The Cowboy Next Door--Includes a bonus novella Page 22

  With supreme effort she felt the lid’s slight movement. It was infinitesimal, but she experienced a moment of triumph before she was forced to fall back down and gather her strength for the next attempt. When she’d caught her breath, she knelt up and began the almost superhuman effort again and again.

  Though it was slow and painful, Penny could feel a measure of success. Each push now seemed to dislodge more and more of the dirt, and the lid seemed to inch a bit higher with each shove, though she knew she had a long way to go.

  She sat back on her heels and thought about her father’s favorite phrase. “Difficult is easy. The impossible might take a while.”

  She felt tears welling up in her eyes and blinked furiously. She wouldn’t cry. Not when she was so close.

  Taking a deep breath, she pressed her head, her arms, her shoulders once more against the heavily weighted lid and shoved with all her might.

  Ben’s SUV pulled up behind the other trucks, and he and Curtis were out in a flash. As they cleared the vehicles, they saw Sam holding Pittman by the front of his parka, about to land a fist in his face.

  “All right now.” Ben stepped up, gun in hand, his badge winking in the sunlight. “Step away, Sam.”

  “Not until he tells me where Penny is.”

  Ben looked around in confusion. “She isn’t here?”

  Sam shook his head. “This scumbag is going to tell us where she is, or I’ll beat it out of him.”

  Ben turned to the scowling man. “I’m Sheriff Ben Monroe. Emory Pittman, you’re under arrest for kidnapping and extortion.”

  The man showed no emotion. Not surprise, nor remorse. “Just who is it I’m supposed to have kidnapped?”

  Sam swore and reached out, but Ben was quicker and stepped between them. “You took Penny Cash from the Monroe ranch and demanded twenty thousand dollars from her brother, Curtis. Or as you know him, Thirteen.”

  The man gave a half smile. “Thirteen? Sounds like a lucky number.”

  Ben looked over at Curtis. “Do you recognize the voice?”

  Curtis nodded.

  “And I recognize the face from the pictures produced by the Canadian authorities.” Ben snagged Pittman’s hands behind his back before cuffing him.

  When Ben started marching him toward the SUV, Sam grabbed Ben’s arm. “Wait a minute. You’re not going to leave.”

  “I need to get this man secured until the rest of the team arrives. They’re on their way. Thanks to you, I’ve already alerted the state and Canadian authorities where we are. On the way up here, they were able to locate the signal from his cell phone. His last call came from this direction.”

  Sam was in a state of fury as he reached out and grabbed Pittman’s arm. “I don’t care about any of that. I need to find out where he stashed Penny.”

  “Penny?” Pittman glanced over his shoulder and gave a chilling laugh. “I don’t know anybody by that name. Looks like you got the wrong guy, Monroe.”

  Before Sam could land a fist, Ben was again between them, steering the handcuffed prisoner toward his vehicle.

  Over his shoulder he called, “I know how you feel, Sam. But I have a duty to deliver my prisoner to the state police. When they finish interrogating him, if he knows anything at all about Penny, they’ll have the truth.” He turned to his brother, seeing blood seeping from the wound to his leg. “You need to get to the town’s clinic. You’re losing way too much blood.” Ben turned to the rest of his family. “I’ll need all your statements back at my office.”

  “No.” Sam’s voice lowered to a dangerous level. “You can leave.” He looked around at the others. “You can all leave. But I know in my heart Penny isn’t dead. If she was, I’d feel it here.” He touched a hand to his heart. “Whatever that bastard did to her, she’s hurting. She could be lying somewhere right now, wounded and in pain. I’m not going anywhere until I find her.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Before Sam could say more, a convoy of trucks snaked up the hill in a long line. Up above, several helicopters circled and began coming in for a landing, sending snow swirling about, creating a near-blizzard.

  Two of the uniformed state police took Pittman from Ben and headed toward the first vehicle.

