hands. Had he been in the field?
Kade walked into the room where his childhood friend stood, looking out the window. It had been long since dark, and the lights inside were low. There were two beds, and Bree occupied the one closest to the door. A curtain between the beds was left open.
Kade moved to the window where he could keep an eye on the door and Bree’s bed.
Travis turned around. Worry had etched a deep groove in his forehead.
“Travis Barrett, how have you been?” Kade asked, keeping his voice low.
“It’s good to see you, Kade. Didn’t think I would before you took off again.”
“I’m here now,” Kade said with a glance toward Bree. He and Travis greeted each other with a bear hug.
“She’s gonna be okay, man. You got there in time.” The optimistic tone sounded forced. Kade appreciated the sentiment anyway.
“The doc said something about an MRI,” Kade said.
“It’s precautionary. He doesn’t want to miss anything.” Travis was close to Kade’s height and build. The two of them went way back. Back to high school sports. Kade figured the two of them would’ve been friends to this day if he’d stuck around Saddle Junction.
“She doesn’t deserve this, Travis.” Bree was a good person.
“No. Which is why we’re going to catch the bastard who did this to her and prosecute the hell out of him. That’s a promise.” Travis had been one of the best running backs that Kade had ever seen. An injury had kept him from playing college ball, but he’d always planned to go into law enforcement anyway. Kade wasn’t surprised he’d become a well-respected deputy.
“I know you will.”
Travis pulled out a notepad, and his demeanor changed. He was going into work mode. “Tell me everything you remember, every detail.”
Kade gave his statement.
“I’ve got a deputy at the barn and another with Weezie. Sheriff told them not to do much tonight. He doesn’t want to risk trampling evidence, so he’s roping it off until first light. Said we might have to wait until daylight to see what’s actually there.”
“Wait a minute,” Kade said. “You folks didn’t have anyone on the scene before now?”
Travis shook his head. “We’re down personnel as it is. I came here, and the sheriff took off, chasing a lead in the case.”
Kade figured it was probably too early to tell how or why this had happened, but he asked the question anyway.
Travis rubbed the scruff on his chin. “Sheriff’s on his way to the hospital now. Said he wants to be around to talk to her once she wakes. The lead didn’t pan out.”
Kade would rather Travis handle the case. He knew Bree. He would care the most about catching the bastard who did this to her.
“What about you? Do you have a plane to catch?” Travis asked.
“No. For one, Beaumont’s affairs got messy today. Did you hear about my new half-brother?” News traveled fast in small towns.
Travis caught Kade’s gaze. “Are you surprised?”
“That there’s only one, yes,” Kade stated.
They exchanged knowing looks. Beaumont’s activities hadn’t exactly been a well-guarded secret.
“You make a good point,” Travis said.
“I’ll be here as long as it takes.” Kade needed to see this through with Bree. Make sure she’d be okay, then decide what to do about having a baby together. Kade glanced over at her while she slept. Her normally shiny, long blond hair stuck together in stringy clumps. Not even the bruising and cuts on her face could detract from her beauty, though.
“I cleared it with the doc for you to be here for now. My boss won’t like my decision.” Even in the low-lit room, Kade could clearly see the look of apology on Travis’s face.
“Maybe he doesn’t get a say,” Kade fired back. He’d never liked Sheriff Halston Carr. The man had never earned his keep a day in his life. His wealthy aunt had used her considerable influence to ensure he’d been elected. As far as Kade was concerned, Carr had always been a freeloading jerk. Of course, being sheriff in Jackson County was easy work, considering most crimes consisted of cow-tipping and running rowdy teens out of places like the Hollow.
“You don’t want to go against him,” Travis warned.
“I think I’ve got a good handle on what I want to—”
“Don’t,” Travis warned. “I know you’re still dealing with Zeke’s…with the fact that he’s gone. Trust me, you don’t want to make enemies here, especially with Carr. He has more influence than you realize.”
“Thanks for the advice, but I’m not walking into this blind.”
“He could make life hard for your sister.”
Damn if that didn’t get Kade’s attention. “Why do you work for such an asshole?”
“I don’t. I care about the people of Saddle Junction. That’s who I work for and why I do this job.” Travis was third-generation law enforcement. Most thought he should’ve been sheriff. Kade wouldn’t disagree. The man was a saint and a damn good deputy, a damn good person.
“Fair enough.” Kade moved to Bree’s side. “I’m still not leaving. Not unless she wakes and tells me to go.”
He took her hand in his—hers was so small in comparison—and he felt a twitch in her right index finger. It was probably just a reflex, but he hoped it was something more, like maybe she liked the fact he was here and planned on staying until she could say what had happened. No way did he plan to leave her vulnerable and alone.
The door opened, and the sheriff walked in. He was in his late forties with a ruddy complexion. Tall and big-boned, he strolled in like he owned the place. He wore jeans and a tan shirt with a cowboy hat and gun belt. His weapon rested on his right side, and his hand hovered over the butt of his department-issued Glock.
Kade zeroed in on the weapon, making sure the sheriff damn sure noticed.
Carr’s gaze landed hard on Kade, and his eyes narrowed.