He’d looked up, tears in his eyes. “Constance was my older sister. Holden ruined her life.” She listened as he told her how Holden had taken advantage of his sister, getting her pregnant up on Suicide Pass, Holden’s father throwing money at her instead of making his son do the right thing. “She had a son.”
“What happened to him?” Holly Jo asked quietly.
“Constance couldn’t handle him when he got older. He died robbing a liquor store down in Wyoming when he was fourteen. He needed a father, his real father, not the men Constance brought into the house. She never got over Holden. She’d had a crush on him for years. Our father worked for one of the oil drilling companies way back when. She met Holden at a rodeo, thought he was somethin’.”
She tried to imagine HH at sixteen and couldn’t. Just a boy not that much older than her.
“The last time Constance saw Holden, he showed up with his father. Now, there was a real bastard. The old man said there was no way his son was going to marry her and shoved money at her, warning her that he never wanted to see her again. I was too young to do anything about it. Not that Constance would have let me. She had a lot of pride, blamed herself for falling for him. But I’ve always known that it was Holden who ruined her life. She died alone. No son. No husband. Not even me since I didn’t even know she was so sick.”
She heard him making excuses for not being there for his sister. “My mother died of cancer.”
He looked over at her. “I think I heard that.” He frowned. “Why’d Holden take you in?”
She shook her head. “He says he promised her that if anything happened to her, he would take me.”
“Huh. You know there’s more to that story, right?”
Holly Jo suspected so.
Darius fell silent for a few minutes before he said, “I need to get some sleep. Got work to do tonight. It all ends tonight.” With that, he curled in the corner behind the steering wheel and fell into a troubled sleep.
She waited, then tried to untie herself, but the rope was too tight. It bit into her wrists. Even if she could free herself, her side of the pickup was missing the door handle. She would have had to climb over the man to get out.
Finally, she closed her eyes. Whatever he had planned tonight involved gasoline and fire and the McKenna Ranch. Holly Jo couldn’t even cry, her tears long dried up. It would end tonight, just as he said. She no longer held out any hope that someone was going to find her in time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
BIRDIE LAY IN Brand’s arms, spent and smiling as the shadows in the room grew longer and darker.
“Are you all right?” he asked, snuggling closer.
She could feel his breath on her neck and shoulder, along with the stubble of a day’s growth of beard. It made her think of his mouth on her, all over her, the slight roughness of his tongue, the rougher feel of his beard on her skin.
“I’ve never been better.” She was still in that wonderful euphoric cloud, her body tingling. Brand had proved to be a generous lover. Not that she had a lot of experience in that area, she had to admit.
They’d both explored each other’s bodies, finding the sexy sensitive spots, learning about each other through touch and taste.
“Glad you didn’t end up in my brother Ryder’s shower.” They both laughed. “Seriously, Birdie, what are you really doing here?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” He rolled her over to face him.
“I know you better than that,” Brand said. “Not that I’m complaining. Being with you...is incredible.” His gaze locked with hers. “You still scare me, though.”
She smiled. “I think that’s a good thing. I’d hate to become commonplace with you.”
“I’d always be aware of you, intensely so, I suspect.”
Her smile couldn’t help itself. It broadened. “I did have something else on my mind before I climbed in your window and stepped into your shower. I certainly hadn’t been expecting this kind of reception, though. But it was definitely an added bonus.”
He glanced toward the window, cool fresh air blowing into the room where she’d left it open. He shook his head in amusement. “I didn’t even question how you got in. You know you could have knocked and used the front door. No one’s home but me. It’s not like you haven’t walked in before.”
“I wanted to surprise you,” she said.
“You certainly did that.” She could feel him studying her. “You just do whatever pops into your head, don’t you.”
It wasn’t really a question, but still, she thought about that for a moment as she ran a finger over his shoulder and down his bare chest. “I’m not afraid to take a risk. It’s not such a bad thing sometimes, don’t you think? When I find a naked cowboy in a warm shower...” She shrugged. “You could have thrown me out.”
He chuckled. “Not a chance. Anyway, I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”
That made her laugh. “You’re a terrible liar.”
“Birdie, I still have to ask. What was your plan when you climbed in my window?”
She pushed up on one elbow to meet his gaze. “This,” she said. “You and me. It’s wonderful, but I still need to find out who killed my father and I’m still worried about Holly Jo. I wish we had found her.”
He pulled her to him. “I know,” he whispered. “I do, too.”
She drew back a little. “I did find out something about my father—and possibly yours. As much as I hate to admit it, I think it’s possible that your mother is innocent. She might not have killed my father.”
THE SHERIFF HAD been waiting at the crossroads for the ransom drop for twenty minutes. He’d arrived early, hoping to get this over with. Finally. He’d brought the second briefcase. He was determined to make the exchange and take Holly Jo.
His cell phone rang with a call from the FBI tech who’d been trying to track Darius Reed’s phone. Because of the sketchy cell phone cover in this part of the state and the kidnapper remembering to turn off his phone after he used it, there had been little luck in locating him.
“Your kidnapper just turned his phone back on,” the tech said excitedly. “I was able to triangulate his burner between cell phone towers because he was passing through Powder Crossing, headed south on the county road.”
Stuart swore. “You’re sure? I’m at the ransom drop. He’s supposed to be here in about ten minutes.”
“If he still has the phone he used to call you, he’s no longer in your area.”