  As he was marched away, Pittman loudly denied knowing anything about a woman named Penny, except to say he’d spotted a hitchhiker back in town, who was probably their missing woman.

  “You’re not pinning a kidnapping charge on me,” he shouted.

  One of the officers ordered a team of medics to tend to Sam’s wounds until they could fly him to the nearest clinic. One medic began wrapping his leg to stem the flow of blood. Two men carrying a gurney between them hurried over.

  By this time Sam was in a fine temper. “I told you. I’m not going anywhere with you until I find Penny.” He pointed to the snow-covered hillside. “Pittman was coming from that direction. I’m heading up there.”

  One of the officers from a helicopter stepped closer. “I spotted tire tracks up there as we were circling for a landing.”

  “Thanks, Officer.” That was all Sam needed to hear.

  The family watched helplessly as Sam limped toward his truck, leaving a faint trail of blood with every step.

  Before Ben could say a word, Mac put a hand on his arm. “Your brother’s right, son. We need to find Penny now. There’s no time to waste.”

  “But Sam’s wound…?”

  “You know Sam. He’ll never give in until he’s satisfied that he’s done all he can.” Mac started toward his truck, with Zachariah, Otis, and Roscoe following.

  Finn raced over and caught the door of Sam’s truck before he could put it in gear.

  The rest of the family piled into a second truck to follow.

  With a muttered oath Ben did the same. When he jumped into his SUV, Curtis raced to catch up with him, settling himself into the passenger side.

  Sam followed the tire tracks in the snow until they ended near a run-down shack in the hills.

  Heart pounding, he was out the door and racing toward the building, leaving more bloody tracks.

  His family raced after him.

  As they walked inside the shed, Sam was standing in the gloom, peering around with a look of heartbreaking sadness and despair.

  He glanced at his father. “I really thought I’d find her tied and gagged in here.”

  Mac moved to drop an arm around his shoulders. “I know how it feels to absolutely refuse to believe anything bad can happen to the ones we love.”

  Sam was shaking his head. “I know you’ve been through it, Dad. But this isn’t like that. Don’t you think I’d know in my heart if Penny was gone?”

  Again he touched a hand to his chest, and his father’s sorrow deepened at the sight of all that pain.

  Ben started toward Sam. “I’m really sorry. But if you’re satisfied she isn’t here, you need to come with me now. I’m really worried about you. You’re still losing too much blood, bro.”

  Sam was shaking his head as his father and brother began to lead him toward the door, standing open and swinging in the bitter wind.

  As they moved forward, Sam stopped. “Did you hear that?”

  “What?” The others paused to look at him.

  “That.” He turned around. “Like…scratching.”

  Mac squeezed his shoulder. “It’s the door creaking.”

  Ben’s big hand closed around his brother’s arm. “I’m worried about your mental…”

  “There.” Sam wrenched free and hurried over to stand in the middle of the dirt floor. “I’m not crazy. I hear…something.”

  Just then he saw, out of the corner of his eye, some of the dirt shift.

  “There!” He pointed, and the others turned to stare.

  Instantly he was racing to the spot and shouting. “Penny! Are you there? Can you hear me?”

  The dirt shifted again, and this time everyone saw it.

  All of them were on their knees, using their hands to scrabble fra
ntically, clawing at the ground.

  Curtis was working more frantically than any of them. With each scoop of dirt he was calling out to his sister. “Penny. Please be all right. Please, Penny.”

  To their amazement they faintly heard Penny’s screams and saw, beneath the layer of dirt, a wooden lid. And when they’d finally managed to remove the earth from the wooden lid, it began to lift.

  Otis dropped to his knees and folded his hands as though in prayer. “Oh, sweet heaven bless us. Miss Penny.”

  With everyone grabbing at the heavy lid and lifting it free, she stood up and was engulfed in Sam’s strong arms as he pulled her from the coffin and gathered her close for a fierce embrace.

