A CALLAHAN CHRISTMAS MIRACLE (13 page)

“Okay,” Rose said, trying to soothe the obviously frazzled aunt. “Have you tried his cell? Because we texted each other not that long ago. Maybe an hour.”

“Of course! He’s not answering, he’s not picking up. If you hear from him, will you tell him he’s out of my will if he doesn’t get here pronto?”

The phone went dead, and Rose smiled. “Your great-aunt is in quite the froth tonight. Kind of like you guys. Must be something in the air.”

But the babies were calm for the moment, so Rose went to the other room to try Galen’s phone again. He didn’t pick up, but sometimes cell service was spotty in some areas of Diablo. She sent a text, and settled in front of the fireplace with a scarf she was knitting for him for Christmas.

Thirty minutes later, she received another frantic text from Fiona. Hear anything from my tardy nephew?

Unease crept into Rose. She glanced at her father when he walked into the den to toss a couple logs onto the fire.

“Galen’s not at the charity ball.”

Mack looked up at her, then went back to situating the logs the way he wanted them in the grate. “Probably got caught with some ranch duties. The place is crawling with Feds and reporters and gawkers, too, I imagine, with the shindig tonight. Folks from out of town are always curious to see the Callahan castle.”

Rose nodded. “I know you’re right, and yet I can’t help being uneasy. And the babies were restless tonight. They’re not usually cranky.”

Mack came to sit beside her, patted her leg. “Babies fuss sometimes. I wouldn’t worry.”

“Husbands don’t go missing,” Rose said. “At least mine doesn’t.”

“Now that is a bit more of a curiosity,” Mack said. “Galen’s pretty good about staying in touch, I agree. He usually rings me up if he can’t find you.”

Galen had been known to send up a flare if he didn’t get a response from her in five to ten minutes. She’d teased him once about being a worrywart, and he’d said that she was his wife and a free spirit—he couldn’t trust what she might do when he wasn’t around to keep an eye on her. Then he’d kissed her, and lured her with his rascal smile, and she’d dragged him off to bed to do things to him she knew he liked.

“I’m scared, Dad.”

“Well,” Mack said, thoughtfully rubbing the ankle he’d rested over his other knee, “I can call Sheriff Cartwright over in Diablo. Tell him we’re missing a Callahan. No doubt he and his deputies are at the party. He’ll probably have seen your man.”

She combed through every possible scenario of why Galen might not be at the ball. “I know he had every intention of helping Fiona with her big event. It’s the Callahan pride and joy, besides their weddings.” The more she talked about it, the more strange it seemed that Galen wasn’t with his aunt. “Even if a horse was foaling, or the house was on fire, he’d call his aunt. Those two get on each other’s nerves, but in the end, they’re like two hands that need each other to clap.”

He patted her knee and rose. “I’ll give Cartwright a buzz. You sit there and knit that scarf and stay warm. Everything’s fine, I’m sure, but caution is even finer.”

Rose told herself nothing was wrong—but fear settled over her, telling her something was very, terribly wrong.

Chapter Fifteen

Galen looked sourly at the seven thugs surrounding him in the dim cave. He could feel a goose egg knotting at the back of his skull, and his feet and hands were bound.

When he got free, he was going to kick some uncle ass—no matter what Running Bear said about not hurting Wolf.

“You’re the first true Callahan we’ve gotten our hands on. My brother Carlos’s bloodline,” Wolf said gleefully. “We’ve been hunting big game, and you’re just about the biggest.”

Wolf’s right-hand man, Rhein, grinned. “Only Ashlyn or Running Bear would be bigger. Still, you’re a trophy fish, Callahan.” Rhein kicked dirt at Galen, sending puffs of dust over his boots. Rhein had a hearty laugh at his expense, and Galen decided right then and there that his was yet another butt that needed a thorough kicking.

“Don’t know what you’re going to solve having me as your guest,” Galen said.