  “I knew you weren’t dead,” he whispered against her temple. “I just knew it. I was sure you were here, but I couldn’t…”

  Penny stopped him with a finger to his mouth. “Shhh. I knew you’d never give up searching for me. I wanted to give in to my fear, but all I could think about was you, and the frightened little boy you once were, who had to fight for his freedom. How could I do less?”

  “Oh, Money.” Seeing her torn, bloody hands, he pressed a kiss to each palm. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all this…”

  “But I’m safe now.” She pushed a little away and realized for the first time that he’d been wounded. “Oh, Sam. You’re bleeding.” She looked around. “What happened to him?”

  “Your abductor shot him,” Ben said.

  “Sam! You’ve been shot…?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” He dragged her against him and pressed his face to her hair. “All that matters is that you’re safe.”

  She stood a moment, allowing herself to savor his warmth, his strength. Then, as she heard his hiss of pain, she pushed a little away and turned to the crowd of officials standing nearby. “He needs a medic.”

  “And she needs a parka,” Sam said.

  At once the medical team stepped forward with a blanket for Penny and a gurney for Sam.

  Two men lifted him and secured him with straps before starting toward the door of the shed.

  Now Penny was all business. “He’s losing blood. He needs something for the pain right now…”

  Sam caught her hand and gave her one of his heart-stopping grins. “I love it when you get all bossy, Money.”

  She gripped his hand tightly in hers and felt the first tears brimming up and spilling over.

  She sniffed. “Now you’ve made me cry.”

  “I’m sorry.” He pulled her close and brushed a kiss over her mouth.

  “It’s okay. These are happy tears.”

  “Good. Now let’s get out of this creepy place.”

  Penny gave a last look at the coffin, and at the men and women sweeping the dirt and bagging and tagging evidence.

  She’d thought this deserted shack on a windswept hill would be her tomb.

  Now she knew it to be a place not of evil but of magic. She’d been lost and was found. She’d been in the depths of despair and was now feeling light as air.

  And all because of this amazing man who could lift her higher than any mountain with just a wink and a smile even in the depths of his own pain.

  “Penny.” As Penny and Sam were boarding the helicopter, Curtis rushed over to wrap his arms around her neck and bury his face in her hair. A face stained with dirty tears from digging in the dirt. “I’m so sorry, Penny. I never thought any of this could touch you. I never meant for any of this to happen. Can you ever forgive me?”

  She gave him a tired smile. “The question should be, can you forgive yourself?”

  He shook his head and looked so remorseful, she couldn’t help but draw him close. “There are lessons to be learned from this.”

  “Lessons?” He shook his head in wonder. “Even now, with all you’ve been through, you just can’t help being a teacher.”

  “I guess you’re right.” She sighed. “Curtis, the lessons today were painful for all of us, but always remember that it could have ended in a much different way. I don’t know how we got so lucky this time. But I do know this. You’ll need to think about the path you’ve taken and see if you can’t find a better one in the future. I can’t help but think you were given a second chance for a reason.” She gave him a long, steady look. “But never forget, Curtis, you’re my little brother. I love you more than my own life. There’s nothing you could do that would ever make me turn away from you.”

  “Oh, Penny.” With a sob he hugged her fiercely, and she returned the hug before stepping back.

  With Ben’s hand on his arm, Curtis watched as she climbed aboard the helicopter. Then he was led away to join her family, waving along with them as the helicopter lifted, scattering snow as it ascended high into the sky and headed toward Haller Creek.

  Penny settled herself beside Sam, who was already drifting in and out of consciousness.

  She studied his rugged, handsome face.

  There had been moments when she’d feared she would never see him again. And now, with the nightmare behind her, she couldn’t get enough of watching him, of breathing him in.

  She linked her fingers with his and lowered her head to his chest, content to simply feel the warmth of him envelop her as she listened to the steady beating of his heart.