“It’s very simple.” Wolf squatted down to where he lay on the ground. “One of you knows where Carlos and Julia are. Maybe you even know where Jeremiah and Molly are. The cartel wants blood since my brothers turned them in, and they’ve patiently waited for it.”

Galen was the only one who knew where his parents were; even Fiona didn’t know that. Running Bear knew, but he would die before he revealed his sons’ location. And Galen was no different. “I always thought my parents were dead. And I know nothing about Molly and Jeremiah. I never met them.”

Wolf smiled. “I have the strangest feeling you’re lying, nephew.”

“What difference does the past make?” Galen asked. “According to a few law enforcement agencies, there are enough tunnels under that farmer’s property to open up interstate commerce. You have no reason to still be concerned with my parents. Clearly, you’ve managed to achieve your goals.”

Wolf laughed. “You didn’t really think the cartel had gone away just because my brothers had big mouths? They didn’t solve anything when they informed on them. The cartel just went underground, got stronger.”

“So what’s their game?”

“This is the easiest route to move goods that they want to get to market.”

“Drugs,” Galen said flatly.

“Drugs, weapons, other things.” His uncle smiled. “Once I take over Rancho Diablo, this will be a thriving hub for a business far more profitable than selling a few head of cattle a year.”

“You won’t get Rancho Diablo.”

“I’m Running Bear’s last son. Of course I’ll get Rancho Diablo. You have no claim to it. None of you do. It’s in your Callahan cousins’ hands, thanks to Fiona. But they’ve been gone for years, letting you do their dirty work. I’ll eventually get it.” Wolf smiled. “Don’t be surprised when I do, because I told you it would happen. And it will be easier than you think.”

Galen made no comment. Wolf couldn’t understand the bonds of family. Galen knew his siblings felt the same as he did: they were proud to stand with each other. The Callahan cousins would do the same for them.

Anything less than a fight would never be an option.

* * *

M
ACK
CAME
INTO
the kitchen, glanced at the teapot Rose had on the table and the fresh bread and blackberries she’d put on some plates nearby. He sat down and took the mug she offered.

“It’s after midnight. Aren’t you going to sleep?” Mack asked.

“I can’t, Dad. I’m worried about Galen. I think about Riley. I want my family together.” She shook her head. “I figure if I fall asleep, the babies will wake up soon enough and need to be fed. Might as well not lie in bed and stare at the ceiling.”

“Heard anything from Diablo?” He helped himself to some of the fresh-baked cinnamon bread.

“Just that it was a bumper year for bids. The bride-a-thon was very popular. Jace drew quite the crowd, and apparently Ash was the knockout favorite.” Rose smiled. “Somer called to say that Galen had gotten her out of jail, which she wanted to thank me for, but she’s released on her own recognizance and backed by Galen, so it had nothing to do with me.”

Rose planned to show Galen just how much she appreciated him listening to her and believing her about Somer’s innocence. She loved him all the more for his kindness and loyalty on her behalf.

“Ash was so annoyed to have to participate she could barely be nice to the bidders” Rose added. “But apparently at the last second, an anonymous bid came in that knocked all the others out of the running.”

Mack smiled. “Anonymous?”

“Fiona thinks Ash rigged it, that she had a friend phone in with funds Ash put up herself. She swears she did no such thing, and can’t imagine who the knockout bid could be from.”

“I guess it doesn’t matter in the end. Fiona gets her funds for her projects in Diablo, and Ash doesn’t have to sit through a date with a guy she doesn’t want to talk to.”

“I guess so.” Rose got up to look out the window, even though it was so dark she couldn’t see a thing. “A woman from Tempest won Jace, but I haven’t heard the name of the lucky winner yet.”

“I’m sure you’ll hear plenty soon enough.”

She couldn’t imagine why Galen had never shown up for his family’s big social event. The planning always took months, and since he’d been a participant in the bachelor raffle before, he knew very well how much the Christmas charity ball meant to Fiona. “It’s just not like Galen to be AWOL.”

“Sheriff Cartwright’s got everybody keeping an eye out for him. They’ll find him. I know he’s never very far away from you and the boys, so I’m not worried.”