  Chapter Thirty

  In the little town of Haller Creek, folks at Dolly’s Diner peered out the windows as they watched a state police helicopter land in the parking lot of the Haller Creek clinic. It wasn’t something they saw every day. Or the line of police vehicles pulling up to the sheriff’s office, where a handcuffed prisoner was taken inside, followed by a cluster of uniformed officers.

  At the barbershop one of the men remarked, “That looks like Mackenzie Monroe racing into the clinic. What’re the odds it’s one of his boys?”

  A longtime resident chuckled. “They’re scrappers, all right. And darned good with their fists. I just hope one of ’em didn’t get himself shot.”

  Horton Duke ambled toward the door. “Since I’ve got some time to kill, I think I’ll just head on over to the clinic and see what’s what.”

  The men seated in the barber chairs hoped he wouldn’t take too long. His news, whatever it was, would make for exciting conversation tonight around the kitchen table.

  “Now, Mac.” Dr. Dan Clark held up a hand as the Monroe family gathered around Penny’s bed in the examining room. “You’re all going to have to head to the waiting room while I examine my patient.”

  Zachariah used his best courtroom voice. “I’ll have you know, Daniel, this young woman”—he indicated Penny—“has just been through a life-and-death trauma.”

  Dr. Clark fixed the old man with a withering look. “This is my clinic. My rules.”

  “Perhaps I should mention that all of us experienced that same trauma.” Zachariah glowered at the doctor.

  Dr. Clark looked around. The old men stood with arms crossed over their chests, feet planted like trees. Mac and Finn stood side by side, forming an impenetrable wall. It was clear that none of them had any intention of following his orders.

  With a look of exasperation, he motioned for his nurse, Jenny Turnbull, to assist.

  While he worked he said to the others, “Sam is already undergoing surgery in the OR with Dr. Wilson. The doctor’s preliminary examination showed that the first bullet grazed Sam’s head. Sam was lucky. Another inch, he could have died. The second bullet seems to have passed clear through Sam’s leg, without piercing anything vital. Except for the loss of blood and the pain he’ll suffer for a while, he should have no aftereffects from the wounds.”

  After probing Penny’s bloody temple, Dr. Clark nodded toward his nurse. “We’ll stitch this wound and give her something for those raw hands.”

  Penny gave a sigh of resignation as the nurse swabbed the area before administering something to ease the pain of the stitches.

  A short time later, her wounds neatly stitched and the pain thankfully numbed, her raw and bloodied hands wrapped
in soothing dressings, she was helped into a recliner chair and covered with a warm blanket.

  As the others filed out of the room, Penny finally gave in to an overwhelming exhaustion and closed her eyes.

  Though she fought to stay awake, hoping to be here for Sam when he was returned from the operating room, she was asleep within minutes, thanks to the drugs the doctor had given her.

  The recovery room at the clinic was warm and silent, the lights dimmed to induce rest.

  Penny awoke from a dark, disturbing dream and sat a minute, struggling to get her bearings.

  Hearing the sound of slow, even breathing, she glanced to her left and saw Sam in a bed beside her chair. She sat up, shoving hair from her eyes, and drank in the sight of him.

  Safe.

  They were both safe.

  Overcome with love and gratitude, she tossed aside the blanket and stepped up beside his bed.

  “Hey, Money.” He reached out to take her hand. “What’s this?” He struggled to focus on the dressings on her hands.

  “Just some healing ointment.” She wiggled her fingers protruding through the dressings. “What’s more important is that you’re awake. How are you feeling?” She touched a hand to his forehead.

  “Like I got hit by a train. But none of that matters. You’re alive.” He patted the edge of the mattress. “Lie here with me.”

  She slipped into bed beside him. He drew her close. “I’ve never been as afraid in my entire life as I was when you were in the hands of that madman.”

  “Not even when you were that little kid locked in the shed?”

  “Those fears didn’t even come close to what I was feeling when Pittman denied ever seeing you. I knew then that he’d stashed you somewhere, hoping you’d never be found.”