Rose couldn’t be comforted by her father’s words. Turning away from the window, she sat again, trying to breathe through the knot that had formed in her throat. Her nerves were strung tight as wires.

“So you’re talking to Somer?” Mack looked at her. “Are you that convinced of her innocence?”

“You say she didn’t attack you.”

“It wasn’t her,” he agreed. “But Galen’s still suspicious.”

“Galen’s suspicious of everyone in general, and I can’t blame him.” Her stomach rolled as the minutes drifted by. Somer had also said Galen never made it to the ball, but no one had mentioned seeing him at Rancho Diablo before that, either.

Which meant he hadn’t made it there.

“Would you mind if I went to Rancho Diablo, Dad?”

“I think you’ll feel better if you do.” He got up, reached for her coat. “But I want you to be safe on the roads.”

“I will be.” She let him help her put the coat on. “It’s not that I think I can do anything—”

“I know.”

“It’s the waiting—”

“I know,” Mack said. “I feel the same way. Go.”

“There’s frozen breast milk—”

“Rose, honey, I know. I raised you, and I can watch two little babies for a few hours. Go.” He grinned at her. “The three of us fellows are going to bond a little while you’re gone. And there’s a couple of football games I taped that I wanted to review,” he added with a teasing smile. “Me and the boys are going to take in some games and get our strategy on for the next playoff. It’s important that they learn early about football, rodeo and ranching.”

She kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Daddy.”

“It’s fine,” Mack said, following her to the door and walking her out to her truck. He helped her knock some of the snow off it and made sure the windshield wipers weren’t frozen. “Galen’s going to yell my ears off for letting you go, but a woman’s got to do what a woman’s got to do.”

“He’ll probably yell my ears off, too.” She couldn’t worry about that right now. “I’ll be back soon.”

* * *

R
OSE
DIDN
’
T
BOTHER
going to the ball in Diablo’s town square. She went straight to Rancho Diablo. If Galen wasn’t at Fiona’s big party, then he was at the ranch and out of reach.

The sheriff could have overlooked the attic or the basement or a hundred other nooks and crannies in the huge castlelike mansion. Galen’s siblings would have been more thorough in their search, but Ash had been at the ball being bid on, as had Jace, and the rest of the brothers had been stretched thin.

Rose would feel better if she could check Rancho Diablo for herself. She combed his room, the attic, the basement and everywhere in between. The house was quiet with everybody at the ball. In the living room, a Christmas tree glowed with tiny colored lights and tons of ornaments—a testament to Fiona’s love of the holidays.

Rose went out to the barn and checked for his horse. It was in its stall, which meant he was somewhere on the massive property.

Maybe she was overthinking this. Wolf had been inclined to kidnap women—and Galen wouldn’t be an easy target. He was big, wide-shouldered, strong.

An uneasy tickle ran along her spine.

She dialed Jace’s mobile phone.

“Hello?”

“Jace, it’s Rose.”

“Hello, my sister-in-law. I did the family proud. The ladies bid me up to—”

“Jace,” she said, interrupting his bragging, “have you seen Galen?”

“No, I haven’t, and Fiona’s none too pleased. She was expecting all hands on deck tonight.”

“His horse is in the barn.”

“That’s odd,” Jace said. “Hey, Ash! Do you know where our knuckleheaded big brother is?”

“Galen?” Rose heard her say. “He’s not been here all night, and the plucky aunt is fit to be plucked.”

“I’m really worried,” Rose said. She glanced around in the dark, seeing a few ranch hands walking around, but none she recognized. “It’s not like him to not be in touch.”

“Where are you?” Jace demanded.

“At Rancho Diablo.”

“Alone?”

“Yes,” Rose said. “And I feel like something’s wrong....”

“I’ll be right there,” Jace said. “Stay in the house and lock the doors.”

He hung up, and she hurried to the main house, locked herself in and waited, her heart pounding. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her after the stresses of the past few months. Her father had warned her in the beginning that life with a Callahan wouldn’t be easy—but actually, life with Galen was very easy in so many ways, one being that he was never hard to reach by phone. As Mack had said tonight, if Galen couldn’t get hold of her for five minutes, he rang her dad to check on her.

She sat in front of the fireplace near the Christmas tree and tried to concentrate on the pretty ornaments and the many splendidly wrapped presents. Most were for the Callahan children, given that there were so many kids in the family.

Not that there were many at Rancho Diablo lately. Wives and children tended to get moved away, for safety’s sake.

Not me. I’m coming right back here. I’m no safer in Tempest than I am here—and my sons won’t be, either. The family that lives together, stays together.

Galen wouldn’t like it, but at least if she was here, she wouldn’t worry all the time. It was the not knowing that was the worst.

Jace burst through the back door just then, frightening her half to death as he dashed into the den, with Ash following behind. “Have you lost your mind? Galen’s going to gnaw on you if he finds out you were here unprotected,” his brother exclaimed.

“Don’t whine, Jace. She had a gut instinct, a flash of sixth sense, and acted on it.” Ash hugged Rose. “We’ll find him.”

“I want you to take me to the cave,” she said, and they stared at her.

“Not
the
cave?” Jace said. “I can’t do that. Galen will not only yell at you, he’ll yell at me. And it won’t be pleasant. It’ll be worse than yelling. It’ll be Galen on super—”

“I don’t care.” Fear raced through Rose. “Take me there.”

“Not the cave you guys dangled Rose into a long time ago?” Ash asked.

“That’s the one,” Rose said. “There was a digging machine in it, and guns, and silver and gold, and a portrait of Running Bear. The alcove I saw was almost a storeroom. I realized that once I started thinking about it tonight,” she said in a rush. “I have to know if they’ve taken Galen to that cave. Wolf doesn’t know that we’re aware of it, Jace. You know we made a clean getaway that night.”

“You’re panicked, I understand,” he said soothingly. “But that’s the last place they’d take Galen.”

“Why?” Rose asked. “They don’t know we found it.”

“That’s true,” Ash said. “And it’s close by.”

“There could be hundreds of caves around,” Jace pointed out. “There’s a network of tunnels that were located on that land. The Feds have it all covered.”

Ash muttered something that sounded like, “Feds, my foot.”

Rose said, “But the law enforcement agencies don’t know about that cave. It’s not obvious from the sky or even standing on level ground, and we never told them. You can get into it only if you found that opening, and as far as I know, only you and Galen ever discovered it. There’s another entrance, no doubt, but I didn’t go far enough back, because you and Galen were hyperventilating about me being down there.”

“True,” Jace said. “I’ve never seen Galen in such a twist before.” He thought for a minute. “Ash and I will go. You stay here, Rose.”

“I’m not staying here! I’m the only one who can fit down there.” She tightened her scarf in preparation to leave.

“Ash could fit if you can,” Jace said.

“Yes, that’s true, but you can’t hold the rope by yourself,” Rose said. “You need me.”

“You’re not helping anchor a rope,” Ash said. “You’ve just had babies and stitches and stuff. We should call Sloan or Falcon, Jace.”

“No,” Rose said. “It’s too dangerous to have too many Callahans in one place.”

“What about you?” Ash said. “You’re as much a Callahan now as we are.”

“Wolf isn’t after me, or he would have already grabbed me. He’s done grabbing wives and children,” Rose said with certainty. “He’s after bigger game, especially with the Feds crawling all over this place. He had to ramp up his game.”

“Galen would never allow himself to get taken,” Jace said.

“He’s a medical doctor, not an operator, as the rest of you are. He didn’t have the extensive military training you got,” Rose said, “remember? So his every thought isn’t geared to watching over his shoulder. Besides which, we’re both sleep-deprived and worried about Riley. Exhaustion and worry is not an optimum cocktail.”

“She’s right,” Jace said slowly. “Galen was the manager among us, but he wasn’t the hard-ass.”